By Olivia Ford – Pamela Dorman Books, 2024
Jenny Quinn is a 77-year-old, happily married, childless woman who feels a sense of incompleteness in her life. She craves a legacy and a chance to step outside her comfort zone. She secretly applies to be a contestant on the hit baking show “Britain Bakes” and is delighted to be chosen for the show, which throws her into the world of competitive baking and reality TV, forcing her to confront her painfully relatable anxieties and consuming self-doubt. Confessing to her husband that she misled him while her application was processing, she feels all the more in love because of his wholehearted support. This should make her feel good, but instead it reminds her of a decades-old secret that could destroy her marriage.
What makes this coming-of-(older)-age novel truly special is Jenny’s journey. She discovers new passions, learns the importance of embracing new people and experiences and bakes her way into the hearts of readers. If the heartwarming story and the mouthwatering descriptions of baked goods aren’t enough to entice you, all the recipes are included.
