➸ 5 stars

Oh. My. Gosh. I am OBSESSED with this book. Like…how do I even put into words the way La Pâte à Bombe completely took over my brain, my heart, and honestly even my stomach?! 🍰✨

First things first: do NOT—I repeat, do NOT—open this book without a pastry in your hand. I thought I was safe, but no. By chapter three I was absolutely suffering from pastry cravings. Christensen’s writing is so vivid and delicious it’s like the desserts come alive off the page—rich, gooey, buttery, decadent. I swear I gained 5 pounds just by reading about them, and I regret nothing.

Fiona completely stole my heart. She’s strong, passionate, and so deeply dedicated to her craft—you just can’t help but root for her every single step of the way. Her journey felt like watching someone wrestle with their soul in the most high-stakes kitchen in the world, and I was HOOKED. The tension between following her own vision vs. bending to Chef Liam’s impossible standards had me screaming into the pages like a deranged sous chef. 🙃

And okay, THE ROMANCE. 🥹 Rory is literally the sweetest cinnamon roll (pun intended). A single dad? With that soft, steady, golden retriever energy? He understood Fiona more than she understood herself sometimes, and I was just MELTING. He is everything. Liam, on the other hand, is the kind of infuriatingly charming chef that you want to throw flour at—but even then, the dynamic was so addictive to read.

This was the perfect kind of slow burn. Cozy, emotional, full of intensity in all the right places. It’s not just a love story—it’s Fiona’s story. Her growth, her heartbreak, her resilience. The way she falls, picks herself back up, and finds her way back to the heart of why she loves baking in the first place. I was clapping, crying, and cheering her on like she was my best friend.

Christensen’s prose is the kind that feels like walking into a Gilmore Girl set—cozy, inviting, and impossible to leave. I was completely transported.

This book gave me everything: drama, passion, food, romance, life lessons, and even a little heartbreak that made the sweet moments taste even sweeter.

All I can say is: prepare to fall in love! 🥐❤️