Publish date: 15th April 2025
A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic is a cosy romantasy about baking, magic and found family. It follows the story of Arleta, an orphaned human, whose neighbours secretly enter her into a baking competition. In the process of the competition, she meets a variety of people from different races and backgrounds. Inevitably, they become a tight friendship group and one of them is her soulmate. Cute, right?
The book oozes charm and warmth. It’s like a cup of cocoa on a winter’s day. There’s nothing profound or ground-breaking but there doesn’t need to be. The heroes are distinct and together make a wonderful group. The villains are sympathetic and fleshed out. The personal growth is there for every character, not just Arleta. The pace meanders nicely to fit the vibe. The plot is predictable but the character interactions aren’t. The ending is satisfying without being trite.
My favourite part is that the recipes used in the competition are also provided at the end which is a nice touch. I haven’t tried them yet but I fully intend to – earl grey flavoured cherry scones, anyone? They all sound absolutely delicious and I’m psyched that they didn’t try to monetise it by releasing an accompanying baking book.
I would recommend this book to anyone, fantasy fan or not. It’s one of those feel good stories with universal appeal like Lord of the Rings or Beatrix Potter. This book meets its vibe so successfully that whenever I think ‘cosy romantasy’, I will always think A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic.
I don’t have a single criticism except that it’s her only book. I hope to read many, many more of Penner’s stories. If they’re anything like this one, they’ll be magic indeed.
Written By: ivetafox
Favourite Game – Long Live the Queen || Favourite Film – Sweeney Todd || Favourite Book – Wuthering Heights
About: Ivy is a disabled, autistic writer from the UK, passionate about inclusive gaming. When not reviewing, she can be found writing short stories and micro fiction or reading the latest gothic novel.
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