jennieke cohen – Home | The Blind Scribe

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today. Today I am bringing you my book review for My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen. If you have read this book, let me know what you thought of it. I was surprised by it. For example, I didn’t know that it was based on the story from My Fair Lady.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Culinary delights abound, romance lingers in the air, and plans go terribly, wonderfully astray in this historical tale.

It’s 1830s England, and Culinarians—doyens who consult with society’s elite to create gorgeous food and confections—are the crème de la crème of high society.

Helena Higgins, top of her class at the Royal Academy, has a sharp demeanor and an even sharper palate—and knows stardom awaits her if she can produce greatness in her final year.

Penelope Pickering is going to prove the value of non-European cuisine to all of England. Her contemporaries may scorn her Filipina heritage and her dishes, but with her flawless social graces and culinary talents, Penelope is set to prove them wrong.

Elijah Little has nothing to his name but a truly excellent instinct for flavors. London merchants won’t allow a Jewish boy to own a shop, so he hawks his pasties for a shilling a piece to passersby—but he knows with training he can break into the highest echelon of society.

When Penelope and Helena meet Elijah, a golden opportunity arises: to pull off a project never seen before, and turn Elijah from a street vendor to a gentleman chef.

But Elijah’s transformation will have a greater impact on this trio than they originally realize—and mayhem, unseemly faux pas, and a little romance will all be a part of the delicious recipe.

My Review:

This book introduces you to three most important characters within the early chapters and as soon as you meet them you know exactly what their personalities are and what their flaws are. Helena is forceful and ambitious. Penelope is caring and gentle. Elijah is a man who spends the whole book trying to be better for himself and not be treated differently because of who he is. This book does not shy away from discussing the social issues of the time and I liked that it was included in a way that didn’t feel forced or too much in the reader’s face. I loved how the characters developed throughout the story and it never felt like their flaws were being brushed over, their flaws were fully on display and dictated their actions throughout.

My rating:

Monthly Wrap Ups

September Wrap Up!

October 2, 2026September 28, 2026 theblindscribe

Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a lovely day today. It is now October and that means it is time to look back on all the books I managed to read in September.

As the first month where I have officially completed my PhD, I intentionally gave myself a large TBR in September to have a good choice and I didn’t expect to finish it, which is good because I did not get through all of the books from my TBR. As I am writing this, there are two days left in the month. Enough to read a few more books from that TBR.

How To Kill A Guy in Ten Dates – I did read this and I will be sharing my full review on the 19th October.
Everyone In This Bank Is A Thief by Benjamin Stevenson – I did read this. This is the third book in the Ernest Cunningham series and this was a five star read for me.
A Deadly Scandal by Felicity Epps – As I am writing this, I have not yet read this book but in the remaining two days of the month I plan to get to this one.
A Game of Scandal by Laura Wood – I did read this. This is the third book in the Agency for Scandal series. These are fun little mysteries with addictive characters and romance subplots.
Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes – I did read this and I enjoyed it. These books are fun, quick reads. I love the mysteries in each one though I find the characters themselves a little annoying.
Gothikana by RuNyx – I started to read this one though eventually I did DNF it. I didn’t like the writing style. It was too slow and too fast at the same time. the Plot was moving too slow and was not getting to the intriguing parts of the mystery and it was too fast with the developing relationship of the main character and the love interest.
The Bells of Westminster by Leanora Nattrass – I did read this. It is unfortunately another book this month that I DNF’d. One of four. This month was all very highs and very lows with the books I was reading. This books had an interesting concept but there was a moment where a character you are meant to like, is described eating early in the book and it disgusted me everytime he showed up after that. I couldn’t get past it.
The Graves of Whitechapel by Claire Evans – This is the third of the four books I DNF’d. This one I stopped reading quite early in the book. I couldn’t get on with the writing style and I was starting to dread reading it.
A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn. I did read this. This is the second in the Veronica Speedwell series. I have to say that the first book in the series was okay but this one I really enjoyed. You get a very interesting mystery and two brilliant main characters to follow on their adventures. I gave this book four and a half stars.
A Secret in the Garden – I did not read this.
My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen – I did read this. I was unsure what I would think of this one. I picked it up a long time ago and I was never drawn to pick it off my shelf until recently when I thought if I don’t read it I shouldn’t keep it but this book surprised me. I loved it. It was another five star read for me and could by my favourite read of this month.
Till Death Us Do Part by Reverend Penny Stephens – this was unfortunately the fourth book that I DNF’d this month. The pacing of the story was slow.
Truthwitch by Susan Dennard – I did not read this.
When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A Parker – I did not read this.
Malevolent Seven by Sebastien de Castell – I have not yet read this but I intend to before the end of the month.
The Sisters Grimm by Menna Van Praag – I did not read this.
Book Lovers by Emily Henry – I am currently reading this.