A Barista’s Guide to Love & Larceny coming January 13th, 2026 from Feiwel & Friends; 352 pages
Content Warning: Child abuse, abandonment
About the Author: “Caroline Bonin writes books about big, magical feelings and girls who glow in the dark. She studied the Irish harp and creative writing at Oberlin College, and received a master’s degree in digital marketing from Arizona State University. When not writing or reading, you can find her playing video games, hiking, sewing, or exploring local coffeeshops. She lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains with her partner and their three cats: Poptart, Nightingale, and Laura Bailey” (Bio from author’s Goodreads profile).
Find Caroline Bonin on the following platforms:
Dani Lionet is living her dream at long last: attending Fox’s Leap University and staying far away from her opportunistic parents. Balancing school and work is challenging, and her financial situation leaves much to be desired, but she wouldn’t trade her freedom for the world. But her routine gets thrown upside down when a new professor starts looking too closely at Dani’s secret abilities and how they can help in her investigation of a new drug being developed by OneiroLabs. Upon seeing the effect it has on one of her regulars at the cafe Quarter Cast, she’s determined to help however she can. If that wasn’t enough, Dani meets Kass, a cute and charming boy, and for the first time in her life she must navigate the world of romance. She doesn’t expect the two worlds to collide—doesn’t want them to tangle together—but when they do, she’s left wondering if she can even trust herself.
I have conflicting feelings regarding A Barista’s Guide to Love & Larceny. On the one hand, I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and their dynamics with one another. Oliver, Dani’s regular and a former participant in OneiroLabs’ clinical trials, was a pleasant surprise to the novel! They were a good example of a nonbinary character whose identity isn’t a big deal, and I thoroughly enjoyed their fast friendship with Dani. McKenna—Dani’s best friend and roommate—and Dani’s banter and unwavering support of each other was really refreshing, and I thought the romance between Dani and Kass was absolutely adorable. I also enjoyed the plot involving OneiroLabs, and the way Bonin wrote the side effects of their new product created a really horrifying image. I think it’s a great critique of large corporations and their willingness to throw ethics aside for a quick dollar. My biggest gripe with the book, though, and what sapped a lot of enjoyment out of it for me as a fantasy lover, was the world-building. I thought the magic that characters could learn was interesting, and I really liked how integrated magic was in this world. But I got pulled out of the whimsical reality multiple times by mentions of brands like Louboutin and Doc Martens. I was left wondering to what extent this world existed in our reality—if at all. By the end of the novel, I was left with no clearer picture on how the world actually worked. Maybe I just think too hard about world-building, but it completely broke the immersion for me. It’s a fun book if vibes-based world-building is more your style.
A Barista’s Guide to Love & Larceny releases on January 13th, 2026.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank Fierce Reads and Feiwel & Friends for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Grace McCool, Pine Reads Review Writer & Editor