Siblings Robert, Hattie and Bunty find themselves in their 70’s with their previously controlled lives now in chaos.
Robert, retired headteacher, baker, gardener and owner of a variety of animals with rather cute names , is now seen as a ‘babe magnet’.
Hattie, one year after becoming a widow, grows from bullied wife to independent lady.
Bunty, social butterfly, needs to learn to make some difficult decisions.
This quirky story made me laugh and groan and I really enjoyed it.

I am a huge fan of Judy Leigh and her amazing books. I just love the way in which she writes such fun and feelgood fiction whilst at the same time illustrating that the fun doesn't have to stop just because you reach a particular age. I have read and loved each and every book that she has written to date. When I heard that Judy was due to release another book, I knew that I had to grab a copy at the earliest opportunity and hibernate until after I had read the last word on the last page. Well ladies and gents the wait is over because Judy's new book is called 'The Vintage Village Bake Off' and it was released on 4th December 2023. I absolutely adored reading 'The Vintage Village Bake Off' but more about that in a bit.

The fact that I saw Judy's name on the cover of a book that I knew I hadn't yet read was enough to grab my attention and draw me in. As soon as I started reading, I knew that I would be doing nothing other than reading for the rest of the afternoon. I was spot on too. I was blown away by the story and by the characters. In fact certain characters ended up feeling more like friends rather than strangers in a book. I developed my own suspicions as to how the story was going to pan out so of course I had to keep reading to see if I was anywhere near the truth or if I had wandered off in the opposite direction. The more of the book that I read, the more I wanted to read and the quicker the pages seemed to turn. I started chuckling at the start of the book and kept on chuckling away to myself until long after I read the last word on the last page. 'The Vintage Village Bake Off' was one of those books that I had mixed feelings about finishing. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't disappointed with how the story ended but I Was so enjoying the story, the characters and the author's writing style so much that I just wanted the story to continue for a lot longer. All too quickly I reached the end of 'The Vintage Village Bake Off'. I found 'The Vintage Village Bake Off' to be a delight to read from start to finish with lots of funny and feel good moments and a generous helping of romance.

'The Vintage Village Bake Off' is superbly written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Judy Leigh. Judy has an easy going writing style that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact reading one of Judy's books feels more like a chat between friends rather than reading an actual book. I hope that makes sense. Judy clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in the very vivid and realistic way in which she describes them. She makes her characters seem just as real as you and I. As I mentioned earlier in this review, a fair few of the characters ended up feeling more like friends rather then strangers in a book. I love the way in which the author makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and at the heart of the action. That's how I felt anyway. 'The Vintage Village Bake Off' is a perfect tonic,the story will certainly cheer you up and leave you with a smile on your face.

In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Vintage Village Bake Off' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Judy's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

When I start a Judy Leigh's novel I now that I'm in for a treat and a very entertaining story like this one.
Well plotted, humourous,, a book about love of life and living at full
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Once again, Judy has written a lovely book with many laugh out loud moments. I just wish I could bake like Robert!

Over the last couple of years, Judy Leigh (also writing as Elena Collins) has become one of my favourite authors. I love how she has older characters living their best lives and I try to read all her books, so I was very excited to see she had a new book out. What was also exciting was the title. Being a fan of The Great British Bake Off on TV, I figured this book was going to be a great read.
The novel begins with a prologue set 49 years ago at the wedding of Harriet (known as Hattie) and Geoffrey. We meet the main characters of the novel - Hattie is a secretary, her brother Robert is a schoolteacher, her younger sister Bunty is there too.
Then we move to the present day and discover Hattie and Geoffrey are divorced. Hattie is living in Oxfordshire and hasn’t seen her siblings as much as she would have liked – but that’s about to change. Bunty turns up at her house after leaving her husband for another man. Robert is in his seventies and lives in Devon with his cat Isaac Mewton (who is a great character in her own right!). Robert is fond of reading, gardening and baking. Soon, Hattie and Bunty end up in Devon to see their brother – who has unwittingly become the most eligible bachelor in the village!
Judy’s characters are so well drawn that you warm to them straight away and are interested in their stories. Her style of writing is beautifully readable and her descriptions of people are particularly good. Add in a healthy mixture of baking and a competition between two counties and there’s certainly enough to hold your interest throughout this charming story. That’s not to say everything is idyllic in the village though and there are a few “bad guys” to contrast with the many lovely characters. Overall, it’s a great, fun read and I really enjoyed it.

I’ve loved every one of the author’s contemporary second chance romances, but I really think I might have found my new favourite. The characters were simply wonderful and soon found their places in my heart, their wealth of life experience and paths to future happiness so very easy to identify with, and the whole story had a warmth and lightness of touch that I found totally adorable.

Hattie never really was a fuddy duddy, but fifty years of marriage to the horrendous Geoffrey had taken away every bit of her confidence and self belief – but with the encouragement of a close friend and a new determination not to allow her age to define her, she begins to rediscover her sparkle. Then sister Bunty arrives on her doorstep – always the butterfly that Hattie aspires to be, she’s walked away from her marriage and become involved with a man who seems to offer the excitement she’s missing in her life, but who might just not be quite everything she wants him to be. Brother Robert is content with his solitary life in Devon, surrounded by his animals, a keen gardener, he’s developed rather a passion for baking – and he’s rather good at it too, if a little perplexed by the attention he’s attracting from every woman in the vicinity all eager to become hands-on with more than just his scones.

When Bunty’s antics become a little too much to bear, Hattie leaves her to it for a while and takes an overdue break in Devon – where she has time to breathe, and is warmly welcomed by a community of individuals who need her interventions as much as she needs their support and friendship. And as word spreads about Robert’s baking, he finds himself caught up in a televised contest where he rather uncomfortably finds himself needing to hold up the reputation of his county against stiff Cornish competition – to take place on the newly built patio he’s always wanted, if it can be completed in time.

But while those are the bare bones of the story, this book is so much more than that. All three siblings go on a journey, realising that life is for living, that age is no barrier to new experiences and the possibility of romance, finding new happiness in their different ways, and bringing joy to others whose lives they touch. The cast of characters, both major and minor, is quite wonderful – every individual beautifully drawn with their own stories, every one of them entirely real. The humour is gentle, and the smile it brought to my face never wavered through the ups and downs of the story – and, at times, it’s immensely touching as each of them face up to their mistakes and wrong turns in life, but discover that they have so much to offer and that the future holds more promise than they could ever imagine.

And the Scone Wars? Well, that whole storyline was just perfect… this whole book was an absolute delight, and I really couldn’t recommend it more highly.

A charming cozy read that will make you want to eat (or bake) lots of scones. You've been warned! ;) Siblings Robert, Hattie, and Bunty are all at different crossroads in their lives. Outgoing Bunty seems carefree at first glance, but nothing is as it seems. Bachelor Robert is totally unaware of how interested the local ladies are in him, leading to hilarious moments. Hattie was my favorite character. It's wonderful to read how she evolves from a people pleaser to someone full of confidence, unafraid to make her own decisions. It's never too late for a second chance.

I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Both the cover and the author grabbed me to read this book, and what a great choice I made. The older generation living in the village are really taken by Robert, who in his 70's have the ladies running for him. This is a great read and I can't wait for the next book by this author, we always get good books from her. 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley, author and publisher for this ARC

I'll be honest I've struggled with this book. I was really looking forward to it because I've loved all of the books that Judy Leigh writes under Elena Collins but I've never read any of her other books like this one so I jumped at the chance to be on this tour and read one of these other books confident that id love it. But I've honestly spent the 23% of the book I've read desperately trying to get into it. I think it's a slow-builder story and I'm not a fan of those I often find they take too long for anything to happen and I get bored.
I loved the cover artwork, I think it's cute and fits well with the blurb and what I've read of the book. The writing style is really nice to read and it's not a difficult style to get on with, I do enjoy the way it's written. I just don't think this book is for me, but I will try another of Judy's books because I do enjoy her writing style.

Love the fact that the main characters are all of an older persuasion. Brilliant concept, light hearted and fun a great read. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy

I must say, it's refreshing to read about older people living their best lives. This was a lightheaded and fun read, where we see our main three characters look upon their stories, acknowledge the bad and the mistakes and then make the moves to change that, all the while giving themselves permission to try new things and being true to who they are. I would point that the bake off part was very minimal, so the title might be a bit misleading... There's a lot of baking, just not the competition...
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All that said, this was a fun, quick and entertaining read, with the message that you're never too old to start living.

sweet

I enjoyed the Vintage Village Bake Off as a light, sweet diversion during a long plane trip. It was an ideal distraction. This is a clean well-crafted story.

Thank you to the publisher for lending me a time-constrained e-arc via Netgalley. This review is optional and my own opinion.

This book was fun to read. It focusses on how we are never too old for second chances and how it is never too late to delve into new opportunities.

Whilst Hattie is the main character, it is really the story of three siblings of mature years, Hattie, Robert and Bunty. The author has developed their characters brilliantly, and they were each a joy to become acquainted with.
What was delightful in this book was observing how Hattie grew as a person. Having escaped her marriage to the coercive and controlling Geoffrey it was marvellous to observe how she grew in strength and character.

It was a character led book set in an English village in Devon. The author conveys the feeling of community very well. Devon is a beautiful part of the country, and she did a great job in demonstrating that through the narrative.

It was a heartwarming and lighthearted novel which was a pleasure to read, and I recommend it.

The Vintage Village Bake Off is a fun and heartwarming story about three septuagenarian siblings who have grown apart over time, but are brought back together by eldest brother Robert’s village baking competition.

Fun characters, delicious baked treats and cute animals with silly names make this book a light and uplifting read. I didn’t expect this book to make me laugh as much as it did! It is also a great reminder that you are never too old for new beginnings.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Septuagenarian siblings living miles apart
Get together and share in the village's heart.
Joining in with the community and having fun,
Working together, getting many things done!

After forty-nine years Hattie has escaped at last
Unsure why she put up with so much in the past.
Divorced now for more than a year
She's decided it is time to live without fear.

When Bunty, her younger sister, turns up after leaving her man
Hattie is unsure about any plan.
But shenanigans and mischief means Hattie will escape, too,
She's off to stay with their brother, Robert, for a day or a few.

As these three siblings strive to make the most of their chances
None of them are anticipating any new romances.
Robert's a baker, unaware of his charm -
And the attention of women causes him alarm.

With fun animal pets, tasty treats and surprises galore
This is a fun read, the kind I adore.
It shows it is never too late for a fresh start
If only you dare open up your heart!

For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review.

I have always enjoyed Judy Leigh novels and was looking forward to reading The Vintage Village Bake Off - I wasn’t disappointed!

We meet Robert, Bunty and Hattie; two sisters and their brother who come together for Robert’s baking competition in the wonderful Devon village of Millbrook.

The main characters are all older members of the community and are so enjoyable. I had several laugh out loud moments in this family orientated, feel-good story.

Very glad Hattie started becoming a strong independent woman and started standing up for herself and opening up with her talents as the story progressed. Her brother seems blissfully in his own world not knowing how women love men who know their way around a kitchen, which was quite funny. And I am glad Bunty found herself and her way as well, despite having been reliant on others her whole life. (I know some people who are like her...) Enjoyed the story as a whole!

Fun story about two sisters and their brother. They're slightly strange, loveable and sometimes unaware. In their ;70s, life is changing for all three. One is divorced, one is cheating on her husband and the brother is becoming a local sex symbol for his baking.abilities. I enjoyed the older characters, sometimes bumbling and sometimes totally smart. The side characters are funny and round out their stories perfectly. Enjoyable read!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

Funny, quick pace and great believe-able characters. Lovely light hearted story which has you laughing,

Really good book with plenty of interesting parts. It was funny in places and had characters who you could believe in. I would recommend this book if you want some light hearted reading.