Sparkling romance, authentic family and friend relationships, and witty, relatable characters meld like the sweetest ingredients. A delight!” —Laura Taylor Namey, New York Times bestselling author of A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow
“Filled with decadent descriptions of food, bittersweet rivalries, and zesty romantic tension, Guava and Grudges will have you hungry for more. A deliciously sweet read!” —Ashley Poston, New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Romantics, The Seven Year Slip, and A Novel Love Story
“Filled with laugh out loud humor, a swoon worthy secret romance, and wholesome family hijinks, Guava and Grudges is an absolute delight. I couldn't get enough of Ana Maria and Miguel's sizzling chemistry and I haven't felt so happy-or hungry-reading a book in a long time!” —Axie Oh, New York Times bestselling author of XOXO and The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea
“A charming rom-com as sweet as the heroine's pastries with an endearing characters and a heartwarming take on rivals-to-lovers. This book is a delicious and delightful teen romance!” —Kat Cho, New York Times bestselling author of Once Upon a K-Prom
“Castellanos whips up a delicious romance packed with chemistry and flavored with notes of legacy, forgiveness, and community. This fresh and flavorful take on a classic trope was skillfully crafted. Guava and Grudges is truly the sweet treat readers have been hungry for.” —Racquel Marie, award-winning author of Ophelia After All
“Castellanos' enticing descriptions will have you craving Cuban food and passion in equal measure! Guava and Grudges tenderly portrays the guilt children of the diaspora battle as they grapple with the sacrifices their parents made to secure a brighter future. A heartwarming coming-of-age about falling in love with a future chosen rather than a future imposed by others.” —Vanessa Montalban, author of A Tall Dark Trouble
“Platters of mouthwatering desserts and large scoops of heartwarming romance will quench any foodie and rom-com reader's cravings, but Guava and Grudges' thoughtful pairing of honoring familial legacy with learning how to let go-well, that's the guava icing on top.” —Jessica Parra, author of Rubi Ramos's Recipe For Success and The Quince Project
“Guava and Grudges made me laugh, swoon, and desperately wish for one of Ana Maria's dreamy desserts. A delectable blend of star-crossed love, culture, and community that reads like a classic YA romance in all the best ways while feeling entirely fresh. I devoured it!” —Nina Moreno, author of Don't Date Rosa Santos and Our Way Back to Always
“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.'” —Booklist, starred review
“The perfect combination of food, romance, and treachery. [R]omantics and foodies will clamor for this debut.” —School Library Journal
“A sweet and delectable love story.” —Kirkus Reviews
09/13/2024
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
2024-07-04
A teen enlists help from an unlikely source to make her culinary dreams come true.
Rising 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)