Summary:
They say you can't have your cake and eat it too. But who would want a cake they couldn't eat?
Just ask Emma Rae Travis about that. She's a baker of confections who is diabetic and can't enjoy them. When Emma meets Jackson Drake, the escapee from Corporate America who is starting a wedding destination hotel to fulfill a dream that belonged to someone else, this twosome and their crazy family ties bring new meaning to the term "family circus." The Atlanta social scene will never be the same!
Release Date: 9/1/10Publisher: Abingdon Press
Age Group: Adult
Pages: 288
Source: NetGalley
Review:
Going off of the summary, this book sounds a little weak. It's not! It is a really good love story, but mostly it is about two people overcoming their past hardships, getting closer to God, and starting a relationship.
This was my first time reading Sandra Bricker and I liked her so much, I will definitely be back for more. It's hard, I think, to get the right mix of faith and love in Christian fiction, and Bricker hits the nail on the head with Always the Baker Never the Bride.
The story starts with Emma being diagnosed with Type I diabetes in her teens (her body makes no insulin so she has to check her blood sugar several times a day and take at least two insulin injections daily). She dreams of becoming a pastry chef, and achieves her dream with great success. However, she cannot eat more than one or two bites of her creations and can only indulge that much every once in a while, when her sugar is stable.
One of the problems I often have with books is when authors write about a subject and it's obvious they haven't researched it. I could name names here, but I won't. As a Registered Dietitian I can attest to the accurate portrayal of Emma's diabetes. Even her diet was appropriate for Type I diabetes. That was so nice to see! Hats off to Sandra Bricker for getting this right!
I liked Jackson a lot, although Emma was my favorite character. She has a lot of gumption and speaks her mind without being mean about it. They are both somewhat removed from God at the beginning of the book and have a gradual return to faith, which was very well handled. There are recipes (all the talk of cakes made my mouth water!), wedding tips, and articles/invitations pertaining to the story at the beginning of each chapter. I like those sorts of additions. Overall, I really enjoyed this book!
Just One Gripe:
The surprise at the end was somewhat predictable.
The Best Thing About This Book:
The slow development of the love story, occurring over months instead of days/hours like we so often see.
Appropriate for a younger audience:
Yes
Score:
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 3/5
Setting/Imagery: 5/5
Originality: 4/5
Ending: 4/5
Total Score: 20/25
This sounds like a really interesting book. I used to work for a diabetes association and I agree with you - I'm not a fan of authors who do not research subjects they are not knowledgeable about. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a book I would enjoy, and I love that cover!
ReplyDeleteI really like the cover. It's always great to hear that the facts are well represented especially since it is not "caked" with nonsense. the cover makes me want to bite into it right away.
ReplyDeleteAdorable review. I read this one recently :) My review will post one of these days :)
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