A castle in a forest inspires the stories of three women, scattered across centuries. Adeline is engaged to a Duke in 18th century France, though her opinions are more aligned with the “rabble” than the wealthy aristocracy to which she will belong. But when the Duke’s castle is burned by angry serfs, and Adeline as…
Month: February 2018
“Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” Book Discussion and Easy Cheesy Biscuit Recipe
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman Eleanor Oliphant, lonely and literally scarred by the past, is desperate for a change, and to connect with someone, going whole weekends without speaking to a soul, other than the grocer who carries the vodka that helps her forget. At a concert, she sees a singer whom…
Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig
Ginny Moon is a teenager who’s left foster care and is now in a Forever home with her Forever parents. But Ginny is autistic, which means she takes everything very, very literally, and her parents have to be careful what they say to her, or even how many questions they ask if they want her…
My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier
“Rachel, my torment.” Philip Ashley lives in a Cornish manor with his Uncle Ambrose who essentially raised him. Both men are contented bachelors until a woman named Rachel lures Ambrose into a sudden marriage that ends tragically. When Rachel returns from Italy alone, Philip is determined to be quickly rid of the witch and her…
Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan
Polly and her adorable puffin Neal now live in the lighthouse on the Scottish island of Polbearne with her boyfriend Huckle, the beekeeper. In the mornings, she wakes early and goes down to the cold bakery and starts up the oven for fresh bread and pastries the locals will devour. Christmas is no exception, with…
“The Cafe by the Sea” Book Discussion and Lemon Raspberry Jam Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
The Cafe by the Sea by Jenny Colgan Flora works at a law office and lives in a cramped London apartment, seeking to escape her childhood memories of farming on a small, cold Scottish island. Mure is a place that now only holds flashbacks of her mother who passed away, the awful thing she said…
“The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop and Cafe” Book Discussion and Blueberry Streusel Muffin Recipe
A New York lawyer visits her grandmother’s hometown in Maine to deliver a letter. After nearly drowning and several other hilarious mishaps, Ellen unexpectedly finds the possibility of a new life, as well as a new taste for blueberries. An engaged New York lawyer visits her grandmother’s hometown in Maine to deliver a letter to…
“Divine Connection” Book Discussion and Sweet Tea Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting Recipe
Divine Connection by Amy Lyon In Barefoot Bay, Sara has just lost her husband and her father and decides to create a new life for herself in Mimosa Key, where her cousin Andi found love and is now about to be married. Andi and the cute landlord, Jackson, have renovated his father’s former fish bait…
“The Hideaway” Book Discussion and Strawberry Pie Cupcakes Recipe
The Hideaway by Lauren K. Denton The small town of Sweet Bay, Alabama hides a house where Sara grew up with an embarrassingly eccentric grandmother named Mags, and all of her hippie friends who’d stayed on since the sixties. Sara escaped to a life in New Orleans with a shop of elegant knick-knacks as soon…
The Light in Summer by Mary McNear
Billy Harper is a single mother and the head librarian in the town of Butternut Lake. Merely trying to survive the onset of her son’s adolescence, Billy frequently copes by talking to her labrador, Murphy, on the back porch, with a glass of wine and a Jane Austen novel. Her son Luke has never met…