The Soulmate Bakery

Maple Falls #1

by Safa Ahmed

A kitchen witch teams up with a broody dragon shifter from her past to save her happily ever after in this cozy fantasy perfect for fans of Gilmore Girls and The Faraway Inn .“Set in a whimsical small-town filled with magical characters,  The Soulmate Bakery  is the perfect autumnal escape!” A. T. Qureshi, bestselling author of  The Baby Dragon Café Welcome to Maple Falls, where pixie dust and the smell of enchanted cookies waft through the air, and all manner of fantastical creatures live in perfect bliss.Except kitchen witch Maya Reverie. Maya, sick of being a walking disaster, knows the exact thing that’ll get her life on finding her soulmate. Which shouldn’t be hard, since she has all the ingredients for the ultimate soulmate-finding-cookies.

But when Maya’s enchanted cookies wreak havoc at the town’s annual bake sale, she’ll do anything to fix her latest mess…even team up with surly dragon shifter Orion Hawthorne.Orion is the town’s best curse breaker, and―whether Maya likes it or not―she’ll need his help to find her actual soulmate, confess, and then cast a counterspell of epic proportions. Because if she fails, it’s more than just her own happily ever after on the line. With romance as sweet as charmed pastries, this cozy fantasy introduces a magical town where love is always on the menu.For Fans Soulmates & Love Magic Love TrianglesDragon ShiftersWerewolves with Golden Retriever EnergySecond Chance RomanceWhimsical Small Towns

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Cozy, Cozy Fantasy, Autumn, Young Adult, Romantasy

352 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication July 6, 2027

About the author

Safa Ahmed is a British-Pakistani content marketer and author. Ever since she scribbled down her first story-a mystery featuring stolen cookies and an incriminating teddy bear-it's been her dream to be a writer and publish books that celebrate joy, heartbreak, swoony love interests, fierce female characters, and everything in-between.

When she's not writing, she is usually re-reading her favourite fantasy novels, wreaking havoc in the kitchen or expanding her ever-growing TBR pile. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok as: @safaswritings

Reviews

[Safa Ahmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the author of this book, I’m just a TINY bit biased about it 🤭

Genuinely though, I have loved working on THE SOULMATE BAKERY. This book is a love letter to those who loved witchy stories growing up; to those who adored paranormal romances and to anyone who’s dreamed of eating enchanted cookies.

If you pick up THE SOULMATE BAKERY, I hope you enjoy your stay in Maple Falls ✨

[Aamna Qureshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was SOOO fun!!! very classic, lowkey felt like a CW show but cuter/cozier !!

official blurb:

Set in a whimsical small-town filled with magical characters and cozy small businesses, The Soulmate Bakery is the perfect autumnal escape. Ahmed brilliantly unfolds Maya’s journey in gaining control of her magic — and herself — and showcases how love makes us brave. This was the charming mash-up of Gilmore Girls, Halloweentown, and The Summer I Turned Pretty that I didn’t know I needed!

[Emma (ejm_reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

The Soulmate Bakery is a cosy, YA romantasy full of autumnal vibes. Set in the small town of Maple Falls, we meet Maya who is a kitchen witch trying to find her soulmate. When her spell goes wrong, she needs help from her best friend’s older brother, dragon shifter Orion, to break the curse some townsfolk are under.

I liked Maya. The book is told entirely from her pov and you can’t help but feel bad for her as she feels like a letdown to her family and friends. She made some bad decisions but she is only 17 so you can forgive her reckless behaviour! Love triangles are not a favourite trope of mine as you can always tell who the MC will end up with, and this book is no different. However I didn’t really mind it here. The two male love interests are very different from one another and I thought the author did a good job of differentiating Maya’s chemistry between the two of them.

I really enjoyed the setting of Maple Falls where fantastical creatures live amongst one another. We only really meet werewolves, dragon shifters and sirens so I hope more creatures feature in future books in the series as this was one of my favourite aspects of the book. I also thought the author worked in sub plots with side characters that I imagine will be explored further in book two and onwards well (like Maya’s sister Rani).

Perfect for fans of fast paced, cute romances with a twist of the fantastical.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for access to this ARC.

[Aiysha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so utterly cute and addictive!!!

[Azrah · Rating 5 out of 5]

[This review can also be found on my BLOG]

**I was provided with an early copy from Penguin Random House UK in exchange for an honest review**

CW: loss of parent/loved one, grief, neglect, drink spiking, vomit
--

A YA fantasy romance so cosy and sweet, packed with deliciously baked magical treats that it'll have you smiling (and hungry 😋) all the way through like it did me!

We follow Maya Reverie, a young, talented kitchen witch who is determined to turn her life around by baking the perfect enchanted cookies to find her soulmate - she's hopeful it's a certain werewolf... But when the spell doesn't work out as planned and the cookies end up at her town's annual bake sale casting a forbidden love spell over anyone who eats them, Maya will stop at nothing to make sure that no one traces another mess up back to her. Even if she has to work with Orion Hawthorne - her best friend's dragon shifter brother who has been put on the case as curse-breaker - and put aside the history between them to do so.

With an absolutely enchanting small town setting - I would move to Maple Falls in a heartbeat - and such vibrant characters I didn't want this story to end.

Maya is such a loveable lead and while her constant blunders as she tries to solve her cookie conundrum and secure her soulmate make you want to facepalm, her passion for baking and will to prove herself to her loved ones just makes you root for her even more.

In terms of romance there is a love triangle in this that is really endearing from all sides and even though its one of those stories where you just know where cupid's arrow is going to land because of how much a certain duo's dynamic has you kicking your feet with giddiness, it's so fun to see everything play out all the same.

What I enjoyed just as much were the brilliantly portrayed coming of age aspects to the character's lives too. This is a book just as much about romantic love as it is about family, friendship AND self love.

The Soulmate Bakery warmed my heart so so much, it is honestly such a perfect and wholesome read for autumn/fall season so go grab your copy right now!!

[nihaarika · Rating 5 out of 5]

the soulmate bakery genuinely might be the cutest and most fun thing i’ve read recently! it’s been a while since a book has made me laugh out loud at literally multiple points in the story. it’s actually the perfect fall read, and something i am sure people are going to love. as someone who adored safa ahmed’s debut, i was desperately looking forward to reading what she would write next. and this? oh, it completely blew my expectations out of the water.

this book was so funny, and at the same time, it struck a perfect balance with the serious moments, especially the scenes where we see maya’s internal struggles and her having a hard time dealing with her mother’s expectations. don’t even get me started on how relatable that felt lol. the writing was so beautiful, and made maple falls feel so much more real. the story is also written in a way that will immediately grab your attention, and you’re definitely not going to want to stop reading. it’s going to be one of those books you’ll finish in one sitting and then immediately want to flick back to page one and reread again. i could totally see the vibes the story was going for; it did feel very sabrina the teenage witch meets gilmore girls. and i loved every single second of it. trust me, i am looking forward to my physical copy arriving soon so that i can annotate the heck out of it.

maya might be one of my favourite protagonists that i have read in a ya book recently. her humour matches my own and i connected deeply with her internal struggles. her character growth, when we see her as an awkward, anxious (read: lonely) witch at the beginning of the story, to her standing up for herself and coming into her powers towards the end was done incredibly well. she is the kind of protagonist i am sure people will love a lot. i sure do.

and of course, i have to mention the love triangle. it was done so well, and honestly it took me reading about 50% of the way to make my choice between silas and orion. and there is only one correct answer. orion’s roguish charm won me over and i was rooting for him and maya so hard. they had such hilarious banter and a dynamic rooted in insulting each other, but also being super protective of the other person in ways, so of course i knew what side of the love triangle i would lean towards. but silas was such a cutie too, and i really hope we get to see more of him in the series!!!

the soulmate bakery is the perfect lighthearted autumn read, and i am looking forward to experiencing more of this wonderful world!!! thank you to safa ahmed for sharing this beauty of a story with the world, i desperately needed something like this (and trust i will find a way to acquire a certain edition…ifykyk)

thank you penguin books uk for sending me an e-arc!!!

[Agita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was such a fun and adorable book to read. Breath of fresh air based on any romance books I have read. Granted this is YA but it makes you remember that romance books can be this good and have a great buildup and the ending without adding loads of unnecessary smut. The romance was so good and beautifully written.

Orion was funny when he accused Maya of assault after the cinema scene 😂

They made me giggle so many times. 🙂‍↔️ The chemistry and dialogue and just everything was so good 🥹

I will definitely look into her future/past books ❤️

I am glad to have picked this up after my friend and her sister had read it and loved it. I trust their judgement 👀🫡

[Ottavia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the cutest, heartwarming book I have read this year! And I needed it after reading such heavy and dark books! I was laughing so hard, feeling all the feels with the main characters and having a tiny cry at the end for how wholesome it was. This book spoke to me in a way I haven’t felt in a while. Definitely a great read if you are feeling low, stressed and anxious. I’m going to try to recreate the biscuits for sure (without any magic 🪄) and see how they are! 🤣
I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

[kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the most scrumptious and wholesome books I've had the joy of reading in a lot time. Like a freshly baked cookie straight out of the oven, it's cozy, comforting, sweet and utterly delicious. I ended up finishing this on my tube journey home from work and was so lost in the story, what I thought was a short stop on the tracks, had actually been a half hour delay. I was happily whisked away to Maple Falls and very much look forward to returning.

what to expect:

- cozy small town vibes
- kitchen witch x dragon shifter
- best friend's older brother
- childhood friends to lovers
- tight knight magical community
- complex parent child dynamics
- spells gone awry

[antonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so fun to read and so cosy. Absolutely perfect for a cute autumnal read 🧡

[Saira · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was SOOOO CUTE

[Ayushi (bookwormbullet) · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

This was sooo cute; I need to be teleported to Maple Falls immediately!!

[Mona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Penguin Random House for this NetGalley arc!

I am a big cozy fan, but I'm also somewhat picky. I need my cozy books to have meat on them, and not just non-conflict books where there's nothing driving the plot. I'm happy to say though that The Soulmate Bakery worked for me. It was low stakes in terms of it not affecting the wider world, but it was personal enough for the MCs to mean something. I found the chemistry between the two to also be pretty good! Estranged childhood friends to nuisances to forced partners to lovers is the dynamic I suppose? But I think it works here. The other characters are pretty good as well, each bringing a different charm to their scenes. I do wish there was more variety though, to expand on both the worldbuilding and to make the town feel more lived in because the truth is we don't see Maya interact with people outside her circle and while that makes sense for her character, it does make the town feel little more than a setting piece when it feels like it should be more.

As for Maya herself, I actually really liked her! She is very flawed; selfish, short sighted and envious. However, she is also kind and thoughtful, making baked goods that help the community based on what she hears from others. She makes some poor decisions, but she is also earnest in trying to make it up to the town. I think for the audience this book is intended for, they'll relate a lot with Maya's insecurities and her fears. And as for Orion, while I do think he isn't as well written as Maya is, I think he's still consistent enough to be enjoyable. Like Maya, he's flawed, but these flaws don't ruin him, but make him more relatable to the intended audience. Or more annoying, depending on how you see it. Their relationship is one of the best parts of the book and I really, really liked their scenes together. I just wish it didn't come at the cost of having to deal with a love triangle.

I will say though, for a book called the Soulmate Bakery, I was expecting more soulmates and more baking. While there is still baking and the plot does involve a bakery, it does feel more like the book is dedicated to developing Maya and Orion's relationship and building it up again. Which is fine! In fact, I think its one of the best parts of the book. But I do think people who come into this book expecting more baking and more recipes might be disappointed. But on the other hand, I think for people who don't care much for bakeries might still appreciate this book.

To me, I think this book read so much like a teen drama. I know this was compared to Gilmore Girls and while that is very noticeable in the setting and with both male characters, it doesn't quite have a major focus on family like GG does, although it's still there. Maya also isn't treated like a golden girl like Rory is; on the contrary, I think Maya is fundamentally the opposite to Rory which made for an enjoyable experience. So I think the readers who do like melodrama in their books, while also not being in a setting where characters have better things to worry, will like this book! My only issue, and I won't go too deep into it, is that I was immensely unsatisfied with how the love triangle concluded and wish it was handled differently, maybe before it got to the point that it did. But the characters are also teenagers, so they aren't exactly at their smartest.

All in all, I had a blast reading this and was grateful to have the opportunity to do so! I definitely recommend this book to fans of teen dramas and cute love stories!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adoredd this book. I finished it in one sitting, which says a lot. It was absolutely perfect for the season, almost a week before Halloween. Tell me why did I want to eat all of the baked goods? Im obviously gonna try the recipes, and do my best to cast the spells. 100% recommend

[Hana · Rating 3 out of 5]

​The Soulmate Bakery was an okay read to pass the time, but it fell short of its potential due to key pacing and character issues. Despite being categorized as Young Adult, the overall tone and character behavior felt much closer to Middle Grade. The main character came across as quite immature, and her constant fixation on finding her soulmate quickly became repetitive and frustrating to follow.

​My biggest issue, however, was the structural pacing. At roughly 350 pages, the book felt unnecessarily drawn out, largely because major confrontational moments (like the main character confronting her former friend who she secretly liked before the events of this book) happened midway through and then ended abruptly without giving the characters room to process them.

​The ending was predictable, and several character arcs (especially the guy who turns out not to be her soulmate) deserved far more care and emotional closure. I ended up feeling worse for the secondary male lead than I did rooting for the endgame couple. Overall, it works fine as a casual read to pass an afternoon, but the structural flaws keep it from being truly memorable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Cait · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

This was lovely! Felt like a coming of age vibe, the world building was exactly what i needed! Can't wait to see this author at Yalc

[zai · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

it was perfect to get me of the reading slump, cosy, adorable and super cute.

[Genevieve (GenLikesToRead) · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars
0/5 spice
 
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House UK Children’s for providing me with an eARC!
 
Tropes:
🧡 Spell Gone Wrong
💙 Witch x Werewolf x Dragon-Shifter Love Triangle
🧡 Enchanted Baked Goods
💙 Gilmore Girls x Sabrina the Teenage Witch
🧡 “It’s always been you”

Book Review:
What an incredibly cozy and charming YA Paranormal Romance!
 
We follow our FMC, Maya, a witch who doesn’t have bad intentions, but keeps finding herself in magical mistakes. With two marks against her, she’s on the verge of having her magic bound for a year if she messes up one more time. And, well, she messes up once again. She didn’t intend for her soulmate cookies to be eaten by the town, but they were. Desperate to fix her mistake before The Coven finds out it was her who cursed the town, she enlists her best friend’s (hot) brother, dragon-shifter Orion, to help her.
 
Set in an adorable little town called Maple Falls, The Soulmate Bakery sweeps you up into a perfect autumnal atmosphere. The paranormal elements were also really fun, as we got all sorts of various different creatures living in harmony. Then, because of the soulmate cookie jinx, we get a little love triangle. Maya’s crush, werewolf Silas, becomes an ingredient in fixing the curse on the town. Maya must find her soulmate and cast a counterspell during the full moon. But sometimes true love isn’t always what it seems…
 
The author seemed to be leaving the door open for an interconnected standalone about our FMC’s sister, Rani, who had a lot of her own things going on in the background of this story. I’d definitely be curious to pick it up if she gets her own book!
 
Overall, I thought this was such a wonderfully lighthearted read. It was a page-turner and had such cozy vibes. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes the sound of cozy Paranormal Romance, charming small towns, a young witch learning how to control her magic, and magical baked goods. Truly a fantastic autumn read!

[Dotti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah Ahmed’s The Soulmate Bakery is a cute YA paranormal romance. Our main character, Maya, is a baking witch on the cusp of graduation, working to finish school preparing for an apprenticeship as her best friend leaves for college. When she attempts a spell to help her find her soulmate, and the spell goes awry, Maya must enlist the help of her best friend’s brother, a curse breaker named Orion, to improve her spell work, woo her crush and break the curse.

This story was very cute and felt very young. Maya balances schoolwork and study dates with parental expectations and dreams about the future. There’s a love triangle, a lot of awkward moments, and a handful of impulsive decisions. It feels like it is for teens, which is absolutely appropriate for a young adult novel, but might not be the right choice for an adult who occasionally dabbles in YA like myself.

Some young adult novels really struggle to give our characters agency in the process; Ahmed does not have this problem. Maya is able to advocate for herself, seek out resources and help, and is the instigator of the final resolution. She drives the story forward against the precautions of the adults around her and manages to generally succeed. The story emphasizes her need to trust her gut, to improve her skills and believe in her own creativity. Though the main plot is Maya’s attempts to undo the curse and figure out what a soulmate even means, she learns a lot of important lessons along the way, which is always nice to see in a character.

I did have to check that this book exists as the first in its world. There are elements of the story that felt very casual in their building, as if they were a reminder of a previous story rather than initial worldbuilding. The story seems to stretch beyond this book in both directions, which should give our author some room for the next book.

This book was cute, and fun, and cozy, with a host of paranormal characters. It hits a lot of young adult stereotypes, character development and motifs, but does them in an engaging and enjoyable way. Fundamentally, this book feels like, despite its cozy nature and my own love of baking, it’s not quite for me, and as a mid-thirties adult, I think that’s okay.

Thank you to Sarah Ahmed, Penguin Random House UK Children’s, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

[Sifa Poulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an eARC in preparation for a UKYASpotlight post. It has not affected my opinions.

THE SOULMATE BAKERY is a cosy YA romantasy.

I am enjoying the expansion of the cosy romantasy genre into the YA space. I am definitely feeling burnt out on the darker, epic-battles-as-a-backdrop romantasy that's all the rage, but these cosy ones are the ones I'm gravitating to instead. There's something so comforting about the fact that the stakes are low on a global scale that makes them more approachable (and also less like it's having to get ridiculously OTT to stand out!)

Not that the stakes here don't feel big - that's the beauty of YA. Teens feel everything so intensely and so that translates well to making you care about the stakes when they're (relatively speaking) small and personal. The actual world isn't going to end, but Maya's might feel like it has.

It's also perfect for the autumn (and autumn is perfect for curling up with cosy books as the weather starts to turn). Not only is it set in autumn, with leaves and festivals, but it's also got baking a plenty. There's something so autumnal about baked goods - perhaps it's the abundance of cinnamon and other spices (not to mention sugar!) involved.

I quite liked the setting too; it's a small town full of magical creatures that operates just like our world. Except for the dragons and werewolves and magic, of course. It's that slice of life magical world, like ours (except they seem to have less contentious politics!)

This is the first book in a series, but I am assuming it's a series of standalones in the same town as the romance feels very wrapped up and to get a second book would require something breaking them up, which could feel very contrived.

[Clair · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me a copy to review.

This is a story about Maya, a young witch living in a town where everyone is magic in some way. Maya is increasingly aware that next year she’ll be alone, as all her friends and family are at college and she’ll be stuck at home as the family failure. Her one strength is kitchen witchery, and Maya attempts to use this to locate her soulmate. Alas, it all goes wrong and she curses the town instead.

I enjoyed this sweet like cosy-fantasy-romance. There was character growth, cosiness and baking! I did feel like the 3rd quarter was a little slow, but I overall enjoyed it. My apps don’t seem to mark this as a Young Adult, but with the main character in her last year of high school, and the romance being very sweet, it definitely feels like it.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I knew it with every step you took towards him that losing you was going to be the biggest mistake of my life.”

Maya and Orion are so easy to fall for and you will root for them until the very end. There is a love curse running revamp and who’s best to help Maya other than her best friend’s older brother, Orion, who has been assigned to catch the culprit? And add a golden retriever werewolf to the mix - whom Maya is super sure is her soulmate - and a half baked plan to unravel and fix the curse! Also, did I mentioned Maya and Orion totally had a moment last summer?

The Soulmate Bakery and it’s such a sweet, cosy, packed with a proper emotional punch, wholesome story! I adored it! I couldn’t stop laughing and smiling and at some point I did shed a couple of tears but then I was happy again 🥹! Such a beautiful debut and it’s nailing all the right cosy feelings for autumn!

[Lindsey Lowrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a sweet little book! I’m so thankful that Fairyloot grabbed this book for this subscription because it was the perfect mix of cozy, magical, and heartwarming💛

The writing did feel a bit “let me tell you how I feel rather than show” but I honestly didn’t mind much! It is a YA book and sometimes I forget what it’s like being 17 years old😅 Maya was very sweet and I felt SO bad for her; I understood a lot of her fears and anxieties and I was definitely rooting for her when she finally BURST!🤣

The setting was absolutely giving Gilmore Girls with nosey old ladies and the sweetest names for coffee shops and bookstores. All of the characters are really great and so easy to fall in love with!

And I really, REALLY hope there’s more in this world because I want to see Rani’s, Raven’s, Silas’, and Sofia’s stories!☺️

[Giovanna Dobinger]

DNF at page 55.
Also got this in a Fairyloot box. As cute as the cover and the premise is, the book is, unfortunately, too young for me. This is clearly YA and I just don’t vibe with the cringy clumsiness of the protagonist and all the silly miscommunications that start from basically page one.
However, the books seems well-written, has a nice setting, and has some tropes and character archetypes that I’m sure many will love. So, this one was not meant for me.

[Emily · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

What spell would you bake?

The Soulmate Bakery by Safa Ahmed
342 pages | Published by Penguin | Available now in the UK (currently 99p on Kindle)

Maya Reverie is a witch. She's also a baker. Making her a kitchen witch. The problem? She's not very good at casting spells! So, when she creates a spell to find her soulmate, she accidentally curses some of the villagers instead.

She's now in a race against time to reverse the curse, but she has to do it with the frustratingly handsome Orion, her best friend's brother (who she cannot stand).

Orion keeps getting in the way of her quest to find her one true soulmate, bringing plenty of humorous banter along the way. There are also some great friendships!

This was a good, cosy, small-town romantasy, full of comforting food, delicious recipes and likeable characters.

The book was easy to read, with a high-school/college setting that made it feel well suited to a younger adult audience.

This is perfect reading for the 'ber months!

Have you read this yet? Will you be adding it to your TBR?

You'll like this if you like books that include:

- Cosy fantasy
- Small-town romance
- Soulmates
- He falls first
- Baking and food
- Cosy romantasy
- Grumpy x sunshine
- Enemies to lovers
- Love triangle
- Best friend's older brother
- Young adult

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this in my Fairyloot cozy box and thought the art was so cute I put down the book I was going to read and read this in 2 days instead! I loved it! The perfect cozy and cute fall vibes! I look forward to reading the other connecting books :)

[Jamie · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

Jamie’s Review: 2.50 ⭐️
Hype: Overhyped

Ugh. This book was so cringy. It had some cute vibes and some serious potential. But the writing was super juvenile. Sometimes it felt like I was reading a Babysitter’s Club book. It even felt younger than a YA novel. I did like the idea of a town of magical creatures and a bakery with magical pastries. But the execution was off. Disappointing.

[maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The definition of COZY fantasy. The Soulmate Bakery truly is the perfect fall read—it’s got fantastical creatures, magical pastries, and the most beautifully written romance to sweep you off your feet. I absolutely adore Maya, Orion, and Silas.

Truly thank you so much to Safa Ahmed for sending me a copy! I’ll always be such a fan of your writing. 😁

[Maeyuka · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

🍂🧁 𝓜𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓬𝓪𝓵 𝓑𝓪𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰, 𝓢𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓼, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓐 𝓓𝓻𝓪𝓰𝓸𝓷 𝓢𝓱𝓲𝓯𝓽𝓮𝓻 🧁🍂

Special thanks to NetGalley, Safa Ahmed, and Penguin Random House UK Children's | Penguin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Welcome to Maple Falls, a little town filled with magic, enchanted treats, and all sorts of fantastical creatures living their seemingly perfect lives. Well, almost everyone’s. Kitchen witch Maya Reverie is tired of being a walking disaster and decides that finding her soulmate might finally help get her life back on track. And what better way to do that than by baking the perfect soulmate-finding cookies?

Unfortunately, things don't exactly go according to plan when her cookies end up at the town's Annual Fall Bake Sale, causing magical chaos instead of helping everyone find their happily ever after. Now, Maya needs to undo the mess she's made, and that means turning to the one person she'd probably rather avoid: Orion Hawthorne, the town's surly dragon shifter and best curse-breaker. Together, they'll have to find Maya's actual soulmate, deal with some inconvenient feelings, and pull off a counterspell of epic proportions before things get even more complicated. Easy, right?

I picked up The Soulmate Bakery because the cover was SO cute, and I was in the mood for a cozy fall romance just in time for autumn. And honestly, a magical little town called Maple Falls, enchanted baked goods, witches, and a DRAGON SHIFTER?? Yeah, this sounded like exactly the kind of cozy fantasy I needed 🍂

First of all, can we talk about how adorable this whole world is? The atmosphere is pure magic, and I loved all the little details that made Maple Falls feel like such a charming place to visit. I mean, an enchanted library called The Wandering Words Library? Midnight blue with gold lettering? I NEED ONE. Immediately. And I also wouldn't say no to Ivy's purple, star-shaped glasses because those sound absolutely adorable.

AND SILAS HAS DIMPLES. Maya being completely whipped for him? I get it 😭 But as much as I initially understood Maya's obsession with Silas, I slowly started finding myself much more interested in someone else...

ORION HAWTHORNE.

At first, I thought he was just going to be the typical grumpy character who constantly gets on the main character's nerves, but the more I read, the more suspicious I became. Why did he keep trying to sabotage Maya's meetings with Silas? Apparently, it was because he wanted Silas to see him as competition.

BUT IS THAT REALLY WHY, ORION???

Because I was starting to get the feeling that this man had feelings for Maya, and he was absolutely NOT being subtle about it. Or maybe I was just desperately hoping there was more to their dynamic than met the eye because, somewhere along the way, I started rooting for him a whole lot more than I expected to.

One scene that genuinely made me laugh was when Maya tried to use a spell to pull the book Orion was holding towards herself, only to accidentally send a completely different book flying straight into the back of his head instead 😭 The poor man. I love a magical disaster, and Maya certainly delivered.

However, somewhere around the 70–80% mark, I started getting a little frustrated with Maya. By that point, I was pretty convinced there were some rather obvious feelings she wasn't quite ready to acknowledge, and yet she just kept going on about Silas.

SILAS THIS, SILAS THAT. GIRL PLEASE. OPEN YOUR EYES 😭

I was getting increasingly invested in the romantic tension, and I just wanted certain characters to figure out their feelings already. The more I read, the more I found myself rooting for one particular character, and watching all the romantic confusion unfold was becoming a little PAINFUL. My heart was not prepared for all these feelings.

As for the overall story, I really enjoyed the cozy, magical atmosphere and the charming little details sprinkled throughout. Even something as simple as including a recipe for The Wishing Well's Sun-Kissed Honey Cakes was such a cute touch! I love when books incorporate little extras like that because they make the fictional world feel just a bit more tangible. And honestly, I wouldn't mind spending an afternoon in Maple Falls, wandering around a magical library and eating enchanted baked goods. It sounds like a dream.

Overall, The Soulmate Bakery was a charming little cozy fantasy filled with autumn vibes, magical mishaps, enchanted baking, romantic tension, and a dragon shifter who ended up stealing far more of my attention than I initially anticipated. While I did find myself getting a little frustrated with Maya towards the end, I still enjoyed the whimsical setting and the fun little moments that made this story so cozy.

And if there's one thing I've learned from this book, it's that finding your soulmate might be a little more complicated than baking a batch of magical cookies. Especially when feelings, spells, and one very grumpy dragon shifter get involved 🍂🧁

📅 The Soulmate Bakery was released on October 15, 2026.

[leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Thank you to Safa Ahmed, Penguin Random House UK Children's | Penguin, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review! 💝

BEST FRIEND’S BROTHER TROPE? AND A LOVE TRIANGLE TROPE TOO? The childhood friends trope and right person, wrong time, especially in the earlier chapters!!

Okay, so this whole story starts because of a soulmate spell cookie gone wrong. Maya just wants to feel loved, and with her best friend, Raven, leaving to attend school somewhere else, she doesn’t want to be left alone. At first, I wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about her wanting to find her soulmate so early, but I can also understand where she’s coming from. She’s afraid of being alone and awkward without her best friend around, and I think that fear plays a big part in her decisions.

Maya is a kitchen witch who initially believes she can only manage basic spellcasting. She constantly second-guesses herself and her abilities, partly because of the expectations placed on her and the way people underestimate what she can do. Even some of her ideas for new pastries get shut down because the spells are considered too complex for her. BUT THAT’S WHAT MAKES HER CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT GOOD!! Throughout the story, she becomes more confident in herself and her abilities. She starts believing that she can do more than what people expect of her, and learns to trust herself instead of constantly doubting what she’s capable of.

AND THEN THERE’S ORION. The dragon shifter, Raven’s older brother, and one of the people who sees Maya’s potential even when she struggles to see it herself. He’s smart, accomplished, and part of The Coven, an inner circle that helps oversee the supernatural world¿ What I loved about Orion is how he understands Maya and shows up for her when she needs help. He’s the one who encourages her, tutors her, and helps her become more confident in her spellcasting.

AND THE FUNNIEST PART? Orion was actually helping Maya get Silas’s attention because she genuinely believed Silas was her soulmate. Maya was so focused on finding her soulmate that she didn’t realize her soulmate had been right beside her from the very beginning. 💗

One of my FAVORITE scenes was when Orion collected comments and suggestions from the people of Maple Falls and gave them to Maya so she could see just how much the community appreciated her and her pastries. 🥹 He wanted her to see what everyone else could already see in her.

ALSO, CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE PASTRIES AND DESSERTS?! 🤤 This book had me HUNGRY. Everything Maya baked sounded SO delicious, and I swear I wanted to teleport straight to Maple Falls just for the chance to taste her creations.

I also loved the friendship between Maya, Raven, and Sofia! Even though Sofia was new to Maple Falls, they welcomed her into their friend group so naturally. I love seeing women being kind to one another and making room for someone new instead of making her feel like an outsider. Their friendship was such a lovely part of the story. 💗

Now, at first, I wasn’t the biggest fan of Mayor Reverie and Chief Hawthorne. I understand that parents want what’s best for their children, but that doesn’t mean they get to decide their children’s futures for them. Maya and Orion should be allowed to choose their own paths and pursue what they’re passionate about, even if those choices don’t align with their parents’ expectations. I’m glad that, by the end, they were able to recognize their children’s abilities and accept them for who they truly are. LET YOUR CHILDREN LIVE THEIR LIVES!! 😭

And then there’s Silas. Not gonna lie, I wasn’t entirely sure whether he genuinely liked Maya for who she was or if he was more interested in the idea of her being his good-luck charm. 👀 Every time he called her that, I got a little suspicious. Did he actually like HER, or did he like what he thought she could bring him? I couldn’t completely shake that feeling, and I kept wondering whether his feelings were genuine or whether he was attached to the idea of having her around because she brought him good luck.

Overall, I loved seeing Maya grow into herself, become more confident in her magic, and realize that she’s capable of so much more than she initially believed. Between the romance, the friendships, the magical pastries, and the cozy small-town atmosphere, there’s a lot to enjoy here. And honestly, the best friend’s brother trope will ALWAYS get me. 🤭