In the tradition of Kate Jacobs and Lolly Winston comes a deeply felt, utterly charming novel of three newfound friends and the unexpected gift that will change their lives. In the quiet community of Avalon, Illinois, Julia Evarts wonders how to move on with her life. Though her husband and five-year-old daughter give her an abundance of love, Julia still reels from a tragedy that has … tragedy that has left her estranged from the sister who was once her best friend. Meanwhile, across town, widow Madeleine Davis takes great pleasure in serving up delectable treats and cozy comforts at her tea salon—now, if only she had some customers to enjoy them. And famed concert cellist and recent Avalon transplant Hannah de Brisay finds herself at a crossroads when her career and marriage come to abrupt ends. The three strangers forge a friendship at Madeleine’s Tea Shop, and soon their camaraderie extends to everyone in Avalon in the guise of a unique and wonderful gift. But even as Julia becomes ever closer to her new friends, she realizes the profound necessity of confronting the painful past she shares with her sister.
Life and loss, friendship and community, food and family: Friendship Bread tells a spirited, remarkably moving tale about the triumph of hope.
Praise for Friendship Bread
“The novel traces the effect of the friendship bread on a small town, jumping from neighbor to neighbor, but focuses on a small group of women whose lives need mending…Gee admirably weaves the various lives together…and demonstrates that simple companionship is a powerful balm…A satisfying first novel by Gee; perfect for the book-club circuit and beyond.”—Kirkus Reviews
“This entertaining series debut by Gee (who also writes as Mia King) will appeal to fans of tearjerkers like Kristin Hannah’s Winter Garden or novels dealing with the loss of a family member, such as Lolly Winston’s Good Grief. It’s also ideal for book clubs and readers who like stories about small-town life; it expertly weaves together numerous characters and narratives and even includes recipes and directions for making friendship bread.”—Library Journal
“Deliciously entertaining! You’ll root all the way as these characters stumble toward forgiveness, understanding, and, ultimately, celebration. A perfect book club selection, Friendship Bread is a treat worth sharing with all the women in your life.”—Kate Jacobs, New York Times bestselling author of The Friday Night Knitting Club
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A small town comes together to help a nearby town which has been damaged by a hurricane. Many people in the community have problems with their lives. Someone had started a chain of Friendship bread gifts that has overwhelmed the community. Thru their work in helping others they are healed themselves.
Enjoyable story and a easy read.Read within a few hours
As someone who really liked. Sourdough bread and all the other treats from “Herman”. I enjoyed this book , enough that I am really tempted to recreate some sourdough starter (Herman). Try it! You will like it! And a great way to meet and keep, a new friend
I’ve made AFB at one point and I loved that part of this story. Great characters and solid story lines.
Different, but definitely enjoyed reading this book.
Love the different relationships and how the relate emotionally.
It was slow in places but a realistic look on life from different perspectives
A little predictable but pleasant reading
My final thought is very positive. However, I felt like I was just chugging along one page at a time for the first part of the book. But then, I was hooked and could not stop listening to the audiobook. There are a lot of characters and it was sometimes hard to remember who was who.
But the basic premise of the book comes shining through and …
I really enjoyed this book. I made me long for past times when life was slower. The characters came to life and made me wish I had been there to share in the giving.
This is a book that shows how friends can sometimes be more supportive than family as three women face sadness and loss in their lives.
Can something as simple as sharing bread bring a community together? It can in this wonderful book and as a bonus the recipe is at the close of the book!
I loved this book and the characters. A great read.
Very Good
Good beach book
Loved this book, have shared it with many and bought copies as gifts. Great story with a message of community and caring. Make the bread!!
I loved this book. I made my sister buy it! You’ll love it – and the recipes are awesome! <3
Hard to get interested in the beginning.
This is a beautifully written study of the interactions of different individuals in small town Avalon, Illinois and specifically the building of deep meaningful friendship between three women of different ages based on their various interactions with each other. The central theme of the story was the sharing of starters and then various recipes …
Have made friendship bread and remember not knowing what to do with all the starter!
Loved the characters.
This story was different, but entertaining. I’ve experienced Friendship Bread in the past so could understand the angst of bags of batter multiplying and running out of people to accept them. A fun read with interesting characters.