The Bibliophile's Bookshelf

Title: A Cup of Cocoa and Chaos

Series: Enchanted Confections #9

Author: Emily Deady

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retelling, Romance

Rating: 4 stars

Review:

A spoonful of green peas.
A sprinkle of cocoa nibs.
And a melting pot of opposites attract.

Princess Una of Lamera has a secret.

In a prosperous kingdom known for its cheerful citizens, flowing wealth, and ever-laden tables, she is a rare thorn. The courtiers don’t say it to her face, but she knows what they whisper. The scowling princess who leaves every banquet early. Too delicate for her own good. Impossible to please.

And sometimes, when her stomach is churning after a single bite of honeyed pastry, she believes them.

Una learned long ago to avoid the foods that left her ill for days. But when a foreign diplomat arrives bearing trunks of a delicacy Thornwood has never tasted—chocolate—she finds herself intrigued despite her suspicions. Matthias is too charming, too generous, and far too interested in gaining her father’s favor.

His homeland overflows with cacao, and he claims his family is rich beyond measure. But something about his story does not add up.

When Matthias discovers Una’s secret, he offers her something no one else ever a simple chocolate dessert that won’t leave her sick for days. For the first time, Una tastes sweetness without pain.

But as she discovers a world of flavor she can finally enjoy, she feels her bitter defenses beginning to melt. Matthias sees past her thorny exterior to the lonely woman beneath and she’s not sure whether to savor his attention or fear it.

Can she temper her suspicions long enough to crack Matthias’ own facade? – summary from Goodreads

*I received an ARC from the author, and all opinions are my own.

A Cup of Cocoa and Chaos was a sweet King Midas meets Princess and the Pea retelling!

This novella was absolutely adorable! The main characters, Una and Matthais, were so cute and I loved the story.

Una was a wonderful character! She was aloof and kind of grumpy, but she also was sweet and secretly inquisitive. She was dealing with a severe food allergy, which as the daughter of one of the head bakers, really affected her. She was also judged by the court and baker apprentices, which influenced how she responded to other characters.

As I mentioned above, Una has a severe food allergy. This book has wonderful celiac representation! I loved that this was included in the book and how it was shown. I also really like how this was included in a baking book, and that the characters worked to make a sweet treat Una could safely enjoy!

Matthais was another lovely character! He was a hard worker and was willing to do just about anything to maintain his position as an apprentice. He did seem a little suspicious in the beginning, but he quickly grew into a lovely, sweet character. This did cause some conflict between him and Una, but they also worked through their differences. At first, he was just trying to win Una’s approval, but as the story continued, he was a really excellent friend to her.

The romance in this book was definitely a slow burn. This is also one of the few books in the series where the characters are not engaged or married by the end of the book. I am perfectly happy with that, and it fits their story better. They are very sweet together and I loved them together. Hopefully we get more of them in the future!

The animal companion in this book was a little crow named Sable, and he was one of the best parts of this book! He was such a wonderful addition to the story, and I liked how our main characters first bonded over him. You also don’t see crow companions very much, so I loved that a crow got a special spot in the story!

A Cup of Cocoa and Chaos is a clean romance retelling novella full of baking, crow friends, and chocolate!

A Cup of Cocoa and Chaos released on July 3, 2026.