Christmas Cake [Paperback]

Lynne Hinton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 3, 2009

With the holiday season drawing near, the ladies of Hope Springs, North Carolina, are making plans for a cake cookbook—a project that will hopefully lift the spirits of a beloved member of their close-knit quartet. But Margaret Peele is downhearted and uninspired now that her cancer has returned. All she wants this Christmas is to visit her mother's Texas hometown . . . and to see their absent friend, pastor Charlotte Stewart, who left Hope Springs to run a battered women's shelter. So impulsive Beatrice Newgarden Witherspoon commandeers a very inappropriate—but comfortable—van to transport Margaret, Louise Fisher, and Jessie Jenkins across the country for a Lone Star State reunion with Charlotte. And over the course of a remarkable journey they will rediscover the greatest Christmas gift of all: eternal friendship.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A tasty holiday treat.” (Library Journal on Christmas Cake )

“The perfect recipe for friendship, Christmas Cake is a delightful read for the holidays. This is a book to be shared, a story to be treasured.” (Joan Medlicott, author of The Ladies of Covington Send Their Love on Christmas Cake )

“With heart, humor, and a soul-satisfying story, Lynne Hinton’s latest takes the cake!” (Kathi Kamen Goldmark, author of And My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You on Christmas Cake )

“Hinton perfectly captures the intimacy and humor of women’s friendships in a lighthearted, pleasurable story that’s just in time for the holiday season.” (New Mexico Magazine on Christmas Cake )

About the Author

A retreat leader and writing teacher, Lynne Hinton is the author of numerous novels, including Wedding Cake, Christmas Cake, Friendship Cake, Hope Springs, and Forever Friends. She also writes a mystery series under the name Jackie Lynn. She lives in New Mexico.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; 1 Original edition (November 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061711500
• ISBN-13: 978-0061711503
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,025,446 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A sweet story of women's friendship, December 11, 2009

By 

BermudaOnion (South Carolina) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Christmas Cake (Paperback)

Margaret, Jessie, Beatrice and Louise have been great friends forever. As members of the Women's Guild of Hope Springs (North Carolina) Community Church, their current project is a Christmas Cake Cookbook and recipe contest. Beatrice has promised a big prize, but so far, hasn't been able to deliver.

When Margaret discovers that her cancer has come back, her friends rally around her and vow to help her realize her final dream. They're joined by their good friend and former pastor Charlotte, who has moved away. The quest to fulfill Margaret's dream turns out to be an adventure for all of them that is sure to be a cherished memory in the future. It all serves as a gentle reminder to the women of what they value in life.

Christmas Cake by Lynne Hinton is a sweet story of friendship, love and community. I enjoyed my visit with the ladies of Hope Springs because their friendship is so real. They love each other and aggravate each other all at the same time, but when the chips are down, they're there for each other. I found myself smiling at parts of the story and sobbing at others. Be prepared with tissues when you read this book!

Lynne Hinton is the pastor of a church in New Mexico. She has written several books about the ladies from Hope Springs, but this is the first one I've read. I had no problems catching up with and enjoying their friendship. Since Christmas Cake is about a cake cookbook and recipe contest, Lynne features a cake recipe at the beginning of each chapter and some of them sound really yummy.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars friendship is forever, November 6, 2009

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Christmas Cake (Paperback)

In Hope Springs, North Carolina, Margaret tries to remain upbeat in front of her friends, but the cancer has returned and spread to her organs. Her BFFs would do anything for her so in the hope to cheering her up they get the idea for another cook book which would include best recipe for a contest they would sponser. The idea was Beatrice's, but she no longer has the enthusiasm for the project; surprising herself, her spouse funeral director Dick and her friends, she quits her leadership role and asks Louise to take over.

Margaret tells her buddies from the Hope Springs Church that she just wants to visit her hometown and see their former Pastor Charlotte, who runs a battered women's shelter, both in Texas. Getting past her depression with a mission, Beatrice steals her husband's funeral van to drive Margaret, Louise and Jessie to Texas.

The sequel to The Friendship Cake is a wonderful slice of life as the Tar Heel best friends know hope springs eternal even with one of them in Texas, another depressed, another dying and the others overwhelmed with what to do. With recipes leading each chapter, the women run the show as they drive a funeral van from Carolina to Texas to fulfill Margaret's last wishes. The Christmas Cake is a five tissue box tear jerker as friendship is forever.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An endearing, light hearted and humorous story of women's friendship, December 13, 2009

By 

Redlady (http://redladysreadingroom-redlady.blogspot.com/) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christmas Cake (Paperback)

In Hope Springs, North Carolina there is a group of friends that have a deep and enduring friendship. Margaret, Jessie, Beatrice and Louise have been friends for years and they are all members of the Women's Guild of the Hope Springs Community Church. When they all find out that Margaret's cancer has returned, they will do anything to support her. Beatrice is the one who usually takes charge of the projects and fundraising activities and this time she has come up with the idea of a Christmas Cake cookbook and recipe contest in hopes of cheering up Margaret. Beatrice has promised a big prize but is having trouble with the final details.

Margaret realizes that her final wish is to visit her mother's hometown in Texas and visit her grave. Her friends rally around her and arrange to travel to Texas where their good friend and former Pastor Charlotte will join them. Charlotte left Hope Springs to run a battered women's shelter in New Mexico. They have some adventures along the way as they travel to Texas and when they get there they are in for more surprises and adventures. This journey teaches the women that no matter what happens in life their friendship is eternal and a foundation to rely on.

Christmas Cake is an endearing, light hearted and humorous story of women's friendship. It has it's sad moments where you may find yourself reaching for the tissue box but it also has moments where you will find yourself giggling over the antics the ladies get themselves into.

Christmas Cake is actually a sequel to Friendship Cake which I read several years ago. It was refreshing to revisit life with these wonderful ladies and to see that their friendship lives on stronger than ever. Christmas Cake can be read apart from Friendship cake as it reads as its own novel. There are also cake recipes at the beginning of each chapter and many of the cakes sound very tasty.