The Great Christmas Cook Off

Spotlight #5

by Helen Buckley

It’s the festive showdown to end all festive showdowns …
“Queen of Chocolate” Beatrice Wodehouse, known for her decadent desserts, is ready to go head to head with her social media nemesis, clean lean baking machine Charlie Simmonds, in the Great Christmas Cook Off TV show.
Beatrice is fed up of Charlie’s sanctimonious attitude and is ready to show him that food is there to be enjoyed. Surely she’ll blow his keto, low sugar, low-carb mince pies out of the water with her chocolatey creations?
Except filming for the Cook Off turns out to be anything but sugar, spice and all things nice when the contestants realise there’s a festive saboteur in their midst – leading to melted ice cream, trifle mishaps and private stories leaked to the press.
As the countdown to the final commences, suspicions run high and sparks are bound to fly – and not just from the flaming Christmas puddings!

Genres: Christmas, Contemporary

285 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 15, 2022

About the author

Ever since I was little I wanted to be a writer, to turn daydreams into books. Star in the Shadows is my first novel and I've signed a three-book contract with Choc Lit publishers to bring you more contemporary romances. I'm fascinated by fame, in love with Happy Ever Afters, and enthralled by slow-burn romances. I squeeze in time to write around looking after my two sons. Find out more about me on my website www.buckleybooks.org

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beatrice Wodehouse and Charlie Simmonds - baking rivals and social media enemies - were set to join several others in a baking competition leading up to Christmas, with it all filmed then shown to the general public on their television screens just before Christmas. But almost from the word go, things began to go wrong, and it was after the third contestant had been let go, for another unfortunate "accident" that the group suspected there was a saboteur in their midst.

Meanwhile friends were being made, but secrets were also being aired. Who was spreading the gossip across the media sites? Heartbreaking secrets and devastating releases of private information that affected the contestants - who was the culprit? What would be the outcome to this special event which was supposed to be light-hearted and friendly?

The Great Christmas Cook Off by Helen Buckley was fun and entertaining, light-hearted and enjoyable. I definitely had the wrong person as the saboteur! Some delicious food was baked, and some great friendships made. A great read which I recommend.

With thanks to ChocLit Publishing for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all books I have read by Buckley, but this has to be my favourite by far. Christmas, baking and romance, what more could a girl ask for?!

I love how the writer is able to base a sweet romance story on a well-known television show and this one was no exception. With famous bakers competing in a Christmas series, Beatrice comes face-to-face with her long-term enemy: Charlie. Gradually, readers learn why the two are constantly at loggerheads but little do the characters realise that they actually have quite a few things in common. From emotional backgrounds and unhappiness to a love of baking, you would think this would be a recipe for love. However, whilst Beatrice is known as the ‘Queen of Chocolate’, Charlie is the antithesis: baking healthy, guilt-free treats. It’s this that forms the basis of their constant arguing, so you know that when they are competing for the title on the Cook Off show, it’s not going to be without any showdowns.

Yet, alongside this conflict is also the saboteur of the television show. Buckley details each of the rounds of the cooking competition and I really enjoyed reading about these – it felt like I was watching the actual program. At each round of the competition, someone seems to have made an amateur mistake. Eventually the bakers reach the conclusion that someone is deliberately ruining a contestant’s work, ensuring they leave the competition. But, who has such a nasty vendetta to ruin a harmless competition? Naturally, Charlie and Beatrice suspect one another. Will they ever be friends?

This read was as indulgent as Beatrice’s bakes – I wish her creations were available to buy, because they sounded so divine! I could vividly picture the setting as Beatrice and her competitors work hard at every round and, whilst I was able to predict the plot outcome very early in the novel, it definitely did not lessen my enjoyment of the book. Instead, I just felt absorbed by baking, chocolate and romance – a perfect combination.

Although this is set at Christmas, the focus is more on the baking competition; I really think you could read this book at any time of the year! It is a part of a series but can be read on its own. However, I loved seeing characters from previous novels appear in the story, especially in the final chapter. I really hope that there are more television shows-come-novels in the pipeline from Buckley.

Another cracking success from the writer. If you like romance and have a sweet tooth, this will have you reaching for the butter, eggs and sugar in no time!

With thanks to ChocLit for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Tanya R · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was cute!!

I love baking contest shows and so I pretty much knew I would love this book just from the title.

The enemies to lover trope was a great mix in a competition setting. Pre-competition already baked in (pardon the pun)!

I loved the back stories for the two main characters and how they were slowly revealed.

I didn't enjoy some of the 'fat' talk but since it was characters that had dealt with that all their lives, I understood it.

The surprise saboteur was a pretty fun storyline. It made me wonder if anything like that happens on the real TV shows.

Not a ton of talk spent on deep baking processes or actions so the baking is truly just a side character in the book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one!

[Lisa Mandina · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I’ve mentioned in other reviews, while I do not like watching cooking shows, there is something about a book that takes place in a cooking show, especially a reality competition like this one that I can’t resist! This book was a lot of fun in so many ways. I loved all the different types of food that were part of this story. So many that I would love to try!

It was easy to see how Beatrice and Charlie would have such a contentious relationship because of the opposite types of foods they cooked. Although once you got down to the reasons for why they cooked what they did, and their own histories, we could see that really the two were more alike in their reasons for what they did than they could ever imagine. It wasn’t necessarily two opposites attracted to each other, but the enemy to lover trope could fit for sure.

There was a lot of good background for both of the main characters. It made all the things they did and felt make sense. Although I still feel that Beatrice accusing Charlie at that last accident was a little out of it after all the times she’d been talking with the other past contestants about talk of a saboteur. And between the two of them accusing each other back and forth, at a certain point if they’d believed the other, I feel like they should have not gone down that doubting path so quickly and easily. But I guess, the whole saying, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me, could come into play here.

This was a sweet romance. There was no actual action more than a kiss or so. A few somewhat lusty thoughts, but nothing major. So if you enjoy a sweet holiday romance with lots of delicious sounding foods, you should give The Great Christmas Cook Off by Helen Buckley a try.

Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.

[Tiziana Langone · Rating 4 out of 5]

The clash of cooking titans! 
Beatrice Wodehouse has been named the Queen of Chocolate as she is known for her decadent desserts. Now she is ready to participate in The Great Christmas Cook Off TV – show, where several bakers are trying to win the title.
Too bad that one of the contestants is Charlie Simmonds, her nemesis. They both adapt different attitudes, as where Beatrice believes that chocolate can bring heaven on earth (in moderation though!) and Charlie hangs on to his keto, low sugar and low carbs recipes.
But their own personal battle is nothing compared when there appears to be a saboteur in their midst, as the episodes are filled with melted ice – cream, salted dough and also very personal stories leaked to the press, causing the tender friendship built between the two enemies to break before it had the chance to grow into something even more? 
Ooooh how much I enjoy reading Helen Buckley’s books! Each story is amazing and then she writes a book filled with chocolate to be even more amazing! 
I completely understood Bea and how she feels that chocolate can truly bring you in a state of bliss. Whenever she was cooking/ baking in the book, I somehow was able to smell those delicious, decadent scents, making my mouth watering. 
But this story goes way further than just two rivals in a shows, adapting different credos…  
Beatrice has her reasons of why she finds comfort in the sweeter the better. And slowly seeing those reasons made me even like her even more than before. Because despite the family she grew up in, she find her own tribe, friends that are there for her no matter what, that understand her in ways her own parents never did. 
But even if it doesn’t show, Charlie has his own demons to fight. And him using low carbs, no sugar etc come from a deep grief that he is still carrying around. And okay, I am still not a converted person, as I need my daily shot of chocolate, I could understand what Charlie’s purpose was. 
I have to admit, I as very curious and even a bit evil to discover which dish would end up in disaster and how. Of course I felt sad for the contestant, yet it was a tiny bit funny too. And the saboteur didn’t come as a real surprise for me. 
It was lovely to see how despite their initial dislike for each other Bea and Charlie start to spend more time together and start to realize that they aren’t the enemies they thought they were. It warmed my heart to see how they were able to reveal their secrets to each other. But it also broke my heart to see how those secrets are spilled to the press, only causing a breach of that tender bond which I was very eager to develop even further.  
I felt that this story also managed to address serious topics but without a level of becoming too ‘teachy’. The characters are not only facing during the show some kind of bullying, but even during their childhood. But the author makes it also possible for the readers to understand the importance of growing up in a loving family (or the results of when you don’t). And with Charlie’s backstory it made me think about the consequences of overindulgence.
But also in this book we see that having a different belief, doesn’t mean that the counterparty is wrong. And that we all have to try to understand and accept the their different opinion. 
And all this you can get, with an amazing slow burning romance (the only thing that slowly burns in this book!) in one marvellous story, that will make you drool for all the deliciousness and heating your heart for the growing bond between the two main characters. 
This author delivered again a perfect story about yes celebrities, but also so recognizable and likeable and real.  

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

If, like me, you are a fan of The Great British Bake Off, then this is a book that needs to be on your Christmas reading list! It’s the fifth book in Helen Buckley’s Spotlight series but absolutely stands alone. What links the books is that they are inspired by popular reality tv shows but the characters are all different. Having said that, one or two do make a cameo appearance in this book. The book is like the celebrity version of the Great Christmas Bake Off and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Maybe don’t read it if you are hungry though, as you will be craving sweet treats! [I wouldn’t say I’m thinking about food, but I just typed ‘maybe don’t eat it if you are hungry’ instead of read it!]

I really enjoyed following Beatrice and Charlie and all the celebrity contestants taking part in The Great Christmas Cook Off. Beatrice is a Nigella type character. She cooks delicious cakes full of fat, sugar and flavour – and usually chocolate – and has quite a sultry public persona. Charlie however is on a mission to show that healthy food can be equally as delicious and totally disapproves of Beatrice’s high calorie treats. Being very aware of the consequences of over-eating and how it affects people’s health, he wants to make a positive change in people’s lives.

They are from very different backgrounds and hate each other vehemently. Their styles of cooking are so different with Beatrice’s being indulgent and Charlie’s being low-fat and healthy. They are known for a very public social media feud but also are massively attracted to each other. Well, I wonder how things might turn out? It’s fun finding out, that’s for sure!

As the competition starts heating up, things start to go wrong in the kitchen. Could it be sabotage and if so, who was responsible? This added a bit of drama and intrigue to the book as I wondered what was going on. There was also a bit mystery in the backgrounds of both Beatrice and Charlie which very much affected their outlooks on life.

The Great Christmas Cook Off is perfect for fans of the Bake Off with lots of similar ideas and lots of baking puns and innuendo. Get yourself a mince pie and settle down to enjoy this one. In fact, get yourself some gingerbread and a chocolate log and of course some trifle because you’ll want all the tasty treats after reading this tasty treat!

[Julie Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a huge fan of The Great British Bake Off since the very first episode (is there anyone who isn’t? It’s the best type of gentle, innocent TV with delightful competitors who help each other instead of stabbing each other in the back in order to win and where the greatest scandal ever was when a competitor used someone else’s custard in their dessert by mistake) so I was really looking forward to reading Helen Buckley’s spin on a baking competition with a festive twist.

I wasn’t disappointed. I read this book in a single day; one delightful afternoon of indulgence, on the sofa, under a blanket, with a cup of tea and a doughnut. I recommend you do the same to get the full, comforting, sweet and entertaining experience. It was the perfect way to unwind after a tricky couple of weeks and I felt utterly relaxed, satisfied and happy by the time I had finished.

Everything about this book is gentle. The animosity between the main characters (this is an enemies to lovers romance), the romance… even the skulduggery in the competition. In fact, it embodies the spirit of Bake Off so perfectly that, if you love that, you’ll adore this. And if you don’t love that, you’ll still probably love this because it is a really fun read for this time of year.

The way Helen describes the different challenges and the creations that the bakers produce makes you feel like you are really watching the show (and it will make you hungry!) I loved the development of the different characters in the competition, just like in the real show, and you will soon have a favourite. The rivalry and misunderstandings between Bea and Charlie is really well handled and builds to a satisfying ending. Honestly, it would be impossible to find anything to dislike about it. If I was pushed to find the weak point, I might say the denouement is a little too conveniently orchestrated but, you know, by that point I was so in love with this book I wouldn’t have cared if it had been engineered by aliens.

A really fun, festive, feel good novel that will carry you through a lazy, weekend afternoon in front of the fire. I haven’t read any of the rest of the Spotlight series but I am now really tempted to see how the author has handled other popular reality shows in her novels. Lovely stuff.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half stars.

For Christmas the TV producers have decided to put on a week-long celebrity chef cook off. Each day the chefs will be asked to make one traditional Christmas dessert (eg mince pies, Christmas cake etc) and the one with the lowest score gets voted off. Among the celebrity bakers are Beatrice Wodehouse, the upper-class woman dubbed the Queen of Chocolate (think Nigella Lawson) and the council-flat clean-eating fanatic Charlie Simmonds. Charlie and Bea had a falling out on national TV and have been sniping at each other on social media ever since. She thinks he's a killjoy and he thinks she is promoting an unhealthy lifestyle that can lead to obesity and other health issues. This competition is the chance for each of them to prove their baking is superior.

As the competition progresses there are a series of unfortunate accidents which precipitate each baker leaving, could there be a saboteur amongst them desperate to win at any cost? Of course Bea and Charlie each believe the other is to blame.

I enjoyed this, much more than the previous book Keeping Up with the Kershaws, which I have yet to finish. However, I did think the food descriptions did go on too long, Charlie's recipes seemed to have had all the joy sucked out of them and Bea's were just one-dimensional, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. Moreover, the identity of the saboteur was pretty easy to guess given all the clues and I thought the reason was a bit weak. I would have preferred a gambling problem or something along those lines. Also, there was a bit of accusation, the apology on both sides one too many times. If you have wrongly accused once, and also been wrongly accused yourself, would you do it again? I think this book also suffers because this is not the first, or even the second, romance I have read which is an homage to The Great British Bake-Off.

[Book Escapes Babs · Rating 5 out of 5]

With an existing feud that started on social media, Beatrice Wodehouse and Charlie Simmonds enter this story already at loggerheads. Thrown together for a Christmas-themed cooking show, for existing celebrity cooks, there doesn’t seem to be any room for a truce between them. As I often do, I imagined who the characters may have been inspired by and decided on Nigella Lawson and a cross between Jamie Oliver and Tom Kerridge Nigella’s adoration for rich and sumptuous treats would never find a place in either of their clean-eating, healthy minds. I was also reminded of The Sewing Bee’s Esme Young, but you’ll have to read it to figure out who made me think of her!
Of course, there’s an added twist when the contestants begin to suspect that there is a saboteur meddling in the competition and trying to sway the judge’s opinions. This story was such a lot of fun and packed with witty exchanges. The chemistry between Beatrice and Charlie is cleverly written, and as their private lives are shared, they discover that maybe they had judged each other a little hastily.
I particularly enjoyed reading Beatrice’s story and learning more about her less-than-perfect childhood, and her motivation for seeking comfort in food. Of course, we also discover why Charlie is so focussed on clean eating and sees sugar, carbohydrates, and saturated fats as the devil incarnate. These conflicting points of view are handled expertly and it’s almost impossible not to see that there is room for both schools of thought, in moderation.
There’s a surprise twist as the saboteur is unmasked in a very grand style, I must say, I hadn’t completely worked out who the culprit was. Of course, this book comes from the wonderful ChocLit publishers so the reader is guaranteed a happy ending, and this one didn’t disappoint.

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

How have I not ready any of Helen Buckley's spotlight series before? I mean they all sound like my sort of book but I finally knew I could resist no longer when it came to The Great Christmas Cook-Off.

After all I love Christmas I love Bake Off, I love romance and am fascinated with the behind the scenes of reality programmes! So this hit all the boxes.

And it was even better than I could have anticipated. I loved the nature of Beatrice and Charlie's rivalry but also enjoyed how their feelings towards each other changed many times over the course of book.

They both have pre-conceptions about the other that will be challenged over the course of the book, and both of them bake the way they do thanks to things in their pasts.

There is plenty of sweet treats in this story and I found my mouth-watering especially at anything that Beatrice and Alex were baking.

Yet the eliminations on this show aren't necessarily down to the worst taste as it soon becomes apparent that the so called mistakes being made, might just be sabotage, which adds an air of mystery to the story.

This was a quick and easy story to devour and I absolutely adored it. It felt hungry and festive while reading, while wondering if the couple that I was sure would happen, if they would indeed ever get together or not.

Just a Christmas joy to read!

Thanks to Choc Lit for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Karen Mace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an utter delight! The Great British Bake Off with celebs and sabotage!! Oh and it makes you feel extremely hungry with all the wonderful recipes described by the bakers.....yum!!

Beatrice is a very well known cook, known for her extravagant and sugar laden desserts!! A girl after my own heart! And she's been invited to take part in a celeb baking show, to be pitted alongside one of her rivals- Charlie - who has a much healthier approach to cooking and baking! They've had a well publicised social media spat, so that adds extra spice to the competition!

As does a saboteur amongst them who is intent on destroying their rivals in the competition but who can it be?! Suspicion falls on everyone and it was fab trying to work out who the sneaky one was who was so desperate to win the whole show!

You could sense the attraction between Beatrice and Charlie from the get go, but their online interactions had really clouded their views of one another and it was fun to see them struggle to separate the real person from the online version!

It was fun to see the story from both Beatrice and Charlie's point of view and the snippy banter was fun and added to the competitiveness of all the contestants! These are people who take their cooking very seriously!!

This was such an enjoyable story, not to be read on an empty stomach!, and I've really enjoyed this whole Spotlight series!!

[Marg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big Bake Off fan whether it be Great British Bake Off, Great Australian Bake Off, Great Kenyan/Kiwi/Canada/Professionals or any other variation. So when I was offered a blog tour for a book set during a bake off like competition at Christmas it was a no-brainer for me.




When "Queen of Chocolate" Beatrice Wodehouse is invited to participate in The Great Christmas Cook Off alongside other well known bakers she knows that it will be great for her public profile. Whilst she had a wealthy (but unhappy) upbringing, she has built her successful business and online profile by herself.





One of the other participants in the competition is Beatrice's social media nemesis Charlie Simmonds. The two are known for their clashes which all stem from their fundamental differences in their opinions about baking. Beatrice is all about the decadence of chocolate, sugar and butter, whereas Charlie is determined to show the world that you can have healthy bakes that taste amazing! Charlie has his own reasons as to why he is so passionate about healthy eating and lifestyle choices.


http://www.theintrepidreader.com/2022...

[Coco · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real page turner, almost a Who Done It.

The time is just before Christmas and filming is about to commence for the TV show The Great Christmas Cook Off, bringing together well known bakers competing in the the Baker of the Year award. At the pre-production meeting, all participants seem genuinely friendly but once filming begins unexplained incidents occur to the bakers or their creations.

Written from the alternating POV of Beatrice Wodehouse, Queen of Chocolate, and her media rival, healthy food enthusiast Charlie Simmonds. Both are keen to prove that they are the better baker of the two. Would either resort to win by cheating?

Cleverly written to keep the reader guessing with hints and clues a plenty, is there a saboteur within the competition or are these genuine mishaps. Lots of intrigue, a book to keep anyone absorbed to the very last page.

Word of warning, with all the Christmas goodies described it's inadvisable to read if you're hungry or on a diet.

[Lisa Vasil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this novel - a sweet opposites-attract romance, set in the world of the Great Christmas Cook-Off. With just the right mix of "will they, won't they", paired with a dollop of mystery, this is the perfect Christmas read.
All the characters are believable and likeable, and our heroine and hero, Beatrice & Charlie, are particularly sympathetic and well-written. I loved Charlie right from the first page we meet him. The mystery of the saboteur simmers along nicely, with a few good red herrings thrown in along the way. I loved the writing style, which drew me in and kept me reading right from the first page. It's a well-thought-out plot with a few surprises thrown in -this is obviously an accomplished author at work.
It's a fun read, but there is a serious sub-plot bubbling along in the background as well. The ending made me feel quite gooey and satisfied, just like a decadent Christmas dessert should. Perfect escapism.

[Isabelle D · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for people who love to watch baking competitions, this book would also be perfect for those who like the enemies-to-lovers tropes, as Beatrice and Charlie really can't stand each other when they start filming the show. I greatly enjoyed following the ups and downs of the competition through their alternating points of view and seeing them become kind-of-friends (for a start) as they and the other bakers tried to figure out if there was really a saboteur among them. I also really liked the way it ended, at a place we readers of the Spotlight series have visited before (but it doesn't mean it's necessary to have read all the other books before this one, as this story works entirely by itself, only linked to the others by mentions or brief appearances of other characters).

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[mrsljgibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would firstly just like to say a big thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources who very kindly forwarded me an arc copy of this book, for my kindle, in return for my honest review.

This was the first time that I had read anything from this author but I am so glad that I tried this book - I really enjoyed it.

Beatrice and Charlie were wonderful characters and I just absolutely loved all the rivalry between them!

There was lots of delicious food in this story and always left me feeling hungry and with my mouth watering!!

I really enjoyed the mystery element to the story too - a real who-done-it!!!

This book was wonderful and such a fun read, light-hearted and funny too. I highly recommend it…….

[Loveromancebooks21 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve really enjoyed reading this festive romance. One of my favourite tv shows is the great British bake-off so I knew from the title and the blurb that I’d enjoy it before I even started it. I loved the enemies to lovers, again one of my favourite tropes, element of the story and felt that it added a little something extra to the story. I liked that the main characters back stories were slowly revealed instead of all at once. The saboteur storyline was a great touch and even though I kept changing my mind about who it was, I still didn’t get it right. Overall a fun, festive story that won’t take long to devour. This is the first book that I’ve read by this author and it definitely won’t be the last.

[Angela Britnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! As a huge fan of the Great British Bake Off this book was a winner before I read the first page - but here's a warning – make sure you have plenty of cake on hand because the wonderful descriptions of all the bakes in the competition will make you drool! But it was about far more than cake – the face off between Beatrice, known for her wicked chocolate desserts and Charlie, famous for his healthy take on traditional desserts – was bound to cause fireworks. She finds him uptight and preachy while he doesn’t understand her ‘a little of what you fancy does you good’ attitude towards food. If you’re looking for a Christmas story full of delicious cake, scheming contestants, laughter, honesty, romance and tears this one is a treat.

[Isobel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great imagined cookery contest with delicious bakes, an intriguing set of contestants and an unexpected twist is the background to two people dealing with complex issues. The very real reactions and emotions affecting the relationship between the two main characters are related to things that perhaps, until recently, were not widely appreciated as being as damaging as they are. It is well known that there has to be conflict to make a story come alive but the reasons for the conflict in this story are deep seated and painful and make the characters memorable as they come to terms with each other.

[Donna Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beatrice is a talented chef and is at a posh hotel for The Great Christmas Cook Off competition. Fellow competitor Charlie is one of her biggest rivals. He believes in healthy recipes & hates the fact that Beatrice’s creations contain a lot of fat & sugar. As well as their rivalry, there is an attraction simmering beneath the surface.
The story deals with grief and loss well and teaches us an important lesson on not to jump to conclusions & judge people on face value. A few surprising twists too. Very enjoyable.

[Yvonne Greene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beatrice is the queen of chocolate and decadent desserts. Charlie is a success at baking with only healthy ingredients. These two opposites have previously clashed and now face each other on a national TV bake off show. Could two such opposites ever become friends? Both have past secrets and when these become public both understandably suffer feelings of betrayal. But could someone else be working to bring down these two bakers? This novel will keep you captivated from start to finish and through its twists and turns. I loved it and highly recommend it.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great story with a mystery, a bake off and a romance, something for everyone!
The whole thing hinges on how easy it is to judge people on first appearances. Beatrice is the heroine who hides herself behind an emotional wall. When she and Charlie become competitors in a Christmas bake off sparks fly,and not just between them. The competition is a hotbed of delicious food, competitive bakers and supportive judges. But who can be trusted? No-one apparently! You will have to read to the end of the book to find out what will be the outcome and who the master baker will be.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Bake Off so I knew I had to read this. I loved the theme of this book and the characters were great. I really liked Beatrice from the start and although Charlie was painted as the bad guy, I did like him too!

Throughout the book, there were so many details about what the contestants were baking and I really want the recipes!

This was a really good, christmassy read that will put anyone in the festive mood.

[Natalie Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5

[Sakura03 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really enjoyable read, full of warmth and character. I really enjoyed the descriptions of food and use of language that bring every scene vividly alive.