The author is the sister of actor Sandra Bullock and managed Sandra's production company in Hollywood until she could no longer tolerate the Hollywood environment. While she was still working in Hollywood she vented her frustrations by baking. Eventually she and her husband moved to Vermont and opened a bakery. This memoir is about that experience, both the running of the bakery and the people who frequent it. The story is interesting though sometimes she comes off rather whiney. She clearly loved her mother, a German opera star and accomplished baker, and in part this is a tribute to her. The book includes many alluring receipes. ( )

I would have given her a higher rating if she had not called Jane Austen "Victorian." ( )

very disappinting - I abandoned it. ( )

Lovely story. Made me reminiscent of my time in Germany and many of the baked goods available there as well. Also excited to try the recipes provided.
I liked the way the book was written. Gesine takes the reader through an average day in a baker with each chapter representing a different time and the meaning it has for both her and her life progression to baker. ( )

The following quote made me love this book: "To be honest, I'm bright but not brilliant. Bookish and being a smart-ass really don't add up to genius, though I wish they did." Excuse me, are we related? If not, could we at least be BFFs? ( )