Listen While You Bake: One Day in December from Penguin Random House

Readers of Bake from Scratch know that our editors love nothing more than the opportunity to bake like a Brit. From English scones to steamed puddings, we’ll find any excuse to bring baking traditions from across the pond into our own kitchens.

If you’re an avid home baker like us, then you’ll be spending a good bit of the holiday season in the kitchen baking for the ones you love. While we’re whipping up scone dough or waiting for our Lady Grey Chelsea Buns to rise, we like to get our literary fix with audiobooks from Penguin Random House Audio – producer of top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. No matter your taste in books, they have the perfect listening suggestion for you.

Our current obsession is One Day in December by Josie Silver, a charming love story set on the streets of London. Written with warmth and recited in the loveliest of English accents, One Day in December follows the story of Laurie, a no-nonsense London-based singleton who doesn’t believe in love at first sight.

One snowy day in December, Laurie has an experience that changes her mind. A magical moment occurs when Laurie locks eyes with Mr. Right through the foggy window of a London bus. Certain she’s found the one, Laurie spends a year scanning every bus stop and café in London for her fated love. Finally, she is reintroduced to him at a Christmas party but—spoiler alert—he’s the new boyfriend of her best friend. You can imagine what happens next.

Friendship and heartbreak are the overarching themes in the 10 years that follow, as One Day in December draws the reader in, reminding us of our own loves lost and opportunities missed, as the characters’ lives continue to intertwine. Overall, the tale is a moving and joyful one that examines fate and its role in our happiness.

Traditional English Scones with cream and jam
Photography by Yuki Sugiura / Recipe Development and Food Styling by Edd Kimber

As you ponder your own love life (or fantasize about moving to London), indulge in British baking traditions with recipes like our Chocolate Biscuit Cake or Banoffee Pie.

With a British treat on your table and a delicious novel pouring from your speakers, you’ll be instantly transported to the foggy streets of London in December.

And if romance novels aren’t your thing, Penguin Random House has thousands of other audio titles—from thrillers to biographies—that are sure to whisk you away to another world! Try two of our other favorites: Solace Island by Meg Tilly and The Adults by Caroline Hulse.

This post sponsored by Penguin Random House.  

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