Recipe for Persuasion Book Club Kit

Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev is the official March 2022 pick for the Peanut Blossom Book Club for Recovering Readers.

A copy of the book Recipe for Persuasion is on the table.

I am a *huge* Jane Austen fan. During one of my favorite college courses, we read every single one of her books in a single semester.

But my favorite part of the class was that our professor showed us the movie version of Emma staring Gwyneth Paltrow and the movie Clueless, which is actually based on Emma, so we could compare them.

You can read more about this and 7 other modern movies that retell classic novels here.

Modern retelling of classic stories is a such a fun way to connect with these older beloved books.

I was tickled pink to discover a new series of Jane Austen-inspired books by Sonali Dev. I can’t help but wonder what my college professor would think of them!

Peanut Blossom Book Club

This book club pick is one of the awesome books from our eighth year of book club.

We’re still going strong! Want to join us?

You can join our book club for free by signing up for my email newsletter right here:

What Is Recipe for Persuasion About?

“From the author of Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors comes another , clever, deeply layered, and heartwarming romantic comedy that follows in the Jane Austen tradition—this time, with a twist on Persuasion.

Chef Ashna Raje desperately needs a new strategy. How else can she save her beloved restaurant and prove to her estranged, overachieving mother that she isn’t a complete screw up? When she’s asked to join the cast of Cooking with the Stars, the latest hit reality show teaming chefs with celebrities, it seems like just the leap of faith she needs to put her restaurant back on the map. She’s a chef, what’s the worst that could happen?

Rico Silva, that’s what.

Being paired with a celebrity who was her first love, the man who ghosted her at the worst possible time in her life, only proves what Ashna has always believed: leaps of faith are a recipe for disaster.

FIFA winning soccer star Rico Silva isn’t too happy to be paired up with Ashna either. Losing Ashna years ago almost destroyed him. The only silver lining to this bizarre situation is that he can finally prove to Ashna that he’s definitely over her.

But when their catastrophic first meeting goes viral, social media becomes obsessed with their chemistry. The competition on the show is fierce…and so is the simmering desire between Ashna and Rico. Every minute they spend together rekindles feelings that pull them toward their disastrous past. Will letting go again be another recipe for heartbreak—or a recipe for persuasion…?”

Read the full description of the book here.

Recipe for Persuasion Discussion Questions

I believe the best book club questions to spark a lively discussion in your group help readers make personal connections to the story.

You can read about how to write the best book club questions on your own here, but hopefully these will get you started!

Question 1:

Food is a crucial element to this story and it is how the characters relate to one another. Do you have certain dishes that have very special meaning to you? What are they and why are they important?

Question 2:

Many characters in the story are hiding a part of their history. What are they using as their shield?

Question 3:

How are Ashna and Shoban alike? How are they different?

Question 4:

Families made up of both chosen connections and of blood relations are featured in the story. How do these different types of connections impact the characters?

Question 5:

Do you believe in second chances? Why or why not?

Question 6:

Would you watch a season of Cooking with the Stars? Who would you want to cheer on?

Question 7:

Have you read Jane Austen’s Persuasion? How would you compare these two books? What do you think Jane would have to say about this one?

Book Club Party Menu

There are so many delicious foods mentioned within Recipe for Persuasion but if you want to keep your book club party extra easy, you could order from your local Indian restaurant and serve the dishes buffet style.

If you want to try your hand at cooking some Indian recipes at home, my whole family loves this easy Instant Pot butter chicken recipe.

If you have an Air Fryer, this spiced tandoori chicken is very easy.

Just add a batch of jasmine rice and some warmed naan breads and you’re ready to go.