Book Review: The Gingerbread Bakery

I have had the 5th book in the Dream Harbor series by Laurie Gilmore, The Gingerbread Bakery, on my shelf for a while but I was waiting for Christmas in July to read it. I loved it and read it in less than 3 days!

This book followed Annie Andrews and Mac Sullivan. They have both been in the series since the beginning and are part of the same main friend group. Annie is best friends with Logan and Hazel since they grew up together in Dream Harbor. Mac also grew up in Dream Harbor, but was not part of the trio. After high school he moved away for a while, but 3 years ago he moved back and took over his dad’s pub and became good friends with Logan and the others. All we knew from the previous books is that Annie cannot stand Mac and the two do everything they can to push each other’s buttons.

Well, in The Gingerbread Bakery we finally find out what happened between the two of them. The book alternates between present day and 11 year ago. In present day, it is the holiday season and everyone is preparing for Logan and Jeanie’s wedding. Annie is a bridesmaid and Mac is a groomsmen. After being a little too snarky with each other during the pre-wedding festivities, Annie and Mac promise Logan and Jeanie that they will be on their best behavior and get along for the wedding. In the chapters from the past, we are transported to the December after Annie and Mac graduated from high school. Annie was taking college classes and starting to build her baking business by selling at the markets, fairs, farmers markets etc. Mac was working at his dad’s pub. Annie didn’t really care for Mac after he was a little bit of a bully to Logan when they were in elementary school (talk about a grudge!) and Mac didn’t really think anything of Annie. When he runs into her selling her cookies at the holiday market, they start talking because all of their friends are either away for the holidays or not back from college for winter break yet. After Mac sends an apology text to Logan for being an ass when they were little kids, Annie agrees to hang out with him. The two unlikely friends realize they actually really enjoy each other’s company and spend a lot of time together. They start to fall for each other, but Mac plans to leave Dream Harbor and travel for a while in order to figure out what he wants to do with his life. Annie encourages him to go even though they have feelings for one another. The two make a plan for their future, but when Mac doesn’t follow through with the plan, Annie is heartbroken and vows to never forgive him. Despite Mac being back in town for the past 3 years, he is still determined to win Annie back, but she doesn’t know that.

I loved this book. Mac and Annie are so perfect together, but they have to work through all the hurt they’ve felt and caused each other over the 11 years. Parts of the book made me emotional and parts made me laugh. I loved their love for one another even when they thought they hated or “hated” each other. This is definitely one of my favorite second chance romances!

Read this if you want a small town Christmas romance with the second chance romance trope.

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