The Late Bloomers' Club

Title:  The Late Bloomers' Club

Author:  Louise Miller

Publication Information:  Pamela Dorman Books. 2018. 336 pages.

ISBN:  1101981237 / 978-1101981238

Book Source:  I received this book through the Penguin First to Read program free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "Freckles would have smelled the change in Peggy Johnson, but the window on his side had been rolled all the way down and the air out on Pudding Hill Road was thick with the scent of the fresh cow manure the farmer had spread over his kale field just that morning."

Favorite Quote:  "I'm more interested in what a person thinks and feels anyways, but if we have to look like something, which we do, I'd rather look at someone whose face shows they've lived a little. That they've struggled a little."

This book in its setup reminds me of the movie It's a Wonderful Life. There is a small town and a close-knit community. There is a big business looking to take over and change. There are two siblings, one who flies and seeks the world and one who stays and keeps alive the parents' vision. Both siblings feels like the other is the strong one. A crisis precipitates a reckoning. The love and bond of this small community comes together. Admittedly, this book has no angel showing what life would have been like if... However, other things manage to convey the community impact of one person.

At the heart of this story is Nora, the owner and operator of Miss Guthrie's Diner in the small town of Guthrie, Vermont. She and her sister Kit grew up in Guthrie and the diner. Nora kept it going after the death of her mother and her father's decline. Kit left to pursue other dreams. Part of a close-knit community, Nora nevertheless feels alone, particularly after her divorce.

The plot of the book is simple. A town resident passes away, and for reasons unknown leaves her rather large property to Nora and Kit. So, there is the question of why would a relative stranger leave the sisters this legacy? A big business wants to purchase the property to build a large store. A handsome, eligible, and sympathetic representative from this business arrives to survey the potential of the store. The town is divided between the jobs the store may bring to the local economy and the way it will forever alter the small town. Sisters Nora and Kit are divided between the windfall the sale of the property will bring them and the desire to protect this special property and the town. Added in for good measure is the story of a lost dog that brings an entire community together.

Nora, in this case, is the late bloomer. In that respect, many readers may find her a relatable character. Her story of putting, what she feels may have been, her goals on hold for family obligations is a story that frequently occurs in real life. It is the longing for the path not taken even if you eventually discover is that the path you are on is the one you wanted all along. Sometimes, it takes a crisis to remind us of that.

One of the best parts of this book is the relationship between the two sisters. It feels real. There is sibling rivalry, disagreements, at times distance, but ultimately a basis of strong love and respect. This and the lovely small town feel of Guthrie gives this book a nostalgic feel.

Louise Miller's The City Baker's Guide to Country Living is also set in the town of Guthrie. Both books are simple, sweet stories. No shocking twists, no unpredictable turns. Just feel good books perfect for a cozy afternoon. This book, like the first one, also contains a few recipes for cakes which sound delicious. Do not read when hungry.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

The City Baker's Guide to Country Living

Title:  The City Baker's Guide to Country Living

Author:  Louise Miller

Publication Information:  Pamela Dorman Books. 2016. 356 pages.

ISBN:  1101981202 / 978-1101981207

Book Source:  I received this book through the Penguin First to Read program free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "The night I lit the Emerson Club on fire had been perfect for making meringue."

Favorite Quote:  "You have a say, young lady. Don't you forget it. And don't wait too long to decide. Not making a decision is making a decision."

The City Baker's Guide to Country Living floated to the top of my to read pile because I was in the mood for a simple, sweet story. No shocking twists, no unpredictable turns. Just a feel good book perfect for a summer afternoon. This book delivers on all counts.

The "city" is Boston. The "baker" is Olivia Rawlings. The book begins with the city baker involved in an unfortunate accident that results in the dinner club where she works catching fire. The baker makes a quick exit, not waiting for the fallout. Therein comes "country living" in Guthrie, Vermont, a small town that is home to Olivia's best friend Hannah.

Olivia's reputation as a baker precedes her. A few conversations and small town relationships lead to a job as baker at the Sugar Maple Inn. All of sudden, Olivia is enveloped into the life of the small town with all that entails. The book does a wonderful job of capturing the warmth and charm of its small town setting. It's a place where everyone knows each other, and everyone knows everybody's business. It's a place where people have long memories and even longer grudges. It's a place that creates an image of a simpler life, with music, laughter, long walks, and the smell of freshly baked apple pie. It's a place where strangers become family, and, of course, where romance enters the picture.

The main character Olivia is a charming, sympathetic one. Her answer to life's conflicts seems to be to run and to dye her hair a different vibrant shades. Let's just say she goes through a lot of hair colors through the book. She explains it, "People say happiness starts from within, but I'm a firm believer in 'fake it till you make it.'" Olivia has been on her own since the age of sixteen, and underneath her bravado lies a girl looking for home and a place to belong. She doesn't always make the best choices, but still, I want things to work out for her. I want her to find home.

Martin, the male lead, is not as well developed, but the side characters and stories about Margaret, Dotty, Henry, and the local musicians more than make up for that. Their stories are in turn funny and sad. The book makes me part of that small town family, smiling and crying along with them.

One word of warning. Do not read this book when hungry. I could practically smell the baked goods wafting through the book.

Comparisons have been drawn between this book and Kitchens of the Great Midwest. I don't see the similarity other than the fact that both are foodie books about female chefs. The structure and story take the two books in very different directions. Both books work but for very different reasons. Kitchens of the Great Midwest is about a woman's journey told in vignettes from different perspectives. The City Baker's Guide to Country Living is a woman and her choices captured at a moment in time.

This book works in its simplicity. It sets out to tell a story of home, family, and community with its laughter and tears, and it succeeds.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.