Salt and Sugar

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.