Author: Enola M. Douglas

Series: Mystic Misfits

First Published: 01 August 2025

“The best memories are not in things. They live in our hearts.”

I will start by saying that I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own. Thank you so much to Enola for sending a copy my way!

Her currency is sugar and spice.
He asks for a scandalous price.

Aura Cassia is a Kitchen Witch with no lineage, a modest bakery, and an orphanage full of mixed-blood children about to be homeless. When a ruthless property magnate sets his sights on demolishing her sanctuary, Cassia storms the city’s most exclusive gentlemen’s club to demand a miracle.

Enter Varil Arkenoth: the ‘Idle Prince’ of the Demon District. Society whispers about his disregard for duties, but Ark guards a secret life far more dangerous—and purposeful—than his reputation suggests. He offers her a scandalous pact: play his fiancée for the Yulefrost season to ward off his mother’s matchmaking attempts, and he will use his influence to save her sanctuary.

As their romp across glittering galas turn into late-night domestic comforts, the line between performance and reality blurs. In a world that values bloodlines over belonging, a stubborn baker and a demon with too many secrets must decide if their fake bond is worth a real war.

The moment Enola started posting about Smoke, Mirrors, & Misdemeanours, I knew I was going to love it and I was correct. This is pure perfection. The balance of a whimsical, magical world, swoony romance and plot with a surprising amount of heart left me not wanting to leave. ⁠

Cassia is a Kitchen Witch. She runs a modest bakery with no connection to any coven because she’s mixed-race, and she runs a Starlight Orphanage full of other mixed-race children. She works overtime to keep the roof over these children’s heads. Things go south when a ruthless demon property magnate is determined to buy the Starlight Orphanage. After one too many rejections from covens, she storms the city’s most exclusive club. She has nothing to lose and is desperate to demand that this demon stay away from the orphanage. Cassia does make waves and draws the attention of Ark, the Idle Demon Prince. Ark is sick of society’s whispers about his disregard for duties, even if his reputation helps hide his secret life, and Cassia could be the perfect distraction. Ark offers Cassia a deal she can’t refuse; be his fiancée for the Yulefrost season to ward off his mother’s matchmaking attempts, and he will use his influence to save her sanctuary. As their relationship spans from the height of demon high society to the quiet moments at Starlight, the lines between image and reality start to blur. In a world that values bloodline, can Ark and Cassia be together? Or are they destined to be just a fake fling?

Cassia has the biggest heart. Despite being shunned by so many covens for being half-human, she’s built a community around herself from the kids and staff at the orphanage and her two besties. She is 100% prone to taking on too much and puts a lot of pressure on herself to be everything to everyone. To the point that Cassia doesn’t have the energy to make sure she takes care of herself. She has a tough time letting people support her. I loved seeing Cassia find a safe place to land with Ark.

Ark⁠ is a shadow-wielding demon and heir to the throne. He has a strained relationship with his family as he struggles under the weight of their expectations. Publicly, he neglects his duties and seems to be squandering his time. But runs a secret business with his closest friends. It was beautiful how Cassia helps Ark repair his strained relationship with his family, which means he can drop his aloof public image. 

I am a sucker for a fake dating moment and this was chef’s kiss. I adored seeing all the real moments in their fake dates. The tension between Ark and Cassia was palpable. I was cheering and giggling the moment the steamy moments hit. I was swooning the entire time. Honestly, I could read 1000 more pages of these two.

I am all kinds of obsessed with this world. Honestly, no one does world-building quite like Enola. It feels so real that I am ready to move to Meredith tomorrow. Underneath the charm of this whimsical world, we see the prejudice and class system this society was built on, particularly with how Cassia struggles to get funding for Starlight Orphanage. As Starlight supports mixed-race children, they get whatever, if any, funding is left over. They also don’t get access to future opportunities if they can’t attach to a bloodline.

There is a surprise sucker punch moment which just about broke me. I was reading a few chapters through a curtain of tears. Thankfully, the HEA pieced my heart back together and left me with all the warm, fuzzy feelings. The last chapter has me excited to see what happens in the sequel! Which I need stat! ⁠

⁠If you love your fantasy on the cozy side and enjoy the whimsy of Howl’s Moving Castle or Fae Flings and Corset Strings series, you need to pick this up!