I love a good cozy fantasy, and this delivered on all fronts. Congrats to J. Penner on this trad published release! A great low stakes read♡

This was a cozy quick read and worth every page! The main characters struggles and growth were a great balance for what goes on in the story. Thank you to NetGalley for this copy of the book!

This was a low-stakes cozy fantasy centred around a human who enters a baking competition and discovers her self confidence and the strength that her relationships give her along the way. I enjoyed the description of the treats and baking in this book, and although the romance felt a bit surface level, the interactions between the characters were still cute. While I did understand where she was coming from, at times the main character’s self sabotage was so frustrating to read and felt unnecessary to move the plot along. Overall, this was a decent cozy fantasy book with a different setting and plot than what I’ve read before.

First of all, I love a good cozy read especially for fantasy reads. So when I saw this book coming out, I was immediately intrigued.

The story is a cute tale of emotional growth and personal triumph, with a dash of romance and a pinch of new friendships. I love the bond that the female characters make during the baking battle, and it’s fun to see their friendship grow. I also love the heartwarming bond that Arleta has with her Orc “Dads”.

The romance is a slow burn and sweet romance, very closed door and no spice. I love how romance was just an added piece of this story, but not the main focus.

This book left me feeling warm and fuzzy and looking forward to the next book, which will feature my favorite character from this one!

I don’t think this was the book for me.

I had a hard time getting into it and it really lacked on the magic element. The actual bake off happened way too late in the book for it to be the whole plot line so that was disappointing. The romance wasn’t really good and felt very insta lusty. I didn’t love the main character and found her annoying.

The storyline idea was great! I just wish it was done a little better.

A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic is a cosy fantasy, full of mouthwatering descriptions and delicious confections. It's as warm and inviting as any episode of the Great British Bake Off, and I enjoyed the world so much! The baking battle was definitely my highlight and I desperately wanted more of it as that was the pull of this novel for me. The relationship between Arleta and Theo is sweet and endearing, it's at a much slower pace than most romance in the fantasy genre, which made for a nice change. If you're looking for a low stakes fantasy to curl up with, I recommend! It's fun, it's whimsical, and it will most definitely have you craving cookies!

A fantasy romance with magic ,elves, drawfs and other characters and a bakery completion.
Arleta finds adventure, friendship and romance while trying to win the completion.
Enjoyed the story.
Voluntarily reviewed.

This was, essentially, a bake-off with D&D characters.

There was very minimal fantasy which disappointed me. The protagonist bemoans her lack of magic and human racism but we didn't really get many examples of that beyond the greedy and racist stallkeeper.

Why does magic make a difference in a baking competition? Spoiler: It doesn't. No magic is needed to bake a stupid cookie so the whole thing is ridiculous. Girl thinks she can't enter the competition because she's human but a magic-less human makes no difference when all competitors are simply making cookies.

Arleta is a very annoying and whiny protagonist--constantly bemoaning her lack of magic and it almost seems like she doesn't even like baking in the first place if she has so much anxiety around it. I couldn't root for her at all.

The romance was awful! The elf guy just insta-loved her and the two of them had no chemistry. She belittled him often and was pretty rude to him even though he was pretty sweet and kind toward her.

Although this is advertised as cozy fantasy, it didn't feel very cozy to me. Arleta had some SERIOUS anxiety issues that made this anxiety-inducing and as a result--not cozy at all. At some point she loses the herb bag that she wanted to use for the competition and that was stressful. She was also almost late to entering the competition and arrived at the last second, very stressful. Too many stressful elements in this book for it to really be dubbed "cozy fantasy". Not to mention the lack of magic!

I enjoyed this book; it had many of my favorite features like magic, magical/fantasy creatures, and a cozy feel. At times it was hard to get into the scene of what was going on but overall it was a pleasant read with engaging characters. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next!

NB this was an advance review copy of the title from the publisher. All the thoughts above are my own.

A lovely cosy fantasy with a focus on found family and overcoming struggles. The characters felt well developed and relatable, I really liked their dynamics. The worldbuilding was great and had many cosy settings. The story had some light drama, but it wasn’t too much. I enjoyed the baking part, it felt like the great british bake off with a little magic.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨✨ 4.5 stars

🍞 This is an example of a book that the author originally self published and then gained a lot of popularity until it got picked up! I was very happy to see picked up by Poisoned Pen Press an imprint of Sourcebooks, as I have read a book in this series before and enjoyed it!

🍪 I read the second book (A Fellowship of Librarians & Dragons) for a book bingo in 2024 and I really liked it. It stood on its own but I could tell I would have benefited from having read the first book first. I’ve been intending to go back and read this first book, so when I saw it pop up on NetGalley, I got excited and got it!

🎂 This is a short (a little over 200 pages) cozy fantasy about a baking competition and it is sooo up my alley. The author also adds a strong dash of Romance. I enjoyed the fated mates (elvish) story line! ♥️

🥧 For me, it was a good move after reading sunrise on the reaping and watching episode 2 of the last of us 😂 I NEEDED a cozy fantasy about a baking competition!

🧁If you like Legends and Lattes / Bookshops and Bonedust, the Spellshop & The Enchanted Greenhouse, and other similar cozy fantasies, I think you will enjoy this!

🎂 The main character, Arleta’s, feelings of being “less than” for being magicless in a magical world will resonate with anyone who has experienced imposter syndrome or has trouble fitting in one time or another.

🍪 The ending comes together nicely but a few storylines felt a little shortchanged. I still will read more books in the series. The epilogue of this book leads directly into book 2!

🍞 You also can’t beat the recipes at the end of the book - I think it’s a really nice touch. And I just might try one or two because they sound so good!

✨ Thanks to the author, Netgalley, and the publisher for this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✨ “Time. She just needed more time in the day. But there was never enough time.”

Honestly… same, girl, we ALL need more than 24 hours—especially for reading and baking 📚🧁

This book had me hooked from page one. We follow Arleta, a human baker living in a magical world filled with elves, dwarves, orcs (her super sweet neighbors 🥹), and more. Humans don’t have magic, so they’re kind of looked down on—and even though Arleta always gets the worst stall at the Adenashire market she still pours her heart into her baking every day.

Then one day, a very cute elf named Theo shows up and invites her to a prestigious magical baking competition. Turns out, her last name makes her sound like she’s from a magical family, so no one realized she’s actually human. Arleta didn’t even enter the competition herself, and she’s terrified she’ll be exposed as a fraud.

But with the support of her orc neighbors and Theo, she sets off on a journey she never expected. Along the way, she meets new friends—quirky Doli and grumpy Jez—who couldn’t care less that she’s human. 🥰 The competition is fierce, and to make things worse... the head judge? Yep. Theo’s mom 😳

Will Arleta be able to keep her identity a secret? Will she figure out what her feelings for Theo really mean? Can she bake her way to victory—or maybe something even better, like true friendships? 💛

📺 If you’ve ever wished MasterChef had elves, orcs, and a sprinkle of magic, this is the cozy fantasy for you!

✨ Bonus: there are actual recipes at the end!! My little bookish baker heart is SO full!

A easygoing read that was sweet and fun, A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic does exactly what it says on the tin. Readers are submerged in a world of magic and wonders, followed with a familiar theme of baking competitions. Delightful!

I **adored** this baking themed fantasy book. I think fans of legends and lattes will really enjoy it. It has a similar tone and cozy world building, with a charming variety of species and experiences.

Verdreth and Ervash’s relationship with each other and with Arleta was so heartwarming.

The blanket fort scene?? Stop. I am fully in love. And then the later reference when Theo was talking about his backstory was just so lovely.

I flew through this book in a way I haven’t in a while. I couldn’t put it down.

I can’t wait to read the next one!!

I was grateful to receive a copy from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This charming Cinderella retelling delivered low stakes romantasy that was as captivating as it is sweet. The mouthwatering dessert descriptions had my stomach growling while reading, which I don't know if that's a complaint or kudos to J Penner for describing them so well. The small-scale story about a human baker navigating an elven competition delivered a cozy comfort with surprising depth. While the love interest initially lacks dimension and the fantasy race dynamics occasionally stumble into oversimplified territory, the story's warm heart and refreshing take on proving yourself in a magical world you don't quite fit into makes this a perfectly satisfying literary treat worth savoring.

I made a few attempts to make it through this book but I'm not sure when the baking part even starts. I never made it that far. This one just didn't work for me.

I received an advance copy via NetGalley.

This is my kind of cozy fantasy: a secondary world tribute to the Great British Bake Off, wherein beings like elves, dwarves, and humans are competing for the prize. Lead character Arleta is a human struggling to sell her amazing baked goods, and often facing bigotry because of her magicless nature. She has no confidence whatsoever, and this is one of the book's main flaws: she can't commit to anything and is outright exasperating. She's almost too realistic, and that drags out the plots (especially the romance subplot) in a way that feels forced instead of organic. But when her ADORABLE surrogate dads--the two gay orcs who live next door--submit her as a candidate for the baking bout, she makes the cut, and then has to practically be kidnapped into participating by the super-hot elf Theodmon who works on behalf of the tournament.

The book has an awesome vibe. The descriptions of food are amazing--and the book has several recipes at the back! The sense of found family is wonderful, too. Arleta makes two close friends out of fellow contestants, and they have great banter. This isn't a book where you want to think too hard about the worldbuilding because it won't hold up at all, though this book deals with that better than some other cozy fantasies because it completely ignores the issue of ingredient origins. I just wish Arleta hadn't been quite so aggravating, that she had more external conflicts that gave her pause.

Arleta Starstone is a human confectionist who lives in Adenashire, a place full of Elves and Dwarves. She works very hard at her trade but would never put her goodies up against those who are magical. She is shocked when a.neighbor secretly enters her in a baking competition. She worries that those who are magical won't like her being a part of such a prestigious competition. She decides to jump in feet first so she can prove just what a great baker she is. Follow along as Arleta takes herself on a journey of self discovery and shows who she is with her baked goods.

Thanks to Netgalley and Poison pen Press for a copy of A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic. I laughed and I cried which means I had a good time reading this - this book was really wonderful! I'm a sucker for a cozy fantasy and this hit all the marks for me. If you're looking for a cozy, fantasy mashed with Great British Bakeoff and topped with romance, here you go!

Arleta is human, but has an otherworldly gift for baking, but her confidence does not match her skills. Someone secretly enters her into the Langheim Baking Competition, where the best of the best are invited to compete, and where a human has never been. Delivering that invitation, a gorgeous elf named Theo that Arleta can't stop thinking about. Will she come out on top and as forces outside make her question every step?

There's a lot to Arleta that I think many of us reading this book will be able to understand, the fear of what could happen, or big dreams we have. So while I was frustrated with her at times, I also understood her and where she was coming from.

Everyone in this book that surrounds Arleta were just so damn loveable too. I cannot wait to collect this whole series for my shelves and to reread again.

Cozy fantasy lovers will not want to skip this one!

A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic is a cozy read for those looking to stay in a fantasy realm but with low stakes. I would advise against reading this book if you’re in the mood for a sweet treat, because Penner’s descriptions of Arlete’s baking and the scrumptious treats she makes throughout the book will make your mouth water (there is even a recipe guide at the end!). While I very much enjoyed the cozy setting and the premise of a magical baking competition which left me wanting to visit Langheim and see the Baking Battle myself. I found Arleta, our FMC, to fall a bit short. While she is magicless in a world built for those with magic, rather than really facing adversity, she instead became a bit whiny and "woe is me," which is not my cup of tea for a FMC. There is some non-spicy romance woven in, and it almost felt rushed at the end of the book, as if it were an afterthought. I really appreciated the LGBTQI+ representation in the book; it complemented the story and gave more depth to the other characters.
A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic by J. Penner is a 3/5 star read. Perfect for those wanting a low-stakes cozy fantasy to curl up with, along with a cuppa and a sweet treat.