A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic - 11th September 2026

Date - 11th September 2026

Book Title - A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic

Author - J. Penner

It's another cosy fantasy romance this week. I’d seen this recommended on a few book groups that I’m on on Facebook, so wanted to give it a go. I thought it would be a nice, chill read for during our holiday a few weeks ago. I'll say that I did enjoy it, but it's probably not one that I'll read again as I prefer more action - I think cosy just isn't quite for me.

Genre - Cosy Romance Fantasy

Year Released - 2023

Length - 291 pages

Series or Standalone - I believe that the books are all standalone but interconnected. The main character in the next book (A Fellowship of Librarians and Dragons) is a character from this first book.

How I Read - Paperback

Other Adaptations - Audiobook, ebook, hardback

Summary

Arleta is a magicless human trying to make a living as a baker in Adenashire, when she’s secretly entered into a prestigious elven-run baking competition by her neighbour. As she competes, she grows close to an elf and meets many new friends as she tries to prove that a human can create tasty treats.

Perspective - Third Person, Past Tense

Tropes - Self-Discovery, Found Family, Slow-Burn, Fated Mates

Triggers - Loss

Review

Setting and Atmosphere

One aspect of the setting that was really well detailed and ingrained in the reader from the start was the relationship between humans and the other species, and the fact that magicless humans were at the bottom of the pile. Penner established this really early and the theme was interwoven into the story well.

I would have liked a little bit more world building in the book, personally. I felt that a lot of it relied on the reader’s existing knowledge of the fantasy setting in terms of the environment and, atmosphere and characters. If you like books that focus on the interactions between characters then it likely won’t detract from the story, but to me it meant that I was never fully invested. It felt like the story could have fit into a contemporary setting and that the magical world wasn’t actually necessary for any of the plot (more on that later though).

Characters and Development

I actually found Arleta to be a bit hard to connect with, and I found several of the side characters more likeable. For instance, there is a moment where, as an adult, Arleta literally stomps her foot. It’s a small detail, but it’s a childish action that makes characters less likeable to me. Similarly, there are quite a few moments where she talks about walls and not wanting to open up, which feel repetitive and hinder her character growth. Because of this, she essentially feels like the same person at the end of the book as she did at the start.

The male lead also felt a little bit flat as a character. His interactions lacked depth, and I would have loved to see more complexity in his character.

The side characters felt much more vibrant, however. Whilst she wasn’t really focused on, Jez was more intriguing and felt more 3D as a character, both in her actions and dialogue. She is (apparently) the main character in A Fellowship of Games and Fables, which I might give a try to see more of her.

Pacing and Plot Development

Penner takes her time at the start of the book in establishing Arleta, her relationships, and her place in the wider world. Whilst the worldbuilding is a bit sparse, she does keep the story progressing at a good and engaging pace in the first part of the book.

However, the conclusion of the baking competition felt noticeably rushed. Considering the steady, cosy pacing of the rest of the book, the final contest lacked the detail that it deserved, which undercut the drama right before the climax. It felt as though Penner wanted to tell a bigger story than the limits of the cosy story allowed, and that there were a few instances where the story was rushed as a result.

Prose and Writing Style

The language used and writing style was easy to read and very approachable, which is what you want with a cosy, low-stakes read. It was a book that I could easily pick up and down around commitments without losing the thread or understanding of the story.

There are a few minor points though. The author used the term ‘pastries’ very loosely in the book; she uses it to broadly lump together cakes, biscuits and actual pastries. It’s a small thing, but as a baker it just pulled me out of the story a little too much. Similarly, the scone recipe reflects a distinctly American method rather than a traditional UK bake. Whilst they’re specific culinary details, they pulled me out of the cosy atmosphere. I do plan to make the recipes in the back of the book (which I love when authors do), and I’m interested to see the difference between my tried and tested scone recipe, and that of Arleta.

Favourite Character

The gay orc couple were great characters. I loved the dynamic between them and wish there was a bit more of them in the story. I also really liked Nimbus the horse - he was sassy even without any words.

Favourite Part

My favourite bit was when Arleta was haggling at the market at the start of the book. I think it set the world up well, and I could really picture the scene.