Magic in the Mix by Trish LeBaron

Synopsis:

Pastry Chef Lucy Crowthorne has no room for romance in her life. Running her bakery, making trendy pastries, and mixing potions takes up all the space on her proverbial plate. Using her craft to spread good vibes in her secret magical community is both fun and keeps her focused—until a tall, dark-eyed, and extremely distracting someone begins poking his nose around her kitchen.

Food columnist Devin Dawson can’t ignore his inbox any longer. Loyal customers of Pastries and Potions want foodie magazine PastryLit to get the scoop on this young baker and her desserts that are wowing the Oregon coast. He checks out the pastry shop and can’t deny her mousse cakes and caramel bars are worth repeat visits. But it’s the pastry chef behind the bakery case that he’s having undeniable cravings for.

Lucy’s been burned in the past, figuratively of course. Revealing her magical identity to her ex-boyfriend was her worst adulting decision ever and led to the “Clint Catastrophe” her family won’t let her forget. Now let’s be clear, Devin Dawson is nothing like Clint. So why can’t Lucy shake the feeling that if Devin discovers her secret it will lead to catastrophic heartache?

My Review: 5 Stars

Confession. One of my favorite tropes is food fiction. I love reading about all the yummy creations and then dream about recreating them. Sadly, when it comes to this trope, the pickens are slim. So, imagine my surprise and utter delight when I see the cutest book cover and discover it's all about a magical pastry chef! I felt like it was screaming at me... pick me! pick me! And pick I did. I may or may not have squealed and did a little happy dance as I one-clicked this baby.

Y'all. From the moment I started reading, I was swept away to the magical island of Moonrise Cove. Everything around me ceased to exist and I found myself sitting in the small alcove at Pastries and Potions with Lucy and Devin, nibbling on a Hunky-Chunky chocolate cupcake and drinking hot cocoa while being regaled by their adventurous love story. 

Before she was even born, Lucy's life was mapped out for her. She didn't have a choice in what she wanted to do or who she wanted to be. Having the decisions made for her had her feeling trapped and smothered. She just wanted to be free to choose things for herself. Opening up Pastries and Potions was just the ticket to prove to everyone that she can do the hard things on her own. With so much on the line, she can't afford any distractions. 

Enter in Devin. Y'all. I loved him instantly! I know I say this in a lot of my reviews but, he was absolutely perfect for Lucy! Even though he's absolutely clueless when it comes to magic, it doesn't stop him from being who Lucy needs in her life. Whether it's saving her from accidents, encouraging her when she's feeling down, cleaning up the disasters that seem to be following her around, whatever she needs, he is always there for her, no questions asked. He is absolute perfection!

Oh how I adored Lucy and Devin! I loved getting to know them and seeing what made them tick. Their journey wasn't all sunshine and roses. There were bumps along the way and hard choices needed to be made. But those things made them stronger and helped mold them into who they were meant to be. 

You guys! This is seriously the cutest and sweetest book! But it really needs to come with a warning or two. I'm thinking something like... 

*WARNING* Make sure you have some sweet treats with you while reading because you are most definitely going to be craving some yummy goodness like Moonrise Turtle Bars and Hunky-Chunky chocolate cupcakes. (Y'all. I really need these in my life!)

*WARNING* Make sure you clear your calendar because once you start, you won't want to stop. It may or may not cause you to be late back to work after lunch. 

If you haven't guessed already, I absolutely adored this debut novel by Ms. LeBaron! She did a phenomenal job of kidnapping me and holding me hostage until the very end. I cannot wait to read more of her books! 

As for my casting... y'all. There are no words! I love these two!