Book review: The City Baker's Guide to Country Living

At first look, the title, The City Baker's Guide to Country Living, looks like it should be a cookbook, however, once you look closely you will see that this is a fun novel.

Olivia Rawlings is a pastry chef for a Boston dinner club. That is until one of her desserts burn the building down. To escape, she goes to Guthrie, Vermont, where her friend Hannah lives. Soon, Olivia is offered a job at the Sugar maple Inn. She takes the job and then moves to the inn's property with her large dog. Soon Guthrie is taken over by her wonderful desserts. She also discovers that the owner of the Sugar Maple Inn, Margaret, would like Olivia's help in reclaiming the inn's blue ribbon for apple pie at the county fair. Life in a small town seems to suit Livvy. She meets others including a surprise arrival who has Livvy deciding whether to stay or go.

The author is able to help the reader soak in all of Vermont through her brilliant descriptions, including the descriptions of Livvy's desserts. This fantastic book will take the reader on a well-deserved trip to a most lovely part of the country, through the world of a pastry chef.

I was given this book by Penguin Group Viking and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: After you by Jojo Moyes

After You is the sequel to Me Before You. I love both of these books.

Where it is helpful to read the first book to build a relationship between the reader and the characters, it may not be absolutely necessary. Saying this, however, I am so happy that I read After You first.

This book is so well written with a few surprises, but it was great. Louisa, along with her family and the Traynos are back. Here is just a taste of what was discovered in the first to give a good preview of this book. Will is a quadriplegic who has gone through many carers until Louisa shows up. At one time, Will was adventurous. After the accident he became suicidal. Louisa is funny and so unique and she falls for Will. Anymore will give away a wonderful story which deserves to be read by all.

I was given this book by NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: The Secret Chord

The Secret Chord is a novelization of the story of David. We are invited to read about his life from a different viewpoint. He was gifted with the ability to learn quickly and, when he was placed in the king's court, he was able to keep his life.

I have read other works by Geraldine Brooks and these are books that have found a permanent place on my reading shelf, while I tell others about the artistry of this writer. She has a way of taking the reader to a level beneath the surface so that we feel we are truly seeing all aspects of David. We discover how he related to all those in his lives, including his friend and wives.

David's story is a glorious Biblical story and Geraldine Brooks was able to allow me to see it differently, yet keep my feelings about him with me. This is a book that is difficult to put down and even though we know the ending from the Bible, I still did not want it to end.

I was given this book by NetGalley and Penguin Group - Viking in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: The Woman Who Stole My Life

I am so happy to be reading another Marian Keyes book. She has such a wit in her writing, yet there is a bit of the unknown. Stella Sweeney is a 40 year old, married, mother of two teenager and she is strong. .She is diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome and becomes someone that she has little control over, even through mentally she is as quick as always.

Keyes was able to create and place such detail into Stella that I did not want the book to end. The story line was wonderful as it took us to different countries and years, yet kept us in the story.

I am so thrilled to have been given the chance to read more of this lady.

I was given this book by NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking in exchange for my honest review.