A review by cgj13
The City Baker's Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller

5.0

" I felt a wave of sadness thinking of Mary, alone in her little dark kitchen--a loneliness no one in this room would ever know. "Every time we would bake something together, she would say 'You should always do what you can to make life sweeter.'"

This was a sweet romance novel (pun intended). I loved, loved, loved this book. I could not put it down. The descriptions of food in this novel just made my mouth water. I think I gained 5 pounds just reading about it.

Throughout this book, we follow Livvy, a pastry chef living and working in Boston. She has had a life of self-reliance, having been raised solely by her father, after her mother abandoned them when Livvy was really young. To make matters worse, her father dies when she is still in her teen years. We meet Livvy when she is in her early 30's, having an affair with a married man, who is also her boss. We soon come to discover that Livvy has never had a serious relationship and moves quite frequently, pouring herself into her work. The only constant is her trusty dog Salty.

When an accident happens at the Boston Dinner Club, Livvy flees to Guthrie, Vermont where her best friend lives. Fleeing, is Livvy's gut response when anything gets bad. Guthrie is as small town as small towns get. She finds her self working at a the Sugar Maple Inn. It is here that Livvy finds the things she needs most in this world, family, and love.

"By the end of the week I was left feeling like a deranged mix of Sherlock Holmes and Christopher Kimball..."