The Vintage Village Bake Off by Judy Leigh is a heartwarming and delightful tale of family, community, and second chances, all wrapped in a charming village setting. At the heart of the story is Robert Parkin, a quirky yet lovable seventy-something who unexpectedly becomes the star of his village’s social scene thanks to his baking prowess - especially his irresistible scones. Robert’s transformation from a reclusive man content with his animals and quiet life to a confident, skilled baker is both funny and touching.

Leigh brings village life to vivid detail, with its close-knit community, gentle rivalries, and age-old debates (like the Devon vs. Cornwall cream tea showdown!). The comedic undertones of Robert’s newfound attention from the village’s women make for plenty of light hearted moments, while his bond with his sisters, Bunty and Hattie, adds depth and emotional warmth to the story.

Leigh does a fantastic job of highlighting how it’s never too late for personal growth, new friendships, and love. The sibling dynamics are realistic and tender, and the novel’s overall message is uplifting, especially in its portrayal of older characters embracing life’s unexpected opportunities.

The Vintage Village Bake Off is a cozy, feel-good read that will appeal to fans of heartwarming stories about family, friendship, and community. With plenty of humour, mouth-watering descriptions of baked goods, and a sprinkling of romance, this book is a charming escape for readers who enjoy stories about finding happiness at any age.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. I was able to find the audio version through my local library. This was a great murder mystery novel. If you like Agetha Christie style writing you will like this book. It is very old fashioned writing and I loved the characters and the entire story plot. I would for sure read from this author again. Highly recommend!

This is a happy, uplifting book about a baking competition set in England
Like Mrs Quinn's Rise to Fame, all the characters are likeable and you finish the book feeling good about the world.
I am recommending to all of my patrons in need of a smile in their day

As usual in my reviews, I will not rehash the plot...

I've read and enjoyed several books by Judy Leigh, so was looking forward to reading this one - I was not disappointed!

A light, cosy read, with some great characters and interesting settings. I loved how different the three main characters were - it was hard to imagine how they could be siblings to begin with. My favourite was Robert - the descriptions of his home and garden were vivid and I could imagine being in the village. The names of his animals made me smile. There are some genuinely laugh out loud sections in this book, and also some more poignant times.

The actual "bake off" is not the main point of the story, but it's good fun.

I particularly enjoy the fact that Judy Leigh's books are based around "older" characters, proving that there is still plenty to look forward to in later life.

Recommended if you are looking for a light easy read - this would be perfect for a holiday or journey.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

Will definitely have you craving scones and whether you put the jam or butter on first, you will be salivating at some of Robert's scone descriptions.

I loved how different Robert, Bunty and Harriet are as siblings, and yet as they spend some extended time together in Devon, they soon realise just how great each other are.

I loved the three different stories, Robert of first proper love ever, Bunty with her mistake and true love, and Harriet finally finding her feet and possibly a new man, after being free of her old controlling husband.

It's another lovely story featuring the more mature in life characters that Judy Leigh specialises in. The actual bake off aspect is rather small, but it is part of a much bigger and far more heartwarming overarching story.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

So funny yet heartfelt I loved this book! It takes some real talent to take a basic premise that has been done multiple times and then somehow still make it unique and make it stand out head an shoulders above the rest! I'll definitely be looking out for the authors backcatalouge and future releases!!

Love, love, love Judy Leigh and the vintage village bake off was such a lovely story about love, new beginnings and togetherness. Some really yummy cakes too.

Such a very cute book! Did not want to put the book down once I began reading it. It was quite the quick read for me.

A brilliant book, full of humour and down to earth, relatable characters. The storyline is engaging and this is a lovely easy read which will make you smile .
Robert, Hattie, and Bunty’s story and of course the village. Pure escapism at its best
Highly Recommended
Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Judy Leigh for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review

Bachelor Robert leaving with just his cat in a village in Devon, has made a hit with the ladies of the gardening club. Not just for his suave good looks but for his Victoria Sponge and his scones. Of course the age old debate starts with the scones, is it the Devon or Cornwall way.

Thinking that this is the most excitement he is going to face, his two sisters descend on the sleepy little village too. Hattie finds herself unexpectedly single when her husband leaves her for a younger woman. Then there is Bunty who initially arrives at Hattie’s house with a plumber, a man she is having an affair with for less time that it takes for a cake to cook! Is it going to be a recipe for disasters or will these mature siblings find the perfect recipe at a crossroads in all of their lives?

Great to see mature characters being dominant and the youngsters taking more of a back seat. Full of humour, mad pets and delicious sounding food, the perfect read.

Amazing book!
I was thoroughly engaged throughout this book and I didn't want to put it down! The author captured my attention from the get go! Five stars from me :)

This is the most heartwarming British Bake Off cozy English village fiction that I've read this year. I could not stop reading this and eating treats while doing it. This book is a 5 star read!! You have to read this!
I just reviewed The Vintage Village Bake Off by Judy Leigh. #TheVintageVillageBakeOff #NetGalley
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Another of my favourite authors who writes about mature characters is Judy Leigh. Robert Parkin is a septuagenarian, living happily with his cat Isaac Mewton in the Devon village of Millbrook. When the women in the village start fawning over him, he is surprised. Right around the same time, his sister, Hattie is dealing with her marriage ending as her boor of a husband has run off with another woman. The third sibling, Bunty shows up at Hattie's house to have an affair with a man she just met. Hattie leaves Bunty and her lover at her house, and heads to Robert's. Now Robert is quite the baker and it appears that is what is attracting most of the new members of The Gardening Club. When the media gets wind of Robert's skills, he becomes part of a contest to see which county does the best cream tea – Devon or Cornwall?

The Vintage Village Bake Off is a story of life and never being too old to enjoy it or make the most of it. It is also a story about family, specifically siblings. The Bunty storyline frustrated me as I am not a huge fan of affair stories, but I did like to see her growth and realization that she needs to decide what she wants out of life. I really liked Hattie. She was a people pleaser and her bully of a husband was nasty to her. She had completely lost herself in her marriage doing what he wanted, so it was nice to see her come into her own and make decisions in her best interest for a change. And then there's Robert. He was just a nice guy. He enjoyed his gardening and his baking and was a bit unnerved with the attention from the ladies in the village. He did not want to compete in the baking contest, but I love how it all worked out. The animals in this book are also important characters, especially the goats. This was a fun story, demonstrating that we all need to live life to the fullest and enjoy ourselves. It also reminds people to talk to one another, especially in the face of tragedy and that it is never to late to change your life. The Vintage Village Bake Off doesn't have recipes for food, but it could be a recipe for life. I recommend this one if you enjoy humor and mature characters in a story.

Another Judy Leigh novel aways holds out the promise of lashings of humour and some down to earth characters. This one is no exception. Here we see the lives of three siblings and how their lives in late middle age have lived up to their expectations. You are always sure that they have great affection for each other and that each can see in their sibling, just what changes will help them to be happy. Hattie is aware that her life has been dominated by her ex husband but needs encouragement to make any changes. Her sister, Bunty, is incorrigible and arrives unexpectedly with a new boyfriend in tow. It does not take long to get the measure of him. In Dorset, Robert has carved a solitary but contented life, quite unaware of the effect he has on the locals.

There is much humour in the villagers but also some good common sense on the best way forward. Love and change may appear unexpectedly but you certainly sense that by the end of the story, there will be some new beginnings.

In short: love, affection, friendship

I did my best but I couldn't get involved with the characters in this book. It was very slow to get going and in the end I gave up.

I received a review copy through NetGalley and thanks are due to them and the publisher.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley

Excapism at it's best. So much fun. I lovd it. Would recommend.

Love the English countryside especially when it’s written to novels! Lovely to ready how the older generation have fun and have the community spirit too.

This was such a refreshing book! I felt like I was in the English countryside with a bunch of fun quirky people. It was so great to read about older (in their 70's) people who get a new take on life and are able to grow and find happiness. I think this resonates with any age though because it requires introspection and courage to change your life and find joy.
That being said, it is really a funny, entertaining read.
Enjoy!

This was a lovely book I enjoyed so much loved the characters the writing style. The setting of the story I enjoyed and the world that it was in. A brilliant read you love.

Book 1 of Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon October 2023.

I’ve enjoyed all Judy Leigh’s books that I’ve reviewed and was happy when I found she had a new novel. The first thing I noticed about The Vintage Village Bake Off was the powerful prologue and first chapter. They were amazing!

The second thing I noticed was the sense of community. So many friendly people. Lots of yummy food, lots of debate about the best scones and lots of mentions of scones and other sweet treats as well as other traditional British food.

It’s a relaxing book. However, I felt there were so many characters that I didn’t get into their backstory well, which was a shame.

I’m not sure where the idea of “vintage” fits in either, especially in relationship to the village. The characters that stood out to me most were Hattie and her sister, Bunty. I felt they were the best developed of all the characters. Bunty was quirky, I liked her. I also felt she was vulnerable and Jacko was just annoying and immature. I grew up in Oxfordshire, and I sincerely disliked his comments about it being “a dull, flat county, and he’d hate to live there.” .

I didn’t agree with Dennis about the fact that Oxford is too many people, old buildings and spires”. Each to their own on what they think of it, but I personally love it.

I loved how Hattie stood up to him and defended Bunty. I felt she was someone to root for. I loved the natural and realistic way they saw each other again after years.I liked Glenys and felt she was a good friend.

Both she and Bunty have a difficult time where love is concerned. I felt as scared as Hattie that Jackie may come back, yet proud she tried to be stronger about what had happened with him.
Geoffrey was beyond horrible to Hattie. I was glad they divorced.

Kay had great life lessons for Bunty, and I liked Kay’s house.I liked how Bunty gave Hattie’s home a makeover.

I loved Tilda’s singing while Hattie played the organ and the importance of the church and organ music in bringing people together.

Thanks to Judy Leigh, Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.