For anyone who likes YA contemporary, family, and food, I couldn't recommend this book enough. Emoni Santiago is a beautifully written protagonist who has to juggle being a teen mom, her aspirations to become a chef, and romance of course! Her fears about financial instability and having to build trust with others helps you get a solid idea of where she comes from. And the diverse cast of LGBTQ and BIPOC characters was an added bonus with Emoni being Afro-Latinx. The way her intersectional identities are portrayed as a young woman of color without overdoing stereotypes or issues was so refreshing.
Most of all though, I appreciated the relationship Emoni has with food. Tad bit cliché, but I have to say it felt authentic. We follow a journey of self-discovery not only of someone trying to envision herself pursue cooking, but actually making the tough choices to get her there. Fun read and can't wait to see what Acevedo comes up with next!
Most of all though, I appreciated the relationship Emoni has with food. Tad bit cliché, but I have to say it felt authentic. We follow a journey of self-discovery not only of someone trying to envision herself pursue cooking, but actually making the tough choices to get her there. Fun read and can't wait to see what Acevedo comes up with next!