Advent

Synopsis

Selected for Jamie Oliver's Cookbook Club

'I love it. As soon as I opened this, I felt it was Christmas.' - Diana Henry

Advent celebrates the magical run-up to Christmas with over 100 classic German baking recipes.

The Advent season is one of the most special times of the year, when candles twinkle, the Christmas tree is decorated, and the smells of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove fill the kitchen.

In her new cookbook Advent, Anja Dunk shares her recipes for the very best of traditional German festive bakes. From lightly spiced Lebkuchen, frosted cinnamon stars, jam-filled ginger hearts, snow-capped coconut macaroons, to marzipan-filled Stollen, edible tree decorations, lucky meringue mushrooms and a gingerbread house dripping with candies and sugar icicles, you will find delectable spiced treats to fill your Bunter Teller and share with friends and family.

Featuring Anja's own linocut illustrations and evocative photography, this is a stunning, comforting clothbound volume that will be a family favourite for many years to come. The weeks of Advent hold all the sweet, almost unbearable anticipation of Christmas for days on end and this gorgeous book embraces that fairy-tale feeling within its pages.

Summary

Chapter 1

Advent starts with the introduction of two protagonists: Anna and Lovell. Anna is a businesswoman in her forties, who is stuck in a three-year-old marriage with Jay and working herself to death at her company. Lovell is a much younger man, who has just been released from prison and is looking for a better life. In an effort to find something better, Lovell begins working at Anna’s company. Amidst strong cultural differences, Anna and Lovell soon find comfort in each other. Even though Anna is aware of the wrongness, she is unable to help herself from falling for Lovell.

Chapter 2

The second chapter focuses on Anna and Lovell’s developing relationship, and the two share several romantic moments. As their relationship deepens, they both begin to feel the guilt of the infidelity they are committing against Anna’s husband. Anna decides to break things off, but Lovell soon realizes that his emotions for Anna are too strong for him to just walk away. He decides to stay in her life, even if it means ruining his own.

Chapter 3

In the third chapter, Anna and Lovell take a break from their romance in an effort to patch up Anna’s marriage. Jay is willing to work things out, but Anna is unable to completely commit to him. As Christmas nears and the two women build a relationship, Anna begins to understand that her obligations and the promises she made to her husband are not enough for her to find happiness.

Chapter 4

The fourth chapter details Anna and Lovell’s plan to finally express their love without guilt or regret. As they plan out an intimate Christmas dinner, they must take into consideration the consequences of their romantic adventure. After discussing Lovell’s sister’s disapproval of their relationship, Anna and Lovell make a difficult decision to keep their affair a secret and find a way to be together in their own private world.

Chapter 5

The fifth chapter closes the novel with an explosive finale between Anna and Lovell on Christmas day. As Anna’s family gathers to celebrate the holiday, Lovell arrives and disrupts the calm and peaceful atmosphere. To make matters worse, Anna’s husband finds out about the affair and becomes very angry. As the two fight, Lovell and Anna realize that the only way to keep their relationship alive is to accept it for who they really are: two opposites that have fallen in love. Anna and Lovell part ways, with hope that their love will one day overcome all odds.