The Vintage Village Bake Off - Judy Leigh

 

Description

Now in his seventies, Robert Parkin is stunned to find himself the unlikely sex symbol of the village gardening club.

Living in happy solitude with his cat Isaac Mewton in the Devon village of Millbrook, entertained by his mischievous chickens and goats, Robert has never figured out the rules of romance. But as the local ladies vie for his company, it soon becomes clear that Robert’s Victoria Sponge cake is the lure, and as his baking prowess grows, so does his confidence.

Cheesecakes, meringues, puddings, Robert can do it all, but his real masterpieces are his scones – ginger, rosemary, coconut, fruit, his recipes are inspired and soon come to the attention of the local media. Which county does the best cream tea – Devon or Cornwall? It’s time for an age-old debate to be settled with a competition.

Robert’s sisters Bunty and Hattie are both at crossroads in their lives, so news of their brother’s baking competition is the perfect excuse to bring them to Millbrook. And as the siblings relish each other’s company, and Robert relishes being at the heart of his community, a summer of scones may just light the way to long-lasting happiness for them all.

Review

I admit the title of this book and the author just had me wanting to read it. So I spent a good few pages wondering when the Bake Off was going to begin. I even began to think I had picked up the wrong book.

Once I settled into the story I was fine and put the Bake Off idea out of my head. Whilst this might on the surface appear to be a gentle tale there were a couple of characters who made my blood boil. Just as I was beginning to think all was well in the village there was a little incidence and I was brought back down to earth.

I loved the descriptions of the baking and the recipes - you might want to have eaten before reading! The characters were charming in the main and some even grew a backbone after decades of put downs. Eventually we got to the bake off and the deciding factor of who does have the best cream tea - Devon or Cornwall?

A delightful fun and witty read. I'm giving it four out of five stars.

My thanks to netgalley for the ARC to review. This book is published on 4 December 2023.

What Might Have Been - Holly Miller

 

Description

One split-second decision.
Two different love stories.

Lucy's life is at a crossroads. She's just walked out of her unrewarding job and has no idea about her next step: use her savings to pursue her dream of becoming a writer, or move to London to try and revive her career? It almost seems like fate that on that same night she meets Caleb, a stranger in a bar, and runs into Max, the one-time love of her life.

Should Lucy stay in the seaside town she grew up in, and in doing so, get to know Caleb better? Or should she go to London and reconnect with Max again after he broke her heart a decade ago? It's just one decision - but sometimes one decision can change the course of your whole life . . .

WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN is a sweeping and unforgettable novel for anyone who has ever believed in destiny and soulmates - or paused to wonder what your life might look like if you'd made a different choice.

Review

If you've seen the film Sliding Doors or read the Two Lives of Lydia Bird, then you will be familiar with the concept of this book.

The premise of this story is that Lucy has two life choices. Should she reunite with an ex and go away or stick with the new guy she just met in the pub and stay put? The book follows what her life would be like depending on her choice. It has a dual time line with the header STAY or GO so you know which time line you are reading.

I did have moments in this book where I got confused which timeline I was in. Not due to the writing, but just with my own memory, having put the book down in between chapters. I read on and clues to past events put me right again. Towards the middle of the book I felt the progression of the story slowed down and whilst it was interesting to read the same events in the different timelines it also felt a little repetitive.

The last third of the book was for me where the stories came together, and it was very poignant. I'm glad I read to the end, I really wanted to know what would become of Lucy, Max and Caleb, just a little quicker than it took. Although this is a romcom there are potential triggers for readers.

I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to netgalley for the ARC to review.