Deadly Sweet

I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
2.5 stars

This book started out great. Well... not for our main character. Anise is rejected by all the culinary schools she has applied to and due to an accident ends up being arrested... For the reader though, this is all quite exciting, if not still sad. The writing, I thought, started out strong and had me somewhat gripped.

The thing is, at about 30% I was so done with the book. The “let's not tell the main character anything including how to do her job” was so, so irritating. No one on their first day of work isn't told where their uniform is or how they are supposed to do something or, you know, why they have a bodyguard.
I need to breathe here for a second, so I don't keep ranting...

The mystery, I felt, was pretty straightforward. I had guessed who it would be and while there was a minute where I was second guessing myself, I was pretty darn sure I knew who it would be. Why? A theory I'm trying to define but what I'm calling –possible spoiler to who villain is: first boy syndrome! Where the first boy seen is the one the MC will end up with, even if she doesn't really like him at first .

As for the characters.... Anise, our MC, felt a little flat to me towards the end. She's a decent character though and has many good traits. Possibly may be considered a likeable character. Everyone else is pretty much wallpaper though and one-dimensional. These characters like Anise immediately, these ones are a mystery, this one is a potential love, etc. But, I see how with the next book this might change.
Wynn is my favorite though. I know, I have a huge thing for anti-heroes or the scowling, bad boy. I need help because he barely even talked! Like, come on, let the poor boy speak!!! Also, Anise is always with him are you telling me she didn't try talking to him about things while he drove her places? Poor Wynn is another character developed off a set archetype. And yet, I totally fell for it.

I was also surprised on the lack of magic in the book. Anise has little training... will no one train her? No magical classes yet? Lame. Wynn is a bodyguard!! who has mountains of weapons.... So, don't come into this thinking it will have a ton of magic, it doesn't. Lots of baking, though, so I constantly wanted cake.

The final question: will I continue this series? Probably not :/
I want to know the conditions of Wynn's contract and I want to see his character (and others) develop, but I also don't want to be disappointed... So, I might end up just reading other reviews?
We will see... if the next book goes on Netgalley, I remember it and still am interested, then I might pick it up.