3.5/5

I really enjoyed the imagery and food descriptions within the book. It didn't repeat the same steps ten times through the book it adapted to where it was in the book, giving more descriptive imagery in the beginning and more fast paced cooking at the end. Love how the author included actual recipes at the end.

My couple of snags were how fast paced the FMC gets hit with your my one and only and is magically in love with tall and handsome. I think it was the way the Male lead kinda sounded like a psycho stalker while explaining the whole fate thing.

The imagery was nice, the story was interesting, the plot did kinda go happy go lucky towards the end, but overall a good fantasy read.

A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic, by J. Penner, is a cozy romance fantasy set in the world of Ardenshire. Arleta Starstone is a magicless human in a world filled with magical creatures. Arleta dreams of opening her own bakery, but as a magicless human she has to work twice as hard on her recipes to make enough money. That is until her Orc neighbor secretly enters her into the Elven Baking Contest. The prize money could help her buy that dream bakery. Arleta is caught between wanting to prove her culinary prowess and wanting to hide from all the magical folks who think less of her because she human. In order to win the contest, Arleta must find what makes her bakes magical.

This is a very sweet and comforting book to read. All of the characters are entertaining. The diversity in the book is good, there's characters from all different walks of life working to come together. The friendships formed in this book are the highlight of Penner's writing. This book is a fun, sweet, heartwarming book to read when you're looking for something with low stakes.

The idea of the baking contest is great. It's an excellent setting for a cozy novel. The contest kinds of reads like the Great British Bake Off. There needs to be more of the baking contest in the book. The actual contest only takes up a third of the book. It's the main plot point and it's where all of the interest of the book is. There needed to be more written about the actual competition. The Judges of the competition could have been filled out more. They seem to come out of nowhere, but it would have been nice if they had been in the story more. It would also have been nice to get more of the other competitors in the competition. The baking contest would have been excellent if it had been flushed out a little more.

The romance in this book was not as well paced as it could have been. The development of the relationship was good. Arleta and Theo made for a cute couple and they romantic tension was good. However, their conflict in the book was not well thought out. The pacing of the relationship messed with the overall pacing of the book. The relationship should have been paced to go with the baking battle, but it read as a separate story. If the two plots could have been better melded together the story would have seemed much more cohesive.

Overall, this is a good book, it just needed some work with the pacing. If you liked Legends and Lattes this has a very similar vibe. There are stakes but they aren't very high, so its a nice relaxing read. This book is definitely worth picking up if you're looking for you're next cozy fantasy read.

I was given an ARC by Netgalley and Poison Pen Press for an honest review.

A human, a dwarf and an elf walk into a bake-off...
A cozy fantasy about baking - how could I resist?

"In the heart of Adenashire, where elfish enchantments and dwarven delights rule, Arleta Starstone, a human confectionist works twice as hard perfecting her unique blend of baking and apothecary herbs.
So when an orc neighbor secretly enters her creations into the prestigious Elven Baking Battle, Arleta faces a dilemma."

A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic is full of found family, hopes/dreams, magic, self- discovery & romance. Oh and let's not forget the baking.

This book read like watching an episode of Bake Off. Cuddle up with a blanket, pastry & get lost in a magical baking competition. So many delightful treats are described in the novel that it set off my baking bug. I squealed with delight when I saw there were recipes in the back. The lemon bars are delicious.
I adore baking the book whenever there is food involved.

While it can be read as a standalone, there is a whole magical world to discover. I can't wait to see where else @jpennerauthor will take us.
If you like sweet treats & even sweeter stories, read this.

I adored this cozy fantasy. Baking and magic, combined with interesting characters and a love story was just what I needed when life felt like too much.
This was an easy read and although it was predictable, I enjoyed the journey.

This was like a cup of tea on a cool autumn morning, just perfectly cosy with the sweetest romance. I loved the found family in this, and how they all supported Arleta even when she doubted herself and her place as a human in a world centred around magical creatures.
This wasn't very long, but it was the perfect length for its genre - a perfect pallette clenser to help relax after complex fantasies or something highly emotional.
Thank you J Penner, Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for this eARC.

“Human or not… your life is steeped in magic. You’re surrounded by it. You just can’t see it yet, but it’s out there, waiting.”

If there’s one thing I will credit this book for, it is the baking. Lemon bars? Raspberry tarts? Jam-filled donuts? Each mentioned pastry made my mouth water and added a new recipe to my Pinterest.

Other than that… I had some issues.

The book is too long, and it doesn’t help that the baking competition doesn’t start until almost the HALFWAY POINT. Most of the travel there could and should have been cut so that 1) Arleta could get to know the actually plot-relevant characters better and 2) the readers aren’t filled with pointless details about characters they’ll never see again.

There are only so many characters you can add to a story before it gets muddied. I loved Verdreth and Ervash— I think we all need a supportive gay orc couple in our lives— but that’s about where it stops for me when it comes to characters I cared about. There were just too many to keep track of, and by the time plot-relevant people came into the picture, I was too frustrated to care to know them. Who cares that the stranded faun’s cow is named Violet?

I didn’t come for the romance, so I didn’t much care for it. But I’m not going to knock the book for that.

This book was like a warm loaf of fresh bread—comforting, a little messy, and totally satisfying. I loved the group of magical misfits baking their way through chaos, and the spells mixed with sugar were such a fun twist.

Some parts felt a bit rushed or needed a pinch more world-building, but honestly? I didn’t care that much because I was having too much fun. Cozy, magical, and made me really crave pastries.

Would absolutely join this fellowship (as long as I don’t have to do the dishes).

Arleta Starstone is a human in a magical world struggling to keep up. She is a passionate baker but must work twice as hard for all she has as those with magic must work. Her neighbor and biggest fan submits her into a baking contest and when she is selected she sets off on a journey that will change her life.

This was a delightful fantasy romp with the tender coziness of The Great British Bake-off. I absolutely adored our cast of characters and the journey they went on. The contest was fun and exciting with enough details to satisfy but few enough not to bore. The ending was better than I could have ever expected and the epilogue is the perfect cherry on top! I really loved this one from beginning to end.

I did think that the hints to a certain twist were a little heavy handed. I also found Arleta’s constant assumption that mortals can’t be in the competition to be silly. There didn’t need to be some rule about it for her to feel like she can’t win without magic. The feeling of inferiority and disadvantage would’ve been enough.

Ultimately I loved this book and would recommend it to cozy fantasy fans!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book before publishing.

This book was exactly what I needed and when I needed it.
I enjoyed the writing style, the characters felt very well thought-out and loved the friendship between Arleta, Doli and Jaz. I didn't care much for the romance, felt a bit too insta-lovely to me, but I still had a good time reading those parts. I would definitely like to read the rest of the series!
Perfect for a quick, low-stakes read on a rainy day.

"A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic" transports you straight into the whimsical world of Adenashire, where baking isn’t just a hobby, it’s a magical art form. Arleta Starstone, a determined human baker, is ready to show the world that she can make her mark, even in a world dominated by elves and dwarves with their enchanted culinary skills. When she’s thrown into the prestigious Elven Baking Battle, she faces not only her magical (and super talented) competition but also her own self-doubt. What follows is a journey of sweet pastries, even sweeter friendships, and a dash of self-discovery.

I’m OBSESSED with the world-building and the creativity behind these magical bake-offs. Seriously, the cakes and pastries in this book? Drool-worthy doesn’t even begin to cover it. 🍪🧁 The best part? There are actual recipes at the end! I’m definitely tempted to try baking some myself (fingers crossed I don’t burn them). Arleta’s growth throughout the book was not just inspiring, it was the kind of heartwarming journey that made me want to hug the book.

Whether you’re in the mood for a cozy, feel-good fantasy or you just want to escape into a world of magic and mouthwatering baked goods, this book has you covered. With magic, friendship, low stakes and just the right touch of romance, A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic is a must-read. And you can bet I’ll be first in line for whatever J. Penner bakes up next!

Readers who enjoyed Legends and Lattes or The Spellshop will love this. Also, it was giving me British Bake off but with fae!

The book was an enchanting blend of romance, magic, and a baking show. A down-on-her-luck human orphan struggles to make a living in a magical town. Although her food is magically delicious, the local residents are not enthused because she's just a human. Well-meaning neighbors enter her in a baking competition, and the story takes off from there. This is a found family story, with some romance and a bit of baking tossed in for good measure. Any reader who enjoys cozy romance and follows the baking shows will enjoy this lighthearted story.

My Rating: 4.25*

If you don’t like cozy fantasy, you are welcome to your opinion, but you would be wrong. This book feels like a great read if you’ve finished Legends & Lattes or the Tomes & Tea series. The characters are likeable and enjoyable t read about. This is a low stakes books with minimal drama but a lot of romantic angst where the two characters seem to fight their feelings for each other for 90% of the story. Nevertheless, it is a really cute, one-bed situation and I thought Theo was adorable.

If you watch The Great British Baking Show, you will understand the premise of this book. Arleta, a non-magical human, is entered into a baking competition by a family friend, must now face off against some of the greatest bakers in the realm. Since she was a late entry, Theo enters the scene to delivers her invitation in person and to escort her to the competition. The romantic tension is high, the self-doubt is also high, and the baked pastries galore. I loved the fact the book has recipes after the story.

This book is cute and fun, but it’s not perfect and there is nothing earth shattering about it. However, if you want to just feel good and pick up an easy read. This is one to add to your TBR list.

This book was a bit boring for me. I felt like parts of the book were just glued together and it didn’t make sense. Almost like parts were missing. I found the characters to be likeable, i loved the fantasy aspects of A Fellowshipo of Bakers and Magic, my reading experience just felt a little lack luster.

I am honestly not sure what inspired me to grab this title. Could’ve been chatter and FOMO or maybe the cover grabbed me, but it is outside my normal comfort reading. But I’m glad I did.

I’m such a fan of baking and cooking in a book. So it gets a check for that. But what I loved most was the friendship. Arleta keeps her integrity, competes and comes out even stronger with great new friends.

Yes there’s a sweet romance and I’ve grown a little fond of light or cozy fantasies. But I also loved the characters. I cheered and rooted for all of them. I was almost hoping for some cheesy outcome that let everyone win. And I would’ve groaned at that but I was so invested in them all that I would have secretly smiled at that.

I loved that when I finished the book, there were recipes for Arleta’s treats.

Rating: 4.5/5
I received the eARC for my honest opinion.

If you love fantasy, with romance, that has magic, magical creatures, a baking competition and is just cozy and sweet. Well, look no further because this is the book. This book is perfect for lovers of Legends and Lattes.

I loved that this book was really like what the author said it would be vibes like in The Hobbit and the Great British Bake-off. It was so true, and I loved every moment of it. I was able to finish this book right after I was done with getting my garden ready for next month's planting. The plot was full of build-up, drama, hopes and fears, and of course a sweet romance. I found the characters to have been well developed as well. The pace of the book was perfect, it was fast and has you wanting to know what was going to happen next. I loved that you got to see how the characters came up with their dishes and OMG I am so happy that the author put the recipes at the end of the book because I can’t wait to try them. You will find family, great strong female friendships, and fated mates. Even with the fated mates’ part of the book really is the side plot and having Arleta find herself and her dreams was the real story of the book.

Arleta is a human who is sadly not blessed with magic, but she knows how to create magic in the kitchen. She has always dreamt of having her own bakery in town, but she needs to make enough money at the market but she keeps getting the worse stalls at the market so she knows that it will take her forever, until one day when an Elf comes to town to inform her that she has been accepted into the Grand Bake off, but she must leave now to make it there in time. I liked that we got to see her character growth throughout the book, and you will get to see her shine throughout the book. I loved that by the end of the bake off you start to see what she really wants in life now and it’s still the same but different at the same time. I can’t say more, or I might give out spoilers…. But just know you will fall in love with this cozy read.

I want to thank NetGalley and Poisoned press for the opportunity to review this book.

This story is the absolutely cutest. I can identify so well with Arleta as a lost adult trying to sort out her own life. Props to her for being brave enough to bear on the challenge in the baking competition. I adored the whole cast of characters. All were deeply described and so so loveable. It was good that there was a mixture of all different kinds of creatures. I recommend this books for anyone who wants a light cozy read.

⭐️: 4.25
🌶️: 0

Favorite Quote:
"There is plenty of magic in you. You are magic... for me." He reached up and touched her cheek, making Arleta's knees go weak and nearly buckle under her weight. "And I will be yours whether or not you want me... until I am no more."

I’m so incredibly grateful to the author, J. Penner, and NetGalley for sending me an ARC of the Deluxe Edition of this lovely book in exchange for an honest review.

When I told my best friend that I’d received an ARC of a book I thought she would love and should check out asap, she told me she’d already read the series and was about to recommend it to me herself! This is the updated edition and the only one I’ve read so I do not have anything to compare it to.

I loved this book. Plain and simple.

Arleta is a FMC who has lost those closest to her and built up walls to keep out any future her. Her walls just happen to smell of vanilla and are built of the flakiest pastry possible. She’s a magicless human in a world filled with magical beings. She never truly believes in herself enough to charger full price for what her bakes are worth or to stand up for herself when in the small knit community of her hometown. But her adoptive fathers believe in her and set her on the path to this lands version of GBBO. She learns so much about who she is and what she’s capable of during the competition while pickup up a few friends along the way.

Theo is just adorable. Ugh. I love how respectful he is over Arleta’s space and letting her take the lead at every turn. His never ending patience and care is beautifully written in such a way you can’t help but cheer for him. Also. Anyone with a talking woodland lynx as a package deal is a winner in my book.

The supporting characters are a fantastic edition. They balance out the various aspects of the story and help move the plot along while making you come to care about them.

I do love that the book didn’t just end like one chapter after the competition completes. As with life, nothing is cut and dry and the stories don’t just end when the big event does.

Overall, this is a heartwarming, cozy fantasy that you won’t be able to put down. And it includes actual recipes mentioned in the book! I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

This book has left me craving all the deserts and pastries! It was a fun and cozy story, and in a pleasant surprise the baking competition wasn’t the entire book. The friendships and found family were the true show stealers. Though I appreciated that the insta-love turned into a slow burn friends to lovers romance, Arelta’s hesitation regarding pursuing a relationship with Theo felt unnecessarily drawn out. But Theo was adorable in his unconditional support of Arelta, his continued belief in her when she didn’t believe in herself. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I’m looking forward to future books in the series! Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC, thoughts are my own.

Ebook received for free through NetGalley

This was an adorably cute book that I absolutely adored and had trouble putting down. Thanks for the read.

3.25 stars

This story of growing up, building confidence, and building a life you love was cute and sweet, and I love great British bake off so it was fun seeing a competition show in a fantasy setting. It was easy to read, in a hallmark-movie kind of way, and the ending gave me happy vibes.

The writing and plotting was a bit uneven at times, with odd, overly specific descriptions that didn’t always make sense or matter. Arleta swung wildly between confidence and fear, and her reactions were jerky and unpredictable. She held Theo at arms length for way too long, when her choice to be with him seemed obvious to everyone around them. I wish that part of the story had been wrapped up before the end of the baking battle, because the competition ended up being a little anticlimactic.

Arleta was obviously Theo’s Fated mate from even before we knew that was a thing - his reaction to seeing her was so odd, and his insistence that she had to complete so nonsensical that finding it the existence of Fated mate is the only thing that made it make sense. And then what didn’t make sense was why he was hiding it from her. Talking about having a fated but not telling her it’s her is a weird way to make sure the girl you like never opens up to you at all, or of she does, she feels super guilty and awkward about it, as if she’s nothing special and will be left behind the second you find “the one.” What’s even worse, though, is how Arleta acted after Theo finally told her the truth: her continued insistence that it’s impossible because of some kind of internal racism against her own species.

Humans with no magic being second class citizens isn’t that unexpected in a fantasy world but the rhetoric around it was pretty heavy-handed, especially the way Arleta spoke about herself not being worthy and continually undervaluing not only her bakes but her actual self-worth. I’m glad that the baking competition helped build confidence in her abilities finally, though it did seem to lock into place rather suddenly.

All in all, this one was fun to read, if a little frustrating at times. It seems like this is the first in a series, which might make for easy reading in the future.

This book was originally self-published, but a new special edition was just released this week, and the rest of the series will follow later this year. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Poison Pen Press, for an early copy for review purposes.