They say the course of true love never runs smooth.
That’s nothing a magical cupcake can’t solve.

Julie

Buttercream. Vanilla. Fondant. Dark chocolate. Brown sugar. Molasses. Baking has always been my true love, but it wasn’t until my mother’s death, and the unexpected inheritance of Serendipity Gardens, that my bliss called me. Bittersweet. But Serendipity Gardens has more to offer than just a potential shopfront. An unusual recipe box left to me by a distant relative might be the key to unlocking my dreams.

Too bad the most powerful family in Chancellor has plans that could turn those dreams to ruins—literally.

Too bad the son of that powerful family is just the kind of guy I’ve been looking for.

Horatio

I suppose being heir to the Hunter family’s Blushing Grape Winery should make me happy, but nothing could be further from the truth. With my mother gone, my father has taken me under his wing, and I despise everything about the way he does business. Sour grapes, indeed. Instead of raising money for charitable causes, my true passion, I’m chasing my father’s manifest destiny.

Too bad his dream includes paving paradise.

Too bad the property owner is the sweetest woman I’ve ever met.

I absolutely love this sweet and charming cozy fantasy novella series. After finishing the first book, I immediately dove into the second one, which I enjoyed even more. There’s some mild language, but it’s a clean romance with no explicit spicy scenes.

I loved the premise of this story. Julie dreams of becoming a baker and building the life she truly wants, but she also feels pressured to meet everyone’s expectations—especially her mother’s, who wanted her to attend dentistry school. Although her passion lies in culinary school, Julie’s people-pleasing nature leads her to follow her parents’ wishes. After her mother passes away, Julie decides to finally live for herself. While her loving father initially challenges her choice, he eventually supports her decision to forgo school and open a bakery and apothecary shop in the cozy, charming town of Chancellor. When Julie visits a cottage she inherited from a distant relative, she instantly knows it’s her future. Inside, she discovers a hidden box filled with mouthwatering dessert recipes—each with magical spells written on the back of the cards.

Next, we meet Horatio, who comes from a wealthy family in Chancellor and is in the process of opening his family’s new upscale restaurant alongside their vineyard. Like Julie, he’s struggling to live up to his family’s expectations—particularly his father’s, who never seems satisfied with anything he does. His father frequently criticizes and belittles him, even in public. Despite this, Horatio’s true passion lies in working with the town’s art council and organizing charity and fundraising events. Fortunately, he has the unwavering love and support of his younger sister, Viola. I really enjoyed the sibling dynamic; their mutual care and support, especially in the face of their father’s harshness, was a heartwarming aspect of the story.

The romance between Julie and Horatio had an opposites-attract vibe, and at first, I wasn’t sure they were a good match or that they could be drawn to each other since their personalities seemed so different. However, as the story progressed, we saw how both were grappling with the recent loss of their mothers and facing similar family conflicts and struggles. In the end, their relationship made sense, and they turned out to be a really cute couple.

As with the first book, I found myself wishing for more magical and fantastical elements. While the story centers around witches, the magic is quite subtle. I was hoping for more spellcasting and witchy moments. This installment did have more tension and conflict, but I still craved additional world-building and deeper character development. I wish the novella had been a bit longer—or even expanded into a full-length novel—so the world, characters, and themes could be explored more fully.

That being said, I really enjoyed this short, cute, and clean novella. It’s the perfect read for the fall season, as it takes place during this time of year and features a delightful fall festival. I loved the glimpses of the event we got, but I wished there had been more detail. I definitely recommend it for cozy autumn vibes!

I’m excited to continue this series and explore the journeys of more characters we’ve been introduced to!