Leisure Reading

Coming of Old Age Bake Off

Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame

by Olivia Ford

A huge-hearted, redemptive coming-of-old-age tale, a love story, and an ode to good food

Nothing could be more out of character, but after fifty-nine years of marriage, as her husband Bernard’s health declines, and her friends' lives become focused on their grandchildren—which Jenny never had—Jenny decides she wants a little something for herself. So she secretly applies to be a contestant on the prime-time TV show Britain Bakes.

Whisked into an unfamiliar world of cameras and timed challenges, Jenny delights in a new-found independence. But that independence, and the stress of the competition, starts to unearth memories buried decades ago. Chocolate teacakes remind her of a furtive errand involving a wedding ring; sugared doughnuts call up a stranger’s kind act; a simple cottage loaf brings back the moment her life changed forever.

With her baking star rising, Jenny struggles to keep a lid on that first secret—a long-concealed deceit that threatens to shatter the very foundations of her marriage. It’s the only time in six decades that she’s kept something from Bernard. By putting herself in the limelight, has Jenny created a recipe for disaster?

Review by Samantha Ward - Director Of Pendergrass Library

If you like The Great British Baking Show and Remarkably Bright Creatures, then Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame is the book for you! This delightful novel follows 77-year-old Jenny Quinn as she secretly applies for a spot on Britain Bakes. Before you know it, she’s been swept into a world of new challenges, new faces, and new adventures.

Jenny’s lifelong love of baking and generations of family recipes give her guidance and inspiration on her Britain Bakes journey. However, they also stir up painful memories of a secret Jenny had buried long ago. Bernard, Jenny’s husband of 60 years, is kept in the dark, both with Jenny’s initial Britain Bakes application and all the while with her big secret.

Jenny’s story is relatable and hopeful as she is tested as a baker, a wife, and as an individual trying to find herself. As serious as some of the themes in the novel are, it’s still light-hearted and a joy to read. Every chapter is built around a significant “bake” that Jenny creates, which may even inspire the reader to take up baking or try some new recipes themselves.

You can find this book in the Hodges Library Leisure Reading Collection. Check it out and let us know what you think of the book! Make sure to tag your responses on social media with #utksharedshelf so we can see what you think! 

* Book Description and image provided by Goodreads