An irresistible story that takes readers right into the lives of twelve different women, each with varied pasts and secrets. Every year on the first Monday of December, Marnie and her twelve closest girlfriends gather with batches of beautifully wrapped homemade cookies. Everyone has to bring a dish and a bottle of wine and, as they eat, they take turns telling the story of the cookies they have baked. Stories that, somehow, are always emblematic of the year that has just passed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ann Pearlman's irresistible debut novel provides the perfect ingredients for a fun and touching read about a group of women who gather each year to share a journey of friendship, hope, heartbreak--and recipes. Every year at Christmastime, Marnie and her closest girlfriends mark their calendars for the cookie exchange. Everyone has to bring a batch of homemade cookies and a bottle of wine, but this year, it's their stories that are especially important--the passion and hopefulness of new romance, the betrayal and disillusionment some relationships bring, the joys and fears of motherhood, the stress of financial troubles. On this evening, at least, the sisterly love they have for one another rises above it all. Celebrating courage and joy in spite of hard times and honoring the importance of women's friendships as well as the embracing bonds of community, Ann Pearlman's delightful novel speaks to us all.

A wishlist book for my partner in Nattabee´s Secret Angel Exchange Game 2011 :) I know it´s not christmas yet but I want to get this book and the package moving before the Christmas rush starts :).

The book and the package are on their way to ...... in ...... .

Happy journey and I hope you will have a little bit of fun with the book and the added things.

Big thank you to my Secret Santa. I could not believe my eyes when the postman delivered the parcel today!!!! Thanks so much for the wishlist book:) and also for everything else you sent with it, I feel so spoiled:)
Merry Christmas :)

I just finished the book, really enjoyed it:) very interesting stories about 12 women and their friendship:) And as I baked christmas cookies myself the other day - I could eat some (alot) while I was reading the book:)
Thanks again!!!

This one will now travel to a friend in Finland:) enjoy!!!

A surprise in the mail box today, thank you my dear!

A nice and fast read but definitely one of those books you shouldn't think about too much. I got a very 'Desperate Housewifes' feel from it, very middle class, a bit far fetched starting point (the cookie club), colourful histories and they all still look and feel great, despite everything. I really enjoyed the snippets of information about the history and origin of spices, sugar and other baking incredients and the recipes made me want to bake cookies too. Shallow but entertaining, though the scene when they all suddenly started to dance made me cringe. :D
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I stand corrected! I thought no way are there these cookie clubs, it sounded so unreal to me but apparently there are! Interesting. Do they do the impromptu dancing bit too?!?! ;D

took to the bc meet in Helsinki.

Picked this up at the Helsinki area bc meetup today. I like reading Christmassy books and it's nice to see how far this book has already travelled!

Well, what to say... The book was fine, but nothing special. As saarahoo already said, everything was very middle class so it was difficult to believe some of the stories. Also, there were far too many characters and I could never get the hang of who was who. This might be because I kept reading the book in small snippets in the mornings going to work by bus. Maybe I would have been able to keep track of the characters better if I read the book in larger chunks.

I already have something planned for this book...

The book will now travel to Chania, who won it as a part of the Finnish bookcrossing Christmas calendar. Happy reading!

Thanks, looks like a very Christmassy and cute book!

I agree the two previous readers - nice enough, but too many characters to really get into their lives. But pretty enjoyable anyway :)
Sending forward as a wishlist-tag-game book now.

Thank You Chania ! :)

Enjoy!