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There are currently 23 reader reviews for Friendship Bread
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Mary M. (Lexington, KY)
Heartwarming not mushy
I liked this book. There are a lot of diverse characters in the book, but the author manages to make them interesting and relatable. Exchanging the bread and the starter brings the characters together. New friendships are formed and through these friendships the characters are able to overcome past adversity and become stronger and happier. The recipes at the end of the book are a nice bonus.
Dianne S. (Green Valley, AZ)
Invasion of the Friendship Bread
Friendship Bread by Darien Gee is a definite feel-good book. Even at the points were you feel the characters are about to make a bad decision and send the story a new direction, the don't. These characters have integrity.
It took me about 100 pages to get all the character figured out. Each chapter introduced a new couple and their circumstances. Eventually I could distinguish the principles from the subordinates.
The friendship bread itself is almost like a character. It infiltrated each home in Avalon and spread happiness and restores order in some cases.
I knew even before reading the author's bio that there was a chance this book could be followed by other books about the same town much like Jan Karon's Mitford or Debbie Macomber's Blossom Street.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone that want to enjoy a uplifting trip to Avalon. Who knows, friendship bread might infiltrate your town and spread happiness and restore order. Heaven knows it times like these we could use it.
Erica L. (Plaistow, New Hampshire)
A Heartwarming Tale
Friendship Bread is a heartwarming tale of friendship. Its amazing that something as simple as sharing bread could set forth a chain of events that changed a town and the people in it. A typical feel good read, the author doesn't delve too deeply into any characters story, keeping it a good story with average writing. I have to say though, I have been craving Friendship Bread all week. The book includes recipes that I can't wait to try with kids.
Becky Dodd
Bread baking and heart warming...
After reading everyone's review, I can't believe how nice everyone is being to this writer. I did like the book very much and finished it. I did enjoy the references to baking and especially Madeline's Tea Salon. I was hooked in to the 5 or 6 main characters and I did care about what "happened next". BUT, there were too many peripheral characters too really keep up with or care about. The book was well written though and managed to tie all together, however, if you're not into baking then you're going to get bogged down in the minutia of starter dough, and so forth.
By the time I'd finished the book I'd eaten like 5 of my mother's home made yeast rolls dreaming they were Amish Friendship Breads! LOL, I did appreciate the lack of graphic sexual reference and the only 1 or 2 uses of profanity which matters to me.
I enjoyed it. It was a fairly easy read despite the numerous characters, but not gripping or a real page turner.
To me the main offering this book has is the pain of a parent losing a child. I think the book could have focused more on that pain and the healing of that family, without all the lesser character story lines.
Betsy R. (Gig Harbor, WA)
Sweet and endearing
I did like this book as it had great characters and a setting that drew me in. I had to overcome my bias against books written in the present tense, but once I did, it was a book worth reading. I did not give it a higher rating as I have read other books that seemed similar but I still would recommend it and will pass my copy on to others.
Elisabeth W. (Durham, NC)
Pseudo Jan Karon
Friendship Bread is an easy to read novel about women in a small town who find their footing after significant emotional losses. Although FB is enjoyable and has a fun premise, what happens as each character journeys back from her loss is very predictable, to the point where I was rolling my eyes. The second half of FB has the feel of a Jan Karon novel, but with a lot more willing suspension of disbelief. If you are looking for an easy read where all issues are tied up with a perfect, happy bow, you will enjoy Friendship Bread. This is definitely fiction written for a middle aged female audience.
Barbara C. (Riverside, CA)
Friendship Bread Not Satisfying
The device of the friendship bread was very heartwarming, but for me the book was too long. The story was predictable and designed to tug emotional heart strings. The story line with Julia and Mark seemed almost trivialized. The major plot line was too dark and painful for the rest of the story.