Elowen Thorne knows how to shape a loaf. Carrying her mother's reputation is harder.

At The Dragon's Starlit Bakery, the approaching harvest festival brings new recipes, familiar expectations and an unexpected adviser: Whiskers, a talking tabby with strong opinions and an unreliable respect for flour containers. With her assistant Isolde and her mentor Mira, Elowen begins testing pastries that might belong to her as much as to the family tradition.

Outside the bakery, a wealthy merchant's plans divide the stallholders. Some welcome the promise of more trade. Others fear paying for a celebration they can no longer afford. Offering a table for discussion seems simple, until every invitation brings another task and everyone has a different idea of what Elowen should promise.

When a storm interrupts the festivities, good intentions must become practical choices. Elowen cannot mend every disagreement with a tart, but she can learn what to keep, what to postpone and when to ask for help.

A warm cozy fantasy about friendship, shared recipes and finding a place in a community without taking responsibility for all of it.