Now, the first thing I thought when I picked this book up was that it was a book about a bakery written by a ‘Berry’! Was this a Mary Berry sideline? Not content with her Bake-Off & cookery book empire was she expanding her work to fiction? 

It turns out that Ellen Berry is actually the pseudonym of fabulous journalist/author Fiona Gibson. I’d just read ‘The Woman Who Met Her Match’ so I already knew I was in for a treat. 

Roxanne is a forty-something fashion editor who loves her career and what is more is rather good at her job. In a bid to sell more copies the owner orders a shake-up at the magazine & suddenly Roxanne finds herself fighting for her job. It all becomes a bit much and in order to get some clarity, she goes back to her home town in Yorkshire. 

Remembering it as a bit of a boring one-horse-village, she is surprised to see that it has changed. There are lots of independent shops-her sister runs a cookery book shop- where local artisans display their wares. This includes a gorgeous little bakery, run by single dad Michael, offering a plethora of different mouthwatering products. 

As a city girl at heart, Roxanne doesn’t expect to adjust to life in Yorkshire quite as quickly as she does, but as the days pass she begins to question if her life in London is really what she wants & whether it’s too late to make some positive life changes. 

I lost myself in the village of Burley Bridge as Berry’s description was so detailed, the story had great humour and emotion and the way that the author conveyed Roxanne’s thoughts & feelings as she  reflected back on her life in London & on her relationships, was exquisitely done. 

The Little Bakery on Rosemary Lane is a superb story with a wonderful mixture of honesty, humour & bravery-you ‘knead’ to read it! 🍞 🎂 🥐 🥖⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️