A Drizzle of Magic

Pobyd Perfections Bakery #1

by S. Usher Evans

After the Second Kingside War, magical folks like baker Lillie Dean are once again able to live freely and use magic openly. Lillie is taking this new freedom to heart, and has just moved to the seaside town of Silverkeep to start a brand new bakery and begin her life again.

But all is not sweet in the idyllic village, especially when Lillie gets a threatening note saying if she doesn't get out of town, everyone will find out about her villainous past. When other magical creatures start receiving similar threats, Lillie puts on her sleuthing hat to find out who's causing all the consternation - and why they've got a vendetta against magical creatures.

A Drizzle of Magic is the first book in the Pobyd Perfections Bakery Cozy Mystery Fantasy series.

Genres: Fantasy, Cozy, Cozy Fantasy, Mystery, Audiobook, Adult Fiction, Magic

298 pages, Hardcover

Published March 11, 2025

About the author

S. Usher Evans is an author, blogger, and witty banter aficionado. Born in Pensacola, Florida, she left the sleepy town behind for the fast-paced world of Washington, D.C.. There, she somehow landed jobs with BBC, Discovery Channel, and National Geographic Television before finally settling into a "real job" as an IT consultant. After a quarter life crisis at age 27, she decided consulting was for the birds and rekindled a childhood passion for writing novels. She sold everything she owned and moved back to Pensacola, where she currently resides with her two dogs, Zoe and Mr. Biscuit.

Reviews

[BookishKB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical and very cozy! I didn’t realize it was apart of a series but it was easy to track along.

[Caroline (CozyBookTraveller) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Actual rating is 4.25 stars*

A Drizzle of Magic is a short and sweet cozy fantasy about a baker starting her own bakery in a new town as a second chance in life. But trouble occurs when a letter appears, threatening her to leave town or else her less than stellar past will be exposed to her new friends. Undeterred to leave her new life, Lillie sets out to uncover who sent the threatening letter.
It’s a very wholesome book filled with a lovely cast of characters, including a well dressed mouse, and heartwarming friendships. The mystery is very cozy and low-stakes, so it’s perfect to read while drinking a warm beverage. Also, all the things that Lillie bakes sound absolutely delicious, so beware that the book might make you hungry. All in all, it’s a nice book for when you want something calm but still engaging to read.

[Anne-Marie Howick · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book kept me in good company while alone in the office today 🤓 it was all very cosy and lillie was wonderful, i did guess who the sender was right out the bat but it was interesting universe to visit and i went and bought a baked good bc i was so inspired

[Laura]

🫠

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, an absolute delight! Read in one sitting, & so happy to get to stay in Bev’s world a bit longer by seeing what Lillie is up to. Definitely recommend :)

[Chels · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're coming here after the Weary Dragon Inn, congrats! You'll love this series too (though you totally don't need to read that one first).

Lillie is a magically baker trying to make her way in a new world that finally allows magic again. She's in a new town with lots of other new people and nobody is quite sure where they fit. Luckily, there's some really interesting characters (including a dapper talking mouse) in this town that are sure to make life fun! I really can't wait to see how this town settles and to watch Lillie achieve her dream of running a successful business (and possibly fall in love with a handsome rival).

If you're a fan of cozy fantasy, baked goods, and talking mice with a drizzle of magic, then this is the series for you!

[Karen Wrobel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy through a Kickstarter campaign. This is a cozy fantasy taking place at a bakery in a small village, it was cute. It all comes together at the end, but initially, some of the whys and whos are a little unclear. The MC, like so many others in cozies, is a bit annoying, but she grew on me as the book moved along. A light easy fireside kind of read; I’ll look for the next installment. 3.5 stars.

[Charissa Wilkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overview: Six years ago, the First Kingside war had left the magic hating queen in charge. If you had magic you were arrested, or sent into exile if you were lucky. Now the second Kingside war has ended, and magic is no longer illegal. Lillie Dean is hopeful that she can finally get a bakery up and running. Silverkeep is starting to regain some of their magical citizens as well. Now, Lillie has received a letter. Who could possibly know what happened in Lower Pigsend? Why are other citizens of Silverkeep receiving letters? Can Lillie manage to keep Pobyd Perfections Bakery? Let's find out.

Dislikes: Some of those who agreed with the Queen held some nasty attitudes aimed towards their more magical neighbors.

Audo Globe just struck me wrong the first time I ran across him. He seems to be drunk on power.

Likes: Ursil and Nicola were neat. They love having a bakery nearby, and were willing to be good sources of advertisement.

Reynard Moussison has quite the attitude, and could contact one heck of a gossip network. I don't think that you can keep a secret from him.

I don't know what Mr. Calcut is, but he isn't a vanilla human. I'd lean toward vampire, except he was out during the daylight hours.

Lillie was tempted to use her magic to get the truth from Benetta. She makes a great choice once she was away from the magic long enough.

Conclusion: This was a fun story. If you are a fan of either cozy fantasies or "The Weary Dragon Inn", then this book is for you. Enjoy the read.

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

TLDR: A Drizzle of Magic is a short and sweet cozy fantasy mystery, about a magical baker starting over.

Our MC, Lillie is a magical baker who's starting over, opening her own bakery, in a new town. This is a second chance in life for her, after the events that occurred in the Weary Dragon Inn series. Lillie is hoping to make her way in a new world that is finally allowing magic out in the open again.

Lillie isn't the only one looking to start over after the reign of the evil queen has come to an end. There are a lot of other new (and returning old) residents in town and nobody is sure where they fit. Like the Weary Dragon Inn, we're already being introduced to a delightful cast of interesting characters (including a finely dressed talking mouse) and I'm looking forward to getting to know them all just as well.

S. Usher Evans has the knack for creating a cozy, low stakes world with enough mystery, magic and intrigue that I just want to crawl in and live there. This series appears to be no exception. On to book number two. Highly recommend for fans of cozy fantasy. (4.25 stars)

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm always leery when an author takes a supporting character from one series and does a spin-off series with them. My fears were unfounded. Lillie really comes into her own in this first book and I really love that she isn't just a copycat clone of Bev (from the Weary Dragon series for those of you who don't know - go read it. Now.)

Lillie makes mistakes and one especially poorly thought out scheme almost wrecks everything. That's what so refreshing about Lillie. She means well but seems to have a bit of impulse control problems. The supporting cast here is off to a good start (love Rey!) but the names can get confusing but that's to be expected when you have an entire cast of characters all drop in a single book.

I'm really looking forward to the second book!

[Maisie Vine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
Thanku so much to the author for this ARC,
I've realised cosy fantasy is not my preferred genre so my rating is personal and in no way is about the book itself.
Lillie has opened a bakery and your following her trying to grow her business and also uncover a mystery, you get to know all the characters and I also loved Rey the talking mouse ♡ There's so many interesting fantasy creatures in this too!
This is verrrryy cosy It felt like I was baking along with her which i loved.
I did find myself getting a bit bored as I said I think I prefer the more high stakes fantasy but I did enjoy this and recommend it to anyone who loves cosy fantasy! The ending wrapped everything up perfectly and there is a little Cliffe hanger at the end too 😯
Thanku again for the ARC.💞

[Liz Delton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great start to a new series from S. Usher Evans! Lillie begins her new life in Silverkeep and boldly proclaims her magic to the town recovering from the queen's downfall, to mixed results. When she gets a letter threatening to reveal her dark secret from her previous life, she has to get to the bottom of it or risk losing everything she's started here.
I really enjoyed all the characters in Silverkeep; there was a fun variety and I particularly enjoyed Lillie's new friends Rey and Kristen!
Lillie takes a page out of her old friend Bev's book and gets down to the bottom of the mystery. The politics of the town were woven in fantastically, and I'm excited to see where the budding romance, and brooding kinda-bad guy storylines go!
And the audiobook narration was excellent!

[The Book Dragon's Hoard by A.V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm glad this author has created a new series after The Weary Dragon Inn to focus on Lillie's adventures in Silverkeep. This cozy fantasy mystery with bakercore vibes has an intriguing mystery, some deep explorations about the social consequences of draconian laws that force certains groups of people into hiding and what happens when social change means they can come out into the open once more. The social aspects of this story as well as Lillie's learning curve about honesty, standing up for what is right, and fostering friendship and mutual support over cut-throat competitiveness are what make it a fantastic read. I've enjoyed this lovely book and will certainly keep going with the series.

[Kimthebookishbaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Umm where do I sign up for Pobyd magic? This book was delightfully cozy and had allllll the feelings I wanted. Lillie solves a mystery without there being too much drama or making the reader too nervous. She is making new friends and settling in her little town and perhaps some romance is even in the air? I absolutely adored this whole story and look forward to reading it again because it was so delightful and Jess Moran did an incredible job as the narrator.
I will say, there isn't as much worldbuilding in this tale as it's written as a spin-off to Weary Dragon Inn so I definitely recommend reading that series before starting this one! But you wont regret reading all of Evans's cozy stories, they are utterly delicious and make me so happy.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The queen banned magic and had magic users arrested. The King overthrew the Queen and brought magic back to the world. A Drizzle of Magic is about what happens next.
The characters are so interesting and different in how they use magic. The story line was captivating. Misunderstanding abound and make life complicated for just about everyone. Throw in greed, lack of trust, and fear and the book carries you along.
The narrator was really good too! I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did! Now where is book 2?

[Mattie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book definitely hooked me much more quickly than the first book in the Weary Dragon Inn series. That is likely due to a mix of the familiarity I have with the world from the Weary Dragon Inn series as well as some lessons learned that author may have had.

I love Lillie Dean and seeing a series of cozy stories set in a world that feels real and “not cozy”. Because ultimately, coziness is the safety and warmth we carve out for ourselves in spite of the world around us.

Highly recommend both series. And now I’m off to read book 2!

[Eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

bk 24 2025. Just finished the beginning of a new series, but also the continuous of a wonderful world created by S. Usher Evans. In this Lillie Dean begins a new life in a new town, but she is thrust into problems when a blackmail letter arrives, the new baker resents her opening up, and people avoid her because she openly declares that she has magic. Well done transition / new book! I am looking forward to more, but I have to admit to missing the folks back home.

[aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun series that follows up on the Weary Dragon Inn series. We now the a new series in a new town with the character of Lillie going to a new town after the Queen of the realm is finally overthrown and magic is legal again. Lillie is a Pobyd who is able to place magic into her baking and make it even better. We get mystery in the classic vein of these series and tons of coziness! I really enjoyed this new one but wish it was a little longer. Looking forward to more!

[Phi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fantastic and cozy story!! As much as I adore The Weary Dragon Inn, I think this one is even better! I love the characters! I love how it's soooo cozy yet never feels like it's dragging. It was so delightful and magical and just absolutely wonderful! I am soooooo looking forward to the rest of this series!

[Giny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Weary Dragon series and was anxious to read about one of its side characters. It was a nice, similarly toned book. Easy to read and light hearted! I can’t wait to read more by the same author. You do not have to have read the Weary Dragon series to enjoy this book but if you like this, I suggest you read both series🙂

[Kai Charles(Fiction State Of Mind) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a spin off of the cozy series The weary Dragon Inn. I really loved reconnecting with Lily and watching her use the skills she learned from Bev unraveling her first mystery. I'm also happy that there is some more diversity in this series as one of the characters and his sister are described as being diverse.

[Ashleigh Mattern · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this after I finished the Weary Dragon Inn series because I wasn't ready to leave that world yet! It was interesting to see the ramifications of the Second Kingside War, but I didn't find Lillie Dean to be quite as intriguing a character as good ol' Beverge Wench from Pigsend. It was a fun read, though, and I may yet pick up more books in the Pobyd Perfections Bakery series.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick, cozy read that I ate up in a day. I loved the feel of the magic bakery, and the town was full of unique characters. Lillie was a fun POV to read, and I loved her magic so much! Seeing her grow and find her place in the town was lovely. The mystery is a little bit obvious, but it was still fun and satisfying. Definitely worth checking out!

[Laura Mauro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so cute!! It was a prefect mx of cozy mystery and cozy fantsay. This book was a rather fast pace read!! I also loved the world buuding and really liked how this book both gave me legends nad latte vibes and also meet your baker series. i am so excited to read more books set in this world!!

[Niki Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy, magical, and thought provoking.

I couldn’t help but think of how the magical people who had been rounded up by the queen or escaped and hid away was similar to our world today. The story begins with them able to come back to their homeland without fear but that doesn’t mean it’s just as they left it.

[Becca Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love baking, eating baked goods, fantasy, and a touch of mystery then this is a must read. While I felt like it was a groundwork book, I am excited to read the next installment. But it could be read as a stand alone which is nice. Beware, you may find yourself in a baking/eating baked good mood while reading.

[SnowRaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

A magically baked cupcake sprinkled with a hint of mystery.

A very cosy read with the smallest hint of behind-the-scenes scheming, and a quick read as well. Looking forward to what other mysteries await this little bakery with a baker with a "talent" for persuasion, but all in the name of deliciousness.

[Lacey Holloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shush has done it again! Absolutely loved this first book in Lillie’s spinoff. Great characters. Lovely connections back to dear Pigsend from which she came. I am looking forward to reading more. Especially about Julian and Rey.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable spin-off of The Weary Dragon Inn series, and while I didn't love it as much as I did the books in that series, this was a fine start, and I look forward to seeing what other messes Lillie gets into in her new home

[Erin Slegaitis-Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun lighthearted mystery