As my sister so simply put it in January, “This year, we’re reading!” I couldn’t agree fast enough. Truthfully, it’s been several years since I’ve read for pleasure, pouring over pages and devouring stories. Even with long warm summers and the allure of beach reads, somehow I let my library loose its luster.

But not anymore.

This year I’ve pledged to read one book a month, marking the chapters of 2025 by flipping through, well, chapters and chapters! I’m off to a pretty good start, having polished off The Wedding People by Alison Espach in January and enjoying daily dates with Ina Garten as February draws to a close. I hope to embody her sage wisdom to Be Ready When the Luck Happens by the time I’m through.

It turns out I’m not alone in my determination to be a better reader in 2025. Several friends expressed the same sentiment and a few weeks ago I was invited to join a book club. You can only imagine my excitement – friends (old and new!), appetizers, cocktails, lively chatter, camaraderie to achieve my goal, and of course numerous opportunities to lean into new literary delights and their themes – more to come on this later!

Our first meeting was splendidly fun – our hostess out-did herself with a beautiful spread and we got to work selecting our first book.

Before we dive into our March Book Club title, I have to wholeheartedly suggest giving Yotam Ottolenghi’s Root Vegetable Pies a try! They were perfect for gathering with friends on a cold February evening – vegetable forward and herby with a flaky crust. Yes, my kitchen was a bit of a mess when I left, but conference calls and cooking don’t always mix. I recommend making the filling hours ahead of time, maybe even the night before to make the recipe easier and ensure the filling cools before you build your “muffin-pan samosas” as my husband happily called them, going in for another bite.

Seriously though, I’ve made several of Ottolenghi’s recipes and I’ve savored every one. I love vegetables, so I appreciate that he leans in there, but they are so inventive, and to me that’s what separates his recipes and keeps me coming back. If you’re a New York Times subscriber, the NYT Cooking App is great fun and the best way to loose a few hours browsing. I’m also the proud owner of Ottolenghi’s second cookbook, Plenty More. My mom bought his first book, Plenty, years ago and the eggplant dish with little ruby pomegranate seeds on the front cover is just the most gorgeous thing – it came as no surprise when I discovered his website is stunning. Anyway, as you can tell, I’m a big fan!

Now the moment you’ve all been waiting for…

Our March 2025 Book Club selection is… The Widow Clicquot by Tilar Mazzeo.

I was so surprised when my book selection was chosen for our first month, but I’m so very happy it was. Admittedly, it felt like a lot of pressure to pick a book, any book, and throw it in the hat, but all fears went away when my friends were excitedly looking up the book, reading reviews, and ordering their copies. Now I hope we all love it as much as I think we will!

I’ve excitedly signed up to host our March Book Club and have already started to dream of swaths of Clicquot yellow, French treats, and of course bottles of bubbly! Follow along on instagram as I plan, prep, and party – read highlights and hosting tips here!