Cute story about a fresh start in the protagonist’s middle age years. Good writing. A little too predictable, but still enjoyable. ( )

2.5 stars.

A return to the small town of Guthrie, VT which was introduced in The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living (a book I loved!)

This story degrees on Nora who runs the diner and her relationship with her sister Kit and how they deal with an unexpected inheritance.

I found pretty much every storyline here incomplete and frustrating. I can’t even figure out where all the time went in the book because it didn’t seem to get me anywhere but disliking Kit more and more with every page. I wanted more about Nora & her potential romance, more about the real story of “the cake lady” and much more about her relationship with Elsie. Instead we get hints throughout and then, what seemed to me, a hasty and rushed conclusion.

I like the concept here, I want to be invested in a series of books in this town, but this is not nearly as charming as the first book. ( )

Nora and her sister, Kit, inherit Peggy Johnson's farm. Before Peggy died, a big box store had been in negotiations with her to buy her property. Kit and her boyfriend, Max, come to Nora's to crash for a while since their movie equipment was stolen. Kit is hoping that the property they inherited will sell quickly so she can take her half of the money to start her film over so it can be ready for a film festival. Nora does not want to sell the land to the big box store because she feels that the town should be kept small for local businesses. Nora listens to Kit and Elliot, the big box store's representative. She also spends time walking around Peggy's property and finds sculptures in the woods. Nora and Elliot spend time together and become close. Nora also learns to bake cakes like Peggy did. So how does this all end? Does Kit get the money to remake her movie? Does Nora agree to the sale of Peggy's property? Do Nora and Elliot have a future?

I loved this feel-good story. It's quiet but packs a punch by the end. Many truths end up revealed by the end. I liked the characters. Nora was cool. She holds it all together, both for her sister and the town. Kit was harder for me to like since she just seems to take and take. She does, by the end, become a sympathetic character for me when the hidden truths come out. I liked her boyfriend, Max. He was a good guy. I liked that through him Nora learned to bake cakes. I liked Elliot and his quiet strength. He did not come on strong about the property or about his attraction to Nora. Both of them are older and I loved watching them together whether on opposite sides (the property) or working together (looking for Freckles, Peggy's dog.) He was good for Nora. I loved the solution for the property. It was creative but just what the town needed.

I will definitely read more of this author. ( )

This book was just quirky enough to make it special. Enjoyed the characters and storyline. ( )

This is another stellar story by Ms. Miller. I love her writing style, which is very immersive. Her books remind me of Trisha Ashley, only set in Vermont rather than England. Nora is one of the late-bloomers, the owner of the Miss Guthrie diner. When she and her sister Kit inherit a neighbor's property, it sets off fireworks in the small town. Should they sell to a big box corporation or try to maintain the acreage for the sake of the town? Nora is under a lot of pressure, and her attraction to Elliot, the representative from the big box store, doesn't help.
So now I've devoured her books in two days, and I will patiently wait for another from this very gifted author. ( )