Neely O'Neil flees her crumbling marriage to a pro football player in New York to her hometown of Millcreek Valley, Ohio. She comes ready to open her bakery, Rainbow Cake. Neely is an experienced professional baker, and she's got an added bonus: she can "read" people and match flavors to their moods. She's a psychic with a dash of cake. She usually blocks it out, but uses it to create a successful reputation as a delicious baker, capable of delivering just the right cake. If you didn't know Judith Fertig has a career as a cookbook writer, you figure it out pretty quickly reading this book. Only someone with a background in all things baking would be able to write so well about buttercream, chocolate, and flavor pairings. I'm drooling now just thinking about chocolate and coffee entwined together in a rich swirl of frosting. Yum.
Neely's move back to her hometown hasn't stopped her estranged husband from trying to get her back, however. He continually bombards her with gifts, phones messages with songs, and rag magazine stories. But Neely has too much going on at Rainbow Cake, and she's surrounded by people who all have desires and secrets of their own. Including Mrs. Amici, the grumpiest, most sour lady walking a dog you'll ever meet. Surprisingly, Mrs. Amici's past plays a big part in this book, and the storyline flips between present day and the mid 20th century. You'll have to read to find the connection!
What Neely really wants is a home, a safe place to land, and someone she can trust with her heart. Can she find it in Millcreek Valley?
This novel was just plain fun. Perfect for what ails you. I have to apologize for the big time gaps between reviews in the past 5 months. I'm finishing up grad school, and I'm in my last few weeks. It has been an intense and very crazy 2 years of my life, and it has made a huge dent in my reading time. I never thought I'd say it, but it's true: there aren't enough hours in the day for me to read whatever I want whenever I want. That will change in about 30 days, and then look out! I'll be returning to a much richer review schedule. So until then, thank you all for following, leaving comments, and being patient. I've got piles of books to read and review; this summer promises to be a big book summer!
Rating: 7/10 for a fun, magical story about love, cakes, and memories.
Available in June in paperback and e-book.
Wow, sounds like an amazing book to read. I like these types of reading.
ReplyDeleteI'm drooling from the review alone. Can't wait to read!
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