Sugar and Salt

Jerome Sugar's restaurant in San Francisco faces closure after his passing, leaving his daughter Margot to handle the aftermath. She decides to relocate to Maine, where she purchases a historic waterfront building to open her own restaurant. In Maine, Margot meets her neighbor Jerome Stone, who harvests salt from the ocean using traditional methods. As she works to establish her new business, she uncovers documents and artifacts in the building that connect to the Underground Railroad and the region's maritime past. While developing her new coastal menu and renovating the space, Margot must confront memories from her life in San Francisco and navigate relationships in her new community. The seaside town presents both challenges and opportunities as she rebuilds her life. The novel explores themes of healing, reinvention, and the ways food connects to memory and identity. Through parallel historical and contemporary storylines, it examines how the past shapes present-day lives and communities.

Readers found this to be a light beach read that alternates between two timelines, though many felt the modern storyline was stronger than the historical one. Several reviewers noted they enjoyed learning about salt harvesting and the food industry aspects. Liked: - Complex female characters who overcome trauma - Detailed cooking descriptions and recipes - Romance develops at a natural pace - Social issues handled with care Disliked: - Historical sections drag and feel disconnected - Too many plot threads left unresolved - Some found the ending rushed - Legal/courtroom scenes lack authenticity One reader noted: "The recipes and food details saved an otherwise meandering story." Another said: "Strong start but the dual timeline became confusing and took away from the main narrative." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (6,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (3,200+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.3/5 (580+ ratings)

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🌊 The book is set in San Francisco and Maine, highlighting the contrasting coastal cultures through the parallel stories of Jerome Sugar and Margot Salton. 🧂 Author Susan Wiggs extensively researched traditional salt harvesting techniques in Maine to authentically portray Margot's artisanal salt-making business. 🎬 The novel incorporates elements of true crime storytelling, as one of the main characters is a former prosecutor who fled her career after a dangerous case. 🍳 The story weaves together detailed culinary elements, including authentic recipes that readers can recreate, connecting food with emotional healing and new beginnings. 📚 The book is part of Wiggs' "The Lakeshore Chronicles" world but can be read as a standalone novel, marking her return to contemporary fiction after her historical novel "The Lost and Found Bookshop."