Reviewer: Samantha
I received a review copy
Summary:
A crisp tang of citrus that is at once poignant and familiar, sharpening the senses and opening the mind to possibilities once known and long forgotten…
Claire “Neely” Davis is no ordinary pastry chef. Her flavor combinations aren’t just a product of a well-honed palate: she can “taste” people’s emotions, sensing the ingredients that will touch her customers’ souls. Her gift has never failed her—until she meets a free-spirited bride-to-be and her overbearing society mother. The two are unable to agree on a single wedding detail, and their bickering leaves Neely’s intuition frustratingly silent—right when she needs it most.
Between trying to navigate a divorce, explore a new relationship, and handle the reappearance of her long-absent father, Neely is struggling to make sense of her own conflicting emotions, much less those of her hard-to-please bride. But as she embarks on a flavorful quest to craft the perfect wedding celebration, she’ll uncover a family history that sheds light on both the missing ingredients and her own problems—and illustrates how the sweet and sour in life often combine to make the most delicious memories…
Review:
I absolutely adored The Cake Therapist by Judith Fertig, and was incredibly excited to read her next offering. While we once again follow pastry chef Neely – who has the special gift of “tasting” people’s emotions – she is now in a very different place in her life. Trying to divorce her cheating husband, find happiness once again in her own love life, deal with the delicate issue of her father, and of course, pleasing brides, it was a joy to catch back up with a very relatable character. Typically I am a big fan of books that features glimpses into the past, but actually with this one I preferred to keep reading Neely’s story, and the flashbacks –though I most certainly understand why they were featured – made the story lag just a smidge for me. But other than that small fact, I highly enjoyed this comforting novel and hope for more from Judith Fertig.
