Baker's Apprentice

Bread Alone #2

by Judi Hendricks

The sequel to Judith Ryan Hendricks' absorbing debut novel, Bread AloneHaving found her calling, Wynter Morrison is blissful about her new career in Seattle as a baker -- cherishing the long days spent making bread and the comforting rhythms of the Queen Street Bakery. Still, she struggles with the legacy of her failed marriage and with her new boyfriend Mac's reluctance to share his mysterious past. When Mac abruptly leaves Seattle, Wyn again feels abandoned and betrayed, at least until intimate letters arrive in which Mac at last reveals his deepest secrets. But the more she learns about her absent lover, the more Wyn discovers about herself -- and when tragedy threatens, she will have to decide if there is a place for Mac in this new life she has made.

Genres: Fiction, Food, Chick Lit, Romance, Womens Fiction, Adult Fiction, Contemporary

Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Judith Ryan Hendricks was born in San Jose, California, when Silicon Valley was the Santa Clara Valley, better known for orchards than for computer chips.
Armed with a degree in journalism, she worked as a journalist, copywriter, computer instructor, travel agent, waitress and baker before turning to fiction writing. Her experiences at the McGraw Street Bakery in Seattle led to her first novel, Bread Alone and the sequel, The Baker’s Apprentice. The third book in the series, Baker’s Blues, will be published in August 2015.
A life-long infatuation with the Southwest provided inspiration for Isabel’s Daughter and her fourth book, The Laws of Harmony. Hendricks’ fiction has been translated into 12 languages and distributed in more than 16 countries worldwide.
Her nonfiction has appeared in The San Francisco Chronicle and Tiny Lights, A Journal of Personal Essay, Grand Gourmet in Italy and The London Sunday Express. Her short fiction has appeared in Woman’s Weekly in Britain and AMERICAN GIRLS ON THE TOWN, an anthology, in the U.S. and U.K.
She lives in New Mexico with husband Geoff and dog Blue.

Reviews

[Melodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

You have found your calling, what you consider to be your life's purpose. Life is good. All should be well,right?
Wyn has settled into her new career as a bread baker at the Queen Street Bakery. She has taken on an apprentice, passing on her knowledge to another. But what is so right with her career , is so messed up with her new relationship with Mac. After an idyllic vacation together, there is radio silence and then he gives her the heave ho with the standard,"It's not you it's me" line and takes off to Alaska.
Here we go again. Or...do we? I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel and look forward to another book by this author.

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny how a second story can be better than the first.
That is how I feel about this one.

[Jami · Rating 1 out of 5]

If there's not a third book coming then this book sucks. Tolerable story with an ending that killed it or lack of ending that is.

[Chris Conley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh boy...bread, issues, bread!!!! This follow up to Bread Alone was every bit as terrific as the first. I hope here are more so I can follow Wyn, Mac, Tyler and whoever else comes into their new world.

[Laurel Osterkamp · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Baker’s Apprentice, by Judith Ryan Hendricks, is the sequel to Bread Alone, which is the story of a woman named Wynter, who moves to Seattle after her marriage with a Los Angeles hotshot ends. In the Pacific Northwest she finds happiness through simplicity, and that includes baking bread professionally and finding love with a free-spirited guy who delivers firewood.
In The Baker’s Apprentice, Wynter is presented with a whole new set of problems. Her love interest, Mac, can’t open up or commit, her bakery is going under, and a young girl she works with is simultaneously pushing her away and clinging to her in a time of tragedy. Wynter has to decide what she is willing to put up with and whether her needs and desires outweigh her pride.
I was excited to read The Baker’s Apprentice because I loved Bread Alone. Hendrick’s descriptions of Seattle and bread baking were at once earthy and glamorous, and I really enjoyed reading about Wynter’s change in life style and her European way of doing things. There’s more of that in The Baker’s Apprentice, and Hendricks does a good job of writing about real-life situations. Mac is focused on more in this book, and his perspective is told with such compassion that even though I started the book not liking him a lot, by the end I was rooting for him 100%.
However, this book is sort of like part 2 of Back to the Future – not as good as part 1, and a clear set-up for part 3, with its completely unresolved ending. I found that frustrating, especially since I endured some slightly boring parts of this book in order to reach what I thought would be a payout at the end.
But I’m sure I’ll be reading part 3 despite it all.

[Grace Harwood · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm never a big fan of sequels - they generally disappoint and something about them smacks of "writer unable to think up new and original characters and therefore recycling old ones" - this one was more disappointing than others because the original book, Bread Alone, was so hugely enjoyable. Wyn Morrison is back, but this time her broken heart has healed and she's lost a considerable amount of her charm along the way. Now she's seemingly more obsessed with sex than with her baked goodies. The recipes in Bread Alone were part of the plot, skilfully interwoven and not at all out of place - in the sequel the author has struggled to slot them in in any meaningful way and as a result they stick out like a sore thumb making little contribution to the story. That is, if there even is a story - the plot is random and haphazard - a series of events which are just occurring to the main character (and, yes, okay, life is like that, but this is a book - with a story which should be as well crafted as any artisan loaf). Hugely disappointing - I couldn't even finish it.

[Carole at From My Carolina Home · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the delight of the first of this series, Bread Alone, the sequel falls short. Wyn deals with money trouble and a protracted divorce. Much of the book is tied up with her boyfriend Mac and his trip to 'find himself' in the Yukon which has nothing to do with Wyn's apprentice, Tyler. The lovely scenes in the bakery are missing from this novel, very little is actually devoted to the title character. I find it distracting and irritating when characters make monumentally stupid decisions as Wyn does when a large amount of money is stolen and she doesn't take any steps to do anything about it. Things go from bad to worse, and the ending leaves much unsettled. I found the story disjointed, as if the author couldn't decide where to go with it, and frankly some decisions made by several characters made no sense at all. Perhaps that is by design to lay groundwork for a third book, but I won't be reading it.

[Debbie Floyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a sequel to"Bread Alone" and Hendricks third book as "Isobel's Daughter came in between. She has become a much better writer. I probably gained 3 pounds reading about the food and the bread. The book begins with her and Mac sort of together but only sort of as he goes off to alaska. the descriptions of Seattle and of the tiny town in Alaska just make you want to go there. Wyn takes on an apprentice, Tyler who she teaches to be a baked. Over the course of time she becomes more like a mother as Tyler loses her best friend. There might be another book as things were sort of left hanging. less sex.

[Nicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really did like this although it was a bit different to the first book Bread Alone. One thing I did find strange from the offset was the name change for Cody to Tyler. I couldn't work that out at all, in fact I had to look back at the other book to make sure I wasn't imagining it. The writing is great lots of descriptions of people and places, although I did find the 'Mac' chapters a bit laborious, maybe because his character was annoying me. All in all it was a good story and I feel satisfied after reading it.

[nimrodiel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't checked yet, but I'm really hoping that there is another book chronicling Wyn's life. The book spiraled up to it's ending, and left me hanging wanting to know what happens next. I love it when a book grabs my attention like that.

This was just as good as Bread Alone was. I'm really glad that I was recommended these books.

[Les · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed on my blog in 2007:

You would think by now I would know better than to get my hopes set too high for the sequel to a book, regardless of who the author is. But no, I still set myself up for disappointment time after time. It's always a bit more exciting to begin reading the sequel to a well-loved novel than simply picking up a new release or highly acclaimed book. With a sequel, you already have a connection to the characters and setting, as well as an admiration for the author's ability to entertain. But unfortunately a book is just a book and there's no guarantee that the follow-up will be as entertaining (or even as well-written) as its predecessor. For example, I loved Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas, but was terribly disappointed with Forever Odd. Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow is an incredible story and, like Odd Thomas, made my Top Ten for the year I read it. However, Russell's sequel (Children of God) failed to hold my interest and I struggled to finish, hoping it would get better the further along I read. Julie and Romeo Get Lucky is another sequel that left me longing for the humor and warmth I enjoyed in Julie and Romeo. Instead it only annoyed me with its silly and repetitious storyline. Bill Richardson's Bachelor Brothers' Bed & Breakfast is a delightfully hilarious book, but the sequel (Bachelor Brothers' Bed & Breakfast Pillow Book) fell short and wound up in the discard pile.

On the other hand, I loved The Exact Same Moon: Fifty Acres and a Family just as much (if not more) than its predecessor, Fifty Acres and a Poodle. And, The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street was just as lovely as 84, Charing Cross Road.

So, after reading Judith Hendricks' Bread Alone for the second time, I was excited to finally read The Baker's Apprentice. I had thoroughly enjoyed Bread Alone and was eager to see what the future held for Wynter, both as a bread baker at the Queen Street Bakery in Seattle and in her personal life with her new love interest. Unfortunately, this was a less-than-lackluster follow-up to Ms. Hendricks' debut novel. Bread Alone is a warm, cozy read full of wonderful descriptions about baking and life in the Pacific Northwest. Unfortunately, the sequel is less about the goings-on in the bakery and more about the ups and downs of Wynter's love life (which quickly becomes plodding and predictable). I didn't care for the abrupt ending and wonder if the author wrote it in hopes of continuing further with these characters and storyline. Of her three novels, Isabel's Daughter (a stand-alone) is by far my favorite.

There are no guarantees when it comes to the enjoyment of a book, whether it's a stand-alone or a sequel (or a series, but that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish!). So much depends one's mood, the timing of the read, or whether it's been over-hyped. I'll just continue to hope for the best and ignore that irritating little voice that so rudely reminds me that I'm bound to be disappointed.

[Miriam · Rating 1 out of 5]

You'd think that if a book is titled, The Baker's Apprentice, then the primary plot would revolve around the apprentice. Instead, this underdeveloped and irrelevant subplot takes up perhaps a quarter of the book. Or perhaps it refers instead to the ongoing essential nature of being a baker, in which case you'd expect the bakery and bread baking imagery to recur as a dominant motif. Hendricks prefers to have her tale unfold everywhere else. The bakery itself appears even less frequently than the apprentice.

Even apart from this nonsense, the story fails. The main character, Wynter, is deeply in debt and constantly bemoaning her status, but is never required to make choices that depend on her poverty. She does eat out at restaurants frequently. While we are told she sometimes runs along the Seattle paths with her love interest, running itself is not part of her daily life. Nor, for that matter, does it ever seem to be a part of his even when he has relatively few demands on his time.

Perhaps the author should have set the ideas aside to proof a little better.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read a book that is written in a way that really draws you in, I always think of how wonderful to be able to express thoughts in the way the author does. The creativity, the flow of the words that creates a visualization for the reader. The letters Mac wrote and his journal entries were in my opinion the best part of the book.
The story ended abruptly and I went online to buy the last book in the series. I didn’t purchase the book after reading the cover and finding that my expectations of a happy ending for Mac and Wynter isn’t in the cards. I was disappointed but on reflection I realize that the story itself is not as important as the way the author tells it.
I do plan to read the last book in this series but not soon. I’m not yet ready to let go of the thoughts and feelings from this book.

[jiji · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sequel to "Bread Alone," and another book I found at my pool's little library. Enjoyed this one too. I do feel like the author unnecessarily introduces characters with few contributions to the overall stories (Maggie, the landlord, even some of Wyn's coworkers -- since these characters were present, I would have liked the author to delve a bit deeper, especially when it came to Maggie's storyline). I really enjoyed Mac's depicti0n of the Yukon Territory. I understand this falls into the category of chick-lit and isn't necessarily supposed to be realistic, but I didn't really understand why Mac would be attracted to Wyn -- they just seem like such opposites. In real life, she'd probably be too normal and rigid for him. But in either case, another fun poolside read. I feel like this author has more talent than she's presenting.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had read the first book in this series (Bread Alone), and really enjoyed it. Therefore, I was looking forward to reading the second book to continue where the first book left-off. I found that this book was good however, it didn't really talk too much about the bakery itself, more so about Mac's journey in finding himself, and Wyn's way of dealing with his absence. I would have loved to read more about how Tyler and the others adjusted to their roles in the bakery, instead of reading about Mac's endless winter nights in the Yukon. Although it is discussed about the bakery's closure, it doesn't seem to be the central focus of the plot. We are left with a cliffhanger at the end of the book so, let's hope the third book solves that, and more.

[justablessedgirl · Rating 2 out of 5]

[TO BE UPDATED] This book starts off really well, with quite a capturing opening. The reader is quickly introduced to the prominent characters and the events that have shaped their lives. All is well until roundabout the mid bits of the book. I found myself getting quite lost in what the author was trying to portray. It all seemed like a repetitive cycle, with no definitive happenings in any of the characters' lives. Even in instances where a major event happens, I struggled a bit to draw parallels between that and how it all ties back to Wyn. Perhaps Mac is also on a journey of his own, not to be conflated with Wyn's? Overall, a great read so far and I'll be back with an update soon.

[Lisa Conner · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was trying to figure out what I didn't like about this story. I realized part of it was that I couldn't connect or like any of the characters. There were some I didn't particularly like and the rest I just didn't care about. The book wasn't really about baking but a few recipes were thrown in. It was honestly just a depressing recitation of part of a person's life...an uninteresting one to boot.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Technically this series could have continued since the story just kind of stopped but (spoiler) since the bakery is closed I guess the theory is that it is done. Like the other it's odd because the first part is told as a story and the 2nd part is told in the point of the view of the 2 characters. I like the first part better but it held my attention.

[Funda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly enjoyed this sequel... Although the story line diverges into two parallel plots, both Wynter’s and Mac’s stories introduces memorable, even peculiar characters. Only Maggie as a character is underdeveloped and her story does not add much to the book. I must say, I liked the gentrification discussion angle.

[Jon C. Hooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoying the continued story of the baker and keep waiting to read the conclusion but again we are left in limbo with finding out about the money settlement, her relationship with Mac and if she continues to bake bread. I call this writers blackmail by keep using the price of the book with each book.
I’m fine with a couple of books but now we go to book 3.

[Smitha Vasudevan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wyn has found her calling, and baking bread has grounded her. But life in the little bakery is not without its challenges, including becoming a mother figure to little Tyler. However, Mac has issues of his own to address before he can attempt a meaningful relationship. Is Wyn willing to wait for him, for the financial settlement from her ex husband, or her new future?

[Sarah Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is better than it’s prequel. I like her writing and enjoy the little nuggets of references she drops. A gentleman told me that he reads to learn something. I guess I didn’t think of that when reading fiction but Hendricks drops lots of little knowledge bombs in her books. I like that.

[Maryann Sulic · Rating 3 out of 5]

the story between main characters didn't get very far, and I would have liked to have seen more time at the bakery as in the first book, but still enjoyed it and will eventually read third book in trilogy. Easy reading, but held my interest.

[Amy Roebuck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hendricks' books contain simple everyday wisdom, and lots of great information about bread baking!
I've noticed that other Goodreads reviewers echo my thoughts, that these books stick with us more than one would think from their simplicity.

[Butterflittin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't stop reading this book. I'm in love with the characters the author brought to life and... I was so sad to read the last page. sigh...

The author has gotten under my skin and I'm already on the third book.

Thank you, Ms. Hendricks

[Shirley Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Writing

Seattle, LA, Yukon, bakeries, bars, and homes. I just like the writing -- the descriptions of people, places, and things, the emotions and viewpoints, all expressed with interesting words, references, and imagery.

[Elena Woontner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story, a sensory experience for baking good lovers like me, interesting characters and a very intriguing trip to the Yukon Territory, a peek in what it means living there for a while. I would have given it five stars if only I hadn't read the back cover of the follow-up novel.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 rounded up, I think I liked this better than the first in the series (thought it’s been a long time since I read it). Finished this and added the third/last in the series to my TBR list so that’s a good sign.

[Glenda Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I could nearly smell the bread baking each time she put a recipe together. So many emotions from several characters… I had to see what happened to each one so couldn’t put it down for long.