Leighton Buzzard author publishes new book inspired by Great British Bake Off

Helen Buckley, 37, is introducing readers to 'Queen of Chocolate' Beatrice Wodehouse, a character known for her decadent desserts in a story that brings sweet romance and festive fun. New novel, The Great Christmas Cook Off, is available to buy now and promises literature lovers a world of fame, love, and happy ever afters.

Best-selling Amazon author, Helen, said: "Beatrice is ready to go head to head with her social media nemesis, clean lean baking machine Charlie Simmonds, in the Great Christmas Cook Off TV show. She is fed up of Charlie’s sanctimonious attitude and is ready to show him that food is there to be enjoyed. Surely she’ll blow his keto, low sugar, low-carb mince pies out of the water with her chocolatey creations?"

However, filming for the Cook Off turns out to be anything but sugar, spice and all things nice when the contestants realise there’s a festive saboteur in their midst – leading to melted ice cream, trifle mishaps and private stories leaked to the press.

Helen added: "As the countdown to the final commences, suspicions run high and sparks are bound to fly – and not just from the flaming Christmas puddings!"

Although she herself admits to being a hopeless baker, Helen is a big fan of the Channel 4 show, "and a fan of cakes generally", so she wanted to capture some of the programme's magic.

“My mouth was watering while I wrote this book," said Helen. "My main research was looking up lots of fun and delicious Christmas-related recipes! I hope that readers find the story just as sweet as I do.”

The Great Christmas Cook Off is part of The Spotlight Series by Choc Lit Publishers, a canon of contemporary romances inspired by the nation’s favourite TV shows. Helen's other titles include: Strictly on Ice, Celebrity SOS, Strictly Christmas Spirit, and Keeping up with the Kershaws. The author started writing in 2018 as a way of coping with infertility. Her debut novel was published in October 2019, and she signed a three-book contract with Choc Lit in August 2020.

To buy a copy of The Great Christmas Cook Off, please visit: https://mybook.to/ChristmasCookOff To find out more about Helen's work: www.buckleybooks.org