“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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Enjoyed this book alot. Loved the characters.
A fun book to read…very easy reading.
I love books that revolve around cooking and recipes. This one had a nice ratio of cooking to the story line. I would definitely read more books like it.
Light reading and a nice story. A good break from heavier reading.
I love a small-town romance
A lovely view of the Vermont countryside and a small town inn. The bakery descriptions are mouth watering and I wish there were more recipes. I guess I will have to get the cookbook . The writing was excellent and humorous, a most enjoyable read.
Just “ok”, nothing special
What a great introduction to a new author to me. I loved this story and all the characters involved. Heartwarming and entertaining throughout it was a breeze to sail through this book in 2 sittings. I almost wish this were the first in a series so I could continue to follow the lives of Olivia, Martin and their family and friends. I will be looking for more to read from Louise Miller!
What caught my eye were two of my favorite things: Vermont and baking! Oh, and the cover! This is one of those books that I knew was for me before I even began reading, and I wasn’t disappointed. Packed with culinary creations and quirky characters, an autumn harvest festival and a pie contest, contra dancing and a sleigh ride through fresh fallen snow, the story was spun with magic. The descriptions of the seasons and yummy delights coming from small town Vermont and the Sugar Maple Inn were irresistible. I enjoyed the charm of this book and the wittiness and spunk of the spicy culinary chef as she and her dog, Salty find home and community.
The story centers around Olivia aka Livvy a pastry chef looking for a place to call home. After an accident in Boston she turns to her friend in Vermont. The trials and tribulations of mastering the Apple pie as well as life in a small New England town begin when she becomes the pastry chef at the Sugar Maple Inn.
This is a heartfelt story of home and family written by a fantastic new author Louise Miller whose prose for a first novel was exquisite. She composed an impeccable picture of Vermont scenery, smells of the kitchen, and true emotion. The characters both major and minor are so true-to-life they jump right off the page. I could not help but laugh and cry, tap my foot to the music, and root for the underdog. I would not change a thing.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Penguin Random House’s First To Read in order to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.
I love the Vermont town and the people who’ll lived there. The author does a wonderful job with the plot and you are never quite sure what will happen. Loved it
This book is great if you love a slower paced story. I really wanted to find out what happened to the main characters, but it was s-l-o-w going for me. There is a lot to like: Vermont, baking, small town secrets, bed-n-breakfast, best friends, music. This book has a female banjo player, which is the only book I can think of (fiction) with a female banjo player. I am glad I finished the book. I also saved the apple pie recipe shared by the author.
Kind of a silly romance novel but I really liked the chef, her dog and the food and music references.
Fluff, but fun fluff. A quick read.
I loved this book and give it five stars!
Loved receipts and cooking discussion. Family holiday descriptions.
As a baker I enjoyed the very realistic depiction of daily life in the bakery. I also adore Vermont – so much is spot on in this book. Have read it several times and see something new each time
Sort of sweet…
Sort of unbelievable
Enjoyable, easy read for distraction from real life…
This is a nice read that ends making one feel good, which is a plus in my opinion. It is not particularly realistic, but who cares. It is a nice story although pretty predictable. The Vermont small town location is delightful and made me wish for an even smaller town than where I live now – which is also a pretty small town. I would recommend this book. The characters are well rounded and it is a nice, comfortable story with just enough adversity to get some feeling going. Not a hot and steamy romance, but a nice easy love story.
I loved the characters and community. There was just enough suspense to keep me entertained, but not frustrated. The food descriptions were fabulous!!!!