What is a family? Do we bond just based on blood ties?
What do we think is true and what is really true?

3.5 stars.

Katherine Lamontagne is a giver. She cares about her bakery and about offering the best quality products to her customers. She cares about Celeste, her young assistant, like she was her own blood - even if both of them are not willing to acknowledge it. She cares about her ex-husband Barry enough to divorce him - for him to have a chance for a better future. But Katherine lives based on false assumption, based of the hard choice sha has had made years ago. Yet, everybody knows her good heart (if not her motivations).
Celeste has been kind of abandoned by her parents, whom left the city for better time somewhere else. So she bonds with Katherine, seeking her approval, seeking some kind of mother. And she fights her to the point to leave her for the culinary school. And all goes well there - unless whe wakes up in her friend´s bed with sore body and aching head.
Zach is an adoptee - and this information has influenced his life and choices. Why has his mother left him?
They unite at Katherine’s bakery, seeking and finding nurture and healing here.

This is a deep book. Some of the thoughts are just beautiful, touching all the good spots of humanity, love and selflessness. This authoress definitely has both wisdom, talent and warm heart, the trifecta I very much like. I will not forget this book easily.

But, honestly - it could be better. First - a good editor could make miracles in cutting and selecting the good plots, as there is just too much of going on. Second, the emphasis on sex could be lesser (I understand the topic of sex connected with shame, but less is truly more). Third, this is a female book, men are less or more developed "props" for female healing (think Barry).

But, having said all that - I like this book. There is certain warmness, nurture and message which has touched me in my heart. And as a reader who is after that, the feeling of "yes, yes, this is it, I can truly connect here", I have bonded here with this book. I will look after this authoress.