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By Bread Alone
Baking sourdough bread every day from the time she was nineteen years old, Esme remembers the innocence and heartbreak of her first love, which she experienced during a summer in rural France, but an obstacle from the more recent past prompts her to restore happiness within her family life. By the author of Blessed are the Cheesemakers. 20,000 first printing.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published November 7, 2003
14 people are currently reading
630 people want to read
About the author
Sarah-Kate Lynch
17 books281 followersSarah-Kate Lynch is quite a cranky journalist of several decades who prefers making things up to recording them accurately. This is not very good if you are a journalist, which may explain (a) the crankiness and (b) why she now writes novels.
She also writes two columns in the New Zealand Woman's Day, New Zealand's best-selling weekly magazine. One is about nothing and the other is about travel.
Sarah-Kate lives in a cliff top house on the wild west coast of New Zealand's North Island with a lovely dog called Ginger and a husband called Ted. Oh, hang on, no, that's not right. The dog is called Ted and the husband is Ginger.
She also writes two columns in the New Zealand Woman's Day, New Zealand's best-selling weekly magazine. One is about nothing and the other is about travel.
Sarah-Kate lives in a cliff top house on the wild west coast of New Zealand's North Island with a lovely dog called Ginger and a husband called Ted. Oh, hang on, no, that's not right. The dog is called Ted and the husband is Ginger.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
January 12, 2012
This is my second Sarah-Kate Lynch book. As with "Blessed are the Cheesemakers" she weaves a wonderful story around a food item. Certain foods don't take just skill and knowledge to make but they take passion, love, care. It truly makes a difference. I bake and I will only do so when I feel "the love" otherwise my baking turns out slightly off, tasting not quite so good, lacking depth. You might think I'm just sayig that but I assure you it is true.
By Bread Alone is about the art of breadmaking, about passion infusing life. Esme bakes an amazing sourdough from a starter she received years ago. When she bakes bread her family knows all is well. It's when she stops baking bread that they know life is topsy-turvy. The book begins with Esem not having touched dough for 33 days. Her husband is starting to feel panic, she's out of sorts and in a panic herself and isn't sure how or when she can bake again. Her world has been thrown off-kilter but we, as the reader, aren't sure by what. Lynch takes us on a past and present journey of Esme and her passion for bread and perhaps life. While in the present we are caught up to speed on what happened in her past to define her. With some colorful characters walking alongside of her in this journey we discover, along with Esme, that what we have in our present is what we've really wanted and what we really love.
While I loved this book it seemed to be a slow read for me. Parts of it seemed to drag out a bit and I'm not sure if that was due to my life circumstances or the story was a wee bit slow. Even though it took my longer than usual to get through it I enjoyed it immensely and have discovered with this second book of Lynch's that I really like her writing.
By Bread Alone is about the art of breadmaking, about passion infusing life. Esme bakes an amazing sourdough from a starter she received years ago. When she bakes bread her family knows all is well. It's when she stops baking bread that they know life is topsy-turvy. The book begins with Esem not having touched dough for 33 days. Her husband is starting to feel panic, she's out of sorts and in a panic herself and isn't sure how or when she can bake again. Her world has been thrown off-kilter but we, as the reader, aren't sure by what. Lynch takes us on a past and present journey of Esme and her passion for bread and perhaps life. While in the present we are caught up to speed on what happened in her past to define her. With some colorful characters walking alongside of her in this journey we discover, along with Esme, that what we have in our present is what we've really wanted and what we really love.
While I loved this book it seemed to be a slow read for me. Parts of it seemed to drag out a bit and I'm not sure if that was due to my life circumstances or the story was a wee bit slow. Even though it took my longer than usual to get through it I enjoyed it immensely and have discovered with this second book of Lynch's that I really like her writing.
March 22, 2015
By Bread Alone is a well written, well thought out story. Esme is a woman in crisis, although she'd rather everyone around her thought she is fine. Her husband Pog misses the sourdough bread she is so good at baking, her father-in-law grumps at her, her grandma gives her some advice and her four year old son Rory prefers to call her Esme.
The family lives in a tall house, called House of the Clouds, with the kitchen at the top in Suffolk. There has been some effort made to live an idyllic country life but it doesn't all work out perfectly. Esme is not really happy and there is a part of her that longs for the success she might have had in London in the publishing/TV business. She wonders if she should have pursued her first love relationship with a Frenchman - Louis. She confides her discontent to her gay friend- Charlie, who sets out to play God in this realm.
After awhile it becomes obvious there is a dark cloud hanging over the house, and Esme allows no one to speak of it. Her husband suggests they look for counselling but Esme shies away. She doesn't want to talk about it.
A series of events lands Esme in some comprising situations, but there are people there who are supportive and gradually the dark secret is taken out of the cupboard and acknowledged and explored. Everyone's guilt, unhappiness and beliefs are taken out and aired, and in the doing of it life starts to look up for Esme and her family.
For some reason I didn't find myself wholly engaged with the book, I didn't hook in very well to it. I am not sure why, I was pleased to see how it all worked out, and enjoyed one little surprise at the end which made me chuckle because I had missed any clues completely.
The family lives in a tall house, called House of the Clouds, with the kitchen at the top in Suffolk. There has been some effort made to live an idyllic country life but it doesn't all work out perfectly. Esme is not really happy and there is a part of her that longs for the success she might have had in London in the publishing/TV business. She wonders if she should have pursued her first love relationship with a Frenchman - Louis. She confides her discontent to her gay friend- Charlie, who sets out to play God in this realm.
After awhile it becomes obvious there is a dark cloud hanging over the house, and Esme allows no one to speak of it. Her husband suggests they look for counselling but Esme shies away. She doesn't want to talk about it.
A series of events lands Esme in some comprising situations, but there are people there who are supportive and gradually the dark secret is taken out of the cupboard and acknowledged and explored. Everyone's guilt, unhappiness and beliefs are taken out and aired, and in the doing of it life starts to look up for Esme and her family.
For some reason I didn't find myself wholly engaged with the book, I didn't hook in very well to it. I am not sure why, I was pleased to see how it all worked out, and enjoyed one little surprise at the end which made me chuckle because I had missed any clues completely.
July 8, 2008
I liked it, but I didn't love it. I fell for all the tricks, which is a good sign. Three things though:
1.) The level of suspension of disbelief is very, very, very high. Given her circumstances, her choices don't add up.
2.) The character of Pog, the husband, isn't believable. I'd bet money the author set him up as a similar character to her own husband, highlighting his best qualities. I didn't like him because he lacked flaws... other than a being dull (to me, not the main character) and having a pudge (don't we all).
3.) My favorite male character was Henry. He seemed more like a real person than anyone else in the whole book. Juxtaposing him with the other males really emphasized this.
One other suggestion I'd make to the author is that she let us get to know Rory, the child. She did some very interesting things with occasional shifts in narration, which could have allowed this.
M, did you notice any of this?
1.) The level of suspension of disbelief is very, very, very high. Given her circumstances, her choices don't add up.
2.) The character of Pog, the husband, isn't believable. I'd bet money the author set him up as a similar character to her own husband, highlighting his best qualities. I didn't like him because he lacked flaws... other than a being dull (to me, not the main character) and having a pudge (don't we all).
3.) My favorite male character was Henry. He seemed more like a real person than anyone else in the whole book. Juxtaposing him with the other males really emphasized this.
One other suggestion I'd make to the author is that she let us get to know Rory, the child. She did some very interesting things with occasional shifts in narration, which could have allowed this.
M, did you notice any of this?
June 21, 2015
I love Sarah-Kate Lynch's novels. They have at their core an item of food or drink - cheese, champagne, bread, baking, honey, or have a backdrop of food - and love. All so delicious, a tasty treat, with surprises and a bit of magic thrown in.
In this story, it is the sourdough starter which is the magic ingredient - 'the living, breathing, bubbling mixture of the past and the present that ... added to every batch of flour and water to turn it inot the future.' It is the starter that forms the link for Esme between the most beautiful summer of her life, in her late teens, when she falls madly in love with a young baker in a small village in France, and her life fifteen years later, when things aren't quite so rosy.
Now Esme is married to Pog, they have a young son, they live in the House in the Clouds in Suffolk, her father-in-law lives with them, as does her grandmother. It is fairly clear early on in the story that something awful has happened to this family, and it is just not talked about, which is why the reader never finds out till the end either. The constant through the last fifteen years has been Esme's daily sour dough breadmaking, still using that same starter she created that summer in France. Esme simply cannot help herself focussing on the happy times in her life, just to get her through her days. And of course the memory of her summer with Louis is at the forefront of that.
A chance meeting with Louis threatens to completely derail Esme, or does it offer her the unbelieveable opportunity to start her life again with the man she can never forget? And off we go on a breath holding will she or won't she? Yes do it, you say to yourself, surrender to love and Louis, then no, don't leave Pog, make more bread, someone save her!!!!
A lovely frothy treat of a read, with a very worthy message at the end - Man, or woman for that matter, cannot live by bread alone. Cryptic I know, but all will become clear. Now, off to make my own starter - the recipe at the end of the book is not the one used by Esme, but according to the author is the best she has tried, and it would seem she tried a few.
In this story, it is the sourdough starter which is the magic ingredient - 'the living, breathing, bubbling mixture of the past and the present that ... added to every batch of flour and water to turn it inot the future.' It is the starter that forms the link for Esme between the most beautiful summer of her life, in her late teens, when she falls madly in love with a young baker in a small village in France, and her life fifteen years later, when things aren't quite so rosy.
Now Esme is married to Pog, they have a young son, they live in the House in the Clouds in Suffolk, her father-in-law lives with them, as does her grandmother. It is fairly clear early on in the story that something awful has happened to this family, and it is just not talked about, which is why the reader never finds out till the end either. The constant through the last fifteen years has been Esme's daily sour dough breadmaking, still using that same starter she created that summer in France. Esme simply cannot help herself focussing on the happy times in her life, just to get her through her days. And of course the memory of her summer with Louis is at the forefront of that.
A chance meeting with Louis threatens to completely derail Esme, or does it offer her the unbelieveable opportunity to start her life again with the man she can never forget? And off we go on a breath holding will she or won't she? Yes do it, you say to yourself, surrender to love and Louis, then no, don't leave Pog, make more bread, someone save her!!!!
A lovely frothy treat of a read, with a very worthy message at the end - Man, or woman for that matter, cannot live by bread alone. Cryptic I know, but all will become clear. Now, off to make my own starter - the recipe at the end of the book is not the one used by Esme, but according to the author is the best she has tried, and it would seem she tried a few.
September 13, 2017
Delightful. Cringing. Sad. Modern. Hopeful.
Grab the tissues and read this.
A mother, an employee, a wife, a lover, a bread maker, a grandaughter, a friend, an enemy. We are all of these things and so is Esme the protagonist of this story. And like all of us at some stage Esme thinks life used to be better, the grass greener, and so her decision making suffers.
The rose coloured memories of our first love sit dusty in the back of our minds, but in Esme's, the memories of her first love, Louis, start forcing their way out. Like a house of cards, her life threatens to tumble down around her.
I'm not going to say much else apart from I loved it. There were just enough characters to keep it interesting but without overburdening the storyline. There were a few shocks, which are slowly revealed. I didn't expect them, but then I also never expected the twist at the end of The Sixth Sense, so someone more observant may figure it out!
I did need the tissues. You might too.
Grab the tissues and read this.
A mother, an employee, a wife, a lover, a bread maker, a grandaughter, a friend, an enemy. We are all of these things and so is Esme the protagonist of this story. And like all of us at some stage Esme thinks life used to be better, the grass greener, and so her decision making suffers.
The rose coloured memories of our first love sit dusty in the back of our minds, but in Esme's, the memories of her first love, Louis, start forcing their way out. Like a house of cards, her life threatens to tumble down around her.
I'm not going to say much else apart from I loved it. There were just enough characters to keep it interesting but without overburdening the storyline. There were a few shocks, which are slowly revealed. I didn't expect them, but then I also never expected the twist at the end of The Sixth Sense, so someone more observant may figure it out!
I did need the tissues. You might too.
April 27, 2024
I couldn't finish this book. I don't even care what the big mystery is that makes her such an a-hole. Maybe they should have shared this big event earlier on and I would feel some sympathy. She's a jerk to her bratty kid, she's terrible to her husband and his elderly father, she's mean and selfish to her grandma. Her friend blinded her goat and she didn't seem to care and where I stopped reading she had said she wanted her long lost love, to hell with her husband and child (literally she said she didn't care about either of them in that moment).
Boring book and truly unlikeable main character.
Boring book and truly unlikeable main character.
April 6, 2013
The bits about baking and the historical aspects were intresting, but the story of the main character Esme was annoying. Very much in the same way as the character from Eat, Pray, Love. This would be a good book for a plane ride or a beach read where you can skim for the parts that are intresting otherwise I would not waste your time. Totally not worth the late fees I incurred to finish this book.
February 25, 2017
This was another really good love story. I've been reading a lot of these lately but if they're good, I love them. This one had a story going on that you did not learn about until the middle of the book, then there was another twist at the end that I did not see coming at all. I have read another book by this author "Blessed are the Cheesemakers" which was very good also. I will read more books by this author.
October 26, 2019
Overall, I enjoyed “By Bread Alone.” Laugh out loud moments as well as sad moments. Lots of bread making information that made me want to get started on making some sourdough bread. A plus is that the recipe for the starter and bread is included in the book.
This is my first book by Sarah-Kate Lynch and I look forward to reading more from her.
This is my first book by Sarah-Kate Lynch and I look forward to reading more from her.
August 1, 2008
Lynch smartly used flashbacks to lead us through the story. It was easy to be romanced by her first love, just like she was. I actually cried in the end; for all the characters.
July 25, 2016
Ugh. This was just not a good book. Her others are so much better. DO NOT LET THIS BE THE FIRST Sarah-Kate Lynch book you read. Otherwise, you won't want to read any of her others.
June 16, 2016
Sarah-Kate Lynch has a delightful way of mixing food and love and a tiny bit of mysticism and creating a terrific book.
October 3, 2025
I should have stopped reading when I saw “pre-Raphaelite hair”, the book was full of these tired descriptions. This book was awful. Did not finish.
April 10, 2020
~ Review coming later today ~
June 20, 2014
No matter if you've dearly loved one of Sarah-Kate Lynch's novels, as I have recently with "The Wedding Bees," the first of hers that I read, she tends to do something utterly frustrating at the beginning of her novels. With "The Wedding Bees," it was not using American vernacular in the early pages in what was clearly an American setting, yet in hindsight, with all the joy and love and happiness that novel contained, it was all right and actually made sense.
This time, in "By Bread Alone," Lynch beats the reader over the head with SOMETHING TRAGIC HAPPENED IN THIS WOMAN'S LIFE! YES, SOMETHING HORRIBLE! YES, YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT IT IN EVERY OTHER PARAGRAPH BUT I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU UNTIL TOWARDS THE END WHEN IT'LL MAKE A LOT MORE SENSE! HOLD ON! ANOTHER PARAGRAPH'S COMING UP! TIME TO HINT AT THE PAST TRAGEDY!
And yet, at the rate "By Bread Alone" is going, I'm sure I'll be utterly charmed yet again by her storytelling magic and the heavy drama mallet she uses won't matter as much.
(Update on Thursday, June 19, 2014 at 8:36 p.m.: Well, I read most of it, but couldn't get past the last 120 pages (I skimmed the rest), which I hope will be the only time it happens with a Sarah-Kate Lynch novel. The engine for this novel seems to be "mopeymopeymopeymopeymopeyPASSIONATEFLASHBACKmopeymopeymopeymopeyLOVELORNFLASHBACKmopeymopeymopeymopeySHOCKFORTHEREADERmopeymopeymopeymopeymopeyREASONFORHERMOPINESSgettingtheregettingtheregettingthereSHEFINALLYGETSHERSHITTOGETHER!"
All of this would have been fine if Lynch adopted a faster pace. Not every novel has to be fast-paced, but she has no rhythm here, nothing to engender curiosity about where Esme was going to go from her current situation. From the beginning is where Lynch should have began that, giving us something to go on. There is plenty of wit to be found, but you have to read through a lot of drag to find it.
Fortunately, "By Bread Alone" was one of Lynch's early novels, and "The Wedding Bees" shows that she has learned from this experience and become a much better novelist.
This time, in "By Bread Alone," Lynch beats the reader over the head with SOMETHING TRAGIC HAPPENED IN THIS WOMAN'S LIFE! YES, SOMETHING HORRIBLE! YES, YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT IT IN EVERY OTHER PARAGRAPH BUT I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU UNTIL TOWARDS THE END WHEN IT'LL MAKE A LOT MORE SENSE! HOLD ON! ANOTHER PARAGRAPH'S COMING UP! TIME TO HINT AT THE PAST TRAGEDY!
And yet, at the rate "By Bread Alone" is going, I'm sure I'll be utterly charmed yet again by her storytelling magic and the heavy drama mallet she uses won't matter as much.
(Update on Thursday, June 19, 2014 at 8:36 p.m.: Well, I read most of it, but couldn't get past the last 120 pages (I skimmed the rest), which I hope will be the only time it happens with a Sarah-Kate Lynch novel. The engine for this novel seems to be "mopeymopeymopeymopeymopeyPASSIONATEFLASHBACKmopeymopeymopeymopeyLOVELORNFLASHBACKmopeymopeymopeymopeySHOCKFORTHEREADERmopeymopeymopeymopeymopeyREASONFORHERMOPINESSgettingtheregettingtheregettingthereSHEFINALLYGETSHERSHITTOGETHER!"
All of this would have been fine if Lynch adopted a faster pace. Not every novel has to be fast-paced, but she has no rhythm here, nothing to engender curiosity about where Esme was going to go from her current situation. From the beginning is where Lynch should have began that, giving us something to go on. There is plenty of wit to be found, but you have to read through a lot of drag to find it.
Fortunately, "By Bread Alone" was one of Lynch's early novels, and "The Wedding Bees" shows that she has learned from this experience and become a much better novelist.
February 23, 2011
A half-baked "Bridget Jones" wanna-be tale filled with cutesy slang and annoying implausible characters. The story meandered between being a joyous romp and a maudlin romance. The sourdough bread that was featured throughout the book probably sounds good to people who don't bake bread. But two giant flaws in the bread section drove me mad: 1) the instruction to oil the rising bowl and 2) the fact that a seasoned baker would slice into a loaf of sourdough just out of the oven. There is no way that a real baker would allow anyone to slice into a loaf of bread that wasn't yet finished baking. The most irritating thing about the book was that I bothered finishing it.
There is a recipe for sourdough bread, apparently based on Poilane's, at the end of the book that appears to be correct (except for the instructions to oil the rising bowl and spray the walls of the oven to create steam). The included starter recipe probably works but anyone who has never worked with wild yeast before and is wanting to try would be much better off getting an actual bread making cookbook (Nancy Silverton, Daniel Leader, Joe Ortiz, Dan Lepard, Andrew Whitley spring to mind).
There is a recipe for sourdough bread, apparently based on Poilane's, at the end of the book that appears to be correct (except for the instructions to oil the rising bowl and spray the walls of the oven to create steam). The included starter recipe probably works but anyone who has never worked with wild yeast before and is wanting to try would be much better off getting an actual bread making cookbook (Nancy Silverton, Daniel Leader, Joe Ortiz, Dan Lepard, Andrew Whitley spring to mind).
February 21, 2010
Another wonderful read by probably my favorite author, Sarah-Kate Lynch. This one, set in England and France, tells the tale of Esme, who has faced terrible pain in her life, and wonders what it would be like if she was still with her first love. As with Lynch's other books, there is a food/drink focus - this time sourdough bread. And, as when I read "Blessed are the Cheesemakers" and "House of Daughters", I found that I absolutely had to run to the store to satisfy my taste buds! One thing - if you are opposed to vibrant sex scenes, you may be offended by parts of this tale. I however, couldn't put it down, and found myself at one point laughing aloud, and at another with tears running down my face. I will be keeping this one to read again someday.
August 22, 2013
Awesome! I loved it and couldn't put it down. Esme lives England with her husband and son Rory. Esme had an affair with a baker Louis when she was younger. She now meets up with him in London again. There was something about this story that I loved.
January 26, 2020
More depth than expected
I love the dreamer Esme. She is looking back to the past because her present is so hard.
Cute and seemingly whimsical, suddenly hurt, anguish & emotional depth appear in the novel - openness and forgiveness breathe real life into the story
I love the dreamer Esme. She is looking back to the past because her present is so hard.
Cute and seemingly whimsical, suddenly hurt, anguish & emotional depth appear in the novel - openness and forgiveness breathe real life into the story
July 7, 2009
I loved the author's previous book which I found whimsical and delightful (i.e. "Blessed are the Cheesemakers")
This book was a disappointment after that reading experience.
This book was a disappointment after that reading experience.
Read
January 21, 2018A third of the way into the book and I simply can not, will not finish it. I'm tossing pages into the wood stove. The worst kind of chick-lit ever.
November 16, 2024
I couldn't get into it. It seemed to take a long time to get to the point and I wasn't patient enough to find out what was going on. A disappointment.
March 29, 2020
This was one of those books that I kept picking up and putting down. It wasn't because I didn't enjoy the story, but I guess because it didn't grab me instantly and it started out rather slowly and sadly. That being said, there were many humorous moments in it.
The story deals with a woman who has had a terrible loss in her life. In order to help herself heal, she starts thinking about the man who got away. If she had continued with him, would her life be the same as it is today. This is dangerous thinking, especially for a person in a fragile emotional state.
I liked the characters alot and really felt for Esme, the main character. If the pace on this had moved a little more I think I would have added an additional star.
The story deals with a woman who has had a terrible loss in her life. In order to help herself heal, she starts thinking about the man who got away. If she had continued with him, would her life be the same as it is today. This is dangerous thinking, especially for a person in a fragile emotional state.
I liked the characters alot and really felt for Esme, the main character. If the pace on this had moved a little more I think I would have added an additional star.
May 30, 2018
This book buried the lead. I’m giving it 3 stars with reservations. We all go through rough patches and can relate to what it takes to get back up after the wind has been knocked out of us.
Unfortunately, other than a few vague mentioned there’s no way to know that’s what is happening here. Instead it unfolds like a story about a bored housewife pining for her decades passed summer of love that got away.
I liked the bones of the story but not the way it is spoon fed to the reader. If the pieces were taken apart and reorganized I think I would have enjoyed it more.
Unfortunately, other than a few vague mentioned there’s no way to know that’s what is happening here. Instead it unfolds like a story about a bored housewife pining for her decades passed summer of love that got away.
I liked the bones of the story but not the way it is spoon fed to the reader. If the pieces were taken apart and reorganized I think I would have enjoyed it more.
November 12, 2022
Good for a relatively light read about a woman having a mid-life crisis, based on actual crises in her life. Written in 2005 there are a few lines that are not politically correct and likely wouldn't be in a book written today, so that's a bit frustrating. But I love the author's books so am giving her the benefit of the doubt for this.
November 3, 2023
Well written story around a food item and how it’s shaped her life, but didn’t find myself super engaged in the story until the last few chapters where the plot picked up a bit more. Liked how it turned out and those last few chapters, but not a ton of action in the early and middle part of the book.
June 20, 2019
A woman who can't face up to the tragedy in her own family, and past lovers, whilst trying to look after her family and relations, and hold on to her sanity. I found the book quite angst ridden and found it hard to get through.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2020
A great read. Some predictable bits and some surprising bits. Moments of humour and also sadness. This is a book by an amazing NZ writer and I look forward to reading more of her works. Bonus recipe for sourdough bread - which I will have to try.... but first, a starter must be started.....
March 22, 2023
This is the second book I have no read by Sarah-Kate Lynch and I was hooked from page one. Such a great twisty turny plot and the characters are described with humourous detail. This book will have you laughing out loud and sobbing into a pillow by turns.
June 24, 2023
I enjoyed but didn't love this. The characters are dealing with a tragedy but you really only learn about it at the very end of the book. I think it would have been stronger if we had understood the motives earlier.
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