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The Heartbreak Bakery
A Lambda Literary Award Winner
Teenage baker Syd sends ripples of heartbreak through Austin’s queer community when a batch of post-being-dumped brownies turns out to be magical—and makes everyone who eats them break up.
“What’s done is done.”
Unless, of course, it was done by my brownies. Then it’s getting undone.
Syd (no pronouns, please) has always dealt with big, hard-to-talk-about things by baking. Being dumped is no different, except now Syd is baking at the Proud Muffin, a queer bakery and community space in Austin. And everyone who eats Syd’s breakup brownies . . . breaks up. Even Vin and Alec, who own the Proud Muffin. And their breakup might take the bakery down with it. Being dumped is one thing; causing ripples of queer heartbreak through the community is another. But the cute bike delivery person, Harley (he or they, check the pronoun pin, it’s probably on the messenger bag), believes Syd about the magic baking. And Harley believes Syd’s magical baking can fix things, too—one recipe at a time.
Teenage baker Syd sends ripples of heartbreak through Austin’s queer community when a batch of post-being-dumped brownies turns out to be magical—and makes everyone who eats them break up.
“What’s done is done.”
Unless, of course, it was done by my brownies. Then it’s getting undone.
Syd (no pronouns, please) has always dealt with big, hard-to-talk-about things by baking. Being dumped is no different, except now Syd is baking at the Proud Muffin, a queer bakery and community space in Austin. And everyone who eats Syd’s breakup brownies . . . breaks up. Even Vin and Alec, who own the Proud Muffin. And their breakup might take the bakery down with it. Being dumped is one thing; causing ripples of queer heartbreak through the community is another. But the cute bike delivery person, Harley (he or they, check the pronoun pin, it’s probably on the messenger bag), believes Syd about the magic baking. And Harley believes Syd’s magical baking can fix things, too—one recipe at a time.
352 pages, Paperback
First published October 12, 2021
151 people are currently reading
13368 people want to read
About the author
A.R. Capetta
21 books893 followersA. R. Capetta (all pronouns), the author of Echo After Echo and The Lost Coast, has lived in Austin and worked as a professional baker and holds a master of fine arts in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. A. R. Capetta is married to author Cory McCarthy, and they live in Vermont with their young baker.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 849 reviews
August 15, 2023
Whenever I see a queer couple doing even the simplest things, like kissing or holding hands or existing, I swear I get stronger.
🖤🖤🖤
wow! a super gay magical realism breakup novel with a remarkably diverse cast of characters, and some romance for good measure! this is a sweet book with an irresistible premise.
but while reading i was continually reminded that the heartbreak bakery doesn't feel quite YA. our main character, syd, already has so much experience and wisdom; far more than most 17-year-olds. and the themes of heartbreak and self-discovery apply at any age. i think this could have been a more believable and stronger story if syd were 20-something.
another iffy thing is that it's oddly voyeuristic for syd to be in the loop of the relationship drama of so many other people. syd watches their lives unfold candidly, and is able to learn and grow from seeing elements of all of these messy relationships. i don't quite believe that so many people would have these serious talks without privacy, although it is useful as far a syd's character development.
i love that syd is living life, and is so open to growing and learning. syd comes to terms with and reflects on the loss of a hugely important relationship, which also entails the loss of that part of the self. that chapter of syd's life is over, and it's time to move forward. it's wonderful to see the story shift from one of angsty heartbreak to one of tentative desire and romance.
i also adore the writing style, and the way baking is woven into the book. so many delicious baking metaphors!
I bake until my heart is an empty kitchen, ready to be filled with sugar and heat. Ready to get messed up all over again.
▴▴▴
and of course, the standout element of the book is its diversity. there are so many forms of lgbt+ representation here! syd is agender and love interest harley is trans, and there are many POC characters. i'm especially tickled by the diversity of relationships, including a (messy yet healthy) poly relationship. and i love the owners of the proud muffin, because it's so refreshing to see a complicated relationship between an older gay couple.
all of these relationships should be visible in literature, and i love the heartbreak bakery for including them. it's largely a book about celebrating LGBT+ spaces, which is such a comfort. it's all warm and soft and lovely.
When I was young and full of feelings I didn't know how to share, when I was afraid nobody would understand me, I found a language everybody know. Sugar, flour, butter. The comfort of a perfect cookie, the joy of a celebration cake, the bittersweet importance of chocolate. I put everything in my heart into my baking. Years later, I lost the one person who I thought would see me and love me for exactly who I am - and the magic started up again. This has always been my way of sharing what I feel. Especially when things get hard.
August 18, 2021
The Heartbreak Bakery is a quarter cup love letter to queer community, half a cup of tooth-achingly sweet young love, a generous spoonful of gender feelings, and a dash of magic. There aren't enough words to express how well this novel all comes together or how much I adored it. It's cozy and warm, like you've just eaten a homemade baked good, filled with love. Absolutely wonderful, stunning, perfect novel.
December 24, 2021
Add romance, a cup of magical realism, a few spoonfuls of finding yourself, and lots and lots of baking. This book was absolutely fantastic!!
Syd (not ready to pick a gender yet) is an amazing young baker at the Proud Muffin in Austin, TX. One day, after Syd’s relationship with W ends, Syd deals with it in the best way—baking. And amazing Breakup Brownies are created.
The problem is, anyone who eats the Breakup Brownies well, breaks up, including Vin and Alec, the owners of the Proud Muffin. With the future of the bakery at stake as well as a number of relationships on the rocks thanks to Syd’s brownies, Syd is desperate to make it all right. And that means more baking and more feelings and trying to find the right recipe for everyone.
With the help of Harley, the sexy delivery messenger for the bakery, Syd makes some important discoveries—about love, about assumptions, about bravery, and about how cupcakes have no gender, and that’s ok. It’s okay to be an agender cupcake.
What a special, magical book The Heartbreak Bakery was! And it wasn’t crazy—just a bit of imbuing baked goods with emotions felt by those eating them. But aside from all of the mouthwatering food, this book had so many beautiful, glorious, life-affirming things to say. (And recipes!! I love books with recipes!!)
This will easily be one of my favorite YA books of the year.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Syd (not ready to pick a gender yet) is an amazing young baker at the Proud Muffin in Austin, TX. One day, after Syd’s relationship with W ends, Syd deals with it in the best way—baking. And amazing Breakup Brownies are created.
The problem is, anyone who eats the Breakup Brownies well, breaks up, including Vin and Alec, the owners of the Proud Muffin. With the future of the bakery at stake as well as a number of relationships on the rocks thanks to Syd’s brownies, Syd is desperate to make it all right. And that means more baking and more feelings and trying to find the right recipe for everyone.
With the help of Harley, the sexy delivery messenger for the bakery, Syd makes some important discoveries—about love, about assumptions, about bravery, and about how cupcakes have no gender, and that’s ok. It’s okay to be an agender cupcake.
What a special, magical book The Heartbreak Bakery was! And it wasn’t crazy—just a bit of imbuing baked goods with emotions felt by those eating them. But aside from all of the mouthwatering food, this book had so many beautiful, glorious, life-affirming things to say. (And recipes!! I love books with recipes!!)
This will easily be one of my favorite YA books of the year.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
December 14, 2021
This book is so celebratory of queerness and queer community. People check Harley’s pin for their or his pronouns every day. Everyone is so accepting and kind, even in difficult moments. (And even if they express that a bit differently!) The bakery is almost entirely queer people, including an aro/ace character. There’s a polyamorous brunch! This is a bit of a spoiler, because it happens at the end, but I have to mention it any way: It feels like a big queer hug. In fact, I was overcome with cute aggression after finishing it and had to suppress yelling and shoving it random passersby’s hands. “READ THIS! IT’S SO GOOD.”
I took this out from the library, but I gave it 5 stars and can’t wait to get my hands on my own copy for my collection. If you’re looking for a last-minute queer-affirming gift, this is a fantastic choice!
Full review at the Lesbrary.
I took this out from the library, but I gave it 5 stars and can’t wait to get my hands on my own copy for my collection. If you’re looking for a last-minute queer-affirming gift, this is a fantastic choice!
Full review at the Lesbrary.
July 26, 2022
Love love love! Cried several times through this book. Syd means so much to me and the narrator truly brought Syd to life. The voice was perfect!
___________________________________________________________
This is really one of the gayest books I've ever read. And that includes Cute Mutants Vol 1: Mutant Pride! And like CM, this book means so much to me because of the agender rep. Dylan and Syd are two of the most relatable characters I've come across and I love these two so much.
Thank you so much to Pride Book Tours and Candlewick Press for a finished copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Heartbreak Bakery is a story about queer joy, magical baking, love and heartbreak. The story follows Syd (no pronouns), who is an agender teenage baker. After Syd and W (Syd's girlfriend) break up, Syd is at a loss. Syd throws all the post-breakup feelings into a batch of brownies at the Proud Muffin and ends up breaking several couples up, including the owners of the Proud Muffin. With the help of Harley, the cute bike messenger, Syd is determined to fix the damage caused. And it will take magical baking to do just that.
"I don't feel like any pronouns fit. Or any of them fits more than the others. And when I think about all the people whose lives are changed by the right words, people who have to fight for them every day, I feel like I should apologize because my pronouns are No, thanks."
Y'all this book scraped me raw. There were several passages that just GOT me. So many of the thoughts and feelings I've had swirling around my brain about gender and to see them on the page was so validating. I haven't seen an agender MC in fiction until this book and I definitely need more now.
Having a gender? Why? Feeling like your body and who you are inside line up all the time? How? Identifying with other folks of your assigned gender as a kid, when I identified with things like extra-fluffy cumulus clouds and nebulas? What does that even feel like? I get nervous trying to explain myself sometimes. I get tired. I grow sharp edges where I didn't think I had any.
Not only did I love Syd, but the whole queer cast of the Proud Muffin. There was so much rep, it was so varied and it felt realistic. It wasn't just diversity points, all of these characters felt whole and I loved them so much. I really loved seeing the sibling relationship between Syd and Tess. I loved how Syd was immediately welcoming when the possibility of Tess being aroace came up. I loved how Syd brought Tess to the Proud Muffin and showed her that she was welcome in that space.
And the part of me that thinks about gender every day -- mine and everyone else's and just in general -- could use a break. It took me until middle school to realize that most people don't think about it every day. Because they don't have to. Because the world is set up in a way where they just take it for granted.
I loved the bakery and the atmosphere of the Proud Muffin. I loved getting to know all of Syd's coworkers/friends. There were so many fun scenes at the bakery. And then there was a polyam brunch! That was easily one of my favorite scenes. Then there was Syd and Harley's relationship. I love these two together so much. I had so many feelings about their relationship. I loved how easily Syd used both he and they pronouns for Harley and switched based on Harley's pin. I loved how Harley understand why Syd doesn't use pronouns. Like there was so much trans happiness and I am soft because of it.
It doesn't feel like I'm hiding. It feels like I'm shouting in a language that nobody else can understand. Which is frustrating, because being agender already feels like that a lot of the time.
The bottom line here friends is that I love this book with my whole heart. I need more queer bakery stories like this. Or a real life queer bakery! Easily a top 2o21 read!
Rep: Bisexual agender white MC, white trans masc nonbinary demisexual love interest, queer Tejano female side character, BIPOC sapphic trans female side character, BIPOC achillean male side character, queer polyamorous BIPOC female side character, Dominican sapphic female side character, white aroace female side character, queer genderflux side character, queer deaf side characters that use sign language, multiple other queer side characters, multiple other BIPOC side characters.
CWs: consumption of magical baked goods without knowing they are magical.
____________________________________________________________
I feel like I've been waiting forever for this and I NEED IT.
Pre-order on Bookshop here!
___________________________________________________________
This is really one of the gayest books I've ever read. And that includes Cute Mutants Vol 1: Mutant Pride! And like CM, this book means so much to me because of the agender rep. Dylan and Syd are two of the most relatable characters I've come across and I love these two so much.
Thank you so much to Pride Book Tours and Candlewick Press for a finished copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Heartbreak Bakery is a story about queer joy, magical baking, love and heartbreak. The story follows Syd (no pronouns), who is an agender teenage baker. After Syd and W (Syd's girlfriend) break up, Syd is at a loss. Syd throws all the post-breakup feelings into a batch of brownies at the Proud Muffin and ends up breaking several couples up, including the owners of the Proud Muffin. With the help of Harley, the cute bike messenger, Syd is determined to fix the damage caused. And it will take magical baking to do just that.
"I don't feel like any pronouns fit. Or any of them fits more than the others. And when I think about all the people whose lives are changed by the right words, people who have to fight for them every day, I feel like I should apologize because my pronouns are No, thanks."
Y'all this book scraped me raw. There were several passages that just GOT me. So many of the thoughts and feelings I've had swirling around my brain about gender and to see them on the page was so validating. I haven't seen an agender MC in fiction until this book and I definitely need more now.
Having a gender? Why? Feeling like your body and who you are inside line up all the time? How? Identifying with other folks of your assigned gender as a kid, when I identified with things like extra-fluffy cumulus clouds and nebulas? What does that even feel like? I get nervous trying to explain myself sometimes. I get tired. I grow sharp edges where I didn't think I had any.
Not only did I love Syd, but the whole queer cast of the Proud Muffin. There was so much rep, it was so varied and it felt realistic. It wasn't just diversity points, all of these characters felt whole and I loved them so much. I really loved seeing the sibling relationship between Syd and Tess. I loved how Syd was immediately welcoming when the possibility of Tess being aroace came up. I loved how Syd brought Tess to the Proud Muffin and showed her that she was welcome in that space.
And the part of me that thinks about gender every day -- mine and everyone else's and just in general -- could use a break. It took me until middle school to realize that most people don't think about it every day. Because they don't have to. Because the world is set up in a way where they just take it for granted.
I loved the bakery and the atmosphere of the Proud Muffin. I loved getting to know all of Syd's coworkers/friends. There were so many fun scenes at the bakery. And then there was a polyam brunch! That was easily one of my favorite scenes. Then there was Syd and Harley's relationship. I love these two together so much. I had so many feelings about their relationship. I loved how easily Syd used both he and they pronouns for Harley and switched based on Harley's pin. I loved how Harley understand why Syd doesn't use pronouns. Like there was so much trans happiness and I am soft because of it.
It doesn't feel like I'm hiding. It feels like I'm shouting in a language that nobody else can understand. Which is frustrating, because being agender already feels like that a lot of the time.
The bottom line here friends is that I love this book with my whole heart. I need more queer bakery stories like this. Or a real life queer bakery! Easily a top 2o21 read!
Rep: Bisexual agender white MC, white trans masc nonbinary demisexual love interest, queer Tejano female side character, BIPOC sapphic trans female side character, BIPOC achillean male side character, queer polyamorous BIPOC female side character, Dominican sapphic female side character, white aroace female side character, queer genderflux side character, queer deaf side characters that use sign language, multiple other queer side characters, multiple other BIPOC side characters.
CWs: consumption of magical baked goods without knowing they are magical.
____________________________________________________________
I feel like I've been waiting forever for this and I NEED IT.
Pre-order on Bookshop here!
Want to read
March 9, 2021March 08, 2021: A YA rom-com with magical brownies? Agender and trans main characters? SO READY FOR THIS.
January 6, 2026
“mix in reminders that all of this is fleeting… tomorrow, change your ingredients as needed.” [from the recipe: today’s gender]
i am grinning even writing this review, just as much as i was smiling stupidly reading this amazing story. i love reading diverse books and books representing different identities- and this delightful queer YA romcom did NOT disappoint! it follows syd (no pronouns), a baker in austin, texas who has just been through a breakup- and also works at a queer bakery, the proud muffin. however, when syd bakes a batch of brownies, everybody who eats them… breaks up with their partners?? yikes. syd and the proud muffin’s delivery biker person harley (he or they, check the pronoun pin) work together to help the couples syd accidentally broke up, growing closer to each other as well.
i have so many things to say about this novel, and i think the most important thing to note is the way it encapsulates queer joy and representation. syd is bisexual and agender- an identity i haven’t really read about before. being our protagonist, syd talks a lot about gender dysphoria and feelings connected to gender, and just the general struggle to understand personal gender presentation, and these scenes felt so honest and spoke to me so much. then, harley, syd’s love interest, is transmasc and demisexual (happy aspec week btw!!!) and though we don’t see a lot of their personal gender struggles, the way they respected syd, and understood the things syd needed them to honestly made for such a heartwarming and balanced romance. i loved syd and harley- the moments they shared were adorable, and though their plotline wasn’t necessarily primary in the story, i was swooning whenever we got to see their interactions.
also, back to queer joy- we got so much other casual rep in the proud muffin itself (considering literally all the workers and therefore most of the characters in the book are queer?? hello??) including pan rep, polyam rep (there’s a polyam brunch y’all), lesbian rep, transfemme rep, aroace rep, gay rep, and more!!
like i said, this book’s plot centers around magical baked goods. MAGICAL BAKED GOODS. syd’s a baker (i would LOVE to try something syd baked) and after each chapter of the book, there are recipes!!! some of them are real ones you can try, some of them, like syd’s recipe for today’s gender (iconic) are more conceptual. i loved it. so syd’s a baker, and discovers the ability to make baked goods that can make people feel things. this was so soft and tapped so much into the power of people and love and each other- all illustrated through queer love stories. the way syd discovers more about identity through these talents is also so heartwarming- i wish i could step into the proud muffin myself.
i’m insanely glad i read this book!!!!! i love wholesome and soft and emotional and romcom-y young adult books and this truly delivered. do i question why syd was never seen at school as a high school student, or why syd developed a crush barely a week after a breakup? yeah. but do i care???? not really. am i somewhat attracted to syd??? lmao yeah- but MAGICAL BAKED GOODS EVERYBODY. MAGICAL BAKED GOODS AND GENDER DISCUSSION AND SO MUCH QUEER JOY.
content warnings: descriptions of gender dysphoria, misgendering (non-malicious)
i am grinning even writing this review, just as much as i was smiling stupidly reading this amazing story. i love reading diverse books and books representing different identities- and this delightful queer YA romcom did NOT disappoint! it follows syd (no pronouns), a baker in austin, texas who has just been through a breakup- and also works at a queer bakery, the proud muffin. however, when syd bakes a batch of brownies, everybody who eats them… breaks up with their partners?? yikes. syd and the proud muffin’s delivery biker person harley (he or they, check the pronoun pin) work together to help the couples syd accidentally broke up, growing closer to each other as well.
i have so many things to say about this novel, and i think the most important thing to note is the way it encapsulates queer joy and representation. syd is bisexual and agender- an identity i haven’t really read about before. being our protagonist, syd talks a lot about gender dysphoria and feelings connected to gender, and just the general struggle to understand personal gender presentation, and these scenes felt so honest and spoke to me so much. then, harley, syd’s love interest, is transmasc and demisexual (happy aspec week btw!!!) and though we don’t see a lot of their personal gender struggles, the way they respected syd, and understood the things syd needed them to honestly made for such a heartwarming and balanced romance. i loved syd and harley- the moments they shared were adorable, and though their plotline wasn’t necessarily primary in the story, i was swooning whenever we got to see their interactions.
also, back to queer joy- we got so much other casual rep in the proud muffin itself (considering literally all the workers and therefore most of the characters in the book are queer?? hello??) including pan rep, polyam rep (there’s a polyam brunch y’all), lesbian rep, transfemme rep, aroace rep, gay rep, and more!!
like i said, this book’s plot centers around magical baked goods. MAGICAL BAKED GOODS. syd’s a baker (i would LOVE to try something syd baked) and after each chapter of the book, there are recipes!!! some of them are real ones you can try, some of them, like syd’s recipe for today’s gender (iconic) are more conceptual. i loved it. so syd’s a baker, and discovers the ability to make baked goods that can make people feel things. this was so soft and tapped so much into the power of people and love and each other- all illustrated through queer love stories. the way syd discovers more about identity through these talents is also so heartwarming- i wish i could step into the proud muffin myself.
i’m insanely glad i read this book!!!!! i love wholesome and soft and emotional and romcom-y young adult books and this truly delivered. do i question why syd was never seen at school as a high school student, or why syd developed a crush barely a week after a breakup? yeah. but do i care???? not really. am i somewhat attracted to syd??? lmao yeah- but MAGICAL BAKED GOODS EVERYBODY. MAGICAL BAKED GOODS AND GENDER DISCUSSION AND SO MUCH QUEER JOY.
content warnings: descriptions of gender dysphoria, misgendering (non-malicious)
April 2, 2023
"Love comes in every flavor"
"Baking is where we put our hearts when there's so much in them and we have to let it out. We put a piece of ourselves on a plate and hand it over to someone else."
Let's talk magical baking. In my humble baker opinion, all baking is magical but this book has ✨magical✨ baking. Baking that changes the emotions of those who enjoy the baked good and can alter their lives. When Syd (no pronouns) learns that brownies made in an emotional rage bake, have caused break ups around the city, Syd is determined to bake everything right. (See what I did there, puns are freaking great 😂).
Anyway, with the help of the bakery bike delivery person, Harley (he/they), Syd goes on a mission to find everyone who had the break up brownies and help them get back together. This leads to multiple misadventures featuring scones, a car load of pies, big feeling cookies, and cakes galore. Syd and Harley work together to create the best emotion filled bakes and together find something magical between the two of them.
I think my favorite part of this book is just how utterly queer it is. We're talking every letter of the acronym and more. Syd is agender and bisexual. Harley is trans masc and demisexual. Syd's sister is aroace. Other employees of the Proud Muffin bakery are trans, gay, sapphic, poly, etc. Never ending queer rep and it was an absolute joy.
Every page, every interaction, every recipe is filled with sheer queer joy and love and I can't express how much I loved it.
I knew as soon as I got approved to be a part of this book tour, I was gonna bake something, I just didn't expect it to be a full set of decorated cookies to match the cover.
I was feeling inspired by the baking joy in this one, and as a queer baker who has the privilege to work at a small bakery with other queer people, I knew I had to go all out. I had a blast making these cookies even though it was a holy hell of a lot of colors 😅 swipe through to see the full set in detail and the entire color scheme in a very satisfying photo with pastry bags.
Thanks so much to @pridebooktours , @ar_capetta , and @candlewickpress for a free finished copy in exchange for my review/post.
Reread March 2023:
Oh my original opinions stand and I really really like this book. It's one of my favorites and I will forever be all about queer bakers. That being said, I don't think I mentioned it in my first review because I was doing it for a book tour, but the baking representation isn't quite on par with professional bakeries. One of my big tests is the use of weight versus volume for measuring ingredients and this book uses volume which would never ever happen in a professional bakery. It doesn't mean that the recipes aren't good but it doesn't fit the setting. I also think every single recipe has coconut in them and this is not something anyone normal would notice but as a neuro spicy person who hates coconut it was so glaringly obvious to me 😂 definitely not a serious negative for the book just a personal annoyance because coconut is gross.
"Baking is where we put our hearts when there's so much in them and we have to let it out. We put a piece of ourselves on a plate and hand it over to someone else."
Let's talk magical baking. In my humble baker opinion, all baking is magical but this book has ✨magical✨ baking. Baking that changes the emotions of those who enjoy the baked good and can alter their lives. When Syd (no pronouns) learns that brownies made in an emotional rage bake, have caused break ups around the city, Syd is determined to bake everything right. (See what I did there, puns are freaking great 😂).
Anyway, with the help of the bakery bike delivery person, Harley (he/they), Syd goes on a mission to find everyone who had the break up brownies and help them get back together. This leads to multiple misadventures featuring scones, a car load of pies, big feeling cookies, and cakes galore. Syd and Harley work together to create the best emotion filled bakes and together find something magical between the two of them.
I think my favorite part of this book is just how utterly queer it is. We're talking every letter of the acronym and more. Syd is agender and bisexual. Harley is trans masc and demisexual. Syd's sister is aroace. Other employees of the Proud Muffin bakery are trans, gay, sapphic, poly, etc. Never ending queer rep and it was an absolute joy.
Every page, every interaction, every recipe is filled with sheer queer joy and love and I can't express how much I loved it.
I knew as soon as I got approved to be a part of this book tour, I was gonna bake something, I just didn't expect it to be a full set of decorated cookies to match the cover.
I was feeling inspired by the baking joy in this one, and as a queer baker who has the privilege to work at a small bakery with other queer people, I knew I had to go all out. I had a blast making these cookies even though it was a holy hell of a lot of colors 😅 swipe through to see the full set in detail and the entire color scheme in a very satisfying photo with pastry bags.
Thanks so much to @pridebooktours , @ar_capetta , and @candlewickpress for a free finished copy in exchange for my review/post.
Reread March 2023:
Oh my original opinions stand and I really really like this book. It's one of my favorites and I will forever be all about queer bakers. That being said, I don't think I mentioned it in my first review because I was doing it for a book tour, but the baking representation isn't quite on par with professional bakeries. One of my big tests is the use of weight versus volume for measuring ingredients and this book uses volume which would never ever happen in a professional bakery. It doesn't mean that the recipes aren't good but it doesn't fit the setting. I also think every single recipe has coconut in them and this is not something anyone normal would notice but as a neuro spicy person who hates coconut it was so glaringly obvious to me 😂 definitely not a serious negative for the book just a personal annoyance because coconut is gross.
August 10, 2022
I’m normally not a huge fan of magical realism, it’s just not something I enjoy reading, but for this book I’m making an exception. The premise reminds me of a movie with Sarah Michelle Gellar I’ve seen when I was a teen, and this flashback alone was great.
This book also is one of the queerest books I ever read, and it was fabulous. There is so much representation that I haven’t seen in any other books, Syd is agender and I love that we’re creating a world now where everyone can feel comfortable and be represented in media. I can only hope that this only grows and books like ‘The heartbreak bakery’ fuel this hope.
I liked the writing style, I liked Syd and I liked the whole concept of the book. It was lovely hours I spent with the characters. The atmosphere at the bakery was so cute and I’m craving some muffins now.
This book also is one of the queerest books I ever read, and it was fabulous. There is so much representation that I haven’t seen in any other books, Syd is agender and I love that we’re creating a world now where everyone can feel comfortable and be represented in media. I can only hope that this only grows and books like ‘The heartbreak bakery’ fuel this hope.
I liked the writing style, I liked Syd and I liked the whole concept of the book. It was lovely hours I spent with the characters. The atmosphere at the bakery was so cute and I’m craving some muffins now.
November 8, 2021
My favourite experience is and will always be reading a book exactly when you need it. I read this book exactly at the right time for me, and it felt like a warm bath. This was sweet and magical and very very queer, and I loved every second of it. It was so amazing to read a romance between two non-binary characters!
June 14, 2022
this was a perfect pride read!! not a single straight person in sight !! we love to see it 😌
May 22, 2023
I listened to 2 hours of the audiobook, but I can't put up with more. Unfortunately, I didn't realise this is chock-full of teenage drama (I thought it would be adults since it revolves around a bakery???). Also seems like the author wanted to tick some representation on a checklist.
July 16, 2022
updated review:
They say baking is magic, and The Heartbreak Bakery proves it! I loved this book. Syd is such a likable protagonist who you can’t help but root for. The Proud Muffin sounds like the most lovely, magical, and safe place – a place that everyone needs. I was smiling from ear to ear the entire time I was reading. I loved the recipes included in the book and will absolutely be trying some of these bakes in the future! I do wish that it was a bit longer, as I felt that some of the pacing was a bit off, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. If you’re looking for a fun, creative, diverse, and delicious read The Heartbreak Bakery is for you!
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oh well i just loved everything about this (additionally - i cannot wait to try some of these bakes!)
They say baking is magic, and The Heartbreak Bakery proves it! I loved this book. Syd is such a likable protagonist who you can’t help but root for. The Proud Muffin sounds like the most lovely, magical, and safe place – a place that everyone needs. I was smiling from ear to ear the entire time I was reading. I loved the recipes included in the book and will absolutely be trying some of these bakes in the future! I do wish that it was a bit longer, as I felt that some of the pacing was a bit off, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. If you’re looking for a fun, creative, diverse, and delicious read The Heartbreak Bakery is for you!
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oh well i just loved everything about this (additionally - i cannot wait to try some of these bakes!)
December 22, 2021
it there was ever a book to describe as a cinnamon roll, this would be it. everything about this book was warm and cosy and comforting and a delight from the first page until the very last. it left my heart filled the kind of joy and warm fuzziness only a truly wonderful reading experience can give. I absolutely adored it. a new 2021 favourite for sure.
July 4, 2022
So good and so queer! It’s also a fantastic depiction of Austin. AND magical realism with baked goods— so it’s obviously going to be a favorite.
February 7, 2023
2023 reads: 46/350
syd has always been a baker, but is taken aback when a batch of post-breakup brownies causes couples to break up. this, of course, makes syd feel terrible—especially when the brownies cause vin and alec, who have been together forever and own the bakery where syd works, to break up. the only person who believes and can help syd is syd’s cute coworker harley, who believes that syd’s baking could fix things.
i really liked how this was set in texas!! i never lived in austin, but there were still aspects of the setting i could relate to my experiences.
the bakery was also a super fun aspect! this aspect i couldn’t relate to as much as the setting, but i do some recreational baking so i could appreciate it. and i loved the recipes scattered throughout that had to do with the story!
syd has always been a baker, but is taken aback when a batch of post-breakup brownies causes couples to break up. this, of course, makes syd feel terrible—especially when the brownies cause vin and alec, who have been together forever and own the bakery where syd works, to break up. the only person who believes and can help syd is syd’s cute coworker harley, who believes that syd’s baking could fix things.
i really liked how this was set in texas!! i never lived in austin, but there were still aspects of the setting i could relate to my experiences.
the bakery was also a super fun aspect! this aspect i couldn’t relate to as much as the setting, but i do some recreational baking so i could appreciate it. and i loved the recipes scattered throughout that had to do with the story!
March 22, 2023
That was very cute!
January 29, 2022
I wanted to love this book, but the writing was overly verbose and, honestly, cringe-inducing at points. I found Syd to be a pretty flat character, and Harley was almost a caricature of a happy-go-lucky delivery person. My biggest issue with the book was that the author seemed a little too concerned with designating characters as AFAB or AMAB rather than introducing and referring to them by their correct gender, which was annoying and made the inclusion of so many genders and sexualities seem a little superficial.
March 26, 2023
This was a fun YA romance between Syd, an agender teen baker and Harley, the delivery person for the Proud Muffin, a queer friendly bakery in Austin, Texas. Trying to recover from a recent break-up, Syd makes a batch of brownies that start causing other couples to break-up, including the bakery's owners.
Can Syd's magical baking help save the bakery? Harley believes it can and together they work hard to organize a fundraiser and save the day.
I loved the found family, the great queer characters with important conversations about pronouns and gender fluidity. This was full of heart and a touch of magic and great on audio narrated by Krystal Hammond!
Can Syd's magical baking help save the bakery? Harley believes it can and together they work hard to organize a fundraiser and save the day.
I loved the found family, the great queer characters with important conversations about pronouns and gender fluidity. This was full of heart and a touch of magic and great on audio narrated by Krystal Hammond!
Want to read
February 22, 2021"YA romcom with recipes and a dash of magic" AND AN AGENDER PROTAGONIST AAAAHHHHHHH
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February 15, 2022
4.25 stars!
Why is it so satisfying to me that I finished this book on Valentine's Day? Review to come here, and on my blog https://sunnysidereviews.wordpress.com/ !
Ahh this looks AMAZING!! Food? Cupid vibes? AND diversity? Sign me up!
Why is it so satisfying to me that I finished this book on Valentine's Day? Review to come here, and on my blog https://sunnysidereviews.wordpress.com/ !
Ahh this looks AMAZING!! Food? Cupid vibes? AND diversity? Sign me up!
Want to read
January 24, 2020HELLO I NEED THIS DESPRATELY IT SOUNDS SO CUTE AND FUN AND I MEAN IT'S AMY ROSE CAPETTA SO I'M SURE I'LL LOVE IT AND AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
March 15, 2022
ABSOLUTELY FREAKING GORGEOUS! And the fact that this gender-exploring beautiful queer story takes place in TEXAS just is icing on the magical cake 🎂🥰🏳️🌈
December 22, 2021
“but this isn’t just about me. it’s about everyone in this room, it’s about all of us, and what shape we get to be when nobody asks us to fit in.”
fresh from a breakup, teenage baker syd bakes a batch of brownies at work, a queer bakery called the proud muffin. but everyone who has one of syd’s brownies suddenly finds themselves breaking up with their partners. together with harley, syd embarks on a mission to find everyone who ate the brownies and make things right. because the bakery’s owners ate some of the brownies and now the proud muffin is in trouble.
the heartbreak bakery made me hungry in more ways than one.
there’s the obvious way—throughout the book we watch syd bake. syd bakes with feeling and with magic, and you feel that in every page. there’s baking metaphors on every page, and we really see how engrained baking is in syd’s life and thoughts. each chapter is divided by a recipe; a unique way of storytelling that i absolutely adored (even when it regularly made me cry).
but it also made me hunger for the queer community syd has.
the cast of the heartbreak bakery is almost entirely queer, and full of variety. syd is bi, agender and uses no prounouns. harley is transmasc, demi, and uses he/they. we actually! have a book that uses multiple pronouns for an individual character! there’s more trans characters, polyam rep, queer characters of color, older queer folks! a deliciously mixed queer community. and oh how wonderful it was to read about.
i never had a big group of queer friends, never had a solid queer community—that is until booksta. while reading i was filled with hunger for a place like the proud muffin where i could just exist in a safe and queer as fuck place. i am so glad i have this space to fill that hunger. because without it, reading this book would just remind me that i was starving.
heartbreak bakery is exactly what i love about queer ya—it’s full of mischief and shenanigans and a romance that’s just so sweet. and reading it with its diverse cast tells me and other readers—there’s so many different ways to be queer. and you are not alone.
July 5, 2022
The Heartbreak Bakery was a cozy, warm book hug. I absolutely loved the matter-of-fact queerness that permeates this story from start to finish.
This is honestly a perfect book. It's got very lovable characters who get the chance to make mistakes and learn from them, an adorable romance, and so, so many delicious-sounding baked goods. The Heartbreak Bakery was an excellent book to wrap up Pride month with. I cannot wait to reread this and recommend it to everyone I know who needs a book hug in their life.
This is honestly a perfect book. It's got very lovable characters who get the chance to make mistakes and learn from them, an adorable romance, and so, so many delicious-sounding baked goods. The Heartbreak Bakery was an excellent book to wrap up Pride month with. I cannot wait to reread this and recommend it to everyone I know who needs a book hug in their life.
June 24, 2021
I received an ARC from Edelweiss
TW: dysphoria
3.8
Syd has always had baking, a job at The Proud Muffin, and girlfriend, W, as constants. But when W breaks up with Syd, the baking becomes a problem as well. Because it turns out when Syd was angry baking brownies for The Proud Muffin, they took on all the relationship ending anger Syd had been feeling. And now the break up brownies were... well, breaking people up- including Syd's formerly sickeningly in love bosses, and owners of the bakery. On a mad dash to fix the relationships that got magically destroyed, Syd and cute delivery person, Harley, come together to scheme up the perfect recipes to put everyone back together- and may be fixing Syd's broken heart at the same time.
If you want queer, diverse fluffy romance and magic, then this is, hands down, your book. This is th kind of book you pick up when you just want something fun and happy. It's a ridiculous premise, and the characters all sort of feel like NPCs in a dating sim more than actual characters/people, besides Syd and Harley, but that's only a problem if you're looking for something with weight and layers to it. That isn't this book anyway!
I already mentioned the diversity, but, really, Capetta never lets me down with the flawless casual diversity. You've got a love interest whose pronouns change, and the changing of which is seamless in the narrative, and an agender main character who doesn't use pronouns at all. You have a whole cast of queer characters, but also POCs, students from a deaf school, a polyamorous brunch group, etc. It's just so nice to see!
And, of course, the whole thing is sugary sweet. The idea of magical brownies breaking people up and the baker and delivery person trying to magically fix it is already a super cute premise. But it does follow through and really deliver that wholesomeness.
My main issue with this book was in the romance. As much as I did like Harley and wanted to want to cheer them on with no hesitation, the fact that this whole thing with them starts about 2 days after Syd has a terrible break up, ending a three year relationship? It just does not at all feel realistic to me, and I wish that a little more time had gone by, or the flirting with Harley wasn't immediate.
Over all, this is a cute book and a quick read. Capetta delivers again!
Pre-review comments below
What an extremely fluffy and on brand book
TW: dysphoria
3.8
Syd has always had baking, a job at The Proud Muffin, and girlfriend, W, as constants. But when W breaks up with Syd, the baking becomes a problem as well. Because it turns out when Syd was angry baking brownies for The Proud Muffin, they took on all the relationship ending anger Syd had been feeling. And now the break up brownies were... well, breaking people up- including Syd's formerly sickeningly in love bosses, and owners of the bakery. On a mad dash to fix the relationships that got magically destroyed, Syd and cute delivery person, Harley, come together to scheme up the perfect recipes to put everyone back together- and may be fixing Syd's broken heart at the same time.
If you want queer, diverse fluffy romance and magic, then this is, hands down, your book. This is th kind of book you pick up when you just want something fun and happy. It's a ridiculous premise, and the characters all sort of feel like NPCs in a dating sim more than actual characters/people, besides Syd and Harley, but that's only a problem if you're looking for something with weight and layers to it. That isn't this book anyway!
I already mentioned the diversity, but, really, Capetta never lets me down with the flawless casual diversity. You've got a love interest whose pronouns change, and the changing of which is seamless in the narrative, and an agender main character who doesn't use pronouns at all. You have a whole cast of queer characters, but also POCs, students from a deaf school, a polyamorous brunch group, etc. It's just so nice to see!
And, of course, the whole thing is sugary sweet. The idea of magical brownies breaking people up and the baker and delivery person trying to magically fix it is already a super cute premise. But it does follow through and really deliver that wholesomeness.
My main issue with this book was in the romance. As much as I did like Harley and wanted to want to cheer them on with no hesitation, the fact that this whole thing with them starts about 2 days after Syd has a terrible break up, ending a three year relationship? It just does not at all feel realistic to me, and I wish that a little more time had gone by, or the flirting with Harley wasn't immediate.
Over all, this is a cute book and a quick read. Capetta delivers again!
Pre-review comments below
What an extremely fluffy and on brand book
October 21, 2021
Trigger Warnings: Break-up, therapy, coming out, divorce, surgery, sex, dysphoria
Representation: Agender, Queer, LGBTQ community, Bisexual, Deaf, Mental Health, Demisexual, Tejano, POC, Transitioning, Dominican
The Heartbreak Bakery is a cute, queer story of learning about oneself and discovering your inner magic. The story is about Syd (no pronouns, please) who works for a queer bakery in Austin. Syd may have accidentally made some magical treats and broken up a few couples. Syd is now on a quest to fix everything.
This eARC was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
This book was sooo cute! It was like the queer version of Waitress that we didn’t know we needed! I loved everything about it! I do desperately wish I had a space like The Proud Muffin in my city!
The books is heartfelt and fun. Following Syd’s story is completely relatable and feels like everyone’s first heartbreak. The book is perfect for anyone looking for a light, fun read!
Representation: Agender, Queer, LGBTQ community, Bisexual, Deaf, Mental Health, Demisexual, Tejano, POC, Transitioning, Dominican
The Heartbreak Bakery is a cute, queer story of learning about oneself and discovering your inner magic. The story is about Syd (no pronouns, please) who works for a queer bakery in Austin. Syd may have accidentally made some magical treats and broken up a few couples. Syd is now on a quest to fix everything.
This eARC was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
This book was sooo cute! It was like the queer version of Waitress that we didn’t know we needed! I loved everything about it! I do desperately wish I had a space like The Proud Muffin in my city!
The books is heartfelt and fun. Following Syd’s story is completely relatable and feels like everyone’s first heartbreak. The book is perfect for anyone looking for a light, fun read!
April 27, 2022
From the book jacket: Syd (no pronouns, please) has always dealt with big, hard-to-talk-about things by baking. Being dumped is no different, except now Syd is working in the kitchen of the Proud Muffin, a queer bakery and community space in Austin. And everyone who eats Syd’s breakup brownies break up.
My reactions
At the outset, I had some difficulty with the constantly changing pronouns – not just Syd but Harley and others seem unsure which pronouns they prefer on any given day. But I got over this and began to enjoy this YA romance.
Syd is a great character, who exhibits many of the typical teenager anxieties, though Syd’s constant trying to “fix things” for everyone does seem a bit over the top. But then, Syd is a teenager. I did like how Capetta explored relationships and changing feelings and how we need to learn to communicate openly and honestly.
And I loved the recipes!
My reactions
At the outset, I had some difficulty with the constantly changing pronouns – not just Syd but Harley and others seem unsure which pronouns they prefer on any given day. But I got over this and began to enjoy this YA romance.
Syd is a great character, who exhibits many of the typical teenager anxieties, though Syd’s constant trying to “fix things” for everyone does seem a bit over the top. But then, Syd is a teenager. I did like how Capetta explored relationships and changing feelings and how we need to learn to communicate openly and honestly.
And I loved the recipes!
August 30, 2021
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Mimi Koehler
The premise of this book was so sweet. Magical brownies that make people break up and a baker and bike messenger banding together to fix the damage with even more delicious treats? Really, this is as wholesome as it gets. The Heartbreak Bakery also marked the first book I’ve read with an agender protagonist who prefers no pronouns at all.
Read the FULL REVIEW on The Nerd Daily
The premise of this book was so sweet. Magical brownies that make people break up and a baker and bike messenger banding together to fix the damage with even more delicious treats? Really, this is as wholesome as it gets. The Heartbreak Bakery also marked the first book I’ve read with an agender protagonist who prefers no pronouns at all.
Read the FULL REVIEW on The Nerd Daily
July 27, 2022
this book is a gay disaster. I think I've seen teenage boys in my school with more chemistry than Harley and Syd. I gave it a shot considering the high rating but boy am I disappointed. maybe it would've made young me with a baking obsession very happy but 18-year-old me is annoyed and beyond bored. if I can figure out the entire plot by just reading the dialogue, it is not a good book. do better, gays.
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