Synopsis
By Bread Alone: It's not easy being the adoring mother of one, living in an eccentric tower in the middle of the English countryside coping with a short-sighted goat, a grumpy father-in-law and a dysfunctional swarm of bees, but Esme Slack manages it. Or does she? Sometimes the gob-smackingly gorgeous French sourdough bread she insists on making every day is the only thing she truly believes she is getting right. But is that because it tastes so delicious, or because it reminds her of the girl she once was and, more particularly, of Louis, the village boulanger who saved her from a life of being half-baked? All she has left of the Frenchman is the sourdough starter he gave her, made from the fermented juice of an apple planted 190 years before by his great-great-great-grandparents and still going strong in her kitchen cupboard...until she meets him again by chance.
Restoring Grace: Ellie Summers' life is unravelling. A couple of months ago, she was quite happy living with her boyfriend Rick in their little cottage, producing paintings of local people's homes. But now, finding herself pregnant - and discovering that Rick is less than enthusiastic about imminent parenthood - things seem rather more complicated. Grace Soudley's life has been coming apart for more than a couple of months. Abandoned by her unsuitable husband for another woman, her only real security is the wonderful old house she was left by her godmother. She's scraped together enough money to repair the roof but, riddled with damp and dry rot, Luckenham House is in serious danger of disintegrating around her unless she finds some more money fast. When Ellie and Grace meet, the two very different women suddenly find they can help each other out. Ellie needs a place to stay; Grace needs a lodger. Both of them need a friend. But then Grace's step-daughter Demi arrives on the scene, followed by the disconcertingly engaging Flynn Cormack - who seems determined to help. And when Grace discovers some beautiful painted panels - which may or may not be rather valuable - hidden behind the tattered dining
Adultery for Beginners: Isabel and Neil are old marrieds. Suburban old marrieds, at that. While the routine that's as comfortable as an old shoe seems to suit Neil just fine, Isabel—professional wife and mother and one the nicest women in the line at school pick-up--is restless. Tired of being just “Neil's wife” or “Michael's mommy”, she takes a part-time job working for the disorganized but devastatingly attractive Patrick, only to find herself drawn to him. Despite telling herself to think of her husband and children, Isabel finds herself doing the unthinkable, and plunging into a world of conflicting loyalties, desires and responsibilities.
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