Okay, confession time – I bought this recipe book mainly because my apartment needed that 'freshly baked bread' smell without the Yankee Candle price tag. And let me tell you, my bread machine has been working overtime ever since!

The basic white bread recipe on page 7? Absolute game-changer. Waking up to that warm, yeasty aroma on Saturday mornings feels like living in a French bakery. Pro tip: set the timer so the bread finishes just before your alarm goes off – best wake-up call ever.

I do wish there were more adventurous recipes though. While the cinnamon raisin loaf is delicious (my coworkers keep 'casually' stopping by my desk when I bring it in), I was hoping for some wild card options like matcha swirl or spicy jalapeño-cheddar breads.

Biggest frustration? The ebook situation. Had to repurchase because the file got corrupted, and that stung more than forgetting to add yeast that one time (we don't talk about The Brick Incident of 2023).

Still – worth it for the way my kitchen smells right now. Sorry Yankee Candle, but nothing beats the real thing.