#BookReview: Salty, Bitter, Sweet by Mayra Cuevas

Synopsis: “Happiness, like love, arrives through the kitchen. At least that’s what my abuela Lala used to say. I may not know much about love, but I definitely got the kitchen part down.”

Seventeen-year-old aspiring chef Isabella Fields’ family life has fallen apart after the death of her Cuban abuela and the divorce of her parents. She moves in with her dad and his new wife in France, where Isabella feels like an outsider in her father’s new life, studiously avoiding the awkward, “Why did you cheat on Mom?” conversation.

The upside of Isabella’s world being turned upside down? Her father’s house is located only 30 minutes away from the restaurant of world-famous Chef Pascal Grattard, who runs a prestigious and competitive international kitchen apprenticeship. The prize job at Chef Grattard’s renowned restaurant also represents a transformative opportunity for Isabella, who is desperate to get her life back in order.

But how can Isabella expect to hold it together when she’s at the bottom of her class at the apprenticeship, her new stepmom is pregnant, she misses her abuela dearly, and a mysterious new guy and his albino dog fall into her life?


Goodreads | Amazon

Rating: ★★★
My Review: This coming of age novel had it all, food a diverse cast, and it was part of #OwnVoices which I just love.  But, unfortunately I lost interest early on. I really just didn't care for the character and her seeing her dad kiss someone was just weird.  It felt like the story lost focus after the book really got going. 

Go Into This One Knowing:  Salty, Bitter, Sweet:- Is a YA contemporary #OwnVoices novel written by CNN producer Mayra Cuevas - Features a Latina main character who is trilingual - Is inspired by the author’s relationships with food and family - Explores complicated family dynamics and relatable themes of friendship, acceptance, and learning to care for yourself 

Isabella has faced a lot of heartbreak and disappointment. Her beloved grandmother, who instilled in her a passion for cooking, recently passed away, and her parents divorced after a rocky marriage and her father's affair. The silver lining: she's spending the summer in France with her father and new stepmother and participating in a highly selective cooking class for young people at the restaurant of the world-famous Chef Grattard. If she wins the competition and gets the highly sought-after restaurant apprenticeship, her dreams of running a high-end restaurant will become closer to reality. But is being a chef all it's cracked up to be? And what about Diego, her stepmother's stepson from another marriage, who is suddenly crashing with her new family? Diego is handsome but complicated, and he's throwing another curveball into Isabella's already complex new life. But with the help of her fellow classmates Lucia and Pippa, Isabella just might make it through the intensely demanding culinary course and figure out what she really wants in the process. Cuevas does a wonderful job of weaving together a coming of age, early love story with compelling characters and the beautiful scenery of Europe. What makes the story unique is the emphasis on career success while also maintaining self-care and a moral compass. Isabella is a character who many teens would love to have as a friend, with her raw honesty, ambition, and genuine passion for her loved ones as well as the culinary arts. This book will take readers to the beautiful cities of Europe and into a strong, compassionate teenage girl's heart. VERDICT A heartwarming testament to the power of female friendships, the drive for success on one's own terms, and accepting one's family, even if they turn out differently than originally thought. (School Library Journal (Margaret A. Robbins, University of Georgia, Athens))

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Posted in: 3 Stars, BlinkYABooks, Netgalley, Promo, Young Adult