I’ve been on a kick reading a couple series of culinary mysteries. I know it sounds like a strangely specific genre to be reading and enjoying especially because it’s not really books that I would recommend to others. Besides it being about female bakeshop/restaurant owners solving murder mysteries it’s all about small town life. The heroines move back to their old hometown which is usually in a rural area and small enough that everybody knows everybody. More than the mystery itself, I love reading about the relationships with their family and neighbors. I like reading about the baked goods they come up with in the warmth of their kitchen. I love the idea of providing a warm and friendly space in a cozy coffee shop/bakery. It all sounds so comforting. Everybody is always watching out for one another and stepping in at a moment’s notice to help each other out. And of course there is always the romance and love triangle surrounding the heroine. There is something so idealistic about small town rural life and being surrounded by your best friends and family day in and day out that appeals to me and these books hit the spot.
But then I watch Big Little Lies on HBO and I am quickly reminded that small town life can be pretty ugly too. My bakeshop books don’t talk about crazy school moms and slanderous gossip around every corner. In Monterey, small town life can still feel isolating and lonely, not to mention the constant pressure to keep up with the Joneses. Everyone is all in each other’s business even when it’s not wanted, digging around for secrets to spill and family life is not as perfect as they portray themselves to be.
Where I live, at times I feel loved and surrounded by friends and family, but I can also feel pretty lonely in the midst of all these people. I appreciate my neighborhood school and the friends I’ve made there but I also struggle with the urge to constantly compare myself to the other parents. Even with no murders or mysteries here, I’m reminded that sharing life with others is both beautiful and messy whether it’s a small town or a big city.
I feel the need to blog 