“A downright delightful read. . . [with] everything you want from a small town summer read: sweetness, charm, and a side of romance.” –HelloGigglesA delightful novel about two headstrong sisters, a small town’s efforts to do right by the community, and the power of a lost dog to summon true loveNora, the owner of the Miss Guthrie Diner, is perfectly happy serving up apple cider donuts, coffee, … up apple cider donuts, coffee, and eggs-any-way-you-like-em to her regulars, and she takes great pleasure in knowing exactly what’s “the usual.” But her life is soon shaken when she discovers she and her free-spirited, younger sister Kit stand to inherit the home and land of the town’s beloved cake lady, Peggy Johnson.
Kit, an aspiring–and broke–filmmaker thinks her problems are solved when she and Nora find out Peggy was in the process of selling the land to a big-box developer before her death. The people of Guthrie are divided–some want the opportunities the development will bring, while others are staunchly against any change–and they aren’t afraid to leave their opinions with their tips.
Time is running out, and the sisters need to make a decision soon. But Nora isn’t quite ready to let go of the land, complete with a charming farmhouse, an ancient apple orchard and the clues to a secret life that no one knew Peggy had. Troubled by the conflicting needs of the town, and confused by her growing feelings towards Elliot, the big-box developer’s rep, Nora throws herself into solving the one problem that everyone in town can agree on–finding Peggy’s missing dog, Freckles.
When a disaster strikes the diner, the community of Guthrie bands together to help her, and Nora discovers that doing the right thing doesn’t always mean giving up your dreams.
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An enjoyable , quick read.
Wonderful characters, and very easy to read
I loved the characters and would love a sequal
Once I realized this title was written by the same author of A City Baker’s Guide to Country Living, I couldn’t wait to read it. I adore the slice of life look inside Guthrie and it’s quaint cast of characters. Although I had the same problem with this novel that I had with City Baker’s Guide–it’s slow roll out at the beginning– The Late Bloomers’ Club is well worth it in the end. My favorite character? Freckles.
Exemplifies the value of community, family, and helping others.
If Louise Miller is writing, I’m reading it. The beauty of this story lies in the characters. They are fully realized: charming, quirky, hopeful, cynical, wry, dour, kind, compassionate. Sometimes all at once. Nora and Kit are opposites who share a foundation. Charlie and Fern at the diner who are more like Nora’s family. All the townspeople in their glory. Kit’s boyfriend Max pretty much stole the show for me, from his leading ladies tattoos to his Zenisms to his enthusiasm for baking even though he’s vegan. This was a well-written, lovely story. It pulled on my heartstrings and the ending left me with a profound sense of satisfaction.
Loved it !
Life doesn’t always turn out like you expect. For Nora – a string have choices, both good and bad, have led her to the place in live that is now her ‘normal’. After losing her parents, Nora and her sister were faced with the hard decisions that plague many about how to get the bills paid. With mounting debt from doctor and nursing home bills, Nora and her sister made the decision to sell their family home and many belongings. It was the only decision that they found to remedy their debt, and leave Kit able to pay her sister for her half of the family diner.
Miss Gutherie Diner is the ‘core’ of Nora’s family. It was the place her mother and father worked to establish a family income. A place that many in their community looked to for comfort food and neighborhood gossip. Most of all – it was a place that gave Nora’s life the purpose to continue when life didn’t always turn out the way it was supposed to. The diner was the key to Nora’s livelihood and provided an income after Nora’s divorce.
A new twist in life has left Nora spellbound and in a place of ‘limbo’. After the sudden death of Peggy ‘The Cake Lady’ Johson, Nora found herself once again faced with the intense task of making those monumental life decisions once more. Peggy left more than her cake business and property to Nora and Kit. There was also a ‘deal’ that was on the table between Peggy and a large ‘big box’ business that would have epic repercussions on this quaint little town. Leaving people divided on where the future of this town should lie. There are still more surprises in store for Nora. None of which was more surprising than a secret life of Peggy’s that would leave Nora with more on her plate than one would ever expect.
Small town life just became more interesting in The Late Bloomers’ Club. There is nothing like being thrown a curveball in life that is so epic, everything in your life is about to change. This is the reality that faces Nora when Peggy ‘The Cake Lady’ passes away. A newly inherited farm is turning into more than anyone could have bargained for when the mysteries of Peggy’s life begin to unravel.
From Freckles the dog, to the baking of these amazing sounding cakes….everything in Gutherie, Vermont pulls you into this stand alone novel. One thing that I also found interesting about this book, Nora has already experienced so much in life. Love, loss, and the death of her parents drive Nora to make Miss Gutheries’ Diner the hot spot in town. A genuine and engaging book about small town life and the hurdles that you face when obstacles affect those around you.
The Late Bloomers’ Club is more than a ‘chick lit’ or women’s fiction book. It’s a journey to discovery, understanding, and living the best life that you can given the circumstances you face. I really enjoyed diving into the lives of the characters in Gutherie, and look forward to experiencing more from the author!!
The Late Bloomers Club by Louise Miller is the first book I have read by this author. I loved the small town charm and the wonderful characters. This was a quick light and enjoyable read. This was a very well written story. Louise has it all in this book small town, family, friendship, romance and good homemade food it’s all there. This is definitely a comfort read book. I am off now to hunt down the first book “The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living”.
A great story about sisters, community, small town, people helping people, a lost dog and a company wanting to take over a town. When Nora and her sister Kit inherit a house with land, a company wants to buy the land and develop it with homes and shopping. Kit wants the movie so she can produce a movie but Nora has other thoughts, as well as the town. Nora is dealing with her diner, the land, finding Peggy the cake lady’s lost dog, and a possible romance. When an accident causes the diner to burn, the small town comes together to support Nora. As things begin to come together, so does the possibility of moving forward. A great small-town community book!