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The Baker of Christmas Wishes: An Unforgettable Heartwarming Small-Town Contemporary Christian Romance
Can a cookie really save a life? One woman is about to find out if her grandmother’s folklore is really just a recipe—or something more.
They say Christmas Wishing Cookies carry prayers straight to heaven, but for Sarah Baker, they reveal a secret she never saw coming. Experience the season’s miracle in THE BAKER OF CHRISTMAS WISHES, a heartwarming romance from #1 Amazon Bestselling author Georgia Curtis Ling, beloved for blending faith, small-town charm, and mountain culture.
Once recognized among Asheville’s finest pastry chefs, Sarah Baker has perfected the craft of whisking dreams into reality and turned her Appalachian heritage—whisks, wooden spoons, and secret recipes passed through generations—into a thriving career. Then Hurricane Helene’s floods shattered her world, sweeping away all she’d built, leaving her soul shattered and her faith shaken. With broken dreams and her recipes, she returns to her Tennessee roots to open a fledgling cookie shop. Her last hope lies in her grandmother’s legendary Christmas Wishing Cookies, said to deliver wishes and prayers to heaven—and Sarah could use both.
Everything changes when two strangers enter her life: a mysterious boy in need of help, and the bachelor Colter Wallace, the town’s warm, quick-witted new pastor—a man she wishes for but feels unworthy of. Weaving her future with theirs will demand more than sugar and flour and good intentions. Amid the cheerful chaos of Main Street’s merry band of holiday-obsessed merchants, and her own wavering faith, Sarah must confront a secret past to become who she was meant to be. When a life-altering crisis strikes at the height of the holidays, their three paths converge in one breathless moment. In this season of miracles, she’s about to learn that redemption is not something you measure out and fold in—and while her cookies carry the wish, it is God’s grace alone that makes the miracle.
Featuring bonus holiday cookie recipes from national award-winning baker Jennifer Nystrom—These cookies are rich with the warmth of brown sugar and molasses, the festive sparkle of ginger, and the quiet sweetness of a kitchen that smells like Christmas morning—crafted to bring a little of that old mountain magic to your own table this holiday season.
A soul-stirring and joy-filled tale of resilience, enduring hope, and sweet new beginnings.
“If you love the comforting, faith-based community of the Mitford books mixed with the lovable, quirky townsfolk of Stars Hollow, The Baker of Christmas Wishes is for you.” - Review
“Crafting soul-stirring romance with a side of cocoa and cookies, Georgia Curtis Ling is a master of the 'cozy' romance—weaving faith and festive cheer into every page!"
If you enjoy uplifting and clean stories over the holidays by Melody Carlson, Jan Karon, Susan May Warren, Karen Kingsbury, Jenny Hale and Traci Peterson you’ll love The Baker of Christmas Wishes!
★★★★★ “Georgia Curtis Ling’s latest Christmas romance The Baker of Christmas Wishes is the full package of a story, neatly wrapped with pulled heart strings of God’s love and grace! Ling takes her readers to a small town in Tennessee where we face trauma from a secret past and a hurricane but then experience redemption sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. This sweet novel is also hilarious! Ling’s voice continues to delight readers with southern charm and Appalachian folktales that help build the perfect world for her lively cast of characters. It will leave you wishing for more! - Reader Review
Enjoy Ling's Suspense World, rooted in the same mountains and the same faith as Ling's heartwarming romance novels. The Pastors’ Wives Club Suspense series features gripping, #1 bestselling novels that can each be read as a standalone. But There Were Signs & When Daylight Is Gone.
They say Christmas Wishing Cookies carry prayers straight to heaven, but for Sarah Baker, they reveal a secret she never saw coming. Experience the season’s miracle in THE BAKER OF CHRISTMAS WISHES, a heartwarming romance from #1 Amazon Bestselling author Georgia Curtis Ling, beloved for blending faith, small-town charm, and mountain culture.
Once recognized among Asheville’s finest pastry chefs, Sarah Baker has perfected the craft of whisking dreams into reality and turned her Appalachian heritage—whisks, wooden spoons, and secret recipes passed through generations—into a thriving career. Then Hurricane Helene’s floods shattered her world, sweeping away all she’d built, leaving her soul shattered and her faith shaken. With broken dreams and her recipes, she returns to her Tennessee roots to open a fledgling cookie shop. Her last hope lies in her grandmother’s legendary Christmas Wishing Cookies, said to deliver wishes and prayers to heaven—and Sarah could use both.
Everything changes when two strangers enter her life: a mysterious boy in need of help, and the bachelor Colter Wallace, the town’s warm, quick-witted new pastor—a man she wishes for but feels unworthy of. Weaving her future with theirs will demand more than sugar and flour and good intentions. Amid the cheerful chaos of Main Street’s merry band of holiday-obsessed merchants, and her own wavering faith, Sarah must confront a secret past to become who she was meant to be. When a life-altering crisis strikes at the height of the holidays, their three paths converge in one breathless moment. In this season of miracles, she’s about to learn that redemption is not something you measure out and fold in—and while her cookies carry the wish, it is God’s grace alone that makes the miracle.
Featuring bonus holiday cookie recipes from national award-winning baker Jennifer Nystrom—These cookies are rich with the warmth of brown sugar and molasses, the festive sparkle of ginger, and the quiet sweetness of a kitchen that smells like Christmas morning—crafted to bring a little of that old mountain magic to your own table this holiday season.
A soul-stirring and joy-filled tale of resilience, enduring hope, and sweet new beginnings.
“If you love the comforting, faith-based community of the Mitford books mixed with the lovable, quirky townsfolk of Stars Hollow, The Baker of Christmas Wishes is for you.” - Review
“Crafting soul-stirring romance with a side of cocoa and cookies, Georgia Curtis Ling is a master of the 'cozy' romance—weaving faith and festive cheer into every page!"
If you enjoy uplifting and clean stories over the holidays by Melody Carlson, Jan Karon, Susan May Warren, Karen Kingsbury, Jenny Hale and Traci Peterson you’ll love The Baker of Christmas Wishes!
★★★★★ “Georgia Curtis Ling’s latest Christmas romance The Baker of Christmas Wishes is the full package of a story, neatly wrapped with pulled heart strings of God’s love and grace! Ling takes her readers to a small town in Tennessee where we face trauma from a secret past and a hurricane but then experience redemption sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. This sweet novel is also hilarious! Ling’s voice continues to delight readers with southern charm and Appalachian folktales that help build the perfect world for her lively cast of characters. It will leave you wishing for more! - Reader Review
Enjoy Ling's Suspense World, rooted in the same mountains and the same faith as Ling's heartwarming romance novels. The Pastors’ Wives Club Suspense series features gripping, #1 bestselling novels that can each be read as a standalone. But There Were Signs & When Daylight Is Gone.
- GenresRomance
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2026
About the author
Georgia Curtis Ling
20 books51 followersExperience the rich tapestry of Appalachian storytelling that will ignite your imagination and inspire your spirit.
A bestselling, inspirational storyteller of hope-fueled fiction, Georgia was born and raised in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Eastern Kentucky. Influenced by her heritage, Georgia has a unique voice in Inspirational Christian Fiction with her contemporary Appalachian tales, including the Christian suspense series: The Pastors’ Wives Club, which features bestselling novels that can each be read as a standalone, includes the #1 Amazon Bestseller But There Were Signs and When Daylight is Gone. Georgia retained the title of the “Pastor’s Wife” for over twenty years. She knows the parsonage inside and out. She and her husband, Phil Ling, live in Central Kentucky.
Her bestselling Christian romance novels in the Spring Valley collection including The Ornament of Hope, Santa’s Promising Christmas, A Christmas Blessing for Gracie, Carol of the Winter Songbirds, and the upcoming 2026 release The Baker of Christmas Wishes work perfectly as standalones. Georgia is the author of the bestseller, What’s in the Bible for Women, the Moms in Faith Bible study series, In Mom They Trust and Mom’s Lead in Love. Over her career, Georgia’s work has appeared in numerous periodicals and thirteen bestselling inspirational collaborative books.
A bestselling, inspirational storyteller of hope-fueled fiction, Georgia was born and raised in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Eastern Kentucky. Influenced by her heritage, Georgia has a unique voice in Inspirational Christian Fiction with her contemporary Appalachian tales, including the Christian suspense series: The Pastors’ Wives Club, which features bestselling novels that can each be read as a standalone, includes the #1 Amazon Bestseller But There Were Signs and When Daylight is Gone. Georgia retained the title of the “Pastor’s Wife” for over twenty years. She knows the parsonage inside and out. She and her husband, Phil Ling, live in Central Kentucky.
Her bestselling Christian romance novels in the Spring Valley collection including The Ornament of Hope, Santa’s Promising Christmas, A Christmas Blessing for Gracie, Carol of the Winter Songbirds, and the upcoming 2026 release The Baker of Christmas Wishes work perfectly as standalones. Georgia is the author of the bestseller, What’s in the Bible for Women, the Moms in Faith Bible study series, In Mom They Trust and Mom’s Lead in Love. Over her career, Georgia’s work has appeared in numerous periodicals and thirteen bestselling inspirational collaborative books.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 12, 2026
Book Review:
The Baker of Christmas Wishes
By: Author Georgia Curtis Ling
Other than the classic originals of Debbie Macomber’s Christmas angels; there’s only two Christmas stories that have withstood that same test of time to hold my top favorites. Then along came The Baker of Christmas Wishes by author Georgia Curtis Ling & now…there’s three favorites!
I was fortunate to win a copy of this book in a giveaway. But I had no idea that upon opening, I wouldn’t be able to turn the pages quickly enough. This book is one that is undoubtedly riveting & no matter how tired I got, or errands & to do lists that beckoned my attention; this story took precedence.
Yes, there’s Christmas magic, wishes, and even broken hearts…yet this one tugged at my heartstrings because of the foundation of the book - the harrowing damage caused by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, where I recently started calling home some years ago. That damage is still wreaking havoc on real lives, real towns, communities…in my many years on earth, I’ve witnessed horrible tragedies both naturemade & manmade. But more so, I’ve witnessed courage, compassion & people coming alongside one another despite their differences in life. Everyone bleeds red. Everyone lives. Everyone dies. But in the time we are given to bless this earth & our world around us, we have one purpose & that purpose, I believe, is to love…love one another like Jesus loves each & everyone of us! To make a difference - and I’m thankful for this Christmas story as it has made a difference in my heart this year; especially a year that has been filled with so much loss in every sense of the word.
Bless someone today - bless yourself - don’t miss this captivating book of real Christmas miracles that happen everyday around us if we’re only wiling to stop & look & take just a moment to care. My momma called them “Godspys”…something so unique, unexpected, small; but a daily occurrence of a blessing we know can only come from above & the Creator who loves us all that he would rather die for us than live without us.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟’s! I can’t wait to find more of this author’s stories that undoubtedly come from the depths of her heart! Thank you for blessing me!
The Baker of Christmas Wishes
By: Author Georgia Curtis Ling
Other than the classic originals of Debbie Macomber’s Christmas angels; there’s only two Christmas stories that have withstood that same test of time to hold my top favorites. Then along came The Baker of Christmas Wishes by author Georgia Curtis Ling & now…there’s three favorites!
I was fortunate to win a copy of this book in a giveaway. But I had no idea that upon opening, I wouldn’t be able to turn the pages quickly enough. This book is one that is undoubtedly riveting & no matter how tired I got, or errands & to do lists that beckoned my attention; this story took precedence.
Yes, there’s Christmas magic, wishes, and even broken hearts…yet this one tugged at my heartstrings because of the foundation of the book - the harrowing damage caused by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, where I recently started calling home some years ago. That damage is still wreaking havoc on real lives, real towns, communities…in my many years on earth, I’ve witnessed horrible tragedies both naturemade & manmade. But more so, I’ve witnessed courage, compassion & people coming alongside one another despite their differences in life. Everyone bleeds red. Everyone lives. Everyone dies. But in the time we are given to bless this earth & our world around us, we have one purpose & that purpose, I believe, is to love…love one another like Jesus loves each & everyone of us! To make a difference - and I’m thankful for this Christmas story as it has made a difference in my heart this year; especially a year that has been filled with so much loss in every sense of the word.
Bless someone today - bless yourself - don’t miss this captivating book of real Christmas miracles that happen everyday around us if we’re only wiling to stop & look & take just a moment to care. My momma called them “Godspys”…something so unique, unexpected, small; but a daily occurrence of a blessing we know can only come from above & the Creator who loves us all that he would rather die for us than live without us.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟’s! I can’t wait to find more of this author’s stories that undoubtedly come from the depths of her heart! Thank you for blessing me!
October 10, 2026
This was a delightful tender story filled with love in all its myriad guises. Set in small town Spring Valley, not too far from Asheville, North Carolina, it exudes all the warmth, coziness, and nosiness one can imagine. Woven throughout the fabric of this story is the fortitude of the community and the thread of the its faith.
Sarah Baker, former Ashland premier female pastry chef and current owner of Grandma's Cookie Jar, a gourmet cookie shop, produces masterful cookie creations enjoyed by all. It is her grandmother Ruby's recipe for Christmas Wishing Cookies which she bakes with particular care and love. These are the magical cookies which are the most highly coveted. Into Sarah's orbit steps new pastor Colter Wallace, the cookie is offered, and the magic begins.
Author Georgia Curtis Ling has crafted a beautiful story rich in tenderness and grounded in faith. The writing is engaging and solid. The characters exude depth and are well developed. The charming town is beautifully described as it moves from one celebration to the next, from fall to winter. The challenges presented are faced with tenderness, compassion, faith, and always...love.
I am grateful to author Georgia Curtis Ling for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads. Her generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.
Publisher: Independently published
Publication date: October 1, 2026
Number of Pages: 318
ISBN: 979-8191372303
Sarah Baker, former Ashland premier female pastry chef and current owner of Grandma's Cookie Jar, a gourmet cookie shop, produces masterful cookie creations enjoyed by all. It is her grandmother Ruby's recipe for Christmas Wishing Cookies which she bakes with particular care and love. These are the magical cookies which are the most highly coveted. Into Sarah's orbit steps new pastor Colter Wallace, the cookie is offered, and the magic begins.
Author Georgia Curtis Ling has crafted a beautiful story rich in tenderness and grounded in faith. The writing is engaging and solid. The characters exude depth and are well developed. The charming town is beautifully described as it moves from one celebration to the next, from fall to winter. The challenges presented are faced with tenderness, compassion, faith, and always...love.
I am grateful to author Georgia Curtis Ling for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads. Her generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.
Publisher: Independently published
Publication date: October 1, 2026
Number of Pages: 318
ISBN: 979-8191372303
October 8, 2026
What a wonderful book! It is perfect for the Christmas season - or any season! I was hooked from the first chapter and eagerly read until the blissful finish! Sarah Baker was a respected baker in Asheville, until Hurricane Helene damaged everything. She opted to go home to Tennessee and start over. I loved how she helped celebrate or commemorate special occasions with the gifting of her special cookies, as when a fellow townsperson was facing the anniversary of their spouse's death. Sarah's cookie shop was based on the "Christmas Wishing Cookie" since it was known to possibly grant a special wish or prayer! It was more special because Sarah's own grandmother was the original baker of the cookie! When the new single pastor set foot into Sarah's shop, she had no idea how this would affect her life! I also enjoyed the gentle ribbon of faith woven throughout the story. Now I see there are several other books by this author that I need to read! I highly recommend this book!
I read this book as a result of a Goodreads giveaway, with appreciation. The views expressed are my own personal opinions.
I read this book as a result of a Goodreads giveaway, with appreciation. The views expressed are my own personal opinions.
November 11, 2026
The Baker of Christmas Wishes by Georgia Curtis Ling is the perfect book to get you into the holiday spirit, no matter the time of year. I was lucky enough to win a copy through Goodreads, and it could not have come at a better time. This heartwarming, Christian-themed story feels like a Hallmark movie but with more depth. It's a lighthearted and quick read that centers on family and faith in a charming Southern setting. You'll be drawn in by a wonderful cast of supporting characters, a lovely bakery, and a touch of Christmas magic from a very special little boy. The author does a beautiful job of tying up all the storylines, leaving you with a satisfying and uplifting feeling. If you're looking for a well-written story that will evoke happy feelings and remind you of what's truly important, this is a wonderful choice. It's a book you'll be glad you read and will think about long after the last page.
November 10, 2026
Thank you Goodreads for choosing me to win a copy of this book. It was a very sweet, cozy Christmas romance. The small town and its characters are warm and lovely. If that’s your vibe, you will love this book!
October 12, 2026
Throughly enjoyed the storyline
October 14, 2026
Wonderful story of hope
I loved The Baker of Christmas Wishes. The small town and delightful characters made me smile. This is a book filled with hope, joy, and possibilities.
I loved The Baker of Christmas Wishes. The small town and delightful characters made me smile. This is a book filled with hope, joy, and possibilities.
November 13, 2026
Beautiful!
Such a beautiful story that touches the heart to the core. This should be a series! I loved each character.
Such a beautiful story that touches the heart to the core. This should be a series! I loved each character.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews