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Pobyd Perfections Bakery #1
A Drizzle of Magic
After the Second Kingside War, magical folks like baker Lillie Dean are once again able to live freely and use magic openly. Lillie is taking this new freedom to heart, and has just moved to the seaside town of Silverkeep to start a brand new bakery and begin her life again.
But all is not sweet in the idyllic village, especially when Lillie gets a threatening note saying if she doesn't get out of town, everyone will find out about her villainous past. When other magical creatures start receiving similar threats, Lillie puts on her sleuthing hat to find out who's causing all the consternation - and why they've got a vendetta against magical creatures.
A Drizzle of Magic is the first book in the Pobyd Perfections Bakery Cozy Mystery Fantasy series.
But all is not sweet in the idyllic village, especially when Lillie gets a threatening note saying if she doesn't get out of town, everyone will find out about her villainous past. When other magical creatures start receiving similar threats, Lillie puts on her sleuthing hat to find out who's causing all the consternation - and why they've got a vendetta against magical creatures.
A Drizzle of Magic is the first book in the Pobyd Perfections Bakery Cozy Mystery Fantasy series.
298 pages, Hardcover
Published March 11, 2025
86 people are currently reading
379 people want to read
About the author
S. Usher Evans
73 books508 followersS. Usher Evans is an author, blogger, and witty banter aficionado. Born in Pensacola, Florida, she left the sleepy town behind for the fast-paced world of Washington, D.C.. There, she somehow landed jobs with BBC, Discovery Channel, and National Geographic Television before finally settling into a "real job" as an IT consultant. After a quarter life crisis at age 27, she decided consulting was for the birds and rekindled a childhood passion for writing novels. She sold everything she owned and moved back to Pensacola, where she currently resides with her two dogs, Zoe and Mr. Biscuit.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
March 17, 2025
*Actual rating is 4.25 stars*
A Drizzle of Magic is a short and sweet cozy fantasy about a baker starting her own bakery in a new town as a second chance in life. But trouble occurs when a letter appears, threatening her to leave town or else her less than stellar past will be exposed to her new friends. Undeterred to leave her new life, Lillie sets out to uncover who sent the threatening letter.
It’s a very wholesome book filled with a lovely cast of characters, including a well dressed mouse, and heartwarming friendships. The mystery is very cozy and low-stakes, so it’s perfect to read while drinking a warm beverage. Also, all the things that Lillie bakes sound absolutely delicious, so beware that the book might make you hungry. All in all, it’s a nice book for when you want something calm but still engaging to read.
A Drizzle of Magic is a short and sweet cozy fantasy about a baker starting her own bakery in a new town as a second chance in life. But trouble occurs when a letter appears, threatening her to leave town or else her less than stellar past will be exposed to her new friends. Undeterred to leave her new life, Lillie sets out to uncover who sent the threatening letter.
It’s a very wholesome book filled with a lovely cast of characters, including a well dressed mouse, and heartwarming friendships. The mystery is very cozy and low-stakes, so it’s perfect to read while drinking a warm beverage. Also, all the things that Lillie bakes sound absolutely delicious, so beware that the book might make you hungry. All in all, it’s a nice book for when you want something calm but still engaging to read.
March 11, 2025
I was a bit bored to be honest. There was a lot of scurrying about re: the mystery portion of the plot, and a lot of baking. But, I wasn’t particularly attached to the characters, and the overall plot was a bit lackluster. It was all just meh, with a side of dull. I won’t be reading on.
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May 25, 2025🫠
October 17, 2025
As always, an absolute delight! Read in one sitting, & so happy to get to stay in Bev’s world a bit longer by seeing what Lillie is up to. Definitely recommend :)
August 15, 2025
If you're coming here after the Weary Dragon Inn, congrats! You'll love this series too (though you totally don't need to read that one first).
Lillie is a magically baker trying to make her way in a new world that finally allows magic again. She's in a new town with lots of other new people and nobody is quite sure where they fit. Luckily, there's some really interesting characters (including a dapper talking mouse) in this town that are sure to make life fun! I really can't wait to see how this town settles and to watch Lillie achieve her dream of running a successful business (and possibly fall in love with a handsome rival).
If you're a fan of cozy fantasy, baked goods, and talking mice with a drizzle of magic, then this is the series for you!
Lillie is a magically baker trying to make her way in a new world that finally allows magic again. She's in a new town with lots of other new people and nobody is quite sure where they fit. Luckily, there's some really interesting characters (including a dapper talking mouse) in this town that are sure to make life fun! I really can't wait to see how this town settles and to watch Lillie achieve her dream of running a successful business (and possibly fall in love with a handsome rival).
If you're a fan of cozy fantasy, baked goods, and talking mice with a drizzle of magic, then this is the series for you!
December 26, 2024
I received a copy through a Kickstarter campaign. This is a cozy fantasy taking place at a bakery in a small village, it was cute. It all comes together at the end, but initially, some of the whys and whos are a little unclear. The MC, like so many others in cozies, is a bit annoying, but she grew on me as the book moved along. A light easy fireside kind of read; I’ll look for the next installment. 3.5 stars.
June 12, 2025
TLDR: A Drizzle of Magic is a short and sweet cozy fantasy mystery, about a magical baker starting over.
Our MC, Lillie is a magical baker who's starting over, opening her own bakery, in a new town. This is a second chance in life for her, after the events that occurred in the Weary Dragon Inn series. Lillie is hoping to make her way in a new world that is finally allowing magic out in the open again.
Lillie isn't the only one looking to start over after the reign of the evil queen has come to an end. There are a lot of other new (and returning old) residents in town and nobody is sure where they fit. Like the Weary Dragon Inn, we're already being introduced to a delightful cast of interesting characters (including a finely dressed talking mouse) and I'm looking forward to getting to know them all just as well.
S. Usher Evans has the knack for creating a cozy, low stakes world with enough mystery, magic and intrigue that I just want to crawl in and live there. This series appears to be no exception. On to book number two. Highly recommend for fans of cozy fantasy. (4.25 stars)
Our MC, Lillie is a magical baker who's starting over, opening her own bakery, in a new town. This is a second chance in life for her, after the events that occurred in the Weary Dragon Inn series. Lillie is hoping to make her way in a new world that is finally allowing magic out in the open again.
Lillie isn't the only one looking to start over after the reign of the evil queen has come to an end. There are a lot of other new (and returning old) residents in town and nobody is sure where they fit. Like the Weary Dragon Inn, we're already being introduced to a delightful cast of interesting characters (including a finely dressed talking mouse) and I'm looking forward to getting to know them all just as well.
S. Usher Evans has the knack for creating a cozy, low stakes world with enough mystery, magic and intrigue that I just want to crawl in and live there. This series appears to be no exception. On to book number two. Highly recommend for fans of cozy fantasy. (4.25 stars)
October 28, 2025
The idea is good, but the quality of the story is questionable.
The characters behave inconsistently, which makes the story difficult to get into.
There are endless descriptions of cakes and how they are going to be baked.
Lilli gets up early in the morning and then there is a description of the baking she is going to do. No one comes into the shop, so she visits all kinds of people, often giving away the baked goods. She does her shopping. She talks to people again, then goes back to the bakery. There are sometimes people who come into the shop, buy one chocolatechip cookie, and eat it right there and then. Then she eats a scone and goes to bed. This goes on for a few days or weeks, not really sure.
There is little background to this world or world-building.
It ends in a bit of a cliffhanger, but I don't feel inclined to buy part two.
The characters behave inconsistently, which makes the story difficult to get into.
There are endless descriptions of cakes and how they are going to be baked.
Lilli gets up early in the morning and then there is a description of the baking she is going to do. No one comes into the shop, so she visits all kinds of people, often giving away the baked goods. She does her shopping. She talks to people again, then goes back to the bakery. There are sometimes people who come into the shop, buy one chocolatechip cookie, and eat it right there and then. Then she eats a scone and goes to bed. This goes on for a few days or weeks, not really sure.
There is little background to this world or world-building.
It ends in a bit of a cliffhanger, but I don't feel inclined to buy part two.
March 13, 2025
I'm always leery when an author takes a supporting character from one series and does a spin-off series with them. My fears were unfounded. Lillie really comes into her own in this first book and I really love that she isn't just a copycat clone of Bev (from the Weary Dragon series for those of you who don't know - go read it. Now.)
Lillie makes mistakes and one especially poorly thought out scheme almost wrecks everything. That's what so refreshing about Lillie. She means well but seems to have a bit of impulse control problems. The supporting cast here is off to a good start (love Rey!) but the names can get confusing but that's to be expected when you have an entire cast of characters all drop in a single book.
I'm really looking forward to the second book!
Lillie makes mistakes and one especially poorly thought out scheme almost wrecks everything. That's what so refreshing about Lillie. She means well but seems to have a bit of impulse control problems. The supporting cast here is off to a good start (love Rey!) but the names can get confusing but that's to be expected when you have an entire cast of characters all drop in a single book.
I'm really looking forward to the second book!
March 18, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
Thanku so much to the author for this ARC,
I've realised cosy fantasy is not my preferred genre so my rating is personal and in no way is about the book itself.
Lillie has opened a bakery and your following her trying to grow her business and also uncover a mystery, you get to know all the characters and I also loved Rey the talking mouse ♡ There's so many interesting fantasy creatures in this too!
This is verrrryy cosy It felt like I was baking along with her which i loved.
I did find myself getting a bit bored as I said I think I prefer the more high stakes fantasy but I did enjoy this and recommend it to anyone who loves cosy fantasy! The ending wrapped everything up perfectly and there is a little Cliffe hanger at the end too 😯
Thanku again for the ARC.💞
Thanku so much to the author for this ARC,
I've realised cosy fantasy is not my preferred genre so my rating is personal and in no way is about the book itself.
Lillie has opened a bakery and your following her trying to grow her business and also uncover a mystery, you get to know all the characters and I also loved Rey the talking mouse ♡ There's so many interesting fantasy creatures in this too!
This is verrrryy cosy It felt like I was baking along with her which i loved.
I did find myself getting a bit bored as I said I think I prefer the more high stakes fantasy but I did enjoy this and recommend it to anyone who loves cosy fantasy! The ending wrapped everything up perfectly and there is a little Cliffe hanger at the end too 😯
Thanku again for the ARC.💞
July 8, 2025
This is a great start to a new series from S. Usher Evans! Lillie begins her new life in Silverkeep and boldly proclaims her magic to the town recovering from the queen's downfall, to mixed results. When she gets a letter threatening to reveal her dark secret from her previous life, she has to get to the bottom of it or risk losing everything she's started here.
I really enjoyed all the characters in Silverkeep; there was a fun variety and I particularly enjoyed Lillie's new friends Rey and Kristen!
Lillie takes a page out of her old friend Bev's book and gets down to the bottom of the mystery. The politics of the town were woven in fantastically, and I'm excited to see where the budding romance, and brooding kinda-bad guy storylines go!
And the audiobook narration was excellent!
I really enjoyed all the characters in Silverkeep; there was a fun variety and I particularly enjoyed Lillie's new friends Rey and Kristen!
Lillie takes a page out of her old friend Bev's book and gets down to the bottom of the mystery. The politics of the town were woven in fantastically, and I'm excited to see where the budding romance, and brooding kinda-bad guy storylines go!
And the audiobook narration was excellent!
August 23, 2025
I'm glad this author has created a new series after The Weary Dragon Inn to focus on Lillie's adventures in Silverkeep. This cozy fantasy mystery with bakercore vibes has an intriguing mystery, some deep explorations about the social consequences of draconian laws that force certains groups of people into hiding and what happens when social change means they can come out into the open once more. The social aspects of this story as well as Lillie's learning curve about honesty, standing up for what is right, and fostering friendship and mutual support over cut-throat competitiveness are what make it a fantastic read. I've enjoyed this lovely book and will certainly keep going with the series.
February 23, 2025
Umm where do I sign up for Pobyd magic? This book was delightfully cozy and had allllll the feelings I wanted. Lillie solves a mystery without there being too much drama or making the reader too nervous. She is making new friends and settling in her little town and perhaps some romance is even in the air? I absolutely adored this whole story and look forward to reading it again because it was so delightful and Jess Moran did an incredible job as the narrator.
I will say, there isn't as much worldbuilding in this tale as it's written as a spin-off to Weary Dragon Inn so I definitely recommend reading that series before starting this one! But you wont regret reading all of Evans's cozy stories, they are utterly delicious and make me so happy.
I will say, there isn't as much worldbuilding in this tale as it's written as a spin-off to Weary Dragon Inn so I definitely recommend reading that series before starting this one! But you wont regret reading all of Evans's cozy stories, they are utterly delicious and make me so happy.
May 10, 2025
The queen banned magic and had magic users arrested. The King overthrew the Queen and brought magic back to the world. A Drizzle of Magic is about what happens next.
The characters are so interesting and different in how they use magic. The story line was captivating. Misunderstanding abound and make life complicated for just about everyone. Throw in greed, lack of trust, and fear and the book carries you along.
The narrator was really good too! I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did! Now where is book 2?
The characters are so interesting and different in how they use magic. The story line was captivating. Misunderstanding abound and make life complicated for just about everyone. Throw in greed, lack of trust, and fear and the book carries you along.
The narrator was really good too! I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did! Now where is book 2?
June 16, 2025
This book definitely hooked me much more quickly than the first book in the Weary Dragon Inn series. That is likely due to a mix of the familiarity I have with the world from the Weary Dragon Inn series as well as some lessons learned that author may have had.
I love Lillie Dean and seeing a series of cozy stories set in a world that feels real and “not cozy”. Because ultimately, coziness is the safety and warmth we carve out for ourselves in spite of the world around us.
Highly recommend both series. And now I’m off to read book 2!
I love Lillie Dean and seeing a series of cozy stories set in a world that feels real and “not cozy”. Because ultimately, coziness is the safety and warmth we carve out for ourselves in spite of the world around us.
Highly recommend both series. And now I’m off to read book 2!
March 12, 2025
bk 24 2025. Just finished the beginning of a new series, but also the continuous of a wonderful world created by S. Usher Evans. In this Lillie Dean begins a new life in a new town, but she is thrust into problems when a blackmail letter arrives, the new baker resents her opening up, and people avoid her because she openly declares that she has magic. Well done transition / new book! I am looking forward to more, but I have to admit to missing the folks back home.
June 18, 2025
This was a really fun series that follows up on the Weary Dragon Inn series. We now the a new series in a new town with the character of Lillie going to a new town after the Queen of the realm is finally overthrown and magic is legal again. Lillie is a Pobyd who is able to place magic into her baking and make it even better. We get mystery in the classic vein of these series and tons of coziness! I really enjoyed this new one but wish it was a little longer. Looking forward to more!
March 3, 2025
This was such a fantastic and cozy story!! As much as I adore The Weary Dragon Inn, I think this one is even better! I love the characters! I love how it's soooo cozy yet never feels like it's dragging. It was so delightful and magical and just absolutely wonderful! I am soooooo looking forward to the rest of this series!
March 31, 2025
I really enjoyed The Weary Dragon series and was anxious to read about one of its side characters. It was a nice, similarly toned book. Easy to read and light hearted! I can’t wait to read more by the same author. You do not have to have read the Weary Dragon series to enjoy this book but if you like this, I suggest you read both series🙂
April 7, 2025
This is a spin off of the cozy series The weary Dragon Inn. I really loved reconnecting with Lily and watching her use the skills she learned from Bev unraveling her first mystery. I'm also happy that there is some more diversity in this series as one of the characters and his sister are described as being diverse.
May 22, 2025
I read this after I finished the Weary Dragon Inn series because I wasn't ready to leave that world yet! It was interesting to see the ramifications of the Second Kingside War, but I didn't find Lillie Dean to be quite as intriguing a character as good ol' Beverge Wench from Pigsend. It was a fun read, though, and I may yet pick up more books in the Pobyd Perfections Bakery series.
May 27, 2025
This was a quick, cozy read that I ate up in a day. I loved the feel of the magic bakery, and the town was full of unique characters. Lillie was a fun POV to read, and I loved her magic so much! Seeing her grow and find her place in the town was lovely. The mystery is a little bit obvious, but it was still fun and satisfying. Definitely worth checking out!
August 18, 2025
This book was so cute!! It was a prefect mx of cozy mystery and cozy fantsay. This book was a rather fast pace read!! I also loved the world buuding and really liked how this book both gave me legends nad latte vibes and also meet your baker series. i am so excited to read more books set in this world!!
December 8, 2024
Shush has done it again! Absolutely loved this first book in Lillie’s spinoff. Great characters. Lovely connections back to dear Pigsend from which she came. I am looking forward to reading more. Especially about Julian and Rey.
March 23, 2025
An enjoyable spin-off of The Weary Dragon Inn series, and while I didn't love it as much as I did the books in that series, this was a fine start, and I look forward to seeing what other messes Lillie gets into in her new home
December 30, 2024
A fun lighthearted mystery
February 5, 2025
From the minute I started reading, I did not want to put the book down.
Praise to S. Usher Evans for another great book. I cannot wait for the next book in the series to be released.
Praise to S. Usher Evans for another great book. I cannot wait for the next book in the series to be released.
March 6, 2025
S. Usher Evans has done it again! What a delightful and cozy read! A Drizzle of Magic is set after The Weary Dragon Inn series. The reader follows Lillie Dean to Silverkeep where she sets up a bakery. (I was practically drooling throughout the book.) You don’t have to read The Weary Dragon Inn series to enjoy this one. However, characters from the other series are mentioned. Evans does a great job of giving the reader a brief description of who it is in case you haven’t read the other series.
Lillie is full of optimism and excitement at the opening of her bakery, although it takes the people of Silverkeep a bit before they come around to buying baked goods from a pobyd. The town is full of colorful characters, including the seaside fisherfolks, a cranky café owner, and a mysterious supplier. Things seem to be looking up for Lillie until she receives a threatening note that someone will expose her past if she doesn’t leave Silverkeep. Lillie must take a page out of Bev’s book and figure out who is threatening her and the good folk of Silverkeep.
I listened to the book, and the reader, Jess Moran, was fantastic! I cannot wait for the next book!
Thank you to S. Usher Evans for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Lillie is full of optimism and excitement at the opening of her bakery, although it takes the people of Silverkeep a bit before they come around to buying baked goods from a pobyd. The town is full of colorful characters, including the seaside fisherfolks, a cranky café owner, and a mysterious supplier. Things seem to be looking up for Lillie until she receives a threatening note that someone will expose her past if she doesn’t leave Silverkeep. Lillie must take a page out of Bev’s book and figure out who is threatening her and the good folk of Silverkeep.
I listened to the book, and the reader, Jess Moran, was fantastic! I cannot wait for the next book!
Thank you to S. Usher Evans for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
March 11, 2025
A cute new addition to the cozy fantasy universe started with the Weary Dragon Inn series. Lots of new characters and a unique new town setting with the same cozy vibes.
March 15, 2025
Lillie gets her own series and based on this book it will be just as good as the Weary Dragon in series. It is a great cozy series and I love seeing her trying to settle into her new life.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews