The Barcelona Bakery

by Sally Brooks

Vanessa Romero is at a loose end. When she finds her late grandmother's Catalan recipe book, she leaves England for Barcelona, where maybe she can find the missing page and complete a long-lost recipe. She speaks no Spanish and can’t bake, but she’s been looking for a business idea… could she learn enough to become a Catalan baker?

Meanwhile, Joey Lewis, a bilingual Brit who helps run a Pasteleria in the heart of Barcelona, is looking for a quiet life. If Vanessa's glass is half full, Joey's is half empty and probably has a crack in it. She has long since put her heart in a box labelled 'do not open' and is focused on becoming the best pastry chef she can be on the city's famous chocolate street - Carrer Petritxol.

When Vanessa meets Joey she can't believe her luck; can she persuade the chef to teach her both baking and Spanish? Joey would rather be left alone, but there’s something irresistible about the carefree woman and the compelling mystery of her grandmother's recipe.

When the pair find themselves sharing more than just recipes and vocabulary they begin to wonder if this can really work, with Vanessa's imminent return to the UK and Joey's insistence that she'll never leave Spain.

Can Vanessa change her ways and commit for more than a few weeks? Can Joey open her heart after so long alone? Will they solve the mystery of the old recipe book? And can their relationship survive the universe pulling them in opposite directions?

Don't miss this sizzling Spanish sapphic romance set in one of Europe's most beautiful cities, complete with sunshine, sugar, spice, passion, mystery and laughter.

The Barcelona Bakery is written by Sally Brooks, the award-winning author of Swiping Right, Don't Fall in Love, Faking It and Fighting Feelings.

Genres: Romance

258 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 18, 2026

About the author

I'm Sally Brooks, a British writer of contemporary sapphic romance. These books are perfect for those of you who love diverse characters, romantic comedy and page-turning fiction.
In my books you will find compelling, funny and heartwarming stories - think all the lols with all the feels.
I love complex queer female characters so that's what I write and I'll keep you guessing right to the end.
I live in Birmingham with my wife, our three children and two cats - Cagney and Lacey, who are surprisingly bad at solving crime.

Reviews

[JAYNE · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Barcelona Bakery, book one in the Wanderlust series by Sally Brooks, is a delightful slow-burn, grumpy/sunshine sapphic romance set against the vibrant backdrop of Barcelona and all its charms.

Vanessa Romero has a reputation for flitting between ideas, never settling. Armed with an inherited Catalan recipe book and her grandmother’s lingering words of wisdom, she heads to Barcelona hoping to learn not only the language but how to bake.

Joey Lewis works at Carmen’s pastelería, effortlessly crafting local delicacies and speaking fluent Spanish. But when it comes to matters of the heart, she keeps herself firmly guarded.

Featuring a soft slow burn, grumpy/sunshine dynamic, this story delivers on atmosphere as much as emotion. From mouth-watering Spanish treats to iconic landmarks, the setting is richly woven into every page.

The writing flows effortlessly, making it an easy yet immersive read, and both main characters are genuinely lovable. I finished this book with a strong urge to revisit Barcelona; always a sign of a story that truly lingers, and yes, I thoroughly recommend this book.

Thank you to the author for an arc.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely grumpy/sunshine slow but. Sapphic romance! Thank you to the author for an advance review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Set in Barcelona…swoon…we have Vanessa and Joey. Vanessa needs Joey to help her learn Spanish and to bake along with discovering the missing page in her grandmother’s recipe book.

Joey is drawn to Vanessa even as she’d prefer to be left alone. She is an amazing baker and my mouth was constantly watering with all the delicious treats.

Well written. Relatable and lovable characters. Well paced and engaging. Highly recommend!!

[Carol Hutchinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute soul adventure!

Vanessa heads to Barcelona in search of inspiration to open her own bakery in Birmingham after finding her grandmother’s recipe book. Her Spanish is not good, and her baking skills are non-existent really but she is determined to learn. There she meets Joey, who helps at a bakery having left the UK herself. At first things between them are tense, but as they get to know one another something sparks to change both of their lives. And Vanessa might learn something more called her to Barcelona than she thought.

This was such a lovely romance. I admired Vanessa greatly, going out on such a big adventure and not being frightened to try learning Spanish, try baking, and try not to be put off by Joey’s initial cold shoulder. The bakery owner could sense there might be opportunity for them though, so I was smiling when she started meddling and insisting Joey could teach Vanessa in exchange for Vanessa sharing some British recipes. It was so interesting to learn a bit about Barcelona and the language and pastries along the way too. I adored how Vanessa was determined to make this work after she promised her grandmother when she died that she would do something and stick with it, live her life and be fulfilled. It was a truly lovely sentiment.

I loved Joey’s reluctance to hang out with Vanessa, but fate, the baking and her friend was insistent there would be no escaping her. Joey had so much knowledge it was infectious, and she was really lighting up and opening up to Vanessa even when she tried to fight it. Deep down, she just seemed insecure and unsure of love, but Vanessa was definitely the one to bring that all out of her. This missing page from Vanessa’s grandmother’s recipe book also played a big part in bringing them closer together and forming a friendship that lead to more.

By the end I was so happy. My heart was full for them both. There was so much love, positivity, and truly beautiful messages within this story. A must read for any romance fan!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! The Barcelona Bakery is a low angst sapphic romance set in Spain that centers around the Petritxol Pastelería bakery. Vanessa’s grandma has just passed away and she immediately leaves the funeral in England to hop on a plane to Barcelona. Her treasured grandma’s recipe book is the catalyst for her trip and contains a bit of mystery as one of the pages had been torn out. Her first encounter with baker Josefina (Joey) is not a pleasant one as the baker is a bit of a gruff grump. But Joey’s grumpy nature is the perfect opposite to Vanessa’s sunny disposition. Carmen owns and runs the bakery and invites Vanessa to spend time at the bakery to perfect her English bakes and learn Spanish baking from Joey. Vanessa also takes Spanish classes taught by Joey’s friend Dani.

One thing I really loved besides the romance was all the delicious descriptions of baked goods. The baked delicacies were like their own character and there are even several recipes sprinkled throughout the book. The descriptions of the sights made me want to book a trip to Barcelona and walk the Carrer de Petritxol (Chocolate Street) myself!

I loved the little bit of mystery with the missing page from the recipe book and learning about Vanessa’s family history. The side characters were also well developed and helped create the complete picture. This is the first book of Sally Brook’s that I’ve read but it won’t be the last. Thank you for the ARC.

[Monna · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are romance books labeled “feel-good” and then there are those books that MAKE you feel good and leave you with that same relaxed sensation. “The Barcelona Bakery” by Sally Brooks has been one of those books for me. I’m feeling very mellow and tranquil right now thanks to Joey and Vanessa’s story. Vanessa has a dream to open a Spanish cafe in Birmingham, UK. The idea of this cafe is in honor of her Spanish grandmother who has just passed away. So Vanessa flies to Barcelona with a book of Spanish recipes passed down through three generations. She arranges to work and learn at Carmen’s bakery in preparation for her own cafe back home. And there in this homey Barcelona bakery is Joey, head baker, and soon to be Vanessa’s instructor. It’s not an auspicious meeting. Joey is not thrilled. But they discover mutual respect and so much more. The descriptions of the baked goods are delicious food for thought; the descriptions of various Barcelona sights left me contemplating plane tickets to Spain. There are a few recipes for some of the “bakes,” so that’s a bonus. There are bumps along the way for the couple, and they help each other at every step. All in all, this is a thoroughly enjoyable and interesting book. I do love happy endings!

[Sue Plant · Rating 4 out of 5]

an interesting read though i did have to suspend my beliefs on a few things...

can someone who doesnt know how to cook actually do what she does in this book... but apart from that the two main characters of joey and vanessa are kinda cute...

vanessa has travelled to barcelona, she had made a promise to her grandmother and she meant to keep it

joey was the baker and everyone that knew her she was grumpy to start with but she could warm to you

when vanessa started out at the bakery just doing a few of the recipes in the cookery book left to her by her gran she was helped by joey....

vanessa plans was to learn all about baking so that when she opened her own bakery in birmingham she was bringing a bit of spain back with her...

its an easy quick read and one that you do have to suspend all knowledge of proper qualifications and such like to get into this storyline but its not a bad read .... and the food sounded amazing

[Fran Sappharc · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of things I think is well balanced is the information given. It may have been tempting to throw in every piece of information for example, about the Sagrada Familia, under the guise of scene setting, but enough information was given to whet my appetite that I could google it, without distracting from the pace.
Up to 40% and I am enjoying reading about Barcelona and seeing the characters develop but I’m not gripped. Yes it’s nice to see what is happening but there is not a push to find out. I think perhaps the tension should come from the short term nature of the relationship but I am not tense. The barrier, I guess, hasn’t really felt like a barrier because there hasn’t really been lust filled longing…. There has been a wee bit of longing, a wee bit of lusting and a wee bit of recipes but it hasn’t all come together as a dish yet! (Just beyond the half way mark).
I enjoyed seeing the foundations for a happy ending to be worked out, and glad everything worked out.

[Debbie Fahlman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book written by Sally Brooks. The main characters, Joey and Vanessa I called grumpy and sunshine!

Vanessa made a promise to her grandmother and she was determined to see it through this time. She is known to be flighty and not complete things she starts. She leaves her grandmothers funeral, with a recipe book that grandma left for her, and flies out to Barcelona where she sets out to learn everything she can about baking so she can start her own bakery back in the UK

Joey on the other hand has been working at a bakery, for the woman who owns it, Carmen, in Barcelona she’s been at since she left the UK many years ago. Joey has a family history and really hasn’t much use for people and tourists. Tourism is big in Barcelona, keeps the bakery open, and allows her to continue doing something she loves. She’s a loner, left family behind, and enjoys her quiet time.

The two meet in the bakery where Vanessa orders a latte and a pastry to go with it. Joey is not impressed that she doesn’t speak Spanish! Fast forward to Joe and Vanessa meeting on the balcony of their apartments. Joey is not happy because right away Vanessa starts talking and Joey just wants to be left alone!

This book has several side people that know Joey and are happy to meet Vanessa. There are many twists and turns in this book, as well as many realizations for both of them but one thing is certain. Joey and Vanessa are learning about facets of life, emotions, and themselves even if they have a tenacious relationship!

I received an ARC from the author

[karen fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely feel good low angst story. Sally Brooks has does a fantastic job of transporting you into the streets of Barcelona, hitting all the senses with descriptions of the shaded narrow streets of the Gothic area, amazing architecture of the Basilica and the wonderful sweet scents and tastes of the bakery. Coupled with the beautiful kind and caring characters it all adds up to a feel good cosy read.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely adored this book! The Barcelona setting, the cosy bakery atmosphere and the mystery surrounding the recipe book made it impossible to put down. Vanessa and Joey had such lovely chemistry, and I loved how naturally Sally Brooks portrayed their relationship. It’s so refreshing to read sapphic romances that feel authentic and simply normalise attraction between women. There still aren’t nearly enough books like this, and I can’t wait to read more from Sally Brooks.

[Rebecca Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best Sapphic book I've read in awhile. I loved it from start to finish, I couldn't put it down. My only thing is I wished it were longer, I finished it in a day 🙃