THE KITCHEN FRONT is an entertaining, lighter addition to the ever-growing World War II subgenre of historical fiction. The novel follows four women who enter a cooking competition to earn a much sought-after spot as the first-ever female co-host of “The Kitchen Front,” a BBC radio program that is quite similar to Food Network’s “Chopped.” The show consists of three rounds --- a starter, a main course and a dessert --- and each contestant must creatively develop dishes using rations and items grown in her garden or scavenged elsewhere. Whoever has the most points at the end of the third round will become a co-presenter on “The Kitchen Front” with host (and sole judge) Ambrose Hart.

"THE KITCHEN FRONT is a great choice for those who gravitate towards WWII fiction but are not looking for a heavy read. It will appeal especially to those who are fascinated by the era and enjoy reading about food."

The story is told from the points of view of four different women from varied backgrounds: estranged sisters Lady Gwendoline Strickland, the mistress of Fenley Hall, and Audrey Landon; Nell Brown, who works in the kitchen at Fenley Hall; and Zelda Dupont, the head chef of the staff canteen at the Fenley Pie Factory. Each lady is anxious to prove her worth as a cook and best the others in the competition, and for several of them, it is very personal. However, as they get to know each other and events in the town unfold, secrets are revealed, and they find that they have much more in common than they ever dreamed.

“The Kitchen Front” was an actual show from the time period that revolved around cooking with the food rations in place during WWII. Author Jennifer Ryan includes fabulous details about how this worked, and a list of what was rationed opens the book. Throughout the novel, she weaves in interesting facts about the impact of food rationing on the civilians at home, the way that every park, football pitch and even the moat for the Tower of London were used to grow vegetables, how some people circumvented rationing, and many more absorbing items.

The book is chock full of actual recipes used by the women during the competition, including Audrey’s Mushroom Soup, Nell’s Seared Hare with Elderberry Wine Sauce, Gwendoline’s Eggless Chocolate Sponge Cake, and Zelda’s Raised Spam and Game Pie (readers may not want to replicate the latter). Those who love to cook will appreciate the focus on meals from the 1940s and the occasional engrossing tidbit about certain foods, such as the origin of the term “bangers” --- sausage so full of bread that it exploded when cooked.

THE KITCHEN FRONT is a great choice for those who gravitate towards WWII fiction but are not looking for a heavy read. It will appeal especially to those who are fascinated by the era and enjoy reading about food. While the book is longer than necessary and drags a bit at times, it is an engaging tale, and ultimately you will find yourself rooting for all four women.