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Three Good Things: A Novel
ELLEN M
c
CLARETY,
a recent divorcée, has opened a new bake shop in her small Midwestern town, hoping to turn her life around by dedicating herself to the traditional Danish pastry called kringle. She is no longer saddled by her ne’er-do-well husband, but the past still haunts her—sometimes by showing up on her doorstep. Her younger sister, Lanie, is a successful divorce...more
ebook, 256 pages
Published
January 1st 2013
by Simon & Schuster
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As posted on Mina's Bookshelf http://minadecaro.blogspot.com/2013/0...
Middle aged and recent divorcee Ellen McClarety decides to open a kringle bakery in Amelia, small town Wisconsin: the rhythmic routine of running a shop and the heartwarming smell of handmade goodness help Ellen to ease her mind and her worries. The simple repetition of the rituals involved in the craft of the delicious Danish pastry becomes for the former university secretary a creative outlet and a healing mantra to escape t...more
Middle aged and recent divorcee Ellen McClarety decides to open a kringle bakery in Amelia, small town Wisconsin: the rhythmic routine of running a shop and the heartwarming smell of handmade goodness help Ellen to ease her mind and her worries. The simple repetition of the rituals involved in the craft of the delicious Danish pastry becomes for the former university secretary a creative outlet and a healing mantra to escape t...more
I received this book free from Goodreads First Reads. This is a touchingly rich tale of two sisters, a Kringle bakery owner and a lawyer, who support each other as they discover themselves through life....and life can be both perfect and imperfect. It can hold sorrow, secrets, surprises, joy and even a bonus Kringle recipe. I will read this one again.
My take:This was an ok book as far as I was concerned. I liked the closeness of Ellen and Lanie even though they had quite a bit of an age difference. I see this closeness between my two daughters. I liked that the author told the story from three different points of view the two sisters and Lanie's husband. I was a bit frustrated at Ellen's wishy washy ness when it came to her exhusband and I thought at her age she would have more of a grasp of what was good for her and what wasn't. I thought t...more
Apr 17, 2013
Jennifer
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
novel-escapes-reviews
Originally reviewed at Novel Escapes
This is book is the perfect read for a rainy weekend at home. It’s comfy, cozy and makes you feel good. Wendy Francis created a story that every woman will enjoy in 3 Good Things. The story has a talented main character, Eleanor, who I wish I could sit down to coffee with, she is so lovable! I liked her because she was relatable, a hard worker and she was talented in her craft. She’s got everything a great main protagonist needs: interesting family members, an...more
This is book is the perfect read for a rainy weekend at home. It’s comfy, cozy and makes you feel good. Wendy Francis created a story that every woman will enjoy in 3 Good Things. The story has a talented main character, Eleanor, who I wish I could sit down to coffee with, she is so lovable! I liked her because she was relatable, a hard worker and she was talented in her craft. She’s got everything a great main protagonist needs: interesting family members, an...more
Ellen is recently divorced and proud owner of the Singular Kringle (kringle is a buttery pastry that contains fruit or nut filling). She has to decide if she should hold onto the past or take a chance on new opportunities. Lanie is an overachiever and she is trying to juggle work, marriage and motherhood. She’s finding it hard to strike a balance and is trying to find out what makes her happiest.
Their mother used to find three good things that happened very day. In honor of her memory, the siste...more
Their mother used to find three good things that happened very day. In honor of her memory, the siste...more
Mar 28, 2013
Susan
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
women-s-fiction,
novel
Because I lived in the Midwest for 9 years, enjoyed many a kringle, have a sister and we lost our mom in the past year - I was drawn to "Three Good Things" by Wendy Francis. The themes in this book - divorce, sisters, midlife issues, loss of a parent, starting over with a new business are universal ones and deftly, gently handled by Ms. Francis they will strike a chord with women of all ages. Recently divorced Ellen and her younger sister Lanie are likable characters dealing with realistic issue...more
Wendy Francis’ Three Good Things grabs its title from advice handed down to the women decades before: no matter what’s happened that day, be sure to identify three good things. Even in the darkest of moments, some joy can be found — and that’s Francis’ message to us, too. Though Ellen and Lanie wade through murky waters, the narrative’s sweetness blends perfectly with its occasional tartness . . . and ends up creating something special. Um, kind of like a kringle. Ooh, I dig a good metaphor.
And...more
And...more
This review is from: Three Good Things: A Novel (Paperback)
This is a fast read, nothing too exciting or extraordinary. It is centered around two sisters, one owning a bakery that specializes in making kringles, and the other sister an attorney with a husband and child, living a rather boring life. Although the characters were likeable, the story fell flat on many levels. The plot seemed scattered in many directions, instead of keeping focus on a couple of ideas. The outcome was chopped, and the...more
“Think of 3 good things that happened today” is the life lesson passed on to Ellen and her sister Lanie by their mother. But it is hard, as Ellen is recently divorced and struggling to run a bakery featuring the Danish pastry known as kringle. Lanie is also struggling with the demands of her job as a divorce attorney and as a mother of a 10 month old as she tries to do it all. Like a good recipe, add in Henry, a bakery customer who falls in love with Ellen, her ex husband Max who never really le...more
I really enjoyed this book! I loved the characters and how they developed. Although the book wasn't a deep read, it was great for a relaxing winter weekend. I was always wondering what would happen next with Rob, Lanie, and Ellen, but I didn't feel turmoil over the characters and their growth/struggles. Samantha was a great addition, and I love that Lanie kept the necessary secrets to keep her family. Henry is a true hero. Never expected the excitement in Ellen's life at the end. I loved the sto...more
3.5 Stars
**Audiobook Review**
At its core, this book was about two sisters and the ups and downs they experience over the course of a year. As you get into the story, however, you realize that it is also the story of how both Ellen and Lanie relate to the people in their lives, each other, and how they navigate the changes that take place within their worlds. While I could really, really relate to some of Lanie's feelings about being a working mom (that part was very well done and accurate) I thi...more
**Audiobook Review**
At its core, this book was about two sisters and the ups and downs they experience over the course of a year. As you get into the story, however, you realize that it is also the story of how both Ellen and Lanie relate to the people in their lives, each other, and how they navigate the changes that take place within their worlds. While I could really, really relate to some of Lanie's feelings about being a working mom (that part was very well done and accurate) I thi...more
The sisters in this book really shine! A great tale of everyday life, love, and struggles set in a cozy Wisconsin community. Good twists. Makes me crave kringle!
Jan 07, 2013
Betsy
rated it
1 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-i-own,
2013-book-challenge
I am getting incredibly tired of nitpicking authors' grammatical mistakes. And I might be able to overlook the ones in this book, except for the fact that her main character is a grammar and punctuation and spelling nitpicker -- yet the author consistently uses the wrong past tense of "sink" (as in, "Her heart sunk," blah blah blah). Her sentence structure is awkward (example: "She threw Benjamin up in the air, who squealed with delight ..."). She uses extraneous commas after "But" at the beginn...more
I received this book as a Good Reads giveaway. It is set to be published early in 2013.
The plot revolves around two sisters, Ellen and Lanie. Ellen buys a bakery after her divorce in an attempt to recreate herself and her life. Lanie, Ellen's little sister, who lives in the same town is a lawyer struggling with the demands of job, marriage and motherhood. The sisters share a special bond because their mother died early in their lives and Ellen assisted her father in raising Lanie to adulthood fr...more
The plot revolves around two sisters, Ellen and Lanie. Ellen buys a bakery after her divorce in an attempt to recreate herself and her life. Lanie, Ellen's little sister, who lives in the same town is a lawyer struggling with the demands of job, marriage and motherhood. The sisters share a special bond because their mother died early in their lives and Ellen assisted her father in raising Lanie to adulthood fr...more
My review should probably be taken with a grain of salt, since it's not a book I would have picked up to read- it was sent to me to read as a possible Reader's Choice nominee. That said, meh.
I didn't really care about any of the characters, and there was absolutely no tension in the book. I kept waiting for Rob to have an affair (or Lanie) or someone to have something catastrophic happen, but nothing did. I kept wondering what the point of the story was. The blurb makes it sound like there's a b...more
I didn't really care about any of the characters, and there was absolutely no tension in the book. I kept waiting for Rob to have an affair (or Lanie) or someone to have something catastrophic happen, but nothing did. I kept wondering what the point of the story was. The blurb makes it sound like there's a b...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I seem to be reading a lot of books with the simple message, "When things go bad, bake."
In Three Good Things by Wend Francis, the baked good of choice is a Kringle, a Danish pastry. The book is really a tale of two sisters, Ellen and Lanie. Ellen is recently divorced and opens a bakery that specializes in Kringles. Her sister, Lanie, seems successful with a career and a baby at home. The sisters bond together over the loss of their mother and other life issues and become even closer. This is a s...more
In Three Good Things by Wend Francis, the baked good of choice is a Kringle, a Danish pastry. The book is really a tale of two sisters, Ellen and Lanie. Ellen is recently divorced and opens a bakery that specializes in Kringles. Her sister, Lanie, seems successful with a career and a baby at home. The sisters bond together over the loss of their mother and other life issues and become even closer. This is a s...more
This book is just the genre I love! I can't wait to get it and to read it.
I wavered back and forth for a few minutes between the 3/4 stars- and like so many books, it really needs that half a star to give it the most accurate rating.
This is a lovely book to read when you're looking for something light and fun- it's not a heavy book. It has some themes in it that could be "heavy"; but the writer resolves them in a way that is pleasant and does not disrupt the mostly happy tone of the book.
Seeing the relationship between the sisters (Laine and Ellen)- a relationship th...more
This is a lovely book to read when you're looking for something light and fun- it's not a heavy book. It has some themes in it that could be "heavy"; but the writer resolves them in a way that is pleasant and does not disrupt the mostly happy tone of the book.
Seeing the relationship between the sisters (Laine and Ellen)- a relationship th...more
Three Good Things is centered around the lives of three main characters in small town Wisconsin. There’s Ellen McClarety, a recent divorcée in her mid-40s who has recently opened a small bakery that specializes in the Danish pastry, the kringle. Her younger sister, Lanie Taylor, is a family law attorney in nearby Madison and an overprotective new mom to 10-month-old Benjamin. Lanie’s husband, Rob, is a hard-working architect, who feels under-appreciated by his firm.
None of these characters is es...more
None of these characters is es...more
A wonderful and heartwarming read! The characters and storylines are well developed and there were some great and unexpected twists. I really enjoyed the relationship between the two sisters, Lanie & Ellen, and seeing how the two weathered the ups and downs of life together. I am going to recommend this book for my book club--it is a fun and quick read, yet very relatable. The characters' struggles with motherhood, work/life balance, and love will give us lots to chat about. One warning to r...more
Three Good Things by Wendy Francis is a fun read.
There are some things about the book that I am not pleased with, but nothing I would complain about on here to cause shame to the author. Ms. Francis delivered her story well. I enjoyed the book. It was a fast read. The story was entertaining and a joy to read.
Is this a good book for a reading group? YES.
The twists in the plot and the relationships between the characters contain many topics to discuss.
There are some things about the book that I am not pleased with, but nothing I would complain about on here to cause shame to the author. Ms. Francis delivered her story well. I enjoyed the book. It was a fast read. The story was entertaining and a joy to read.
Is this a good book for a reading group? YES.
The twists in the plot and the relationships between the characters contain many topics to discuss.
This was just an okay book for me. I didn't really care about any of the characters. I kept waiting for something to happen like Rob or Lanie to have an affair but nothing did. I wasn't sure what the point of the story was. The blurb on the back makes it sound like there's a big dark secret, which I was waiting for but it turned out to be kind of a nonevent. Not bad as far as chicklit goes but not a show stopper.
Pretty good story about two sisters and the turning points in their lives. The novel drifts from one narrative to the other and develops at a slow, but satisfying pace. The sisters struggle with work, relationships, and lives that are imperfect, but not at all bad. The character, Henry, was a little underdeveloped, though I found myself rooting for him. The main characters are fleshed out and interesting.
Despite a few flaws, Three Good Things is an easy to read and heartwarming novel. There are some unexpected twists and turns that I did not see coming and Wendy Francis does an excellent job wrapping up all of the various story lines. To read my review in its entirety, please click HERE.
Never read a book before where one of the main characters is a kringle baker - not even sure that I knew what a kringle was! Using an alternating 3 character POV, Francis follows their lives over a series of months. Really liked the quotes from "The Book of Kringle" that start off each chapter. The sister relationship was believable as was the husband/wife dynamic. Worth a read.
I really enjoy stories about sisters and this one is a good one. The story read fast. It was not a deep story, but an enjoyable one. Occasionally, the story did jump a little, but that kept it moving and kept my interest into what would happen next.
I liked all the characters, except for Henry. He was not very interesting. I understand the strong, quiet type, but he did not have enough personality for me. Ellen deserved someone steady and reliable, which Henry was, but she deserved someone willi...more
I liked all the characters, except for Henry. He was not very interesting. I understand the strong, quiet type, but he did not have enough personality for me. Ellen deserved someone steady and reliable, which Henry was, but she deserved someone willi...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Wonderful story and very original. Immensly enjoyed this book. The reader is drawn to the characters from the beginning and this is a hard book to put down, not because of the excitement level but just because you feel you want to know more about the characters, Would highly recommend.
Feb 25, 2013
Melanie
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
food-novel,
at-the-library
It was probably like 2.5 stars, but I just didn't really like this book. I wanted to, but I couldn't get into it - the characters felt flat, the story line was boring, the "food novel" tie-in that I usually loved just didn't work into the story line in a cohesive way.
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Feb 21, 2013 07:13pm