Drastically impacted by a personal tragedy, Julia Evarts has
been unable to move on with her life despite having a
husband and a five-year-old daughter. Madeline Davis,
proprietor of the Tea Salon, is barely hanging on, her
business suffering from a lack of customers. Hannah de
Brisay, famed concert cellist, is at the end of her career...
and possibly her marriage.
An anonymous gift of starter and directions for baking Amish
Friendship Bread brings these three women and the rest of
Avalon, including Julia's estranged sister, Livvy together,
reminding them of what is important in small towns and
relationships.
Darien Gee crafts an incredible story about life, love,
friendship, and loss things that each member of the town of
Avalon experiences on some level. But as this community
shares the Amish Friendship Bread starter (and apparently
there really is such a thing as Amish Friendship Bread,
although no one can connect it directly to the Amish), they
also let go of hurts and slights and take hold of trust,
caring, forgiveness and an affinity for their neighbors that
had gone sorely missing.
FRIENDSHIP BREAD has a soothing quality to it, even as the
characters find themselves in and work their way through
difficult situations. Readers may not be eating the
cinnamon-laced, cake-like bread along with the characters
although they're certainly encouraged to try the recipe in
the back of the book but the feelings of goodness and
comfort emanate from the pages just the same. FRIENDSHIP
BREAD is a delightful read.
In the tradition of Kate Jacobs and Lolly Winston comes
a deeply felt, utterly charming novel of three newfound
friends and the unexpected gift that will change their
lives.
In the quiet community of Avalon,
Illinois, Julia Evarts wonders how to move on with her life.
Though her husband and five-year-old daughter give her an
abundance of love, Julia still reels from a tragedy that
has left her estranged from the sister who was once her
best friend. Meanwhile, across town, widow Madeleine Davis
takes great pleasure in serving up delectable treats and
cozy comforts at her tea salon—now, if only she had some
customers to enjoy them. And famed concert cellist and
recent Avalon transplant Hannah de Brisay finds herself at
a crossroads when her career and marriage come to abrupt
ends. The three strangers forge a friendship at Madeleine’s
Tea Shop, and soon their camaraderie extends to everyone in
Avalon in the guise of a unique and wonderful gift. But
even as Julia becomes ever closer to her new friends, she
realizes the profound necessity of confronting the painful
past she shares with her sister.
Life and
loss, friendship and community, food and family:
Friendship Bread tells a spirited, remarkably moving
tale about the triumph of hope.