The Great British Bake Off (or The Great British Baking Show as we know it in the United States) is known for delightful bakes, relatable contestants, and a focus on friendly competition that is lacking from most other competition shows. Its cozy and supportive nature has taken the world by storm, and while we don't know when 2024's series will drop, I thankfully know of some books that will make the wait a lot easier. In no particular order, here are the books to help make the wait for The Great British Bake Off easier:
1. The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell
Imagine: you have worked so hard to get on the baking show of your dreams and in the middle of the competition one of the judges is murdered! And since the show is filmed at a remote estate, the only suspects are the fellow contestants. Told from the point-of-view of each of the bakers competing, it lets the reader solve the mystery and have a great time doing so. Accusations will be made, cakes will be baked, and not one but TWO mysteries will be solved. It's a fun and quick read that truly emphasizes the togetherness we always hope the contestants of GBBO have behind the scenes.
The Golden Spoon is available through Simon & Schuster
2. A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic by J. Penner
Arleta Starstone's has never been easy, especially as an ordinary human in a society that values the extraordinary. She is given the worst stalls at the market and is assumed to be a terrible baker just because she doesn't have magic. However, after one of her adopted dads secretly enters her into the annual Elven Baking Battle - Arleta is shocked to find out she got in. After being mistaken for a wizard, she chooses not to set the record straight - fearing she'll be disqualified for not having magic. As Arleta rises through the ranks, she befriends two other contestants, as well as a very attractive elf who she believes is fated to fall in love with someone else - she learns that friendship and staying true to yourself are a much more powerful magic than anything else in her world.
A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic is available through Amazon with the sequel A Fellowship of Librarians & Dragons coming out on June 25th.
3. Seashells, Spells & Caramels by Erin Johnson
Imogen has always been told her baking is magically delicious - but after she last minute offers to be a caterer for her boss' wedding, she finds out her baking is quite literally magic! On a whim, she enters a competition to be the Royal Baker for a kingdom she has never heard of before. However, after accidentally setting her house on fire, she joins the competition as it's the only way she will have a chance to earn back the money to make her dreams come true. And along the way, people start getting murdered - and she's the scapegoat! Imogen must learn about her magic, figure out who the murderer is (and why they're trying to frame her!), and figure out how to get her magical talking log to heat her oven correctly. This is a fun start to a series that shows you can't have a good mystery without a delicious cupcake to go with it.
Seashells, Spells & Caramels is the first in a ten-book cozy mystery and baking series and is available through Amazon