‘Friendship Bread’ a tasty treat for readers

At some point in every woman’s life, they are going to get a bag of starter for Amish Friendship Bread. It’s inevitable — like a chain letter, but tasty!

Darien Gee's debut novel, “Friendship Bread,” tells the story of Julia Evarts and how one simple loaf of bread changed her life and eventually the lives of those in her community.

The story focuses on Julia who, five years after a tragic accident causes the death of her son, is still reeling from the loss. As a result, she and her once very close sister Olivia have become estranged and distant due to Julia's crushing anger and Livvy's consuming guilt.

Life for Julia begins to change when her daughter Gracie finds a plate of Amish friendship bread and a bag of starter on their porch one afternoon with a simple note that reads, “Hope you enjoy it.” Julia, despite her indifference for activities of everyday life, gives in to Gracie’s pleas and decides to bake their own loaf of Amish friendship bread.

While trying to find people to take the bags of bread starter (that multiplies like rabbits), Julia meets Madeline Davis, a widow who opens up a tea salon, and Hannah de Brisay, a young retired cellist with a crumbling marriage. Kindred spirits from the start, these women help one another realize painful truths, and lend each other their hearts and shoulders through moments of sadness.

The story travels through the lives of several different residents of Avalon, each with their own brief story of their encounter with the circulating Amish friendship bread. And remarkably, through the advent of a small town crisis, the bread unites the community to accomplish a wonderful feat of service to those around them.

"Friendship Bread" delights from the adorable cover to the charming story inside. Although I have never personally baked a loaf of this legendary bread, I've heard about it for years, and through this lively, fast-paced story, I almost — almost — want to try making a batch or two.

Gee has created a wonderful cast of characters (and there are quite a few) to populate this story, and she creatively includes a bit of romance, a bit of mystery (where did that first starter come from?) and a lesson or two about the value of friendship in her tale that is sure to have readers clamoring for more.