“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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Heartwarming, charming and utterly fascinating, The Late Bloomers’ Club is a beautifully rendered peek behind the scenes of a small town, its community and its mysteries. I adored this novel.
When Nora Huckleberry, owner of the Miss Guthrie Diner, inherits the house and land of “the cake lady” Peggy Johnson, it sends her life into a tailspin. The land is left to both her and her sister, Kit, an impetuous filmmaker perpetually out of money as she plans her next big project. To complicate things, Peggy had put into works a potential sale of her land to a big box retailer that could disrupt the small town feel of Guthrie, Vermont. And, tugging at the heartstrings, Peggy’s dog, Freckles, has run off and Nora is on a mission to find him (and to reassure those who are nervous reading about dogs for fear of them coming to harm, Freckles is well cared for by the community as he escapes capture).
This book charmed me straight through. Life is complex for Nora–the representative of the big box corporation is awfully cute, her finances are struggling, and her ex-husband is dating a woman half his age–but she’s funny, works hard, and I was pulling for her the whole way through. Her relationship with her sister is occasionally tempestuous but always amusing, and the family drama felt real and heartwarming. This book took turns that surprised and delighted me and that were completely unexpected.
While this is a stand-alone novel, fans of The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living will take pleasure in revisiting the town of Guthrie and catching a glimpse of a few residents who we already know and love. And if City Baker made you hungry for pies, watch out! The Late Bloomers’ Club will have you craving cake and lots of it! Late Bloomers’ is an absolutely delectable pleasure!
The people in Guthrie have no shortage of troubles, but they also have compassion, imagination, humor, and a camaraderie we badly need in today’s world. Miller’s novels are not only worlds I love to spend time in, I want to live there.
Written with insight, honesty, and dry wit, The Late Bloomers’ Club is as cheery and warming as a campfire, an escape into a world where the cakes are homemade, the summer evenings glimmer with fireflies, and thoughtfulness always triumphs.
I really enjoyed this book! Nora, the main character, was extremely likeable – she is selfless, caring, and very community-oriented. When the local cake lady (Peggy) passes away, she leaves everything to Nora and her free-spirited sister, Kit. The story follows Nora in her attempts to find Peggy’s dog, Freckles, and do what is best for the community in relation to Peggy’s property – should they sell it to “big box guy” Elliot like Peggy had planned? I really enjoyed the characters in this book as well as the setting – I’m from Vermont and was familiar with some of the towns they mentioned, which was kind of fun! I also really enjoyed the whimsical surprises that Nora discovered on Peggy’s property. I definitely recommend this book!
I adored Louise’s first book and was equally charmed by this one, which revolves around two sisters receiving an unexpected inheritance. The elder sister is the responsible one who runs the family diner while the younger is a free spirit who wants to be a filmmaker. This story of family, community, and following your heart also included cake-baking, a runaway dog, and two very different, but compelling romances. I can’t wait to see what this author writes next!
NOT THE GREATEST / A LITTLE BIT LIKE A SOAP OPERA
Too often an author has a wonderful first book and then can’t follow up with the next one. I am happy to report that Louise Miller’s wonderful first book (The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living) is followed up by this fantastic second book. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.
This novel takes the reader back to Guthrie Vermont – a very small town with some interesting and sometimes quirky residents. Nora is the owner of the diner in town. Her father built the diner and she took it over as she grew up. She has spent her whole life taking care of other people – her mother when she had breast cancer, her father when he had Alzheimer’s – her sister Kit after her mother died – the people she works with and the people of the town. She knows who everyone is, what they will order for breakfast and when they need help. When the ‘cake lady’ dies and leaves her home to Nora and Kit, they have to make a decision whether to sell the land to a big box store that has made a fantastic offer or to keep the house and the land and strive to keep Guthrie the same small town its always been.
I loved the characters in this book – especially Nora. She tried so hard to help everyone and neglected her own wants and needs. Also Vermont is so wonderfully described that I feel like I have visited the small town of Guthrie and enjoyed the scenery in the area. This was a fantastic book and I definitely recommend it.
Thanks to First to Read for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
What a treasure !
I enjoyed becoming a member of this small community , and becoming privy to the secrets and stories that brought us to the present . Nice people, you want to spend some time with along the way!
The true relationships between siblings and the development of love relationships. The experiences that make me what we are and how communities come together in the face of tragedy. I think there could be, and hope there is, a sequel for the relationships to blossom and Kit to find her calling. Definitely recommend
A heart-felt women’s fiction/romance set in a small Vermont town. I have to admit, the prologue to this book threw me – whoa, not what I expected at all! But it set up the story perfectly. I love that this book was a first-person small town story, with a second chance romance as the subplot. What really mattered was the town: the owner’s connection to Guthrie, her hometown, and her place in society as the owner of the town diner. She truly has to make the choice about the town’s future, as her sister and her own needs clamor for attention. Also: cake!
I was absolutely delighted to find myself reading an adult book — and no — I don’t mean “adult sexy” but a book with fully formed adult characters with pasts, the present and a hint of their futures. It was truly a refreshing read!
I enjoyed the characters, sisters yet so divergent in hopes, dreams and personalities you’d might think that they were raised by different parents and those whose lives entwined with theirs. No heart pounding mystery, no anguished chest beating, The Late Bloomers’ Club is a big piece of delicious pie where a peek at the crust reveals the real drama of ordinary lives.
Enjoyable read about how small towns gather around to take care of their own.
I am about one third into this book and I m enjoying it. It is a really good beach read.
I didn’t care for this book, it was dull and uninspired.
I loved this read! Two decidedly different sisters , small town Vermont, a mystery/twist, and love. It has everything that gives me a comfy, cozy read and those feel good vibes. A Hallmark movie in book form. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sweet , small town stories.
Loved the Late Bloomers Club! Louise Miller spins a story of small-town New England and two sisters–responsible, big-hearted Nora, who took over their parents’ diner, and free-spirited, big-thinker (but somewhat entitled) Kit, an aspiring filmmaker–who unexpectedly inherit the financially troubled estate of the town’s “cake lady.”
The descriptions of the two sisters led me to expect a certain set of tropes, but Miller reimagined them in a fresh and unpredictable way. One of my favorite characters was Max, who ended up being an enormously complex and sympathetic character. Add in the big box developer, Elliot, who also turns out to be much more than you’d expect, and you have a recipe for a beautiful, beautiful story. Bonus: my grandmother used to make burnt sugar cake, and I’ve never seen it anywhere except there. So extra points for sentiment! (I think I need to go make one now…)
I have thoroughly enjoyed both of Louise Miller’s novels and I hope she writes many more.
An enjoyable read.
Loved reading this book.
Couldn’t wait to find out how it concluded (I didn’t peek). Now I want to spend more time with these characters.