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The Sugar Thief
A deliciously comedic family melodrama about an imploding social media star, a small-town Italian bakery, the treachery of fame, and the pink-frosted pastry at the heart of it all.
YouTuber Sabine Rose is a star about to go supernova. Her baking channel, Sweet Rush, attracts millions, her production team agonizingly crafts her every (appropriate) moment, and her agent has positioned her one good meeting away from landing a Netflix series. But her rise to superstardom still needs a final push, and she has the perfect idea to get herself there: a well-documented visit home to her family's small-town bakery.
But when Sabine and her chronically underappreciated producer, Wanda, arrive in the small northern town Sabine hasn't seen in a decade, the planned reunion with her family is quickly lost in chaos (and social media opportunity). The Rose family's master baker—Sabine's father—has just died.
With her family spiralling into tragedy and farce, Sabine finds her fame growing exponentially, but also teetering on collapse, thanks to dark secrets unleashed by her father's death. Self-medicating one glass—and one handful of pharmaceuticals—at a time, can she possibly get her act together and drag her fledgling celebrity into the big leagues? Will ever-loyal Wanda, sensing betrayal, kick her boss while she’s down? And will the source of the family’s fortune, a famous pastry inspired by a carefully guarded old-world secret, fall into the wrong hands? Or will it provide the salvation Sabine so badly needs?
Filled with heartache and razor wit, The Sugar Thief is a skewering of contemporary narcissism and an ode to families that leave (almost) everything behind in search of a brighter future.
YouTuber Sabine Rose is a star about to go supernova. Her baking channel, Sweet Rush, attracts millions, her production team agonizingly crafts her every (appropriate) moment, and her agent has positioned her one good meeting away from landing a Netflix series. But her rise to superstardom still needs a final push, and she has the perfect idea to get herself there: a well-documented visit home to her family's small-town bakery.
But when Sabine and her chronically underappreciated producer, Wanda, arrive in the small northern town Sabine hasn't seen in a decade, the planned reunion with her family is quickly lost in chaos (and social media opportunity). The Rose family's master baker—Sabine's father—has just died.
With her family spiralling into tragedy and farce, Sabine finds her fame growing exponentially, but also teetering on collapse, thanks to dark secrets unleashed by her father's death. Self-medicating one glass—and one handful of pharmaceuticals—at a time, can she possibly get her act together and drag her fledgling celebrity into the big leagues? Will ever-loyal Wanda, sensing betrayal, kick her boss while she’s down? And will the source of the family’s fortune, a famous pastry inspired by a carefully guarded old-world secret, fall into the wrong hands? Or will it provide the salvation Sabine so badly needs?
Filled with heartache and razor wit, The Sugar Thief is a skewering of contemporary narcissism and an ode to families that leave (almost) everything behind in search of a brighter future.
384 pages, Paperback
First published March 13, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
August 17, 2022
I loved what a big-hearted Canadian debut this book was!! You can tell how deeply personal this story about a family-run Italian-Canadian bakery was and the various characters whose lives revolve around the trademark 'Persian' recipe. Full of drama and multiple POVs, this was a compelling food influencer story full of family secrets, lies and dreams not yet realized! Great on audio with a full cast of narrators. Much thanks to Librofm for my ALC!!
October 25, 2022
The downside of a book about a delicious pastry is that it made me want to eat pastry! Nancy Mauro is a dangerous temptress with The Sugar Thief. Set primarily in Mauro’s and my hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario, this novel is a mystery wrapped in the warmth of family and iced with the frosting of betrayal and recrimination. It asks us what happens when people go to any lengths to establish the life for themselves that they think they deserve.
Sabine is a YouTuber renowned for her baking channel, and she is about to get a Netflix show. She returns to her hometown of Thunder Bay to visit her family—but what should have been a celebration of her father’s achievements in life turn into mourning his sudden death. He bequeaths to Sabine the secret recipe of the Persian. Sabine wants no part of her father’s small-town bakery, but when she pulls on one thread of her family history, the entire tapestry of her past starts to unravel. Soon she discovers that she has to keep going, keep digging, to find out who she is, where the Persian actually came from, and what her father has been hiding her entire life.
The Persian is a real thing. It was a ubiquitous part of my childhood, growing up here in Thunder Bay: schools would have “Persian days” where we would bring in a loonie (or eventually, a toonie—that’s a two-dollar coin) for the sweet treat. To be honest, I’ve never enjoyed Persians all that much—too sweet—and their uniqueness seems overhyped. But I like how Mauro, whose family here in Thunder Bay produces the Persian, seized on this as an idea for a novel. I really love it when authors return to their roots, so to speak, in such an authentic and grounded way.
Indeed, that’s what this novel is all about. Sabine’s reluctant return to Thunder Bay triggers a cascade of emotions. Her father was emotionally distant for her entire life, and now he’s gone. She arrived in Canada at four years old, uncertain, and he never did make her feel all that welcome or wanted. So Sabine wrestles with the stories that other family members tell her about her father.
Mauro employs some interesting narrative structures. The chapters mostly alternate between the perspective of Sabine or Wanda, her producer. Here and there we get chapters set in Italy or in Thunder Bay’s past that follow people like Sabine’s uncle. Although the narration itself is third person limited, there’s still some unreliable narration at work. Sabine and Wanda, despite being peers, have aims that are sometimes at cross-purposes. (Interestingly, we don’t get much in the way of perspective from Paul, the camera operator.) The flashback chapters are meant to be what happened based on the version of events told to Sabine by someone else, such as her aunt or uncle. So who’s to say what really happened?
Sabine is a textbook unlikeable protagonist. Wanda starts off as much more sympathetic although I suspect that by the end most readers will not like her either. These two women actually have a lot in common: both belong to immigrant families (Sabine herself is technically an immigrant as well). Both have parents who came to this country in relative poverty, though Sabine’s family has become fairly successful whereas Wanda’s is still struggling a great deal—commentary both on the differences in opportunity in Thunder Bay versus Toronto as well as the differences in discrimination of Italian immigrants versus Filipino ones.
Sabine and Wanda are both very motivated by money. Wanda is supporting her parents—and money just seems to slip through their fingers. Sabine is chasing a big Netflix deal for a few reasons; she has a secret that she doesn’t want getting out, and she also has an expensive lifestyle in an expensive city. Throughout the story, money talks.
Mauro keeps the pacing tight and keeps you guessing about where the book is going next. My main criticism is simply that the ending wraps things up a little too neatly and too quickly. There are a couple of twists that feel very trite. But the second half of the book does not live up to the anticipation stoked by the first half.
There’s also a certain element of style and satire at work here that might be off-putting for some readers. It’s most obvious when dealing with Colette, Sabine’s agent, or with the producers from Netflix. They’re caricatures, slightly buffoonish in their one-dimensional portrayal. I’m largely convinced this is done on purpose, hence the way I’ve labelled it as satire. Despite being a mystery, The Sugar Thief actually has a lot more in common with a comedy, almost a farce even. It’s less hard-boiled, more deep fried.
So as long as you’re clear on what to expect, I think there is a lot of potential for enjoyment in this book. I, of course, have a soft spot for it because of its setting. But it’s precisely because of such vulnerability that I’m relieved to report it’s actually good! Just don’t expect it to be more than it is. And next time you’re in Thunder Bay, try a Persian. They aren’t amazing, but they’re ours.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
Sabine is a YouTuber renowned for her baking channel, and she is about to get a Netflix show. She returns to her hometown of Thunder Bay to visit her family—but what should have been a celebration of her father’s achievements in life turn into mourning his sudden death. He bequeaths to Sabine the secret recipe of the Persian. Sabine wants no part of her father’s small-town bakery, but when she pulls on one thread of her family history, the entire tapestry of her past starts to unravel. Soon she discovers that she has to keep going, keep digging, to find out who she is, where the Persian actually came from, and what her father has been hiding her entire life.
The Persian is a real thing. It was a ubiquitous part of my childhood, growing up here in Thunder Bay: schools would have “Persian days” where we would bring in a loonie (or eventually, a toonie—that’s a two-dollar coin) for the sweet treat. To be honest, I’ve never enjoyed Persians all that much—too sweet—and their uniqueness seems overhyped. But I like how Mauro, whose family here in Thunder Bay produces the Persian, seized on this as an idea for a novel. I really love it when authors return to their roots, so to speak, in such an authentic and grounded way.
Indeed, that’s what this novel is all about. Sabine’s reluctant return to Thunder Bay triggers a cascade of emotions. Her father was emotionally distant for her entire life, and now he’s gone. She arrived in Canada at four years old, uncertain, and he never did make her feel all that welcome or wanted. So Sabine wrestles with the stories that other family members tell her about her father.
Mauro employs some interesting narrative structures. The chapters mostly alternate between the perspective of Sabine or Wanda, her producer. Here and there we get chapters set in Italy or in Thunder Bay’s past that follow people like Sabine’s uncle. Although the narration itself is third person limited, there’s still some unreliable narration at work. Sabine and Wanda, despite being peers, have aims that are sometimes at cross-purposes. (Interestingly, we don’t get much in the way of perspective from Paul, the camera operator.) The flashback chapters are meant to be what happened based on the version of events told to Sabine by someone else, such as her aunt or uncle. So who’s to say what really happened?
Sabine is a textbook unlikeable protagonist. Wanda starts off as much more sympathetic although I suspect that by the end most readers will not like her either. These two women actually have a lot in common: both belong to immigrant families (Sabine herself is technically an immigrant as well). Both have parents who came to this country in relative poverty, though Sabine’s family has become fairly successful whereas Wanda’s is still struggling a great deal—commentary both on the differences in opportunity in Thunder Bay versus Toronto as well as the differences in discrimination of Italian immigrants versus Filipino ones.
Sabine and Wanda are both very motivated by money. Wanda is supporting her parents—and money just seems to slip through their fingers. Sabine is chasing a big Netflix deal for a few reasons; she has a secret that she doesn’t want getting out, and she also has an expensive lifestyle in an expensive city. Throughout the story, money talks.
Mauro keeps the pacing tight and keeps you guessing about where the book is going next. My main criticism is simply that the ending wraps things up a little too neatly and too quickly. There are a couple of twists that feel very trite. But the second half of the book does not live up to the anticipation stoked by the first half.
There’s also a certain element of style and satire at work here that might be off-putting for some readers. It’s most obvious when dealing with Colette, Sabine’s agent, or with the producers from Netflix. They’re caricatures, slightly buffoonish in their one-dimensional portrayal. I’m largely convinced this is done on purpose, hence the way I’ve labelled it as satire. Despite being a mystery, The Sugar Thief actually has a lot more in common with a comedy, almost a farce even. It’s less hard-boiled, more deep fried.
So as long as you’re clear on what to expect, I think there is a lot of potential for enjoyment in this book. I, of course, have a soft spot for it because of its setting. But it’s precisely because of such vulnerability that I’m relieved to report it’s actually good! Just don’t expect it to be more than it is. And next time you’re in Thunder Bay, try a Persian. They aren’t amazing, but they’re ours.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
August 30, 2022
The fictional backstory of the Persian pastry. Sabine is an influencer on the brink of Netflix fame when her father dies and she has to go home. Once home Sabine learns about her father’s past and his connection to his most known recipe.
I really liked the parts of the book set in the past, it was layered just like a good pastry, I wasn’t in love with the part set in the present. Well, to be fair everything to do with Sabine I liked, it’s her friend “whiny” Wanda I couldn’t stand (my nickname, for me to give a character a nickname I have to have a strong reaction to the person).
I enjoyed learning that the author family owns Bennett Bakery and that they do produce the Persian. I liked how the author mixed a little bit of her ancestral past in her book though the story is fictional. It’s always interesting to know where an idea or an entire book started from.
I really liked the parts of the book set in the past, it was layered just like a good pastry, I wasn’t in love with the part set in the present. Well, to be fair everything to do with Sabine I liked, it’s her friend “whiny” Wanda I couldn’t stand (my nickname, for me to give a character a nickname I have to have a strong reaction to the person).
I enjoyed learning that the author family owns Bennett Bakery and that they do produce the Persian. I liked how the author mixed a little bit of her ancestral past in her book though the story is fictional. It’s always interesting to know where an idea or an entire book started from.
March 26, 2025
Based on the famous persian donut from Thunder Bay, Ontario. Worth the read!
Read
February 3, 2026Lots of fun plot twists, and the eternal presence of generations of family shaping lives in ways that the youngest generation can't even imagine, but, sadly, I never really got to like either of the main characters. Each goes through an important maturing moment towards the end, but I can't help feeling that isn't enough to compensate for the vast range of rather stupid selfishness that they both show through most of the novel. To be fair, I also feel this way about Othello: I don't really believe he redeems himself as a tragic figure in the final scene either. So Mauro's in pretty good company there with Shakespeare. The story was good; some of the important characters less so.
March 12, 2023
One of those novels that catches you going right, when it is going left ;). The cover and opening chapters had me assuming it was a frivolous, but very well crafted light sort of novel. By the end, I realized that the author is well in control of her craft & characters, and that in spite of the pink jacket & pastry, there is a whole lot more going on.
I really enjoyable novel, which can be as "deep" as it needs to be for you : lots of life lessons here if you are listening, lots of fun if you aren't.
I really enjoyable novel, which can be as "deep" as it needs to be for you : lots of life lessons here if you are listening, lots of fun if you aren't.
September 25, 2022
I was looking forward to reading this book (an Italian immigrant family with all its emotions and secrets, a bakery and all in a Canadian city) but it just fell flat for me. I almost stopped reading it as several books I had ordered all came in at the same time but I hate not finishing a book and I kept hoping something would spark. It did not.
Read
April 17, 2023DNF at 14%
I'm not connecting with either of our main characters; I find them both to be unilikeable. And I'm also not vibing with the audiobook. It's a shame 'cause I'm also Canadian and from an Italian family, but that alone wasn't enough for me to continue with the rest of the book.
I'm not connecting with either of our main characters; I find them both to be unilikeable. And I'm also not vibing with the audiobook. It's a shame 'cause I'm also Canadian and from an Italian family, but that alone wasn't enough for me to continue with the rest of the book.
November 4, 2022
I really enjoyed this story.
There was so much going on; so many awesome backstories.
Every time I thought we had finished with the big reveals there was more.
And I'm definitely on board for the Wanda and Duddy conclusion.
There was so much going on; so many awesome backstories.
Every time I thought we had finished with the big reveals there was more.
And I'm definitely on board for the Wanda and Duddy conclusion.
March 24, 2023
I really wanted to enjoy this book more as I generally love any a family sagas related to food. This was an easy read but possibly 100 pages too long. It took a while to get into the “thief” part and there were so many layers to it. I found with the slowness of the story that the ending came across messy and rushed.
September 30, 2022
Not sure why there are reviews that list the book as comedy . I can file this book under family and team drama , maybe thriller but there was no comedy to be read in this book for sure .
August 22, 2022
Took a long time to get to the heart of the story, but was interesting, very descriptive
April 11, 2025
In the beginning, I wasn't sure what to make of this book. If you were expecting comedy, this isn't it. Maybe it's because I'm from Thunder Bay but I simply loved this book! This will certainly be a gift to friends and colleagues visiting the city and one to bring abroad as a thank you gift!
August 10, 2022
Just couldn't connect with any of the characters.
October 18, 2022
Being from Thunder Bay, Ms. Mauro missed out on a lot of local facts she could have gotten right. For example, the view from the shore of Lake Superior looks out onto the Sleeping Giant. It is well over a km away (more like 15-20kms). Street names are different, locations are different. If you’re going to write about a city, get it right. Not many likeable characters. I think Paul the cameraman was the least annoying!
However, the writing is lovely, the characters well developed, and the story and plot building were done wonderfully. I’ll overlook the missed facts for the lovely writing. The ending, however, was a bit rushed. Our book club was hoping for a little more accuracy when it came to location.
However, the writing is lovely, the characters well developed, and the story and plot building were done wonderfully. I’ll overlook the missed facts for the lovely writing. The ending, however, was a bit rushed. Our book club was hoping for a little more accuracy when it came to location.
November 14, 2025
Took me a little bit to get into the flow of the book, but it's a good book! I love that each chapter is from one of the 3 main characters point of views! Kept me guessing how the book would eventually end. I think it would make a great movie!
September 10, 2022
This was such a slog for the first 2/3 and the last 1/3 didn't redeem it... This was scattered and had too many threads and just... ugh.
October 10, 2022
Yeah, this just didn't do it for me - none of the characters were at all likeable, to the point that I found myself rooting against virtually all of them. The story just never came together for me.
December 23, 2022
Fun read! Don’t skip the acknowledgments!!
August 15, 2023
Why was every single person in this book miserable and nasty?? It was just a bundle of negativity and the backstory about the Persian was both unbelievable and dull. Pass on this one 😅
October 24, 2023
I had just finished a really intense book, so i wanted something a little lighter. I received this book as a SweetReads book, and haven't read it until now. It's quite a different take than your usual dysfunctional family book. The book is set around two young women-one is a podcast baking personality and the other is a young woman with formidable computer and screening skills. Sabine Rose is the podcast personality whose career is perched to go sky-high with a Netflix cooking series in the offing. Wanda, along with their cameraman, is accompanying Sabine to her hometown (Thunder Bay, Ontario). The visit is to serve as background for the upcoming proposed series, but when they arrive, they know almost immediately that nothing is going to be the same. Sabine's baker father has suddenly died, and with his death all of the many family secrets are just waiting to get out. This book highlights immigrant families, and their struggle to survive in a new country. The book covers so many issues, and has quite a complex storyline. As Sabine unlocks the dark truths of her father's past, her whole world implodes. She finds out nothing is as she imagined, and everything is susceptible to cause imminent disaster. I liked the book, and its surprisingly well-written prose kept me going. I found that I did not like either of the protagonists very much, but that didn't detract from the storyline. The book is worth a read, mostly because it is quite different from the usual books in this genre.
August 18, 2022
This was a fun, witty, perfect summer novel. It gets an extra star because it's set in the city where I live and I'm closely acquainted with the delectable persian pastry. Admittedly, it's been a while since I had one. but of course now I'm craving one terribly. I loved the occasional Thunder Bay name drops throughout the book. It's one of those "if you know, you know" situations and I enjoyed each one.
There are two timelines and two locations - past and present, Southern Italy and Thunder Bay. I'll admit, the main character, Sabine, was hard to like. Actually, most of the characters were unlikeable, but the storyline moved ahead well enough that I cared about what happened to them despite their flaws.
I liked the way the book dealt with social media influencer culture, lifting up for the reader the possibility that your favourite online persona may not be the person they portray online. I recommend this one, especially Thunder Bay readers.
There are two timelines and two locations - past and present, Southern Italy and Thunder Bay. I'll admit, the main character, Sabine, was hard to like. Actually, most of the characters were unlikeable, but the storyline moved ahead well enough that I cared about what happened to them despite their flaws.
I liked the way the book dealt with social media influencer culture, lifting up for the reader the possibility that your favourite online persona may not be the person they portray online. I recommend this one, especially Thunder Bay readers.
August 26, 2022
Although “The Sugar Thief” is a work of fiction, the Persian pastry and the bakery are real. The author has written this book based on the mystery of the Persian’s origin, and her own family’s experiences with working in a bakery. I love that this novel is set in the author’s home town of Thunder Bay. It’s neat that there is some authenticity behind this story!
Although I find this really interesting, the book itself just wasn’t for me. Despite sounding harsh, I found this novel slow-paced and a little boring…The drama that unfolds seems far-fetched, and the plot was a little difficult to follow at times. I seemed to enjoy the first 1/3, but my attention was lost thereafter. Additionally, I wasn’t able to connect with any of the characters and I had a hard time staying invested in the story…
Although I find this really interesting, the book itself just wasn’t for me. Despite sounding harsh, I found this novel slow-paced and a little boring…The drama that unfolds seems far-fetched, and the plot was a little difficult to follow at times. I seemed to enjoy the first 1/3, but my attention was lost thereafter. Additionally, I wasn’t able to connect with any of the characters and I had a hard time staying invested in the story…
September 3, 2022
Disclosure, I won this book in the giveaway, just before a long term illness, so I didn’t get to it right away. At the beginning I was having trouble with the whole social media aspect of promoting Sabines baking channel, but I’m older and not social media savvy. Once the story progressed and the mystery of the Persian pastry and the background story of Sabines assistant Wendy became more of the focal point, I became more Interested in the story. In fact, I became very fond of Wendy and greatly disliked Sabine.
This was an interesting book because of the characters and because I learned more about social media and the importance of “influencers”, and because it takes place partly in Thunder Bay. I loved that it revolved partly around a real thing - the Persian pastry (which I’d now like to try if I’m ever there).
This was an interesting book because of the characters and because I learned more about social media and the importance of “influencers”, and because it takes place partly in Thunder Bay. I loved that it revolved partly around a real thing - the Persian pastry (which I’d now like to try if I’m ever there).
September 29, 2022
Sabine's grandmother knows that she has been abandoned by her mother in an orphanage run by nuns. The grandmother is distraught and wants the best for her granddaughter. She devises a plan and rescues her. With her saved money she purchases two tickets to Canada, a place her father calls home.
If not for the grandmom, Sabine was considerably on her own. Her biological mom is unknown to her until adulthood. Her father, unbeknownst to him of the existence of a daughter, and stepmom seem unsympathetic and uncaring to her upbringing.
The father is a baker from Italy who brings with him a secret recipe, THE PERSIAN. Mainly the novel is written about Sabine, the Youtube star, and her trials & tribulations in becoming a superstar by accessing Persian.
If not for the grandmom, Sabine was considerably on her own. Her biological mom is unknown to her until adulthood. Her father, unbeknownst to him of the existence of a daughter, and stepmom seem unsympathetic and uncaring to her upbringing.
The father is a baker from Italy who brings with him a secret recipe, THE PERSIAN. Mainly the novel is written about Sabine, the Youtube star, and her trials & tribulations in becoming a superstar by accessing Persian.
August 20, 2024
I like baking and I like pastries, and I also love mysteries. This book was easy to pick up having checked all those boxes, and as I get further into the story, the more reading it becomes unstoppable. I thought I was going to love it until the end, but the final act—or the big reveal—turned out to be too anticlimactic for me. It wasn’t really predictable in a sense, but parts of the exposition to me felt like overused tropes. I guess I see it too often in local soap operas. It was a letdown. However, don’t let that distract you from the great writing of the author. She effectively captured the vision of the story into words. Pastry descriptions were done with justice. Drama was served colorfully. It was good overall; I found myself reading every last word.
December 2, 2022
Sabine Rose is a social media star with her baking show. The problem is that it is all fake. Sabine's assistant Wendy does the baking, editing, script writing, etc.
As Sabine discovers secrets about her family - and about the famous Persian pastry - she must deal with various relatives and those looking to buy that secret recipe. Lots of twists and turns.
Betrayal, murder, neglect, and family loyalties all come to the fore in this book. It was also nice to read a book about a place in Ontario, Canada!
As Sabine discovers secrets about her family - and about the famous Persian pastry - she must deal with various relatives and those looking to buy that secret recipe. Lots of twists and turns.
Betrayal, murder, neglect, and family loyalties all come to the fore in this book. It was also nice to read a book about a place in Ontario, Canada!
December 23, 2023
1.5 stars- This was…something, not good, but something. Unfortunately a total miss for me! Based on the summary and blurbs I expected a a lighter, comedic read but this was a family drama with a confusing dark tone. The characters were all bad people but without any redeeming qualities. Wanda‘s backstory left a weird taste in my mouth (being a fellow Filipina, and the author borrowing a lot of stereotypes). If this hadn’t been a gift, I would have DNF‘d it early on. They can’t all be winners 🤷🏻♀️
July 17, 2024
A fully niche take on a niche pastry. The center of the book is scintillating, bringing you closer and closer to the central theme of dynasty and familial struggle. However, the frosting definitely distracts you, maybe it's the wrenched in relationship drama or the nods to Filipino culture which is skin deep and lacks the depth of a crosslinking culture.
Good with a Persian but personally, I prefer the Sally Ann.
Good with a Persian but personally, I prefer the Sally Ann.
August 11, 2022
A very interesting tale of a social media heroine, whose life was built upon multiple layers of untruths constructed by her parents and other elder relatives. The story also gives one perspective of how a social media personnel might be conducting herself (or himself), again using sophisticated levels of untruths.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews