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105th out of 270 books
—
120 voters
The Bake-Off
by
Beth Kendrick (Goodreads Author)
Suburban soccer mom Amy has always wanted to stand out from the crowd. Former child prodigy Linnie just wants to fit in. The two sisters have been estranged for years, but thanks to a series of personal crises and their wily grandmother, they've teamed up to enter a national bake-off in the hopes of winning some serious cash. Armed with the top-secret recipe for Grammy's a...more
Paperback, 336 pages
Published
May 3rd 2011
by NAL Trade
(first published April 12th 2011)
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I love to cook and bake and I also love to read! So when I read the summary for The Bake-Off I was anxious to get my hands on a copy. I’ve enjoyed several culinary-related mysteries but this one was a bit different as there’s no real mystery involved (well, there is a side story with some rival contestants). The story is about two sisters who are tricked by their grandmother into entering a baking competition with hopes that it will end their long-standing rivalry. Both are reluctant to go as ne...more
Two sisters estranged. Linnie, the younger sister is both the pretty one and the smart one. Amy, used to being second-best, is just the cute one. Although Amy adored her baby sister when she first arrived, it became apparent that Linnie was the special child. At two years of age, Linnie was reading on her own and her academic achievements just kept going. By the time she was 14, she was enrolling in college to become a medical doctor; but she needs her sister's help and commits an act of betraya...more
For as many flaws as there are with this story, I really did like it. It was really funny and I loved the quirkiness of the two sisters.
The genius, brainy sister reminded me a lot of the Temperance Brennan character from the TV show “Bones". She is so busy being analytical and taking things literally that she doesn’t see when she is socially inept.
I liked how the author delved into the completely different personalities and lifestyles of the two sisters. We learn early on that there was a huge...more
The genius, brainy sister reminded me a lot of the Temperance Brennan character from the TV show “Bones". She is so busy being analytical and taking things literally that she doesn’t see when she is socially inept.
I liked how the author delved into the completely different personalities and lifestyles of the two sisters. We learn early on that there was a huge...more
The Bake-Off caught eye on the shelf because of it's cover art and the premise of the book - I love me some baking!
Amy and Linnie are estranged sisters in all the ways you can be estranged - physically (distance), mentally, and emotionally. Linnie's genius IQ has interferred too much in Amy's life and Linnie's IQ keeps her at arm's length from everyone. In this book Linnie is in desperate need of money and Amy can't say "no" to her Grandma so the two sisters are thrown together in Grandma's atte...more
Amy and Linnie are estranged sisters in all the ways you can be estranged - physically (distance), mentally, and emotionally. Linnie's genius IQ has interferred too much in Amy's life and Linnie's IQ keeps her at arm's length from everyone. In this book Linnie is in desperate need of money and Amy can't say "no" to her Grandma so the two sisters are thrown together in Grandma's atte...more
Sisters Amy and Linnie are brought together by their crafty Grammy Syl, in an attempt on her part for them to bury the hatchet and be a part of each others' lives. Sounds easy enough, but neither sister is a baker and Grammy has entered them in a National Baking Contest, using her Polish Apple Pie recipe. Linnie needs the prize money and Amy's time away from her family may help her see a new career path. Their situation grew from differences in their childhood and it's great to see them begin to...more
Sep 06, 2012
Sara
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
chicklit
Recommended to Sara by:
? Goodreads
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This book started off good and got progressively more predictable and chick lit like. THe premise is two sisters who havent' talked. One sister was married, the other was a former childhood genius and is socially awkward and therefore single. Both were likeable characters. When the smart one loses her grandmother's brooch in a mishap, she and her estranged sister enter a bake off (hence the title). My issue with the book was the predictability, as well as the trashyness of it. THis was a very ve...more
Sweet but not engaging. You could predict how it would end.
Suburban soccer mom Amy has always wanted to stand out from the crowd. Former child prodigy Linnie just wants to fit in. The two sisters have been estranged for years, but thanks to a series of personal crises and their wily grandmother, they've teamed up to enter a national bake-off in the hopes of winning some serious cash. Armed with the top-secret recipe for Grammy's apple pie, they should be unstoppable. Sure, neither one of them h...more
Suburban soccer mom Amy has always wanted to stand out from the crowd. Former child prodigy Linnie just wants to fit in. The two sisters have been estranged for years, but thanks to a series of personal crises and their wily grandmother, they've teamed up to enter a national bake-off in the hopes of winning some serious cash. Armed with the top-secret recipe for Grammy's apple pie, they should be unstoppable. Sure, neither one of them h...more
I love baking so this was a no brainer for me. And I've read Beth Kendrick in the past and enjoyed her writing.
I was not disappointed. This story about sisters, about the sometimes difficult dynamics within a family...all of that touches us at some point in our lives. And how we perceive things differently as we get older, realizing our priorities in life. Beth Kendrick explores all of this in a light, easy read.
I finished this novel in between running to the kitchen removing my baking sheets...more
I was not disappointed. This story about sisters, about the sometimes difficult dynamics within a family...all of that touches us at some point in our lives. And how we perceive things differently as we get older, realizing our priorities in life. Beth Kendrick explores all of this in a light, easy read.
I finished this novel in between running to the kitchen removing my baking sheets...more
I was skeptical of the book at first, and then about midway through the book, I could not put it down! I loved how Kendrick started off with setting the plot and then sucked you in, wanting more. This book was comparable to a soap opera you just didn't want to end! I loved the relationship between Linnie and Amy, how they went from being the sisters who were more rivals then friends; to being two women who resolved their issues, and more importantly their bond that they once had. In many ways it...more
After just a few minutes of listening to Beth Kendrick speak, I knew I had to read this book. The dialogue in The Bake-Off is as biting and witty as Kendrick is in person. Meet Linnie and Amy, two estranged sisters who both need cash for very different reasons. Their wise and all knowing grandmother cons them into entering a baking competition where the prize is $100,000. The only complication, neither sister knows how to bake. This is a fun and funny light read, perfect for that beach vacation!...more
Two sisters with a great deal of past resentments are brought together through the scheming of their grandmother and their own separate agendas. Linnie is the analytical one and is a former child prodigy who is now working a casino table in Vegas. When the antique broach of her grandmother is stolen and pawned, she must come up with the money to get it back without her grandmother knowing. Amy was a former wild girl, now settled in the suburbs with husband and children. She longs for the artisti...more
Beth Kendrick's The Bake-Off is the novel equivalent of the show Food Network Challenge. However, instead of only seeing food contestants in the midst of a food challenge, Kendrick brings us up close and personal inside the lives of two contestants: estranged sisters Amy and Linnie.
When their Grammy Syl cooks up a plot to get the two of them in the same city for the first time in years, both sisters hesitate. After all, anything they do together ends up terribly. Linnie, once a child prodigy who...more
When their Grammy Syl cooks up a plot to get the two of them in the same city for the first time in years, both sisters hesitate. After all, anything they do together ends up terribly. Linnie, once a child prodigy who...more
Beth Kendrick’s The Bake-Off is a sweet, fun and entertaining look at family, love and the perfect pastry. Kendrick immediately drew me into the Bialeks’ world with tales of Linnie’s unfulfilling life in Vegas and Amy’s frazzled days in Connecticut. Each woman was sympathetic, colorful, interesting — a fully fleshed-out and compelling character. I could sense the discord between them — anyone could, of course — but there was something tangible beneath the surface: love. And a sense that they wan...more
Two sisters, one a genius from birth and the other a social diva, brought together after years apart to pull of the baking competition of a life-time but can they win? In an effort to reclaim stolen property Linnie will do just about anything, including reconcile her past and set aside her differences with Amy. Unfortunately for Linnie her social awkwardness is almost more than her sister Amy can deal with. Throw in conniving competition, a time-honored family pie, a gorgeous wealthy hotel owner...more
A cute quick read about two sisters who are forced to work together for a common goal. Of course they are opposites in every way! The goal is to win a $100,000 cash prize in a NYC bake-off. Linnie is very scientific about the whole process while Amy just "goes for it". Armed with the top-secret recipe for Grammy's apple pie, they should be unstoppable. Sure, neither one of them has ever baked anything more complicated than brownie mix, but it's just pie-how .....hard could it be?
This is a cute bit of momlit/chicklit with a recipe included that suspends reality but isn't that part of what makes fiction entertaining? The sisters are a bit wacky, the situations fairly believable (except maybe jail and novices advancing in a cooking contest). Though predictable, I wasn't reading this like a mystery -- I just enjoyed being along for the ride. Good beach entertainment. And I'll bet Grammy Syl's cake shows up around here next December!
Two sisters ,complete opposites, brought together by their grandmother and one common goal to compete in a national baking contest and win the top prize pretty simple..if you set aside they can't stand to be in the same room with each other and neither sister knows how to bake. Cute story of how these two sisters come to appreciate and count on each other and become family, and learn how to make a mean apple pie in the process.
This was a fun read...laughing outloud, totally ignoring my husband in the car so that I could read, up late at night to finish! I loved Kendrick's quick wit writing style and the quirkiness of her characters. Of course, much of the plot is predictable, chick lit is like that! But I loved the play between the sisters, the plotting of the grandmother, and ridiculous of some people who are into cooking competitions.
Sep 05, 2011
Niki
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone who likes fluffy chick-lit
Recommended to Niki by:
My cousin
Definite chick-lit. The plot is very predictable, like all chick-lit books, but it was a very entertaining, cute story. I really liked the addition of the couple of recipes at the beginning and end of the story. It was something different and I will probably try the delicious sounding apple recipe that has as much spotlight in the story as the two main characters. I would certainly recommend this book.
This is a very funny, feel good sort of book about two estranged sisters reconnecting during a baking competition. The first part of the book is a bit dull and neither sister is particularly likable in the beginning, but once they get to the baking competition the fun really starts to pick up. I found myself laughing out loud at the crazy antics of sisters and really enjoying the mixture of their personalities. This is a great light-hearted read for when you just want a bit of fun.
Jan 18, 2012
Stacey
added it
In The Bake-Off we meet estranged sisters Amy and Linnie who are VERY different from one another. Their Grandmother Syl plots to get these non-bakers to enter a baking competition together in the hopes that they will rekindle their relationship. This was a very easy read, fun and uncomplicated, a true break!
This was a fun read. It had some interesting moments about the relationship between two very different sisters. I was getting fairly annoyed at Linnie a little over half way through but Grammy Syl reappeared to get me to read until the end. I enjoyed the escapism.
A light and enjoyable read. As this is a short book there's not a lot of time for development of side characters, but despite that the characters are engaging and the story entertaining. I enjoyed it and would suggest it as a nice, quick, and fun summer beach read.
I will be honest, I have read a lot of books by Beth Kendrick and this is not her best. The plot is a bit predictable and it feels as if I have met these characters before. But if you are looking for a bit of fluff to wile away the afternoon hours, go for it! Let me know what you think!
Chick lit, and bad chicklit at that.
Estranged sisters thrown together by eccentric granny to win a Pillsbury-esque bakeoff in the big city. One finds love, the other self confidence, and happy endings all the way around. Yadda yadda.
Estranged sisters thrown together by eccentric granny to win a Pillsbury-esque bakeoff in the big city. One finds love, the other self confidence, and happy endings all the way around. Yadda yadda.
This is what I have been looking for! I read it in a day and was sorry when it was over. I found this book to be just relaxing and fun. I can't wait until Monday to see if I can find some of Beth Kendricks other books.
As always, Kendrick delivers a great read. I love all of her stuff. She is one of the best chick lit authors out there, in my opinion. This book had me engaged and laughing in parts. I definitely recommend this one to everyone.
I enjoyed this book very much. The dialogue is very witty and I enjoyed the sister relationship and watching it change.
Lynnie and Amy are competing in a bake-off, with a little trickery from their Granny Syl, and find it hard to stay mad at each other. They've been on non-speaking terms for years. Amy always wanted to shine and Lynnie was a child prodigy who became her parents main concern.
It was fun getting into the mind of a competitive baker and also the mind of someone who just wanted to wi...more
Lynnie and Amy are competing in a bake-off, with a little trickery from their Granny Syl, and find it hard to stay mad at each other. They've been on non-speaking terms for years. Amy always wanted to shine and Lynnie was a child prodigy who became her parents main concern.
It was fun getting into the mind of a competitive baker and also the mind of someone who just wanted to wi...more
I really enjoyed this book. It was an easy, fun read. I liked the characters and it had funny dialogue plus it was about a baking competition. I would really like to see another book with these characters.
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This is the part where I’m supposed to brag about all my illustrious accomplishments, but honestly, I’d rather talk about my dogs and brag about some of the things I haven’t done:
I’ve never been to prison*, court-ordered rehab*, or splashed across the cover of a salacious weekly gossip tabloid with my ladybits on display**.
I’m a Leo, a middle child, and a formidable Trivial Pursuit opponent. I re...more
More about Beth Kendrick...
I’ve never been to prison*, court-ordered rehab*, or splashed across the cover of a salacious weekly gossip tabloid with my ladybits on display**.
I’m a Leo, a middle child, and a formidable Trivial Pursuit opponent. I re...more
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Mar 15, 2011 07:49pm