“Mix in one part Diane Mott Davidson’s delightful culinary adventures with several tablespoons of Jan Karon’s country living and quirky characters, bake at 350 degrees for one rich and warm romance.” –Library JournalA full-hearted novel about a big-city baker who discovers the true meaning of home—and that sometimes the best things are found when you didn’t even know you were looking When … were looking
When Olivia Rawlings—pastry chef extraordinaire for an exclusive Boston dinner club—sets not just her flambéed dessert but the entire building alight, she escapes to the most comforting place she can think of—the idyllic town of Guthrie, Vermont, home of Bag Balm, the country’s longest-running contra dance, and her best friend Hannah. But the getaway turns into something more lasting when Margaret Hurley, the cantankerous, sweater-set-wearing owner of the Sugar Maple Inn, offers Livvy a job. Broke and knowing that her days at the club are numbered, Livvy accepts.
Livvy moves with her larger-than-life, uberenthusiastic dog, Salty, into a sugarhouse on the inn’s property and begins creating her mouthwatering desserts for the residents of Guthrie. She soon uncovers the real reason she has been hired—to help Margaret reclaim the inn’s blue ribbon status at the annual county fair apple pie contest.
With the joys of a fragrant kitchen, the sound of banjos and fiddles being tuned in a barn, and the crisp scent of the orchard just outside the front door, Livvy soon finds herself immersed in small town life. And when she meets Martin McCracken, the Guthrie native who has returned from Seattle to tend his ailing father, Livvy comes to understand that she may not be as alone in this world as she once thought.
But then another new arrival takes the community by surprise, and Livvy must decide whether to do what she does best and flee—or stay and finally discover what it means to belong. Olivia Rawlings may finally find out that the life you want may not be the one you expected—it could be even better.
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Fun read about multigenerational women in a small country town. Hard to put down. Reminds you that everyone has a back story and your family are not necessarily your blood relatives but the people you choose to populate your life.
I am exhausted!!! This book kept me up late, wanting to know if Livvy found the perfect recipe for her unsettled life. The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living left me both hungry, happy and desperate for a long fall weekend in Vermont. Louise Miller has a fantastic voice that enables the reader to really picture the novel as it unfolds–every Manic Panic color, every whiff of cinnamon, the smell of fallen leaves, the feeling of that almost kiss.
I can’t wait to see what she’s going to cook up for her next book!
You know when you love a book you’re reading and you read certain parts again to drink them in, to sit in them, to stay a little longer, that’s this book. I loved it from beginning to end. Tremendous read!
Edit August 2021: I’ve now read this book 4 times and I keep coming back. It is a quilt, hot tea, a cozy couch, comfort read.
A charming gem of a book! I initially thought this was going to be a sappy and predictable story, but I was wrong. This novel does have a cozy vibe, but also suspense, secrets, and oh so much food!
After being asked to “take a break” from her current chef position, Livvy takes refuge at her best friend’s house in the small town of Guthrie, Vermont and reluctantly accepts a job at The Sugar Maple Inn. It is here she finds that a “family” can be where you find the best people.
Livvy’s unreliable (and frustrating!) narrative is well balanced by a cast of wonderful and heartwarming characters. Reminiscent of Gilmore Girls and wonderfully written, this medium paced plot sweeps you into the lives of the friends (and nemesis) in this little community and leaves you wishing you could live there too.
If you’re looking for a lighthearted read full of personality, this is a book for you.
I just loved this book- so fun and entertaining
Decent light read
This was a light and delightful read even if somewhat predictable. I really enjoyed the protagonist plus her descriptions of her job. She was well portrayed.
I hadn’t read a light fun book in a while…. loved this!
This book gave me the same feelings of when I watch Gilmore Girls. The small-town feel, likable characters (even the grouchy ones) and romantic storyline all made this book a winner for me. It was less schmaltzy than a Hallmark movie (although I do love me some schmaltz!) I just really enjoyed this book and look forward to when my library has Louise’s next one, the Late Bloomer’s Club.
It was certainly an ok book
I feared this would be a fluff piece, a romance with to substance, but it is a good book. I enjoyed the story and the characters. It was fun yet contained a dramatic line. It is a good light read.
I’m usually snobby about lighter fiction, but this was really a great read. Happy and heartwarming without being cloying or sappy. I love food writing, so having that woven into the story was a bonus. I was hoping to get the pie recipe, and voila, there it was at the end! Loved it.
Best book I’ve read in quite awhile!!!
A delightful read! You will find your mouth watering at times but there are several recipes at the end. Great break from being quarantined!
Just finished this book, simply, completely enjoyed it! Loved the characters as they interacted, learned about each other, built friendships. Comforting, make you feel good read! Left me wanting more about the people in the story!!
Entertaining albeit a little predictable. A great respite from the city with beautiful descriptions of life in Vermont and to top it all of, a generous sprinkling of sugar, spice and everything nice!
Very sweet, cozy easy read. Liked it alot
Loved,loved,loved.
A great story line and I absolutely fell in love with the characters. Wish the story didn’t end.
I read a review somewhere that said, “If you like Gilmore Girls, you will love this book.” TRUE STATEMENT. A wonderfully “comfy” read. Great characters, lively writing, first paragraphs will reel you in. This is also a great book for food enthusiasts. The author’s mouth-watering description of the food and baking is scrumptious.