Louise Miller's debut, [book:The City Baker's Guide to Country Living|28110139], was a five star read for me last year and I had been anticipating this one since I heard about it! Luckily, Miller did not disappoint! An endearing story of the relationship between sisters in a small town who have had more than their fair share of struggles over the years, but are as different as could be. When a local townsperson passes away and leaves the sisters her estate with no rationale, things in their lives are thrown into more of an upheaval than before. The characters in Miller's books remind me of Stars Hollow (from Gilmore Girls), a bit quirky, but all heart!

Thank you to Penguin Viking for an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

What a truly delightful & heartwarming novel of a small town bonding together to keep it that way! I loved this book!!

It was a pleasure to revisit the town of Guthrie, first envisioned in Louise Miller's excellent first novel The City Baker's Guide to Country Living. The author has a way with characters and dialogue that is very appealing. In this story two sisters find themselves at odds over an inheritance and what it would mean to their separate lives. The story is heartwarming, which I've just learned a new word for, genre-wise: :Up-Lit" (as in feel-good stories - love that)! I appreciate that it must be hard to create a sophomore writing effort after an extremely successful debut, and Ms.Miller has done a great job with this second novel.

Louise Miller's books are as comforting as a warm piece of pie. I absolutely adore Miller's portrayal of kitchen life and her well-developed casts of characters - and their dogs! THE LATE BLOOMERS' CLUB returns readers to the charming town of Guthrie, but new fans will not be lost if they haven't read THE CITY BAKER'S GUIDE (but they'll want to when they're done with this one!). Pair this novel with a cup of tea and a slice of cake for a lovely afternoon.

Louise Miller's debut, The City Baker's Guide to Country Living, had me looking for baked goods throughout the time it took me to finish her novel. The Late Bloomers' Club, rather than being centered on a pastry chef, focuses on Nora, a woman who owns the local diner and lives in the same idyllic small-town in Vermont as Miller's beloved debut characters. For lovers of Gilmore Girls, this novel will be right up your alley. Everything from the town hall meetings, sense of camaraderie, and an everyone cares about everyone vibe will have you reading this book in one setting. Miller excels with her sense of place in this novel -- when big wig corporate guy comes to town with an offer he doesn't think anyone can refuse, Nora and the neighbors show him what makes their little slice of Vermont so special.

I really enjoyed this book! Nora, the main character, was extremely likeable - she is selfless, caring, and very community-oriented. When the local cake lady (Peggy) passes away, she leaves everything to Nora and her free-spirited sister, Kit. The story follows Nora in her attempts to find Peggy's dog, Freckles, and do what is best for the community in relation to Peggy's property - should they sell it to "big box guy" Elliot like Peggy had planned? I really enjoyed the characters in this book as well as the setting - I'm from Vermont and was familiar with some of the towns they mentioned, which was kind of fun! I also really enjoyed the whimsical surprises that Nora discovered on Peggy's property. I definitely recommend this book! I received an ARC via NetGalley - my opinions are my own.

I enjoyed reading "The Late Bloomers' Club" by Louise Miller. I read a pre-released copy through Net Gallery. The story had interesting characters and a well paced storyline. The story was more of a fluff read but very enjoyable one!

This is the story of two very different sisters and how they resolve their differences. If you have been the care giver in your family you can identify with this conflict. There is also a love story that involves a frightened dog- i love dogs so this really hit home to me.

I loved the sense of belonging that Nora felt for her small Vermont town, Guthrie. Nora runs the local diner, after taking care of her late mother, late father, and her younger sister. Putting aside her art for the practical realities, Nora is in some financial trouble after inheriting land that is mired in back taxes. A large company wants to buy the land, which would solve Nora’s and her sister Kate’s problems, but Guthrie would be the loser. Wonderful lovable characters, plus a story that will stay in your heart, I recommend for anyone looking for a heartwarming read.

With the hustle and bustle of the Miss Guthrie diner, the festivities of the early fall Corn and Tomato Festival and the true "can-do" spirit of community, Louise Miller welcomed readers back into the cozy world of Guthrie, Vermont in her latest novel The Latebloomer's Club. Following up on the popularity of her first novel, The City Baker's Guide to Country Living, Miller follows her recipe of a sprinkle of family drama, a pinch of romance, a cup full of colorful characters and a dash of humor to delight her readers once again as visitors to this lovely New England town. I wholeheartedly loved the setting, feel and characters in this novel and would highly recommend it for my "cozy" customers here in the library. I will probably read it again-when I can hold the hard copy in my hand!

This book touched my heart. It is a story of family, community, and discovery and brings back memories of living outside a very small town in South Dakota. It is full of unique and delightful characters that care for each other and their community. Nora finds out just how much she, her family, and her diner mean to the community when disaster strikes. It is a beautiful and warm tale of belonging, relationships, and not letting your dreams pass you by.

Nora has always lived in the same small Vermont town her whole life raising her sister after her Mother died and taking over the diner when her Dad could no longer run it and eventually died. She (and her sister) suddenly finds herself inheriting a house, land, and so much more when Peggy the cake maker unexpectedly dies. But Peggy was in negotiations with a Big Box store and had debts including the care of Elsie in a nursing home. Nora takes everything on, including financing her sister Kit's movie even though she is barely making ends meet. Nora discovers the unexpected, about what Peggy has left her and herself when she tries to please the entire town when deciding what to do with the land. Things are made more interesting when the representative of the Big Box store is not a money grubbing person. A perfect light, happy read for a long weekend or vacation.

Nora and Kitty are sisters that inherit the land from Miss Peggy, the cake lady. Kitty is a filmmaker that needs the money to support her new project and Nora, who owns her dad’s diner, can’t afford to keep the land but doesn’t want to sell to a big developer. The book is mostly about finding Freckle, Miss Peggy’s beloved dog. I enjoyed the book but didn’t connect with the story or the characters like her first one.

When Nora Huckleberry, owner of the Miss Guthrie Diner, inherits the house and land of "the cake lady" Peggy Johnson, it sends her life into a tailspin. The land is left to both her and her sister, Kit, an impetuous filmmaker perpetually out of money as she plans her next big project. To complicate things, Peggy had put into works a potential sale of her land to a big box retailer that could disrupt the small town feel of Guthrie, Vermont. And, tugging at the heartstrings, Peggy's dog, Freckles, has run off and Nora is on a mission to find him (and to reassure those who are nervous reading about dogs for fear of them coming to harm, Freckles is well cared for by the community as he escapes capture).

This book charmed me straight through. Life is complex for Nora--the representative of the big box corporation is awfully cute, her finances are struggling, and her ex-husband is dating a woman half his age--but she's funny, works hard, and I was pulling for her the whole way through. Her relationship with her sister is occasionally tempestuous but always amusing, and the family drama felt real and heartwarming. This book took turns that surprised and delighted me and that were completely unexpected.

While this is a stand-alone novel, fans of The City Baker's Guide to Country Living will take pleasure in revisiting the town of Guthrie and catching a glimpse of a few residents who we already know and love. And if City Baker made you hungry for pies, watch out! The Late Bloomers' Club will have you craving cake and lots of it! Late Bloomers' is an absolutely delectable pleasure! (Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced review copy)

Nora loves her life, she owns Miss Guthrie’s Diner in a small town where family and community matter. But a recent development has made Nora and her sister Kit, a would be filmmaker, will inherit the house and land that belonged to Peggy Johnson, the town’s Cake Lady. Kit is thrilled because Peggy was in the midst of selling the property to a developer, money is just what Kit needs. But Nora feels a little differently, she’s fallen in love with the old farmhouse and the land. How can she sell it? The townsfolk are divided on the issue themselves, some want the money and jobs the new development would bring, others want things to stay just as they are. Throw in a charming property developer and Peggy’s missing dog Freckles, and you have a lovely, sweet tale of small town hopes and dreams