Hello, friends! I’m a little behind on my book reviews, but I wanted to go a little lighter this week, and review a book I absolutely loved, but is a little outside my normal reviews. I decided to scroll through my Kindle and find a book that I have loved talking about, but haven’t reviewed for you yet. Baker’s Dozen by Lori R. Taylor was a good choice, because the book was adorable, and it’s on the lighter side.
I’ve mentioned to several people that Baker’s Dozen is a “bookish palate cleanser.” It’s one of those light books that are perfect for breaking a reading slump, or for helping recover from one of those dreaded book hangovers. I used it for that purpose when I read it, and I gotta say it was perfect. I hope you enjoy my review, and I for sure hope you check out the full series!
Synopsis
Maeve dreams of opening her own bakery. She’s baked out of her kitchen for years, but recently joined a competition where the prize money would be enough to help her start the bakery she dreams of. When her friend, who works at a dog shelter, contacts her and asks her to foster a dog bound for the euthanasia chamber, she rejects it at first.
When the choice becomes “take the dog for the weekend, and see where it goes,” suddenly she decides she can do it.
Baker is a boxer who was abused and abandoned. Because of her background, she doesn’t trust anyone. She’s basically unadoptable, and was bound for death when Maeve agreed to take her.
Can these unlikely new roommates find a way to coexist, or will they ever find the friendship they both crave? Baker’s Dozen is a story of unlikely friendship and found family, in a unique format that readers will enjoy.
My Thoughts
Personally, I’m not surprised Maeve turned down Baker at first. Boxers are difficult animals anyway, and one who has been abused and abandoned can be even worse. Luckily, Baker was written as a super sweet animal, without many of the personality quirks she could have had. She was mainly just scared and freaked that her new home would be taken away again. She broke my heart, to be honest.
Characters
The characters in Baker’s Dozen were so much fun! Lori wrote the book in dual-POV, from Maeve’s perspective in third person, and Baker’s in first. The differences in person couldn’t have been easy to write, but Lori did such an amazing job with it, and getting to experience the world from Baker’s perspective was so much fun. At one point, Baker is “helping” Maeve with her competition submission, and the way her curiosity shines through the pages is adorable.
The Theme
I think one of the biggest themes I saw in Baker’s Dozen was that “found family isn’t always human.” Yeah, Maeve didn’t really want Baker at first, and they struggled for a while, but as predictable as the end might be, the journey to that end was absolutely enjoyable and absolutely beautiful.
I will tell you to keep a couple tissues close by. I didn’t find the book sad, but I did tear up a couple time.
The “Doggie Bag”
Yes, I themed that title. Of course I did! Baker’s Dozen left me with a ton of things to “take home” with me. Be kind to all creatures, because you never know what they’ve been through, and animals can’t tell you. Don’t we all wish our animals could speak out loud? Treat everyone with dignity and respect. When someone offers their help, it’s not always out of ulterior motives.
And many, many others…read the book, then leave a comment with your doggie bags!
Recommendation
If you like uplifting stories, if you like pet stories, or if you like stories about dogs, then Baker’s Dozen or its companion books are for you. I absolutely loved Baker’s Dozen, and I look forward to reading the rest of the books. But I’ll definitely grab more tissues. I hope you check out the books using the links below, and leave a comment with whether you want to read them or not!
If you’re in the middle of a reading slump, or just finished a book that gave you a huge book hangover, I recommend checking out one of the soul mutts books to help you recover. They’re perfect for that!
About The Author
Lori Taylor is the founder of TruDog, and author of the Soul Mutts Series. Her passion is helping humans understand how dogs make the world a better place. Lori has a soft spot for “broken” things, and even named TruDog after her three-legged Great Dane, Truman.
Other Books in The Soul Mutts Series:
Conclusion
Did you enjoy my review, however short, of Baker’s Dozen? I hope you did, because it was such a cute, inspiring story and I wish everyone would read it! I’m working on a book club type situation here soon, so I may add this book to the list for us to read. Maybe even pick one of the other five I haven’t read yet. What do you think? Comment and let me know! If you’re not already following me on Twitter, I encourage you to that as well. I am on there quite a bit to check in with my tribe, so other than my newsletter, that’s the best place to keep in touch. Thanks for hanging out!
Until Next Time, Friends!
