Sometimes we need a safe, gentle book to remind us of all that good in humanity. Tia Fielding and Lisa Henry provide exactly this refuge in “Family Recipe.” It’s a romance that shows love can be simple and easy when life is not.

After a messy divorce, 38-year-old chef Del is now living in his grandparents’ old house, back in his hometown, feeling somewhat lost as he writes a cookbook. A knock on the door brings 19-year-old Justin and his siblings; a feverish infant, plus 4 and 6-year-olds. Only four days earlier, Justin agreed to parent the kids when his mom died of an overdose. But Justin, has no skills, money or car to get the infant to a hospital.

Their dire situation brings Del a miracle – the possibility of his own family. And what does Del feel for the younger, disadvantaged Justin? “All he could parse together was the fact that he admired the hell out of this young man. What he was doing was incredible.” But to trust their easy affection, both must stop doubting their age and cultural gaps. And doesn’t society tell us relationships should be more difficult?

With harrowing first chapters, Tia Fielding and Lisa Henry prevent the boredom that might occur in a romance without interpersonal conflict. After all, when romance is between one man and a whole family, everyday life is an adventure. 6-year-old Harper is furious, 4-year-old Wyatt is mute and Scarlett has an ear infection. Daily survival provides sufficient tension to keep us fascinated.

Given the content warnings for “Family Recipe,” a potential purchaser might wonder how the authors have created a safe, feel-good tone. But safety is the central issue. Here is how Justin considers Del, who has taken them to the hospital to get treatment for the infant. “He felt, not small exactly but safe, like with this guy beside him, everything would be okay. And that had to be his sleep deprivation and his stress talking, because Justin had been on his own since he was fifteen. He wasn’t a little kid who needed protection from the big bad world. He hadn’t been that in a long time. Tonight was a fucking exception, okay? Tonight had been a disaster, but usually Justin wasn’t like that.”

In every move, every decision, Del exudes care, respect, consistency and responsibility. And Justin, who wants to be the excellent parent he never saw, soaks it up. But so do readers, some of whom might wonder what “unconditional love” might look like. Luckily, Del has a supportive mom, sister and niece. The authors prove that the strongest people are those who know how to request and receive help.

Equally important to the success of “Family Recipe,” Justin remains true to himself, independent to a fault, yet lovable for that very reason. Here are two sides of Justin’s awareness. “He’d thought, when he’d almost dozed off in the tub, that slipping into a relationship with Del was just like slipping into a hot bath: easy, relaxing, and it felt so good.” But, “He needed to be able to stand on his own two feet.”

As these men learn how to complement one another, through danger and opportunity, readers are treated to the rare example of a balanced family. All of “Family Recipe” is like slipping into a warm tub, a perfect example of what I now label “pandemic literature.” But this tremendous read will stand the test of time, enjoyable in any season.