The House of the Seven Sisters: A Novel of Food and Family

A quirky and heartwarming story of love, family, fate and food, Elle Eggels's The House of the Seven Sisters is the tale of seven mysteriously exotic women who, both independently and as a family, try to come to terms with the past and carve a path for the future. A wonderfully observed novel that casts an enchanting spell, Eggels's debut is marked by a charming combination of passion and humor.

When Martha and her six sisters are abandoned by their father following their mother's untimely death, the family bakery becomes the sisters' only means of survival. Martha, the eldest, is forced to lead the household and sacrifice her wants and desires in order to take on the responsibilities of her missing father, a baker by trade. Witnessed through the eyes of Emma, Martha's daughter from a failed marriage, the story follows the seven siblings as they mature and eventually leave the bakery in search of self-fulfillment and love. Each sister, however, will return to the fold, heartbroken and disillusioned after her chosen man -- the married mayor, the "cowboy" con man, the hunchbacked boy next door -- fails to stand the test of time. After years of drudgery the sisters transform the bakery into a bustling supermarket, but just when success seems within reach, turmoil erupts, threatening the happiness and contentment they'd long suffered to achieve.

Filled with humor, emotion and wonder, Elle Eggels's The House of the Seven Sisters is a lovely, evocative tale sure to touch every reader's heart.