Another wonderful book by Judy leigh! I love the plot and characters. There are some really unique people in this story. My heart breaks a little for these 70 something siblings that are still trying to find themselves, but it also shows that it is never too late to be happy.

Definitely recommend this lovely book!

I want to thank Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving me the pleasure of reading the advance reader copy, with no obligation to write a review. My review is written freely as a hobby, and is totally my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC.

Another gorgeous read by this talented author—five fabulous stars from me.

Many thanks to the publisher and author for the ARC opportunity.

What a cozy little story of second-chance love! Three siblings, not super close but very fond of each other, find themselves in life crises (criseses? crise's?) all at the same time. Hattie is still reeling from an abusive marriage, Bunty (ever the cute one) is wondering if her husband is just a bit too bland and boring and Robert (I think?) has never found true love. Now, deep into their seventies all three find themselves together taking life by storm.

It's such a sweet story and although some of it didn't make much sense (a seventy year old wearing sexy jeans? I don't know many SIXTY year olds feeling that way but maybe I am the wrong demographic), this truly was a wonderful novel of sibling love and friendship that overcomes all obstacles. So so sweet!

Story of three siblings.
Hattie has ended a forty-nine year marriage to a verbally abusive husband, Bunty hides her pain by
going off with another man, trying to decide what will happen to her marriage to Sean. Robert, a retired teacher, has suddenly become a babe magnet to the women in his village due to his baking skills. Each one
examines their lives and decide the changes to be made for a much happier future.
A delightful read.
#TheVintageVillageBakeOff #NetGalley

I loved this book as it shows you that you are never too old to live your best life. Robert Parkin is 70 years old and all the ladies are swooning over him. He loves to bake and gives all the animals cute names. He is socially a bit awkward and it just made him such so endearing.

Hattie is finally divorced and she is learning how to enjoy her life. She is standing up for herself, playing the organ and even singing. She only wished she would have started living sooner.

Robert, Hattie and Bunty are siblings that will learn to embrace each other and support each other.

The whole town comes out to watch Robert in Scone Wars. Who knew making scones would change his life.

This is such a fun and heart warming story to live in the moment and live out loud.

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?

Here's a very tepid tale of three siblings, all pensioners who muddled through life only to find that life may have passed them by. However, they discover that it's not too late to reinvent yourself and take charge of life, to realize your dreams and find happiness. It's a story of second chances and finding your true self. I thought it was just an okay read, but not something I would suggest for others as a delightful read. It was "nice". Many thanks to #netgalley #thevintagevillagebakeoff #judyleigh for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Vintage Village Bake Off by Judy Leigh is the most charming contemporary novel that will warm your heart and make you smile.
The lead characters are three siblings in their seventies. They have a lifetime of experience behind them but prove that you are never too old for a fresh start or a new direction. The future is theirs to grab with both hands. “Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.”
We witness a character brow beaten by forty nine years of marriage to a bully who exerted control, squashing the very life out of her. She believes everything he spoke over her – that she is a worthless fuddy duddy in boring clothes. It is beautiful to witness her transformation from black and white to glorious technicolour.
Another character has always been a colourful butterfly but beneath her exterior lies heartache and pain. Her choices to flit about lead to regrets. Is it too late for a do-over?
And the third sibling has had a sensible career as a teacher and then headteacher. Retirement is a time to shine as a new hobby is picked up. Baking is a very popular choice.
I loved the names of the animals owned by a character – Isaac Mewton was a cat. The other names were equally witty and well thought out.
The book opens in Oxfordshire but quickly moves to Devon. Here the air is clean and the village is warm and welcoming, pulling together when needs are identified.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Vintage Village Bake Off. It was a light hearted fun read showing that life is for living to the full, whatever your age.
I will leave you with my favourite quote:
“Life is a treasure and we’ll help ourselves to the riches.”
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

I am a serious devotee of Judy Leigh’s “it’s never too late” fiction, and this book fell neatly into that category. It was uplifting and fun, full of memorable two- and four-legged characters. Downcast Hattie, confirmed bachelor brother Robert, and sister Bunty all evolve in their different ways from and through relationships. Robert is a wonderful baker of scones who becomes a sort of unconscious “babe magnet” through his local gardening club and church. This entails many humorous encounters with local unmarried women.

Robert’s animals—cat Isaac Mewton, goats and fancifully-named hens, all have well-drawn characters of their own and lend much color for animal-lovers like myself.

I can just picture the pushy female journalusts touting the “Scone Wars” between Cornwall’s Tressy and Robert’s Devon! Well-drawn and funny.

My thanks to #NetGalley and #Boldwood Books for a very pleasing read.

A charming novel about three older siblings navigating later life and second chances. A charming novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a warm, loving book with a good community vibe and friendly feel. There are a number of characters who you come across in the book, which in a way actually got a bit confusing for me.

I enjoyed the idea and motto that it's never too late to start living your life and that looking after yourself is good! As an avid baker too, I thought this link was fun and different.

That being said, as a younger reader, it wasn't my cup of tea and I felt I couldn't properly relate/get my teeth into the characters.

Robert loves his garden and baking. When he starts taking his baking to the gardening club all the single ladies start coming round constantly. His sister Hattie and Bunty are having personal problems so end up coming to stay with him

The familiar story of love and friendship in a small British village, takes a less familiar turn by casting a male as the protagonist. Robert enjoys a solitary life with his cat, but the local women in his small village are more are fighting for his company. Because Robert, likes to bake. And he’s not just any baker, he’s one of the best, and the of Millbrook are determined to see him happily settled with one of them. This is a little chocolate box of a book, balm for readers tired of the darkness we see on our news feed every day.

A gentle story of love for family and life in later years, lovely humour, lots of references to cake making which make you want to get up and start baking. Nice ending, true to life characters…what’s not to like in this easy to read novel?

Thank you to Netgalley the publishers and author for an arc in exchange for an honest review

This was a delightful read! Whilst it's not the type of book I usually go for, I saw the cover and the title on NetGalley and I was sold (thank you for the ARC, by the way!).

It's rare to find books with elderly protagonists rediscovering the delights of life like the characters of this book do. There is a cosy setting, cream teas, righting of wrongs, and some charming personalities I couldn't help but root for (I have to admit, even a character I initially disliked grew on me as the story went on).

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for something really cosy and uplifting, particularly if you'd like a glimpse of British village life and older characters finding empowerment and happiness. Also, for the Good Omens fans out there, Robert gave me major Aziraphale vibes, so that's that

A sweet story about three older siblings who find themselves in retirement age and in need of a second chance. Great characters and a fun plot.

I love this authors books and their ability to write multigenerational stories that make you laugh and cry and lift you up while reading as they are always filled with positive vibes and the moto that it is never to late to chase your dreams or do all of the things you have wanted to do and that you can make a fresh start at any age.

This was an uplifting read of friendships and family and filled with characters that you could warm to and relatable storylines with the addition of cake what more could you want in a perfect read.

The Vintage Village Bake Off is a cozy romance about a man and his two sisters and their second chance at romance. This is a slow one however I enjoyed it a lot. I thought Hattie and Robert were great characters, but Bunty, not so much. I found her a bit farfetched and abrasive, who destroys someone's boiler and doesn't pay for it, and then goes ahead and paints rooms in the house without asking? Nuts. I think it really starts to get good when they all end up at Robert's place. I thought the community there was fantastic and had a lot of colorful characters. Anyway, it is a good story with an uplifting ending.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

Hattie is alone now that her overbearing husband of 49 years has left her. When she goes to stay with her brother in Devon, she begins to get her life back.

What I liked about this book: It's very funny in places, The beginning, when her sister Bunty comes to stay and invites a would-be lover to Hattie's house is excellent. The lover, a ghastly man called Jacko is brilliantly outlined. There are also lots of well observed interactions down in Devon with all the local ladies intent on getting to know Hattie's brother Robert better.

What I wasn't so sure about: It becomes a little repetitive at times. Hattie reflects on her life with the awful Geoffrey a bit too much. The story sags a little in the middle after such a great start. The scenes with Bunty and the horrendous Jacko are spot on and I would have liked to have seen more such scenes.

Overall though an escapist read, just what's needed in these awful times. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.