The mystery of cookbooks

This time is going to be about cookbooks… When I select a book to read, it is usually a good mystery or a cookbook.   It can be a condensed volume or a magazine with seasonal recipes. I will read the recipe and visualize each step as it progresses,  I can actually almost taste the end product.  Portuguese recipes are my favorites,  their desserts are the sweetest desserts that I have ever read, and the Italian desserts, are to die for.  Have you ever read a recipe, from the very first ingredient to the last step and it does not make sense. Or look at the photo, the ingredients and steps, and figure you will make this recipe, follow the steps careful not to miss any and it turns out as something that you would not feed your worst enemy.   A recipe should make sense as you read it.  Some creators of  recipes,  thinks that we should know all the basic steps, or  that we are graduates of culinary institutes.  Maybe, they figure that only “chefs” will buy the books. 
Do you ever had an experience with a recipe that either exceeded your expectations or did you dumped the whole creation in the trash.    Putting aside those experiences I have had some excellent results.  The recipe must make sense before you start creating.