Release date: April 28, 2026
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Synopsis:
A nearly divorced housewife enrolls in culinary school to win back her husband, only to start questioning the strange antics of her classmates in this new novel from the USA Today bestselling author of Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.
Retirement should mean long-awaited trips to the sapphire waters of Santorini or careening down a sand dune in Dubai. For sixty-three-year-old Mebel, retirement means her husband of more than forty years announcing that he’s leaving her for their private chef. Mebel isn’t sure who’s the bigger loss.
Not to worry, Mebel has the perfect plan: she’s going to win back her husband. No one knows what he needs better than her—after all, she’s been anticipating his needs their whole marriage. And if he wants a wife who can cook (why else would he leave her for a chef?), she will simply go to cooking school. Luckily, class at the renowned Saint Honoré School of Culinary Arts in France starts in just four days!
However, Mebel quickly realizes that her culinary school is not in illustrious Paris but rather in England—and some small village outside of Oxford no less. Despite the less-than-warm welcome from her much younger classmates, Mebel manages to befriend Gemma, the breakout star of the program, who offers to help Mebel on their first day. When Gemma stops showing up to class, Mebel knows she must figure out what—or who—caused her friend’s sudden disappearance. After all, Mebel may not know the first thing about how to cut a potato, but she certainly knows how to identify a fraud, and there’s definitely something fishy going on.
Review:
Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block is quirky, chaotic, and undeniably charming in that signature Jesse Q. Sutanto way. What starts as a slightly ridiculous premise—a nearly divorced, privileged housewife enrolling in culinary school to win back her husband—quickly unfolds into something far more engaging and unexpectedly endearing. Mebel herself doesn’t exactly win you over at first; she’s self absorbed, a little out of touch, and honestly kind of annoying. But that’s part of the journey. Watching her slowly gain self awareness, form genuine connections, and step outside of her comfort zone is where the story really shines.
The setting adds such a fun layer, trading dreamy Paris expectations for a quaint English village, which only amplifies the fish out of water energy. The culinary school backdrop, paired with a cast of younger, often suspicious classmates, creates the perfect mix of light mystery and offbeat humor. There’s a slightly absurd, almost silly tone woven throughout, but it works somehow. It leans into its quirks rather than trying to smooth them out, and that’s what makes it so entertaining.
At its core, this is a story about reinvention, independence, and realizing you might want more for yourself than what you originally thought. It’s light, easy, and genuinely funny, with moments that will catch you off guard in the best way. If you’re in the mood for something breezy, a little ridiculous, and completely delightful, this one absolutely delivers.
Overall rating: 4/5
Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
Novelgossip 