Saturday, February 27, 2010

Piece de Resistance




Piece de Resistance By Sandra Byrd



About the Author:
After earning her first rejection at the age of 13, bestselling author Sandra Byrd went on to publish three dozen books including her widely-acclaimed adult fiction debut, Let Them Eat Cake, and her recent four-book young adult fiction series, Friends for a Season. A former textbook acquisitions editor, Sandra is also an accomplished non-fiction writer and author. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications such as Radiant, Focus on the Family's Clubhouse Magazine, Christian Parenting Today, Pockets, Decision, and Guideposts. During the past seven years, Sandra has mentored hundreds of students through the Christian Writer's Guild.

About the Book:
Having earned her chef’s hat, Lexi Stuart bids ‘au revoir’ to her glamorous and deliciously satisfying pastry mentorship outside of Paris and returns home to Seattle, Washington.
In Seattle Lexi finds life unexpectedly complicated when she is put in charge of the high-end catering bakery, Bijoux. The bakery should be her dream job but there’s a catch: Lexi has to make this lavish bakery into a successful business in a few short months which will require more than an ability to make amazing wedding cakes. Stir into the mix a complicated relationship with her French beau Philippe and his daughter, Celine, add a dash of romance with a down-to-earth lawyer and life suddenly contains more ooh la la than Lexi can handle.

Review:
‘Piece de Resistance’ is the last and best part of a meal. Sandra Byrd’s novel of the same name doesn’t disappoint. As the heroine Lexi Stuart excitedly returns to her hometown, fulfilling her dream of running a high-end catering bakery, she is quickly splattered with cake batter from an out of control mixer. Lexi soon is led to examine where she has placed her faith and is left wondering if her dreams are as exquisitely ooh la la as she hoped.

Piece de Resistance is a rare novel which leaves you sad it has come to an end. You finish craving more, more of the French sweets, sights and sounds intermingled throughout the pages. The book is filled with enticing scenes and yummy recipes to delight the senses.

Piece de Resistance isn’t just five carats of sparkle; it’s a whole gem parcel.

Favorite Line:
“The thought occurred to me that if I always lived under the certainty of God’s provision instead of the certainty of Lexis’s worry, I might always feel this free.”






Rating: Gem Parcel









Thursday, February 11, 2010

It all started when I read the story of a little girl who got a bad haircut. She hated it, cried and wouldn’t go to school. I told myself I would never get a bad haircut like that but of course I did.

Then there was a pair of jeans which magically fit four best friends and traveled with them around the world through the summer. It was so much fun traveling with them.

A little while later I was shopping till I dropped with Becky Brandon (nee’ Bloomwood) as she fell in love with luggage, moved to New York City, planned two weddings on two continents two days apart, spent a year traveling for her honeymoon, attempted to make over her long lost sister, and who is currently outfitting her little baby girl, Minnie.

I love books. I have always loved books. So which books sparkle like a pink sapphire? Stories so multi-faceted with characters, dialogue, and plots you can’t put them down? Books becoming an accessory in and of themselves? You’ve come to the right place. I’ll tell you which books are five carat worthy.