All We Hunger For

Mercier’s lush romantasy debut follows an ambitious baker who becomes embroiled in magical and political intrigue when she’s tapped to participate in a culinary competition. Teenage Elara Rousseau dreams of escaping a life of financial insecurity to open her own bakery, but her reputation throughout Anespérer as the daughter of a murdered revolutionary overshadows her talents. Using an assumed identity, her ex-boyfriend sneaks her into prestigious cooking tournament Objet d’Art, the winner of which becomes Souverain of the Societe des Arts Culinaires, an influential leader within Anespérer. Her unexpected competitive success puts her on the radar of Nikolas Dupont, an affluent peer desperate to please his own powerful father. Nikolas offers crucial support that helps Elara navigate each grueling stage of the competition and inch closer to obtaining power and status beyond her wildest dreams. But as revolution once again simmers in the streets of Anespérer, Elara finds herself confronted with choices that will determine the city’s fate. Tangible descriptions of mouthwatering dishes combine with empathetic portrayals of social and economic disparity, as experienced by a memorably drawn cast, described as having varying skin tones. It’s a tantalizing recipe of complex plotting, Parisian atmosphere, political intrigue, arts-based magic, and revolution. Ages 14–up. Agent: Michaela Whatnall, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (June)