How to Bake a Perfect Life (2010) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Summary edit see section history

Characters/People edit see section history

• Ramona: Main character, bakery owner, mother, and step-grandmother.
• Katie: Daughter of Lacey and Oscar, step-daughter of Sophia, and owner of Merlin.
• Jonah: First and last love of Ramona. Record store employee and composer.
• Merlin: Katie's dog.
• Oscar: Sophia's husband who is a soldier.
• Ryan: Ramona's brother.
• Nancy: A friend of Poppy's who is a midwife.
• Stephanie: Ramona's sister.
• Dane: Ramona's ex-husband.
• Adelaide: Ramona's grandmother.
• Lacey: Katie's mom, a drug addict.
• Jimmy: Ramona's apprentice.
• Lily: Ramona's mother.
• Sarah: Ramona's sister.
• Sofia: Ramona's pregnant daughter.
• Poppy: Ramona's aunt who Ramona lives with for awhile.
• Cat Spinuzzi: Ramona's mentor. Enemy to Ramona's father.
• Milo: Ramona's cat.
• Bridget Magill O'Hare: The originator of the oldest bread starter and the namesake for Ramona's bakery.
• Liam: Ramona's brother.
• Armando: Ramona's first sexual partner. Sofia's father.

Quotes edit see section history

• “It's only then that I realize he's looking at my mouth, my throat, and there is something in his face that touches me, like the flutter of bird wings. "Which is your true favorite?" he asks quietly. His voice moves down my neck like a whisper.”

  Jonah

• Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers

• HEARTY BERRY STREUSEL MUFFINS Makes 30–32

  Highlighted by 48 Kindle customers

• EASY WHITE BREAD Many people fret about undertaking yeast bread, fearing

  Highlighted by 38 Kindle customers

• minutes. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan to set the berries, remove from pan, and cool on wire rack.

  Highlighted by 33 Kindle customers

• SUNSHINE FRUIT AND HONEY BREAD Sometimes a recipe is born from a moment, and this is the recipe that I came up with after my first night with Jonah. Filled with light and juice and tenderness, it is one of my favorite things. Try it with a cup of sweet chai.

  Highlighted by 26 Kindle customers

• raspberries and toasted almonds. Bake for 55–60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 20 minutes, then tip bread out onto a wire rack and cool thoroughly. Drizzle the top lightly with glaze.

  Highlighted by 21 Kindle customers

• it—a heart broken on one’s own behalf is one thing. A heart broken for the losses of a child is a yawning sorrow that cannot be eased by anything except the happiness of the child.

  Highlighted by 17 Kindle customers

• MULTIGRAIN CRANBERRY WALNUT BREAD This is a wonderful bread, chewy and very flavorful, and it uses a slower fermentation period to expand those flavors. Plan to begin a day before you want to serve it. It also uses a sourdough sponge. Any starter will work just fine, but if you happen to have a hearty rye starter, it will be especially lovely here.

  Highlighted by 16 Kindle customers

• “Well, what if it isn’t a big mistake? What if this is only something that happened, something that’s different from the things most of your friends are doing but not bad. Maybe it’s extraordinary, to help you become an extraordinary person.”

  Highlighted by 13 Kindle customers

• RAMONA’S BOOK OF BREADS EASY PAIN AU CHOCOLAT

  Highlighted by 11 Kindle customers

• RAMONA’S BOOK OF BREADS SOFT AND DELICIOUS WHEAT BREAD

  Highlighted by 9 Kindle customers

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Colorado Springs: The location of Ramona's bakery and home and Jonah's home.
• Germany: The location of the hospital where Oscar is undergoing treatment.
• San Antonio: The location of the second hospital Oscar is moved to.
• Castle Rock
• Iraq
• India
• Sedalia
• El Paso: The location of Lacey's rehab.

First Sentence edit see section history

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

• Mother-Daughter Relationships: Ramona and Lilly, Sophia and Ramona, Katie and Lacey, Katie and Ramona, Adelaide and Lilly, Sofia and Katie
• Past Versus Present: Describe this theme.
• Forgiveness for past hurts
• Grief and Healing
• Parental Alienation
• Soul Mates
• Family relationships

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Barbara O'Neal (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Awards edit see section history

• RITA Award Finalist (2012: Strong Romantic Elements)

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
• Dewey: 813

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Add a note to help parents select a book for a child.

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Literature & Fiction

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

• Barbara O'Neal: Information about the author and her novels.

More Books Like This edit see section history