A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic

"She wasn't a child and resented all the emotions this "adventure" was stirring up in her. This was exactly why she avoided getting close to people or opening up. All it brought was pain, and she didn't need that. Stability was her refuge."

Arleta Starstone is a talented confectionist that unfortunately doesn't get the respect or recognition she deserves. Discriminated against on the daily for being magicless and barely getting by because of it, Arleta gets the opportunity of a lifetime after receiving an invitation to the prestigious Langheim Baking Battle. The only problem? Magicless are very much looked down upon in this competition as well. Throughout the Baking Battle, Arleta has to undo years of telling herself that nobody can love or care for her when they find out that she has no magic.

Arleta is a wonderful main character. She can be upsetting and frustrating, but at all times I understood her hesitation to open up or accept that she, too, has a place in this world.

Her personal growth is at the centre of the story. We only meet a few of her contestants and the baking challenges are simple and concluded in short chapters. It's not a bad thing, because it's not really what the story is about. But if you are looking for an intense competition, know that this isn't that kind of story.

It's cosy, cute, and I love all the characters we get to meet. Especially Jez and Doli are stand-out characters. I do wish we got a bit more physical descriptions of these characters. They are continuously referred to as “the fennex” and “the dwarf”, but I really don't have a good grasp on what they actually look like.

I would recommend this to anyone interested in cosy reads and cute romances!

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Thank you to NetGalley and Poised Pen Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.