The Cake Therapist
by Judith Fertig
Claire “Neely” O’Neil is a pastry chef of extraordinary talent. Every
great chef can taste shimmering, elusive flavors that most of us miss,
but Neely can “taste” feelings—cinnamon makes you remember; plum is
pleased with itself; orange is a wake-up call. When flavor and feeling
give Neely a glimpse of someone’s inner self, she can customize her
creations to help that person celebrate love, overcome fear, even mourn a
devastating loss.Maybe that’s why she feels the need to go home
to Millcreek Valley at a time when her life seems about to fall apart.
The bakery she opens in her hometown is perfect, intimate, just what
she’s always dreamed of—and yet, as she meets her new customers, Neely
has a sense of secrets, some dark, some perhaps with tempting
possibilities. A recurring flavor of alarming intensity signals to her
perfect palate a long-ago story that must be told.Neely has always been able to help everyone else. Getting to the end of this story may be just what she needs to help herself.
great chef can taste shimmering, elusive flavors that most of us miss,
but Neely can “taste” feelings—cinnamon makes you remember; plum is
pleased with itself; orange is a wake-up call. When flavor and feeling
give Neely a glimpse of someone’s inner self, she can customize her
creations to help that person celebrate love, overcome fear, even mourn a
devastating loss.Maybe that’s why she feels the need to go home
to Millcreek Valley at a time when her life seems about to fall apart.
The bakery she opens in her hometown is perfect, intimate, just what
she’s always dreamed of—and yet, as she meets her new customers, Neely
has a sense of secrets, some dark, some perhaps with tempting
possibilities. A recurring flavor of alarming intensity signals to her
perfect palate a long-ago story that must be told.Neely has always been able to help everyone else. Getting to the end of this story may be just what she needs to help herself.