Anne Mai Yee Jansen is a literature and ethnic studies professor and a lifelong story lover. She exists on a steady diet of books, hot chocolate, and dragon boating. After spending over a decade in the Midwest and the Appalachians, she returned to the sun and sandstone of California’s central coast where she currently resides with her partner, offspring, and feline companions. Find her on Instagram @dreaminginstories
It’s the coldest season of the year, and what better way is there to get your hygge on than with a seasonal cozy romance? And not just any seasonal cozy romance, but one featuring the feisty owner of the tastiest bakery in an adorable seaside community?
It ups my merry-meter when mouthwatering desserts show up in my winter reads, because I don’t know about you, but for me, wintertime is the best season of the year for yummy baked goods. Combine on-the-page sweets with a dash of love and a pinch of small-town charm, and you’ve got the recipe for a snuggly seasonal rom-com. I’ve got a delicious indulgence for you to sink your readerly teeth into—it’s the perfect treat for your literary palate this holiday season.
The Gingerbread Bakery by Laurie Gilmore
Laurie Gilmore’s Dream Harbor series is a small-town romance lover’s fantasy. The latest installment, The Gingerbread Bakery, is no exception. It’s an enemies-to-lovers (and low-key second-chance) storyline at its finest, with fiery Annie Andrews dead set on maintaining her animosity toward high school crush and local pub owner Mac Sullivan. He may have tarnished her heart (and her pride) years ago, but she’s determined not to let that stop her from being there for their friends’ winter wedding. Mac has other ideas. He’s hoping the time they’re forced to spend together as members of the wedding party will be long enough for him to thaw Annie’s heart before the wedding takes place.
Gilmore’s fictional Dream Harbor makes the perfect backdrop for a winter rom-com. It’s already cute and cozy (as you might guess from the first book in the series, The Pumpkin Spice Cafe). The addition of Annie’s Gingerbread Bakery to the small town only adds to the appealing atmosphere of the fictional community. Between descriptions of the offerings on the menu at Annie’s bakery and the boisterous evening events at Mac’s pub, you’ll get a sense of the characters populating Dream Harbor and the easy pace of life it offers. It’s no wonder so many of the characters who live there have been falling in love with each other lately!
The setting isn’t the only thing to love about this book. The Gingerbread Bakery is one of those lovely books that can be experienced on its own or as part of the larger series. For readers familiar with Dream Harbor, Annie and Mac’s love story has been hovering on the peripheries from the start. Their scathing exchanges and barely-contained sexual tension have simmered in the background of multiple books in the series, making this an extremely gratifying read for longtime fans. And for new-to-the-series readers, not having that additional context doesn’t detract from the completeness or enjoyability of this one at all.
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As always, I appreciate Gilmore’s thoughtful depiction of a mutually consensual relationship. Consent is HOT, and Gilmore has written a spicy love story that demonstrates just how sexy it is. On top of that, the two main characters work against conventional gender norms in a number of ways. Mac is wonderfully sweet in a way that departs from hackneyed masculine stereotypes. He may own the local pub (and is admittedly skilled at darts), but this is no beer-swilling misogynist. Nope, Mac is thoughtful, observant, and patient. And Annie is strong-willed, intelligent, and exceedingly competent. She’s no shrinking violet in need of a man to save her — in fact, her business acumen intimidates and attracts Mac in equal measure.
Most importantly, Annie and Mac’s love story is compelling and fun. Their chemistry is electric, which is always crucial in a romance. More than that, their story — which carries them from goofy, headstrong teenagers to emotionally mature adults — feels relatable. They don’t simply fall into bed with one another after some unnecessarily tense moments. Instead, Gilmore works her romance magic to spin a believable tale of two people whose youthful mistakes drove them apart, but who have to put in the emotional and psychological work of owning their past actions and healing the injuries they’ve caused in order to come back together.
Like the rest of Gilmore’s Dream Harbor series, The Gingerbread Bakery is a delightful read. The charming wintertime setting makes it especially amazing as a seasonal romance, too. Fall in love with Annie and Mac (or all of Dream Harbor) with this heart-warming winter rom-com.
English (US) · 