A review by lori_larsson
A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic by J. Penner

hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

This is a cozy fantasy about a baking competiton. A lot of these style books have popped up after the success of Legends and Lattes and the quality of them is. . .variable. The writing in this one is mid. The plot is fun and the style is truly cozy. But--the main character, Arleta, is so anxious and has so little confidence in herself for so little reason that her hemming and hawing almost gets annoying. All the characters are just there to further her story, even the love interest doesn't get too much of a personality of his own. All in all it was still pretty cute and since I read this kind of a book as a break from heavy stuff, I probably will read the second book in the series eventually. Comparable titles like Legends and Lattes, Cursed Cocktails, and You Can't Spell Treason without Tea hit better for me.