I would like to thank the publishers and NetGalley for the free ARC of Olivia Ford’s novel. What a delightful read it proved! The novel follows septuagenarian home maker Jenny Quinn. A lifelong home baker, she decides to apply for a place on the ‘Britain Bakes’ TV contest – and sets in motion a chain of fast-paced events in the present day, as well as a chain of memories related to secrets from her past. That all these secrets are tied up in the family recipes she has lovely cultivated, and which will now be shared with a huge audience, and that they have involved years of deception where her loving husband Bernard are concerned, make this novel more than an easy read. Themes of intergenerational friendship, faithfulness to your dreams, the superficiality of fame, and longevity of familial bonds, this novel offers some compelling themes below its frosted sugary surface. Warmly recommended!

I was expecting silly, easy, light hearted fare, but the warmth, heartache and loss took me entirely by surprise. Just a gorgeous read.

This was a really good fun book! I loved the Bake Off theme to it with a twist in that Mrs Quinn is an elderly lady fulfilling a lifelong ambition. the supporting characters were great, my only wish would have been that she was about ten years older as her husband was in his eighties and not very healthy so I felt this bought a bit of a downer on the story. But great fun and I enjoyed reading it

Delicious, heart-warming, loving, funny and a little bit cozy (just like a fresh cup of tea first thing in the morning).

I had to take some time between finishing this book and writing about it as my brain was too full with the feelings the novel had brought up in me.
First of all, how well described all the bakes are in the book. Most chapters are titled after a particular baked item (let me tell you I was salivating when reading this) and the significance they have to the protagonist.
The second thing that really stuck with me was the relationship between the protagonist - Jenny - and her husband Bernard. The couple is approaching their 60th wedding anniversary and you can tell from the get go that there is unwavering love between them. Their relationship isn't the only one worth talking about. There is budding friendship that holds steadfast in spite of what can seem insurmountable differences and extended family who prove their love for each other every single day. Truly a book constructed with people at the centre.
I also thoroughly enjoyed getting to uncover Jenny's past and her secret as she made her way through the baking competition. I was angry on her behalf, saddened, had my heart pulled out and stomped on... and the relief I felt as the story drew to an end made it all worthwhile.

I really enjoyed this book! ✨4.5 stars✨
Definitely for fans of The Great British Bake Off.

I know need more books with older protagonists because I really enjoyed our protagonist of Jennifer Quinn. She was relatable as even though she made mistakes you still couldn’t help but to root for her!!

There were so many heartfelt moments and the relationships Jenny had with her husband, family, and the friends she made through her adventure on the book felt so real and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I kindly received this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so good. You can't help but love Jenny Quinn. It's a beautiful dual timeline story of love and hesrtbreak and cake... Really recommend

For anyone who loves channel 4 Bake Off Show this book is just for you !
It tells the story of Jenny Quinn who is age 77 trying to decide if she is too old for everything? She has been married for almost 60 years to her lovely husband Bernard but she feels unfulfilled but doesn’t know why?
They didn’t have children it hadn’t happened and they dealt with it they had niece and great nephew and niece.
So Jenny secretly enters the baking competition and gets through at which point she has to tell the family,who are all delighted for her and Bernard drops her at the hotel the following weekend for her first few days baking. She is so nervous they have allowed her to bring her own scales with their heavy weights she straight away meets a lovely young man in the lift who helps her she introduces herself and he says his name is Azeez little does she know it’s the start of a great friendship
Jenny bakes through the weeks until one week when she can’t get hold of Bernard and rushes home to a very empty house she has no idea where he is until her neighbour comes in saying he had fallen and cut his head open he was in hospital as he also had pneumonia Jenny was distraught feeling it was her fault for not being there. She immediately resigned from the show and in the morning sat at Bernard’s bed side until he awoke
Was this the end of her competition?
This book is delicious warm and scrumptious if it was a cake it would be a great big raspberry filled eclair!

This is such a lovely read. It’s just so beautifully written and like a lovely hug it’ll make you feel warm and happy inside.. Perfect for snuggling up, getting cosy and reading with a lovely piece of cake.

I just felt completely enveloped in Mrs Quinn's story. Both the current day application for the nation's favourite baking show, that 77 year old Jenny contemplates and her life as a young woman back in the 60s.

We know something life shaking happened to Jenny and we explore the dual timeline through the bakes of now and then. We get to see exactly how recipes can have such a magical way of connecting us with our past and the people who mattered. This really felt like it came straight from my heart and helped me fall head over heels for Jenny.

The raw emotion of what Jenny had to go through as a young woman absolutely hit me hard and I thought it was heartbreakingingly rendered on the page.

I loved the cheeky insights into the behind the scenes action on an entertainment show. Plus Azeez and his friendship with Jenny was really special.

A beautiful balance of joy and emotion for me; I thought about Jenny so often while going about my daily business and will miss her and Bernard.

A seventy seven years young lady loves Britain bakes tv series. A baker for family all her life she decides to enter.
Keeping it a secret from everyone including her husband of almost 60 years.
Follow Jenny as she navigates secrets and the bumpy ride of reality TV.
Friendships are made, family support and secrets abound.
Cheer Jenny on, I did and enjoyed the story about never being too old to do new things.

This was a DNF for me I’m afraid. I got about 40% through but just didn’t feel like I cared about what happened next.

Loved this book - definitely one to read with a nice cup of tea and slice of cake! Jenny is 77 and her husband Bernie is 82. They are just short of their Diamond Wedding anniversary when Jenny applies for Britain's Bakes a reality TV show/baking competition. Jenny has only ever kept one other secret from Bernard in their entire marriage and now she's keeping another.
A lovely feel good book full of love and baking. Definitely recommend. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the preview copy.

Loves this cozy book especially as the main character was so loveable! It’s lovely to see the older generation enter in things! All the baking and recipes made me want to bake too! Definitely one to all the reading pile!

A 77-year-old woman becomes a household name through her love of baking after being on tv, while hiding a secret.

Now, I loved this book. I reread it because I wanted to savour everything!

The premise at the beginning that baking and using other people’s recipes is a way of keeping them alive was just so heartwarming, as was the love story between Jenny and her husband Bernard.

I’ve never wanted to hug a character so badly, I just want to wrap her up and keep her as my nan. The secret which reveals just further makes me want to protect her, and this got stronger with every flash back.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Michael Joseph Random House for allowing me to experience this as an ARC.

Absolutely wonderful, for lovers of bake off and feel good novels.
Jenny is a 77 year old woman who secretly decides to apply for a baking show, fearing she is too old and not good enough she is surprised when she passes each round and wins herself a place on the show. Jenny has such a warm character and she and her baking are loved by all as she strikes up an unlikely friendship on her time at the show. This may seem to be a lighthearted novel at first glance however Jenny has been doing her best to hide events in her past which are both painful and bring her tremendous feelings of guilt. During her time at the show the secret which she has been so desperately trying to keep hidden makes it's way to the surface. With the news out in the open Jenny is brought comfort by her family and new found friends and she discovers her secret was not so terrible after all.

Mrs Quinn's Rise to Fame
4.5 ⭐️

Synopsis: Jennifer Quinn's love of baking has just won her a spot as a contestant on a primetime TV show. It's only the second time in fifty-nine years that she's kept something from her beloved husband Bernard.

She's about to be whisked into an unfamiliar world of cameras, timed challenges and celebrity judges. She could be in with a chance of being crowned the best baker in Britain.

But, as Mrs Quinn's quiet ambitions turn into unexpected stardom, the other secret she's been keeping is in danger of resurfacing. It was supposed to stay hidden forever.

Will Mrs Quinn rise to the challenge? Or, will her success become a recipe for disaster?
🍰🎂

I was in need of a cosy read so I devoured this. I really loved the characters and thought that Jenny was a great main character.

As a huge lover of baking and Bake Off, this book made my soul happy. Each chapter is named after a different bake which I loved. This book made me want bread and butter pudding so bad I just went and made it then and there 🤣

The story is told through recipes, memories and present day and it was such a heartwarming tale.

A fab debut by Olivia Ford!

Thanks to Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House and NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy to read in exchange for my open and honest review.

77 year old Jenny loves baking as it connects her with her past. She plucks up the courage to apply for popular cooking show Britain Bakes but she is so convinced she won’t be successful that she doesn’t tell her husband. As she practises her baking memories and secrets come to the forefront but will she be able to keep a lid on things.

A lovely thoughtful provoking book which had me fully behind Jenny and everything she did.

You need to read this book if you like baking, eating baked goods or dramatic family revelations. Reading this was like a warm hug in a book. If it does’t inspire you to get in the kitchen and bake something, I don’t know what will.

This book was an absolute joy to read. The central character reminded me so much if my own Nan who taught me to bake. It felt like going back in time! Loved the modern take on it when she applies to “Bake off”! Would love to see this as a film!

Mrs Quinn's Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford

Jennifer Quinn has a secret. Her love of baking has just won her a spot as a contestant on a primetime TV show. It's only the second time in fifty-nine years that she's kept something from her beloved husband Bernard.

She's about to be whisked into an unfamiliar world of cameras, timed challenges and celebrity judges. She could be in with a chance of being crowned the best baker in Britain.

A poignant , read and nice that the protagonists are not in the first flush of youth .
The book might not have many twists and turns or on the edge of your seat stuff , but nonetheless it's a Heart warming take of an ordinary woman finding her self in the limelight and deciding she wants to find out something she has been wanting the answer to for many years.