Desserts & Dragons

Everdorne #1

by Bo Huffman

Legends & Lattes meets the Great British Bake Off in this cozy fantasy book.

Watch the Royal Bake Off…
Welcome to the kingdom of Everdorne, where sugar-obsessed dragons tend the fires in the royal palace, and Princess Damora has just gotten engaged. When her head pastry chef suddenly quits, the palace hosts the Royal Bake Off to find a replacement to bake the royal wedding cake.

As the first dwarf to graduate from The Royal Confectionary Apprenticeship, Gregor Brimstone is determined to win. Baking comes easily; performing for the enchanted mirrors placed all around the palace? Not so much. With the eyes of the kingdom upon them, Gregor competes in multiple rounds of confectionary challenges against his best friends. Winning will bring glory, but at what cost?

When a mysterious stranger arrives, it seems his sinister magic might sabotage the competition. Or worse, the royal wedding! It’s up to Gregor and his friends to stop him, but to do so they’ll have to beat him in the Royal Bake Off…

A delectable tale with delicious cakes, a dash of danger, and hilarious culinary mischief.

Genres: Fantasy, Cozy Fantasy, Cozy, Dragons, Magic

251 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 22, 2024

About the author

Bo Huffman is a fantasy author who writes funny, cozy stories and is known for her whimsical Everdorne series.
She lives in a cottage in Texas overgrown by roses and overrun by beloved pets. She is always on the hunt for the perfect croissant and the next cup of coffee.
Feel free to connect on social media: @authorbohuffman.

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet and Cozy

This was an Incredible book. It starts off a little slow but it draws you in and once there you will never want to leave. I had so much fun reading this cozy and Sweet book. As someone who enjoys baking shows this just hit the spot for me. Not only do you get a fun little competition but you also get treachery In the background that makes the stakes so much higher. If you love D&D and Cakes you’ll love this book. I highly recomend this to anyone looking for a cozy wholesome book to read. Now I just need a cookbook to go along with It.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Desserts and Dragons
Author: Bo Huffman
Pages: 299
Rating: 5/5

Currently available on kindle unlimited

"Welcome to the kingdom of Everdorne, where sugar-obsessed dragons tend the fires in the royal palace, and Princess Damora has just gotten engaged. When her head pastry chef suddenly quits, the palace hosts the Royal Bake Off to find a replacement to bake the royal wedding cake.…"

I completely forgot to write the review on this book!!! I discovered the author through Instagram and was so intrigued by the description of this book. And look at that cover!!! Bake off, dragons, cosy fantasy! My idea of heaven. It did not disappoint.

This was a short read at only 299 pages and packed a lot of punch with a nod to the way things are turning in regards to privacy, judgement, tax and inflation. (Sugar tax is already a thing here in the UK)

Like most bake offs there are friendships, rivals and reality tv shows of secrecy and gossip. There was even a villain albeit low stakes.

This was a lovely standalone fantasy with an interesting world build that I wish there was more of. There was a potential to go deeper and further in the plot but I still thoroughly enjoyed the escapism of the read. (And the cake that was eaten alongside it)

You'll love this book if you like;
- great British bake off
- cosy fantasy with political undertones
- loyalty and friendship
- low stakes
- an excuse to eat lots of cake
- standalone fantasy

[Leigh]

This is supposed to be a cozy fantasy book about a baking competition and some unlikely friends. Instead, it’s a mess of tangled plot lines and too many characters with not enough personality to help differentiate them.

I did like how Gregor the dwarf was supposed to go to engineering school and instead accidentally got enrolled in baking school instead. I liked some of the different creatures we meet, like the fact that small dragons are used to heat up ovens and that harpies are gossip columnists. This book had its good points, but they were mostly overshadowed by the lack of cohesive plot, character depth and world building.

[Karen Tankersley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was so much fun! Gregor is a dwarf from a long line of engineers who takes a wrong turn at his first day of college and ends up in the palace kitchens, studying to be a pastry chef. It’s a dream come true for him, as long as he can keep the secret from his family!

Along the way shenanigans ensue. There are bespelled candies, drunken delivery pigeons, dragons that light the fires in the ovens, and one more thing… a royal wedding. Can Gregor and his new friends win the cake baking competition and get a coveted Royal Seal to open up their own business, or is something more sinister afoot?

I really liked the story after the cake baking competition started. It had all the feels of a good reality TV cooking show—alliances, secrets, friendships and rivals, and even a villain. It was set against a fantasy setting, so it used enchanted mirrors to transmit the show to the kingdom. The animals with little tiny mirrored outfits were very funny.

There’s no romance—not even as a minor side plot—although I don’t believe the book needs it. And it’s a stand alone (yay!!). It’s a very cute, quick read.

[Sunny Lovestories · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very surprised at this novel. And with how much I read it’s good to be surprised still. I was in the wrong thinking this was a cozy mystery along the lines for YA readers, which it very easily fits in that category of YA , not all magical tales have to be YA only.
So here we are needing a wedding cake and no one to bake but surely in a land of magic and mayhem someone is capable.
From page one we are set in a course for fun but so much much more. Introspection, humility, overcoming bullies, true to yourself, living up to your abilities, doing in the impossible. And if your old friends take a back seat to it all? You make new friends that value you. Gregor is a true role model.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun story with drama as contestants scramble to win the Royal Bake Off and make Princess Damora’s wedding cake. There is magical mirrors that broadcast events. There is also a dwarf baker Gregor Brimstone who wants to win but turns out to be a savior to the kingdom along with his friend Noal. I enjoyed reading this cozy mystery story. This is a new Author to me and I want to read more by her. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[TT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cosy fantasy about baking and dragons, what’s not to like.

[Mike]

The author, like so many, doesn't know how to use the past perfect tense, and thinks the main city is spelled "capitol" and that "donning" means "wearing". The world seems prefabricated - and anachronistic in places - and as far as I read it's not especially funny for a book that explicitly claims to be humorous. What finally decided me against it, though, was striking the expression "bear the brunt" rendered as "bear the brute."

A lot of people won't care about these issues, and will enjoy it for what it is, a fluffy cosy fantasy about a dwarf baker. But it's a no from me.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cooking challenges were the most interesting parts. A fun book.

[Véronique Lessard · Rating 4 out of 5]

*****BOOK REVIEW*****

Title : Desserts & Dragons
Author : @authorbohuffman

When the royal pastry chef quits, the palace launches a high-stakes Bake Off to find a replacement for Princess Damora’s wedding. Gregor, a talented dwarf baker, is ready to win—until enchanted mirrors meant for public viewing turn out to be spying tools, and a dark sorcerer threatens the entire event.

Baking glory, friendship, and the fate of the kingdom are all on the line.

=====

I must admit that it took me some time to really enjoy the story. However, once the story and the universe were set, I dug in. The author involved "modern" concepts such as food allergies, feminism, social media, and reality shows!

As much as I liked Gregor as main character, I really liked Ash, who really evolved and took its place as a character. The author showed some real writing skills with plots, descriptions and really got the read to plunge head first into this sweet yet realistic fantasy world.

I laughed, I cursed, and enjoyed the deliciousness of the indie publishing. Might I suggest getting a cup of tea (or mead if you wish), with cake while reading this. Believe me, you'll want some !

#bookreview #indiebookreview #cozyfantasy #authorbohuffman #dessertsanddragons #cozyreading

[Beware the Bookwyrm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick, initial reaction: This was such a fun story. I loved the characters and the world Huffman created. I can't wait for more books set in this wonderful world!

[Aaron DeMott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this was good!
Imagine if Donita K Paul and Graham Elliot had a book baby.

[Sydney Wilder · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a joyful, humorous, chaotic romp of a book. Desserts & Dragons is genuinely funny - the prologue had me hooked, and I giggled out loud several times while reading this book. It has a big cast of characters, who all have unique stories and quirky traits that make them a very chaotic group of bakers. There's multiple plot threads going on at once, and between the princess with a ton of food allergies, the mini dragons that flood the kingdom like stray cats, and the hilarious smartphone-like spy mirrors, there's tons of whimsy.

In addition, the baking descriptions, along with the science of how it all works, is very in-depth! It's truly impressive how much culinary knowledge the author is able to show off in this book. The Great-British-Baking-Show like competition scenes were the best part.

Plus, the cover is adorable! A must-read for cozy fantasy lovers, especially fans of A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic!

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I may have misunderstood what this book was going to be.

I wouldn’t say it was bad but I wouldn’t say it’s a book that leaves an impression.

Pros
Cute cozy storyline with a happy ending
Gregor was a fun character.
I liked ash but their storyline ending wasn’t explained in the epilogue
Character descriptions were well executed
Gregor POV was always more interesting and fun

Cons
I thought it was going to be like the great British bake off with fun challenges and like over the top cakes with fun exciting flavors. But the challenges and descriptions fell flat.
A lot of characters that weren’t fleshed out or interesting
I got confused when the POV switched around. I wasn’t always sure what was happening.
I also didn’t 100% understand the mirror situation.

[Diane ~Firefly~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gregor the dwarf goes to the city to attend engineering school, but due to a typo, ends up in baking school.

What I enjoyed:
* The premise was great and I enjoyed Gregor as a MC
* The baking class characters got some personality, but the other entries into the competition really didn't

What could have been better:
* A baking competition that only has two rounds and they randomly team people up for the second round?
* I'm not sure if the whole mirror plot just died out or continued on

[Pat Akers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was looking for some light fantasy reading and was recommended this book. It was that, and also really funny and a lot of fun! It's got a big baking contest that a bunch of chefs who were classmates compete in, and they go from being classmates to competitors and it's full of goofy problems like you'd see in a baking show. This is my first 'cozy fantasy' book and it was well-paced and full of fun characters. I'm looking forward to the next book!

[Mickey B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic and that got me into reading a lot of cozy fantasy lately and this one is by far my favorite! Where other books are slow and sweet, this one is about an exciting baking contest that's several rounds and gets harder as the competitors realize the princess has dietary restrictions. I like how technical the author got with baking and how unserious the characters are. And the dragons! Cute but also sort of scary?
My only wish is that there were recipes in it.

[Shelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun, cozy fantasy. Gregor the dwarf “accidentally” ends up becoming a pastry chef apprentice. At the end of his apprenticeship the kingdom is celebrating the Princess’s wedding and Gregor and his friends are entered into a contest to be the Royal Wedding Cake baker. However, there are others in the kingdom who are using this opportunity for nefarious purposes.
The characters in the book are so lovable and fun. The plot is exciting and kept my attention.

[Kara Bayliss · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the characters and the story location. I think the Author had some amazing ideas and a lot of things that they wanted to accomplish, I just think it should have been more than the one book to tell the story. The plots were intriguing and, as I said, the characters were great! I just felt like it got a bit too heavy handed at the end trying to stuff all of it in one story (if that makes any sense). I would definitely read more from this author though.

[Cottage_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the perfect cozy read to snuggle up with.

No angst or stress and great to read in between heavier reads.

This book really surprised me and I will definitely read more from this author.

Thank you Booksprout for the ARC.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Annalisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story! Reading it both inspires me to want to bake things and also makes me wish I could taste test all the desserts in this book. I think the dragons are living the life eating all those sweets. I loved the dragons. The kitchen ones sound adorable. I really liked all the characters and getting to know them. The story was really interesting and fun. It was a delightful experience.

[Karen Ing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is as cute as the cover. A baking contest is a front for the king to get all of his subjects to bring enchanted mirrors into their homes so he can spy on them. That premise sounds scary but it's done with such humor and is the sub-plot to a bake-off where friends have to compete against each other. A perfect cozy read.

[Marcie Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

My only qualm is that it's a standalone because I need to know more about these pigeons!! Also, the dragons in this world are so different than any I've read before and I love how this magical society has incorporated them to be helpers.
What a wonderful world to sink into, and dessert descriptions were scrumptious!

[Abena Worth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED the cast of characters in this book! Each one was so carefully and well-developed that I could keep them separate and really see them in my head as they interacted and competed in this baking contest. I loved hating on Elis and Brimley is such a cinnamon roll. Even though they're secondary characters, they shone just as much as the three main friends, Gregor, Ash, and Noal. Bravo!

[Livy G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute!

My first brush with cozy fantasy. Not something I would ever have picked out for myself but happened upon a book signing event with the author at b&n while visiting home. A tale a friendship, baking, and dragons. Also enjoyed the (somewhat cheesy, but also somewhat insightful) commentary on society’s dependence of social media.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute cozy fantasy that revolves around a royal baking competition for a wedding. Lots of cozy baking vibes in a world where dragons are used to light ovens. The competition reminded me of reality shows complete with friends and rivals. This standalone is a quick read and great for those looking for a cozy revolving around baking.

[Stephanie Davenport · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was fine - cozy, cute, and a fun little magical adventure. There’s really nothing wrong with it, which is why it still gets 3 stars from me. But honestly? It just felt kind of meh. The concept is fun (baking + magic = yes please), but it didn’t leave much of an impression. If you’re just looking for a light, low-stakes read, it’ll do the job. That said, if you want something with more heart and depth in the same vein, A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic tells a very similar story—and does it so much better.
.
Favorite Line: “Lots of kingdoms boasted enchanted forests, but the truth was, every forest had magic inside of it; one was not more magical than the other.”

[Benjamin Huffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading this new book because I couldn't put it down. It clips along with good scene after scene. The baking contest is a big part of the story, but there's so much more to it than that. I'm excited to read more from this author.

[Margaret StJohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun cozy fantasy

This was a fun , cozy read. Lots of fun twists and the competition was enjoyable. The last chapter wrapped up everything nicely , which is a little Dissapointing since that means it’s a standalone book not a series. If you just want one book though it’s great.

[Nancy Tab · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've started reading cozy books and I think this one is up there with Legends & Lattes (which it mentions is like) and The Spellshop. There's no romance in this though so be warned, but I fell in love with baking all over while reading this.