Mrs Quinn's Rise to Fame - Olivia Ford

 

Description

'As delicious and comforting as a freshly baked sponge. A most, heartwarming story and delightful debut' Ruth Jones, bestselling author of Love Untold

'An absolute delight. A lovely novel full of warmth, courage and heart, Jenny Quinn is a heroine you’ll cheer for every step of the way' A J Pearce, bestselling author of Dear Mrs Bird

‘Calling all Great British Baking Show fans: this charming novel will fill the cake-shaped hole in your heart with the kind of feel-good suspense we love from the likes of Paul Hollywood’ Good Housekeeping
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Mrs Quinn is the unlikely star of Britain's favourite baking show, but could her newfound stardom cause her biggest secret to unravel?

Jennifer Quinn has a secret. Her love of baking has just won her a spot as a contestant on a primetime TV show. It's only the second time in fifty-nine years that she's kept something from her beloved husband Bernard.

She's about to be whisked into an unfamiliar world of cameras, timed challenges and celebrity judges. She could be in with a chance of being crowned the best baker in Britain.

But, as Mrs Quinn's quiet ambitions turn into unexpected stardom, the other secret she's been keeping is in danger of resurfacing. It was supposed to stay hidden forever.

Will Mrs Quinn rise to the challenge? Or, will her success become a recipe for disaster?
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'Bake Off fans, don’t miss this! Delectable food writing and a quietly loveable heroine' Daily Mail

'A charming, heartfelt and uplifting novel about love, family and the emotive power of home baking' Libby Page, bestselling author of The Lido

'Perfectly baked, utterly delicious, and completely moreish' Clare Pooley, bestselling author of The Authenticity Project

Review

If you love Bake Off - then you will probably love this book too.

Jenny is 77 and decides before it is too late she needs to make a mark in the world. So she applies to be a contestant on the TV programme Britain Bakes, and is successful. The BB programme has many similarities with GBBO and to me felt like a glimpse behind the scenes with all the bits you don't see, which I loved.

Whilst the story of Jenny appearing on TV is happening there is a also a flashback storyline from Jenny's youth interspersed in the pages. It was a little bit of a jolt from the lovely baking and at first I did resent it a little for intruding on my enjoyment. So many of Jenny's recipes come from her family and so the tie in with each of the storylines was a recipe. 

Wonderful descriptions of the baking which made me want to get in the kitchen, or maybe just eat cake! Jenny is a lovely character and so is her husband. That's why when she hides not one but two secrets from him it is worrying if their relationship will survive. 

A wonderful ending left me with a tear in my eye. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the down to earth writing. No trying to tie up loose ends in neat words, it was at times a little brutal even, but I still couldn't wait to get back to reading this book.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to netgalley for the ARC to review. The book will be published on 28 March 2024.

Way Back - Sara Cox

 

Description

'Full of Sara Cox's natural warmth and wit' PRIMA
'Relatable, observant and funny' WOMAN & HOME

Josie's life is fine. Absolutely, completely fine.

Nice husband, brilliant best friend, a gorgeous kid at uni. The big house of her dreams on its leafy London street is a lifetime away from the Lancashire farm of her childhood. So what if her mother is tricky, and James isn't in love with Josie any more, and maybe she's not in love with him either? It's great to have time to herself now Chloe's flown the nest . . . isn't it?

This is the life Josie never believed possible. The life she needed when her heart was breaking as a child, when her mum wasn't coping and Josie had to grow up too fast. So why this feeling, nibbling away at the edges of Josie's thoughts? The sense that she has lost something. That she has lost herself.

If Josie is to truly live, she must now take back the reins and confront her future. And to find her way ahead, she needs to go back - way back.

To the place where it all began . . .
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'A gorgeously written story of starting over, secrets, friendship... and going wild in the country' LUCY DIAMOND
'A warm and moving dive into childhood secrets' JO BRAND
'Gorgeous! Warm and funny and brimming with tenderness and heart' GRAHAM NORTON

Review

I loved Thrown, but struggled to get into this one as easily.

I could really hear Sara's voice coming through in this book. Possibly because I know she is the daughter of a farmer and often recounts tales on the radio. I think this also enabled her vivid descriptions of farm life throughout the book.

Josie is a 50 something and has split up with her husband, but what does she want out of life now she finally has the chance to find out. I certainly wasn't expecting what happened to Josie, and at times worried that she had bitten off far more than she could manage. 

I thought the first half of the book dragged a little for me. It contained a lot of descriptive writing and revisiting the past. I prefer narration so it could just be me. I never thought about not finishing it, but it didn't make me want to get back to it. The second part of the book was much more lively with a little twist, which I hadn't seen coming, as I thought I had it all sussed out.

Overall I enjoyed the book and the characters, which were well developed and had depth. 

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks to netgalley for the ARC to review. The book is published on 26 March 2024.