Mary Ellen Taylor’s The Union Street Bakery was exactly the right kind of book for me to read this week. It covered so many of my personal interests – the setting in Arlington (close to home since I’m from the DC area), the mystery, the historical layers, the family-run bakery. There are so many details woven into this novel that it truly offers something for every reader.

Daisy was abandoned at three years old at a historic bakery on Union Street. Adopted by the family who owned the shop, she grew up in the bakery alongside two adoptive sisters (and the lingering presence of a ghost girl who had once been a slave leased out to the bakery). As an adult, Daisy moves back home when her world as she knows it has just come crashing down: her financial career has imploded, and she has ended her engagement. Now she’s tasked with taking over the financial side of the bakery, which is currently owned by her sister Rachel.

When an elderly regular customer stops in for the last time, she recognizes Daisy and hints that she knows the identity of Daisy’s biological mother. Soon after, Daisy inherits an antique journal, and her other sister (now a historian, with whom she has always had a strained relationship) steps in to help unravel what it all means for Daisy’s past.

There is so much happening in this story, and Taylor ties the threads together beautifully. My only minor complaint is the spelling of the original bakery owner’s name: Shaun McRae. As an Irishman in the 1800s, you’d more typically see it spelled the Irish way, Seán (also my brother’s name). Beyond that small detail, the story felt authentic and atmospheric.

There’s also a fantastic twist at the end – one I refuse to spoil. If you love a strong twist ending, this one delivers.

I especially loved the inclusion of recipes in the back of the book. As a bookworm whose other biggest hobby is baking, that felt like the perfect finishing touch. It honestly felt like this book was destined to find me. I can’t wait to try every single recipe.

It’s also available as an audiobook through Kindle Unlimited, which makes it perfect for easy listening while getting things done around the house. That’s exactly what I did this morning – listening and cleaning – and there’s something deeply satisfying about that kind of multitasking.

If you love Southern stories about reclaiming lost identity, historical secrets, and baked goods, this is one you don’t want to miss. It would also make an excellent book club pick. Imagine discussing it while sampling desserts made by the recipes at the back!