The Heartbreak Bakery

The Heartbreak Bakery introduces Syd, a nonbinary teenager who copes with emotions through baking. When a batch of post-breakup brownies accidentally gains magical properties, it causes a ripple of romantic separations throughout Austin's vibrant queer community, including the beloved owners of the Proud Muffin bakery where Syd works. This YA novel explores themes of identity, community, and the complexities of relationships, all while Syd tries to reverse the magical heartbreak. It's a heartwarming story about taking responsibility, finding belonging, and the power of love in its many forms. Ideal for ages 12-18, it offers a gentle yet poignant exploration of emotional resilience and queer representation.

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.