This fictional story stems from family loss and begins in rural Michigan after a pastor and his wife deliver two red rosebuds from the church altar to a local residence, only to find a young man grief-stricken and suicidal after his pregnant girlfriend's tragic death, caring for his surviving newborn. Thus starts Derrick Armstrong's fraught journey of recovery as a handsome bachelor, as he vows to raise Karl Kert in a loving home while embracing his partner's last hopes of owning a simple storefront, Angelica's Semi-Sweet Bakery, specializing in delicious gourmet sugarless pastries. Seventeen years later, Derrick's prospering career and home life sour as his sheltered and exceptional teenager strives to mimic him for approval while his father's dark social vices ensue, destined to tear their close relationship apart. A jealous, mysterious, and volatile villain becomes the catalyst from the past and plagues Derrick's promising future, targeting and tainting his most intimate surroundings. This intriguing and magical coming-of-age melodrama includes intricate foreshadowing and humorous parodies with diverse characters, sensual adult romance, blistering emotions, and several shocking backstory climaxes arcing into the final chapter. It concludes with an enlightening and poetic message of faith and hope that will stay with you long after turning the last page.