Yes I am reading this in July when the rest of Europe is melting under 40+ temperatures and I've got a fan on because I'm too warm. So what a perfect time to read a Christmas book!

I could practically smell the gingerbread from the page. I love baking (even though I don't do it as much now), and especially Christmas baking, so this was a major hit for me. The very idea of a small village at Christmas time, with the waft of freshly baked gingerbread...oh it's just idyllic.

What I love is there's space for every age group in this book. Margi isn't old by any means - 60s - but we have people her age, people older, and people younger. It is a community where everyone is valued. And you don't get many books that gives equal billing across characters like that. There's also an underlying romance between a man in his 40s and a woman in her 60s and I loved that. If it was the other way round - and we frequently see that - no one would bat an eyelid. So it's refreshing to see it the other way round and it be normal.

The whole cast of characters - Margi, Izz, Patrick, Fern, Lucy, Leo, Sully, Shell, and many more, are all fabulous. They're diverse and they all go through their own transformations in this book, whilst still working perfectly around Margi's main story.

This isn't a one size fits all love story. There's romantic love, both heterosexual and homosexual, friendship love, parental/guardian love, and a general love for yourself.

Kiley deals with potentially complex topics in society, such as older people and loneliness, relationships, breakups, age gaps, same-sex relationships, budgeting concerns, community breakdowns etc. in a sensitive way where they make sense in the story, but still seem appropriate for the reader. There just isn't a scene or character or word out of place. Kiley is definitely one of my go-to authors for a warming happily ever after book.

I read it in a matter of hours. Once it grabs hold of you, you don't want to leave until you've reached the end. My first Christmas book of the season (if you can count July as the start of the season) and it sets it up very nicely.

I don't know if this is a standalone novel or if she's thinking of expanding it into a n ew series. I can understand why it could be a one-off as it's a satisfying and comforting ending. But equally, I would be more than happy to visit this village year after year.

Kiley's books are so uplifting and this is no different. Whether you read it in the height of summer like I did, or save it for a cold winter's night, it will wrap you up in a cozy hug and make you have a smile on your face constantly.

Unfortunately I didn’t take to this book, the main characters narrative at the start just put me off her. She sounded unlikeable with her “me, me, me” attitude and while other authors manage to make that narrative endearing, this one didn’t. Couldn’t get past chapter three.

Absolutly love Kileys books and this one certainly didn't disappoint. A massive big hug of a book, just right for winter nights.

Margi and her elderly friend Izz head up the Wheaton annual gingerbread exhibition....the village made out of gingerbread and displayed in the village hall, alongside Santa's grotto. With the gingerbread recipe handed down from margi s mum, the whole village love this busy time of year.

However, having had her geart broken, margi us set to sell up and move to Birmingham to be near her niece.....except her niece suddenly arrives on margi s doorstep, thwarting her plans.

This beautiful story leads us through not only the whole village, but curtesy of the Internet, the whole world coming together when the village hall collapses, leaving the exhibition destroyed. Will they ve able to pull off a rebuild in a bed venue and will Margi ever find the true love she yearns for.

A magical Christmas story....highly recommend a read.

What a cute Christmas romcom !

Kiley Dunbar chose unusual characters for this novel.

As readers of romances, we are used to characters in the twenties, when their life is just starting, or in their forties, when they're starting over after a divorce or the death of their SO, frequently with a kid or two.

The Gingerbread Christmas Village is something completely different. It is a romance but it is mostly about friendship, transgenerational relationships, community, finding what really matters for you and the right people to share your life.

I've read several books by this author before and keep coming back for her depiction of sceneries, and for the feelings she expresses so well.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hera Books for provinding an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was 💯 adorable! It was sweet and I absolutely fell in love with it! I loved this so much!
I just reviewed The Gingerbread Christmas Village by Kiley Dunbar. #TheGingerbreadChristmasVillage #NetGalley
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I love diving into Kiley Dunbar's books, and I was looking forward to this latest one, and it didn't disappoint.
Margi, our main character, is a 64-year-old woman who is in a bit of a dilemma in life. She feels like the laughingstock of Wheaton Village after a messed up shortest-ever marriage the previous year and wants to start afresh. Only she has a huge responsibility on her shoulders, in the form of a gingerbread village that she creates annually with the help of some friends. It is a tradition started by her mother and one she can't bear to stop. However, circumstances seem to be pushing her in the direction of ending it.
I am not going to regurgitate the story as my review, as that won't be fair on any prospective readers.
What I will say is that if you want a feel-good romance with heart, and a HEA, then Kiley Dunbar is definitely the author to turn to.
Kiley has also written a slightly different character as her main one, this time, in the form of an older woman, not quite in her twilight years but feeling past it.
Women in their 60s are not perceived as how they were a couple of decades ago. They aren't all automatically a part of the blue rinse brigade and only fit for knitting, tea and low walks with zimmer frames. Margi, I feel, thinks she is not worthy of another shot at happiness, especially with someone younger than her, and I loved the morphing of her thinking towards the end of the book. (Even though doubt is never far away.)
And all the reading about gingerbread made me crave some, in the middle of the summer, too! I'd love to see a gingerbread village like the one Margi's mum and then Margi created.
A wonderful festive read!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hera Books for an ARC.

LOVE!! Margi has lost her Christmas spirit but she’s about to get it back ten fold. Omg I love anything Christmas, I’m one of the most festive people around so the fact I got to bring a little Christmas into my life in July made me so happy. The community feel, the Christmas setting , everything just screamed cosy feel good vibes to me.

I received a free copy of, The Gingerbread Christmas Village by Kiley Dunbar, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 64 year old Margi has lost her Christmas spirit, she lives in a beautiful town of Wheaton in the Cotswolds. This Christmas they have a to make a huge gingerbread Christmas village. Margi has a love interest, but will she brave enough to actually act on it? Margi has great friends especially Izz. I really enjoyed this book by Kiley Dunbar, she is one of my favorite authors,

A lovely story about friendship, community and aging without apology. I enjoyed these great characters and this relatable story.

What a cozy, uplifting holiday read. This is the first book I've read by this author and I will definitely be going back for more.

Margi has taken over the tradition of creating the town 'gingerbread village' (a tradition that had been carried on by her mother before handing over the reins to her daughter).as the years have passed and 'life' has started to harden the heart towards Christmas, Margi has started wondering if her future includes gingerbread , or if it's time to move away from her beloved community and start living a life solely for herself. As the holiday season continues, disaster strikes the beloved tradition. As the community navigates some holiday challenges, Margi (as well as her friends and family) learn that relying on each other is just the thing they all need in moments like this.

This beautiful story gives you ALL of the holiday feels - romance, traditions, friendships, family, community and of course the holiday beauty of bakeries, quaint cafes, Christmas markets and gingerbread. This is the kind of book to cozy up with in front of a fire while sipping some hot chocolate. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this wonderful holiday book!

I love a Christmas book and this was a slow cosy romance that had it all. The characters were charming and the plot was fun.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.

The Gingerbread Christmas Village - Kiley Dunbar

Really enjoyable characters and the feeling of community ran through this book for me. I feel that there could be a follow on book from this one, and would love it if there was. I felt it was a cosy easy read book, that would be perfect for Christmas time. I adored the setting being in the Cotswolds as that area is very fond to me. This was my first time reading a book from this author, and I very much look forward to reading more from them. Thanks so much Netgalley and Hera Books for this e-arc in return for my honest thoughts ans opinions.

3.5⭐

This author is an auto-read author for me; I’ve enjoyed all three of her Borrow-A-Bookshop books!

What’s not to love about reading a Christmas book in July?! Right?

How about a chance to smell the gingerbread? How about a chance to stroll through a Cotswold village? At Christmas? Sign me up!

As I read about Margi getting her Christmas spirit back, mine increased, too!

In addition to the festive spirit you’d expect from this book, you’ll also read about women, friendship, aging, romance, and community togetherness.

Dunbar explores the problems society creates around expectations on how women are supposed to age. In opposition to the invisibility women in their 60s and 70s feel, Dunbar’s starring roles go to these spectacular women of a certain age. She crafts them as bold and beautiful with plenty still to contribute to society.

Dunbar also highlights intergenerational friendships and shows that they are mutually beneficial, encouraging readers to reach out and create cross-generational bonds.

I appreciated her message about loving yourself first so that you can give and receive love.

I was gifted this copy by Hera Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Sweet characters and the setting is fabulous. Dunbar has nailed the perfect Christmas book! I was reading it for a Christmas in July book challenge and it was spot on for those cozy vibes I was desiring. Four stars. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Christmas in July, filled with cinnamon, hot chocolates and gingerbread. It brought together the community spirit, friendship, love and kindness, which is what Christmas is all about.

'... where life is guaranteed to be as sweet as Christmas gingerbread and where no matter the time of year, we let love happen'.

I enjoyed the multi-generational characters (and their views on dating), the heartwarming community / friends aspect, and how true happiness is found within yourself, no matter your age.

It's an overall feed good Christmassy book. Grab yourself a hot chocolate, no matter the weather, and get cosy to read this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hera Books for this copy. This review is voluntary.

Having loved the borrow a bookshop series by this author I couldn’t wait to get t stuck into this and I normally do Christmas in July but this made me start in June this year and I wasn’t disappointed. This was a beautiful festive read which really gets to the heart of Christmas and the community spirit and shows what can be achieved with a bit of help from friends and the community.

Loved that the book contained a mixture of multi generational and relatable characters and that a lot of other real life themes were intertwined in the story.

This book was uplifting and positive and brought happiness to the reader and also some early festive cheer.

I hope this is going to become a series as I would love to hear more about how the lives of the characters and the gingerbread village progress.

Truly a perfect wintery fiction read full of heart & community spirit. This book encapsulates all that is wonderful about intergenerational friendships, and celebrates older women in such a positive way.
I really loved Kiley Dunbar's author letter at the end and I think so many readers will appreciate her message and this being an uplifting, kind read with no tragedies, something that's more important than is often realised when people who are going through grief or tragedy at Christmas just want an escapist book that guides them tenderly through. Wonderful book!

A very lovely Christmas book, scented with hot chocolate and freshly baked gingerbread.
This was very festive and sweet, the characters were lovely and it was a predictable romp of a book.
Thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

IT took me a good bit to get into this story, I almost DNF'ed But it is a good story of family and tradition which is really important especially around the holidays

A really lovely book about the power of community and that we are better together. When everyone clubs together to save and piece back together the gingerbread village after it is destroyed. A really lovely christmassy book and one not to be missed this festive season.