It’s been a while since I was a host on the TLC Book Tour. Thanks to Lisa for reaching out. I’m glad to be back!

I received a free review copy of this book from the author for this stopover.  I was not paid for this review and all opinions, thoughts and rants are completely my own.

About the book:

You’re In Good Company: The Gift of Friendship, Motherhood, and Showing Up

Publisher: Zondervan, March 17, 2026

Print length: 240 pages

They say it takes a village to raise a child, but how, exactly, do you create and sustain that village? You’re in Good Company, by Ashlee Gadd and the writers of Coffee + Crumbs, is a heartfelt collection of stories celebrating the unique roles that food, friendship, and hospitality play within the context of motherhood.

Through captivating and honest essays, Ashlee and the Coffee + Crumbs team invite moms to rediscover—and even redefine—what hospitality can look like in a busy, lonely world. Hint: it looks less like glamorous dinner parties, and more like ordinary grace around the backyard fire pit.

You’re in Good Company: The Gift of Friendship, Motherhood, and Showing Up mixes personal stories,

reflections, and helpful ideas, all based on the belief that hospitality doesn’t need to be perfect to matter. From folding laundry together on the living room floor to sobbing together at the top of a hike, these essays will prompt you to laugh, cry, and immediately pick up your phone to text a friend.

About the Author:

Ashlee Gadd is a writer, photographer, and “slow art champion.” She runs Coffee + Crumbs, an online literary magazine for mothers. She moonlights as a writer/author, photographer, podcaster, wannabe gardener, and a mom. (Edited from her website.)

What I thought….

I am not a mother. Because of that, I was a little hesitant to review this book. I need not have worried. Although this book is about “The Gift of Friendship, Motherhood, and Showing Up,” it primarily is about connections and community.

This is a book about gathering and making space, not just for bodies and plates and conversations, but also about vulnerability, belonging, empathy, communion, and love. 

This is a book about flinging open our doors as well as our hearts. (ix)

I can relate to some of what Gadd opens with but I won’t go into that. I would argue that this book is about being human. You don’t have to experience motherhood to learn lessons from this book. 

I’s also a  book about food—fun food, nourishing food, healing food, comfort food. Each essay/lesson ends withe a recipe. Here are just a few of them along with what they represented to the authors.

• An arugula salad, with the simplest ingredients, represents years of friendship and a time to heal.
• A sugar cookie legacy makes up for home envy.
• Spiced tea that sings community.
• Banana muffins from a box—don’t apologize. 
• A mouth watering brisket to memorialize a forgotten friendship.
• An avocado farm literally shows fruitfulness.
• Peanut butter bites, material things, and collateral damage.
• Sourdough can live in the refrigerator uncared for while our lives calm down.
• Friendship is a commitment (and Bougie Popcorn shows the love).
• Legacy and community of working cattle along with sirloin tip roast sandwiches.

What to make—sugar cookies, peanut butter bites or bougie popcorn?

I decided to adapt the peanut butter bites recipe (155). I used maple syrup instead of honey and added dried blueberries. The original recipe also calls for mini chocolate chips. I used regular-sized ones.

Here’s my adapted recipe

Blueberry, Chocolate, Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bites

Based on No-Bake Oatmeal Snack Bites, Two Ways from You’re in Good Company

Ingredients

• 2 c. old fashioned oats
• 1 ½ c. creamy peanut butter
• ¾ c. chocolate chips
• ½ c. dried blueberries
• ¼ c. pure maple syrup
• ¼ c. chia seeds
• ¼ t. Kosher salt

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix to combine.
2. Form into 1 ½” balls. (A small cookie scoop works great for this.) Please in a 9 x 9” pan. Don’t crowd them but they can slightly touch. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least an hour.
3. Store in the refrigerator.

Yield: about 2 dozen depending on size.

These are super quick and quite tasty. Mine came out a bit crumbly but I would make these again.

While it is obvious that most of the essay contributors rely on their faith, this is not a preachy book. It is just full of heartfelt stories that made me reflect, remember, and recollect on my own stories. It would make a great book club read. It would also make a great gift for that special friend in your life.

Also know that there are more recipes in this book than what is mentioned above.

I’m linking up with Foodies Reads.

For all my TLC book reviews, click here.