Salt and Sugar

I loved the little details that let me know this was set in Brazil without hitting me over the head with it. Of course there so many great food details! The neighborhood felt very real, so I was definitely transported while reading this. The enemies to livers trope was very well done! I was all in favor of her hating the Molinas. By the end though, I was starting to like the Molinas, except for maybe the mom. There were a couple times in the book that seemed unnecessarily dramatic, but it didn't detract from my overall love of the book.

A heart-warming story about food, family , dreams and hope and how love can come from the person you least expect it. Pedro & Larissa are such beloved characters to me and the depth that the author put into to them has me in awe. I highly recommend this wholesome book , also have some tissues ready because it certainly made me cry at times.

Rebecca Carvalho's Salt and Sugar seems to be a modern retelling of Shakespeare's famous Romeo and Juliet, set against the backdrop of Olina, a small, tight-knit community in Brazil. The story focuses on Lari Ramirez, Pedro Molina, and their families' decades-old feud between their family-owned bakeries, Salt and Sugar, respectively. When Lari costs herself and her classmates extra credit in math class, she asks her teacher if she can do anything to reverse what she's done. Lari's teacher says that if she joins a particular club—one about to lose a member—for the rest of the semester, she'll give the class extra credit. Little does Lari know that the club is the Cooking Club, and the president is Pedro Molina. Besides deciding if she can work side by side with her worst enemy, her neighborhood is dealing with the impending arrival of a large chain grocery store, Deals Deals, which is wiping out all the family-owned businesses. Eventually, Salt and Sugar will also come under pressure from Deals Deals. Will Lari and Pedro be able to put aside the feud and come together to help their families' bakeries? And will Lari ever be able to grieve her grandmother's passing and convince her mother that she could be great inside Salt's kitchen instead of as an accountant? Carvalho's debut novel encompasses spectacular elements: excellent writing, well-developed and well-rounded characters, an enemies-to-lovers trope, and a strong message that any reader can take something away from. Not to mention, the novel's incorporation of Northeastern Brazil's cultural bond elevates this modern retelling from good to great. Salt and Sugar by Rebecca Carvalho is an absolute must-read for teens and young adults.