Thank you to NetGalley, Caroline Bonin and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the eARC

I absolutely devoured the book in one sitting and was pleasantly surprised by it. I loved the banter and chemistry between Dani and Kass. Plus, I thought the character development for Kass was nicely done, going from someone who didn't really push back and accepted things as they were to someone who fought for what was right regardless or who it was against.

I also loved the magical components of the book regarding being able to talk to plants, dream magic and more. Caroline made it easy to fall in love with the characters (McKenna, Oliver, Dani, Kass) and their writing style. I would highly recommend this if you're looking for a cozy magic romance!

Thank you NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Caroline Bonin’s “A Barista’s Guide to Love & Larceny” is a charming, cozy, and heartfelt YA fantasy that explores the warmth of found family and slow-burn romance with a dash of magical realism and a daring heist. This debut is both a comfort read and an adventure, best enjoyed with a steaming cup of coffee.

The story follows Dani, a first-year student at Fox’s Leap, a prestigious magical university. Between classes and scholarship pressures, she’s also working endless shifts as a barista to make ends meet. Dani’s life takes a sharp turn when she’s recruited by the mysterious Professor Silva for a secret mission: uncover corporate corruption tied to a dangerous drug trial that’s harming her fellow students. Alongside her best friend McKenna, new allies like Oliver, and Kass, the sweet, slightly awkward boy she’s falling for, Dani is thrust into a high-stakes heist that forces her to balance loyalty, love, and justice.

The relationships are the heart of this book. Dani and McKenna’s bond feels like chosen family, full of unconditional support. Her romance with Kass is refreshingly healthy as their relationship is rooted in mutual respect, honesty, and the kind of awkward flirting that makes it all the more endearing. Even side characters like Oliver and the rest of the heist crew shine, each with their own motivations and moments to add. The friendships, romances, and group dynamics are written with a sincerity that makes the world feel alive and emotionally resonant.

The worldbuilding is whimsical yet grounded. Magic is infused into everyday life, from dream-reading and plant-whispering to Dani’s own barista magic; yes, even coffee holds power. These elements never overwhelm the story, instead adding texture and delight to scenes in the café and beyond. Bonin also threads in deeper themes of corporate exploitation and working-class struggles, giving the novel surprising weight beneath its cozy surface.

If there’s a critique, it’s that I did wish for more detail about how the magic system works, and the ending, particularly the fallout from the final heist, can feel a little rushed. Still, these are small quibbles in an otherwise enchanting debut.

Warm, witty, and wonderfully magical, “A Barista’s Guide to Love & Larceny” is equal parts romance, friendship story, and caper. It’s a book about finding your people, fighting for what’s right, and maybe falling in love along the way. Fans of cozy fantasy with a streak of suspense will find this an irresistible read and will be left hoping Bonin returns to this world again.

Thank net galley and publisher for the arc copy of this beautiful book.Now I’m not done reading the arc yet but I just wanted to share my thoughts early. I love this book so far can I go to fox leap lol.Dani and her little friend gingerbread are so cute together.I love the character dynamics between Dani and her friends I know through out the book we will see more of her and her friends.Now for my favorite part of the book the cafe study night.Dani and kass already sound like a great couple and I can’t wait for their development.

I enjoyed reading this book and all of the various topics that were talked/touched upon in it as well. The romance was just as good as the suspense. I will say though there were some parts to me that felt like it could have been written better and the plot twist was predictable. Nonetheless I loved the diversity of the characters and their issues. It felt so realistic despite the characters being in a world where magic exists. Also yes to more college romance books!! One last thing I loved is that we got to the see aftermath/consequences that Dani and the other characters faced for their actions. It tied up so nicely and I would definitely think about picking up this book again once it's officially released!

This book was a great read and kept me interested and entertained the entire time I read it! The characters were unique and diverse, making them seem like real people. The world building was good, but could use a little work on describing certain places and buildings- such as the detail in the café. The storyline was great, and kept me on the edge of my seat!
Overall, I'd really recommend this book!

I DEVOURED this book in one day. What an amazing debut novel!

Dani is finally attending her dream magical university on a scholarship, but she’s still struggling to make ends meet. When a visiting professor discovers Dani’s secret ability, Dani is recruited to help expose a huge medical corporation for its mistreatment of its trial participants. It’s risky, dangerous, and could get her kicked out of school, but Dani also desperately wants to help her friend Oliver, who is one of the trial victims. And the money is much better than what she makes as a barista. But as she tries to juggle school, work, friends, this new secret “project,” and date the cute boy that becomes a regular at her coffee shop, one wrong move can lead to Dani losing everything.

I really loved the magic system in this story. Everyone’s personal magical abilities and the structure of the university system were really cool to learn about, and I want to learn even more! I also really enjoyed the beautiful friendships between Dani, her best friend/roommate McKenna and their new friend Oliver. I also loved the romance between Dani and Kass. They’re so cute together, and it made my heart so happy.

However, the protagonist sometimes irritated the hell out of me. Being tardy is one of my biggest pet peeves in real life, and Dani’s constant disregard for punctuality made me want to scream. Especially since being at this school is supposedly so important to her. And she can get kicked out if she’s late enough times. Why is she even risking it?! My anxiety could never.

What a thrilling blend of modern fantasy magic, academia, tech, cozy coffee shop, romance, and a heist! I’m thankful to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the complimentary eARC via NetGalley in exchange for my thoughts.

This felt more like a serious fantasy than cozy, mostly because I can relate it to real life finical troubles. Working while being a student is something I'd love to see more of in YA or new adult books. The fantasy felt pretty light and more unraveling a dangerous sci-fi medicine mystery/plot

Beautiful cover and shows the vibes of the book💖love the tone and writing style and would recommend..,

The tone is cute but not too cutesy ..good for a variety of ages 💖

Loved the school setting and gingerbread the crow 🐦‍⬛

I ikes that Dani had a tarot class

What a delightfully cozy book filled with mystery, coffee, and magic. This is such a fun read for the fall time, the entire book feels like a warm hug on a cool day.

Dani is a tired college student with a unique gift, recruited by a mysterious professor for a secret mission. Dani, who has spent her whole life fighting to be her own person, sees this as a chance to change her fate.

And then there’s Kass. Sweet, handsome Kass. Kass who looks at Dani and sees something special. Kass, who for some reason, can’t seem to stop saying embarrassing things in front of Dani.

This secret mission puts Dani’s relationship with Kass in jeopardy, leaving her to wonder if this is all worth it, if she can even go through with it.

Can she manage to save her spot at the university she’s dreamed of attending? Can she manage to keep her relationship safe? Can she manage to keep her friends safe?

There were so many good moments in this book, and I hope you enjoy it too :)

This wonderful story includes:
- Well written characters
- Cozy rainy day vibes 🌂🌧️
- A beautiful first love story
- Charming coffee shop with a ghost ☕️ 👻
- Found family/ lovely friendship
- Magical college setting 🪄

I have not read a cozy heist book until now and I ate this one up! The magic in this story is super cool, I’d love to go to school at the leap 😩 The world building was done really well, the characters are actually fleshed out, and the chemistry between Dani and Kass was so good!

I’d love to read more books in this world. If you are looking for a fun and magical fall or winter read with romance, found family, and some corporate espionage ✨- then definitely pick this one up!!

Overall I’d give it a solid 4.5⭐️

🖤Thank you NetGalley for this eARC!

This was a book that for the longest time, I just could not get into as a mood reader. Which was surprising to me, because I enjoy tarot and witchy themes which is an early premise of the book. However, this was because I didn't realize until this year that I don't really enjoy academia/school setting based novels. I didn't anticipate how much that would dampen my ability to get into the book, even though it had a clever hook and got me interested in the mechanics of the early concepts of the novel. I really enjoy the writing and the characters and their character growth. I was also expecting way more tea and barista themes from the outset, so I think that also deterred me. That is by no means a deterrent for the book! All in all, it was an ok read for me, but I think that's again because I forced myself to read through it rather than because I was in the mood for it. So i gave it a four, to be fair to the book but also because it took me so long to read through it.

Cozy romance with a heist! Super fun and easy to follow. The world building wasn't super complicated and we were able to jump in to the plot quickly and without any fuss. The ending does wrap up quickly, but I wasn't upset about it. Thoroughly enjoyed and would definitely recommend to anyone who likes light fantasy vibes with a dash of a heist. .

Cute, although the third-act breakup isn't my favorite. I like romance with plot, and taking down Evil Corporation was interesting, although the plot twist about Kass's family was easy to predict.

Thank you to NetGalley and Caroline Bonin for the chance to read this ARC.

So, there is good and bad.

Good! This game feels like your favorite switch game that you play on a cozy winter day in a blanket. The atmosphere and plain world building was amazing. Our FMC Dani is a barista on a mission lol. You will instantly fall in love with Dani, and later on Kass.
The first part of the book teleports you to a magical world that doesn't feel too far off from our own, minus the magic. The heist and mischievous angle in the second part of this book was what hooked me though. It's as if Caroline drank 4 shots of espresso, and just let her hands type away, ramping up the pacing issue the first half had at times.

Bad.
I'm not the biggest fan of the turmoil our couple faces being a temporary breakup. It didn't feel quite long enough to let us as the reader sit with it. I'd rather it been taken out, as the story would have been fine without it. The pacing at times felt a little all over the place in the first quarter of the book.

Overall, you will enjoy this book if you are a fan of howls moving castle, stardew valley, and a sweet treat after dinner even if you're full.

Whimsical. Cozy. Utterly adorable. There's a heist and chaotic adventure abundant! You will become so attached to these characters, The relationships in this one is so amazing. Everyone is relatable and supportive of another. There is an element of academia and passion as well. Romantic. Spellbinding. The author's prose is magnificent.

a sweet story following Dani, a college barista tying to find her future and help the tired souls she serves at the cafe

Current rating: 3.25 stars

I initially thought this would be 4 stars, but my rating kept going down as I continued reading 😭 I love the cover, though!

I did like the contemporary fantasy world that was set up, and would be willing to read more stories set in this world! The magic university setting immediately caught my attention, and it was interesting to learn about.
The book started off fine with the first half having more of a slice-of-life feel. However, I found that it began to drag a little, though it might just be me and maybe I wasn't in the mood for so much of that? But I decided to push through. I find that usually with cozy fantasies, spacing out my reading improves my enjoyment, and this was no exception. Once I got into the second half of the book which had more 'action'/heist elements, I was able to read the rest of it in one sitting. The reveals were pretty obvious, but this is a cozy fantasy romance, so I didn't mind much.

The romance between Dani and Kass was cute, and 'simple + sweet' is probably how I would describe it! I did dislike the misunderstanding/breakup scene because it felt really forced + rushed, but thankfully, it didn't feel like it lasted too long. The other characters made a nice supporting cast, and I appreciated the details added to try and flesh them out a bit more, as well as their motivations.

Overall, this was still a fun read, but I rlly wanted to love this more than I did.

This was a lovely, cozy, warm read. One of those books I wish I had the ability to forget just to read them again. I had so much fun, loved the writing but especially I loved the characters with all my heart. Totally recommend this!!!

A Barista's Guide to Love and Larceny was my first book by Caroline Bonin. I thoroughly enjoyed Dani and Kass' story. It was an interesting and unique premise. I will be recommending A Barista's Guide to Love and Larceny to my book club.

4.5/5 (Rounded up to 5!)
Caroline Bonin wrote a charmingly adorable and delightfully whimsical entry to the Teen/YA space. A Barista's Guide to Love and Larceny is just cozy enough with a dash of magical realism and a smidgen of corporate espionage and heisting. This book pairs perfectly with your favorite cup of coffee on a rainy day. The magical elements and world building were top teir! I had such a great time getting to know Dani, Kass, and the rest of Dani's heist crew. All the characters felt fleshed out and had a distinct purpose to serve. All in all, this is the type of book that I would be immediately searching to find out if it was a series in the making (McKenna's book or Wyatt's?)! I would love to spend more time in this universe! There is definitely longevity to the material if the author chose to expand the word. Even if she doesn't, this is such a delightful standalone first novel!

For fans of:
Magical College Setting
Quirky Familiars (Gingerbread the Crow is such a vibe)
Soft First Loves
Cozy Coffee Shop Feels on a Rainy Day
Heists and Hijinks

Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC!!