BAKER’S BLUES by Judith Ryan Hendricks

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BAKER’S BLUES (Chien Bleu Press) is the third book in Judith Ryan Hendrick’s, Bread Alone Trilogy. Wyn Morrison is back and this time, usually a 5am phone call means problems at her bakery—equipment trouble or a first shift employee is calling in sick. But the news she receives this July morning is anything but expected.

Mac, her ex-husband, is dead. If you’ve read BREAD ALONE or THE BAKER’S APPRENTICE, you know Wyn’s ex, Mac, and if you haven’t, you quickly will. Ineligible for widowhood, Wyn is nonetheless shaken to her core as she discovers that the fact of divorce offers no immunity from grief. Friends and family are surprised by Wyn’s reaction of sadness and Mac’s daughter, Skye blames Wyn for his death.

For the last several years Wyn has been more businesswoman than baker, leaving the actual kneading and bread making to others. Now, as she takes up her place in the bread rotation once more, she will sift through her memories, coming to terms with Mac and his demons, Skye’s anger, and with Alex, who was once more than a friend. Soon she will re-learn the lessons of bread that she first discovered at the Queen Street Bakery in Seattle – bread rises, pain fades, the heart heals, and the future waits.

Judith Ryan Hendricks has a pleasant style of writing BAKER’S BLUES that makes you want to pour a glass of wine, settle into a big comfy chair and plan on staying there a little while reading – no sheets in the laundry to fold or dishes in the dishwasher to put away, just relax.

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Judith Ryan Hendricks was born in San Jose, California, when Silicon Valley was the Santa Clara Valley, better known for orchards than for computer chips.

Armed with a degree in journalism, she worked as a journalist, copywriter, computer instructor, travel agent, waitress and baker before turning to fiction writing. Her experiences at the McGraw Street Bakery in Seattle led to her first novel, Bread Alone and the sequel, The Baker’s Apprentice.

A life-long infatuation with the Southwest provided inspiration for Isabel’s Daughter and her fourth book, The Laws of Harmony. Hendricks’ fiction has been translated into 12 languages and distributed in more than 16 countries worldwide.

Her nonfiction has appeared in The San Francisco Chronicle and Tiny Lights, A Journal of Personal Essay, Grand Gourmet in Italy and The London Sunday Express. Her short fiction has appeared in Woman’s Weekly in Britain and AMERICAN GIRLS ON THE TOWN, an anthology, in the U.S. and U.K.

She lives in New Mexico with husband Geoff and dog Blue.

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Thanks to TLC Book Tours  http://www.tlcbooktours.com for providing a copy of BAKER’S BLUES for an honest review.

Feel free to check out http://www.cindyroesel.com for more of my reviews and news about my novel, “Viewer Discretion Advised.”

PIE GIRLS by Lauren Clark

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Looking for something delicious to read this weekend? I’ve got just the book! It’s Lauren Clark’s yummy chick lit novel, PIE GIRLS! You’re going to want to dig right in. I’ve read two of her other novels, STAY TUNED and STARDUST SUMMER and I have to say, PIE GIRLS is my new favorite!

Searchy Roberts is the definitive materialistic name-dropping, label buying, Christian Louboutin stiletto wearing, Black Am Exp flashing, perfect mani/pedi social diva, that you love to hate, unless of course, you’re in her Atlanta circle of friends. Well, on the night of their 10th wedding anniversary, her equally perfect plastic husband, Alton doesn’t show up – with her Tiffany present – to celebrate.

He does show up that night missing on the TV news. Apparently, he hasn’t been on a business trip or working for over a week. After investigating, they find out he wants a new life that doesn’t include Searchy or his lucrative advertising business. The wind has just been sucked out from under Mrs. Alton Roberts wings.  A woman who has never worked a day in her “shop ’til she drops” life.

They say you can never go home, well in Searchy’s case, home is where you go to be loved up by those who know you best. Soon she’s on a plane back to Fairhope, Alabama and Mama, friends and the family shop, “Pie Girls” which daily serves up a blissful way to get rid of the blues. But not everything fancy-schmancy, Searchy finds in Alabama adds comfort to what’s going on in her crash and burn personal life.  She’s going to be adding some “humble” to that pie.

PIE GIRLS is all about redemption and taking back your life. I liked Searchy at the beginning because she was so easy to dislike, it was obvious she was going to change.  I loved her transformation. Lauren wrote it without falling into cliché, which a lesser polished writer may have. Oh yeah, there’s a great boy gets girl storyline, too!

To check out ALL things LAUREN CLARK, including her website, blog, facebook, twitter, where you can buy her books, etc, just go to  http://www.laurenclarkbooks.com

Have a wonderful weekend reading … PIE GIRLS, of course! Just to make it extra delightful, Lauren adds pie recipes at the end of the book!