4 stars!!

What a pleasant read! I'm honestly surprised at how much i adore this book and how quickly i got through this book. The description, the characters, the plot everything was just so good! I never expected myself to enjoy a cozy fantasy book before but this book change my view on it.

The romance in this book is subtle but sweet, it's a real sweet ad different type of romance compare to the ones i read in fantasy often. I love the friendship aspect in this book and the supporting characters are all fun and rather interesting as well. The stuff that were baked in the book and the description makes me so hungry haha but so interesting and rather beautifully written.

I received a free eBook copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for their hard work and this opportunity.

A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic was exactly up my alley. A mix of competition, and cozy fantasy was just what the doctor ordered, and I had a lot of fun reading about all the baking. And! Bonus material at the end of the book actually gave the recipes for the baking done in the book and I felt like that was a fantastic touch to really draw in the readers.

The story was warm and only a little stressful - but I find competition stressful in general, so the stakes were low but impactful. It was basically the Great British Baking Show but for fairies and mythological creatures and I found it endlessly charming.

My one real complaint was I had trouble with all the names and who was who but once you got into the thick of the competition, it was easier to follow. All in all, this book was a solid, fun, reading experience. 4/5.

A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic is a heartwarming cozy fantasy. With its themes of found family and delicious baking, it’s a delightful escape. The story moves quickly, drawing you in, and the charm of the characters and setting keeps you wanting more. I’m excited to see what this author has in store for future books!
Thanks NetGalley for the E-arc

As a pastry chef and a lover of fantasy, I was immediately drawn to this book—it promised a Bake Off-style competition, cozy fantasy vibes, and a sweet love story. However, it ultimately fell short of my expectations.

The "insta-love" trope felt rushed, and much of the dialogue lacked flow, making some scenes feel disjointed. I often had to backtrack to ensure I hadn’t missed anything, which disrupted the reading experience.

For a story about the *best bakers in the land,* I expected the food descriptions to be more tantalizing. While lemon bars and scones have their charm, I hoped for a richer variety of decadent pastries and desserts to reflect the characters’ culinary talents.

The book also suffered from excessive repetition. The FMC's negative self-talk was overplayed, and her personal growth seemed reliant on external pushes rather than genuine self-reflection. A deeper exploration of her vulnerabilities could have made her arc more compelling. Similarly, the antagonist’s lack of a true reckoning left the story feeling unresolved for me. The abrupt ending pivoted into a completely different narrative, making the conclusion feel unsatisfying.

Moreover, the FMC's humanity—a central plot point—seemed inconsequential. With blind tastings and no magical scoring, it felt like the story underutilized this aspect, leaving me underwhelmed.

That said, the new cover is stunning—kudos to the artist. But would I recommend this book? Sadly, no. It might work as a light palate cleanser for fans of Bake Off, but it lacks the finesse and depth to truly satisfy. As a baker, I’m eager to see this genre explored further, as the premise holds great potential. Unfortunately, this one was underbaked for me.

This cozy fantasy is full of adorable side characters, baking, and a touch of romance.

The writing is lovely, it flows well and I was interested in the story at all times. However, I struggled with the main character, Arleta, whose self-doubt got old quickly. I would have liked her to be a bit more easygoing and confident, or at least to show more... personality? Theo was a bit too bland for my taste, especially with the insta-love romance. I'm never a big fan of that trope to begin with.

While I enjoyed the cute baking contest twist and the side characters, the story didn't fully win me over. A fun read for fans of light-hearted, feel-good fantasy!

This book was adorable. As a huge fan of The Great British Bake-Off, the premise instantly caught y eye. The story was wonderfully cozy, filled with heartwarming friendships, fun side characters, and a sweet romance.

Arleta was such a lovable protagonist, and I really enjoyed her journey of self-discovery and proving that magic isn't the only way to create something extraordinary. The fantasy world was rich and charming, with unique magical creatures (special shoutout to the majestic forest lynx!). The sweet and subtle romance was just the right touch to compliment the story's cozy vibe.

One of my favorite details was the inclusion of recipes from the book at the end! I’m definitely tempted to try baking some of them myself. If you love cozy fantasy, magical competitions, and books that feel like a warm hug, A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic is definitely a delight.

A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic by @jpennerauthor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Slow-burn romance with no spice

Y'all....get you a cup of cocoa or tea or coffee, curl up in a comfy chair with a soft blanket, and DIVE IN! This book is so stinking cozy. It's a warm hug on a cold day.

Arleta has a lot of confidence issues, but that doesn't stop everyone around her from showing her how amazing she is and loving her through her struggles. Not only is there a patient, cinnamon roll MMC, there are strong female friendships, great sportsmanship, and the cutest 2 Orc Dads a girl could ever ask for.

There is representation with multiple LTGBQ+ characters, many of your favorite fantasy races, handling loss, finding yourself, fate vs choice, only one bed, found family, interfering moms, family obligations/expectations, and most of all: a fantasy baking competition that will leave you drooling.

While that seems like a lot all in one book, it honestly flows and fits perfectly, and each character is amazing, and I love them all (except Theo's mom...she sucks haha).

Highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good cozy fantasy.

A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic was a cute cozy read with so many delicious food descriptions. The romance was cute, but I was really here to see Arleta grow into her own and understand that there is nothing wrong with being human and that her baking skills are a magic all their own. I binged this book because it was such a feel good easy read and perfect for a nice sunny day.

I can't wait to try and make some of the recipes at the end of the book as well.

This was a such cute short and quick read! It was fast paced and had cozy vibes which was a nice palate cleanser almost for the dark fantasy reads that I have been reading recently. I will definitely be recommending this book!

A cozy fantasy with a cast of characters full of baking and romance and found family. And maybe my heart is just cold and crusty but this wasn’t quite for me.

Arleta Starstone is the only human in her town and ostracized for being magicless, but she’s a skilled baker who sells her wares at the local market. After her orc neighbor secretly applies to a big baking competition, Arleta travels there with the handsome elf, Theo, who came to deliver her invitation. There, Arleta meets friends and rivals and finds confidence even if she has no magic.

There’s some cute recipes at the end and a bonus prequel chapter as well, and the book was short and sweet. The baking competition is pretty obviously based off the Great British Bake-off (I prefer the original name over the America title) and I like that show, but this book felt more leaning toward romance than baking. The fantasy aspects mostly come from the different fantasy creatures that show up, like elves and dwarves and others that I think are unique to this book like a quokkan and a fennex. There’s not actually that much magic otherwise, so it was a bit confusing why Arleta was so caught up with being magicless when magic didn’t really come up and definitely didn’t have anything to do with the competition. I’m guessing it is supposed to read like an allegory for some sort of discrimination, but I’m not sure how successful it was considering there were traits for the other magical species that were assigned based on who they were, which kinda defeats the purpose.

I feel like the writing could have read more smoothly than it did, though the food descriptions sounded delicious. This kind of gave me fanfiction vibes in the sense that if I liked these characters already, reading a low-stakes story about how they make friends and do a baking competition would’ve been fun, but the characters weren’t built up enough or didn’t act in a way I could understand that I grew to care about them, so I was just not interested. Arleta just kept going back and forth and hot and cold without seemingly anything pushing her that way (except herself), which idk if it’s supposed to be her anxiety talking, but if that was the case, then her sudden growth at the end was a bit unrealistic. The relationships weren’t really built up, and the romance relied too much on the fated mates trope (which is not a trope I enjoy, so there’s that) to be satisfying to me. And Theo’s a bit of a doormat, honestly, like I don’t know what he saw in Arleta or what his role actually was in the competition?? Like why did he go hand deliver her invitation in the first place when he had no part in the competition afterwards? Kinda confusing.

This has vibes of Legends and Lattes, but I don’t think the characters here were as strong. Also reminds me of Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea (which I didn’t like that much), but if you enjoyed that you’ll probably enjoy this, as it’s about kind characters, food, and small businesses. I’m starting to learn that cozy fantasies are a hit or miss for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you netgalley and publishers for this arc.

I loved this one. A fantasy play on GBBO with some romance, what's not to love? There could be more of the baking competition in there but in truth it wouldn't be as fun to read the long detailed baking scenes like it is to watch them. I think it was balanced well.

I did find an inconsistency in the book with the baking battle in the first bake any extra ingredients they grabbed from the pantry a portion of would have to be used in the final bake. She only grabbed lemons and then didn't use any in the final bake nor was it mentioned in the competition. Not a huge deal, but also seemed important to the battle.

I also wondered how the audience knew about the battle? Like it was never mentioned that it was on TV, didn't seem like that was a thing in this world?

Anyways I enjoyed it.

This a lovely fantastical romp.
Would recommend to anyone who loves baking shows, fantasy, and fun!

I will definitely keep reading this series.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic was the perfect, sweet palate cleanser I needed after some heavier reads I’ve done lately. It promises to take the reader on a cozy, low-stakes adventure full of love, found family, and delicious food and it certainly delivers.

We join our characters for a story that is essentially Master Chef: Fantasy Edition, and I enjoyed it very much. The action is engaging without being heart-pounding, and the pacing is wonderful–never too much going on, but never boring. Action scenes are broken up with interpersonal scenes between the characters in exactly the right balance.

If you are looking for a book with tension, twists, and emotional turmoil, this is not the book for you. However, I think it’s perfect for someone who is looking for less of a white water rafting trip and more of a lazy river float experience. The characters were universally loveable, the characters sweet and earnest, and the story comforting and predictable (in a good way).

Cozy and low-stakes fantasy is one of my favorite sub-genres, and I very much look forward to reading the second book the next time my heart and soul need a bit of a hug.

This is a cosy and cute book overall, with the characters being adorable and magical. The plot is filled with baking, gardens and magical creatures. The story is also simple and cute filled with magical elements. Also, the slow burn is a little too slow, and we do not really get many romantic moments.

This book was SO GOOD! Its a nice cosy fantasy with a bit of legends & lattes vibe to it. I cant wait to read the next books and i even got some friends to buy this book already! Its a very good book for when your head is already full or when you just want to sink into a book without thinking too much, just perfect!

A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic by J. Penner is an adorable cozy fantasy that's perfect for fans of Lattes and Legends. Arleta is a good character although she can be kind of flighty at times. The other characters definitely hold the story up and I liked the intrigue and behind the scenes machinations of the fae and orcs along with the descriptions of the other magical characters. The bake offs and recipes all sound delicious and I enjoyed how cozy all of the cooking was.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this e-arc!

If you're looking for a cozy romantasy with a dash of GBBO sprinkled in the this is the book for you. Within the first chapter I was enchanted by the story and eager to continue. The characters are loveable, the pacing is wonderful and the overall story itself is charming.

A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic is a must read if you're looking for a light read that will make you smile and laugh from time to time. The way the main character collects friends is endearing and somewhat relatable.

This will definitely be a book I recommend going forward.

A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic by J. Penner
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Fantasy | Cosy | Magic

I love cosy fantasy, and this book gave me everything I wanted—plus a little extra. It follows Astrea, a human just trying to find her place in the world. She bakes straight from the heart, with a bit of her own magic sprinkled in, but no matter how much love she puts into it, life never seems to go easy on her but she always gets up and keeps baking.

I ended up enjoying this book way more than I expected. Watching Astrea follow her dreams, build unexpected friendships, and maybe even find love made for such a heart-warming read. If you’re in the mood for something cosy and comforting, I’d definitely recommend this one. I’ll be picking up the rest of the series for sure!

Thank you to both J. Penner and Net gallery for this arc read for an honest review

This book felt like a warm hug from the very first page. The cozy, comforting atmosphere made it impossible to put down—I rarely finish books in one sitting, but this one was different.

As a baking enthusiast, I immediately connected with Arleta. Her insecurities felt deeply relatable, and watching her grow, chase her dreams, and embrace her found family was incredibly heartwarming. The story had just the right touch of romance—sweet and subtle without overshadowing the main themes. I would have loved a bit more development in her relationship with the MMC, but I still enjoyed what was there.

Overall, this was the perfect low-stress, feel-good read—a refreshing break from the intensity fantasy and some romance. I’m looking forward to seeing how the story continues. I’ll be recommending it on my platform @perusetheshelves on Instagram on April 8, 2025, a week before publication.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Poisoned Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic has all the right ingredients for a cozy, feel-good fantasy—baking, found family, and a touch of magic. The world of Adenashire is charming, filled with elves, dwarves, and orcs, and the idea of a baking competition in a magical setting is undeniably fun.

Arleta, our protagonist, is a determined baker striving to prove herself in a world where magic is the norm, and she is the exception. Her journey to self-acceptance and confidence is the emotional core of the book, and the friendships she forms along the way are genuinely heartwarming. The supporting cast adds charm and humor, making the world feel warm and inviting.

However, the story falls a bit flat due to its repetitive focus on Arleta’s insecurity about being magicless. While self-doubt is a relatable struggle, it felt overemphasized to the point where it overshadowed the actual baking competition and character development. The romance, while sweet in concept, lacked depth and felt rushed.

Despite these shortcomings, the book still has a cozy, comforting vibe. If you're looking for a light, low-stakes fantasy with a whimsical setting and a warmhearted found family, this could be a fun weekend read. But if you're hoping for deeper character arcs or a more developed romance, you might find it a little underbaked.