Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful
Review: This book is wonderful. I wanted it to go on. I loved how each character over came obstacles. The family in the story is very well formed and true to life.
Rating: 
Summary: A Big Disappointment
Review: Save your money, and buy her first two books in paperback. If you're already read them, read them again. And skip this lightweight, ineffective, self-indulgent book. Alas, if you have already purchased it, skip to the back section -- to the cake recipes. With this book, it is better to bake its contents than read them.
Rating:
Summary: For All Ages
Review: I am a young fan of Jeanne Ray. All age groups can relate to this book (and her others) because the characters are people that you've either met, or exist in your own family. The situations are thoughtful and comedic with a hint of drama. Whether you like cake or not, you will love the book; it reads like a good movie.
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Summary: great little story that makes you crave cake!
Review: Ruth bakes cakes for any occasion and in this book you will "taste" the rewards. Her husband, Sam, loses his job and things spiral haywire from there. Her mother and father, who do NOT get along and seperated years ago, find themselves under Ruth's roof together and mayhem develops. There are passages which will make you laugh outloud and ones that will make you on the lookout for a cakepan!Every family member plays a part in this sweet story and you just have to get this book to see how it unfolds. There are even cake recipes at the end to tempt you!
Rating: 
Summary: Sweet book is a delicious break from life
Review: This sweet book is a delicious break from life. Sorry, the dessert metaphors just seem appropriate. Ruth is a member of the sandwich generation; her oldest son is away at college, but she still has a teenage daughter at home and her mother moves in after she is robbed in the middle of a bridge game in her own home. Her husband's company is bought out and he loses his job, and her estranged father has a terrible accident and no insurance and moves in, too. Ruth's way to escape is to use visual imagery; her picture of solitude and bliss is not a mountain retreat or a deserted beach, but a cake. Yes, Ruth visualizes herself surrounded by walls of cake and is comforted. And when the going gets tough, Ruth bakes. Cakes, of course. Every day. Sometimes in the middle of the night, when sleep just won't come. As the family dynamic changes, they all must learn to adapt and adjust, and eat cake. Recipes included. Warning: do not read this book while on a diet. Jeanne Ray is one of my favorite authors, her books just touch the heart without being cloy or cutesy. Her characters are genuine and people you can care about, her stories are simple yet hit home. She still hasn't topped her first book, Julie and Romeo, which is on my top ten list of favorite books of all time, but this is a very enjoyable read. Her daughter is pretty talented, too - she's Ann Patchett of Bel Canto fame.
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Summary: Nothing Half-Baked Here
Review: Jeanne Ray has cooked up another delightful novel with Eat Cake. A pinch of humor here, a dash of surprise there make her latest novel pure pleasure for the reader's palate. The book is never overly sweet or disappointingly sour, and that's no small feat when dealing with weighty issues such as coping with a laid-off spouse, taking care of elderly parents, and dealing with teenagers. One bite of this book will keep you munching away until it's finished. The only problem then is the wait until Jeanne Ray serves up another slice of life, novel-style.
Rating:
Summary: satifying story
Review: I am a big fan of Jeanne Ray. My favorite is Step-Ball-Change but this is second. Don't read it if you're hungry or dieting. :-) Actually it is, as usual, a good story of marriage and family dynamics. I really enjoyed the grandparents and the teenager. Read ALL of Jeanne Ray's books. You won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: So entertaining, yet touched my soul
Review: I really just stumbled into Jeanne Ray and now that I've almost finished her third novel, I'm actually sad. I need more Jeanne Ray novels in my life. This novel touched my heart, it reminded me of life's possibilities and that change often just happens. It taught me about making the best of the talents at hand. I loved the stable marriage of Ruth and her husband. I'm recommending this book and its author to all my girlfriends.
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Summary: Audiobook was WONDERFUL!
Review: I enjoyed listening to this audiobook so very much. In fact, it was an inspiration to me, as I have recently opened my own online store called Books and Stitches (cloth book covers). I listened to this audiobook while stitching up many covers for a craft fair. I was feeling a little discouraged, and then this little gem of a book cheered me up and urged me on to DO IT! And I did, and still am doing it, successfully! I have to credit this audiobook for that!
It is a great read. Get it. Listen to it. Be encouraged!
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Summary: All about following your passion
Review: Ruth and Sam have gone through life doing what they needed to do--he working as a hospital administrator and she taking care of hearth, home, and children. Things become more complicated as their son goes to college, their daughter becomes an uncommunicative teenager, and her mother moves in with them. A crisis occurs when Sam loses his job and Ruth's father, who has been estranged from her mother for many years, injures himself and asks to come live with Ruth and Sam. Ruth's parents can hardly stand to be in the same room together, which makes meals and other family occasions a little difficult. When things get really bad, Ruth pretends that she is inside a cake which seems to calm her down. Baking a cake is even better, although her family begs her to quit feeding them her baked goods when they feel overstuffed. Sam does not seem to be making any progress towards getting a job and becomes enamored with the idea of buying a boat and fixing it up. Ruth's mother, ever the practical one, thinks that Sam is just being idle, while her father, the dreamer, encourages Sam to follow his dream. This book is all about following your passions, in middle age and beyond, and turning them into something special. Although her first two books were better than this one, Jeanne Ray again writes a delightful novel with wonderful dialogue and characters. I was disappointed to read in an interview that Ray says that this is her last book and I sincerely hope she reconsiders and continues writing.
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