🍫🍫🍫🍫
A Sprinkle of Sweet Serendipity
Rachel Linden
Publication Date: May 19th, 2026
Berkley Publishing Group
384 Pages
Amazon | Goodreads | Bookshop.org
Genre: Romance | Sci Fi & Fantasy | Women’s Fiction
I love Rachel Linden’s romance stories; they always include food and a bit of magical realism. In this one, six years ago, Emmie is forced to leave France and return stateside to help with her family’s candy shop. As her birthday is coming up, she is hoping to get the vision that all the women in her family get… a look at her future to see what her destiny is. When Emmie blows out her birthday candles, she sees she owns her own specialty candy shop and is engaged to Henry, a celebrity baker she has a crush on. Then Henry arrives for the summer, and Emmie realizes her dreams are all coming true. BUT (there is always a “but”) Jakob, her best friend from high school, is a baker who just may have a piece of her heart. What will Emmie do about her vision? Who will Emmie pick?
I love this type of up-lit. Romance and candy and magic, oh my! The story is pure Linden with charming characters and a heartfelt storyline. As always, Linden mixes emotional depth and a sense of humour and hope perfectly. Her books are uplifting in a way that doesn’t shy away from the struggles of the real world. The characters have to work hard to get to their happy-ever-afters. The characters are very relatable, and she always shows women with the courage to start over. And even though there is the usual magical part, it is always realistic, and I enjoy the way the author writes about how the smallest moment in life can change things in a big way. Her stories are very atmospheric—this one in the Pacific Northwest—and the candy elements had me craving chocolates, caramels and fudge. Reading about Emmie finding her strength in her own way was very satisfying. I can’t write a review without mentioning the adorable doggo, Mr. Butters. Everything is better with a dog.
There were a few times where the pacing slowed down in the middle of the book, but the ending was so well done that it was worth it. If you enjoy stories about second chances, magic, and food, I would highly recommend this one or anything the author writes. It reminded this reader that it is never too late for a second chance… whether it is serendipity or not.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Leave a Reply