I have no idea what possessed me to buy this book. I purchased it over a year ago when I was browsing in Barnes and Noble and while they say not to judge a book by its cover, the cover was what caught my eye. Then there was the title — Tomorrow There Will Be Apricots. What does that mean? As I read the summary on the back, I knew this was going to be a good one and I was right.
This story follows two women — Lorca and Victoria. Lorca lives with her mother, a chef, and her aunt in New York. After being told she is being sent to boarding school, Lorca is convinced that if she can make her mother's favorite dish, all talk about leaving for school will be forgotten. With not a lot of time to accomplish this, she finds Victoria. Victoria is an Iraqi immigrant and widow. Having just lost her husband, with whom she ran a restaurant for numerous years, she is desperate to fill the empty void left in her heart. Upon finding Lorca, they attempt to mend their empty hearts as Victoria teaches Lorca her famous dishes.
I’ll admit that, while enjoyable, the first half of the book was starting to feel predictable, but just when you think you've got it figured out, Soffer really takes the reader for a ride. In fact, it's the ending that really makes you realize why Soffer’s writing is so important. Just when you think you know what’s going to happen, she switches it up so fast, you almost have to re-read it to make sure it actually happened. Soffer has also made each woman so distinct in their mannerisms that I’m positive they actually exist. Their thoughts and actions are so succinct that, minus a few details, it’s almost like Soffer wrote this about me and my mom or my mom and her mom. The point is, you feel like you know these women before you finish Part 1 of this novel.
Filled with really delicious recipes, this story is a heartwarming tale of strength, forgiveness, and redemption. If you’re anything like me, you’ll fly through this novel. In all honesty, however, I wish I had the patience to go slowly with this one because I’m sad that it’s over. I feel like just as soon as I was forming this relationship with these two women, they were off and on their own adventures without me. All I can hope for now is that they’re having as much fun together as I’m sure you’ll have reading this book.
Let me know what you thought about this book in the comments below!
Up Next: The Book of the Month for July will be Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell!
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