If You Love The Great British Bake Off, Read These Books
Nobody likes a soggy bottom, but maybe you'll like these?
Friends, let’s be honest. Many of us are reeling from this week’s events. But I had this newsletter ready to go, recommending books to cosy up with in autumn, and I’ve seen online that people are turning to Bake Off for comfort and escapism, so it still seems at least somewhat apt. There will be time, along with the grief and despair, to rage, to fight, to protest. And maybe some of you are there already, but I hope this post will be useful to some of you, too.
Autumn in the UK means rain and dark evenings and snuggling under blankets with comfort reads — and comfort viewing, like, of course, Bake Off. Whatever else is going on in the world and in the country, we can rely on these staples for reassuring familiarity as well as topics to discuss with colleagues and friends when the world and the weather both seem a bit bleak.
And to keep you going between episodes of Bake Off, I recommend you reach for one of these books.
Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake, by Alexis Hall
This romcom set in the world of a competitive baking show made me legitimately laugh out loud. It’s the first in the Winner Bakes All series by the author of Boyfriend Material, but each book stands alone. The eponymous Rosaline Palmer is a single mother to the precocious Amelie, and very much in need of money, and so, with her baking skills, the solution seems obvious. But will she win? And will she make the right choice in love? I really enjoyed finding out.
Bookshop.org US | Bookshop.org UK | Blackwell’s | Libro.fm
Finding My Voice, by Nadiya Hussein
Full of poems and recipes, Finding My Voice is a memoir by the (spoiler alert) 2015 winner of Bake Off. Nadiya Hussein’s manifesto for the book? I am writing this for everyone who was told no. 'No, you are not rich enough. No, that is not credible. No, you can't. No, you won't. No, you are not allowed. No, that is not appropriate. I was told, No, you do not belong. Finally, I am saying, Yes, I do.'
Bookshop.org US | Bookshop.org UK | Blackwell’s | Libro.fm
The Story of the Great British Bake Off, by Anita Singh
A deep dive for the most devoted fans of Bake Off, this book pretty much does what it says on the tin: gives you the story of the early years of the show, from its beginnings in 2010 through to 2018. It’ll make a great gift for the nostalgic Bake Off fan in your life!
Bookshop.org UK | Blackwell’s (with inexpensive US shipping)
Want more?
More books for fans of Bake Off can be found here (US) and here (UK).
Feedback is welcome on the format of this newsletter, and please feel free to comment with the thing you love, so I can recommend relevant books for you!
Note that I use affiliate links for Blackwell’s, Bookshop.org, and Libro.fm. When you buy books after clicking, you help support my writing. Thanks for doing that