Customer Reviews

Bon Appetit (French Twist, Book 2)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Bon Appetit by Sandra Byrd is a book about a young girl, Lexi, who moves to France to work in a bakery and go to school to become a pastry chef. Lexi's transition from America to France is fraught with difficulty. First of all, so many of the people with whom she deals hate Americans, which is understandable as a cultural generalization, but not of Lexi who is wonderfully warm, respectful of French culture, and best intentioned. Secondly, school is hard and complicated by different personalities and someone sabotaging the students' recipes. Finally, Lexi has to make difficult choices concerning her romantic life and her professional career. You'll find yourself pulling for Lexi as she encounters each obstacle, and your heart will soar each time she learns to trust in God for guidance and companionship.

Lexi's story is great. This book is the second in a series, the first book being Let Them Eat Cake. However, you do not need to have read the first book to completely enjoy and understand Bon Appetit (I still haven't read the first book, but I will).

The best part about this book for me were the discussions on food. Seriously. I love to cook and reading about the cooking school and all the fancy desserts being made was just facsinating to me. Best of all, there are several recipes featured in the book. Most are desserts, but there was a recipe for French Onion Soup which, once altered to suit a vegan diet, was DELICIOUS!!! I love French Onion Soup, but haven't had it in years because of the beef broth used in restaurants (and the fact that my one attempt to make it at home years ago was a horrible flop). I tried the recipe in this book (page 143) and LOVED IT. In fact, I started out by making half a batch in case it was bad, and went back and made a double batch the next day.

This book is truly a yummy book, for reading entertainment and your pleasure in cooking! I'm looking forward to the next French Twist book!

In this follow up to "Let Them Eat Cake", author Sandra Byrd brings more delightful tales of Lexi. This time around, Lexi is starting to live her dream of becoming a classically trained Chef. The setting of France adds depth to Lexi's story with its wonderful history of delicious foods and wondefully romantic scenes.

As Lexi tries to entrench herself deeply into French life, she begins to wonder is new avenues are in store for her or if her heart is still in Seattle and tied to Dan.

This is a wonderful story that sees Lexi explore her relationship to God, her parents and two men - one French and one American.

Sandra Byrd does not disappoint in this follow up which is reach with wonderfully engaging characters, tempting descriptions of amazing food and an opportunity to see Lexi continue growing into her destiny.

This book was a delight, BUT left me ravished for the 3rd and final installment!

I read both books while away on my recent pre-anniversary trip with my husband. I couldn't put the books down. I almost felt bad for my husband because I was so enthralled with the books he was left to entertain himself at times. So much for an anniversary trip haha. He was great about it though; he was glad I enjoyed the books he bought me. :-D I think I particularly loved these books because I am obsessed with baking and cake decorating, as well as PARIS, and these books involved both of these topics. I loved how the author included actual recipes in the book. I want to try the boyfriend bait beef stroganoff.

If you like Christian fiction, baking, traveling, or romance stories I would highly recommend you buy/rent these books. She is a fantastic writer, and I look forward to reading more books by Sandra Byrd!

Lexi is now in France. She is working at a bakery and studying french baking and pastry making at a local school. She is beginning to find her place in the world and she seems more secure in the life she has chosen. Living in France introduces many new characters and adds another angle of possible romance. Lexi also learns about false friends as someone at the french school is sabotaging the student's creations. Will Lexi be able to push through the difficulties to graduate and be offered a permanent job?

One of the things I appreciate about this series is that Lexi obviously grows during the series. She learns from mistakes she's made and makes new choices. Reading about her becomes even more fun as you get to grow up along with her. The temptation to eat french pastries is just as high as it was in the first book. The things she makes sound delicious and it makes me want to fly to France just to eat pastries. I can't wait to read the next one in the series!

Came the first day of estimated delivery and was very neatly packaged. Amazing book, lots of twists and turns

I love this series and highly recommend it for an enjoyable, decent, and pleasant read. A great role model for young women entering the work force and learning what it means to date, work and enjoy life as a young Christian. I also thought the storyline was realistic and even though I am not a baker, it sure made the job and travel sound interesting. The third book was even better than the first. This series was better with each book I read.

Book was addicting. Great flow. Easy read. Can't wait for her next to come out!

I will not synopsis this book as it has already been done. A fantastic sequel to Let Them Eat Cake. All characters are charming as is the French locale. Fast, entertaining and enchanting. I look forward to the third and final series installment out very soon.

Sandra Byrd enchants the Francophile within with her novel, "Bon Appetit"! This is the delightful continuation of Lexi's story that began in "Let Them Eat Cake". This time, she is in Paris working for her former boss' (Luc's) family bakery and going to a prestigious school to learn baking techniques from French masters. France is fabulous, but Lexi misses home. Her relationship with Dan had barely begun when she left for Europe. And sometimes it's difficult to fit in with the new crowd. Some, however, have welcomed her with open arms, like Philippe and Celine. Will Philippe steal Lexi's heart? Will France?

This is a fabulous read! Walking beside Lexi, I relived my childhood challenges of frequent moves and having to make new friends. I also learned a bit about French culture. I could almost taste the pastry as I read. The recipes included in the book helped. I fell in love with several more characters. And, because of the cliffhanger in this book, I absolutely cannot wait until the release of book three in the fall of 2009!

Embarking on her lifetime dream, Lexi Stuart has left the comfort of Seattle and the possibility of love, to live and learn in the city of love itself....Paris.

Anticipating being welcomed with open arms by the family of her former boss, Lexi is disappointed. Held at arms length and struggling to make friends in the competitive environment of L'Ecole du Patisserie where she is studying the art of becoming a pastry chef, Lexi fears she will be a failure.

As Lexi explores her faith, delights in the friendship of little Celine and her "Oo la la" father, Philippe Delacroix, and pursues her passion for cooking, she begins to appreciate that although life's choices may not be easy, fulfilment can be measured in many different ways.

It was an epicurean delight to once again delve into Lexi's life as she pursues her love of France and food! Sandra Byrd writes with joy, humour and delectable accuracy. Paris and its people come to life as Lexi escorts the reader from the Eiffel Tower to the Chateau de Versailles, from patisseries to restaurants and straight into her heart and mind as she struggles with loneliness and embraces joy. I am so glad that Lexi's journey has not finished and I am eagerly anticipating the final French Twist tale, Pièce de Résistance. Bon Appetit will whet any discerning reader's appetite for fabulous and fun fiction and the included recipes are asking to be tried out!