This charming sequel to The Union Street Bakery blends family, food, and a touch of mystery to heartwarming effect. Daisy McCrae is juggling bakery renovations, baby news, and hidden WWII-era keepsakes found behind a wall. Her journey of self-discovery, complicated relationships with her sisters and ex, and the cozy small-town setting made this feel like a comforting read wrapped in warm bread and nostalgia. Emotional and satisfying—with just enough intrigue to keep you turning pages.

This was a fun easy read. I enjoyed how the story was built. The reader could relate to the characters. I will be looking into the rest of the series to read. I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.

I did not get to read book one, The Union Street Bakery, in this series so I'm sure I missed quite a bit but I fell in love with Daisy and her family at the bakery. It felt like a slow, rambling story of her life as she adjusts to working at the bakery and all the life changes she's experiencing, along with finding a recipe box and following up on that mystery. I loved the sister relationship - which made me wish for that with my sisters. Truly a lovely story and I'm going to look for a copy for my 93 year old mom because I think she'd really enjoy it as well.

I read/listened to the audio and feel that the narrator, Moniqua Plante, did an amazing job!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 24 June 2025

I previously read both After Paris and The Union Street Bakery by Mary Ellen Taylor and LOVED them. It was an absolute pleasure to read The USB’s sequel. Whilst I don’t want to give too much away for readers, the characters remained as affable as ever, and despite some necessary albeit poignant drama, the sequel also stayed just as hygge and cozy as the first book. This book is like reading a hug wrapped up in cocoa, cookies, and a cozy blanket on a frigid day.

Set in the richly atmospheric Old Town Alexandria, Sweet Expectations delivers a thoughtful slice of women’s fiction centered on identity, family legacy, and emotional resilience. The novel follows 34-year-old Daisy, an adoptee with deep-rooted abandonment issues, who finds herself unexpectedly pregnant while struggling to revitalize her family’s bakery. When a vintage recipe box surfaces during renovations, Daisy and her sisters set out to uncover the story behind it—a subplot that elegantly parallels Daisy’s personal journey of self-discovery and healing. The novel also deftly explores the emotional labor of caretaking, grief, and single motherhood through Daisy’s sister Rachel, who is raising twins after the death of her husband. Each sister brings something unique to the table, and their evolving relationships are one of the novel’s highlights.

While the themes of family, forgiveness, and reinvention are well-handled, the weakest part of the novel lies in the romantic arc. Daisy’s baby’s father is frustratingly immature, and her new love interest doesn’t do much to raise the bar. In fact, the book might have been stronger without the romantic subplot entirely—Daisy’s growth and independence are far more compelling on their own.

Still, the story strikes a nice balance between predictability and fresh emotional turns, making it an enjoyable and grounded read. Best of all, Sweet Expectations stands well on its own, even for those who haven’t read the first book in the series.

This story had me at bakery but the heartwarming and beautiful story, laughter and tears, historic connections with the endearing characters and all around amazing writing kept the pages turning. There was emotion, depth and cozy warmth throughout the book. What a well written story with so much going on there was something interesting and entertaining on every page. A wonderfully satisfying read.

I was unaware when I started this that it was the second book in the series! I mostly gravitate towards romance but the plot intrigued me in this. A heartwarming and comforting read, Sweet Expectations blends family, food, and second chances in the charming setting of a small-town bakery. Mary Ellen Taylor captures the complexities of relationships—both past and present—with sincerity and warmth. The writing is easy to sink into, and the story flows with just the right balance of emotional depth and lightness. I enjoyed the sub mystery plot as well! Thank you Montlake and NetGalley for this review copy.

Very cute and cozy book. enjoyed the lit-fic feel of it. The setting feels downhome and warm. I wasn't sure if this is part of a series, it seems like I should have known more about the characters.

Sweet Expectations by Mary Ellen Taylor was a quick and entertaining read that I finished in a few hours.
A well written story that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
The characters draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
The characters were all realistic and very well developed.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself hooked, turning the pages.

this was the second in this series and i would say you'd want to read the first. it gives real detail and follow through to where we are now and just who and why the characters are in coming to this new book.
i liked to see Daisy here and running the bakery. she had such hardships to get through in book one and i truly felt for her. i loved how her sisters work alongside her and they are this powerhouse team.
they are renovating the bakery when they find an old box. and old recipe box. will this lead clues to something closer than they all thought? will these recipes help the bakery? and what of the writer of the book?
there is more to come from this little bakery and we are here to watch it bake.
it was great being back and love seeing how Daisy still carries herself as the lass she is. and that the feel is comforting this time round too. with added mystery and a few more questions to answer or look in to.
i think the importance of how Daisy often feels from this inner part of herself after being adopted is something key. that feeling doesn't leave. and sometimes it has lasting ripples over everything you are, do and react to anything in life. it can be a strength but it can certainly cripple a huge part of your self belief and easily wound once again with no warning or even sometimes logic.

Daisy McCrae found a little bit of balance in her life, working at her family's bakery and reconnecting with her ex. Then an unexpected change strikes. She struggles trying to navigate decisions regarding her personal life, managing chaotic renovations and the bakery's budget. Daisy’s journey takes a turn when a box of old recipes and keepsakes is discovered behind a wall—uncovering not just a mystery, but a mirror to her own struggles, bringing her hope and something else to focus on.
While a little slow and liniar, this story has its charm, set in a cozy bakery, with small town vibes and exploring themes such as family, adoption and loss.

A great follow up book to “The Union Street Bakery”.
I enjoyed reading more about the main characters.
The mystery and intrigue in this book had me gripped from the first chapter. I enjoyed the family drama and banter as well.
I do feel that the book was abruptly ended though. It left me wanting more. I’d love to see a 3rd book!!!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for early access to this re-release.

Fans of books about sisterhood and bakeries will like this one. Daisy is running the family bakery. She's also pregnant. Then the box of recipes turns up and alongside her sisters she discovers things they did not know about their family. This meanders a bit. It's part of a series where each book features one of the sisters, making each one fine as a standalone. Didn't wow me but didn't disappoint either. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Over to others.

I received the arc for the 1st book in this series call the Union Street Bakery. So when I saw this was available I jumped at the chance to be able to continue reading about this family and their bakery. This book Sweet expectations was just as good as the 1st book.
Sister's trying to make a go of their parents bakery so the parents can retire. Fun stories from each of the sisters as well as how they are coping made this book very enjoyable. Not to mention someone trying to find their birth father. A little bit of mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for both the book and audiobook arc.

I couldn’t finish this book., unfortunately. It had t much supernatural & cozy aspects to it.

I appreciate #Netgalley for giving me an ARC copy in exchange for my unbiased opinion. Thanks to Mary Ellen Taylor for writing this book.

3.5 ⭐️
This is the second book of The Union Street Bakery series, it follows Daisy McCrae from where we stopped in book one.
While Daisy was trying to accept her unresolved problems from the past, and putting in all her efforts to make her relationship with her boyfriend work, and Rachel was struggling to move on from her husband’s death and raise her twins, we see the challenges they face during the renovation of the bakery and their trials to adjust to their new bakers’ demands and work conditions.
Through Daisy and Rachel, we get a glimpse at the ordeals of motherhood at all its stages and the difficulties of maintaining a work - life balance, all written in a very enchanting and captivating way.
Unfortunately we get to see lesser of Margaret compared to book one, however we still get a lovely dose of the sisterhood that bonds the three McCrae daughters together and their love and support for each other, despite of their extremely different personalities and opinions.
Moreover, they try to solve a new mystery about Jenna - a woman who used to work in the bakery decades ago who had left behind a recipe box and her ghost kept nagging at Daisy to investigate about her past.
Although I liked the first book more, this one too was interesting & I will surely read more books by Mary Ellen Taylor because I really loved the cozy mystery vibes she can set in her books and the writing style too.

He can win me any day of the week. I was hooked and loved it from start to finish. Must read it and you will understand and be hooked. read it today

Sweet Expectations was a great read. It has all of the elements of a good love story and also includes a little drama and suspense. It’s about a woman who moves to her hometown to run the family business. While rekindling a romance with her ex-fiancé, she realizes she is expecting another man’s child. She tries to navigate what’s happening in her life while also working through abandonment issues and healing from childhood trauma. While a short renovation of the family business, she finds a something intriguing between the walls that gives a brief story of the history behind the family business. Once she begins to accept things she cannot control, things in her life begin to workout and become more clear to her. Definitely a page turner and a good summer read.

Oh, I absolutely loved this book, love the author as well! The pacing is right on point, finished it in one sitting. Thank you Netgalley and Montlake for the ARC!

I absolutely loved this book—it was like stepping into a warm, cozy bakery filled with the scent of fresh bread and possibility. Daisy McCrae’s journey resonated with me on so many levels. Her struggle to find balance between responsibility and personal dreams felt incredibly real, and I found myself rooting for her every step of the way. The discovery of the hidden recipes and mementos was a beautiful touch, adding layers of nostalgia and intrigue. It felt like peeling back history to uncover forgotten stories, something I’ve always found fascinating. But what really made this book shine for me was its emotional depth. Daisy’s moments of doubt, resilience, and hope mirrored so many of the struggles we all face—trying to find our place while holding onto the things that matter. The writing had a comforting, immersive quality that made me feel as if I were right there in the bakery, watching renovations unfold, smelling the flour and cinnamon in the air. I finished this book with a full heart, grateful for the reminder that even the most unexpected changes can lead us somewhere beautiful.