Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
79th out of 309 books
—
150 voters
Eat Cake
by
Jeanne Ray
From the New York Times bestselling author of Step-Ball-Change and Julie and Romeo-now in trade paperback for the first time... Ruth has always found baking cakes to be a source of relief from the stresses of life. And now-as her husband loses his job, her life-of-the-party father arrives for an extended stay (much to the dismay of her mother, who also moved in recently),...more
Paperback, 272 pages
Published
May 4th 2004
by NAL Trade
(first published May 27th 2003)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
3,000)
Put yourself inside of a lemon bundt cake and inhale deeply for some serious therapy!
I love the feel of this book. The overall tone was calming. I, like Ruth, unwind while baking. Everything makes sense when I'm up to my ears in flour.
One of my favorite parts of the book is that her family is so sick of cake because she makes it all the time. So, she's having this particularly bad day and is aching to shred up her carrots to put into a cake instead of glazing them for dinner. She justifies doi...more
I love the feel of this book. The overall tone was calming. I, like Ruth, unwind while baking. Everything makes sense when I'm up to my ears in flour.
One of my favorite parts of the book is that her family is so sick of cake because she makes it all the time. So, she's having this particularly bad day and is aching to shred up her carrots to put into a cake instead of glazing them for dinner. She justifies doi...more
It's not really about cake just how cake saves Ruth's life. My Mom gave it to me, it was a lot of fun to read. For anyone who likes to save room for dessert, this ones for you... "Cakes have gotten a bad rap. People equate virtue with turning down dessert. There is always a person at the table...No, really, I couldn't...Everyone who is pressing a fork into that first tender layer looks at the person who declined the plate, and they all think, That person is better than I am. That person has disc...more
4 likes · like · see review
view 1 comment
Before Chick Lit there were women's contemporary writers like Elizabeth Berg and Barbara Kingsolver -- writers who touched at the issues and concerns of women, but did so with intelligence and wit. Jeanne Ray writes in the same way -- perhaps with a bit less intensity, but definitely with the same pen. Eat Cake tells the story of a middle-aged woman who must recreate herself when her life is turned upside-down by her husband's layoff and warring parents. She delves into her deepest desires and f...more
We're entering into a new phase here at chez czuk, and I've been a little weepy over it, as it is not only a change in a family member, but a severe change in my lifestyle as well. But it's a change I am willing to make. (I keep remembering that saying that you are an adult once and a child twice, and thinking someone needs to add a bit that you are a parent forever, even if it's to those who parented you. Sigh.) Anyhow, I've been feeling quite sorry for myself, because on top of it all, I seem...more
1 like · like · see review
This book is a fast read of a family going through several transitions with several interesting characters. I found the grandmother, who is living with the family wise and witty. The protagonist, Ruth, did not impress me as she seemed so naive and to have lost herself while living her life. Even when she seemed to "save the family" with her ability to make cakes, she continued without any real grounding. Her husband, who was finding himself, did not come off as the strong character I would have...more
I loved this book <3
Brief summary
Ruth bakes a cake for all reasons. When she's happy, when she has a reason to celebrate, when she doesn't know what else to do. So when her dad, who she has rarely seen throughout her life, needs to move in with her family because he has broken both wrists and needs help taking care of himself, Ruth turns to baking. Having her dad move in wouldn't be such a big deal if her mom wasn't already living with her, and if her parents didn't hate each other. Add to th...more
Brief summary
Ruth bakes a cake for all reasons. When she's happy, when she has a reason to celebrate, when she doesn't know what else to do. So when her dad, who she has rarely seen throughout her life, needs to move in with her family because he has broken both wrists and needs help taking care of himself, Ruth turns to baking. Having her dad move in wouldn't be such a big deal if her mom wasn't already living with her, and if her parents didn't hate each other. Add to th...more
3 likes · like · see review
Eat Cake
Eat cake – it has been some time since I fell in love with you. Now there are people on this earth who get a little worked up if they would read the first line. Keeping them in mind, I would say don’t jump the gun, I love cakes but eat cake is a different field altogether.
Eat cake is a novel Jeanne Ray. I love cakes and I love to bake, may be it is that culinary attachment to the oven that started me on this novel in one of the reader’s digest collections. A sweet story, but never thoug...more
Eat cake – it has been some time since I fell in love with you. Now there are people on this earth who get a little worked up if they would read the first line. Keeping them in mind, I would say don’t jump the gun, I love cakes but eat cake is a different field altogether.
Eat cake is a novel Jeanne Ray. I love cakes and I love to bake, may be it is that culinary attachment to the oven that started me on this novel in one of the reader’s digest collections. A sweet story, but never thoug...more
Readers of the Julie and Romeo series will enjoy this more serious novel of family life. In a stress-reduction class, Ruth is told to imagine the most peaceful she can, either some place she’s been or would like to visit. She imagines cake. Cake has always been soothing to Ruth, and indeed, it may be her salvation. Ruth’s cakes are second to none, and she bakes because she must just as an artist must paint. Through a strange and unpredictable chain of events, she finds herself in a seemingly unb...more
Ruth is a middle aged stay at home mom whose life has been turned upside down by those dearest to her. In times of crisis, where does she turn? To cake!
Ruth has to deal with so much. Her husband has lost his job. Her teenage daughter has turned in to a brat and her aging divorced parents are living in the house. Needless to say, there are too many hand stirring the pot and it's up to Ruth to sort it all out.
This story was a short, easy read that was sweet and poignant.
This is a story I think mos...more
Ruth has to deal with so much. Her husband has lost his job. Her teenage daughter has turned in to a brat and her aging divorced parents are living in the house. Needless to say, there are too many hand stirring the pot and it's up to Ruth to sort it all out.
This story was a short, easy read that was sweet and poignant.
This is a story I think mos...more
Who needs a fun, light, optimistic book to read? Eat Cake by Jeanne Ray came to me via a bit of book serendipity - a random comment on someone's Facebook page. I requested it from the library as soon as I saw the title. I don't buy much fiction anymore, and surely not a book I am not sure I will like well enough to reread. Sorry about that, Ms Ray, nothing personal, that's just the way it goes.
But by page 2 I knew I was hooked when I read this:
Cakes have gotten a bad rap. People equate virtue w...more
But by page 2 I knew I was hooked when I read this:
Cakes have gotten a bad rap. People equate virtue w...more
I loved this book. It is not what I expected, it was not fluffy. It was a great read, and it made me want to bake, and eat.
Best Quote:
"Cakes have gotten a bad rap. People equate virtue with turning down dessert. There is always one person at the table who holds up her hand when I serve the cake. No, really, I couldn't, she says, and then gives her flat stomach a conspiratorial pat. Everyone who is pressing a fork into that first tender layer looks at the person who declined the plate, and they...more
Best Quote:
"Cakes have gotten a bad rap. People equate virtue with turning down dessert. There is always one person at the table who holds up her hand when I serve the cake. No, really, I couldn't, she says, and then gives her flat stomach a conspiratorial pat. Everyone who is pressing a fork into that first tender layer looks at the person who declined the plate, and they...more
"You never really know what's going on with your ceiling until you just give up and lie down on your floor."
That is just one of the quotable phrases from this wonderful book. In fact, it's the first book I've read this year that I really loved. I knew I would enjoy it, because I read Julie & Romeo by the same author last year, and it was great, too. But I wasn't prepared to find a character that I actually had quite a bit in common with. Ruth, the lovely main character, has a husband who ju...more
That is just one of the quotable phrases from this wonderful book. In fact, it's the first book I've read this year that I really loved. I knew I would enjoy it, because I read Julie & Romeo by the same author last year, and it was great, too. But I wasn't prepared to find a character that I actually had quite a bit in common with. Ruth, the lovely main character, has a husband who ju...more
I really enjoyed reading this. The temperature dropped to -14 degrees last week and all the kids were out of school, so of course I needed a 'warm yummy' read. This totally fit the bill! The story is down to earth and very realistic. It is easy to identify with the main character, who uses baking cakes as a way to escape life's craziest moments. I can identify with that...yum! Of course the book had me salivating for cake the whole time. :-) I love that there are recipes at the end. I made the c...more
1 like · like · see review
This is what happens when I wander the aisles of my library (like a kid in a candy store). I bring home stacks of books that sound tempting at a glance. When I get home, I'm always amazed at what I've found. I absolutely adored this book. Maybe it's because it was set, once again, in my hometown Minneapolis, but references to our city were few and far between (or nonexistent). I think it was the title that grabbed me.
Ruth is a busy wife and mother who loves to bake. No, that's not quite right....more
Ruth is a busy wife and mother who loves to bake. No, that's not quite right....more
What a good day to read Eat Cake!
I went with my mom and dad to the
clinic while my mom had some extensive
outpatient surgery. Ruth, the main
character in Eat Cake, finds her whole
world changed as her husband is laid off
and her estranged father comes to live
with her in a crowded household that
already includes her mom (from whom her
dad was divorced and deeply estranged)
and a sassy teenage daughter. For stress
relief, Ruth finds herself going more
and more into her safe place, inside a
fres...more
I went with my mom and dad to the
clinic while my mom had some extensive
outpatient surgery. Ruth, the main
character in Eat Cake, finds her whole
world changed as her husband is laid off
and her estranged father comes to live
with her in a crowded household that
already includes her mom (from whom her
dad was divorced and deeply estranged)
and a sassy teenage daughter. For stress
relief, Ruth finds herself going more
and more into her safe place, inside a
fres...more
This was an absolutely fabulous and unique book that I completely enjoyed.
Sam and Ruth live with Ruth’s mother and their 16 year old daughter. Their world is turned upside down when Sam loses his job and Ruth’s father is in an accident and needs to move in to be looked after by the family. Ruth’s parents don’t care much for one another and fight constantly.
Ruth tries to keep everything together, but when Sam decides he’d rather look at buying and selling boats as a trade rather than the job he’s...more
Sam and Ruth live with Ruth’s mother and their 16 year old daughter. Their world is turned upside down when Sam loses his job and Ruth’s father is in an accident and needs to move in to be looked after by the family. Ruth’s parents don’t care much for one another and fight constantly.
Ruth tries to keep everything together, but when Sam decides he’d rather look at buying and selling boats as a trade rather than the job he’s...more
This had a similar feel to Calling Invisible Women: A Novel. It seems that Jeanne Ray takes some of her inspiration for her characters from her family, as there are some parallels between these two books, but there are enough differences to safely say that these are not autobiographies disguised as novels. They are fiction, and fiction is often drawn from life, which can make for very realistic writing. In this case, that’s exactly what Ms. Ray has accomplished.
The author cares about her charact...more
The author cares about her charact...more
Well, I'm finished with this little wonder of a book. I've copied some of the recipes in the back and can't wait to try them - can you believe actual "from scratch" cake recipes - not from the box - just like my mother used to make!! I can't remember the last time I made a cake from scratch.
Scratch cakes were not the only good thing about this book (although they were pretty near the top). This was a happy, charming, sweet, loving, captivating story with wonderful characters. Grandpa and Grandm...more
Scratch cakes were not the only good thing about this book (although they were pretty near the top). This was a happy, charming, sweet, loving, captivating story with wonderful characters. Grandpa and Grandm...more
I loved this book! The characters were totally relatable and the situations were pretty believable. The husband loses his job, the parents move in, the teenager is a brat- nothing too out of the ordinary there. The dialogue is great and I loved her take on cake.
"Cakes have gotten a bad rap. People equate virtue with turning down dessert. There is always one person at the table who holds up her hand when I serve the cake. No, really, I couldn't, she says, and then gives her flat stomach a conspi...more
"Cakes have gotten a bad rap. People equate virtue with turning down dessert. There is always one person at the table who holds up her hand when I serve the cake. No, really, I couldn't, she says, and then gives her flat stomach a conspi...more
Maybe it's the experiences of the last few years, but I really enjoyed this book. The protagonist has a teenage daughter, a son in college, a husband who is laid off unexpectedly, no job of her own, her 70-something mother already living with her, and her 70-something father who she hardly knows suddenly needing 24-hour care because he broke both of his wrists and moves in with them too.
I loved the character development. I finally figured out that character development is more important than plo...more
I loved the character development. I finally figured out that character development is more important than plo...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I loved this charming little book! It's not deep or life-altering, but is very fun to read. Warning: this book should not be read on an empty stomach! Another warning: there are some absolutely divine-looking recipes in the back, but I sent this to another BookCrosser without indulging.
I have to say that the idea of baking cakes as an escape mechanism had never occurred to me before reading this book, but it did seem an intriguing idea. And I was inspired to bake/fix a pavlova for Easter dessert...more
I have to say that the idea of baking cakes as an escape mechanism had never occurred to me before reading this book, but it did seem an intriguing idea. And I was inspired to bake/fix a pavlova for Easter dessert...more
I liked the relationships that developed through the book and the way the family came together to overcome trial. I enjoyed the devotion between Ruth and her husband, Sam.
Here are some quotes from the book that I enjoyed: "I've lived my whole life outside the box. People feel so bound down to their possessions, their responsibilities, that they wind up not even living their lives."
"Everything changes. Sometimes when your life has been going along the same for a long time you can forget that. Yo...more
Here are some quotes from the book that I enjoyed: "I've lived my whole life outside the box. People feel so bound down to their possessions, their responsibilities, that they wind up not even living their lives."
"Everything changes. Sometimes when your life has been going along the same for a long time you can forget that. Yo...more
fall in love with your passion..do what you like to do the most and it will definitely get you out from the bad time of your life, this is exactly what the book has..Her name is Ruth, a House wife, has a husband,son, daughter and her mother living together(except son), loves to bake cakes for family and others. Ruths life is already stressed out due to a sudden loss of her husbands job and his dreams of buying old sailboats, refurbishing them, and selling them for profit..more stress gets added...more
This book made me laugh out loud and I needed a laugh. It's full of hope in the midst of family crisis and change. I loved all the baking detail and cake fantasies. I enjoyed the lively dialogue and likable characters. The setting for the entire book, except for a couple of incidents near the end, is a home, mostly the kitchen, so the book had a familiar, cozy feeling to it, especially since I read a lot of it in my own kitchen, while stirring the sauce or eating lunch with the kids. Sometimes I...more
While the novel could be classified as a "cozy" (sans the mystery that usually accompanies that genre), the tale was less than predicable. The characters wrestle with real life issues that aren't easily solved (aging parents, loss of relationship with a teen, loss of a job, self re-identification in middle age)and actually allow themselves to experience the complex emotions that result from these trials. Especially lovely is Ruth's favorite visualization place "A place [to] feel completely safe...more
This is a quick, enjoyable read. I curled up with it one rainy afteroon and before I knew it, I had finished it. I felt like the characters in the book were my own family and I knew them. Like the beautiful cakes being made, this book was my comfort "food" --a warm diversion on a dull, depressing day. I love how the main character uses baking as her therapy and from that love, she develops a passion for a career that not only provides her with happiness, but income to help support her family. Wh...more
Solace in Cake.
Ruth is having a bad day. Her estranged father Guy calls to announce that he broke both wrists, needs help caring for himself, and is moving in with her for a while. Her mother Hollis, who already lives with her and hates Guy, says she is moving out. Her husband Sam admits that he just lost his job. Her daughter Camille is a moody teenager who rolls her eyes at everythin. Ruth's family experiences a lot of turmoil as Hollis and Guy face off against each other, Sam starts thinking...more
Ruth is having a bad day. Her estranged father Guy calls to announce that he broke both wrists, needs help caring for himself, and is moving in with her for a while. Her mother Hollis, who already lives with her and hates Guy, says she is moving out. Her husband Sam admits that he just lost his job. Her daughter Camille is a moody teenager who rolls her eyes at everythin. Ruth's family experiences a lot of turmoil as Hollis and Guy face off against each other, Sam starts thinking...more
A friend lent this to me while recouperating from surgery. Maybe it's the experiences of the last few years, but I really enjoyed this book. The Main Character has a teenage daughter, a son in college, a husband who is laid off unexpectedly, no job of her own, her 70-something mother already living with her, and her 70-something father who she hardly knows suddenly needing 24-hour care because he broke both of his wrists and moves in with them too. I loved the character development. The basic th...more
I'm not sure why I liked this book so much, but I did. I didn't just really like it, I really, really liked it, so I figured I better give it 5 stars, even though it wasn't necessary life changing.
It's about Ruth, who LOVES to bake cakes, and practically has her whole life. When she is stressed and "goes to her happy place", it just so happens to be the rich, dark, warm center of a chocolate bundt cake. Baking cakes relieves her stress, and she starts baking like crazy when her mother moves in w...more
It's about Ruth, who LOVES to bake cakes, and practically has her whole life. When she is stressed and "goes to her happy place", it just so happens to be the rich, dark, warm center of a chocolate bundt cake. Baking cakes relieves her stress, and she starts baking like crazy when her mother moves in w...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a humorist's look at a women's out of control middle age and family | 3 | 14 | Feb 02, 2008 04:49pm |
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“A slice of cake never made anyone fat. You don't eat the whole cake. You don't eat a cake every day of your life. You take the cake when it is offered because the cake is delicious. You have a slice of cake and what it reminds you of is someplace that's safe, uncomplicated, without stress. A cake is a party, a birthday, a wedding. A cake is what is served on the happiest days of your life.”
—
127 people liked it
“I wasn't so inclined to tell anyone else in my family about my plan. It was very new and felt about as vulnerable as a day-old mouse, its eyelids still sealed shut. ”
—
3 people liked it
More quotes…
