Sugar and Salt by Susan Wiggs – a Review

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Description:
Jerome “Sugar” Barnes learned the art of baking in his grandma’s bakery, also called Sugar, on historic Perdita Street in San Francisco. He supplies baked goods to the Lost and Found Bookshop across the street.

When the restaurant that shares his commercial kitchen loses its longtime tenant, a newcomer moves in: Margot Salton, a barbecue master from Texas.

Margot isn’t exactly on the run, but she needs a fresh start. She’s taken care of herself her whole life, pulling herself up by her fingernails to recover from trauma, and her dream has been to open a restaurant somewhere far, far from Texas. The shared kitchen with Jerome Sugar’s bakery is the perfect setup: a state-of-the-art kitchen and a vibrant neighborhood popular with tourists and locals.

Margot instantly takes to Jerome’s grandmother, the lively, opinionated Ida, and the older woman proves to be a good mentor. Margot thinks Jerome is gorgeous, and despite their different backgrounds their attraction is powerful–even though Jerome worries that Margot will simply move on from him once she’s found some peace and stability. But just as she starts to relax into a happy new future, Margot’s past in Texas comes back to haunt her…

Review:

Sugar and Salt by Susan Wiggs is another one of her wonderful standalone novels. The story revolves around Margot Salton, our heroine, who at the start has moved from Texas to open her dream barbeque restaurant; Margot has developed a special sauce that has become a masterpiece. The story is told in two timelines; the success in opening her new restaurant in San Francisco and meeting Jerome, who runs the local bakery next store; and her past in Texas, which was a harsh period in her life. This did start as a lighthearted story, only to spend more than half to see the hardship and injustice she had to endure.  

In the past, a young Margie, helped out in a BBQ restaurant that started her into developing wonderful sauces. In between, she hanged out with friends, including one older boy, who she decided she did not want to continue their relationship, since he was very arrogant and only cared about what he wanted.  One evening, making more sauces, the boy, after her telling him it was over, he then rapes her, in the process of choking her; Margie desperate for her life, manages to grab hold of his gun and shoots him.  This was self-defense, as he was killing her; but the laws in Texas only cared that she killed him.  Everything changed for Margie, as the victim’s family was wealthy and powerful, and Margie was treated horribly; with the police, judicial system and bad lawyers.  Almost a year will pass with a friendship that will bring a very good lawyer to finally free her, and eventually move away, under a different assumed name.  The past story was long and very a dark story to read.

When we finally go back to the present, we learn more about Margot’s successful new business and her relationship that will grow with Jerome, who owns the bakery.  Margot got to know Jerome’s mother, Ida, as they became close; with us getting a backstory about a love from the past. It was a nice story with Ida and Frank.  I really did like how Jerome was patient and caring with Margot, and when she reveals her horrific period of the past, he still professes his love.  The past will rear its ugly head again, but Margot will stand up to fight the evil. The food (barbeque and bakery) was fun to read, leaving us a bit hungry.

Sugar and Salt was very well written by Susan Wiggs. It is a story of tragedy, second chances, as well as love and friendship.  Though there was a long and tragic storyline from the past, but overall this was a great story line.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher