The Vintage Village Bake Off by Judy Leigh #Review

 

Here we are with another amusing romcom by Judy Leigh. The Vintage Village Bake Off was published by Boldwood Books on December 4th.

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.

Enjoy Judy Leigh's wonderful world of family, friendship and feasting in this perfect feel-good story for all fans of Maddie Please, Dawn French and Caroline James.

My Thoughts

Another Judy Leigh novel aways holds out the promise of lashings of humour and some down to earth characters. This one is no exception. Here we see the lives of three siblings and how their lives in late middle age have lived up to their expectations. You are always sure that they have great affection for each other and that each can see in their sibling, just what changes will help them to be happy. Hattie is aware that her life has been dominated by her ex husband but needs encouragement to make any changes. Her sister, Bunty, is incorrigible and arrives unexpectedly with a new boyfriend in tow. It does not take long to get the measure of him. In Dorset, Robert has carved a solitary but contented life, quite unaware of the effect he has on the locals. 

    There is much humour in the villagers but also some good common sense on the best way forward. Love and change may appear unexpectedly but you certainly sense that by the end of the story, there will be some new beginnings.

In short: love, affection, friendship

About the Author

 Judy Leigh is the USA Today bestselling author of The Old Girls’ Network and Five French Hens and the doyenne of the ‘it’s never too late’ genre of women’s fiction. She has lived all over the UK from Liverpool to Cornwall, but currently resides in Somerset.

You can follow Judy here: Twitter 

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Thanks to Judy Leigh, Boldwood Books and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources   for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.