A Gingerbread Romance (2024)

Architect, Taylor Scott has teamed up with a baker and single dad, Adam Dale for a giant gingerbread house competition. At first, they don't see eye to eye on anything but the more time they spend together, the more they find themselves enjoying each other's company and learning new things about themselves. This is a sweet, lighthearted Christmas romance. It has all the wonderful things I look for in a Hallmark Christmas movie. Likable characters, family relationships, a heartwarming romance, and a festive holiday atmosphere. This book is based on a Hallmark movie and I am really excited to see it! Overall, I recommend this book to anyone looking for a feel-good romance. Thank you to NetGalley and Hallmark Publishing for this ARC. The opinions expressed are my own

What could be better for the holidays than a Hallmark movie? Well how about a holiday Hallmark book? They are every bit as charming and feel good as the movies, maybe even better as you can let your imagination do the work.
This sweet,clean romance was a jolly good read and had all the heartwarming feels.
Can you resist a gingerbread cover like this book has? I couldn't and am glad I didn't.
A gingerbread house building contest, a few near mishaps,a sweet little girl and her handsome widowed baker father and the possibility of a romance with a take charge jet setter woman. Is there any way a romance a romance could be baked up in this winter wonderland tale?
This book will put you in the mood to start your holiday baking.

Expected publication: September 17th 2019 by Hallmark Publishing.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you Inkslinger and Hallmark Publishing for an advanced copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

A Gingerbread Romance: Based On An Original Hallmark Movie
By: Lacey Baker

*REVIEW* 🎄🎄🎄🎄
The older I get, the more I appreciate Hallmark movies. A Gingerbread Romance is a delightful read. Taylor, an architect looking for a promotion to Paris, and Adam, a single dad and a baker, end up working together to build a life size gingerbread house. Although they both have dreams and goals to pursue, plus ideas of what life and home and family mean, they are not similar. As they build the house, commonality begins to show, and unexpected feelings are found. Adam has an adorable daughter, Brooke, and she only helps bring her dad and Taylor closer. Taylor begins to question who she is and what she wants. Despite some baggage and issues, these two might have a chance for something more. It's a truly heartwarming story with all of the hallmarks of a Hallmark! The characters are flawed and human, thus easier to relate to and like. The spirit of the season is in the pages, and it comes across in wonderful ways. I enjoyed this book, and I recommend for anyone looking for an excellent holiday story with all the feels.

I absolutely loved this one! There is an actual Hallmark movie, so... Single dad with a super sweet little girl. I always love the kiddos. Lots of holiday baking and ice skating, tree decorating. All the things! Happy Reading!

It’s been a long time since I read a romance that characters aren’t too eager to tear each other’s clothes. LOL. So reading a Christmas story is like a new experience and maybe that’s the main reason why I LOVE this book so much. Of course, it isn’t without its flaws. This is not the grandest love story after all, but I’m ignoring the flaws and focus this review on good things.

It is a little bit nostalgic, not because I’ve experienced the things that happened, but because of what it made me feel. The entire story made me think of hot chocolate and warm blanket, of reading in a cozy sofa while the smell of freshly-baked cookies or bread fill my nose. Nostalgic, like I said. It’s an incredible feeling. It made me question myself, why I don’t read more of these heartwarming love stories.

Because sure, the story is cliche but it’s so heartwarming. It’s so pure and made me feel good. Taylor and Adam are great characters and very realistic. Together, they made me feel warmth and I was smiling my little sweet (I wish) smile the whole time. That rarely happens these days. not that I’m sad in general but usually, it’s either a grin or a laugh out loud you can get from me. Not the little sweet smile that no teeth visible. LOL. I also like Brooke, Adam’s daughter. She stole the spotlight more than a few times. And other side characters made the story more realistic. I love it.

Finally, I want to stress that the story isn’t just about the romance, it’s also about dreams, forgotten dreams or dreams that we’ve given up. In short, this story also gives hope and I’m so down for it. I’m a hopeless dreamer, all right.

A wonderful Christmas story. Most times movies are based on books, this book was written about the Hallmark movie. Taylor's boss has entered her into a contest to design and build a life size Gingerbread House. She's the designer and architect and they need a baker fast. Enter Adam, a single dad with a local bakery. Taylor has never been one to stay in one place and as she and Adam and his daughter Brooke work together in Philadelphia she is starting to rethink her vagabond lifestyle. Sweet and wholesome this is a perfect holiday romance. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Taylor is a 28 years old who's been traveling the world and building her career as a project manager architect but dreams to be the department head.

Adam is a baker, a widower and the dad of a 10 years old daughter. He gets along well with his boss but he wish he had his own business so he could show his creativity. Christmas, charity and a life-sized gingerbread house competition is what bring our MC together. Adam and his daughter will also bring Christmas to Taylor's life.

A Gingerbread Romance was a pleasant surprise to me. Based on a Hallmark movie so it can be categorized as a sweet and clean romance. It's really a Christmas book and perfect to put you in the Holidays spirit! Taylor was a bit haughty at the beggining but nothing that was too bothersome for me. Adam was such an endearing man! I loved the natural progression and effortless chemistry between these two, after that things didn't get to a good start. A warning though; if like me you've got a sweet tooth, you'll crave desert reading this book😜.

3.5

Taylor had never called called any one place home. She is up for a promotion that will take her to Paris. Her dream job. When her architectural firm enters her in a gingerbread house contest she meets Adam, a handsome baker and single father. What starts out as a working relationship soon turns to romance. Taylor starts to have real feelings for Adam and she just adores his daughter. Taylor doesn't know which way to go. Should she remain career focused or give into her heart. This story was so heartfelt and I loved it! It has everything. Yummy deserts that made me hungry , the magic of Christmas with a wonderland romance and the true meaning of family and what it is to call a place home. This is also a Hallmark movie. I highly recommend both.
Dawnny-BookGypsy
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY

In my opinion, no company does a Christmas story better than Hallmark. And this story is no exception.

Based on the Hallmark Original Movie, A Gingerbread Romance is the story of Taylor Scott, an architect working her way up the in the firm for which she works. Taylor has never lived in one city very long, being the daughter of two parents who relocated frequently for their jobs. She remembers the desire she had as a child to have one place to call home - something she has forgotten about as an aspiring architect. She is challenged by her firm to make a life-sized gingerbread house together with a baker in a local contest. When her originally appointed partner chooses to join another team, Taylor joins forces with a local baker, Adam, who she meets when he delivers a Christmas tree cake to Taylor’s office. Adam is a widower who had to put his dreams of culinary school on hold after the sudden death of his wife in order to support himself and his young daughter Brooke.

While it was not love at first sight, the partners begin to work well together. Adam and Brooke show Taylor what it is like to have a traditional Christmas and she starts to see a different life for herself.

I really enjoyed the book despite the fact I had watched the Hallmark movie last year. The central theme of family and traditions have great importance to me personally. I loved the graphics of the gingerbread house at the beginning of each chapter and feel it added to the coziness of the book. I highly recommend this book to those who want to read a sweet, Christmas story. I rate this book 4.5/5 stars (rounded up to 5 stars).

Thank you to Netgalley and Hallmark Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for the honest review that I have provided here.

4 star review of A Gingerbread Romance by Lacey Baker
What's not to love? It's the most magical time of the year and also happens to be my most favourite holiday. I love any story that is centred around Christmas; it’s a time for family and friends to get together and celebrate.

Lacey Baker is a new author to me and I enjoyed A Gingerbread Romance. This book is a little different than those I usually read and review, in that it is based on a Hallmark movie.
I had a little trouble relating to Taylor at first but she quickly grew on me whilst I loved Adam and his daughter from the start. Taylor has always focused on work and her career so she is not looking for romance. Entered into a competition by her company she has teamed up with Adam, a baker and single dad to help her win a giant gingerbread house competition.

A Gingerbread Romance was full of feel good moments that which had my face aching from smiling so much; the banter and chemistry that built between Taylor and Adam made me smile. A sweet, heartwarming festive holiday romance that will surely put you in the mood for the holiday season.

2.5 rounded up to 3*

This was okay, but truthfully fell a little flat with me. The chemistry between the two characters was immense, and palpable through the page but the story itself felt a little lacking. This is definitely a character driven story and whilst the characters are pleasant, they didn’t feel fleshed out enough for me to truly connect with them which I found to be a shame. They needed a little more depth to them to truly make it a good character driven story. That being said it was a lovely, charming, fun Christmas read and it really brightened up my winter day. I would definitely recommend this to both seasoned romance readers and those who are new to the genre as it has a little bit of everything: familial bonds, true love, tenderness, finding out home is a person rather than a place... it’s a bundle of cute and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

2.5☆

I love Hallmark movies, especially Christmas ones. When I saw this book was available, I jumped at the chance to read it. It is the perfect Christmas read and when you finish reading it, watch for the Hallmark movie to be aired again this year. Architect, Taylor Scott has been selected by her architecture firm to compete in a gingerbread house competition. She has teamed up with Adam Dale, a baker and single dad. The problem is, they both want to be in charge. Forced to work together, they spend a lot of time together, with his daughter Brooke. She is a sweetheart and bonds quickly with Taylor. The more time they spend together, the more they find themselves enjoying each other's company and learning new things about each other and themselves. Taylor finds out that Dale wants to open his own bakery, Dale finds out Taylor wants to work in Paris. Working as a team with support form the firm and Phoebe, they build and design a rather traditional gingerbread house. Is it enough to win the competition?

This is a sweet, feel-good, lighthearted Christmas romance. It has all the wonderful things I look for in a Hallmark Christmas movie. There are likable characters, family relationships, a heartwarming romance, a little bit of angst, some mishaps to overcome, some misunderstandings, and a festive holiday atmosphere. I really liked both Taylor and Dale. They both had some baggage they had to overcome and dreams that they were working towards. The secondary characters added to this story, especially Brooke. She was adorable and had no filter when sharing things with Taylor about her father. This was a great story for Christmas. It brought back memories of baking cookies with my grandma and decorating our own Gingerbread Houses (not lifesize like in the book). I recommend you sit down with this book, have a plate of Christmas cookies and hot chocolate (a spot of Bailey's or Amaretto will add a kick) and enjoy this wonderful story. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

A Gingerbread Romance
Based On the Hallmark Channel Original Movie
by Lacey Baker
Hallmark Publishing
Pub Date Sep. 17 th 2019
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
As an architect, she designs beautiful buildings…
But will her heart ever find a place to call home.Taylor’s architectural firm enters her in a contest to build life-sized gingerbread houses. After the contest, she’s likely to get a promotion to a position in another city. But it’s a team competition, and Taylor’s temperamental partner soon backs out. Taylor needs a replacement—fast. When she meets Adam, a baker and single dad, she convinces him to be her partner in the contest. After all, winning would give his bakery much-needed exposure. For years, Taylor has avoided thinking of anywhere as “home.” When she was a kid, her family was always on the move. But the time she spends with Adam and his daughter Brooke, decorating for Christmas and enjoying Philadelphia’s holiday traditions, has her questioning everything. Could she have found a place to call her own?
☃️🎄MY REVIEW ☃️🎄
This is my first time reading anything by this author. I have not watched the movie either. The one thing I really loved about this book was the pictures of gingerbread houses on each chapter, it was really a nice touch. For once I wished I had saw the movie first so I could saw the giant gingerbread house being made. Parts of the story were slow and seemed to drag on in the middle of the story. However after that it really took off. I could not turn the pages fast enough. I loved reading Taylor & Adam's story and fell in love with Adam's daughter Brooke. Most of the characters were very likeable and relatable. However I did feel a little bit bogged down with so many characters. A Gingerbread Romance is a great reminder of what is really important. If you are looking for a Cute Hallmark read give this one a try.
Many thanks to Hallmark, NetGalley, and the author for a ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
If you would like to follow my reviews please do so at my facebook page Joyce Stewart Reviews or my reading group Stewart Book Reviews Book Club.
#Netgalley #LaceyBaker #HallmarkPublishing #romance #Christmas.

A Gingerbread Romance: Based On the Hallmark Channel Original Movie

Beautiful Xmas story wrapped up in a bow.....

What a wonderful romantic Christmas story. This story made me feel all warm and cozy like a mug of hot chocolate.

Taylor Scott works for an architect firm and she is very good at her job. She has travelled the world but has never put roots down in any one place she visits. That all changes when her company tasks her with entering her in a contest to build a life sized gingerbread house. That is not her usual choice to create, but it would mean getting her closer to her dream job of working in Paris. Taylor has no issues with the structural end of creating a gingerbread house, baking one is another matter. After losing one the most famous chefs in the city to help her with this project, she turns to a down home baker extraordinaire Adam Dale to help her win the contest. She did not count on him being so handsome, stirring feelings in her that have been dormant up to this point.

Adam a single father with an adorable daughter named Brooke is an amazing baker, but lacks the confidence of taking his skills to the next level. Reluctantly at first Adam faces his fears and agrees to help Taylor with the gingerbread house. Taylor and Adam start out being professional with each other, but their feelings for each other escalate quickly.

This was a feel good story about what is important in one's life and the choices you make that will give you happiness in the end. The Christmas festivities in this story brought back many wonderful and loving memories for me. Lacey Baker was on point in describing everything magical and inspirational about the Christmas Season.

Although Hallmark is known for their clean holiday movies, The one thing they're not know for is diversity when it comes to holiday movies. If the movies comes close to this book, they're on the right track. This book was a cute, sweet holiday read. Adam, baker who has aspirations to become a business owner, after a tragedy has to raise his daughter alone, and Taylor, an architect who has never had a forever home due to her parents moving around a lot when she was a child, are thrown together when they have to help each other build a giant gingerbread house for a city contest. The author showed great interaction between Taylor, Adam and his daughter, Brooke. And Ms. Brooke totally stole the show. I really enjoyed the flow and pace of the story, and I felt that I was right there with them as everything was coming together. I'm actually excited about seeing this movie later during the holiday season.

Thanks to HonMag PR for an ARC of this book. All Thoughts and Opinions are my own.

A Gingerbread Romance is another sweet and romantic Christmas novel from Hallmark Publishing. It may only be September, but I am loving all the Christmas reads!

I really loved the idea of an architect, Taylor, joining a gingerbread contest with a single dad, Adam, who just so happens to be a baker. The two don't get off to the greatest start, but sweets and Christmas always seem to bring people together.

The characters are so adorable especially Adam's daughter. They made the story work. It was a heartfelt story about family and love.

I was so satisfied with the ending of the story and it left me with a huge smile on my face.

I give A Gingerbread Romance By Lacey Baker 4 stars. It was the perfect recipe for a lovable Christmas book. It will tug at your heartstrings and give you the Hallmark feels.

Fun, flirty, magically delicious story full of majestic holiday cheer sure to fill hearts with the true magic of Christmas for many holiday seasons to come. 5/5 stars.

I think I liked the Hallmark movie version better haha. There was a little bit of a spark missing from here. I didn't like the couple together very much.

A life size Gingerbread House building contest…does it get any better than that??!!

such a sweet (pun absolutely intended) book! i ilke how this is a halmark book that shows the girl settling down with some one but not at the expense of another person. and she gets to keep her professional job, she just chooses to be based in one spot instead of jetsetting all the time. and Adam and Brook are so cute together, breaking another sterotype that you see far too often. this book really did warm the heart.

Trigger & Content Warnings

Grief & loss depiction
Death of a wife in a car accident recounted

Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf

A GINGERBREAD ROMANCE is a charming Christmas romance with characters I adored and a story that will touch the emotions of even the most Scrooge-like reader.

Taylor is on the fast track to a promotion, one that will take her to her dream city. But first, she has to enter into (and presumably win) a contest to build gingerbread houses… no, not that kind, but a life-sized gingerbread house. When her original partner decides to opt-out and goes to work for the competition Taylor offers Adam, baker, a man with a dream of his own the chance to see his dreams become reality. What starts out as a working friendship quickly shows signs of moving toward something more as Adam and his daughter, Brooke, bring Taylor into their family Christmas traditions – and Taylor begins to truly give in to that longing for a permanent home that she’s never experienced.

I loved everything about A GINGERBREAD ROMANCE. It’s full of Christmas spirit, decorations, traditions and celebrations – and two people who should be complete opposites discovering that home means something different than they first thought. Home means being with each other and one adorable little girl to create their own family traditions for the Christmases to come.

If you love anything Christmas – and Hallmark Movies, then this story should be on your own Christmas list – as an early present to you. Loved this one and would not hesitate to recommend it to any Romance reader who loves the fun of watching two people fall in love.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, Hallmark Publishing, via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

A Gingerbread Romance is full of sugar and emotion. Taylor and Adam are an addiction that proves itself calorie free and heartwarming. Step out of your comfort zone and try something new. It could be the best way to find a happier you. Baker brings out the best parts of the heart all year around. A tasty treat.

This is cheesy and adorable. No sex, minimal kissing, and lots of baking. It contains Philadelphia setting + Black MCs + meddling coworkers + idea that you can be happy in a big city (so many of these Christmas hallmark movies are about small towns). As a person who lives in Philly, I liked the concept of a gingerbread contest in Christmas Village. Abrupt ending (I wasn’t satisfied with post-black moment scenes) and I really wish we had seen more of the relationship.

Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this sweet romance. I am looking forward to reading more romances by this author.

A Gingerbread Romance by Lacey Baker is a sweet, moving, heartfelt African American character-based Christmas romance about opening your heart and being courageous enough to take a second chance on dreams that you might have given up on because of life or fear that they might not come true. With multidimensional, diverse, and well-developed characters, humor, romance, and pages of vivid descriptions of scrumptious deserts and treats, Baker captures the spirit and joy of the Christmas season and spending it with people you love, aka, family.

Eight-year-old Taylor had one Christmas wish—for her family to move into a home to stay as a family for Christmas where Santa would always find her. Maybe someday even with her very own family. A budding young artist, she drew a picture capturing her wish. But when it didn’t come true, and she instead began an educational, and ultimately rewarding journey around the world with her parents as their work took them from place to place year after year, Taylor let that dream fade away. Having decided home and family is not in the cards for her, Taylor now focuses on her work, putting all her energy, talent, and dreams into her career. The job/promotion of her dreams hinges on her leading her architectural firm to winning the city’s life-size gingerbread house building competition. When her partner drops out the day before, she’s desperate to find a replacement. Luckily, a local baker who rubs her the wrong way bakes the most amazing cakes. If only she can convince him to partner with her for the competition.

Adam is a widower father working in Ray’s Bakery handling most of the baking, but his dream is to open his own shop. When his wife died suddenly leaving him with a small child he’d put his culinary dreams on hold for the reality of supporting his daughter and paying bills. A talented baker, Adam’s cakes are as delicious as they are beautiful. His path crosses Taylor’s when he delivers a cake to her office’s Holiday party. However, their first meeting is not the best first impression when he gets icing on her business papers. Good thing she loves how delicious his cake tastes and its design.

Adam and Taylor agree to work together to help her win the competition and to help him get exposure to open his own bakery shop. As they prepare for the competition, Adam draws Taylor away from her work, work, work mentality and encourages her to spend time with him and his daughter Brook enjoying Philadelphia’s Holiday traditions and learning to bake for the competition.

While Taylor loves watching classic holiday movies, she doesn’t decorate or spend time doing any other Christmas/Holiday things, probably because they remind her of home and family—things she had put behind her as out of reach. But spending time with Adam and Brook reawakens those dreams and longings in her. Adam had mostly given up on his culinary dreams, believing that designing and baking the occasional cake at Ray’s would satisfy that part of him, but participating in the competition and working with Taylor makes him start to dream again. Brook loves having a “mother” figure in her life again and takes to Taylor almost immediately. Taylor unconsciously starts to think of Brook as her daughter. While preparing for the competition these three become a family and fill the holes that have been left in each of their lives over the years by loss and disappointment.

Readers looking for a sweet, romantic, hopeful read to get them in the mood for Christmas should enjoy A Gingerbread Romance. Just prepare to be reaching for all of the goodies to feed your sweet tooth which will be fully enticed while reading this entertaining heartfelt Christmas romance.

ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.

This is such a great Hallmark Christmas read! I could not put it down once I started! I love Christmas reads and this one is no exception. Lacey Baker gives us everything you want in a Christmas romance in this read!

Taylor is an architect that is usually on the move with her numerous jobs in other states. Taylor is in the running for a nice job in Paris that she has longed for a long time now. Depending on how she does with the Gingerbread House competition will determine where her next job will be. Taylor can't believe they are making her compete in the Gingerbread House competition. She is an architect for goodness sake!

Taylor is to meet with a great baker that is supposedly going to be her partner in this competition. When Taylor has her meeting with Annabelle, she seems distracted and doesn't really want to talk to her. She just takes it as Annabelle being busy and having other things on her mind. If only that was the case! Taylor gets the call that Annabelle that partnered up with her rival company for the Gingerbread House competition. How can she do that? So, now Taylor sets out to find a great baker that will be her partner in the competition. When she calls around to local bakeries, everyone is busy and turns her down. Taylor remembers the baker who brought the dessert to the office for their party the other day, and she knows she has to call him and ask if he will partner with her. When Taylor finds out that the bakery is owned by someone else, but Adam is the main baker, she knows that she has to go and make a face to face contact with him, but was there some sparks that flew between them when he was at the office the other day?? Taylor wasn't sure.

Adam loves his job at the bakery but it does require some crazy hours for him and with Brooke, his young daughter, he has to enlist the help of his sister after his wife passed away. Adam is determined to make things work though. Adam decides to partner with Taylor to prove to Brooke that you can dream big even if you don't always win. Taylor and Adam set out to make their Gingerbread House and have problems at first seeing eye to eye. They both are used to being in charge and have a hard time compromising. Brooke helps in this aspect though. Taylor quickly falls in love with Brooke and adores the young girl.

Will Taylor get her dream job and fly away to Paris on Christmas Eve or will she discover what she has been missing all these years? This is such a great read that you will not regret picking up. Lacey Baker has done a great job giving us a story that has all the feels!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!

A Gingerbread Romance, written by Lacey Baker, is the perfect holiday romance full of warmth, sweetness and holiday cheer. Hallmark has wonderful stories during the holiday season, with A Gingerbread House fitting the bill perfectly.
Taylor Scott, an architect, is looking to progress her career and move up within her company. Her boss has set her a challenge to plan, design and create a real life-sized gingerbread house. It is here that Taylor meets Adam, a baker who is willing to work with Taylor in this local competition creating the gingerbread house. Brooke, Adam’s young daughter is one of the highlights of the story, with her cheerfulness and love of the holiday season. And of course, she does a little match making too!
As with most stories, the course of true love never does run smooth! Taylor, who grew up moving from place to place, isn’t looking to settle down in the town of Philadelphia and has her sights set abroad, while Adam wants nothing more than Christmas traditions and a place and family to call home for his young daughter.
Will Taylor and Adam find their happily ever after? Readers and fans of hot cocoa, gingerbread, snow and a bit of Christmas magic will just love this heartwarming story full of Christmas cheer. It’s a clean, sweet read which I enjoy over the holidays and I know Hallmark do this so well! If you’re wanting a Christmas read, I recommend A Gingerbread Romance for the Hallmark fans out there! A 4.5 **** rating from me!
You can read more about A Gingerbread Romance on my Facebook page - Tammy's Timeout-Romance Book Reviews, where there is a link to my review!
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