A fellowship of bakers and magic was a delightful read that was easy and fun to dive into, I enjoyed the magical system along with the romance and the characters!

I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys easy and cozy romantasys! its like the best parts of fantasy and the best parts of romance novels all put together!

This book is the perfect example of cosy fantasy, the characters are amazing, lovely and grip you from the very beginning. The story is very much character driven which is perfect for me as I love it!

I would recommend this book (and hopefully the rest of the series!) to any and all friends.

Thank you @poisonedpenpress, @jpennerauthor for sending the Advanced Reader's Edition of this book!

A heartwarming treat best served with tea and something sweet.

What do you get when a human, a dwarf, a fennex, and an elf walk into a bake-off? A perfectly whisked blend of magic, heart, and sugar-dusted adventure.

In A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic, we follow Arleta Starstone—a determined, magicless human baker trying to rise in a land where elvish elegance and dwarven decadence dominate the culinary scene. In the whimsical realm of Adenashire, where the ethereal grace of elves mingles with the hearty craftsmanship of dwarves, a human named Arleta Starstone toils diligently in her quaint kitchen, blending the delicate art of baking with the enchanting properties of apothecary herbs. But her quiet life takes a bold turn when her orc neighbour (a lovable meddler) submits her creations into the prestigious Elven Baking Battle behind her back. Arleta's mother was an avid amateur baker and father had an apothecary business.

What unfolds is a deliciously cosy fantasy where pastries are spells of their own kind, friendships are as warm as fresh bread, and every chapter feels like stepping into a bakery that also happens to have a cat curled up by the garden.

A significant dilemma looms for Arleta as a magic-less human in a land steeped in enchantment, her entrance into this revered contest risks drawing more disdain than admiration.

Taenya, the winner of the prestigious Langheim Baking Battle, buys the storefront on the corner which Arleta has always dreamed of converting into cosy bakery. Taenya gifts it to her this store – A Little Dash of Magic Bake Shop. Taenya becomes a business partner with Arleta. That’s how their unexpected friendship starts to bloom.

Arleta's journey is more than a quest for recognition—it's a heartfelt exploration of identity, perseverance, and the quiet kind of courage. She navigates sceptical stares and magical mishaps, all while building unexpected bonds with her fellow contestants. There’s even a sprinkling of slow-burn romance that adds just the right amount of sweetness.

What makes this story shine is its balance. It never leans too heavy on fantasy or food—it braids them together like a beautifully plaited loaf. The worldbuilding is whimsical yet grounded, the character dynamics are layered and sincere, and the food descriptions? Utterly mouth-watering.

If you are just craving a story where kindness is a kind of magic, this book will feel like coming home. A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic proves that sometimes the most powerful spell is believing in your own worth—and that the right recipe, shared with the right people, can change everything.

You will come across a lot of bakery dishes – A thyme-infused raspberry tart, Cardamom lemon bars, Fluffy honey buns with silky whipped frosting, Flaky puff pastry laden with honey and walnuts, Rose water and honey cakes, Soft and chewy wild blueberry cookies, loaves of rosemary sourdough bread, cinnamon rolls, petite lemon lavender cakes, strawberry lemon curd bites, iweocot fruit, purplish-blue yageberries, crabapple tree, chocolate cherry tart, lime vanilla cake, coconut cream square, sea salt, browned butter, chocolate chunk cookies.

You will also find some amazing characters throughout the story – Arleta Starstone, Theodmon Brylar, Verdreth and Ervash - kind orc couple who act like fathers to Arleta, Tonix Figlet – the stall renter, a quokkan, does not like magicless persons, will always prefer to rent stalls to more prestigious merchants like elves, dwarves, rare ogre (no magic, no respect), Minotaur woman, Stocky bearded halfling, ecru-skinned woodland elf, Castors, Faun - Dreap and twins Rhegea and Ronorae, Dwarf - Dolgrila Butterbuckle, Jez - fennex a fox-like woman, Faylin - large brown and white cat forest lynx, sapphire-bellied finchlettes.

This story ends up forming a fellowship of bakers and magic with the five very unlikely friends—two woodland elves: Theo and Taenya, a dwarf: Doli, a fennex: Jez, and a human: Arleta.

2.25 stars

So boring. There was no plot (and I like plotless cozy fantasy sometimes so this isn’t a problem with the genre), and the plot that did happen I was like who even cares. The romance also didn’t work for me, the conflict was so dumb and unbelievable. I didn’t really like Arleta as a character and didn’t care about the side characters very much. This wasn’t horrible so it’s slightly above 2 stars, but I don’t see the point in reading

The story is really cute and totally fits the cozy fantasy vibe. I loved the characters and world building. 

The part of the story that keeps it from being a knock out is the FMC's internal struggle. It went on too long for me and I also felt that there was not enough fight from the MMC. I feel like there should have been more with Taenya as well. I hope she gets her own redemption story.

I liked the diversity of characters and it felt like a realistic magical creature small town. I liked the found family and the concept of the baking competition. I'm surprised that there weren't more partners in the shop venture. I also want to know what happened to Faylin and the amazing garden.

If you need a lighthearted fantasy read. You would enjoy this. The romance is a very slow, slow burn. There's also only 1 kiss and no spice scenes. I was hoping for more romantic tension for it being such a slow burn. It felt more like internal anxiety.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. This was a fun and quick read. It was nice to get lost in a fantasy book about baking and a baking competition. I like h oh w several of the main characters stay true to theirselves regardless of what others think.

I have been an avid watcher of cooking and baking shows for a very long time, so I knew I had to read this book. It is a great cozy fantasy, with a dash of romance. It was interesting learning about this world throughout the story and I am looking forward to seeing more in the other books.

J. Penner does an incredible job describing these "magical bakes" throughout the entire book. It really made me want to eat them. I love how there are also recipes included in the back. Perfect for a book all about baking.

The side characters were my other favorite part of the book, especially Arleta's neighbors, a cute orc couple who are adopted dads for Arleta. They were great. I wish there was a book just about them.

There were parts of the romance I really enjoyed and parts that I didn't. I won't spoil them here. It was cute, but not my favorite.

If you are a fan of cozy fantasy stories, I would recommend picking this up. It was a lighthearted and wholesome story with a lot of heart.

Such a cute lighthearted book that will make you feel cozy. I enjoy reads like this because they’re a chance to escape the realities of the world and curl up with a story that will whisk you away. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

4.25 Stars

I love The Great British Bake Off. Finding out this book was essentially the fantasy version of that… Hello! Sign me up!

This book had all the vibes I was looking for. It was very easy to jump into, has a cast of characters that are the most precious, and food I wanted to devour on the spot. It has been taking me a while to read books lately and I finished this one in 2 days/nights. It was exactly what I needed.

I just want to give Arleta the biggest hug, and then immediately start talking flavor combos with her. I loved that she embraced the “it was the friendships we made along the way” mentality. Baking and the competition were in the forefront, but her growth and acceptance of the love around her was the real story for me. It is a character journey I have come to love.

All the side characters were a perfect match for Arleta. They each fed into her journey in different and meaningful ways and I loved them all. There were even a few moments that brought a tear to my eye.

The only thing that I was confused about was how the magic tied into the baking. I’m not sure if I just missed something or what. It was such a big deal that Arleta didn’t have magic, but it was never explained how magic made baking better or easier for others. Was she at a disadvantage? Was there something different? Or were people just biased against her because she didn’t have magic and magic itself never really played into baking at all? I would have loved for that to have been explored/explained a bit more.

This was such a delightful story. I was sucked in from the start and had such a fun time. I can’t wait to see what comes next in this world.


Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Being a magicless human in a world full of magical creatures such as elves and dwarves left Arleta, a baker, with little prestige. In this book she reluctantly embarks on a journey of much needed self-discovery and uses her baking talents along the way.

If you like shorter fantasy stories that involve baking, this book might be for you.

I enjoyed the descriptions of the food and the baking.

Although the main character is difficult to like due to her doom-and-gloom nature, there are several side characters that are more engaging.

This is book one of the Adenashire series.

#arc #netgalley #PoisonedPenPress #LGBTQIA #Romance #Fantasy #Magic #baking #fatedmates #selfdiscovery

Sometimes you just need the easiness of a cozy book. I always love to read one after a particularly heavy book. That was exactly the case when I picked up A Fellowhsip of Bakers and Magic.
This book follows our FMC onto a baking competition that resembles The Great British Baking Champship.
As that is one of my comfort shows. She’s a human living in a magical world, and the discrimination is real from some magical characters.
The only reason this wasn’t a four star read for me was the repetition of how our fmc believes that humans can’t be fated.
A super sweet and delightful read!
I received an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

A human, a dwarf, and an elf walk into a bake-off—and what follows is a warm, whimsical competition filled with enchanted sweets, unlikely friendships, and a generous pinch of self-discovery.

This book was exactly the kind of light, satisfying read I needed. The writing is smooth and easy to sink into, the pacing breezy without being rushed. While it's billed as cozy fantasy, I personally didn’t feel the full emotional warmth I usually associate with that label—but what I did find was a gentle, charming story that left me with a smile.

Arleta, the human baker with no magic in a world that reveres it, is a relatable underdog. Her journey through the Elven Baking Battle is sweet (pun intended), even if I occasionally found myself ahead of her in the plot, wanting to shake her into action. Some of the twists felt predictable, but never in a way that took away from the comfort of the read—if anything, they added to its softness.

If you're looking for something light, pleasant, and slightly magical to cleanse your reading palate, A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic is a delightful treat. Not life-changing, but definitely soul-soothing.

A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic
by J. Penney
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5

I started this book and finished it all in one sitting! The magic and friendship in this carried so preciously throughout the whole story. It was such a fast paced read. And the perfect palette cleanser! I’ve been reading very heavy romance books and this just helped me feel relaxed and happy to be reading about something clean and refreshing such as a good ol’ fashion bake off lol. The descriptive wording helped pull together the world and who lived in it. A lot of mythical creatures I’d never heard of before! I thoroughly enjoyed this story from start to finish and highly recommend! Very pleasant read!

Thank you netgalley and the author for this ARC in return for an honest review!

This is such a sweet, cozy fantasy. There is enough tension in the plot to keep the pages turning but not so much that it feels stressful or even tense. The characters and the world are both welcoming to the reader; beckoning them in to explore a new land full of magic and love. It feels like the perfect thing to cuddle up with when the crisp autumn winds blow or when the gentle spring rains begin to fall.. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a light, happy world to get lost in for a few hours and I look forward to more trips back to this magical land.

A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic is the first in a previously self-published, Adenashire series now being released as a special hardcover edition with new scenes from The Poisoned Pen Press, who publishes my favorite Phryne Fisher Mystery series. This a charming cozy fantasy for those who are looking for a Legends and Lattes read-a-like.

The stakes are low, but the romance and recipes created are sweet when Arleta, a human woman, enters an eleven baking competition. She worries her lack of magic will keep her from winning the competition and even more importantly winning the heart of the head judge's handsome and kind son. The story has strong themes about being open to friendship and that it is ok sometimes to ask for help as well as giving it. I felt Arleta was very relatable as a character and I enjoyed seeing her journey. I loved the idea of ice fairies being used for cooling the warm baked goods for icing so I wish there had been a bit more fantasy elements at times since sometimes the food, ingredients and cooking equipment seemed a bit too modern and "real world" for the fantasy setting, but on the whole I found the story to be a page turner and I look forward to reading the other two novels in the series focusing on Arleta's BFFs. We will also see a fourth added in the fall that follows the next chapter in Arleta's life post her happily ever after.

This was such a fun cozy fantasy! I love the characters and the baking competition gave me GBBO vibes and I am all for that! I will definitely read more in this series!

This was a cute story. I loved all the detail about the baking. It painted beautiful scenes! However I felt like the details about the food surpassed the depth of the characters. The side characters were some of my favorites. I do look forward to continuing the series because the imagery was just so well done.

This book was just “The Great British Bake Off” but with mystical creatures. Very cozy, sweet, with such a cozy atmosphere filled with romance and lovely desserts.
3.25

This was adorable. A soft and cozy fantasy where the stakes are more about community and baked goods than epic battles. The magic system tied to baking was unique and comforting. Great for fans of Legends & Lattes or anyone wanting a gentle fantasy escape.

Are you looking for a warm hug in the form of a book? Do you want to disappear into a world with magic and all sorts of interesting creatures and deal with such problems as running late because of the weather and helping others, or winning a baking contest? Are you happy to read about characters who face regular everyday problems despite living in a world full of magic? If so, this is the book for you.

Arleta is a human baker and while she has no magic, she infuses magic into her baking through unexpected ingredients. She is barely making ends meet by selling in the local market, where she is regularly grifted by the guy in charge. When her adorable Orc neighbor enters her in the elite baking contest, she travels to the Elven lands with handsome Elf, Theo. Along the way they have some mishaps. Once in the competition, she has to decide how to proceed. Will she be cutthroat and difficult like the contestants of the past, or will she forge friendships and practice kindness?

I am not sure why I have avoided "cozy" for so long. Perhaps, I always heard it associated with mysteries. Perhaps, I thought I needed large doses of tragedy in my reading to counteract the large amount of saccharine I get in the form of romances. Either way, I am very much a fan of "cozy" now. And I cannot wait to dive back into the story- Doli's story- soon!

Thank you to Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own and I cannot wait to start the next book!