Cooking Up Magick

She only wanted to travel the world—now she has to save it.

Paisley Dell is a halfling chef with a simple dream: learn to cook foreign cuisines and bring warmth to the world one meal at a time. But her peaceful culinary quest derails the moment she stumbles upon a talking cat, meets a dragon in disguise, and unleashes magick no one has wielded in five centuries. Now an ancient sorcerer wants her dead.

Paisley and her new friends—a pair of loyal dwarves, a wandering high elf, and an honorable half orc who believes their fates are intertwined—race against the shadow of a rising war.

As the sorcerer’s assassin draws closer, Paisley must navigate sieges, secrets, and her bewildering new powers… all while trying to protect the people she loves.

She never asked to be a hero. She just wanted to cook—but Cooking Up Magick is exactly what destiny’s recipe calls for.


Legends and Lattes meets The Lord of the Rings. Cozy fantasy warmth meets epic fantasy stakes in a story where kindness, love, and community aren't weaknesses to overcome, but the very strengths that win wars.

• Found Family
• Strong Female Protagonist
• Characters You Want to Hang Out With
• Culinary Fantasy
• Secretive Cat Companion
• Slow Burn Romance
• Sorcerer Villain
• Dragons, Wyverns, & Murdercats

"Bernabe’s world is a pleasure both to discover and to spend time in. The cast vows to stand against evil, and Bernabe does not shy away from battles, magical confrontations, the consequences of violence, or a cliffhanger ending. Still, this series starter is hearteningly attentive to the daily lives that the heroes must protect: kitchens, recipes, travel, and daily labor."
—Publishers Weekly Review 9/28/26

"Paisley’s culinary background is cleverly woven into her developing powers, making cooking integral to both her character and the novel’s playful approach to magick. The lively ensemble supplies humor and camaraderie, with the culturally mismatched bond between Paisley and Gunur adding a tender romantic current. Whipclaw, meanwhile, is a scene-stealing companion whose secrets deepen the intrigue. Rich worldbuilding, distinctive cultures, dangerous creatures, and escalating political tensions broaden the initially cozy premise into epic territory."
—litandcoffee, Goodreads