Friday, January 22, 2016

The Cake Therapist by Judith Fertig


With her marriage crumbling, Claire "Neely" O'Neil leaves New York to move back to her hometown of Millcreek Valley, Ohio. Using her amazing talents as a pastry chef, Claire opens Rainbow Cake, a quaint little bakery specializing in wedding cakes. Like any good chef, Claire has a great palette. With a little bit of magical realism, she believes that certain flavors just go hand in hand with certain feelings. With her ability to create amazing flavor profiles, it's easy to see why Rainbow Cake soon becomes more than just a charming, little bakery.

Flashback to the early 1900s for the second part of this story, which follows sisters Olive and Edie growing up through the Great Depression and World War II. At first it's difficult to imagine how Claire's story intertwines with Olive and Edie, but that's what makes this book so difficult to put down. Like any small town, Millcreek Valley has secrets and it's only a matter of time before they bubble to the surface.

The Cake Therapist is Judith Fertig's first work of fiction. The author has previously edited several cookbooks, and it's easy to see that cakes and pastries are her specialty. With the language Fertig uses, the pastries and baked goods from Rainbow Cake leave you longing for something delicious. While the author may specialize in cookbooks, it's easy to see she's found a new niche, because The Cake Therapist will soon have a sequel.