Carrigan, Ella Rae, and Laine meet on the playground when
they are five years old and become Best Friends Forever. A
blonde, brunette and a redhead, they are different in many
ways besides their hair color. Carrie is feisty, flirts
with disaster and Ella Rae eggs her on, while Laine is always
calm, ready with the lecture/scolding and then jumps in to
be with her buddies. At sixteen, Carrigan meets tall, handsome,
dimpled, Jack Whitfield only son of the owners of a hugely
successful cattle ranch, Whitfield Farm. Jack is
considered the "catch" of the town, and Carri sets out to
snag him. At seventeen, they elope, have a three minute wedding
and honeymoon at a huge Texas water park joined by Ella Rae
and Laine. Returning home to angry family members, Jack
takes all the blame, and all is forgiven. They are married
in church with family and friends present the following
Friday night. Settled in their own home, life is beautiful.
Carri has Jack and her friends and that is everything to
her.
This debut novel weaves a lovely story of Best Friends Forever and also
introduces
much
sadness with the scary and gloomy topic of Stage 4 cancer. The many emotions the
author
brings adds to the beauty of this heartbreaking and
heartwarming story. I laughed, I cried, and laughed again as
author Celeste Fletcher McHale continually tugged at my heartstrings. The banter
between the gals is so real, funny, and honest. I love all
three, but Laine is my favorite. She has my admiration for
her planning, her bravery, and sweet devotion and kindness to
everyone.
THE SECRET TO HUMMINGBIRD CAKE has the most attractive cover,
and I immediately want to find a recipe and try to create
this cake. The book is one for my keeper shelf and a rare
treasure I will read again and cherish each of the
loving characters, especially Jack. Jack is my hero because he is
always there for Carrigan and loves her always and forever.
He truly understands the closeness of the three women
and is there at the most crucial times. Truly a remarkable
man.
The banter and bonds of the three
friends is so special and so beautifully described. The
exploration of the rocky path to marriage Carri and
Jack travel have so many touching moments, and I was rooting
for them. Lots of Southern charm from the pretty little
town of Bon Dieu Falls, Louisiana, with a cast of characters
that is impossible to forget. Y'all will love THE SECRET TO HUMMINGBIRD CAKE and
you will not have the option of
forgetting it. I love, love, love it! Ms. McHale, you
are off to a great start with this winner! I am a fan.
“Why won’t you just tell me what’s in that cake?” I’d
been trying to get Laine’s recipe for years. We all had.When all else fails, turn to the divine taste of
hummingbird cake.
In the South you always say “yes, ma’am” and “no, ma’am.”
You know everybody’s business. Football is a lifestyle not a
pastime. Food—especially dessert—is almost a religious
experience. And you protect your friends as fiercely as you
protect your family—even if the threat is something you
cannot see.
In this spot-on Southern novel brimming with wit and
authenticity, you’ll laugh alongside lifelong friends,
navigate the sometimes rocky path of marriage, and roll
through the outrageous curveballs that life sometimes throws
. . . from devastating pain to absolute joy. And if you’re
lucky, you just may discover the secret to hummingbird cake
along the way.
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