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mariellemadden's review
5.0
I got this book at a campus booksale my first week of college, when I was terribly homesick and lonely myself. The title appealed to me and I saw that it included a few recipes when I flipped through, and that was too interesting to pass by. I'm grateful that I found this book, because it a) inspired a fascination with bread and breadmaking that has stayed with me to this day, b) kept me company and cheered me up during one of the saddest periods of my life, and c) managed to be one of the first non-SFF story to hold my interest all the way through. Wynter was such an interesting character, and she was very different from the characters I was used to reading about at the time, and I adored her for her flaws. I would give this a 4.5 if I could if only because the romantic subplot near the end seemed a bit unnecessary to me (the title of the book is Bread Alone- why should she need a LI? it would be more interesting if she stayed single through the book), but otherwise the book kept me hooked all the way through. I was making bread tonight, actually, and I felt compelled to come on here and leave a review. Imagine my pleasant surprise to find that there are apparently sequels! I'm looking forward to picking them up and picking up a few new recipes while I'm at it.
kairosdreaming's review
4.0
I mostly enjoyed this book. Hendricks does a great job of weaving the plot together and throwing in some delicious sounding recipes while at it.
Wynter is a career housewife that feels something is lacking, yet still feels she loves her husband. Early on in the book we find he doesn't feel the same way. After telling her that he needs some space and things aren't going how he wanted them to, she goes to visit a friend in Seattle for awhile.
When she returns, she finds that she has been locked out of the house and all her things in boxes outside. She flees to her mother's where she spends some time moping and figuring out what she's going to do. When she learns that her husband David has probably left her for another woman, she decides to take a job at a bakery in Seattle that had intrigued her when she had visited.
She loves her job but unfortunately there's still something missing. When her mother decides to get married that feeling becomes even moreso a problem. She varies between her new step-brother Gary who would like nothing more than to share her life and her friend Mac, a bartender in a place near where she lives.
She has to make a choice on what she wants in life. Does she still want David, her husband of seven years? Gary, who has been nothing but kind to her. Or Mac, who doesn't seem to show romantic interest to her but is a wonderful friend.
This book focused a lot on the different relationships Wynter has. She is often portrayed as confused and weak. However, making bread seems to calm her. I think, after describing how her character originally was, that she could have been portrayed as a lot stronger of a woman. She eventually is in the end, but it is a very slow progression.
Hendrick's writing is in the first person, through Wynter's eyes. She includes plenty of description but doesn't make it wordy enough that its no longer enjoyable.
My only complaint about the novel is, after describing how Wynter doesn't really care about appearances, seems to judge people by just that. There are a couple of times in the novel where overweight people are poked at and when she first meets Mac, Wynter judges him as a scary handyman. This is a complete change from when she meets him as a bartender and he has changed his appearance. While I'm not denying people judge this way, it just seems hypocritical to me, which I guess makes her character quite real.
There are several recipes in the book including Pain Levain, Patty's Cake, and many others. Most of them look very good and if I didn't have to retype them out for my own copy, I would probably try to use them. However, trying to use them straight out of this book would be near impossible as the pages don't stay open to where you want them to.
Bread Alone
Copyright 2001
356 pages
Wynter is a career housewife that feels something is lacking, yet still feels she loves her husband. Early on in the book we find he doesn't feel the same way. After telling her that he needs some space and things aren't going how he wanted them to, she goes to visit a friend in Seattle for awhile.
When she returns, she finds that she has been locked out of the house and all her things in boxes outside. She flees to her mother's where she spends some time moping and figuring out what she's going to do. When she learns that her husband David has probably left her for another woman, she decides to take a job at a bakery in Seattle that had intrigued her when she had visited.
She loves her job but unfortunately there's still something missing. When her mother decides to get married that feeling becomes even moreso a problem. She varies between her new step-brother Gary who would like nothing more than to share her life and her friend Mac, a bartender in a place near where she lives.
She has to make a choice on what she wants in life. Does she still want David, her husband of seven years? Gary, who has been nothing but kind to her. Or Mac, who doesn't seem to show romantic interest to her but is a wonderful friend.
This book focused a lot on the different relationships Wynter has. She is often portrayed as confused and weak. However, making bread seems to calm her. I think, after describing how her character originally was, that she could have been portrayed as a lot stronger of a woman. She eventually is in the end, but it is a very slow progression.
Hendrick's writing is in the first person, through Wynter's eyes. She includes plenty of description but doesn't make it wordy enough that its no longer enjoyable.
My only complaint about the novel is, after describing how Wynter doesn't really care about appearances, seems to judge people by just that. There are a couple of times in the novel where overweight people are poked at and when she first meets Mac, Wynter judges him as a scary handyman. This is a complete change from when she meets him as a bartender and he has changed his appearance. While I'm not denying people judge this way, it just seems hypocritical to me, which I guess makes her character quite real.
There are several recipes in the book including Pain Levain, Patty's Cake, and many others. Most of them look very good and if I didn't have to retype them out for my own copy, I would probably try to use them. However, trying to use them straight out of this book would be near impossible as the pages don't stay open to where you want them to.
Bread Alone
Copyright 2001
356 pages
mazza57's review
3.0
I have had a real mare of a reading month. I haven't finished a book in 2 weeks and classed at least 3 as unable to finish.
This seemed to be going the same way. The start is really stilted as Wyn and her husband have different ideas of how their marriage is faring and Wyn packs up her bat and ball and scores an ace in pouting and quoting "Woe is me". However after perhaps the first quarter the pace picks up as the author populated her characters with real personality and creates a semblance of narrative. I am not sure of the ending but there is a second in the series so maybe that will become clearer there.
It isn't going to top any charts but was a decent read overall
This seemed to be going the same way. The start is really stilted as Wyn and her husband have different ideas of how their marriage is faring and Wyn packs up her bat and ball and scores an ace in pouting and quoting "Woe is me". However after perhaps the first quarter the pace picks up as the author populated her characters with real personality and creates a semblance of narrative. I am not sure of the ending but there is a second in the series so maybe that will become clearer there.
It isn't going to top any charts but was a decent read overall
nadoislandgirl's review
2.0
I wanted to like this book, I did. I just never learned to like the protagonist. The premise is good, the recipes rather fun, but when it comes to the characters, I just didn't buy them. AND I didn't like them.
brinnet's review
4.0
I have no idea where I got this book, but I'm pretty sure I picked it up because it had a picture of a bakery on the front. In this case, baking and the bakery are actually pretty central to the book.
The writing in this book is engaging and mostly enjoyable. I say mostly because a large portion of the book is also about a husband cheating on his wife and the aftermaths of that. If you're triggered by the idea of your spouse cheating on you, you might be as infuriated as I was. Or maybe I shouldn't have read that part of the book while I was on my period. In any case, I pushed on assuming that things would resolve themselves eventually, and indeed they did.
Knowing absolutely nothing about the book, I was surprised how well I liked it. It's an easy book to read with somewhat predictable, but rewarding, character development.
I loved how blunt the main character was. She was easy to relate to. Unlike so many romantic novels, this one felt more real somehow. And I appreciated that.
Would recommend, although I'm not sure who I would recommend it to. Perhaps to somewhat blunt women who aren't triggered by the idea of a spouse cheating on them...preferably with an interest in the Pacific Northwest.
The writing in this book is engaging and mostly enjoyable. I say mostly because a large portion of the book is also about a husband cheating on his wife and the aftermaths of that. If you're triggered by the idea of your spouse cheating on you, you might be as infuriated as I was. Or maybe I shouldn't have read that part of the book while I was on my period. In any case, I pushed on assuming that things would resolve themselves eventually, and indeed they did.
Knowing absolutely nothing about the book, I was surprised how well I liked it. It's an easy book to read with somewhat predictable, but rewarding, character development.
I loved how blunt the main character was. She was easy to relate to. Unlike so many romantic novels, this one felt more real somehow. And I appreciated that.
Would recommend, although I'm not sure who I would recommend it to. Perhaps to somewhat blunt women who aren't triggered by the idea of a spouse cheating on them...preferably with an interest in the Pacific Northwest.
karak's review
2.0
There's a sequel, and I have it. I just don't know if I like these characters enough to actually read it. I mean, the book was OK and all, but still, not great.
fudge's review
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
mollyringle's review
A Californian woman, abruptly dumped by her husband, finds solace and redemption in making bread for a small Seattle bakery. As always with Hendricks, luscious sensory detail. Reminded me never to write a scene without smells, tastes, textures, and colors.
lazydream's review
2.0
This was on “to- read” list for such a long time, I thought I have had enough. And I was looking forward to read this. I was intrigued by the story line and especially about the bread and it’s cover. It really didn’t disappoint me for first 30% percent of the book. In fact I loved it. Her passion towards bread making and the recipes. It was just dreamy and romantic. BUT, the never ending cliche’s of drama possible with really boring characters. Boring as in not “boring” but if you read enough books, you would realise it’s the same characters, same predictable story line with lot of drama.
Not my loaf of bread. I am extremely disappointed and I am sorry I didn’t like this one.
Not my loaf of bread. I am extremely disappointed and I am sorry I didn’t like this one.