Starred Review ALA Booklist (Thu Oct 31 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Starred Review Ana Maria Ybarra, known to her friends and neighbors as "Amy" to avoid the nuisance of Americanized mispronunciation, has always done her duty as the committed eldest daughter. She supports her parents by working at their Cuban bakery and she maintains a hatred for their generational enemy and rival, the Morales Bakery. But Ana Maria dreams of being a Michelin-starred pastry chef, not of the colleges her Mom pushes or taking over the family business for her dad. Luckily, she's on track to support herself for French pastry school, so long as she wins the recipe scholarship she's been sneaking into the bakery at night to work on. The social media element is not her strong suit, but when she learns that Miguel, who she skipped a college tour to spend a fateful day taste-testing L.A. with, is in town and has a knack for food film and photography, she just might have a chance at winning. So long as no one discovers her help and potential love interest is a Morales. Though the plot buildup starts slow, readers will soon be satiated with youthful romance and a craving for Cuban cuisine. Castellanos crafts a sweet, delicious story that thoughtfully turns immigrant-parent stereotypes on their head and rightfully notes that "sometimes letting something go is the only way forward."

Kirkus Reviews

A teen enlists help from an unlikely source to make her culinary dreams come trueRising senior Ana Maria Ybarra loves helping at her family's Cuban bakery. Her dad wants her to take over the struggling business, but, dreaming of attending pastry school in Paris, she enters a scholarship competition for "Latin American students interested in furthering their food-related education." Meanwhile, her mom wants her to attend a good college like UCLA, and it's on a college tour in Los Angeles that Ana Maria meets handsome Cuban American Miguel Fuentes. They share one incredible day-and an unforgettable kiss-before parting, likely for forever. When Miguel suddenly appears at a party in Ana Maria's small Washington state hometown, they have the same strong connection, but it's ruined by the revelation that Miguel is a cousin of the Morales family, who run a nearby Cuban bakery that went viral with their dessert burritos. Thanks to a decades-old betrayal, the Ybarras don't trust the Moraleses. Still, struggling with the social media aspect of the scholarship contest, Ana Maria secretly accepts help from talented aspiring cinematographer Miguel. Their chemistry is undeniable, but they'll have to overcome their family feud if they want to be together. This fun, heartwarming story of star-crossed lovers centers on a relatable lead who's struggling with her family's expectations and her own desires. Cuban food, culture, and immigration stories are seamlessly woven throughout, enriching the characterization and setting.A sweet and delectable love story. (recipe)(Romance. 12-18)

School Library Journal (Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Gr 10 Up —Star-crossed lovers whose embattled families have a history running competing Cuban bakeries take the figurative cake in an enemies-to-lovers romance. Salivating over the pastries is only the half of it. The discovery that Ana Maria and Miguel cannot be together is a new twist after Miguel moves to the area. His family's last name wasn't a topic of discussion when the two spent a decadent day together six months ago. Their secret collaboration for Ana Maria to win a recipe competition using Miguel's photography will not only get them in trouble with their families but uncover the real traitor. The perfect combination of food, romance, and treachery is the hallmark of Castellanos's book. Readers will be turning pages as the plot is a balance of sweet and sour notes but with expected swoon-worthy outcomes. Plus, the cast of secondary characters are as vividly realized as the main ones, including a hot-headed dad and a supportive best friend. Likewise, the serious treatment of baked goods enlivens the senses; this multisensory experience is the cornerstone of the romance subcategory that is yearned for and highlights, in this instance, the cultural intricacies of Cuban food with dazzling writing. VERDICT Teen romantics and foodies will clamor for this debut. A great read for those who enjoyed Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee, Eight Dates and Nights by Betsy Aldredge, and A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey.—Alicia Abdul