This was a beautiful story in so many different ways. I could really relate to Bridget's story, having lost my own fiance. It's hard to feel right about moving on after an experience like that. So the struggle Bridget had seemed very realistic to me.

Add in the complication of a forced move after the death of her spouse, while trying to figure out how to earn a living and more importantly how to help her children heal, and you've got quite a bit going on in this story!

But the people of the town provide heartwarming affirmations and a sense of community that helps Bridget and her children find a sense of "home" again, as well as hope for the future.

I loved the exchange between Bridget when she first meets Mack, and how sensitive she becomes to other people's needs as well as her own.

While some of the story elements didn't seem realistic (like running a cafe from your front porch without permits or zoning hassles), others just tickled my funnybone (like the pirate choir who met online to sing sea chanties).

Well done, and I'm looking forward to reading more from Alex Brown! Thank you to the author, NetGalley and One More Chapter for granting me a review copy.

this book was just the perfect christmas read! it's definitely what i was looking for this christmas season! i'm so glad i got to read it early and it for sure put me in the holiday spirit!!

A lovely, festive storyline with pleasant, believable characters, really enjoyable. However, anyone with any experience of a sudden bereavement is only too well aware that one year on you are still trying to get over the shock never mind process the loss so I did find myself being very 'judgy' over Bridget's actions.

Firstly thank you Netgalley for allowing me to preview this book.
It is a wonderful heartwarming tale of how a young widowed mother of three has to move into a new house just before Christmas and adapt to a new life, with snowfall, home bakes & lots of lovely characters to adhere to, what's not to like

I love, love, loved this book, but be aware it will most likely make you crave bread or other baked goods, so please makes sure you have something to hand to snack on while you are reading.

And it was so good to be back in Mulberry-On-Sea, in this new spin off from the Carrington's' series, which I always loved. Rest assured though this is definitely a standalone with a whole new family at its heart.

I was completely hooked by the first few pages, as Bridget moves her family to their new home in Mulberry-On-Sea, in the hopes that this may be a happier Christmas than the previous year when they had just lost Ted, Bridget's husband. And there is a very memorably moment within that first chapter which was rather funny and great introduction to the tone of the book, and to a rather key character.

Bridget as well as a keen love of baking, has twin teenage sons and 6 year old daughter Freya, in addition to Henry their dog who is rather bouncy. And he isn't the only rather exuberant four legged friend in this book! Freya, Oscar and Olly are still trying to come to terms with their dad's death, but it is soon apparent this change of scenery for them is going to do a whole world of good for the family.

As Bridget starts to get to know her new community including the online sea shanty choir that was doing Christmas sons, shanty style (and I'd love to hear those), she also gets to know some rather lonely people, and is able to really help the whole community when the road to the big shops become unpassable and is able to supply bread to the town.

There is so much to love about this book, but it was Jack who really stood out to me, I am completely in love with the man, he is so thoughtful, but also rather funny, and seems to like children in addition to their mum! I just loved all the scenes he was in.

It's a story about healing, growing stronger, getting to know a new community, plenty of bread and baking, and of allowing yourself to move on. All with a Christmas beachside backdrop.

I'm already counting down the days until the next book in the series will be available, as I really want to read more from all of these characters. A fabulous start to a new series.

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Such an enjoyable new start Christmassy read
I love a book that I just cannot put down, a guaranteed winter evenings, hot chocolate and biscuits cosy tale.

There are a lot of characters and a lot of bread! Bridget's return to her home town after being widowed young offers healing, for her and her children, and a chance to renew old friendships and make new ones. She is even, finally, open to a little romance. Sweet, cosy, easy to read, but not a lot happens and it is lacking the real dilemmas and tension I like in a book.

This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. I found the plot a little bit slow in parts but the characters and setting were so endearing. The village was described so well that I could picture it perfectly and the book had a lovely cosy feel to it. Absolutely gorgeous, lighthearted Christmassy read. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Charming, cosy and Christmassy with easy to empathise, relatable characters and an engaging balance of laughter and tears. After her husband's unexpected death, Bridget has to cope as a single mother of three. When they lose their home just before Christmas, they relocate to a rundown beach house in a place where she grew up and met her husband but will they be happy there with so many memories?

This story took me on a rollercoaster of emotions within the first few chapters, and the emotion and humour continue throughout this lovely story. The perfectly pitched family dynamic and supportive community make this a heartwarming read. The festive theme adds to the ambience and makes this an uplifting reading experience.

I received a copy of this book from One More Chapter via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

A heartwarming story of new beginnings set in a wonderful descriptive setting, what more could you want.
Absolutely loved this book and the characters were lovely, look forward to reading more in this series and from the author

I'd never picked up a book from Alex Brown before this one, and honestly I'm frustrated with myself that I hadn't before. Every year in about August I wish for some good quality feel-good holiday romances, and Alex Brown definitely delivered that this year.

A Cosy Christmas at Bridget's Bicycle Bakery is a light-hearted read about Bridget, a recently widowed mother of three who moves to a small beach town with an army of pets and the need to bake. There, she meets barman Jack, a complication she didn't expect and from there, a little romance starts to blossom.

I found Alex Brown's approach to grief very well done - it was the perfect amount of being approached sensitively while also staying quite lighthearted. I loved Bridget's kids, the other side characters, and most importantly, Jack. The way Bridget is written as a strong, independent woman who discovers herself again after the passing of her husband was incredibly uplifting, heartwarming, and brought a warm fuzzy feeling mostly associated with holiday novels. Overall, a 4/5!

Special thanks to Harpercollins and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have been an avid reader of Alex Brown's books from her very first novels, so I was thrilled to return to Mulberry on Sea for this lovely festive read.
The story of Bridget trying to rebuild her life after the loss of her husband, by moving her, her lovely children, and dozy dog Harry to the place she grew up, to make a new start.
An emotional and inspirational read, with a large sprinkle of festive feel-good, I loved this story.

I felt like this was a great story to get into the holiday spirit. Heartwarming & enjoyable!

Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

I loved this book from the beginning. Loss brings Bridget, her three children, Henry the dog, two guinea pigs and Louis, returning to her in-laws holiday home in her hometown of Mulberry on sea. A new start arriving in the dark and not being able to find her keys, finds Bridget needing a wee and only a bush to do it behind, however she didn’t expect to be found by a dog, torchlight and a huge gorgeous man, looking at her bum and knickers with a huge hole in them. Wonderful start, mortifying.
With it being the holidays, her kids finding their feet, she does what she enjoys and bakes her favourite bread with the help of Louis her sourdough starter. With little money, she thinks if she offers her freshly made bread to her neighbours this may bring some money in. Little does Bridget realise that word of her bread gets around and she needs to up her baking. A wonderful story of loss, love, friendship and above all happiness

After the death of her husband Bridget finds herself moving back to her hometown in order to keep a roof over her and her son's heads but with no money and no job she needs to do something to be able to get by. She finds herself baking to relieve the stresses and suddenly her baking is helping her to make not only new friends but also bring some much needed money in.

I really enjoyed this book, it is festive and cosy and everything you would like in a Christmas read. It was great to catch up with Carrington's and Alex is able to completely sell the idea of the cosy beach house getaway and leave you wanting more.

This isn't my usual read I grab this for a bit of light relief, but ended up wishing for more.
More anything as it never seemed to go anywhere. Like a sleepy village it felt like nothing happened. Sure it's sweet and cute, but I like a bit more bite.
The scenery the author paints is beautiful and a great escape from the bustle of the city.
Grab this book along with some hot chocolate and cookies to read by the fire.

I started reading this and began to realize that I am not the only one who overthinks things. Bridget did too. The book had a humorous start and I enjoyed her meeting with the bartender. Yet I missed most of the humor because I was busy listening to Bridget rehash her fears and worries. In spite of Bridget's best efforts to make me want to finish the book, I enjoyed the other characters much more. It was not a bad book, if you don't mind the narrator overthinking about everything. It is a cozy book for Christmas.

A nice, sweet festive read. You couldn't help but love Bridget and her strength love and compassion for other people. It warmed my heart how the residents of Mulberry On Sea welcomed her into their community. I found the fact that there was an Irish Wolf Hound named Sinead far more entertaining than I probably should have. A worthwhile read.

Such a lovely, festive read with plenty of subdue and bright moments. This was a wonderful Christmas read

Alex Brown is one of my top 5 authors and every single one of her books have been an absolute dream to read. I trust in her writing so much now that I don’t even read the synopsis to tempt me I dive straight into her novels with no expectations other than to know she will blow me away every single time.
Her new release A Cosy Christmas at Bridget’s Bicycle Bakery has been on my wish list since I first glimpsed the online trailer for the book and I have desperately been witing for the paperback release but I am going to admit I have caved in early and read the book on my kindle but let me tell you having just this moment finished reading the book I am sitting here with a very satisfied and content grin on my face desperate to get my thoughts down for you all to read.
Bridget and her twin sons and daughter will steal your heart from the start of this novel, a family huddled together nursing the grief of the loss of husband/father Ted learning to adjust to their new life with a big gaping hole where he should be. Returning to her roots in Mulberry on Sea she is hoping they can all begin to heal and adjust surrounded by a caring and supportive community but Bridget also needs to start earning a living to support her family, could her love for baking be the distraction she needs and the solution the community of Mulberry on Sea need?
The novel has a tenderness to the storyline where it follows the families struggle with the loss of Ted but also a very uplifting feel too with hopes and new beginnings opening up and new sense of purpose and direction that is helping Bridget on the next path of life. Friendships new and old comfort not only Bridget but also bring a familiar and welcome feel to the reader as we are reunited briefly with much loved characters such as Eddie, Georgie and Sam who we remember from the wonderful Carrington’s series.
I love books that have characters setting up new little businesses so this one really appealed to me and I felt myself getting swept away with the excitement of Bridget’s baking business and I was eager to see her succeed.
Alex Brown has managed to capture the modern vibrant feel from her Carrington’s series and moulded that with her cosy, uplifting feel of her Tindledale books to make this book an exceptional read that ticks all the boxes for me. As I was reaching the end of the novel I really didn’t feel ready to leave these characters behind, I still fell like there was so much to explore in this story but to my delight I then read at the end that we can look forward to reuniting with them all again in another book in the series so I am already counting down the months until I can return in A Summer Holiday at Bridget’s Bicycle Bakery.