This is an excellent cozy fantasy book filled with magic, baking, and found family. I loved Arleta’s tenacity and character development throughout the book. I enjoying all the magical talking creatures throughout the book. Can’t wait for the next one!

This is a book that is magical, is a lovely cosy fantasy and is one which I enjoyed reading. Arleta is struggling to make ends meet with her pastry stand before she competes in a baking competition. Will she win the money to get herself a proper shop? But more importantly the friendships she makes along the way are hear-warming.

This is a book that is a very easy read, light and with some great characters who I can to know and love. I love the cooking/baking theme. It was by no means perfect but it was fun and entertaining and a read that you can curl up with and enjoy.

Thank you Net galley and Poisoned Pen Press for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own.

When I saw that this book is cosy fantasy, I really didn’t know what to expect. However my very anxious self grew to like the low stakes and low tension. However the book was very cheesy at times and the ending seemed rushed because the beginning was so long. The romance was unbelievable but I still enjoyed it. This is not an award winning book but still light and entertaining. If you are looking for a fluff book this is for you!

I really enjoyed this one and it is definitely a cozy, low-stakes time. While the tropes and plot are predictable because it's cozy, it didn't stop me from having a good time reading it. If you're in the need for some fantasy comfort, I recommend this one. Recently, I have been big on reading books that involves cooking shows so this one did not disappoint - I really liked reading about the different stages of the competition, what they were going to make, how it was going made, and I thought the descriptions of the food were really well done!

My own gripe is I felt there wasn't a natural flow between scenes/event; we just seemed to skip/jump to the next part of the plot rather than transitioning smoothly into them.

A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic is a sweet story following a non-magical human who bakes the most decadent pastries and wants to open a bakery. She finds herself being tracked down by an elf who seems determined to ensure she enters a baking competition, despite the other contestants all having magic to sweeten their goods. All in all, this was a fun story with LGBTQ+ representation.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for an E-ARC copy of this book.

This was a cute YA cozy read about a human entering into a baking contest against elves, dwarfs, orcs, and other magical creatures. Arleta has suffered loss, is independent, and tends to self depreciate. But by being in the contest and traveling outside her comfort zone, she meets Doli, Jez, and Theo, making new friends, discovering her confidence, and possibly finding love. This is perfect for fans of Travis Baldree.

Reading this book feels like a warm hug (or a basket of baked goods, both are good).
I adore this cute little whimsical tale! Everything about this book is so sweet and adorable and nicely written I just couldn't get enough (the story, and the pastries.) I love Arleta, Theo, Doli, Jez, Nimbus and Faylin, even Taenya! I laughed and cried and aaaaa I just enjoyed it so very much!

Cute book. Loved all the characters. Found the ending a bit muddled, but will read the rest of the series. Good to curl up with a cup of tea and relax.

Such a fun story. I enjoyed the story, the characters, and the entire reading experience. Definitely a must read!

This book was cozy and sweet! Great British Baking Show meets your favorite Dungeons & Dragons one shot world, with a cute cast of characters and a charming main character. Very hope-core.

Reading this book feels like watching Bake Off. Perfect cosy escape from real life.

I started reading a different book but decided that I needed something calming and easy to read and switched to this one. And it was a great choice.

A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic is a story about Arleta, a magicless human baker who has low self-esteem and a lot of anxiety. Due to her neighbour's shenanigans, she qualifies for a baking competition (think Bake Off in a fantasy world) in a different realm. She's escorted to it by Theo - a kind and very handsome elf (he doesn't really have any other characteristics). Their relationship is quite cute, but gets a little boring in the second half of the book. Much better is Arleta's other relationships - with her friends (and enemies) from competition and her neighbours.
For me, the supporting characters are the best part of this book. I've quickly grown to like them, especially Doli, who is the protagonist of the second book in the series (yes, I'm reading it right now).

As for the plot, it's fun and engaging. My only complaint is that for the book about baking competition, there's not a lot of competition... The fragments about it are quite short, and I would love to read more descriptions there. But the recipes at the end are a nice addition.

If you're looking for a quick, easy read that makes you feel warm inside, then I definitely recommend reading this one.

I was excited to read this!

I absolutely adore cozy fantasy, especially after reading something heavy. But this just didn't hit the mark for me. I had a hard time connecting with the characters, and the building of the world could have used more. I did not finish the book.

It was not a terrible book, just not for me

I won't be posting my review yet, as curtesy to the author.

Thank you for the opportunity to read!

I love reading cozy fantasy books. This one did not disappoint. The character development was exactly what I was hoping for and the story was captivating. I felt fully immersed in the story and didn’t want it to end. I can’t wait to read the second book.

this wasn't;t my favorite. The characters were super distant and the plot was to cliche for me. I've read a couple other books that are similar to this cozy fantasy vibe and I feel as if this one didn't measure up to those ones.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

I was hooked from the very beginning! I adore a cozy fantasy/romance novel and this one checked all the boxes. The specific focus on baking was the perfect choice too, and I loved that the recipes were in the back of the book to try and enjoy yourself.

We follow Arleta, a human with a love for baking who has been making her own way in the world since the death of her parents. She’s determined to do so on her terms, even with the help of her orc neighbours. When she is entered into a prestigious baking competition and a sexy elf offers to guide her there is when the story really picks up.

What follows is a character focused novel with low stakes. Sometimes I find this better; a gentle book without racing excitement cleanses the palate between tougher reads. If you’re looking for that cozy feeling, then this is the book for you!

The other best part of this book is it looks to be a series, and I can see that there are other characters who have a story to tell. I can’t wait to read more about them too! I had a great time with this one too, and read it in a single sitting. Five stars!

This book was so cute and whimsical feeling! Had a similar vibe to legends and lattes. I am a fan of cozy fantasy and this was perfect for me. The descriptions of the foods were really unique and made me so hungry. I will be picking up the physical copy of this book!

I didn’t know that I needed a book that was in essence a cozy fantasy meets The Great British Bake Off! SO GLAD IT EXISTS! The characters compete in an Elven Baking Battle! The protagonist, Aleta, is human without magic! It’s a great story about self discovery and kindness. The romance is sweet without being syrupy. Truly the only con is that some of the plot is slightly predictable (but that adds, for me at least, to the comfort that this read provided). Overall great execution of such a fun concept!

I loved this book, it was cute and cozy and a lovely escape from the harshness of the world right now.
I would love some recipes to accompany the baked good mentioned they all sounded so drool worthy.

4.5 🌟

"It was Arleta's own "little dash of magic", the way the ingredients came together and created something new and delicious. It was a kind of alchemy that she loved." (Ch 1)

Arleta was a baker. She was also a human who held no magic, but had a knack for weaving healing herbs into her tasty baked goods as if it were, indeed, magic. She had lost her parents and often didn't have enough time to take care of herself being so bogged down with trying to support herself through baking and selling her goods. Luckily, her neighbors, an orc couple, were kind and loveable. They adored her and her baked goods, and made every effort to look after her well-being. To further help her along, they entered her into the Langheim Baking Battle without her knowledge or approval.

Theodmon (aka Theo), an elf, showed up on her doorstep with an invitation of a lifetime. With much reluctance, Arleta agreed to accompany him to Langheim for the competition. However, just like the rest of her life, things didn't go smoothly and following a series of unfortunate events along the way, they ended up arriving late. Arleta was always late.

But she makes it in. All that her human-self has to rely on now is self-doubt, some new friends, growing feelings for Theo, and a talent for baking. Will that be enough to carry her through the battle? Especially since the winner of the last two battles is a haughty intimidating elf, one of the judges is judgy, and Theo is...Theo. Arleta has even more obstacles to whip through, possibly more than she can handle.

Another cute, cozy read! Arleta and Theo are comfy. Self-depreciating cupcake vs vanilla cinnamon roll. And who doesn't love a book based around baked goods? Had this foodie craving delectable treats the entire time! 🤤 And man would it be nice to have a fairy handy to cool my baking and cooking with a little bit of magic, instead of having to wait. 🤣

Lighthearted and quick, easily a fun and enjoyable no-spice story. Also love this trend of recipes in the back of the books! 😍

Though part of a series, it can be read as a standalone.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this early review copy.
I tried, I really tried but I just could not jive with the author’s writing style and the story. It felt very juvenile to me and definitely took away from my enjoyment of this book.