Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet

Synopsis:

“I‘m Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter meets Emergency Contact in this stunning story of first love, familial expectations, the power of food, and finding where you belong.

Penelope Prado has always dreamed of opening her own pastelería next to her father’s restaurant, Nacho’s Tacos. But her mom and dad have different plans—leaving Pen to choose between disappointing her traditional Mexican American parents or following her own path. When she confesses a secret she’s been keeping, her world is sent into a tailspin. But then she meets a cute new hire at Nacho’s who sees through her hard exterior and asks the questions she’s been too afraid to ask herself.

Xander Amaro has been searching for home since he was a little boy. For him, a job at Nacho’s is an opportunity for just that—a chance at a normal life, to settle in at his abuelo’s, and to find the father who left him behind. But when both the restaurant and Xander’s immigrant status are threatened, he will do whatever it takes to protect his newfound family and himself.

Together, Pen and Xander must navigate first love and discovering where they belong in order to save the place they all call home.

This stunning and poignant novel from debut author Laekan Zea Kemp explores identity, found families, and the power of food, all nestled within a courageous and intensely loyal Chicanx community.”

Review:

I was so excited to pick up this book because of it’s focus on food. I love to cook, so when I find books that share my passion for food, I’m excited for them. This story was so much more than a story about a restaurant, it truly was a story about a community coming together to save one of their own.

Food brings people together and the author does an amazing job of describing not only the food in the book but that feeling of serving food with love that people can feel. This story is told in dual narratives of the two main characters and with each dealing with so much beyond the restaurant, I didn’t feel as though their struggles were as well developed as I would have liked. But I really like the dual narrative and it worked out well. There are times when multiple perspectives can be confusing because the characters themselves aren’t fully realized. But that was not the case in this story – changing perspective was never confusing or difficult. This coming of age novel would make a great summer read!

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Verdict:

A coming of age novel told in dual narratives, this story will have you hungry for great food and great conversation with your family whether they be biological or chosen.

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Need to Know:

Title: Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet
Author: Laekan Zea Kemp
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 6, 2021
Page Number: 352 pgs.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.