Novel | 2025

Secrets, Spells, and Chocolate

At the world’s greatest magical cooking school, risks matter just as much as whisks.

Sylvie has been dreaming of attending her mom’s alma mater, Brindille School of Culinary Arts and Magic, since she was old enough to reach the stove. Unfortunately, the last name Jones has a horrible stain on it, something that could destroy her dream. So, when Sylvie is given the opportunity to prove that she’s got the skills to be a great chef and put an end to the rumors that her famous chef mother cheated her way to victory at the world’s greatest magical cooking competition, The Golden Whisk, she takes it.

But the opportunity she’s been given may not be all that it’s cracked up to be. If Sylvie truly wants to make her own mark and earn a place at Brindille, she needs to uncover the truth about what happened all those years ago at the now infamous competition. But some will go to great lengths to ensure Sylvie fails, and she soon finds herself tangled in a web of deceit.



With the unlikely help of frenemy Georgia Shaw, and rising-star-student Flora Jackson, Sylvie must find a way to get to The Golden Whisk All-Star competition and uncover the past before time runs out. Will she be able to redeem her family’s name and save her future, or will it all end in burned butter and broken dreams?
“Culinary magic, family secrets, and the fierce drive to forge your own destiny. Churchill has whipped up a crowdpleasing hit!”

— Soman Chainani,
New York Times bestselling author of the School for Good and Evil series.

“This story brought back the intensity, camaraderie, and fire of high-stakes kitchens with a whimsical twist. A feast for the senses and a celebration of imagination, and the inspiring and delightful magic of food.”

— Chef Hubert Keller,
Resident Judge on Top Chef Just Desserts, and host of Secrets of a Chef on PBS.

“A delicious treat of a novel, sparkling with whimsy and heart. You’ll devour this like your favorite dessert.”

— Dhonielle Clayton,

New York Times bestselling author of the Conjureverse series.

“Secrets, Spells & Chocolate is a delicious romp through a mysterious world of culinary magic, and intrigue! Marisa, an accomplished chef in her own right, has crafted a heart-racing adventure, full of fantastical ingredients and powerful characters, for food and fantasy lovers of all ages. I couldn’t put it down!”

— Gail Simmons,

Food Expert, Top Chef Judge, and Author of Bringing It Home.

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