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Pudding Pantry #2
Christmas at Rachel’s Pudding Pantry
Cosy up with the new novel in the Pudding Pantry series, full of love, laughter, kisses under the mistletoe, and plenty of delicious pudding!
The first snow is falling over Primrose Farm, the mince pies are warming, and Rachel can’t wait to share a kiss under the mistletoe with her gorgeous new flame, Tom.
If only it was all comfort and joy . . . The arrival of Tom’s ex brings an unwelcome chill to the farm. And despite Master Baker Mum Jill’s valiant efforts, the new pudding pantry business is feeling the pinch.
With a spoonful of festive spirit, a cupful of goodwill with friends, and her messy, wonderful family by her side, can Rachel make this a Christmas to remember?
The first snow is falling over Primrose Farm, the mince pies are warming, and Rachel can’t wait to share a kiss under the mistletoe with her gorgeous new flame, Tom.
If only it was all comfort and joy . . . The arrival of Tom’s ex brings an unwelcome chill to the farm. And despite Master Baker Mum Jill’s valiant efforts, the new pudding pantry business is feeling the pinch.
With a spoonful of festive spirit, a cupful of goodwill with friends, and her messy, wonderful family by her side, can Rachel make this a Christmas to remember?
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2019
138 people are currently reading
573 people want to read
About the author
Caroline Roberts
18 books478 followersFamily, friends, food, a glass of bubbly and, of course, a good book make me smile. I love writing emotional stories about love, loss, betrayal, and family, that explore how complex and yet beautiful love can be. I also like to write romantic comedy, letting the characters have a bit of flirty fun too! I believe in following your dreams and working hard towards them, which led me to Harper Impulse (Harper Collins) and a publishing deal (woop!) after many years of writing. Stunning Northumberland is my home – sandy beaches, castles and gorgeous countryside that have inspired my writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews
October 31, 2019
This was a so so read for me. I liked the start with the recipe for mince pies which evoked some lovely memories of my mums which were melt in the mouth and utterly delicious! I liked the characters of Rachel, Jill and Maisy Swinton and I liked the idea of the Pudding Pantry and wish we had one nearby as it did seem lovely and cosy. There were some nice descriptions in some of the events as we led up to Christmas such as the Christmas Fayre , the Christmas Eve Carol Service and the school nativity play and some scenes that were reasonably amusing. Somehow, though, I doubt that a primary school would be mad enough to have a live sheep along with the shepherds! Of course, it snowed too which it rarely ever does but possibly given its Northumbrian hill setting it just might! If you want a good old soppy ending in the build up to Christmas then this is the book for you!
I did like that the book contained recipes but they were so run of the mill that if you possess an old fashioned Be-Ro book or Delia Smiths complete cookery book you’re sorted. I was kind of with snarky Rachel when she attended a Pudding Night when she said none of it was rocket science. A fruit crumble is one of the simplest things to cook and I should know as even I can do it!! The characters seemed to spend their entire time eating(what size were they?) and seemed to think that a jam roley poly was the answer to any problem. I think your problem might be eating it in the first place as it renders you incapable of movement for at least 24 hours and is more likely to induce a heart attack!
I didn’t think the quality of the writing was particularly good and Rachel saying petal at every sentence uttered to Maisy just made me want to scream! How irritating too was ‘bless them’ at the end of some descriptions of the characters!!! There was one particular scene where the farm had intruders in the middle of the night and Rachel firstly grabbed a cricket bat from a cupboard, then went and unlocked the gun cabinet, then confronted the robbers as the dog was wildly barking. I think they’d have scarpered by then and not hung around for a sexist conversation!! If she had the gun what the hell was she going to use the cricket bat for!!!!!! I’ll just fetch my ball.
Overall, it’s an ok quick read that has some charming sections, some nice characters, stirs some nice Christmas memories and makes you look forward to the festive season even if the writing is a bit flawed.
I did like that the book contained recipes but they were so run of the mill that if you possess an old fashioned Be-Ro book or Delia Smiths complete cookery book you’re sorted. I was kind of with snarky Rachel when she attended a Pudding Night when she said none of it was rocket science. A fruit crumble is one of the simplest things to cook and I should know as even I can do it!! The characters seemed to spend their entire time eating(what size were they?) and seemed to think that a jam roley poly was the answer to any problem. I think your problem might be eating it in the first place as it renders you incapable of movement for at least 24 hours and is more likely to induce a heart attack!
I didn’t think the quality of the writing was particularly good and Rachel saying petal at every sentence uttered to Maisy just made me want to scream! How irritating too was ‘bless them’ at the end of some descriptions of the characters!!! There was one particular scene where the farm had intruders in the middle of the night and Rachel firstly grabbed a cricket bat from a cupboard, then went and unlocked the gun cabinet, then confronted the robbers as the dog was wildly barking. I think they’d have scarpered by then and not hung around for a sexist conversation!! If she had the gun what the hell was she going to use the cricket bat for!!!!!! I’ll just fetch my ball.
Overall, it’s an ok quick read that has some charming sections, some nice characters, stirs some nice Christmas memories and makes you look forward to the festive season even if the writing is a bit flawed.
October 30, 2019
This was another lovely book in the series. Having read the first one recently it was easy to get into as I knew all the characters from the before.
It had all the recipes dotted throughout the book but this time they were Christmas ones.
It was a lovely read and made Christmas feel much nearer.
It had all the recipes dotted throughout the book but this time they were Christmas ones.
It was a lovely read and made Christmas feel much nearer.
November 30, 2019
Christmas at Rachel’s Pudding Pantry is an enchanting book that is heartwarming and full of festive cheer.
At Primrose Farm Rachel and her mother Gill are running the farm and striving to make their new business The Pudding Pantry succeed. Now that the tourist season has dried up they need to come up with some new ideas to keep the cafe afloat.
The perfect book to get yourself into the festive mood. Snuggle down with a mince pie and a glass of wine. I loved the recipes that had been passed on through several generations in the “Baking Bible” and how each recipe evokes different memories.
Looking forward to seeing what happens next for Rachel and her family.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
At Primrose Farm Rachel and her mother Gill are running the farm and striving to make their new business The Pudding Pantry succeed. Now that the tourist season has dried up they need to come up with some new ideas to keep the cafe afloat.
The perfect book to get yourself into the festive mood. Snuggle down with a mince pie and a glass of wine. I loved the recipes that had been passed on through several generations in the “Baking Bible” and how each recipe evokes different memories.
Looking forward to seeing what happens next for Rachel and her family.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Read
March 20, 2023Some of the parts were cosy and festive and felt just right to be read during the festive December. I especially liked the moment when 5 yo Maisy's made card place names with various festive images for everyone. A blizzard part of the book was perhaps my favourite.
"Friends have a way of lifting you, when you didn't even know you were down."
Merry Christmas by Margarita Kukhtina
"Friends have a way of lifting you, when you didn't even know you were down."
Merry Christmas by Margarita Kukhtina
December 19, 2019
Second book in the Pudding Pantry series by Caroline Roberts and I loved it as much as the first book! It's such a cozy read with very nice and caring people in it living in a very picturesque place but with lots of hard work. It's also full of puddings and other yumminess . This book also is full of nostalgia that feels the main character and it made my heart squeaze at multiple times during my read. I found this book very beautiful and I really command it! 4 stars out of 5 for me!
December 29, 2019
More of a 2.5. It wasn’t for me, far too twee and nothing really eventful happens. I skimmed through most of it!
October 19, 2019
Delicious! The perfect tale to snuggle in with leading up to the festive season. This book touches on so many topics, it has something to suit almost everyone.
Baking and farming are front and centre and I'm pleased that Rachel is still farming as it added an excellent eye opener into the way of farming life; the scenes around the snow drift were all too real and an unfortunate reality of some of the harsh winters we can get now. But there is also a lot of love and laughter along the way. I adore not only that Rachel is a mum and daughter in a close-knit family but she is also starting out on a budding relationship and, sometimes forgotten in romance stories, I loved reading about her friendships too.
It also touched on bereavement and loss with Rachel and her mum, Jill, still reeling in a way from the death of Rachel's father. The main reason I liked this aspect is because it clear he has been gone for a few years and I think it is more 'real' for them to still miss and talk about him as nobody can move on quickly from the death of a much-loved one.
The recipes included throughout were a superb addition, not only did they link in with the story, they added an extra level of mouth-watering! I am not a baker at all but I'm genuinely tempted to try a couple of the 'easier' sounding recipes. It was a lovely touch to include them and made me feel a bit more like I was part of the Pudding Club too!
The family are always thinking of new ways to keep their livelihood going and overall I just adored this story that is perfect for this season of shutting the door, getting under the cosiest of blankets, lighting the candles and reading your evenings away.
My many thanks to Harper Impulse & Killer Reads (One More Chapter) via NetGalley who invited me to read this advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
Baking and farming are front and centre and I'm pleased that Rachel is still farming as it added an excellent eye opener into the way of farming life; the scenes around the snow drift were all too real and an unfortunate reality of some of the harsh winters we can get now. But there is also a lot of love and laughter along the way. I adore not only that Rachel is a mum and daughter in a close-knit family but she is also starting out on a budding relationship and, sometimes forgotten in romance stories, I loved reading about her friendships too.
It also touched on bereavement and loss with Rachel and her mum, Jill, still reeling in a way from the death of Rachel's father. The main reason I liked this aspect is because it clear he has been gone for a few years and I think it is more 'real' for them to still miss and talk about him as nobody can move on quickly from the death of a much-loved one.
The recipes included throughout were a superb addition, not only did they link in with the story, they added an extra level of mouth-watering! I am not a baker at all but I'm genuinely tempted to try a couple of the 'easier' sounding recipes. It was a lovely touch to include them and made me feel a bit more like I was part of the Pudding Club too!
The family are always thinking of new ways to keep their livelihood going and overall I just adored this story that is perfect for this season of shutting the door, getting under the cosiest of blankets, lighting the candles and reading your evenings away.
My many thanks to Harper Impulse & Killer Reads (One More Chapter) via NetGalley who invited me to read this advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 5, 2019
Christmas At Rachel’s Pudding Pantry by Caroline Roberts is the most delightful heart-warming contemporary novel that will really get you in the festive mood. It follows on from Rachel’s Pudding Pantry but can be read as a stand-alone. I would recommend reading both of these charming novels.
Christmas is a time for memories – remembering the old and making new. “Memories were catching up… the rawness of losing her Dad still a haunting feeling.” Loss is very acute. Rachel and her Mum, Jill ‘feel’ her father’s presence everywhere. Christmas heightens these feelings. Loss consumes but seems to hurt even more when suicide is involved. (I am not giving any plot away as this happened before the opening of book one)
Snow covers the ground as Christmas approaches but farm work must go on. Neighbours pull together when disaster threatens. The sense of community pervades the novel.
With holiday makers long gone, a new venture begins – the pudding club. This fosters an atmosphere of community as strangers become friends. “The Pudding Club… a place for community to meet up and … a sense of belonging.” The pudding club is “a little haven of friendship.”
The novel has the theme of fathers – not all are good role models but the losses are more than made up for by the care of the mothers and grandparents.
I loved the love, care and warmth that ran throughout the novel, enveloping the reader. With delicious descriptions from Caroline Roberts, the reader really ‘feels’ a part of the story as we journey through the action.
Peppered throughout are the mouth-watering recipes from the Pudding Club which I am dying to try.
Christmas At Rachel’s Pudding Club is a delightfully charming read infused with love, care and nostalgia. I adored it. I cannot wait to experience summer with Rachel and her family.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
Christmas is a time for memories – remembering the old and making new. “Memories were catching up… the rawness of losing her Dad still a haunting feeling.” Loss is very acute. Rachel and her Mum, Jill ‘feel’ her father’s presence everywhere. Christmas heightens these feelings. Loss consumes but seems to hurt even more when suicide is involved. (I am not giving any plot away as this happened before the opening of book one)
Snow covers the ground as Christmas approaches but farm work must go on. Neighbours pull together when disaster threatens. The sense of community pervades the novel.
With holiday makers long gone, a new venture begins – the pudding club. This fosters an atmosphere of community as strangers become friends. “The Pudding Club… a place for community to meet up and … a sense of belonging.” The pudding club is “a little haven of friendship.”
The novel has the theme of fathers – not all are good role models but the losses are more than made up for by the care of the mothers and grandparents.
I loved the love, care and warmth that ran throughout the novel, enveloping the reader. With delicious descriptions from Caroline Roberts, the reader really ‘feels’ a part of the story as we journey through the action.
Peppered throughout are the mouth-watering recipes from the Pudding Club which I am dying to try.
Christmas At Rachel’s Pudding Club is a delightfully charming read infused with love, care and nostalgia. I adored it. I cannot wait to experience summer with Rachel and her family.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
August 3, 2024
Ok...so, I knew this was likely to be bubblegum for the brain but, man, this book is bad!
The "plot" is extremely weak and, oddly, the most interesting parts are when the plot has been abandoned for what feels like a 12 year old's diary.
The protagonist, Rachel, is thoroughly annoying and utterly self absorbed. She whines on and on about how life is out to get her and how she has no time to spend with her boyfriend, her daughter, her boyfriend, her granny, her boyfriend...
She does manage to fit in a booty call, a date, coffee with friends, a couple of hours by the fire, an early night and some well earned rest though.
When she's not moaning about how busy she is she finds time for some "Carry on" style capers with her boyfriend - the one she never sees - to talk about their sex life and his genitalia. However, our intrepid heroine isn't stupid (spoiler: she is) and, to avoid her mother, 5 year old daughter, friends or customers from guessing that they have sex, she uses the code word "crumble". This causes much merriment on Crumble Night at the Pudding Club...if you're a pre-pubescent boy.
But wait, there's more...she fat shames a customer, refers to her boyfriend's ex - someone she's never met - as "a right bitch", refers to a neighbour as "an old bag", resents her daughter's dad for having a girlfriend, kicks off when he calls to speak to their daughter, kicks off when he doesn't, slates him as a dad in front of their 5 year old and then monologues about how SHE is the better parent.
Her widowed mother (2 years) has a coffee with a man and Rachel, naturally, decides that this is a betrayal of her dad and basically throws a tantrum and tries to guilt the mother for being a cheat.
Also, I think Rachel is a bit dim...
When brainstorming ideas to increase the business she proclaims that the idea to have custard with crumble is "great". She also suggests telling people that they "sell puddings" as a sales ploy. Clearly hiding the entire nature of their tea room hadn't been working!
At their Pudding club they hand out the recipes they use for all their bakes including the recipe for their award winning best seller. Alan Sugar must be quaking in his boots.
And don't even get me started on the whole fairy lights conversation...it's fair to say Rachel's friends are a bit dim too. And there's a whole bit on how cows breaking out of their field and into the farmhouse gardens could "only happen on a farm"....BECAUSE. THAT'S. WHERE. YOU. FIND. COWS.
The actual writing is just really lazy too. The exact same paragraph is in the book twice (p25 and p122). So many sentences have a blessing written in:-
Granny Ruth, bless her, had a cough.
Maisy fell asleep, bless her.
Her lovely friend, bless her, made a jumper.
The lamb's woolly head was wet, bless him.
She was tired, bless her.
And on and on and on....
That being said, I finished it - albeit mostly to taunt my sister with daily updates on how irritating Rachel is - which is more than I could do with Harry Potter so..yeah.
I'd quite like to punch Rachel in the face, bless her.
*updated to add* I am now obsessed with Harry Potter. Still hate this book though.
The "plot" is extremely weak and, oddly, the most interesting parts are when the plot has been abandoned for what feels like a 12 year old's diary.
The protagonist, Rachel, is thoroughly annoying and utterly self absorbed. She whines on and on about how life is out to get her and how she has no time to spend with her boyfriend, her daughter, her boyfriend, her granny, her boyfriend...
She does manage to fit in a booty call, a date, coffee with friends, a couple of hours by the fire, an early night and some well earned rest though.
When she's not moaning about how busy she is she finds time for some "Carry on" style capers with her boyfriend - the one she never sees - to talk about their sex life and his genitalia. However, our intrepid heroine isn't stupid (spoiler: she is) and, to avoid her mother, 5 year old daughter, friends or customers from guessing that they have sex, she uses the code word "crumble". This causes much merriment on Crumble Night at the Pudding Club...if you're a pre-pubescent boy.
But wait, there's more...she fat shames a customer, refers to her boyfriend's ex - someone she's never met - as "a right bitch", refers to a neighbour as "an old bag", resents her daughter's dad for having a girlfriend, kicks off when he calls to speak to their daughter, kicks off when he doesn't, slates him as a dad in front of their 5 year old and then monologues about how SHE is the better parent.
Her widowed mother (2 years) has a coffee with a man and Rachel, naturally, decides that this is a betrayal of her dad and basically throws a tantrum and tries to guilt the mother for being a cheat.
Also, I think Rachel is a bit dim...
When brainstorming ideas to increase the business she proclaims that the idea to have custard with crumble is "great". She also suggests telling people that they "sell puddings" as a sales ploy. Clearly hiding the entire nature of their tea room hadn't been working!
At their Pudding club they hand out the recipes they use for all their bakes including the recipe for their award winning best seller. Alan Sugar must be quaking in his boots.
And don't even get me started on the whole fairy lights conversation...it's fair to say Rachel's friends are a bit dim too. And there's a whole bit on how cows breaking out of their field and into the farmhouse gardens could "only happen on a farm"....BECAUSE. THAT'S. WHERE. YOU. FIND. COWS.
The actual writing is just really lazy too. The exact same paragraph is in the book twice (p25 and p122). So many sentences have a blessing written in:-
Granny Ruth, bless her, had a cough.
Maisy fell asleep, bless her.
Her lovely friend, bless her, made a jumper.
The lamb's woolly head was wet, bless him.
She was tired, bless her.
And on and on and on....
That being said, I finished it - albeit mostly to taunt my sister with daily updates on how irritating Rachel is - which is more than I could do with Harry Potter so..yeah.
I'd quite like to punch Rachel in the face, bless her.
*updated to add* I am now obsessed with Harry Potter. Still hate this book though.
October 25, 2019
What a delightfully festive and mouthwatering read by the talented Caroline Roberts. I had been looking forward to reading this since I had seen the cover revealed on Twitter quite some weeks ago. I really loved the first in the series, it was so deliciously heart warming (as well as mouthwatering!) that I had hoped there would be another one. The cover is so Christmassy and pretty I was so excited to be back at Rachel's Pudding Pantry.
I adore Caroline Roberts' style of writing, the way she describes the cakes and sweet treats has you wishing that you could to go to the Pantry right there and then if it were real! I also love the way Caroline writes about the relationships in the novel, it makes you feel warm and happy with how close the family and friends all are. The community spirit in this novel is massive and this particular story is just a joy to read.
With this particular story, Rachel and her mum Jill are struggling to make ends meet with their new cafe, the Pudding Pantry, which is held at their farm. The treat they have on offer sound amazing and the customers are so caring and helpful. My favourite in this book was Granny Ruth, she was just so cute and lovely and Frank was another firm favourite in my book! The idea behind the Pudding Club was genius and the characters who all joined got on really well and was enjoyable to read about all the different puddings.
Although this novel is based around Rachel and her relationship with Tom, at the beginning there isn't much about the pair and the novel is more on Rachel and everything she is doing to keep the farm and the pudding pantry afloat. I would have liked to have read more about them as it seems like the ending was a little rushed but overall it was an amazing read and I loved reading about all the different puddings, the relationships between Jill, Rachel, Maisy and Granny Ruth and of course, I loved the Christmas spirit!
Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read an advance copy of this novel via Netgalley, which I have reviewed honestly.
I adore Caroline Roberts' style of writing, the way she describes the cakes and sweet treats has you wishing that you could to go to the Pantry right there and then if it were real! I also love the way Caroline writes about the relationships in the novel, it makes you feel warm and happy with how close the family and friends all are. The community spirit in this novel is massive and this particular story is just a joy to read.
With this particular story, Rachel and her mum Jill are struggling to make ends meet with their new cafe, the Pudding Pantry, which is held at their farm. The treat they have on offer sound amazing and the customers are so caring and helpful. My favourite in this book was Granny Ruth, she was just so cute and lovely and Frank was another firm favourite in my book! The idea behind the Pudding Club was genius and the characters who all joined got on really well and was enjoyable to read about all the different puddings.
Although this novel is based around Rachel and her relationship with Tom, at the beginning there isn't much about the pair and the novel is more on Rachel and everything she is doing to keep the farm and the pudding pantry afloat. I would have liked to have read more about them as it seems like the ending was a little rushed but overall it was an amazing read and I loved reading about all the different puddings, the relationships between Jill, Rachel, Maisy and Granny Ruth and of course, I loved the Christmas spirit!
Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read an advance copy of this novel via Netgalley, which I have reviewed honestly.
December 17, 2019
The second in the series, this creates a cosy Christmas mood - and the recipes/focus on food is definitely a wonderful seasonal mood-enhancer.
This time around, we have Rachel finding the initial glut of customers drying up and trying to work out how to survive Christmas. Things are progressing nicely with farming neighbour Tom, although there is a somewhat inevitable potential spanner in the works.
From the opening recipe for mince pies, the real delight here is the puddings. I am determined to try and make some of these - they sound delicious. While the story is entertaining enough, it's the food that is the winner!
This time around, we have Rachel finding the initial glut of customers drying up and trying to work out how to survive Christmas. Things are progressing nicely with farming neighbour Tom, although there is a somewhat inevitable potential spanner in the works.
From the opening recipe for mince pies, the real delight here is the puddings. I am determined to try and make some of these - they sound delicious. While the story is entertaining enough, it's the food that is the winner!
November 14, 2019
The first thing coming to mind is the main character, Rachel. She's 24, mom and owner of a farm. I'm 27, mom and can hardly handle my own household? You bet your asses I looked up to her from the start, haha. In a way, it was weird reading about such a young character. Especially since I expected it to be all about the romance, but looking back.. it didn't really influence my reading experience.
The baking-aspect! Boy! There are several recipes throughout the book. Apart from getting me motivated to start baking again, they also caused me to get hungry at the most random moments. I even skipped some because I just.. couldn't cope with getting all focused on "needing food" at times, haha.
I liked the baking aspect, I liked the recipes even more, but.. I sometimes got annoyed by how often people talked about baking stuff. It started to feel a bit over the top at some point and once I focused on it.. Yup, ruined. It was worst during the first fifth of the book or something. It felt like it was better after that.
Writing-wise, this book wasn't really my cup of tea. The conversations often felt forced and unnatural which made it harder for me to pick it back up. It should flow, right? Well.. It didn't. To top things off, everything was described in a very detailed way. Sometimes it helped the story, but at other times it backfired completely by being unnecessary. Some conversations could've easily been edited out as well since they added nothing to the story or relationships.
Then there's the romantic aspect. Instead of seeing characters deal with everything, you get a whole lot of baking and farm stuff and I really expected a beautiful budding romance. I mean, if you read the synopsis, that's what you'd anticipate, right? Wrong. Let's summarize: New flame, certain event raises questions, characters do nothing about it for weeks, then finally talk about it. And they're on neighboring farms. How do you even do that? How do you cope? How is this realistic? It's not.
This, then, ties together with Rachel's being. She knows things are off with certain people, she mulls it over in her head to then.. do nothing. I'm more the "let's talk about it right now"-kind of person, so I got frustrated a lot.. I repeat, a lot.
2 / 5
If.. the things that bothered me wouldn't bother you, I'd say go ahead and read it. The recipes might be worth it - I definitely plan on trying one or two - but the story itself is one I won't ever reread, that's for sure.. Too many things I didn't like, now that I reread my review for editing..
The baking-aspect! Boy! There are several recipes throughout the book. Apart from getting me motivated to start baking again, they also caused me to get hungry at the most random moments. I even skipped some because I just.. couldn't cope with getting all focused on "needing food" at times, haha.
I liked the baking aspect, I liked the recipes even more, but.. I sometimes got annoyed by how often people talked about baking stuff. It started to feel a bit over the top at some point and once I focused on it.. Yup, ruined. It was worst during the first fifth of the book or something. It felt like it was better after that.
Writing-wise, this book wasn't really my cup of tea. The conversations often felt forced and unnatural which made it harder for me to pick it back up. It should flow, right? Well.. It didn't. To top things off, everything was described in a very detailed way. Sometimes it helped the story, but at other times it backfired completely by being unnecessary. Some conversations could've easily been edited out as well since they added nothing to the story or relationships.
Then there's the romantic aspect. Instead of seeing characters deal with everything, you get a whole lot of baking and farm stuff and I really expected a beautiful budding romance. I mean, if you read the synopsis, that's what you'd anticipate, right? Wrong. Let's summarize: New flame, certain event raises questions, characters do nothing about it for weeks, then finally talk about it. And they're on neighboring farms. How do you even do that? How do you cope? How is this realistic? It's not.
This, then, ties together with Rachel's being. She knows things are off with certain people, she mulls it over in her head to then.. do nothing. I'm more the "let's talk about it right now"-kind of person, so I got frustrated a lot.. I repeat, a lot.
2 / 5
If.. the things that bothered me wouldn't bother you, I'd say go ahead and read it. The recipes might be worth it - I definitely plan on trying one or two - but the story itself is one I won't ever reread, that's for sure.. Too many things I didn't like, now that I reread my review for editing..
December 6, 2019
Love the second book in this series. We return to primrose farm to see how jill Rachel and maisey are getting on after the opening of the pudding pantry and how Rachel's Relationship with next door neighbour Tom is going.
Rachel and jill have found buisness a little quite now with not too many holiday makers around so come up with a pudding club as an idea to make more money. Every week follows a theme. After granny ruth produces a award winning Xmas pudding things go crazy.
Jake turns up with new girlfriend Chelsea in tow which pleases maisey but not Rachel.
With things being so busy Rachel and Tom don't get to spend a huge amount of time together then rumours start up that toms ex wife Caitlin has arrived in town if this is true Rachel wanders what this will mean for there relationship.
Can't wait for another trip here soon. Fab read.
Rachel and jill have found buisness a little quite now with not too many holiday makers around so come up with a pudding club as an idea to make more money. Every week follows a theme. After granny ruth produces a award winning Xmas pudding things go crazy.
Jake turns up with new girlfriend Chelsea in tow which pleases maisey but not Rachel.
With things being so busy Rachel and Tom don't get to spend a huge amount of time together then rumours start up that toms ex wife Caitlin has arrived in town if this is true Rachel wanders what this will mean for there relationship.
Can't wait for another trip here soon. Fab read.
December 15, 2021
I really loved this cozy, Christmas time romance. It was just what I needed to read after a bit of a stressful few days.
Rachel and her boyfriend Tom, Rachel's daughter, Rachel's Mum and Rachel's Gran are the main characters of the story. They are all lovely people, and I enjoyed reading about them and what they got up to running Primrose Farm and the Pudding Pantry, as well as as the pudding workshops. The book holds a lot of recipes, so if you are into baking, you will love this. This is a great book to read at Christmas time, as it is heartwarming, and it carries a lot of Christmas cheer and seasonal magic!
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rachel and her boyfriend Tom, Rachel's daughter, Rachel's Mum and Rachel's Gran are the main characters of the story. They are all lovely people, and I enjoyed reading about them and what they got up to running Primrose Farm and the Pudding Pantry, as well as as the pudding workshops. The book holds a lot of recipes, so if you are into baking, you will love this. This is a great book to read at Christmas time, as it is heartwarming, and it carries a lot of Christmas cheer and seasonal magic!
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 6, 2019
This is a lovely Christmas book to read. It’s easy to read and it has some really funny parts in it that will make you laugh out loud, no matter where your reading it. I haven’t read the first book in the series, but you really don’t need to.
Meet Rachel Swinton of Primrose Farm, single mother, farmer and brains to her new enterprise the “Pudding Pantry”. Which Rachel and her mother Jill opened earlier in the year in hope of getting their family farm back in the black, as it’s was running very much in the red.
During the summer months the pudding pantry did a roaring trade, with passing holiday makers, hikers and the locals. But over the last couple of months the passing trade has dropped off and the only customers coming to the pudding pantry now are loyal locals.
So Rachel needs to come up with a way to keep the farm out of the red, and get people in to the pudding pantry. One afternoon while she was picking up her daughter and friend, from the after school gymnastics club. Rachel found she had an idea brewing, she just needed to discuss it with her mother Jill, as it would be Jill who the extra baking would fall on.
Rachel’s idea was to hold a pudding club every fortnight, where people could talk about baking, swap ideas and recipes, as well as a tasting session. They could then also purchase some of the puddings that the pantry already made and sold.
After both of them decided that it was a good idea to try, Rachel worked on a flyer and asked the local deli if they minded handing them out for her. As they already sold some of their puddings on a regular basis.
Rachel also took a pudding into the local newspaper as a bribe, so they would hopefully print a small feature about the new pudding club and boost interest with the locals.
After the first pudding club things get busy on the farm, as a snow storm hits them and they have to rescue their sheep out in the fields due to the snow drifts that the sheep would be trapped in. As the snow melts Rachel finds herself busier and busier leaving he no spare time to see Tom.
Tom owns the next farm to Rachel’s. Their relationship is still quite new and fragile and with Rachel’s time so limited things are looking rocky. Can Rachel rescue the farm and the pudding pantry, as well as her new relationship with Tom?
As I’ve already said this is an easy funny read, which also has some wonderful Christmas pudding recipes in it. I know that I will be trying out some of these recipes at Christmas and I’m sure I won’t be the only one either.
Meet Rachel Swinton of Primrose Farm, single mother, farmer and brains to her new enterprise the “Pudding Pantry”. Which Rachel and her mother Jill opened earlier in the year in hope of getting their family farm back in the black, as it’s was running very much in the red.
During the summer months the pudding pantry did a roaring trade, with passing holiday makers, hikers and the locals. But over the last couple of months the passing trade has dropped off and the only customers coming to the pudding pantry now are loyal locals.
So Rachel needs to come up with a way to keep the farm out of the red, and get people in to the pudding pantry. One afternoon while she was picking up her daughter and friend, from the after school gymnastics club. Rachel found she had an idea brewing, she just needed to discuss it with her mother Jill, as it would be Jill who the extra baking would fall on.
Rachel’s idea was to hold a pudding club every fortnight, where people could talk about baking, swap ideas and recipes, as well as a tasting session. They could then also purchase some of the puddings that the pantry already made and sold.
After both of them decided that it was a good idea to try, Rachel worked on a flyer and asked the local deli if they minded handing them out for her. As they already sold some of their puddings on a regular basis.
Rachel also took a pudding into the local newspaper as a bribe, so they would hopefully print a small feature about the new pudding club and boost interest with the locals.
After the first pudding club things get busy on the farm, as a snow storm hits them and they have to rescue their sheep out in the fields due to the snow drifts that the sheep would be trapped in. As the snow melts Rachel finds herself busier and busier leaving he no spare time to see Tom.
Tom owns the next farm to Rachel’s. Their relationship is still quite new and fragile and with Rachel’s time so limited things are looking rocky. Can Rachel rescue the farm and the pudding pantry, as well as her new relationship with Tom?
As I’ve already said this is an easy funny read, which also has some wonderful Christmas pudding recipes in it. I know that I will be trying out some of these recipes at Christmas and I’m sure I won’t be the only one either.
February 7, 2020
Another glorious Christmas read by Caroline Roberts. All sorts of emotions ran through this book. Each one left me feeling distinctly different in every chapter. But it was evident that all of them arose because of love, and genuine family commitment. Sprinkled with wonderful friendships throughout, the pages bring gifts galore for the reader. A thoroughly heart-warming read to help keep the winter blues away. Wonderful!
February 23, 2020
Overall I enjoyed this book, it’s full of yummy recipes and mouthwatering descriptions of pudding so who wouldn’t?! At times I found the main character quite hysterical and selfish which started to border on irritating but I’m pleased to
Say she pulled it back in the last few chapters of the book. A perfect Christmas tale, heartwarming and endearing with lots of puddings!
Thank you Netgalley
Say she pulled it back in the last few chapters of the book. A perfect Christmas tale, heartwarming and endearing with lots of puddings!
Thank you Netgalley
December 31, 2019
loved this book cant wait for next one in series
November 11, 2019
We are back at Primrose farm,catching up with Rachel and her mother Jill at the pudding pantry.With summer season over and business at the cafe dwindling, the ladies need to come up with ideas to put the cafe back on the map. Rachel is juggling being a lone parent, running the farm and pantry whilst also trying to establish her new found relationship with Tom, the farmer next door. A delightful story, plus lots of delicious sounding recipes to try out.
December 16, 2019
Gorgeous and Christmassy but could be calorific if you made all 12 recipes!
May 28, 2022
When I finally reached The End, I'm sure my teeth hurt after continuously reading about all those puddings, maybe I'm even suffering from a sugar overload. Jill and Rachel spent every moment mixing and baking puddings for the Pudding Pantry, eating them themselves or drinking hot chocolate with cream. I worry for their teeth with all that sugar. I know this is fiction but it sounds a very unhealthy life style.
Serious editing is required to remove the unnecessary padding and correct the mistakes and typos. The title of the book constantly occurred without any reason, sentences broke off mid line and continued in the next line below, words were split into two. The manner of writing was a little like my ex-neighbour's conversation: an expected quick chat would develop into me receiving a 60-minute monologue full of excessive and unneeded detail.
When intruders appear in the middle of the night in the farm yard, Rachel grabs her dad's cricket bat. I can only blame her stupidity with being half asleep. Then she grabbed her shotgun and took a pot shot into the air that effectively scared them off.
All in all a good plot, if predictable, I was particularly annoyed that Rachel couldn't make more time for lovely Tom. This is a bit like an extended omnibus edition of The Archers - An Everyday Story of Country Folk. Some people like The Archers, some don't.
I finished the book last night and today I made a Toffee Apple Crumble. I was clearly influenced by something.
Serious editing is required to remove the unnecessary padding and correct the mistakes and typos. The title of the book constantly occurred without any reason, sentences broke off mid line and continued in the next line below, words were split into two. The manner of writing was a little like my ex-neighbour's conversation: an expected quick chat would develop into me receiving a 60-minute monologue full of excessive and unneeded detail.
When intruders appear in the middle of the night in the farm yard, Rachel grabs her dad's cricket bat. I can only blame her stupidity with being half asleep. Then she grabbed her shotgun and took a pot shot into the air that effectively scared them off.
All in all a good plot, if predictable, I was particularly annoyed that Rachel couldn't make more time for lovely Tom. This is a bit like an extended omnibus edition of The Archers - An Everyday Story of Country Folk. Some people like The Archers, some don't.
I finished the book last night and today I made a Toffee Apple Crumble. I was clearly influenced by something.
October 20, 2019
Thanks to netgalley for a chance to read this book.
Good Christmas read with recipes included. Rachel is trying to keep the farm and her family going following the suicide of her father. Made me fall in love with the pudding pantry and it’s characters.
Good Christmas read with recipes included. Rachel is trying to keep the farm and her family going following the suicide of her father. Made me fall in love with the pudding pantry and it’s characters.
November 5, 2019
I have been a fan of Caroline's work for a little while now. I have read most of her books and those that I have read, I have thoroughly enjoyed. I read the first book in this series and I adored it, even if it did make me crave puddings!! I couldn't wait to grab hold of a copy of 'Christmas At Rachel's Pudding Pantry'. Well ladies and gents, the wait is over because 'Christmas At Rachel's Pudding Pantry' was released on 31st October 2019. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it but more about that in a bit.
I absolutely loved the character of Rachel and I warmed to her again from the start. In fact as soon as I started to read the book I felt as though I had reunited with an old friend in Rachel. She is the single parent of an adorable little girl and they live at the family farm with Rachel's mother. Three strong females. Their household sounded absolutely lovely and I wouldn't have minded living with them. Jill is an ace baker and her kitchen is always full of the lovely smell of baking, which is handy since they run the Pudding Pantry. Rachel certainly has her hands full. She works on the family farm, she looks after her adorable bairn and she helps out in the Pudding Pantry when time permits. She puts her life and soul into her work. The Pudding Pantry is proving to be a success although it isn't quite bringing in the income that they are hoping for. Rachel and Jill try to have a brainstorm to drum up extra trade for the Pantry. Rachel seems to be juggling a lot of balls in the air and I was just hoping that she wasn't pushing herself too hard. Rachel does have a love interest in the form of Tom, who lives on the neighbouring farm. He was a bit grumpy to start with but Rachel soon got through to him and romance is blossoming. Things are moving along nicely but a spanner is soon thrown into the works in the form of Tom's ex-girlfriend who appears back on the scene. Will Rachel and Jill make the Pudding Pantry a huge financial success? Will Rachel and Tom stay together? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Oh my word, 'Christmas At Rachel's Pudding Pantry' really is an adorable read about an adorable little family who run an adorable sounding business. I made the hugely silly mistake of starting to read the book shortly before I went to bed. I read into the wee small hours of the morning and reading all about the delicious puddings, not only made me feel hungry but I also dreamt about puddings!! Not good for somebody on WW. I couldn't get enough of this adorable story and the even more delicious sounding Tom. I would pick the book up only intending to read a couple of chapters but I would still be sat there over half a dozen chapters later. It didn't take me long at all to get through this story. In fact I binge read it in just under 48 hours, which is pretty good going for me. Usually I have the attention span of a gnat and I am easily distracted but not in this case as I was so 'into' the story that I managed to focus solely on the story and I was able to shut out all other distractions.
'Christmas At Rachel's Pudding Pantry' is brilliantly written but then I wouldn't expect anything else from Caroline Roberts. She grabs your attention from the start and once she has your attention she will not let it go until the moment you turn over the back cover. She has created adorable characters that are impossible to dislike and given them storylines you can really get your teeth into. Caroline writes so convincingly and realistically that I felt as though I was part of the story myself. The characters and the places came to life through Caroline's lovely writing. I had to remind myself that 'the Pudding Pantry' wasn't real and I couldn't set up camp in the shop. (I have rather a sweet tooth.
Reading 'Christmas At Rachel's Pudding Pantry' certainly took me on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster ride with all the highs and lows, twists and turns and well you get the picture. It seemed to be the case that I went through every single emotion that the different characters went though.
In short, 'Christmas At Rachel's Pudding Pantry' really is a beautifully written and brilliant story written by an equally brilliant author. If you would like a festive read that will warm your heart and make you smile then this is the book for you. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will definitely be reading more of Caroline's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
I absolutely loved the character of Rachel and I warmed to her again from the start. In fact as soon as I started to read the book I felt as though I had reunited with an old friend in Rachel. She is the single parent of an adorable little girl and they live at the family farm with Rachel's mother. Three strong females. Their household sounded absolutely lovely and I wouldn't have minded living with them. Jill is an ace baker and her kitchen is always full of the lovely smell of baking, which is handy since they run the Pudding Pantry. Rachel certainly has her hands full. She works on the family farm, she looks after her adorable bairn and she helps out in the Pudding Pantry when time permits. She puts her life and soul into her work. The Pudding Pantry is proving to be a success although it isn't quite bringing in the income that they are hoping for. Rachel and Jill try to have a brainstorm to drum up extra trade for the Pantry. Rachel seems to be juggling a lot of balls in the air and I was just hoping that she wasn't pushing herself too hard. Rachel does have a love interest in the form of Tom, who lives on the neighbouring farm. He was a bit grumpy to start with but Rachel soon got through to him and romance is blossoming. Things are moving along nicely but a spanner is soon thrown into the works in the form of Tom's ex-girlfriend who appears back on the scene. Will Rachel and Jill make the Pudding Pantry a huge financial success? Will Rachel and Tom stay together? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Oh my word, 'Christmas At Rachel's Pudding Pantry' really is an adorable read about an adorable little family who run an adorable sounding business. I made the hugely silly mistake of starting to read the book shortly before I went to bed. I read into the wee small hours of the morning and reading all about the delicious puddings, not only made me feel hungry but I also dreamt about puddings!! Not good for somebody on WW. I couldn't get enough of this adorable story and the even more delicious sounding Tom. I would pick the book up only intending to read a couple of chapters but I would still be sat there over half a dozen chapters later. It didn't take me long at all to get through this story. In fact I binge read it in just under 48 hours, which is pretty good going for me. Usually I have the attention span of a gnat and I am easily distracted but not in this case as I was so 'into' the story that I managed to focus solely on the story and I was able to shut out all other distractions.
'Christmas At Rachel's Pudding Pantry' is brilliantly written but then I wouldn't expect anything else from Caroline Roberts. She grabs your attention from the start and once she has your attention she will not let it go until the moment you turn over the back cover. She has created adorable characters that are impossible to dislike and given them storylines you can really get your teeth into. Caroline writes so convincingly and realistically that I felt as though I was part of the story myself. The characters and the places came to life through Caroline's lovely writing. I had to remind myself that 'the Pudding Pantry' wasn't real and I couldn't set up camp in the shop. (I have rather a sweet tooth.
Reading 'Christmas At Rachel's Pudding Pantry' certainly took me on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster ride with all the highs and lows, twists and turns and well you get the picture. It seemed to be the case that I went through every single emotion that the different characters went though.
In short, 'Christmas At Rachel's Pudding Pantry' really is a beautifully written and brilliant story written by an equally brilliant author. If you would like a festive read that will warm your heart and make you smile then this is the book for you. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will definitely be reading more of Caroline's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
November 22, 2019
Obsessed with all writers British and their women’s fiction and romance titles, I’d heard wonderful things about Caroline Roberts, and this was my first chance to give her books a whirl – and I’ll admit – I’m hooked! Rachel, her mother Jill and her five year old daughter Maisy have had a rough couple of years after her father’s death. Running the farm and coping with all of that, an absentee father for Maisy and the ever-increasing bills. Trying to make ends meet and find money everywhere they can, extensive renovations of the old cow byre were made, and they’d opened a very popular small café, specializing in home made bakes and treats. But, in the run-up to the holidays, with the decrease in tourists, things are tighter than ever and Rachel is worried that this idea may be one too many.
What emerges in this lovely story is a family, doing everything to cope with changes and challenges, and always trying to move forward. As unexpected as her father’s death was, and even in their grief, the Swinton women have banded together and are working every hour sent to make things work. From the aging Granny Ruth to the pet sheep that ‘starred’ in the school nativity play – there are moments to laugh and others where things feel a bit overly focused on ‘getting through’ the to-do list. But, when one understands the pressure that the very young (she’s only 24) Rachel has – from being a single parent, to grief, to the farm work and her worries about finances, it’s pretty easy to see HOW she’s not that great at opening up and sharing, or that days seem to be filled with busywork – because they really are. Adding in her neighbor and friend Tom as a romantic interest added another level of understanding Rachel and her own personal insecurities, as she really put him through it at times.
Overall, the story was warm and cozy, and with several recipes that feel very traditional and brought back memories of my gran’s own holiday baking, as well as a solid focus on using the Pudding Pantry to bring people together to chat about bakes, meet one another, and actually sample different bakes as well as share tips and tricks, the story felt very much like a romance meets Great British Bake Off – without the judge, Paul. But it was sweet and relaxing, a non-confrontational book that lead up to the holiday and through it – sharing traditions, treats and a few surprises that bring everyone together in a way that felt meant to be.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
What emerges in this lovely story is a family, doing everything to cope with changes and challenges, and always trying to move forward. As unexpected as her father’s death was, and even in their grief, the Swinton women have banded together and are working every hour sent to make things work. From the aging Granny Ruth to the pet sheep that ‘starred’ in the school nativity play – there are moments to laugh and others where things feel a bit overly focused on ‘getting through’ the to-do list. But, when one understands the pressure that the very young (she’s only 24) Rachel has – from being a single parent, to grief, to the farm work and her worries about finances, it’s pretty easy to see HOW she’s not that great at opening up and sharing, or that days seem to be filled with busywork – because they really are. Adding in her neighbor and friend Tom as a romantic interest added another level of understanding Rachel and her own personal insecurities, as she really put him through it at times.
Overall, the story was warm and cozy, and with several recipes that feel very traditional and brought back memories of my gran’s own holiday baking, as well as a solid focus on using the Pudding Pantry to bring people together to chat about bakes, meet one another, and actually sample different bakes as well as share tips and tricks, the story felt very much like a romance meets Great British Bake Off – without the judge, Paul. But it was sweet and relaxing, a non-confrontational book that lead up to the holiday and through it – sharing traditions, treats and a few surprises that bring everyone together in a way that felt meant to be.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
November 2, 2019
Well worth a read with the inclusion of festive recipes providing a nice extra touch too. And, for me the book itself had all the ingredients for a perfect romcom:
· Budding romance
· Countryside village setting
· Close-knit family
· Cosy friendships
· Entrepreneurial spirit
· Cute animals and children
· Christmas cheer
Yes like most chicklit it follows a tried and tested ‘recipe’ but it’s a formula that works and is one I love. However, this had more breadth than your typical sugar-coated romance. It was heart-warming but also real, embracing the ups and downs of life including illness, grief, single parenting, British farming and starting up a small business.
Essentially this was the story of the Swinton family - four generations of warm, strong women working together to make a success of their new business and keep their beloved farm. I loved the lead character, Rachel, a hard-working, driven, independent, kind, family-orientated young woman. Although I did find it hard to believe that Rachel was 24 – I mean being a young single mum is likely to make you grow up quickly but still the most mature, sensible 24 year old I’ve ever come across.
Five-year old Maisy, Rachel’s daughter, was obviously adorable too, providing many of the comedic moments. The best of these was undoubtedly the school nativity play where the farm’s overgrown lamb, Petie, played a supporting role alongside shepherd Maisy. Cue Petie lunging for a mouthful of hay, toppling Baby Jesus out of the crib, before leaping into the audience and galloping up and down only to poo on the floor on his way out.
As Christmas titles go this one was actually very festive, unlike many. It had Christmas puddings, the infamous nativity, snow storms, Christmas fairs and decorations galore. Although to be fair it also had fireworks and bonfires as it covered the run-up to Christmas too - so a real seasonal delight.
Seemingly this is the second novel in the Pudding Pantry series, with hints of a third to come. But, don’t let that put you off as it works perfectly well as a standalone too. All in all a great read which will certainly get you in the festive spirit (and make your mouth water will all the mentions of scrumptious sounding puddings).
· Budding romance
· Countryside village setting
· Close-knit family
· Cosy friendships
· Entrepreneurial spirit
· Cute animals and children
· Christmas cheer
Yes like most chicklit it follows a tried and tested ‘recipe’ but it’s a formula that works and is one I love. However, this had more breadth than your typical sugar-coated romance. It was heart-warming but also real, embracing the ups and downs of life including illness, grief, single parenting, British farming and starting up a small business.
Essentially this was the story of the Swinton family - four generations of warm, strong women working together to make a success of their new business and keep their beloved farm. I loved the lead character, Rachel, a hard-working, driven, independent, kind, family-orientated young woman. Although I did find it hard to believe that Rachel was 24 – I mean being a young single mum is likely to make you grow up quickly but still the most mature, sensible 24 year old I’ve ever come across.
Five-year old Maisy, Rachel’s daughter, was obviously adorable too, providing many of the comedic moments. The best of these was undoubtedly the school nativity play where the farm’s overgrown lamb, Petie, played a supporting role alongside shepherd Maisy. Cue Petie lunging for a mouthful of hay, toppling Baby Jesus out of the crib, before leaping into the audience and galloping up and down only to poo on the floor on his way out.
As Christmas titles go this one was actually very festive, unlike many. It had Christmas puddings, the infamous nativity, snow storms, Christmas fairs and decorations galore. Although to be fair it also had fireworks and bonfires as it covered the run-up to Christmas too - so a real seasonal delight.
Seemingly this is the second novel in the Pudding Pantry series, with hints of a third to come. But, don’t let that put you off as it works perfectly well as a standalone too. All in all a great read which will certainly get you in the festive spirit (and make your mouth water will all the mentions of scrumptious sounding puddings).
October 14, 2019
Within a chapter or two I was fully back on board with life at Primrose Farm and it was like I hadn't even been away. I am absolutely loving these four generations of women who are fighting to keep the farm solvent and hoping that their newly set up Pudding Pantry will help do just that.
We have Grandma Ruby, who's Christmas pudding is legendary and is generally a wonderful baker. Mum Jill, who loves baking and is still feeling the loss of her husband this festive season. Rachel who the book focuses around who is doing her best at keeping the farm and pudding pantry running, while looking after daughter Maisie (who is adorable), and seeing if she can keep her fledgling relationship with Tom on track.
Please don't read this like I did when recovering from dental extraction surgery when I could barely eat anything myself... but yet was being made extra super duper hungry from the mentions of all the wonderful puddings in this book. If you are a fan of puddings, tarts, crumbles etc.. there will be plenty in here for your mouth to water over.
Plus there are also the 12 bakes of Christmas complete with recipes, for those that like to indulge in a bit of baking themselves.
There are many ups and downs in this book and I found myself completely absorbed by life on the farm. I felt for the animals, I loved Maisie's nativity play, I enjoyed the creation of the Pudding Pantry Club and getting to know all the different people attending that.
I really just loved everything, all wrapped up in Caroline Roberts wonderfully heartwarming and comforting writing style, that made me hungry, had me laughing, awwing, worried at times and generally just had me on the side of the Swinton family, hoping everything would work out.
This was a joy to read, and I can't wait to see what happens in the next Pudding Pantry book that was hinted at in the acknowledgements. It is a fabulous series and one I am very keen to continue reading. Just wish I didn't need to wait for the author to write it first!!
Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
We have Grandma Ruby, who's Christmas pudding is legendary and is generally a wonderful baker. Mum Jill, who loves baking and is still feeling the loss of her husband this festive season. Rachel who the book focuses around who is doing her best at keeping the farm and pudding pantry running, while looking after daughter Maisie (who is adorable), and seeing if she can keep her fledgling relationship with Tom on track.
Please don't read this like I did when recovering from dental extraction surgery when I could barely eat anything myself... but yet was being made extra super duper hungry from the mentions of all the wonderful puddings in this book. If you are a fan of puddings, tarts, crumbles etc.. there will be plenty in here for your mouth to water over.
Plus there are also the 12 bakes of Christmas complete with recipes, for those that like to indulge in a bit of baking themselves.
There are many ups and downs in this book and I found myself completely absorbed by life on the farm. I felt for the animals, I loved Maisie's nativity play, I enjoyed the creation of the Pudding Pantry Club and getting to know all the different people attending that.
I really just loved everything, all wrapped up in Caroline Roberts wonderfully heartwarming and comforting writing style, that made me hungry, had me laughing, awwing, worried at times and generally just had me on the side of the Swinton family, hoping everything would work out.
This was a joy to read, and I can't wait to see what happens in the next Pudding Pantry book that was hinted at in the acknowledgements. It is a fabulous series and one I am very keen to continue reading. Just wish I didn't need to wait for the author to write it first!!
Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
October 18, 2019
Warning!! You have to make sure you have lots of lovely festive treats and puddings ready to hand to eat while reading!
I absolutely loved the first book in the Pudding Pantry series and was so excited when I got the opportunity to read Christmas at Rachel’s Pudding Pantry. How wonderful to be back at Primrose Farm with Rachel, her mum Jill, daughter Daisy, Tom and friends at such a special festive time of year.
In this book each chapter starts with a mouth-watering delicious recipe - They form the basis for each chapter - 12 bakes of Christmas.
Because I read the first book I did find that at the start of this book we did cover a lot of what happened in the first book but I understand for those that have not read the first book, they do need to have an understanding of what went on and form a basis for the story ahead.
I love the Pudding Club which Rachel and her mum Jill created, and its success and loved meeting the new characters - I hope we hear more about them in future books. There was so much depth to the new characters and so many funny moments throughout the book but also sad moments too.
I loved how we learnt so much more about the farm, and the problems that occur in winter - we live in the country and the winters are so harsh for farmers and so much harder looking after their livestock. The cold wintery scenes made you want to snuggle under a blanket and turn up the fire!
I absolutely loved the proposal - so romantic! I can't wait to hear about Rachel and Tom and Daisy's future and what happens next - will they continue to manage both farms or will they move in together .... so much more to find out about this wonderful family.
An absolutely magical warm Christmas read which I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend. I would love to visit Rachel’s Pudding Pantry and be part of the Pudding Club! I hope there is a Pudding Pantry, Book 3!
This review is based on a NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.
I absolutely loved the first book in the Pudding Pantry series and was so excited when I got the opportunity to read Christmas at Rachel’s Pudding Pantry. How wonderful to be back at Primrose Farm with Rachel, her mum Jill, daughter Daisy, Tom and friends at such a special festive time of year.
In this book each chapter starts with a mouth-watering delicious recipe - They form the basis for each chapter - 12 bakes of Christmas.
Because I read the first book I did find that at the start of this book we did cover a lot of what happened in the first book but I understand for those that have not read the first book, they do need to have an understanding of what went on and form a basis for the story ahead.
I love the Pudding Club which Rachel and her mum Jill created, and its success and loved meeting the new characters - I hope we hear more about them in future books. There was so much depth to the new characters and so many funny moments throughout the book but also sad moments too.
I loved how we learnt so much more about the farm, and the problems that occur in winter - we live in the country and the winters are so harsh for farmers and so much harder looking after their livestock. The cold wintery scenes made you want to snuggle under a blanket and turn up the fire!
I absolutely loved the proposal - so romantic! I can't wait to hear about Rachel and Tom and Daisy's future and what happens next - will they continue to manage both farms or will they move in together .... so much more to find out about this wonderful family.
An absolutely magical warm Christmas read which I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend. I would love to visit Rachel’s Pudding Pantry and be part of the Pudding Club! I hope there is a Pudding Pantry, Book 3!
This review is based on a NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.
October 13, 2019
Christmas is that perfect period of time when family comes together, presents, memories and good food are shared as the snow lazily falls to earth outside the window and real life is suspended, for just a little while at least.
That is the fiction of Christmas and this book delivers all of that and more whilst also reminding us how winters in the farming community are anything but an idyllic or easy way of life. Rachel runs her family farm with mother Jill, daughter Maisy and the expertise learned from her beloved late father, Robert. Unfortunately the farm on its own is never going to provide them with enough financial stability to keep their home out of the grasp of estate agents or developers.
Rachel's Pudding Pantry was born from a love of cooking, companionship and desperation proving to be the lifeline it was hoped for and things are looking good as this lovely tale begins. As an added bonus, the recipes, which are mentioned at intervals throughout, are included. All of them are Christmas based and designed to suit any level of cooking expertise.
I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience of reading this book and could 'see' the locations and people throughout. The characterisation of even the peripheral characters was vivid and it was easy to want Rachel and Jill to succeed in their endeavours. This wasn't a sugar coated storyline however, and the harsh realities of farming in the UK today were also there weaving their way through the characters' lives as effectively as the good times.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good Christmas novel which delivers on all levels.
That is the fiction of Christmas and this book delivers all of that and more whilst also reminding us how winters in the farming community are anything but an idyllic or easy way of life. Rachel runs her family farm with mother Jill, daughter Maisy and the expertise learned from her beloved late father, Robert. Unfortunately the farm on its own is never going to provide them with enough financial stability to keep their home out of the grasp of estate agents or developers.
Rachel's Pudding Pantry was born from a love of cooking, companionship and desperation proving to be the lifeline it was hoped for and things are looking good as this lovely tale begins. As an added bonus, the recipes, which are mentioned at intervals throughout, are included. All of them are Christmas based and designed to suit any level of cooking expertise.
I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience of reading this book and could 'see' the locations and people throughout. The characterisation of even the peripheral characters was vivid and it was easy to want Rachel and Jill to succeed in their endeavours. This wasn't a sugar coated storyline however, and the harsh realities of farming in the UK today were also there weaving their way through the characters' lives as effectively as the good times.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good Christmas novel which delivers on all levels.
October 29, 2019
This review was originally posted on Star Crossed Reviews I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Thank you to One More Chapter for letting me take part in this tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley. I enjoyed Rachel's story in the summer and I have been waiting ever since to get my Christmas fix at Primrose Farm.
Before you start this book I recommend doing some baking (or shopping for some bakes). This book is full of sweet treats and there are 12 recipes for you to try! I am definitely going to make the Toffee Apple Crumble. I quite like the sound of the Baileys cheesecake too.
Caroline has created 4 generations of Swinton women that are strong, hard-working and easy to love. From the eldest with Granny Ruth to the youngest with little Maisy. These women are fighters.
Not only do we see the ups and downs of the Pudding Pantry we also see how tough it is to run a farm. Especially at this time of year. Rachel and Tom go through some really tough times in this book. It's something that most people wouldn't even think about let alone experience.
The Swinton girls are still struggling with the loss of Robert, Rachel's dad. Robert took his own life more than 2 years ago. Grief is a funny thing. One minute you are doing just fine and the next something sets you off. A memory, a smell and you are right back where you were when you first lost that person or animal.
This book is a deliciously festive treat. The Pudding Pantry is cosy and warm. I would love to spend a few hours there with a hot drink and a cake or two. The Swinton girls and their friends have done an excellent job.
Before you start this book I recommend doing some baking (or shopping for some bakes). This book is full of sweet treats and there are 12 recipes for you to try! I am definitely going to make the Toffee Apple Crumble. I quite like the sound of the Baileys cheesecake too.
Caroline has created 4 generations of Swinton women that are strong, hard-working and easy to love. From the eldest with Granny Ruth to the youngest with little Maisy. These women are fighters.
Not only do we see the ups and downs of the Pudding Pantry we also see how tough it is to run a farm. Especially at this time of year. Rachel and Tom go through some really tough times in this book. It's something that most people wouldn't even think about let alone experience.
The Swinton girls are still struggling with the loss of Robert, Rachel's dad. Robert took his own life more than 2 years ago. Grief is a funny thing. One minute you are doing just fine and the next something sets you off. A memory, a smell and you are right back where you were when you first lost that person or animal.
This book is a deliciously festive treat. The Pudding Pantry is cosy and warm. I would love to spend a few hours there with a hot drink and a cake or two. The Swinton girls and their friends have done an excellent job.
December 30, 2019
This book was fantastic from the first page I loved the first one and couldn't wait for this one to come out. Lovely to hear more about Rachel and full of romance with struggles with daily life as well and learning to move forward it's a charming Christmas read and full of Christmas baking and perfect to curl up and read. A heartwarming read and highly recommend it.
Rachel is worried about her pudding pantry he's mums always busy baking amazing puddings but they need to come up with some ideas to improve sales and move forward otherwise it could close. She also has her daughter Maisie she has to think of and she is worried about the father of Maisie as he turns up with a new girlfriend and she's worried he's going to want to take Maisie off her. She also is still going out with Tom but when she learns from someone that his ex is back she worries and thinks he will get back with her but can't bring himself to talk to him about it. She decides with help from others to run pudding evenings where they will bake puddings to see if it improves sales and she is also busy baking Christmas puddings from her grandmothers recipe and little does she know they will win an award and make sales go through the roof. She gets heavy snowfall and she goes out to help Tom with the sheep as they have been missing under the snow can they rescue them and also in the process can it bring them closer together or not. Rachel is also worried about her mum as she's seen her with another man and thinks she's forgetting her father but again she can't bring herself to speak to her mum so can they pull through and be happy in time for Christmas and will she get a real surprise from Tom and how will she react.
Rachel is worried about her pudding pantry he's mums always busy baking amazing puddings but they need to come up with some ideas to improve sales and move forward otherwise it could close. She also has her daughter Maisie she has to think of and she is worried about the father of Maisie as he turns up with a new girlfriend and she's worried he's going to want to take Maisie off her. She also is still going out with Tom but when she learns from someone that his ex is back she worries and thinks he will get back with her but can't bring himself to talk to him about it. She decides with help from others to run pudding evenings where they will bake puddings to see if it improves sales and she is also busy baking Christmas puddings from her grandmothers recipe and little does she know they will win an award and make sales go through the roof. She gets heavy snowfall and she goes out to help Tom with the sheep as they have been missing under the snow can they rescue them and also in the process can it bring them closer together or not. Rachel is also worried about her mum as she's seen her with another man and thinks she's forgetting her father but again she can't bring herself to speak to her mum so can they pull through and be happy in time for Christmas and will she get a real surprise from Tom and how will she react.
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