A Pan of Pumpkin and Pastries

Enchanting Confections

by A.G. Marshall

A dab of pumpkin, a dusting of cinders, and a drizzle of midnight baking that could change everything.

Celine Blackthorne is the secret ingredient behind the kingdom’s most fashionable bakery. While her stepmother and stepsisters bask in the dining room spotlight, Celine bakes and cleans in the basement kitchen. When a Royal Patisserie Competition threatens to expose her family’s lack of coin and lack of talent, Celine must take matters into her own flour-dusted hands and save the family business.

With the help of the cobbler’s apprentice next door, Celine risks her anonymity to save the people who take her for granted. But when the contest requires her to leave the bakery for the ballroom, Celine’s secret participation may not stay secret for long. As heat rises in the royal kitchen, Celine must decide if she’s baking for her family’s approval or for a love that’s as sweet as it is unexpected.

A Pan of Pumpkin and Pastries, a retelling of Cinderella with nods to the Great British Bakeoff, is a standalone novella, complete with tropes such as friends to lovers, found family, and royal competition. It is part of The Enchanting Confections series, a collection of clean and cozy stories guaranteed to delight your sweet tooth.

Genres: Cinderella, Retellings, Fairy Tale Retellings, Romance, Fairy Tales, Fantasy

238 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 29, 2026

About the author

A.G. Marshall grew up in libraries and has been writing since she could hold a pencil. She loves fairy tales, witty banter, and heroines who aren’t afraid to save themselves. When she’s not writing or teaching piano lessons, she enjoys dancing and traveling the world.

Reviews

[Jacquelyn 💐 {This Rapunzel Reads} [Jesus Christ, my Living Hope] · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this e-book arc from the author in exchange for an honest review. OK, this was an adorable retelling of Cinderella. I loved all of the baking aspects and how different and yet similar it was to the Cinderella story. Celine was such a sweet character. I just loved her. Mouse was definitely interesting. The two of them were super cute together. I do wish I would’ve seen more of them together. I loved just everything that was so different in this retelling. It came together so well. I did guess the plot twist and I thought it was great. This is definitely a good fall read! The cover is just adorable! I love pumpkin, so this is right up my alley. I definitely recommend and can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy!

[Tash Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review - A Pan of Pumpkin and Pastries by A.G Marshall.

10/10! I devoured this book and loved everything about it. A standalone Cinderella retelling, part of the multi author Enchanting Confections.

What if Cinderella became Celine, and she wanted to enter a royal baking contest instead of going to a ball. This version of Celine as a baker and making friends with “Mouse” the next door cobbler apprentice. It’s such a sweet story with heartfelt moments.

Celine’s terrible stepmother and stepsisters are the absolute worst! I did get annoyed with Celine at some point because she was so blind, but it was also because she had such a pure heart.

Mouse and all the other characters climbs right into your heart and the story just makes you feel all giddy.

I will happily recommend to all readers who enjoys a great fairytale retelling. A no spice, friends to lovers with awesome found family and it will leave your mouth watering for all the delicious pasties made!!

[Bess · Rating 5 out of 5]

AG has a way of writing that is so wonderful! I will read anything she writes!
She has taken a somewhat overdone fairytale and breathed new life into it! What a great read! And the food!! Oh, to be a character in the book who gets to sample all of the yummies!
Loved this read!
The whole series so far is such a "sweet-treat." Yep! Went there!
Can't wait for more deliciousness (oops!) from this MAS!!

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received an ARC from the author, and all opinions are my own.

A Pan of Pumpkin and Pastries is a cozy, delectable Cinderella retelling with friends-to-lovers, baking competitions, and finding your worth!

This book was so cute! It had super cozy vibes and was a wonderful take on the Cinderella story.

I loved the take on Cinderella. One of my favorite Cinderella retellings is The Coronation Ball by Melanie Cellier, mainly because it took place in a baking setting. This book did that but on a deeper level that I really enjoyed. We got the stepfamily cruelty, but it more nuanced in this book. Honestly, for part of this book I was struggling to figure out if they were being mean or just oblivious. The author did an amazing job of making this hard for the reader to figure out right along with Celine. I also loved how the prince was incorporated into this story. It wasn’t a ball to find a bride, but a welcome home ball, which I like a little more. The way the shoes were incorporated was absolutely amazing and I loved it so, so much! It was perfect and fit the story so well.

Celine was an amazing character! She was so kind and hardworking. A big part of the book was her finding her self-worth and realizing that she was talented and mattered. It was an incredibly moving storyline, and I loved how Mouse guided her, but also wasn’t forceful. Celine had the classic Cinderella kindness, but it felt more realistic and authentic this book. There was some grief exploration, but it wasn’t the center of the book.

I loved Mouse! He was such a sweet character, and I loved how he cared for Celine. He was always showing up for her no matter what, and even when she didn’t ask. It was so sweet and I loved their friendship!

The romance was a friends-to-lovers, as well as a little bit of a slow burn. It took most of the book for their feelings to be realized, but I loved seeing them as friends. And the ending where they chose each other and discussed what their lives would be like together was very sweet.

The stepfamily was interesting. Again, they were written wonderfully, as it was hard to figure out if they were meaning to be cruel. They were and the way they treated Celine was awful and became progressively worse.

The baking in this book was absolutely amazing! I am not the biggest baker, but I do love a good baked good. This entire book I was wanting to jump up and make something delicious. It was wonderfully immersive- you really felt like you were in a bakery. The bakery and the competition were the perfect setting and made the story so unique and fun. This has been compared to The Great British Bake Off, but fantasy, and while I haven’t seen a lot of that show, I have to agree. This is pure baking show vibes and I adored it.

I also loved the baking competition contestants! They were amazing and they were so kind and considerate towards Celine. Arthur, Martha, and Jacque were wonderful characters. I especially loved the quiet way Arthur cared for Celine- it was sweet and fatherly, providing nice moments of kindness and support throughout the story. Jacque was also a lovely character, who provided some humor throughout the story.

The ending was so sweet! I love a good ending, and this one was wonderful. It was everything I want from a fairytale, and I was very happy with it. I also particularly liked how Celine took time to heal before she married. I thought that was a nice inclusion.

A Pan of Pumpkin and Pastries is a cozy Cinderella retelling, with friendship, baking, and realizing your worth!

A Pan of Pumpkin and Pastries will be released on May 29, 2026.

[Kenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid 4.5 stars!

Y’all, this has got to be one of my favorite Cinderella retellings of all time! A. G. Marshall, you have yourself a new devoted reader! This book was super cozy, with just enough tension to keep me up until midnight.

You know those baking competition shows? I felt like I was in one of them! Also, as someone who could probably burn water, I was able to follow along really well and wasn’t confused by the technical terms. I’ve never read a book with this sort of plot before, and I loved it!

*Sigh of delight* Mouse and Celine’s romance was squeaky clean. Seriously, if I had to define a cozy comfort read, it would be this book. Although I guessed the twist involving a certain character from the beginning, I really didn’t care because I was enjoying the story so much.

I think it’s amazing and very admirable that Celine loved her family and wanted to care for them in any way she could. However, it did get to a certain point where I really wanted her to stand up for herself. In my opinion, she was a bit of a pushover earlier in the story. I was relieved when she finally realized that her family was mistreating her and that she deserved better.

If I had to pick a favorite character, it would definitely be Jaques! He’s such a rascal, but at the same time he’s so sweet. He completely stole every scene he was in with his sass!

My favorite quote...
“You suit that dress,” he said. “Don’t you mean it suits me?” “It didn’t look half so good before you put it on.”

_________________________

Brief overview of the romance content

- Light noticing
- 2 hand kisses
- A non-detailed kiss
- He rests he forehead against hers briefly

Brief overview of other content

- Some verbal abuse
- Gaslighting
- A bit of grief over the death of a parent. (In the past)

_________________________

Overall, this was such a sweet book with barely any content, so I would personally be comfortable recommending it for ages 12 and up. Thanks to the author for the arc copy!

[Marissa Rissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an early copy from the author but all thoughts and opinions are my own :)

I was completely blown away with this adorable retelling of Cinderella. The fairyale is so incredibly well known and reimagines so many times that I wasn't sure what the author was going to come up with. I simply could not put this story down. I read it within a couple of ours. Celine is an incredibly kind and thoughtful FMC (true to the Cinderella character) but our MMC was the most pleasant suprise. He is everything a partner should be. Caring, thoughtful, assertive, and discerning. A Pan of Pumpkin and Pastries perfectly captures what a beautiful and loving relationship should be and how kidness in the end always ends up rewarded in the best way. It may not be in the way we imagined but it is always so much more. It also captures all the right elements of the origional Cinderella story while also giving the same magical and inspiring feel of the live action movie that Disney did. The romance is subtle but in the BESt way. You watch a love that is founded on friendship and respect, grow and creep up on the main characters and I found myself falling in love with their love. I actually want more of their life after the story because I fell in love with these characters and their relationship to the point I couldnt get enought of them. Disapointment that there wasn't more to read when I got to the end of the book is not something I have felt when reading in a bit. But more importantly I loved the message of still being a kind, loving, and genergous AND being able to go after what you want and need. Often when you are a generous and loving person you feel that the ability to go after what you want and need cannot cohabitate with being a good person. I loved watching the FMC learn that this is not the case and that both can exist and that by helping yourself you are abile to give so much more. If you havent read this little book yet, you NEED to! If you have a long TBR put in on there, this is also a perfect Fall read and you can save it for that cozy time of the year!

[Mariahs_BookNook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gut rating: ⭐⭐⭐
CAWPILE rating: TBD
Spice: Kisses
ARC publication date: May 29th 2026

Tropes: Cinderella inspired, fairytale retelling, baking competition, secret identity, rags to riches, found family, betrayal

Quote: And yet, Mouse had come. He always found her somehow, and he always knew what she needed.


My synopsis
Blackthorne Bakery is renowned in society for it's delicious pastries handmade by Mrs Blackthorne and her two daughters. Little does society know that the Blackthorne's mistreated stepdaughter Celine does all the hard work stuck down in a windowless basement, with most recipes her own creation.

When a royal patisserie competition is announced with a staggering prize, the Blackthornes are adamant they'll win, as long as Celine does all the work. Encouraged by her friend Mouse to enter secretly too, Celine steps into a dazzling world of new friends, cruel foes, and life-changing opportunities.


My review
A nice Cinderella retelling with strong leads and baking fun that fell a little short in the found family attempt.

What I liked
- Celine was a great Cinderella reimagined who shone despite her circumstances. I really liked the caring MMC Mouse and his humble motivations, too. His heavy involvement in the story was a great twist to the original story!
- I really enjoyed the detailed dive into making pastries, and it was so easy to picture the basement bakery. Having the story's star recipe (eggless pumpkin muffins) at the end was a nice touch, too!

What I didn't like
- While I liked Jacque, he felt a little pointless, and the found family element with the bakers etc felt unfounded and forced. The orphanage scene felt a little left field as if to pad the book out, too, rather than being important to the story.

With thanks to the author for providing me with this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Trigger warnings: Domestic abuse, bullying, gaslighting, kidnapping, death of parent, injury detail, classism, confinement

[Laura Howe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did receive this book as an ARC in return for a true review, which this is, but I wanted to let anyone reading this know that there are slight spoilers for the characters after the first paragraph. But also, this is a cinderella retelling soo... we already know how this story ultimately ends.

The Great British Bake off meets Cinderella in this fairytale retelling.

I loved getting to see the twists on the old characters we know and love, they way A.G. Marshall was able to bring new life into this story by the small changes she made in the characters and settings was *chefs kiss*

Celine, our main girl, not having a stepfamily made of pure evil was refreshing though it did leave me stressed for part of this book as I was constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. Don't mistake me and think her family was sunshine and roses though, I was ready to FIGHT her stepmother during this book for the subtle ways she was acting towards Celine. She did get her due reward in the end though.

I loved all the new characters that were added in, I feel like they gave the story new depth and helped Celine grow and learn who she was outside of the shadow of her family.

Mouse silently loving and taking care of Celine throughout the entire book gave me life. It just goes to show that we don't need every MMC to be and alpha male and that we need more MMCs who genuinely love and take care of the FMC in the background. A.G. Marshall showed that its possible in this book to have strong characters without everyone being a war general/hero/fighter in fantasy.

TBH y'all I read this book yesterday and I already want to go back and reread it to stay in this world and with these characters. This is not going to be the last book of hers I read and I hope there's more books set in this world.

[Beloved · Rating 5 out of 5]

​A Pan of Pumpkin and Pastries by A.G. Marshall is part of the Enchanting Confections series, a collection of clean and cozy stories. This standalone novella is a wonderful retelling of Cinderella.

​While I was not familiar with the original fairy tales that inspired the previous books, Cinderella is one of my favorites. I found A Pan of Pumpkin and Pastries to be a fantastical, entertaining take on the classic tale that is exceedingly on-theme with the concept of enchanting confections.

​While her stepmother and stepsisters bask in the dining room spotlight, Celine Blackthorne is the force behind the baking and upkeep of the kingdom’s most fashionable bakery. When a Royal Patisserie Competition threatens to expose her family’s lack of coin and talent, Celine enters anonymously with the help of the cobbler’s apprentice next door to save the business. Celine risks her anonymity to protect the very people who take her for granted, but when the contest requires her to move from the bakery to the ballroom, her secret may not stay hidden for long. As the heat rises in the royal kitchen, Celine must decide if she’s baking for her family’s approval or for a love that’s as sweet as it is unexpected.

​First of all, I loved the variety of sweets and pastries that the bakery setting offered. Celine's recipe book should honestly be considered for publication!

​The baking competition was an excellent vehicle for adding new twists to a familiar story. While the plot was somewhat predictable, the book still managed to keep me wondering exactly how Celine would overcome the actions of her stepfamily. I also couldn't help but grow incredibly fond of the cobbler’s apprentice and the other side characters who treat Celine with the kindness she deserves.

​Highly recommended for those who enjoy cozy fairy tales, baking competitions, and decadent desserts!

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Sweet Journey of Recognizing One's Self Worth and a Baking Competition!

I love A.G. Marshall's books, so I was excited to see that she was participating in the Enchanting Confetions multi-author series. A Pan of Pumpkins and Pastries was exactly what I had hoped for with the sweet romance, baking competition, and character growth.

The characters really made the book stand out to me. The stepmother lives up to the Cinderella stereotype as a masterful manipulator skilled at gaslighting. The stepsisters aren't awful, but they are uncaring with no problem taking advantage of Celine. Celine herself is a wonderful character. I was livid with her stepfamily on her behalf due to their treatment of her and was glad when she starts rediscovering her sense of self-worth as she interacted with more people who viewed her as a person rather than a convenient invisible servant. The romance with Mouse is wonderful. We barely see him, but he makes the most of his limited page time. He cares about everyone around him and helps Celine while letting her be the one in control. His and Celine's chemistry is absolutely perfect. There were plenty of references to the original Cendrillon but also plenty of differences that allowed the book to shine.

The plot, too, engaged me from start to finish. The three levels to the baking competition allowed for multiple mouthwateringdescriptions of complex desserts. I wish I could be the judge of the competitions! Altogether fantastic book that is clean in language and content. Hihgly recommend, particularly to readers who love baked goods, journeys to learn self-worth, and amazing characters.

*I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.

[LeeEllen Belcher (Caw) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warnings: grief from past death of parents

This was an amazing Cinderella retelling about finding your own worth and standing up for yourself. It had all the right elements and made me feel so many emotions! There were secret identities, a baking competition, some humor, and lots of heart. I loved watching "Cinder" (Celine) and "Mouse's" friendship form, how he was able to know exactly what she needed before she did, and how he was always trying to get her to see her worth. I enjoyed the mystery of his character and how she began to piece it all together towards the end. While I had my suspicions, I still loved how the story was executed. The world-building was finely detailed and I felt like I could have stepped into the story and tasted all of the baked goods. The baking competition was such a good way to show camaraderie between all of the contestants, and really showcased the true colors of Celine's step family. I was rooting for side characters just as much as Celine and "Mouse". It was heartbreaking to watch Celine realize how little her stepfamily thought of her, how they took credit for everything she did, and all she wanted was to help their bakery thrive. I highly recommend this slow-burn, no-spice fairytale retelling for any reader!

I received an Advanced Reader Copy with no expectation of a review. All opinions are my own.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first started reading, I thought oh no…this book is already using fancy sounding words that I think are dishes? I’m not an expert baker but after that first moment of I’m in over my head, I was fine. I was quickly sucked into the story & all of the baking was described so wonderfully that it made me hungry just reading it! I fell in love with all of the amazing characters like Celine, Arthur, Mouse, Jacque, & all of the bakers in the competition! I started this story expecting a Cinderella retelling but it’s a beautiful tale about a baker firstly, falling in love, & choosing a world of possibilities! I was so invested in the story unfolding & I loved Mouse! It takes someone special to see you as you are & to make you see it to! This story is so beautifully paced & takes you on a journey that is so satisfying that your heart feels warm & full! This is my first book by A.G. Marshall & it definitely won’t be my last! I’m sitting here hoping I found the right words to express how fantastic it was! I’m somewhere between the smile that finishing left behind & wanting to start over just to stay in the story a little while longer! Please tell me there is a bonus epilogue…I really want to see just a little bit further than where it stopped?!
P.S.- Side effects of reading this book are staying up too late & a need to go bake something delicious!

[Fairy Tale and Fantasy Fan Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky to receive an ARC of A Pan of Pumpkin and Pastries and I apologize that the review is late. I really enjoyed this cozy Cinderella retelling. Similar to when I would watch The Great British Bake-Off this book made me smile and feel a bit hungry.

Instead of having the traditional ball A. G. Marshall has her characters participate in a royal baking competition. While I admit to being a little skeptical on how this would play out, the plot line works well with the book and the theme of the Enchanting Confections series.

Celine (the books Cinderella) is a fantastic baker with a kind heart. There were times in the beginning where I felt she was too obedient to her selfish stepfamily but she grows wonderfully as a character and it was an enjoyable journey of self-growth to watch. Her love interest Mouse is very supportive and a bit mysterious. I loved his introduction. It was so cute and cleverly done! I also enjoyed Celine’s friendship with the young orphan Jacque and his speech towards the end was very touching.

Overall A Pan of Pumpkin and Pastries is a fantastic and sweet retelling of Cinderella and a wonderful inclusion to the multi-author series. I can’t wait to read more of A. G. Marshall’s other books too as this is not her first Cinderella retelling as she has four!

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the author for the arc!

Cinderella retellings are some of my absolute favourites and this is definitely a new one of mine! I absolutely loved the twist on Cinderella and the way it was incorporated into a bake off storyline! l really liked the main character Celine, she was so sweet to everyone and it was so nice to see her growth in terms of knowing her own worth and standing up for herself. Mouse was an amazing male lead and the two of them together fit so perfectly, he was such a fun character and I adored his personality. I love friends to lovers so much and this was so well done, I loved their fireplace chats and the jokes between them as well as the progression of their relationship which developed at the perfect pace. The side characters also had a lot of depth and I especially liked Jacque, Arthur and Martha as well as the other contestants, it felt like the cutest found family and I loved the interactions between them all and how they all added to Celine’s own growth. The plot itself was so cute and had the coziest feel to it! I loved the whole bake off element (even if it definitely made me super hungry!) and it was such a fun twist on Cinderella with some really clever ways in which certain elements of the original story were incorporated. I loved the authors writing style and thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish! I highly recommend it and will definitely reread in the future, it’s the perfect autumn, cozy book!

Reviewed 21st May

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so sweet. I loved Celine and her story. Cinderella is a favorite story of mine so this retelling was one I really enjoyed.

This was an interesting and fun take on Cinderella. Baking competition instead of a ball, instead of an actual mouse there is an apprentice nicknamed mouse, etc. These details made this story unique and interesting.

I loved watching Celine become the best version of herself and standing up for what she wanted. She might have been the one running things behind the scenes but she was done being in the shadows.

When it came to her stepmother I didn’t like her and she lived up to the character she was based on. That woman took advantage of Celine and put her down. When it came to the stepsisters I liked one and didn’t like the other and that is all I will say.

I loved all the side characters and how they had such important parts and weren’t just there. They all had stories and roles they played.

I will say I figured out the mystery surrounding a character very quickly. I won’t say anything else to not spoil but I was pleased when I found out I was correct.

Overall I really liked this book and the characters. I read this book as an arc.

[Abigail Galla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Voluntary honest ARC review

I love this story so much! The story is good, it is well written, it has great description that flows well, and all the characters are each distinct from one another and feel real.
This book is honestly one of my favorites now! 🫠❤️
I loved the asthetic! I enjoyed it so much. It was sweet, cozy, emotional, and enjoyable.
I learned a few things (and also looked a few up) about pastries and the other things that were baked in this story which was interesting. Well done with the descriptions and research Mrs. Marshall!
The romance was sweet. It was a very tasteful seasoning with the story.
There was no unnecessary kissing! (there was a single one at the very end of the book which was undescribed.)
The only criticism I have of this book is that the main character: Celine took a few chapters too long to realise something that was right in front of her face. All the clues were there but she made what I felt like were silly excuses as to why they didn't mean what they meant.
I hope there will be more books like this from the author in the same world!
Thank you for the ARC A. G. Marshall! I loved it.

[Morgan (youarethelibrarian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Cinderella retelling, so there are the elements of the stepmother, stepsisters, and Celine (Cinder) doing all the work. But the Mouse is a person, and there’s a baking competition! I hated so much that Celine couldn’t see for half the book that she was being used. She wanted to help her family, and she genuinely thought she was, but she couldn’t see that she was being 100% taken advantage of.
I liked how she finally realized it, in seeing how others treat her compared to her family. I was furious with the stepmother of course, but also with Felicity. While Eugenie seemed oblivious, Felicity saw what was happening but didn’t feel strongly enough to speak out or do anything to stop it.
I loved the found family of (most of) the bakers who made it to the last round, and that they kept in touch after the competition and we found out what they ended up doing. I also loved the little side romance between the delivery man and the orphanage owner, and how they were so sweet to Celine and helped her as well.
I really loved the prince’s plot, I can’t say more but I loved how it was done!

* I received an eARC from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

[Thoroughly Clean Indies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Fairy tale retelling [of Cinderella]
Tropes: Friends to lovers, found family, royal competition, hidden identity
Setting: Bakery, baking competition
Writing style: 3rd person, past tense
Tone: Cozy, no angst
Character- or plot-driven: Plot-driven

Romance: Yes
Clean level: Squeaky clean. 1 mouth kiss with zero description. 1 hand kiss, 2 kisses to fingers. 1 instance of resting his forehead against hers. Accidental brush of fingers against cheek when putting on a mourning veil.

Favorite aspects of the book:
• The concept
• The characters

The series theme was perfect for putting a spin on the original tales! The heightened exploitation — much more subtle than originally, even if obvious to any outside observer not in denial — having to enter secretly wearing a disguise, the climax "will he recognize which entry is hers" instead of who the slipper fits (though actual slippers do make an appearance). The competition is based on The Great British Bakeoff, and the three rounds correspond to the three balls in certain versions. The false name Celine is given for the competition, Cendrillon, is the French Charles Perrault version. The mice and "cats" aspect of the Disney film is cleverly weaved in as well

The side characters are great and ultimately help Celine face the reality she couldn't bear to acknowledge for so many years. The core of Mouse and Celine's relationship is developed prior to the narrative, and the depth of their bond is apparent from his first "appearance." Considering her home situation, I appreciated how good all the other people in her life are.

Favorite Quotation: A door at the back of the bakery swung open, and Mouse entered. “Keep breaking and entering, and I’ll suspect you have a criminal past,” Celine said. “Or a criminal present,” the young baker said.


(I received a free ARC of this book from the author and am gratefully—voluntarily—leaving a review.)

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this Cinderella retelling so much! The messages of finding your worth and choosing to stand up for yourself were beautifully written. Everyone needs a Mouse in their lives to see them as they truly are.

Celine spends her days, and many nights, in the bakery basement preparing all of the pastries for the day. Even though she recognizes that things aren’t fair (her one dress is falling apart while her step sisters have multiple dresses in new condition), she is happy serving where she can and helping bring joy to the people who eat her baked goods. Her joy comes from her friend in the fireplace, the cobbler’s apprentice, the one person who seems to see her when then the people closest to her are blind. When the King holds a baking competition to find the royal baker for the Prince’s home coming ball, Celine hopes to have a chance at the prize money. Thankfully she has some good friends who are ready to support her, because this competition will not be a piece of cake!

[Jennalee Conner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness!! I loved this book! This is a retelling of Cinderella; however, it includes a baking challenge. Because I love to bake as well, I really enjoyed reading about all of the various treats and decorations. I have to admit that I did look up the pronunciation of a couple of words, but I did know how to say croquembouche and even what it was.

Not only did I love the food, but I also really enjoyed the characters and setting. I enjoyed this far more than the original Cinderella story because it was more of a love story than the original. Cinder and Mouse had such a wonderful relationship that developed in the perfect way. Arthur, Jacque, and the rest of the characters really drew me in as well. Even though this is the first book that I’ve read from A.G. Marshall, I’m hooked. I’m already planning on reading the rest of her books.

I received this as an ARC book, but the thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first novella by this author but I had enjoyed a couple much shorter short stories by her previously and had high hopes for this since it sounded fun. This book met my expectations and was a really enjoyable Retelling of Cinderella full of fall vibes, wonderful sounding desserts, and interesting characters. I loved getting to know both Celine "Cinder" and Mouse and seeing Celine realize her growing feelings for him. This story also has a lot of fun side characters including the other baker's in the competition. Celine's step mother as well as her step sister Eugenie were extremely unappreciative of all Celine did for them but her step sister Felicity wasn't as bad. The epilogue was a fun look into the future and I plan to read more by this author.

Steam Rating: Glimpses and Kisses 🔥

I received a free advanced reader copy of this book from the Enchanting Confections ARC Team and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love Cinderella and the Great British Baking Bake Off, you will LOVE this story! Absolutely adorable! It was such a sweet and charming retelling of Cinderella. I loved the mashup of Cinderella and a baking competition! Super creative and had all the classic Cinderella elements. Celine was relatable character. She had fantastic character growth. Loved seeing how she blossomed throughout the book. Her relationship with Mouse was so endearing. They seriously had the sweetest friendship. Mouse was my favorite character. He was a constant friend. Always was encouraging and believed in Celine. I loved how their relationship developed and grew. There were many fantastic side characters. Madeleine was one of my favorite side characters and I hope she will get a story someday. This book was a lovely and enjoyable read!

I volunteered to read an ARC copy of the book and all thoughts are my own.

[Sabrina Leon]

I received an arc of this book and it was a great read (most especially in Autumn)!

In this version of the classic story of Cinderella and set in eighteenth century France, the stepmother and stepsister own a bakery (called Blackthorne Bakery) and the titular character (Celine) is the scullery maid who has to do most of the cleaning when she bakes treats her stepfamily ends up taking the credit for them. The only one who gives her credit are her closest friends, including the kind and handsome Cobbler apprentice next door, who Celine calls “Mouse” and has a few secrets. However, an announcement for a Royal Patisserie competition is announced might just give her the chance to decide whether to either save the reputation of her family’s bakery or for the love of her dearest friend.

This truly is a sweet tale of romance and finding what makes you happy. Plus, the descriptions of all the sweet desserts made in it will make your mouth water!

[Tegan Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each of the Enchanting Confections series books have been super sweet and cozy. I adore books with baking, especially when it is described in detail. Celine was such a sweet and generous character. Her hard work was taken advantage of just like Cinderella. She truly thought she was helping her family. It was heartbreaking. I loved seeing her grow and learn the importance of taking care of herself. I can identify with putting myself last. Mouse was so caring and patient with her (also love his nickname, cute!). He led her gently to the truth and never forced her. The ending was satisfying and SWEET. Y'all go read this book if you need a lovely cozy fairytale retelling!

Thank you AG Marshall for sending me this book. All opinions are my own.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Pan of Pumpkin and Pastries by A G Marshall
As heat rises in the royal kitchen, Celine must decide if she’s baking for her family’s approval or for a love that’s as sweet as it is unexpected...
This is my first book by A G Marshall, but clearly I've been sleeping on an amazing author! If you love watching baking shows, this book is perfect for you! It certainly was for me! And now I can put my odd baking knowledge to use. Like, certainly I know (theoretically) how to assemble a croquembouche! Absolutely loved Celine, Mouse, and Jacque. All the little tie-ins to Cinderella were perfect. This series has been amazing, but so far this one takes the cake!

No spice, language, or fantasy violence
5 stars
ARC (will be published May 29th, all opinions are my own)

[Amber Christiansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Cinderella retelling was absolutely adorable. I loved every second of it. The romance is so very sweet and the characters are well rounded. I enjoyed the various interactions with the different characters.

The plot takes a fun twist. Instead of a royal ball to marry a prince, it's a royal baking competition to honor him. My favorite character is was Jacques, a side character with a big personality and a strong sense of fairness.

Aside from the romance and the fun interplay among the characters, this story is largely about recognizing your own self worth. Although there technically wasn't any magic involved, I felt like this story was magical to read.

[Lj · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books that I knew from the first line I was going to absolutely love and it more more than lived up to it's promise. It has a delightful cosy feel throughout and with the traditional balls of the Cinderella story replaced with a baking competition it has a unique feel and plenty of extravagant pastries. The friends to lovers romance was sweet and well written and the supporting chracters around the main couple were delightful (or were people you enjoyed seeing get what they deserved depending on which side of the good guy/bad guy line they fell on). It is a wonderful, fun, comfortable read.

I received an ARC and voluntarily leave an honest review.

[Amanda Favor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never read a better Cinderella retelling (and I’ve read many!) This was just fantastically done, it was truly a cozy fantasy revolving around baking and found family friendships. The core elements of Cinderella were there but it was entirely an original story. I enjoyed reading this very much!

On the technical side, the story flowed well, the dialogue felt natural, and there were no glaring plot holes.

5/5 Definitely recommend this book and I hope a physical copy is released eventually. I will be grabbing one as soon as it’s available, it’s that good!

I read this as an ARC but my review is voluntary and my own thoughts and opinions.

[Cassidy Nye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC without the expectation that I would leave a positive review.

Oh my goodness, this book was SO CUTE! I loved this take of Cinderella with her stepfamily more than most others because everything is far more subtle. Celine's optimism and desire to help others puts her in a bad spot, but she doesn't initially see it.

Also, though I called the twist from pretty much the beginning, I didn't care because it was so satisfying and cute to see!! There were also moments when I genuinely gasped or just was giddy because of the cuteness or how certain plot points were executed. 10/10 will recommend, and now I might need to hunt down some more books by this author.😂

[Aunt LoLo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just lovely. I love to bake, and have passed that on to all of my children, so centering ""Cinderella's"" betrayal around the kitchen hit me really, really hard!! (My complaint isn't even a complaint - Cinderella isn't Cinderella without an ""evil stepmother"". But this unique take on it really hit home.) I enjoyed the little cameos of all the classic Cinderella icons - mice, pumpkins, a carriage, the ""fairy godmother"" role(s), cinder, the blue shoes..it was so fun.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! This is great for fans of the classic movie Ever After, or fans of Gabrielle Landi, Kenley Davidson, or Sarah Carlisle.