Batter Royale

Rose is seventeen and works as a waitress in a small town, but her cooking catches the attention of a well-known food critic. Before long, she and her closest friend, Fred, are swept into the demanding world of competitive baking when she is picked for a televised baking show. The contest runs for ten days of strange and unpredictable tasks, and some of the other contestants will deceive and undermine their rivals to get ahead.

Rose is not sure she belongs among such skilled bakers, but she refuses to let go of her goal of becoming a leading chef. As the rivalries heat up, a sweet romance develops alongside the competition, and the story keeps a light, comic tone throughout. Rose and Fred are an outsider and her loyal friend navigating an unfamiliar setting, and the book explores how ambition and perseverance can carry someone from ordinary circumstances toward a bigger future.

This is Leisl Adams's first graphic novel, and it combines a romantic comedy with a behind-the-scenes look at a baking contest. It will appeal to fans of food-centered stories and to readers who enjoy competition stories, especially those who love pastry and dessert.