Wynter Morrison is in a very good place in her life. She's content
with her work at her Seattle bakery, baking bread during the serene
night hours. Her lover, Mac, has recently reappeared in her life,
to her intense joy.

But things start falling apart, bit by bit. One of the bakery's
workers, blue-haired waif Tyler, attempts to make the new cake
designer look bad, and ends up damaging the bakery's reputation.
When Wynter agrees to take on a bread baker's apprentice during her
night shift, she's dismayed when troubled Tyler steps into the
role. Soon Tyler is smoking pot during her shift and complaining
about having to do routine chores such as cleaning equipment and
measuring flour.

Wynter begins to be bothered by certain aspects of her relationship
with Mac. She wonders why Mac refuses to talk to her about his
childhood and why the role he assumes among her friends strikes her
as false. When Wynter asks Mac to go home to her mother's with her
at Christmas, she knows he won't come --- and he doesn't. Their own
Christmas celebration is a disheartening bust. Needless to say, Mac
never utters the words "relationship" or "commitment."

Wynter develops tendonitis in her wrist. With bread making
impossible, can she rely on Tyler? Well --- yes, as a matter of
fact. Tyler amazes Wynter by rapidly becoming an expert and
enraptured bread maker. This cheers Wynter in the face of her
continuing divorce problems and her accompanying financial
woes.

Mac heads into the sunset suddenly, stating he needs time to
himself. His meandering plus car troubles land him in the Yukon,
where he writes strangely impersonal letters to Wynter. Mac's
hurried leave-taking and his frosty letters devastate Wynter, but
when an event in Tyler's life plunges her into grief, Wynter finds
comfort in consoling her. Mac's absence lessens in importance as
Wynter continues creating a family of her own in Seattle.
Evidently, the Mac chapter of her life is closed forever. Or is
it?

THE BAKER'S APPRENTICE is leisurely and full of description. The
pace of the plot slows a bit at times, and there are so many
characters that I occasionally lost track of who they were. Yet, as
soon as I'd think, "Isn't this dragging a bit?" I'd happily delve
back into Wynter's world of food and plants and friendship and
love. In fact, I unhurriedly devoured this feast of a story the way
I'd savor a prolonged meal at a gourmet restaurant --- one luscious
tidbit at a time. So snuggle down in front of the fireplace with a
big cup of tea and a cappuccino hazelnut scone (the recipe is in
the book!) and settle in for a cozy and satisfying read.