Q&A: Caroline Bonin, Author of ‘A Barista’s Guide to Love & Larceny’

We chat with author Caroline Bonin about A Barista’s Guide to Love & Larceny, which is a cosy fantasy romance that combines magic, first love, and college life into a sweetly brewed and delicious read about a girl roped into investigating a company’s dangerous product.

Hi, Caroline! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Hi! I’m a fantasy writer living in the mountains of western North Carolina. I’ve lived in various parts of NC all my life, except for a brief excursion to Ohio to attend Oberlin College, where I studied music and creative writing. My debut novel, A Barista’s Guide to Love & Larceny, was partially inspired by my own stint as a barista after graduating.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing. My family loves to tell me about how I used to copy the words from picture books when I was really little—I just always had the instinct. I wrote my first “real” book in fifth grade, which spawned a whole series about unicorns.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: Picture books – The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton. Chapter books – The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye
• The one that made you want to become an author: The Song of the Lioness Series by Tamora Pierce
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Your debut novel, A Barista’s Guide to Love & Larceny, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Sweet, magical, whimsical, sincere, caffeinated.

What can readers expect?

Readers can expect a sweet romance blended with a magical heist and an espresso shot of found family!

Where did the inspiration for A Barista’s Guide to Love & Larceny come from?

The initial inspiration came from my own time working as a barista, when I used to write on pastry bags between customers. I also really wanted to write a book set in college that wasn’t necessarily dark academia, but captured all the messy magic I’d experienced attending university—and a little real magic, too.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

So many! My favorite moments to write are always the emotionally tense scenes where characters are faced with hard choices or realizations. It’s so fun to explore how they react to big moments like that, and I hope readers enjoy reading their reactions too.

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

Oh, yes! The heist was very tricky to write, and I definitely relied on my agent to help me talk through some of the plot snarls that came up along the way. An outside perspective always helps me when I’m not sure how to move forward in a book—so does physically going outside!

This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?

It’s been a roller coaster for sure! I’ve been working towards this goal since I graduated college over ten years ago, and this isn’t the first book I’ve tried to publish. But I’m so grateful for how everything has unfolded and for the people who have supported me and this book. I’m very lucky to have my agent and my editor in my corner and for how much they’ve aligned with my vision in such an exciting way.

What’s next for you?

Hopefully publishing more books! I’d love to explore more departments in Fox’s Leap University, the magic school setting of A Barista’s Guide to Love & Larceny, but I have a range of ideas I hope to delve into in the coming years.

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?

Oh my gosh, there are SO many books that I’m looking forward to in 2026, especially from fellow debuts. A few I’m especially excited for include You’re Dead to Me, Reed Walker by Gwenyth Reitz, The Free Verse Society by Delali Adjoa, and The Faithful Dark by Cate Baumer.

Will you be picking up A Barista’s Guide to Love & Larceny? Tell us in the comments below!