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The Sweetness of Forgetting [Paperback]

Kristin Harmel
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (79 customer reviews)

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Book Description

August 7, 2012
 At thirty-six , Hope McKenna-Smith is no stranger to bad news. She lost her mother to cancer, her husband left her for a twenty-two year old, and her bank account is nearly depleted. Her own dreams of becoming a lawyer long gone, she’s running a failing family bakery on Cape Cod and raising a troubled preteen.

Now, Hope’s beloved French-born grandmother Mamie, who wowed the Cape with her fabulous pastries for more than fifty years, is drifting away into a haze of Alzheimer’s. But in a rare moment of clarity, Mamie realizes that unless she tells Hope about the past, the secrets she has held on to for so many years will soon be lost forever. Tantalizingly, she reveals mysterious snippets of a tragic history in Paris. And then, arming her with a scrawled list of names, she sends Hope to France to uncover a seventy-year-old mystery.

Hope’s emotional journey takes her through the bakeries of Paris and three religious traditions, all guided by Mamie’s fairy tales and the sweet tastes of home. As Hope pieces together her family’s history, she finds horrific Holocaust stories mixed with powerful testimonies of her family’s will to survive in a world gone mad. And to reunite two lovers torn apart by terror, all she’ll need is a dash of courage, and the belief that God exists everywhere, even in cake. . . .


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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Kristin Harmel writes with such insight and heart that her characters will stay with you long after you’ve finished her books.”

New York Times bestselling author Emily Giffin

“Kristin Harmel...[is] one of my favorite authors!”

–Melissa Senate, bestselling author of The Love Goddess’ Cooking School

"Harmel manages to deliver an immersive and evocative tale of generations struggling to survive. Recipes sprinkled throughout the book allow readers to experience firsthand the sweetness of Hope's journey."

--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Kristin Harmel is the author of four previous women’s fiction novels, as well as two young adult novels. She also writes for People magazine, and her work has been featured in Glamour, Woman's Day, Men's Health, and Runner’s World, among many other media outlets. She lives in Orlando, Florida.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Gallery Books; Original edition (August 7, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1451644299
  • ISBN-13: 978-1451644296
  • Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (79 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #73,088 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kristin Harmel is a novelist whose books have been translated into numerous languages and are sold all over the world. Visit her at www.KristinHarmel.com.

A longtime reporter for People magazine, Kristin's other magazine credits include Ladies' Home Journal, Woman's Day, American Baby, Men's Health, American Way and Runner's World magazines. She also appears regularly as the travel expert on the nationally televised morning show "The Daily Buzz." Kristin's novels include: HOW TO SLEEP WITH A MOVIE STAR (Warner Books, Feb. 2006), THE BLONDE THEORY (Warner Books, Feb. 2007), THE ART OF FRENCH KISSING (Hachette Book Group, Feb. 2008), WHEN YOU WISH (Random House/Delacorte Books For Young Readers, Feb. 2008), ITALIAN FOR BEGINNERS (Hachette Book Group, Aug. 2009) and AFTER (Random House/Delacorte Books For Young Readers, Feb. 2010). Her new novel, THE SWEETNESS OF FORGETTING, will be out in August from Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. Translation rights for the novel have already sold in 12 territories.

Kristin graduated summa cum laude from the University of Florida's College of Journalism and Communications. She has lived in Paris, Los Angeles, New York, Boston and Miami and now resides primarily in Orlando, Fla. Visit her at KristinHarmel.com, or follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/kristinharmel.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars 10 star rating!!!! August 7, 2012
Format:Paperback
The Sweetness of Forgetting moved me to the core. This is probably one of the best books that I have read in well over a year. Harmel is a gifted storyteller that weaves an amazing story with treads of love, hardship, secrets, second chances, heartbreak, baked goods and history. This story will urge you to learn your family's story, to embrace your family's history. I felt like I was on the journey with Hope to help uncover the truth of the past before it was too late. Harmel gives a voice to Alzheimer's through Rose's voice which is an amazing element to this novel. I absolutely loved EVERYTHING about this novel; the title, the cover, the story, the characters and the ending. This story has become a new favorite, by a new favorite author. If I could I would rate it 10 stars!!! I highly recommend it to EVERYONE, especially book clubs!
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Charming page-turner August 14, 2012
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
A charmingly compelling tale, skillfully told. The bakery's role in Hope's past, present and future adds an appealing extra dimension, but it was Mamie's personal story which really had me hooked. Kleenex required.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A story you won't forget! August 13, 2012
Format:Paperback
Kristin delivers a beautiful and insightful story that takes you on a journey through Holocaust history, family and love from the past and present. The story draws you in as Hope uncovers generations of her family's history and how their loss and struggle brought them to where they are today. The Sweetness of Forgetting is a book you won't forget!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars It was so good I was sad to finish it October 9, 2012
Format:Paperback
Let me start by saying that I read a lot of books and never write reviews for them, but after having read this wonderful book, I was compelled to do so. I want the world to know what a lovely story this is. The tale was spun so well and it truly touched my heart. While I wanted to get to the end of the book to find out what happens, it is the first time in a long time that I can remember being sad to have finished a book. I hope everyone enjoys it just as much as I did.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Very Sweet Indeed August 13, 2012
Format:Paperback
Hope McKenna- Smith finds herself buried in stress; she has recently divorced and her daughter is blaming her for the breakup. She moved back home to Cape Cod to care for her mother who was dying of cancer and to care for her grandmother who has Alzheimer's disease. She has taken over the running of the family bakery and finds that she is about to lose the business if she doesn't find an investor or some ready cash soon.

With all of this on her shoulders a visit to her grandmother presents her with information that will rock the foundations of her life. She visits and finds her grandmother having a very lucid day and is asked to go to Paris to find out what happened to the people on a list. Who are these people? Her grandmother's family - taken by the Nazi's in WWII. Hope finds out that her grandmother is not a French Catholic immigrant but rather a Jewish girl smuggled out during the war. Her whole history changes in the course of a single conversation. What will she find in Paris? Should she even go?

What follows is a very moving story of one woman's search for who she really is and why the women in her family seem unable to love. As the horrors of the German occupation of Paris unfold for its Jewish citizens small miracles occur in the least likely places. And it's the bakery and the family recipes that help to lead Hope to answers she needs. The story was fascinating and I found myself racing to the end to find out how it would play out. I think these types of stories need to be told and told again so we, as a society don't forget the horror of Hitler's regime.

The characters were, for the most part believable. The only one that really irked me was Hope's daughter. This character seemed forced.
... Read more ›
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Hope and Awareness August 13, 2012
By Melixa
Format:Paperback
One of Kristin Harmel's best books yet, The Sweetness of Forgetting takes you on a reflective journey filled with hope, discovery, sadness, love and a strong sense of family and the role that a family's history has on a person's outlook on life. The book also touches on the effects that Alzheimer's has on an individual and their loved ones and sheds new light on a part of Holocaust history that many are unaware of.

It is clear that the author has spread her wings in the literary sense without losing the essence of what makes her books loved by her readers.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars I LOVED this book! Beautiful and heart-wrenching August 12, 2012
Format:Paperback
I absolutely loved this book! It is a beautiful and heart-wrenching love story. It also taught me powerful things about World War II that I never knew and I feel blessed to know now--about the power of God--regardless of the road you take to find Him. This book is inspiring me to trace my ancestry and find out about my relatives. Thank you for this thought-provoking and utterly wonderful read!!!!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have a couple of books by Kristin Harmel on my bookshelves but I've never read anything by her before. If all of her books are as touching as this one was, then I can't wait to read them.

This was such an emotional book--both happy and sad. I have always been drawn to Holocaust stories. My grandfather was Jewish and while I was not raised in any religion, I have always found myself interested in this period in history. I've done reports on the tragedy when I was in school and I've read tons of books on the subject- both fact and fiction. So I knew right away that I wanted to read this book. I've also always loved a good love story and this one was heartbreakingly beautiful. So I pretty much devoured this book. I couldn't put it down.

The background that Hope finds out about Mamie was just fascinating and engrossing. I was just so drawn into her past life. But then the current life of the three women, Mamie, Hope, and Annie, was just so real, in a sad way. Yet the book was heartwarming at the same time.

It slightly reminded me of a Nicholas Sparks book but with a intriguing history to it. This book was just what I needed right then and I adored it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars Nice historical fiction
The story dealt with an aspect of the Holocaust that I was not aware of so I really enjoyed this book of historical fiction. Read more
Published 7 days ago by VRWC
5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating
Wonderful story. Easy to read and easy to become hooked. Loved learning about all the information pertaining to the holocaust. Would recommend to everyone.
Published 16 days ago by Jeffrey E Kritzberg
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful story
This had a depth I wasn't expecting. The story was moving, touching, educational...much more than I expected. Read more
Published 24 days ago by Peggy
3.0 out of 5 stars Ok read
This was an easy read with an interesting story line, but the main character's struggles were a little drawn out and I got bored occasionally.
Published 1 month ago by Megan
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
I truly enjoyed reading The Sweetness of Forgetting. I wasn't familiar with the author so a bit skeptical when ordering but I'm so glad I did! Read more
Published 1 month ago by VP
4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Story
I read so many books that they begin to run together, but this one stands out as one of my favorites
Published 2 months ago by miriam220
4.0 out of 5 stars The sweetness of forgetting..
This novel was a nice combination of love and history. It was so unique and beautiful. It teaches us how strong family ties are and how necessary it is to have hope, even in the... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Andrea Kalafut
5.0 out of 5 stars meaningful and beautiful story
This was one of the best books I have read in a long time. I loved the setting, the characters and the wonderful recipes as I too am a baker. Read more
Published 2 months ago by baker bev
5.0 out of 5 stars I don't believe you will be disappointed!
What a wonderful story!!! I enjoyed it very much and thought Kristin Harmel did a wonderful job!!!! Hope you enjoy it as well.
Published 2 months ago by Colleen Nieder
5.0 out of 5 stars Kept me up late reading!
This is the first book in a long time that has kept me up reading because I was so engrossed!
Published 2 months ago by Lois
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