I loved this Christmas women's fiction book, which is about Margi, who is in her sixties. Margi is a baker, and she is in charge of the annual gingerbread exhibit and grotto in her local area. She is not feeling very Christmassy this year, especially as her gingerbread village is not as popular as it used to be. She asks for help, and her friends and family pull together to try to help her out. Will she be able to save her gingerbread village, and better still, will she perhaps even find some romance?

This is a great book, which is perfect to read on a cold day, snuggled up in front of the fire, with a hot cup of tea and a favourite treat. Highly recommended!


Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

Thank you to Hera Books and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy of The Gingerbread Christmas Village by Kiley Dunbar.

64-year old Margi has lived in Wheaton all of her life, and has been passed the honor and responsibility of creating the town’s annual gingerbread exhibit each year. She has always loved Christmas and the excitement creating the gingerbread grotto brings, however, since the abrupt end of her second marriage, Margi has not felt much Christmas spirit. She has made the decision that this year will be her last - for the display and for living in Wheaton, but she wants to keep her plans secret for now from her best friend Izzy, her niece Lucy (who has just suffered heartbreak of her own), Fern (the newest recruit to the gingerbread committee), and her long-time crush Patrick (who is 15 years her junior). As the group prepares for this year’s exhibit, roadblocks begin to appear that could ruin the longtime Wheaton tradition. This Christmas, Margi is not only leading the gingerbread committee in creating the perfect grotto; she’s coming face-to-face with her pride, her loneliness, and her expectations for this season of her life.

I LOVED this book!! Margi is a great character who Dunbar has accurately written to sum up how many of us as women feel going into their menopausal and post-menopausal lives. The Gingerbread Christmas Village is a sweet story of friendship and what it means to live a full life - even when it looks differently than what you might expect. I will definitely be purchasing this book for my shelf and for my friends, and will be adding the rest of Kiley Dunbar’s books to my TBR list!

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book, but unfortunately it just didn't give me the festive cheer I was looking for (Yes I know I read it in the summer time, BUT in fairness the UK summer was more like winter anyway let's be real), so it did fall a little flat for me. I liked the characters but I wasn't totally invested in their story.

I liked that the side characters got a bit of development in this which added to the overall story which I think made me enjoy it all the more. However I'm not sure I'd continue reading if it turns out to be a series of books.

I love Christmas and Christmas themed books. So this one jumped out at me and I had to read it. And I am glad I did as it is such a nice, warm Christmas read.

This is a real feel good read with a beautiful, warm and fuzzy Christmas setting and some great characters. Margi is a great character that just wants to move on but Her friends and the community want to help and want to save the Gingerbread Grotto.

This isn't just a Christmas read but a book about people, community, friendship and society. It really hits the mark and with the undertones of Christmas spirit and a bit of romance it is the perfect book to snuggle up with on a cold day with a cuppa by your side.

Thank you NetGalley and Hera Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

It took me to at least 25% of the book to actually start enjoying this. It was definitely slow starting but about a quarter of the way through I was hooked and had the rest of the book read within a few hours. A cosy and lovely Christmas read

What a lovely, heartwarming, festive read. I finished this book with my heart so full of love for Margi and the residents of Wheaton. It was just so lovely to see the community rally round and help out. There were some real heart felt moments along with some laugh out loud ones (Margi's dates were so cringe worthy, I couldn't help but laugh). Let's not forget to mention Patrick. What a sweet, lovely man. The perfect festive read. I'd love to see a follow up with Lucy as the main character.

Ooooh this was wonderful. I loved reading a book with an older main character who still felt young but not too young that her age and behaviour didn't make sense. I loved all the different generations coming together to save Christmas and the gingerbread village. I now want to set up a gingerbread village in my town! Every character felt very real and well developed and their backstories were very interesting and the growth they all went through was wonderful.

The book is filled with humor, romance, heartbreak and community and I had a blast reading it, I did struggle a little bit in the first chapter to get into it but once I was hooked, I could not stop reading. I also shed some tears while reading which in my book means this is just a great holiday read.
Kiley is such a good storyteller, her Borrow a Bookshop series is filled with wonderful characters like Margi, Izz, Lucy who are all very relatable and I love following them on their journeys of self-discovery.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kiley Dunbar and Hera Publishing for the advanced copy, all opinions are my own.

What a beautiful Christmas read. I loved the whole idea of a gingerbread village, I wish more villages did it. The friendships, both old and new were very touching, I liked all the different generations finding common ground, and through forging new friendships Margi was able to bring the Christmas spirit back to Wheaton and her mothers legacy of doing something with and for the community.

The relationship between Margi and Patrick was very interesting, I could see how she thought the age gap was too big and that people might talk, but Margi didn’t seem like a woman past her prime, she was full of life and seemed very young, age is just a number and not really relevant to her and Patrick, they were meant for each other. Patrick was a great, loving character and I loved how nice he was to people and how he brought out the best in people. That date he set up for Margi with the help of his work friends was so romantic and thoughtful.

I loved this from start to finish.

This is such a gorgeous and cosy story that is perfect for the upcoming season i would highly recommend!

I really enjoyed this unusual story. It is tinged with sadness but friendships and community spirit shine through. The Christmas Gingerbread Village is a long standing family tradition passed on from Mother to Daughter. Originally a main annual village event interest is now dwindling and Margi is determined to make one last effort to make this, possibly the last one, shine. A really good story that I would recommend.

The Gingerbread Christmas Village is a heartwarming story full of goodness and laughter! I love the main character Margi (with a soft g), and I hope to be just like her when I'm her age. I appreciate that the author, Kiley Dunbar, wrote a love story from the perspective of a woman's in her 60's and that it's an age-gap romance. However, that's not the only romance in the story! There's also the relationship/romance between Margi and herself, Margi and her town, and Margi and her baking. I loved all of the side characters and stories, especially Fern & Shell and Izz. This is a slow burn all around, but the author takes the time to develop the characters in a way that you can't help but love them. This book is also very inclusive and it doesn't feel forced. If you're looking for a cute, interesting and hopeful seasoning read, The Gingerbread Christmas Village is it! #netgalley #arc #kileydunbar #kindle

This is a light-hearted but emotional and perfect seasonal read. With interesting characters and a good storyline. Although it also has some good laugh out loud moments too.

The Gingerbread Christmas Village was such a cute and cozy read! Perfect for fans of The Holiday or Hallmark movies! I really enjoyed it during Christmas in July, and I can’t wait for the holidays!

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

Margi Frost, pronounced with a G not a J as in MarGhee is an amiable lady aged 64. As a child Margi's mother used to make a replica of her village in gingerbread to display in her home town in the Cotswolds. Margi grew to help her mother make and decorate the village scene. Local people would pop in with whatever baking supplies that they could donate. It was something that bought the whole village together. As time goes by Margi, now alone after the death of her parents, fights to keep the tradition alive. This year she has competition with another, much bigger event, close to home. Can she find her Christmas spirit to keep this tradition alive? There are friends who help her along the way and a budding romance along the way. Overall I was just a little bored with the story. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a lovely feel good Christmas romance that was the perfect antidote to a busy day at work, I’d sit back and relax with a mug of hot chocolate and my kindle and be sorted!

All of the characters were lovely and even though Margi is an older MC, which I love in books, there was a younger feel with the surrounding characters especially Lucy and Fern. The community spirit has been tucked away for a while but the ending of this was so magical and just put a smile on my face.

It also made me think of Dunham Massey near me and their light trails at Christmas - I’m already looking forward to heading to another one of these this year!

"The Gingerbread Christmas Village" by Kiley Dunbar is a heartwarming journey into the enchanting magic of Christmas, where community, friendship, and the rediscovery of oneself blend seamlessly in the picturesque setting of the Cotswold hamlet of Wheaton. Amidst the twinkling lights and festive cheer, you'll follow the spirited Margi, a 64-year-old with a heart full of dreams and a gingerbread exhibit in need of revival, on a touching quest to reclaim her Christmas spirit and redefine her sense of purpose.

Kiley Dunbar's masterful storytelling weaves themes of love, self-discovery, and the joy of human connections against the backdrop of a village preparing for the holiday season. In the heart of this tale, you'll stand alongside Margi as she challenges societal norms and the limitations of age, realizing that every moment is ripe for new beginnings. The warmth of intergenerational friendships between Margi, her niece Lucy, and the reserved farmer's daughter Fern demonstrates the incredible strength that comes from forging bonds across generations.

A delightful blend of humor and romance, "The Gingerbread Christmas Village" offers you a festive escape into a world where gingerbread grottos and twinkling lights create a backdrop for personal growth and heartwarming transformation. As you immerse yourself in the characters' journeys, particularly Margi's, you'll find a connection that resonates deeply. Kiley Dunbar's vivid portrayal of the village and its vibrant community radiates warmth, inviting you to experience the holiday magic and the rejuvenation of the Christmas spirit. This novel is more than just a seasonal read; it's a heartwarming embrace that will leave you with a renewed appreciation for the beauty of the human experience, making it a perfect addition to your holiday reading list.

I'm a bit undecided on this book. It wasn't what I anticipated from this author, not bad but just not what I'd hoped.

The Gingerbread Christmas Village was a lovely read all about small villages, traditions and the type of characters that make you wish you could just step into the story.

I love Christmas books that make you feel all festive and cosy and this book does just that - a perfect christmas read.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. The Gingerbread Christmas Village is a heartwarming seasonal read. Good plot and charming characters.

Margi is getting ready yo make the annual Wheaton christmas village made out of gingerbread. Her mum started it but its now got bigger and she doesnt want to do it any more. She has help from her friends Izz and Patrick but decides this will be her last year