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The Bakery She Opened: A Marriage in Crisis Romance
He said incredible every time.
Over his shoulder. Into his phone. On his way to bed. Fifteen years of incredible and amazing and you're the best, babe — said at the exact moment when the compliment was already the whole conversation.
She baked for bake sales. She baked for birthday parties. She baked at nine o'clock on a Tuesday night while he slept upstairs, and in the morning he'd take a brownie on his way out the door and tell his She's got it handled.
She saved six thousand dollars from the grocery budget. He had full access to the account. He never once looked.
She signed a lease on a commercial kitchen at four o'clock on a Wednesday afternoon. She told him at dinner. He "That's exciting, babe." He took another bite. He did not ask where the money came from.
Now she's at the bakery before dawn. The dinners are simpler. The cookie jar is empty. The house is running on whatever he can figure out between the wrong detergent and the wrong yogurt and a twelve-year-old who knows more about his own lunch than his father does.
He's not cruel. He's not cheating. He told his mother he was supportive.
He also called it a project.
A marriage-in-crisis romance. No cheating. Earned grovel. HEA.
Over his shoulder. Into his phone. On his way to bed. Fifteen years of incredible and amazing and you're the best, babe — said at the exact moment when the compliment was already the whole conversation.
She baked for bake sales. She baked for birthday parties. She baked at nine o'clock on a Tuesday night while he slept upstairs, and in the morning he'd take a brownie on his way out the door and tell his She's got it handled.
She saved six thousand dollars from the grocery budget. He had full access to the account. He never once looked.
She signed a lease on a commercial kitchen at four o'clock on a Wednesday afternoon. She told him at dinner. He "That's exciting, babe." He took another bite. He did not ask where the money came from.
Now she's at the bakery before dawn. The dinners are simpler. The cookie jar is empty. The house is running on whatever he can figure out between the wrong detergent and the wrong yogurt and a twelve-year-old who knows more about his own lunch than his father does.
He's not cruel. He's not cheating. He told his mother he was supportive.
He also called it a project.
A marriage-in-crisis romance. No cheating. Earned grovel. HEA.
Kindle Edition
Published March 12, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 12, 2026
The Bakery She Opened, part of the Choosing Herself series, was about Nora and Tate (no last name or ages given, nor was there a job description for Tate. In fact, there weren't any scenes of him at his place of business. We know from information given in the story that Tate was at least in his early-to-mid 30s being as his parents had been married for 35 years.).
Nora and Tate had been married for fifteen years, and were the parents of 12-year-old Sam and 15-year-old Daisy. Fifteen years of being invisible to her husband and children, she finally did something for herself. She signed a lease on a kitchen to open her own bakery. When she told her family about signing the lease, his only remark was, "That's exciting, babe".
The longer Nora spent at her bakery, the less support she got from Tate. At the same time, he was somewhat picking up the slack at home, but he was also telling her she was slacking off at home. He wasn't really encouraging her. Instead, he was humoring her while expecting her to "get it out of her system". H considered it a project...a hobby...instead of an actual business. He wanted to discuss coordinating their schedules so that she spent less time at the bakery and more time at home, so he could spend more time at work and less time at home.
Then the problems began when Tate informed her he had told his mother they would host his parents' 35th anniversary dinner at their place. He said he would cook, but she would have to do everything else. There were two issues with that, though: first, he agreed to do it without consulting his wife. Second, it was Nora's first delivery day for a new wholesale account that she could not afford to miss out on. When she informed him of that, he tried to micromanage her business, and that did not go over well. However, she set the boundary: he had volunteered them, therefore he was the one to do the work...not her.
This was one of the better books by this author. It had only a slight amount of angst, no drama or emotional rollercoaster. It was simply steeped in facts: the marriage was struggling because she was invisible to her family. So she set out to make her dream come true, and didn't budge when he pushed for her to return home. Once he realized she was becoming a success, he started accepting that the changes were permanent and chose to learn why she enjoyed baking so much.
Both main characters were well-developed and mature, with plenty of room for growth. What was missing in the story was any background information and a lack of reasoning behind the invisibility that had developed from the husband and the kids towards Nora. The story was missing the reasoning for the incontinuity of the relationships. I think what made the book less enjoyable was that there wasn't a lot of seeing Tate come to the realization of where he was going wrong. The author just presented it to the reader as a completed thing and left it there. Unlike her other book, this story had more of the POV from the FMC and less from the MMC, thus making it too one-sided and not enough revelation on the part of the MMC.
With that being said, the story only earned a two-star rating, even though it was a longer book than the others I have read by the same author. Being longer didn't make it better because it still lacked content and had too much information dumping that was unnecessary. It was just too bland, flat, and boring, to be honest.
Nora and Tate had been married for fifteen years, and were the parents of 12-year-old Sam and 15-year-old Daisy. Fifteen years of being invisible to her husband and children, she finally did something for herself. She signed a lease on a kitchen to open her own bakery. When she told her family about signing the lease, his only remark was, "That's exciting, babe".
The longer Nora spent at her bakery, the less support she got from Tate. At the same time, he was somewhat picking up the slack at home, but he was also telling her she was slacking off at home. He wasn't really encouraging her. Instead, he was humoring her while expecting her to "get it out of her system". H considered it a project...a hobby...instead of an actual business. He wanted to discuss coordinating their schedules so that she spent less time at the bakery and more time at home, so he could spend more time at work and less time at home.
Then the problems began when Tate informed her he had told his mother they would host his parents' 35th anniversary dinner at their place. He said he would cook, but she would have to do everything else. There were two issues with that, though: first, he agreed to do it without consulting his wife. Second, it was Nora's first delivery day for a new wholesale account that she could not afford to miss out on. When she informed him of that, he tried to micromanage her business, and that did not go over well. However, she set the boundary: he had volunteered them, therefore he was the one to do the work...not her.
This was one of the better books by this author. It had only a slight amount of angst, no drama or emotional rollercoaster. It was simply steeped in facts: the marriage was struggling because she was invisible to her family. So she set out to make her dream come true, and didn't budge when he pushed for her to return home. Once he realized she was becoming a success, he started accepting that the changes were permanent and chose to learn why she enjoyed baking so much.
Both main characters were well-developed and mature, with plenty of room for growth. What was missing in the story was any background information and a lack of reasoning behind the invisibility that had developed from the husband and the kids towards Nora. The story was missing the reasoning for the incontinuity of the relationships. I think what made the book less enjoyable was that there wasn't a lot of seeing Tate come to the realization of where he was going wrong. The author just presented it to the reader as a completed thing and left it there. Unlike her other book, this story had more of the POV from the FMC and less from the MMC, thus making it too one-sided and not enough revelation on the part of the MMC.
With that being said, the story only earned a two-star rating, even though it was a longer book than the others I have read by the same author. Being longer didn't make it better because it still lacked content and had too much information dumping that was unnecessary. It was just too bland, flat, and boring, to be honest.
March 29, 2026
Tate and Nora
Nora decided to open a bakery. She have been saving for years. Didn't have a conversation with the husband or kids to prepare them of their new normal. Ok.
Nora decided to open a bakery. She have been saving for years. Didn't have a conversation with the husband or kids to prepare them of their new normal. Ok.
April 2, 2026
While I’m glad this couple found their way back together in their marriage, shared the workload, and developed a mutual respect again, STILL WHY are their kids so helpless?!? At their ages, they should be making their own lunches, doing their own laundry, prepping their own sports gear, loading and unloading the dishwasher, cooking, and helping with housework! Why are these parents not teaching them how to grow up into responsible adults? Seriously! I question their judgement as parents.
Okay, every single one of these books so far has had lazy and slacker dads, but the kids are just as lazy and spoiled. At least the dads change and grow by the end of the books!
Okay, every single one of these books so far has had lazy and slacker dads, but the kids are just as lazy and spoiled. At least the dads change and grow by the end of the books!
April 9, 2026
A marriage with problems
This is a short story about a marriage that has problems. I feel the problems stem from lack of communication.
I'm not a particular fan of the author's writing style. I feel the plot bogs down with too much baking information and not enough family dynamics.
I'm also not crazy about Nora. Apparently she has felt like she ran the household for years with no recognition or help from her husband. She goes and starts her business and vacates her family life....no communication about anything just written instructions for her husband.
I think the plot had potential.
This is a short story about a marriage that has problems. I feel the problems stem from lack of communication.
I'm not a particular fan of the author's writing style. I feel the plot bogs down with too much baking information and not enough family dynamics.
I'm also not crazy about Nora. Apparently she has felt like she ran the household for years with no recognition or help from her husband. She goes and starts her business and vacates her family life....no communication about anything just written instructions for her husband.
I think the plot had potential.
March 16, 2026
Walk Away!!!!
I get it, lady wanted to spread her wings with her new business but she did it like a bitch. There were no discussions like with a healthy marriage. No she laid out conditions her husband had to meet if he wanted to stay in the marriage. This story lacked warmth and emotion. It is hard to root for this woman.
I get it, lady wanted to spread her wings with her new business but she did it like a bitch. There were no discussions like with a healthy marriage. No she laid out conditions her husband had to meet if he wanted to stay in the marriage. This story lacked warmth and emotion. It is hard to root for this woman.
April 3, 2026
ok read
Not really what I was expecting from the blurb. It made it seem more intense. Like I thought he was gonna be complaining and tell her stuff is a hobby and he has to earn forgiveness. This was more slow burn I guess
Not really what I was expecting from the blurb. It made it seem more intense. Like I thought he was gonna be complaining and tell her stuff is a hobby and he has to earn forgiveness. This was more slow burn I guess
April 16, 2026
Not a Grovel
This seemed more like it was about a marriage in need of communication from both sides and some introspection on his part. Nothing that made a grovel necessary. Very subdued.
This seemed more like it was about a marriage in need of communication from both sides and some introspection on his part. Nothing that made a grovel necessary. Very subdued.
April 28, 2026
Well.
I had know idea you could write a book using sourdough and it be so completely accurate to how most people’s lives go. Wow. Great book.
I had know idea you could write a book using sourdough and it be so completely accurate to how most people’s lives go. Wow. Great book.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews