Book Reviews

Book Blurb

To make a small fortune, start with a large fortune and open a bakery. That’s the advice Marcus Wilson has heard. Unfortunately, Marcus doesn’t have a large fortune—just a bakery, A Slice of Heaven, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and the determination to make it successful. He needs more help than he can afford, so when he hires accountant Gregory Southland, it’s for hours in the shop as well as on the books.

Gregory takes a second job at the bakery to help pay the bills now that his health is improving. Soon he’s looking forward to spending time with Marcus, but as the business—and their relationship—grows, so do the complications: First Marcus’s stepmother involves him in a cause that could give the bakery a reputation it doesn’t need. Then Marcus and Gregory disagree over whether to involve A Slice of Heaven in a civil rights dispute. To top it off, Gregory’s ex-boyfriend makes an appearance just when he is at his most vulnerable. But the greatest complication by far is Marcus and Gregory’s struggle to learn to trust each other and themselves, especially when it comes to baking up matters of the heart.

Book Review

There are several reasons to love this amazing book. And no, it isn’t just the mouthwatering descriptions of the various cakes and wonderful donuts and cookies that Marcus keeps producing, although that certainly had something to do with it. I loved this book because Gregory from the third volume comes back here, settling into his new life, because we get to see more of Café Belgie and all the characters from the previous books, and, of course, because Andrew Grey has written yet another fabulous love story about two men who feel utterly alone at the beginning, yet once they meet, both their lives change for the better.

Marcus has fulfilled part of his dream by opening a bakery. The second part, making it a success, will take a lot longer and be more difficult than he hoped. Not because his cakes and other creations aren’t delicious, but because starting a business and ensuring it is a financial success are two very different things. Being a good baker is his contribution, as well as some ideas of how to market the bakery, but as soon as Gregory comes in with his understanding of accounting and some great ideas of his own, Marcus's chances increase. His personal life also looks up, and despite all the obstacles, he is determined to persevere.

Gregory is a reformed man in this book. He made some bad mistakes, but Sebastian, his ex-lover, helped put him back on his feet in the previous volume, and now we get to see the rest of his story. Living with HIV is not easy, despite all the available medication and some support, and there is no sugarcoating of the issue in this book. We do get to see how things can work with the support Gregory deserves, and when he and Marcus decide to help out a kid affected by prejudice, it made me cheer them on.

These two men are fantastic together. Their story is a wonderful mix of love, the friendship they share with others, and the reality of life in all its glory. If you like books about realistic characters who learn to overcome the obstacles life has placed in their way, if following their relationship and growing love will warm your heart as it did mine, and if you prefer a gentle and tender love story, you will probably like this book as much as I did.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook, print and audio
Length	Novel, 200 pages/63301 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	09-November-2012
Price	$6.99 ebook, $14.99 paperback, $14.99 bundle, $19.95 audiobook
Buy Link	https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/a-slice-of-love-by-andrew-grey-3837-b