3.5

Sweet, if predictable, holiday read.

this book was a relaxing, if at times frustrating and boring, read. there was a lot to like: the setting, the small town charm, the dogs. i didn't quite feel like i really connected solidly with any character; we spent the whole book in nora's head but i genuinely felt very distant from her. and i don't know if i wasn't paying attention or what but a lot of the story about her life with her parents seemed inconsistent from the beginning of the novel?all i wanted was for someone to sit nora down and be like "is there a REASON you're constantly saying yes to people, even when it means putting yourself in an extremely dangerous financial position?" now i know this is a book and i'm never the type of person who expects realism or even enjoys realistic stories but it was frustrating that nora never, ever, said no, or stood up for herself. and of course her meekness is paid out by the end by the town supporting her - which i loved obviously!! but i wish she ONCE could've stood up for herself without being overshadowed by her sister?? i also wanted more out of the romance w/ elliott if i'm being honest... anyway this was still fun and very relaxing to listen to i felt VERY safe

I really enjoyed this story. Believable characters in a small town.

This was the second book of Louise Miller's that I read, and it took me a bit longer to get into it, but once I did, I really enjoyed it, as well. There was an overlap of some characters from The City Baker's Guide to Country Living, but not as many as I expected. I guess I expected more of a storyline overlap but this was a completely separate story, which was okay...after I realized it! ;) Again, Louise made the book so easy to put myself right in the story and I cried along with the characters and I felt like I was right there in Vermont.

4 stars. What I liked: the small town atmosphere, The Gilmore Girl vibes, the community. This is comfort reading like a warm piece of the burnt sugar cake that is made throughout the book.

What I didn’t like: Kit, so spoiled that even her volunteering with the elderly didn’t fully endear her to me. The super long chapters-not a fan.

But-I did love this one more than A City Bakers Guide to Country Living and I would enjoy a visit to Guthrie, VT again.

I loved this book… being back in the darling village of Guthrie again with a new story was delightful. Lovable characters again and nice to get a glimpse of those from the City Bakers Guide book too. I especially loved how Freckles was finally found and the ending wrapped up exactly as I wished! Oh why are there no more books from this author??

First sentence:
Freckles would have smelled the change in Peggy Johnson before her car slammed into the town's oldest white oak, 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:
Sometimes you have to be the person that makes someone unhappy.

The cover was the first thing that caught my eye, then the fact I had read the author's first book, [b:The City Baker's Guide to Country Living|34497910|The City Baker's Guide to Country Living|Louise Miller|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1606731817l/34497910._SY75_.jpg|48117943]. Another endearing fact is the main character, Nora is in her 40s. That was a nice change from younger characters. The story drug a bit, and the chapters too long for my liking. Freckles, the dog was a favorite character and time spent at Pudding Hill Retirement Center. I often volunteer at retirement and nursing homes. The story came together well at the end. Oh, I learned a bunch about apples and sugar cake which I do want to make one day.