Fiction for Fans of Great British Bake Off

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Elisa Shoenberger has been constructing a library since she was 13. She loves writing about all elements of books from writer interviews, antiquarian books, archives, and all the pieces in between. She additionally writes recurrently for Murder & Mayhem and Library Journal. She’s additionally written articles for Huffington Post, Boston Globe, WIRED, Slate, and plenty of different publications. When she’s not writing about studying, she’s studying and adventuring to search out cool new artwork. She additionally performs alto saxophone and infrequently stiltwalks. Find out extra on her web site or comply with her on Twitter @vogontroubadour.

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It’s essentially the most great time of the 12 months. The leaves might be altering colours, the temperatures will get cooler, and Halloween is within the air. And it’s time for The Great British Bake Off (GBBO, or The Great British Baking Show because it’s technically referred to as right here within the U.S.). We get to look at 12-13 continents from throughout Great Britain problem themselves to make unimaginable feats of baking engineering and overcome more and more baffling technical challenges.

It’s cozy tv at its finest; the bakers are so supportive of each other and develop into life-long buddies. (The final 2 minutes of the ultimate episode are so particular for this motive.) We get to look at folks notice their very own strengths and discover their voices. I additionally love that being named champion doesn’t imply their baking profession is over; quantity of bakers write cookbooks and develop followings on Instagram.

Each fall, we inevitably surprise: Who will develop into the fan favourite? Who might be Star Baker? Whose baked good will crumble simply earlier than judging and break all of our hearts? Will there be a scandal to prime the good binned Baked Alaska episode in 2014? Who will develop into this 12 months’s British? And when will they do a themed week of homicide mysteries? (Come on, now!). Who will take the crown? So, to get into the GBBO spirit, we’ve determined to assist readers out with fiction books to learn primarily based on their favourite contestants and, in some instances, by them!

Note there are spoilers for previous seasons of GBBO.

If You Liked Nadiya Hussain, Check out:

The Secret Lives of the Amir Sisters cover

The Secret Lives of the Amir Sisters by Nadiya Hussain

Watching Nadiya Hussain come to appreciate her strengths and experience might be one of the best half of GBBO’s historical past, for my part. Every time I watch the ultimate episode, I nonetheless get tears in my eyes. Nadiya Hussain may be the most important star to come back out of GBBO. She’s received a number of cooking and baking exhibits on Netflix; she’s written many cookbooks, and he or she has written a number of kids’s books and now a fiction sequence. This is the story of the 4 Amir sisters who’re making an attempt to appreciate their desires: one needs to be an artist; one sister needs a toddler; one other is discovering who she is; and the final is a YouTube star. Can the 4 of them assist one another fulfill their desires regardless of a household catastrophe? It’s the primary in three books!

If You Liked Kim Joy, Check Out:

Turtle Bread: A Graphic Novel About Baking, Fitting In, and the Power of Friendship by Kim Joy, Illustrated by Alti Firmansyah, Lettering by Joamette Gil

Watching Kim Joy is happiness. She’s identified for making essentially the most pleasant baked items with orange cat madeleines, a two-tiered lavender & lemon curd fox cake, and extra. Her Instagram is sort of sincere; whereas she showcases her new bakes, she shares her struggles with social anxiousness, self-confidence, and extra. She’s bringing psychological well being entrance and heart, displaying that it’s a course of for everyone. Like Nadiya, she’s been fairly prolific in publishing cookbooks, together with her most up-to-date e book, Bake Me a Cat: 50 Purrfect Recipes for Edible Cakes, Cookies and More!

Now, she has revealed a graphic novel in regards to the energy of baking, friendship, and psychological well being. Yan needs to make buddies, however her anxieties get in the best way. She decides to go for gold by becoming a member of a Baking Club the place she involves discover a place the place she will be able to share her complete self with different members.

If You Loved Helena Garcia, Check Out:

My Mummy is a Witch by Helena Garcia and Jess Rose

Helena Garcia is one other fan favourite who had essentially the most terrifying, pleasant bakes — Wicked Witch Fingers, her Pumpkin & Maple Jack O’Lantern Cake, and, of course, her unimaginable spider biscuit sculpture. She’s written a pair of books and has created her personal line of witchy merchandise from witch’s straw hats, knife barretts, and a coffin picnic basket. Now she’s written an exquisite kids’s e book about mother-daughter bonding…when mummy is a witch.

As a bonus, Lana Harper’s Payback’s a Witch may be one other e book to take a look at in order for you witchy vibes and romance.

If You Loved Chetna Makan, Check Out:

The Indian Café in London by Veena Nagpal

Chetna Makan is one other GBBO alumnae who was enjoyable to look at as she introduced collectively Indian flavors into her baked items. She was a dressmaker along with her personal label earlier than she received married and commenced baking. After GBBO, she’s written six cookbooks (up to now), together with Chetna’s 30 Minute Indian: Quick and Easy Everyday Meals.

While I hope she’ll write some fiction within the close to future, for now, take a look at Veena Nagpal’s e book about meals, id, and culinary secrets and techniques. All Akhil needs to be is a chef, however his father, an Army officer, isn’t having it. His good friend Jamila is at culinary faculty however will not be keen to make connections with anybody round her. Puru has his personal restaurant however is stuffed with regrets. Plus, there’s a misplaced recipe e book! The e book shifts views of the three predominant characters and Akhil’s diary as they arrive collectively about meals.

If You Loved Rahul Mandal, Check out:

Donut Fall in Love by Jackie Lau

Like with Nadiya Hussain, it was unimaginable to look at Rahul come to appreciate his personal abilities as a baker and particular person throughout his season of GBBO. He introduced his scientific eye and creativity into concord along with his bakes. So naturally, he would make a cookbook that brings collectively artwork and science: Showstopping Cakes: Mastering the Art and Science of Baking.

In honor of his current marriage and love of baking and science, this excellent rom-com looks as if a terrific place to go. Actor Ryan Kwok could also be suave on the large display, however not a lot in the true world. His household life will not be going nicely; he and his father are coping with the demise of his mom in numerous and never fully productive methods. His sister simply had a toddler, and he’s studying to be an uncle. When he knocks over an inventive show of baked items at Lindsay McLeod’s bakery, their chemistry is a bit off. But issues begin to warmth up when Ryan asks Lindsay to assist him put together for the Baking Fail, a preferred tv present that was Ryan’s mom’s favourite.

If You Loved Lottie Bedlow, Check Out:

Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder by Valerie Burns

Lottie Bedlow was a fan favourite in GBBO. She introduced her struggles with the more and more devilish baking challenges to the forefront along with her snarky and sincere wit. And like many different baker contestants, she realized her personal baking strengths; she didn’t assume she’d make it up to now and solely packed two outfits and needed to borrow clothes. In honor of her 2022 cookbook Baking Imperfect: Crush, Whip and Spread It Like Nobody’s Watching, it appeared like matching her with Valerie Burns’ most up-to-date cozy thriller sequence, The Baker Street Mysteries, made sense. While Lottie Bedlow is a a lot better baker than Maddy, the pairing of books works as a result of Maddy realizes her personal skills in addition to celebrating her baking errors — utilizing movies of her baking fails to advertise the bakery she inherited. It’s a enjoyable two-book sequence (up to now).

If You Loved Yan Tsou, Check out:

Love at 350 Degrees by Lisa Peers (October 10, 2023)

Yan Tsou is one of the best. She’s an NHS molecular biologist who found baking between 24-hour shifts, based on her GBBO profile. We beloved how she’d make virtually each bake with a reference to science, whether or not in its creation or its ornament. I imply ornamental pies referred to as πr2? Yes, please. And, of course, now we have to like that her sourdough starter is known as “Muvver.” So in honor of Yan the Great, I’ve chosen this forthcoming Queer baking romance. Kendra Campbell is a celeb chef and decide of the Bake-o-Rama present; Tori Moore is popping out of a messy divorce and inspired to use for the present. But neither anticipated to search out something greater than baked items and competitors. Can they determine their emotions and handle their respective roles within the present?

If You Loved Michael Chakraverty, Check Out:

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly

Michael Chakraverty is one other fan favourite, and as a bonus, he’s live-tweeted GBBO with Scott Bryan since he was on the present. We might disagree over the wonders of mango (It’s scrumptious!), however all of us positively felt his wrestle and successes on the present. Since GBBO, he’s began a podcast with David Atherton referred to as Sticky Bun Boys as a part-dating recommendation, part-baking recommendation present. So we’re going to pair Chakraverty and this excellent Queer Romance. Both Dahlia Woodson and London Parker are on Chef’s Special to make their careers and win the prize cash. Dahlia wants the cash after her divorce and monetary break; London needs to show one thing to themself as a baker and competitor. Dahlia will get a fame for her clumsiness, and London has to cope with the transphobic trolls. Soon, they notice a mutual attraction, however can they afford to concentrate on a romance?

I can’t wait to see what the GBBO alumni will do subsequent. (More fiction! Mysteries, please). If you need extra GBBO, right here’s an inventory of Great British Bake Off cookbooks. Or in order for you a style of cozy mysteries round meals, take a look at this publish I wrote in 2020 on culinary cozy mysteries.

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