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Summary: the therapy of making bread
Review: I know several acquaintances that find comfort in baking and cooking when they are upset or stressed, especially when it comes to kneading bread dough and this is the underlying theme of this book.Wyn, the main character of this book has been living the life of a kind of trophy wife, with no career or interest of her own except to play the beautiful hostess to the many business contacts of her husband. She is completely taken by surprise when her husband decides that he wants a separation and then a divorce (he has a woman on the side unbeknownst to Wyn). She is devastated and runs for comfort to her best friend CM and her mother. She finds a job in a bakery that she finds therapeutic and an outlet of creativity and a sense of purpose. The people she works with are memorable characters in themselves. Of course, there are the men in her life, her deceased father, her husband, a bartender friend and a brother who is a brother only because her mother married his father. It was an interesting and enjoyable story of a woman coming to grasps with her situation in life. I highly recommend the book!
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Summary: Great story and baking hints too!
Review: I loved this book. I was caught up in the descriptions of baking bread from scratch. I have actually tried some of the author's recipes. Yumm! The story about a young woman who is rejected by her all-for-show husband is entertaining. It didn't take all of the expected turns, either. There are so many baking hints in this book that I felt like I should go through and highlight them for future use! Very comforting.
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Summary: Utterly Charming
Review: I picked this up off the remainder rack at the bookstore, but it was worth far more than the $2.50 I paid for it. It is richly written, and often I could almost smell the bread baking, or see Wyn's tiny cottage, or imagine the sound of the rain or the snow. The characters have some nice moments, and while they are not perfectly sketched, they were well-drawn enough for me to care about what happened to them. At first I found the jumping around in time to be jarring, as it was not clear why she was going back in time, but soon I began to look forward to those moments, because the descriptions were so lovely. I cannot wait to read Hendricks' second novel.
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Summary: Hard to feel sorry for this shallow character
Review: I read the reviews and the premise of the book and eagerly settled in for what I anticipated would be a pleasant read. I hoped that the shallow whiner at the beginning of the book would evolve into someone a little wiser and more sympathetic by the end. Alas. This character irritated the heck outta me - and her rude comment to a friend about an overweight woman in a market was as offensive to me as a racial slur. No thanks.
Rating: 
Summary: a really nice little read
Review: I really liked Bread Alone, as a matter of fact I liked it so much I sat down and read the whole book in one sitting. The characters were believable, and funny, and Wyn's mom? I'm sure the author has met my mother. This book made me feel like packing up and moving to Seattle to bake bread. I really hope we hear more from her soon.
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Summary: A great read, hands down.
Review: I think different books appeal to people when they are in different moods, and this was the perfect book for a slow comedown from a stressful time. The language is straightforward and clear; the characters are believable; the locations are described so well you can see them in your mind. Wynter's situation is one people often find themselves in -- dumped by a husband, a lover, a boss after years of faithfulness and unthinking comfort, and having to adjust quickly both physically and mentally. For those who get it, the change can be the beginning of a new life, as it is for Wynter in this book. I highly recommend it -- and have already to friends. I can't wait for this author's next novel.
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Summary: I want her life!
Review: I want Wyn's life--not the one in LA with the sleazy husband, but the lovely,lyrical quiet life in Seattle, baking bread and living in a cozy cottage. Well, ok, I want central heating instead of a wood stove but still... This is a wonderful book. You may want to [bring] Wyn into consciousness of her husband's manipulative behavior but you'll applaud her growing sense of self. I highly recommend this book and look forward to Ms. Hendricks next novel.
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Summary: A surprisingly good first novel.
Review: I was hesitant to purchase this book because I didn't know the author's work and saw it was her first novel. I'm very glad that I did buy it. It is a great book. Hendricks has invented a new style with recipes, lots of humor and spot-on dialogue and family complications. She reminds me of Ruth Reichel but in my view, even better. She also reminds me of JoAnn Mapson and that's very good company to be in. An excellent story.
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Summary: Fantastic!
Review: I wasn't sure what to expect with "Bread Alone." Was it going to be a funny romantic romp? A serious character study? A slow-moving read? No, it was just a delightful story, pleasant to read, satisfying to finish. I actually kind of miss the character of Wynter, now that I've finished the book and have moved on to another one. I really enjoyed the friendship she has with CM; I thought it was a very realistic portrayal of adult female friendships. I was frustrated with every scene in which David made an appearance. In short, I felt I was learning and growing along with Wynter as she matured through the course of the story. It is a fantastic book. I cannot wait for Hendricks' next novel to become available in paperback. If you're looking for a light, frothy novel, with stereotypical characters and predictable plotlines, this is not for you. It's better than that. If you want to learn more about a wonderful character, and maybe a little bit about baking bread, this is a wonderful choice.
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Summary: Very well written book about loss and rebuilding
Review: I watched my family have the rug pulled out unexpectedly of our perfect unit when my father unexpectedly wanted a divorce from my mother. Bread Alone is a realistic portrayal of such an experience where one has to reflect, face facts, and rebuild a life. Obviously, everyone's story is different. Our narrator is a younger wife without children, but the feeling of loss is no different. The author did her homework on breadmaking and carefully entertwines it with the healing process. A well written and enjoyable book about picking up the pieces and getting on with life. The different characters bring life to the book as well. The day I finished it, I bought her other book and look forward to more from this promising writer.
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