ALA Booklist (Wed Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2012)

There is something magical about the pastries from the Bliss family bakery. The residents of Calamity Falls will admit to as much, though they have no idea just how magical. The Bliss children themselves have an inkling, although Rose, the responsible one, would love to know more. When their parents go away, the children promise not to touch the magic Cookery Book (which has been handed down from generation to generation), but it's oh-so-difficult to resist. Throw in the arrival of a long-lost relative and watch the mayhem ensue. Littlewood has written an entertaining family caper; the dynamics between the siblings are amusing, as they unite in the face of the chaos caused by the enchanted recipes, everything from Love Muffins to Cookies of Truth. Although the fiasco is fairly predictable, readers will likely enjoy the fun to be had in sorting out all the trouble. With the ending left wide-open for a sequel, there could very well be more bliss to come.

Horn Book (Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2012)

Rosemary Bliss promises not to unlock the family's magical cookbook ("Bliss Cookery Booke") while her parents are away, but the opportunity arises. Rose; her siblings Thyme, Sage, and Parsley; and a beautiful stranger named "Aunt" Lily experiment with magical recipes that wreak havoc on the town. This whimsical adventure melds baking, sibling camaraderie, magic, and fantasy to diverting effect.

Kirkus Reviews

Twelve-year-old Rose and her siblings stir up trouble in Calamity Falls when they experiment with some old family recipes after their parents leave the Bliss bakery in their hands. Ever since she saw "her mother fold a lightning bolt into a bowl of batter," Rose has known "her parents made magic in the Bliss bakery." Their secret recipes, guarded in the Bliss Cookery Booke, have discreetly averted many catastrophes in Calamity Falls. Next to her gorgeous brother Ty, her funny brother Sage and her adorable sister Leigh, dependable Rose feels invisible, but she longs to be a "good baker wizard." When her parents go away, Rose is left in charge of the Cookery Booke and warned to let no one open or move it. Immediately, a mysterious stranger named Lily arrives, announcing she's a distant cousin who's come to help with the bakery. Rose suspects Lily really wants the Booke, but she falls under Lily's insidious influence and finds herself baking and dispensing Love Muffins and Cookies of Truth with hilarious results. As Rose bakes her way out of trouble, she must choose between Lily and her own family. A heroine with baking in her blood and a zany plot liberally sprinkled with humor blend into fun family adventure. Black-and-white spot art highlights story elements. Lighthearted bliss. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

The Follow Your Bliss Bakery has a remedy for everything. Stone Sleep Snickerdoodles can cure sleepwalking, and Fluffy White Macaroons once lifted a neighbor right out of a well. When the Bliss parents go on a business trip, they leave the key to their magical Bliss Cookery Booke with 12-year-old Rosemary, and things go haywire. -Aunt- Lily (a distant cousin) shows up, charming Rosemary-s siblings, but Rosemary senses Lily-s true aim: to steal the book. The only way to test Lily-s trustworthiness is to whip up some of the magical recipes and observe her reactions. After Rosemary-s brother distributes their experiments to the whole town, creating crowds of love-struck teenagers, nuns who can-t hold their tongues, and general mayhem, Rosemary wonders if she-s fit to be a -kitchen magician- after all. Littlewood-s first novel mixes the sincere and the silly with entertaining results. This lighthearted family adventure offers a well-meaning and believably insecure heroine, as well as boisterous sibling interactions, and the open-ended finale suggests that readers can expect to see the Bliss family again soon. Ages 8-12. Agent: Michael Stearns and Ted Malawer, the Inkhouse. (Feb.)

School Library Journal (Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

Gr 7-10 From the opening lines voiced by 14-year-old Sophie Marks, readers will know that something about her reclusive life is definitely wrong. Homeschooled by a mother obsessed with order, who keeps them moving to avoid the "No Good," Sophie disobeys instructions to stay hidden and makes contact with Joey, the boy next door, and the two old women who care for him. Her chapters alternate with those narrated by Emmy Rane, a young mother whose baby is kidnapped during the few minutes she goes inside for a blanket. Her husband's accusations and police suspicions about Emmy's erratic behavior lead to her incarceration in a mental hospital. Drawn into the warmth of Joey's unconventional family, Sophie gains courage to challenge her mother's prohibitions and uncovers the truth of her past. The dual narratives reveal losses that all of the characters have suffered. Miss Cloris and Miss Helen abandoned their plans of travel and adventure to care for Joey after the death of his family. Even the kidnapper acted from a twisted logic of loss. Although Emmy's and Sophie's stories converge in a reunion, the future remains uncertain. Kephart ably creates two distinct voices. Emmy's fragile mental state includes flashbacks to her own childhood and fragmented accounts of her frantic search for Baby. Sophie's account of the love and perseverance of Joey's family bolsters her own resolve for a different life. Readers will hope that the open ending can include room for them in Sophie's future. An evocative exploration of many forms of loss and survival. Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato