Recently widowed Ellen Kirkpatrick, the heart and soul of "Hot Cross Buns," has chucked her job as a high school counselor to follow her deepest passion - pastries - opening a spectacularly successful coffee shop and bakery in Spokane's tony South Hill neighborhood. Attracting a noteworthy group of customers, the unique characters in "Hot Cross Buns" are deeply rich and delicious - Molly, Ellen's resolute, Jesuit-inspired-to save-the world daughter; Liam, a captivating Notre Dame and Harvard-educated lawyer; Jack, an emotionally-iced physician who, despite his best efforts, defrosts at the mere thought of Ellen; Lou, Ellen's forthright, relationship-meddling BFF; Father Joe, Liam's mentor turned friend at Notre Dame University struggling with professional and personal demons; Clare, at the heart of the aforementioned struggle; Lillian Johnson, the shrewd octogenarian who's learned a bit about love over the years; and many other compelling characters. Swept up in a stunning story of complex relationships, readers will travel from Spokane to Chicago and Los Angeles, ultimately rewarded with a charming surprise ending as the capricious fates work their magic on this treasured collection of friends and family.