BOOK REVIEW: The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy
About the book:
To save her husband and son, Audrey Bofinger must rescue her enemy. The Bofinger family has lost their church ministry in a scandal exposed by Officer Jack Mansfield. Hoping to heal and to restore their reputation, Audrey, Geoff, and their son Ed take over a failing bakery in the small community. Driving to the bakery one morning, blinded by fog, Audrey hits a motor scooter owned by Jack’s wife, Julie. The mangled scooter is crushed and bloody. But Julie is nowhere to be found. Her disappearance coincides with a sudden illness that nearly cripples Audrey. |
Jack believes the Bofingers have hurt Julie to take revenge on him, but the evidence dries up and her trail goes cold. At a breaking point, Jack takes the tiny bakery and its patrons hostage, issuing only one demand: Audrey has six hours to return Julie to him, or lose Geoff and Ed forever.
With only an excruciating and intuitive gift, an ex-con, and Julie’s estranged daughter to help search for clues, Audrey starts the search of her life for a woman who has vanished like the fog.
Well-known to critics and reviewers, Erin Healy has established herself as an award-winning editor and a best-selling co-author with Ted Dekker. Healy received wide acclaim for her two debut novels Never Let You Go and The Promises She Keeps. Her work focuses on the psychological and spiritual, driven by high moral stakes. She lives and writes in Colorado with her family.
For more information please visit www.erinhealy.com.
Link to buy the book:
My thoughts:
I enjoyed The Baker's Wife. It was a quick read with plenty to keep the pages turning. I actually had both a hard copy and a e-copy from NetGalley. The e-copy was sorely in need of editing though! The story itself kept my attention, and the characters were extremely well-developed. The title character, Audrey Bofinger, was the pastor's wife first, but when her husband, Geoff is wrongly accused and fired from his church, they open a bakery. Audrey is gifted with empathy that goes to a whole new level. The other characters show different "types" of Christians. There is Geoff who stays strong in his faith; Ed who after living with some drastic consequences to his sin is struggling; and Jack who is a bit of a pharisee. Then there are the non-believers: Julie, Jack's missing wife; Diane, the ex-con who is mysteriously connected. Even the minor characters, like Estrella, the Spanish cook from the bakery; Miralee, Jack and Julie's daughter; coach and Leslie are uniquely created individuals. While certain aspects of the story did seem a little far-fetched (like the wedding ring scene), I do believe that God communicates to us and gives us power through the Holy Spirit within us, so it is not too much to believe that we can feel what others are feeling or be led to minister to someone in a certain way. If we allow the Holy Spirit to lead each step we make, we will be astounded at what He shows us and how He uses us!
I received this book from Litfuse Group in exchange for my honest review.
Let the flour fly! Beginning October 24th, Erin started celebrating the release of her latest page turner, The Baker's Wife, with an outstanding KitchenAid baking prize package giveaway that includes a brand new KitchenAid Mixer, cook books, and all you need to whip up some fabulous bread or sweets! Then and on November 10th she'll be wrapping up the release of The Baker's Wife with an Author Book Chat Party on Facebook! Don't miss a minute of the fun!
One grand prize winner will receive:
- Empire Red 4.5 QT Ultra Power KitchenAid Stand Mixer
- Black & White Kitschy Apron
- Black Silicone Oven Mitt
- Black OXO Rolling Pin
- Wilton 9X5 loaf pan
- At My Grandmother's Knee Cookbook by Faye Porter
- Second Helpings with Johnnie Gabriel Cookbook
- The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy
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