kshea1's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars
I enjoyed every word of this book - It totally sucked me in with these wonderful characters. I could actually smell the bread baking!
I enjoyed every word of this book - It totally sucked me in with these wonderful characters. I could actually smell the bread baking!
madae's review against another edition
4.0
How to Bake a Perfect Life is a fantastic chick-lit novel. Sometimes I just want to read a book that's predictable with a happy ending and that's just what I got!
Ramona is a 40 year old baker who's business is in financial trouble and that's just the first of her life's complications. Her son-in-law, Oscar, has been badly injured in Afghanistan, so her pregnant daughter, Sofia, rushes off to be with her husband. Katie is Oscar's 13 year old daughter from a previous marriage. After her mother is arrested, Katie is supposed to come live with Sofia. Since Sofia is tending to Oscar in Germany, Ramona offers to take care of the sullen teenager. Ramona and her mother, Lily, befriend Katie and help her blossom.
The book is written from three perspectives: Ramona tells her story in first person, Katie's story is written in third person and Sofia's story is taken from her journal entries.
The bonus for me was the bread recipes scattered throughout the book. I only wish I had copied some of them down before returning this book to the library.
Ramona is a 40 year old baker who's business is in financial trouble and that's just the first of her life's complications. Her son-in-law, Oscar, has been badly injured in Afghanistan, so her pregnant daughter, Sofia, rushes off to be with her husband. Katie is Oscar's 13 year old daughter from a previous marriage. After her mother is arrested, Katie is supposed to come live with Sofia. Since Sofia is tending to Oscar in Germany, Ramona offers to take care of the sullen teenager. Ramona and her mother, Lily, befriend Katie and help her blossom.
The book is written from three perspectives: Ramona tells her story in first person, Katie's story is written in third person and Sofia's story is taken from her journal entries.
The bonus for me was the bread recipes scattered throughout the book. I only wish I had copied some of them down before returning this book to the library.
wiseowl33's review
4.0
Very enjoyable! I think I'd like to try the recipes, but bread is a bit intimidating for me :0)
Good story!
Good story!
carmagp's review against another edition
2.0
I was looking for a more lighthearted book, and this definitely fits the bill. However, I found the plot and writing to be overall a bit trite and/or predictable. There were some interesting chapters and sub-plots, but this book was not necessarily my "slice of bread".
reesiereads's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this overall, despite some flat writing here and there. It was a fast, easy read, with family issues and dynamics.
Loved the character of Katie and how she developed an interest in gardening. It was nice to see a teenager spending her time on something so productive, without whining about hard work. I really felt for her and the hard life she has lived. I rooted for her to have a happy ending.
I really like how the author handled the part about soldiers coming back from the war and how some of them are affected, either becoming suicidal or turning to drugs, especially the ones who are wounded.
I forgot to mention that I really enjoyed reading all about the bread making and the bread recipes that were sprinkled throughout this book. I have to say, this book made me hungry!
Loved the character of Katie and how she developed an interest in gardening. It was nice to see a teenager spending her time on something so productive, without whining about hard work. I really felt for her and the hard life she has lived. I rooted for her to have a happy ending.
I really like how the author handled the part about soldiers coming back from the war and how some of them are affected, either becoming suicidal or turning to drugs, especially the ones who are wounded.
I forgot to mention that I really enjoyed reading all about the bread making and the bread recipes that were sprinkled throughout this book. I have to say, this book made me hungry!
crownab's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very warm, cozy read about family bonds/issues, troubled relationships, and lost love. I thought the story was quite good; however I felt like the story was drug out a bit too much.
hmonkeyreads's review against another edition
4.0
This was the first book of my vacation. I loved it. It's a sweet story and I have been thinking about going home to bake bread since I finished it.
It took a little getting used to though, that the main character, a grandmother, was only 40!
I liked it enough to download the author's other two novels right from my beach chair (but I didn't start to read them yet.)
It took a little getting used to though, that the main character, a grandmother, was only 40!
I liked it enough to download the author's other two novels right from my beach chair (but I didn't start to read them yet.)
emily_miller's review against another edition
5.0
This book gave me ALL the feels. (Sorry, I teach high school so their lingo rubs off one me.) This book made me cry, laugh, long for past loves, long for new love, and so much more. I didn't want to put it down and I didn't want it to end.