The Secret to Hummingbird Cake Book Review

SUMMARY:  When all else fails, turn to the divine taste of hummingbird cake.
     In the South, you always say "yes, ma'am" and "no, ma'am." You know everybody's business.  Football is a lifestyle not a pastime.  Food - especially dessert - is almost a religious experience.  And you protect your friends as fiercely as you protect your family - even if the threat is something you cannot see.
     In this spot-on Southern novel brimming with wit and authenticity, you'll laugh alongside lifelong friends, navigate the sometimes rocky path of marriage, and roll through the outrageous curveballs that life sometimes throws . . . from devastating pain to absolute joy.  And if you're lucky, you just may discover the secret to hummingbird cake along the way.

REVIEW:  The book is about three friends, Carrigan, Laine and Ella Rae, who have been by each others' sides through thick, thin and crazy since they were five.  They stood up for each other when things got tough and enjoyed each other when life was good. The story is told from Carrigan's viewpoint but you can feel the love each person has for the others.  Each friend is different - Carrigan is the reckless, rebellious, always in trouble sort; Ella Rae is the one who goes along with everything, whether it is good or bad, and supports Carrigan and Laine; and Laine, the one who's heart is bigger than the world's and who gives everything she has to those she loves.
     When I first started reading this book, Carrigan made me mad.  I did not like her at all.  Even though she was thirty years old and had been married thirteen years, she still had a lot of growing up to do.  She was rebellious as a teenager and didn't seem to change much.  She did things her way and would drag her friends Laine and Ella Rae along with her to justify her means.  But, as the story progressed, I began to see another side of Carrigan.  One who deeply cared about her friends, husband and family, who would do ANYTHING to keep them safe and protected and to make them feel loved, and who struggled with feeling inadequate and accepted.
     I won't give any spoilers away but suffice it to say, it is an awesome book that will have you in tears from laughter and heartbreak.  Keep your tissues close by, though, towards the end of the book. 
    This is a book I highly recommend.  Now, it does have some language and some questionable events, but it will really make you appreciate the ones you call friend.

This book was provided by Fiction Guild and Thomas Nelson Publishers 

for review without compensation.

Celeste Fletcher McHale lives on her family farm in Central Louisiana, where she enjoys raising a variety of animals.  Her hobbies include writing, football, baseball, and spending much time with her grandchildren.