Rachel Linden: On Family Heritage and Magical Cookbooks
In this interview, author Rachel Linden discusses traveling to Italy to research for her new novel, The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake.
Rachel Linden is a novelist and international aid worker. Rachel lives with her family on an island in the Pacific Northwest, where she enjoys creating stories about hope, courage, and connection, with a hint of romance and a touch of whimsy. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
In this interview, Rachel discusses traveling to Italy to research for her new novel, The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake, the importance of writing communities, and more.
Name: Rachel Linden
Literary agent: Kevan Lyon of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency
Book title: The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake
Publisher: Berkley Books
Release date: September 30, 2025
Genre/category: Book club fiction; feel-good fiction
Previous titles: Recipe for a Charmed Life, The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie, The Enlightenment of Bees, Becoming the Talbot Sisters, Ascension of Larks
Elevator pitch: A magical cookbook and a summer on her family’s Italian olive farm help a brokenhearted social media chef cook up a satisfying new life in this delectable novel about three generations of strong women, a second chance romance, and a lost recipe that can show you the happiest moment of your life.
What prompted you to write this book?
I was fascinated to explore a story about a woman who is letting grief and fear of loss hold her back from really embracing the things she most values in life. I also adore Italy and wanted to set a story near where my family’s heritage is—in the lake region of northern Italy. I loved getting to weave in themes of food, family, lost love, and finding the courage to risk and embrace the right hard things in life. And I loved getting to set this book in a gorgeous olive farm!
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I usually write a book a year, but I roll ideas around in my head for a while before I decide to write them. I loved the idea of exploring these themes of finding your true path in life when you go back to your roots and rediscover what you truly value. That didn’t change, but some of the magical and relational elements did, particularly the magical cookbook. I brainstormed with my editor and we decided a magical cookbook that only shows one recipe at a time, the recipe the person cooking needs most in their life, was a really fun concept to play with!
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
It’s been a joy to realize how much people love Italy and are excited to read a book that feels like it transports them to a beautiful, sun-drenched olive grove on Italy’s biggest lake! This is my sixth novel, so the publishing process is familiar now, but it’s always fun to realize that readers are excited about the things you are writing about!
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I learned so much about Italian culture through this process! An Italian writer friend of mine read through the story to make sure all the Italian was correct (it definitely needed her help!) and that everything rang true about Italian culture, food, and customs. I loved immersing myself in all things Italian for this story, and I even got to travel to Italy to research on location. It was the best research trip—olive oil tastings, driving around the lake region in Italy, and eating LOTS of gelato!
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I always hope readers find a nugget of truth in my books that they can put in their pocket and take into their own lives. For this book, I hope readers think about how loss and grief can make us afraid to risk for what we really want in life. This book is about finding the courage to take those risks for the right, hard things we most value in life—like family, community, love, and a sense of purpose and our place in the world.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Make connections in the author community as much as you can! Writing is a very solitary task—often just you in a room with the story you are creating—and it is essential to foster a supportive community of authors who can cheer you on and cheer you up, offer feedback, and share industry knowledge. Writing is a tough but rewarding job, and having a good support system is incredibly important if you want to thrive as an author.
