Gingerbread Kisses

by Lucy Eden

Eternal bachelor and real estate developer, Mark needs a date to his family's annual Christmas gala to prove to his grandmother that he can balance work & a personal life.

Stressed out single mom & struggling bakery owner, Liz needs someone to fill in at her daughter, Maya's, father-daughter gingerbread house competition.

Their first meeting didn't go well, but can these two put their differences aside to come together and solve each other's problems?

Genres: Romance, Novella, Christmas, Holiday Romance, Contemporary Romance, Holiday, Contemporary

ebook

First published November 12, 2021

About the author

Lucy Eden is the nom de plume of an romance obsessed author who writes the kind of romance she loves to read. She’s a sucker for alphas with a soft gooey center, over the top romantic gestures, strong & smart MCs, humor, love at first sight (or pretty damn close), happily ever afters & of course, steamy love scenes.

When Lucy isn’t writing, she’s busy reading—or listening to—every book she can get her hands on— romance or otherwise.

She lives & loves in New York with her husband, two children, a turtle & a Yorkshire Terrier.

Website: https://www.lucyeden.com/
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Reviews

[sil ♡ the book voyagers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gingerbread Kisses is such a cute holiday romance novella!

You will find:
- A flirty, soft guy
- Who needs a fake date for her grandma's Christmas ball
- But also a single mom who has a bakery
- And a cute 6-year-old kid who loves frostings and cookies
- And the heroine needs a fake dad for her daughter's gingerbread competition
- But their first meeting actually didn't go so well?

Lucy Eden writes soft, sweet but also smutty romance novels and if you want steamy Hallmark-type of books, you need to read her books! Especially this one.

There is insta-love so if you aren't a fan of that, I say skip it.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this Christmas novella by author Lucy Eden. 🎄❄🎄❄

Mark is looking for a date for a gala so he can prove to his grandmother that he’s ready to grow up and be more serious after some dating mishaps (see exhibit A: Giselle, the crazy ex.) Liz is the awesome single mom of adorable Maya, who has a crummy ex of her own. Maya’s dad has bailed on her when she needs a dad for a gingerbread baking competition. They strike up a deal—a date for a gingerbread baking helper, and of course romance is quickly in the air. This was deliciously steamy, had just the right amount of drama, and made the perfect Christmas treat. I will definitely be looking forward to more Lucy Eden books!

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and a quick read, but a bit to much instalove for me to buy into it fully. However, if you want a steamy little holiday romance novella about a single mom who owns a bakery and a workaholic businessman who falls hard and fast, this is a great option.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like Goldilocks because I read Everything's Better With Lisa first today and said it was too long... then I read this book (Gingerbread Kisses) and I'm going to complain it's too short... who do I think I am?!

This was cute. I liked the characters, and the quick dynamic between Mark and Liz's daughter, Maya. But the actual relationship was glossed over, because they had an initial date and then a few pages that summed up a few weeks up dating up to "I love you"'s. I don't need my characters to fall in love in a novella - you can leave that for the epilogue, or even open ended and not at all. But sometimes insta-love, especially with two brand new characters, feels... lacking.

[Lynnae · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun, fast, and sweet! I picked this up cause I woke up in a festive silly goofy mood this morning and it did what it needed to do. Could’ve been spicier but it’s only 99 pages, so what can you do?

[amirahlynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hallmark-esque

This was way to corney and cheesy for me. It was the most simple and formulaic romance and it could be a three star but it was too basic. It’s like the author had a checklist of all the holiday romance tropes and condensed them into this novella. Maybe if it was longer and had more of a plot, I could have potentially gave it a solid three star but this just wasn’t it

[Steph's Romance Book Talk · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars / 3 Steam Fans

Such a fun read <3

Video review available in Week 38: Sep 17 – Sep 23, 2023, weekly book reviews on Steph's Romance Book Talk (https://www.youtube.com/@stephsromanc...)

[Brittany]

disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial

• contemporary holiday novella (~100 pages)
• based in Los Angeles, California
• Mark Dillon is looking to buy more properties, including Elizabeth Dean’s bakery but Liz is not having any of it!
• Mark needs a fake date to his Christmas ball because his grandmother won’t agree to support his investments until he can show genuine desire & efforts to settle down soon — he is 36 & she believes he is too focused on work
• Liz’s ex husband is an unreliable father to her 6-year-old daughter Maya & it’s slowly breaking their hearts
• Liz & Mark realize there may be more to the fake dating!
• a sweet gingerbread competition scene & the congratulatory gift Mark gives after is totally swoon worthy
• the epilogue was everything that is precious on this earth
• steam 🌶️🌶️/5 (it’s a short book so not many smutty scenes but they’re short & sweet)

This was a short and sweet holiday novella that I think anyone would enjoy. It pretty much is instalove but it ✨works✨ for Matt & Liz 🥰

[Weekend Reader_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gingerbread HEA

This was cute, definitely a bit predictable but still super sweet. Maya was the star of the book. You gotta be down for instance love to enjoy this one.

CW/N: absentee father, financial manipulation, pregnancy, manipulative ex, divorce, single parent dating, financial insecurity

[Brenda Moser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet holiday romance with real estate developer Mark and single mom/baker Liz. It's a short and sexy novella with an entertaining story line. It's well written, moves quickly and smoothly and I enjoyed reading.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.

[sof ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 stars

Wowie this was pretty cheesy and insta lovey dovey.

It’s a cute Christmas novella with a soft mushy hero that likes to spend money on his girl and her daughter. Oh and there is also a fancy smancy Christmas ball and a super cute gingerbread competition.

[dori · Rating 3 out of 5]

fofo

[Ashley &#x1f499; · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟 this was cute! It reminded me of a Hallmark movie but with spice. I enjoyed the banter between the characters. Maya was a cutie and Elizabeth’s mom was a riot lol.

[RateTheRomance · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm kind of known for not liking novellas. I like a long, drawn out, full-length book. But damn if Lucy Eden hasn't made me a believer! I loved 𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒.

Liz is feisty and sweet and a hard-working Single Mom that I just adored. I loved how she was taking no bullsh*t from Mark from the get go!

And Mark is Cinnamon Roll Hero perfection. You will low-key melt into a puddle as he interacts with Liz's daughter, Maya.

Speaking of Maya. Three cheers for a realistic kid in a Single Parent Romance! Maya is sweet, but also a little bit of a rascal and I loved a true portrayal of a likable, but real, kid.

I took away 1/2 star from my rating because 𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒 had a few gaps in the writing where a major moment was just skipped right over and I was a bit confused. Also, I wanted a bit more steam! We get half of sex scene and then it fades to black. Give me ALL THE SEX!

𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒 is my fave holiday novella of 2021 (and one of my faves of all time). You should definitely read it this December!

RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
STEAM LEVEL: Rated PG-13
TRIGGERS: Ex giving up parental rights
FEELS-O-METER: 2/5 - A bit of drama, but still a pretty light read.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

BUY IT HERE: https://amzn.to/3oCrDR2 (affiliate)

👇🏻HANG OUT WITH ME HERE!👇🏻
INSTAGRAM | YEAR OF SMUT CHALLENGE

[triena ROGERS · Rating 5 out of 5]

My goodness this was a cute short novel that was a great read. The little girl was a cutie she reminded me of my grandbaby. She was an instant scence stealer. Mom, Liz is a hardworker who is also a single mom.....Now Marcus is another story....got his grandma convinced they were in love and then BOOOOOOOM!!!! Fall in love they did.

Loved this book so much I read it twice!!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Story . . .

Liz Dean, single mom to 6-year-old Maya, owns a bakery which Mark Dillon, a real estate developer, wants to purchase for his development plan. Oblivious to the people waiting in line, he tries to walk up to the front to place his order. The only way to make amends was to purchase coffee and a treat for everyone else in the bakery. Before long, all the bakery customers called all their friends to run down there and get free coffee and baked good. It turned into quite an expensive mistake.

Then a little girl came out to thank him for the cupcake and got icing on his expensive suit jacket. He laughed and said he needed to balance the jacket’s appearance, so he smeared icing on the other shoulder to make her feel that it was okay. He was not at all upset with the accidental icing of his jacket. He was also impressed with her and how she came over to thank him.

Mark’s grandmother finally agreed to a meeting with him regarding her investing in the new real estate venture he was working on. Before he got started, she told him no. She did not want him working all the time. He was 36 and needed to marry and have children. Family was more important than the corporation’s bottom line. If his grandmother wouldn’t invest, his other investors would all drop out. So he told her he was in a serious relationship. She already knew he had just broken up with Giselle, so he told her about Elizabeth who was a business owner. He wished he hadn’t told her, but it was too late to back out now. As he told her more about Elizabeth, he was automatically smiling, and his grandmother believed him. Further, she invited Elizabeth and Maya to the Winter Ball where she would announce who would receive her investment money. If Mark was lying, he would be an untrustworthy business partner and that would make the decision for her.

Mark returned to the bakery to talk to Elizabeth who was on the phone with her ex, Eric. Once again, he was letting Maya down, backing out of the father/daughter gingerbread competition he promised to enter with her at school. Tears in her eyes, Liz hoped Mark had left. Instead, he reached for her arm and asked if he could help. When Maya ran out to her mom, excited about the competition, Liz had to tell her that her father would not be participating. Mark quietly offered to do it if Liz would allow him to. Baking and building things were his favorite activities. But should she accept his offer?

Their first business meeting didn't work, but could they help each other with these two problems of the Christmas ball date and the gingerbread competition? And just maybe, if this works out, they will discover something about each other that will make them want to continue a partnership into the future.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, this novella is extremely adorable. There's a lady with a bakery, a charming rich guy (I guess? I don't really know what he does except ask his rich grandmother for money to do vaguely real estate-y things?), and an extremely precious, smart kid. If you don't like cute, precocious kids who move a romance along, this may not be for you, but I eat that stuff up. I also love the inclusion of all the family elders, which made the story feel extra-cozy.

It's got just the right amount of conflict for a novella. The pace is brisk, so if you like the rapid-fire novella pacing, this will work for you. If you like the slower unfolding of a full-length novel, this might feel rushed.

What I didn't love is how quickly the couple--which includes a single mom out of what sounds a lot like an emotionally and financially abusive relationship--said "I love you" and ended up on the marriage path. I also didn't like when the 3 all-important words were first popped. It just didn't quite hit the right romantic notes for me. This is very much personal preference for me, but I would have loved a more HFN ending with maybe the "I love you"s dropped at the very end of the main story line, followed up by a schmaltzy epilogue with a proposal set in the following holiday season.

All in all, it's a light fun holiday read about deeply likable characters. I think whether it's a hit for you will largely depend on how much you like the cute kid/single parent tropes and quicker paced romances.

[Amenze ♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second novella i've read by Lucy Eden, and it was just as cute as well! I love hardworking intelligent fmcs and Elizabeth Dean is definitely one of them! This was a very quick read, that definitely puts you in the holiday spirit. Elizabeth Dean, a single mother and bakery owner meeting the very gorgoeus and rich real estate developer Mark Dillon was unexpected. I didn't expect his character to be soo nice!! `I knew he wouldn't be mean but I did expect him to be as thoughtful and caring as he was from the beginning of the story to the end! Treating her child as if she were his own and treating Elizabeth like she was the only woman in the world. It made the whole thing wholesome. I do however think the story was predictable at many different times. & I understand it's a novella but it also felt like things were happening too fast! Like I don't know if there were time jumps but it felt like they met each other one day, professed their love for each other the next, fought and made up the next, and boom married. But I understand as a novella, it's going to be super short since it's not a full novel. Overall, it's a cute story that will put you in a fun, cozy, holiday mood 3.5/5 ⭐!

[CLorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy Eden’s most recent book, Gingerbread Kisses, is advertised as a two-hour read; however, as a reader I found myself lingering over this sweet couple and rereading passages. Ms. Eden always imbues such a lightness and worthiness in her characters. Mark is a wealthy real estate developer and while he has had a relatively easy life, he has remained humble and unspoiled. When he attempts and fails to buy Liz’s bakery, he is smitten by both Liz AND her young daughter. Approaching his grandmother for an investment, she insists that he take time from his business and focus on more important things like relationships; he impulsively says that he and Liz are dating. Pretty soon his words are self-fulfilling, and he is not only seeing Liz but helping her daughter with a gingerbread contest. What could go wrong? A vengeful ex-girlfriend, a charity ball, a misunderstanding, a gingerbread miracle, a broken heart or two…. all come together to make for a delightful heartwarmingly tasteful holiday story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ann Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Gingerbread Kisses' by Lucy Eden is a short standalone romance with no cliffhanger set during the Christmas holidays and tells the story of Liz, a bakery owner and single mother to six year old, Maya, and Mark, a real estate developer and confirmed bachelor. Mark has a meeting with Liz to purchase her bakery as part of his development plan. He gets off to a rough start acting butting the line but ended up turning it around by buying everybody in the shop their coffee and scone. Plus he was kind to Maya without an agenda because he didn't know who she was. Would that help him in the negotiations? Until Mark put his foot in his mouth and possibly ruined everything.

Ms. Eden has written a charming book with likable characters and an entertaining plot. Maya was a delightful character and added some depth to the story.
The story is emotional, with some angst, laughs, trust issues, passion, and plenty of steam. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who likes some Christmas with their romance.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lopke · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝗚𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗞𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 is an incredibly sweet holiday novella, following a single momma and an alpha billionaire hero, who come together for a mutually beneficial fake dating romance.

listen...i have so much respect for an author who can provoke so many emotions out of me by reading a novella. it was sweetly short and to the point, with writing that flowed and characters that stole my heart

if you like a bussiness owning (cafe/bakery) single mom heroine and an alpha billionaire hero with a heart of gold, there's no doubt about the fact that you should definitely read this one! it's adorable and lighthearted, with fake dating and insta-love chemistry that fit our MC's so perfectly

p.s. there is nothing sexier than a man who takes care of another's child so effortlessly and with complete care. Mark won this...hands down!

*𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸*

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A developer who needs to prove he has a life outside of work to please an investor and a baker who needs a fill-in dad for her daughter's Gingerbread House competition after her ex bails at the last minute. The unlikely pairing throw sparks from their first meeting and this insta-lust quickly grows as they give into their curiosity and desire for each other. Add in a couple meddling matriarchs, an adorable, scheming daughter, and one kick-ass Gingerbread house and you have all the ingredients for a great romance.

Gingerbread Kisses was a delicious, short read and the perfect amount of fluff for the holidays. While short, there was plenty of time to build nice rounded characters and an enjoyable story with just the right amount of sweet, spice, and conflict. It was the perfect brain break for me going into the holiday season. Would recommend to basically anyone.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rubi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars for me

It was REALLY cute! Loved it! Hardworking single mom and rich man who is funny, kind, and not so full of himself, what's not to love? Lol
Her daughter is adorable too! Her tests to find out if a man is nice enough for her/her mother are cute haha
Also love that Mark respects her enough to drop the issue on her business pretty much right away (though we all know the fact he was attracted to her played a factor lol).
Only reason this got less than 5 stars is because the second she had a doubt she didn't even give him a CHANCE! She stormed out and assumed things, which annoyed me. Her reaction may have been justified but not after all he did, he deserved to speak.
It took his grandmother's visit to make her see reason. But hey, they got a HEA and I am a sucker for a HEA haha 😁

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Rating⭐⭐⭐.75
Amount of spice:🔥🔥🔥
Explicitness: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

❤️Insta-Love
❤️Single Parent
❤️Novella
❤️Bakery Owner FMC
❤️Billionaire Romance
❤️Cinnamon Roll MMC
❤️Holiday Romance

I’ll be honest, I would have rated this much much lower if it had been a full length novel but because it was so short I rated it based on the fact it was just quick, fun and a little ridiculous. Lucy Eden does write the cutest novellas and they’re always such an easy, fun read and Gingerbread Kisses was no exception.

Other than the very insta-lovey romance and a bit of cheesy dialogue the main thing that I rated it down for was the formatting. The formatting was strange and it often took me out of the story. However, I did thoroughly enjoy reading this and I absolutely will be picking up more from Lucy.

I would recommend it if you love a sweet, cosy, feel good read.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE THIS STORY!! This is about Mark, Elizabeth and Maya. Love how a wealthy man can just walk into a café, step to the front of the line, and think he is going to get away with it. This time it ended up costing him over $4,000 of coffee and scones for everyone else for just a cup of coffee and cupcake icing on his expensive suit! This is how this awesome story starts and well it ends with him gaining more for the $4,000 he spent, but the story is also about an adorable little girl wanting to join a gingerbread house father-daughter competition. Love how creative Lucy is with her stories. LOVE THEM!!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Joyce M. H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark is a bachelor and real estate developer and he is need of a date for the annual Christmas gala. Liz is a single mom of 6 year old Maya, she owns a bakery which is struggling. Liz’s daughter Maya is in need a male for the father daughter gingerbread house competition. Mark and Liz are having a meeting with plans of him buying her bakery. Mark is at Liz’s bakery and instead of waiting in line he walks to the front of the line, wrong move but later decides to buy coffee and scones for everyone for the mishap, nice move Mark.

Will Mark and Liz help each other out with Liz being his date at the Christmas gala, Will, will stand in and help Maya with the ginger bread competition?

I received an ARC via Booksprout and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

[Lindsay Bray · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Rating: 5 STARS!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tropes: single parent, fake dating, holiday romance

My Review:
This was everything I ever needed and could ever want in a holiday novella. Elizabeth and Mark were a beautiful couple, I love watching Mark gain Elizabeth’s trust after the toxic relationship she had previously with her ex-husband. Maya, (Elizabeth’s six year old daughter) was so sweet, I especially adored the gingerbread competition that Mark got to be apart of with her. I have not one complaint, the pacing was perfect, I adored the ending, loved the characters, there was nothing that I didn’t like or would change about it.
I will be rereading this many times for sure!!! Lucy Eden is an incredible author and I just absolutely love her characters and stories.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A romantic comedy that will give you plenty of laugh out loud moments. Single, handsome, billionaire Mark needs a fake girlfriend for his family's Christmas gala and single mom and baker Liz needs someone to fill in as her daughter's "dad" for the daddy/daughter gingerbread house competition. Enacting the plan for Liz to be his fake girlfriend and Mark to be her daughter's daddy fill in could be the solution they each need. We all know how fake relationships go and soon real feelings begin to develop.

An entertaining and enjoyable holiday rom-com you don't want to stop reading.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kerry - Readkerryread · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute novella of property developer Mark and bakery Liz. However in order to gain his grandmothers investment for his project, but he needs better work/life balance so Mark decides to strike a deal with Liz to be his date to the annual Christmas party.

In turn Mark is going to help Liz's daughter Maya in her Gingerbread building contest when her biological father flaked on them again.

The more time they spend together the more they can't deny that this just might be more than a mutually beneficial deal.

While they did get together a little quickly it was nice to see how easy Mark was with Maya, and how he wanted to get Liz to have more fun.

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is about Mark and Liz. Mark is a typical real estate developer who tried to buy out Liz's cupcake shop and she turns him down. He can't get her out of his head, and comes back to the store to woo her. Also pretend to be his girlfriend for his grandma to invest. Very Christmas Hallmark vibes. The beginning sounded good but then by the middle they fell in love too easily and the whole pretend to be his girlfriend plotline fell to the wayside. Loved his connection with her daughter though.

Also the steam was mostly closed door except one scene towards the end.

I definitely like Lucy Eden's writing though, so I hope to try another novel instead.