Sunday 27 December 2015

A Measure of Happiness by Lorrie Thomson (Food fiction, Romance, 10E/10E, short 'n' sweet review)

Tasty looking blueberries!
August 2015, Kensington, 320 pages, Paperback, Review copy from NetGalley

Content: lots of cake, humour, clean romance, tissues needed

Summary from Kensington
Katherine Lamontagne isn't Celeste Barnes's mother, but ever since Celeste graduated high school and her parents abandoned Hidden Harbor, Maine, she's acted the part. At twenty-two, Celeste worked at Katherine’s bakery, and hoped to buy the business once Katherine took early retirement. But when Katherine reconsidered that decision, Celeste fled to culinary school in New York—only to return two months later, a shadow of the girl who’d stormed out the door.

Katherine knows the signs of secret heartbreak. Years ago, she gave up her baby son for adoption—a regret she’s never shared with either her ex-husband or Celeste. She longs for Celeste to confide in her now. But it will be a stranger in town—an engaging young wanderer named Zach Fitzgerald—who spurs them toward healing. As both women are drawn into Zach’s questioning heart, they also rediscover their own appetites for truth and for love—and gain the courage to face the past without being imprisoned by it.


Nayu's thoughts 
A superb story evolves around a group of women coping with what life throws at them. That life happens to include cake and sweet treats, which I feel are much needed for the harder experiences both Katherine and Celeste endure. Yes the baking made me want to try lots of new sweet treats, but at the heart of the story is Katherine and Celeste's relation with each other. 

At times it is strained. At other times, especially when more is revealed about both their lives I wanted to yell at them to give each other both a chance and some slack – there were reasons behind their behaviour and actions, which wasn't necessarily logical or beneficial. It was frustrating when they clashed because I sensesd (and sometimes I knew) they had been through whatever the other had, even if the situation was slightly different.

Be prepared for the heart to heart moments which require tissues (& possibly cake), as the joys and sorrow of these different yet similar women's lives as they open up to each other which lets them prepare for a new, much happier future. 

Find out more on Lorrie's website

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