The Secret to Hummingbird Cake is a delicious mix of The Golden Girls meets the Bette Midler movie beaches. I laughed so loud in some parts my husband thought I was nuts. Of course, it wasn't all fun and games and during those sadder parts I cried. It is an emotional roller coaster of a book and one I don't mind riding again and again.
The Secret to Hummingbird Cake is a story about friendship, love, life and loss. Carrigan, Laine, and Ella Rae have been friends ever since Kindergarten when Ella Rae punched one of the Thompson boys for picking on the new kid, Laine. Laine was the source of calm in their group, the voice of reason, while Carrigan and Ella Rae were her loud and proud soul sisters. Don't get me wrong, Laine wasn't too shy to say what she felt, she did so often, even if Carrigan and Ella Rae ignored her.
Carrigan has been married to the same man since she was 17 years old. Yes, you read that right 17. She is outspoken, loud and fiercely protective of everyone she loves. She has been that way from the start. She reminds me a lot of Sophia from the Golden Girls. No one is going to hold her down. She has a quick wit and a smart remark for just about everything. Needless to say, this gets her in trouble more often than not and when she gets in trouble she really gets in trouble! Thankfully she has her two best friends,Laine and Ella Rae to bail her out.
Ella Rae is a nice combination of the two. She is fiercely loyal, as they all are, but she is outspoken and boisterous like Carrigan. She has a tender side like Laine but more often than not her antics get her into trouble and gain her more than a few stares from the local busy bodies. She lives life on her own terms and couldn't give a hoot what other people think about her, except her family and her two closest friends.
I absolutely loved this book! I didn't think I would with the way Carrigan was always carrying on and getting into one mess after another. I quickly found myself loving not only Carrigan but the other two as well. They are a true example of what friendship is all about. You don't always have to agree with one another but you do have each others backs. Like when Carrigan was convinced Jack was having an affair, Laine offered a voice of reason and did her best to convince her that Jack was one of the good guys. Or when Laine found out she had cancer, Carrigan was ready to take on the world and knock down whatever door there was to get Laine the best care possible and Ella Rae held her hand and told her it would all be all right. They were more like sisters really. No matter how close they were though, Laine refused to reveal the secret to her hummingbird cake.
I just can't say enough how much I thoroughly loved this books and those three ladies. There were a few four letter words, but not enough to make me feel reserved about recommending it. I think you should grab you a copy of The Secret to Hummingbird Cake by Celeste Fletcher McHale and a big slice of hummingbird cake and dig in.
Loved loved LOVED this book! :)
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