Rebecca Carvalho

Thank you to BookishFirst for allowing me to read this book before it released!

Salt and Sugar is probably one of my favorite modern retellings of Romeo and Juliet I have read in years. The Ramires and Molinas are the new Montagues and Capulets.

I cried, in a good way, when reading this book because it brought me back to growing up watching my grandpa and gramma cook all the wonderful Italian food. Then reminded me how sad that kitchen became when my grandpa passed away. Rebecca Carvalho does such a wonderful job putting you into the feelings and emotions Lari's family is going through with the passing of her grandmother.

Because of this I was felt just as upset as Lari and her family did when Pedro's family crossed the line of sweets vs savory. The way Lari and Pedro are written is so beautifully done and you want to root for them to get over their pasts and get together. You can feel the chemistry pop off the page each moment they are together.

I highly recommend this book to those who like the fighting families, "enemies to lovers", and sweet enduring character books.… (mere)

Always good to come across a setting that’s unusual for contemporary YA, I enjoyed learning about the food in Brazil though I would have loved a few more cultural and scenic details.

Lari’s extreme clumsiness bordered on unrealistic at times, however, in the kitchen settings it seemed so much more organic to the story, it made sense her fumbling things when she would be most nervous to be found out and where she would most feel the pressure to measure up to her grandmother’s legacy, and it was in those true-seeming struggles where I found Lari most endearing.

The vitriol between the mothers wasn’t my favorite, I did like other aspects of the rivalry plot though, how there were more layers to the bad feelings between the families than Lari initially knew, how the big business vs. small business aspect gave them a common enemy, and I thought it played well in the romance, too, the author smartly pacing Lari and Pedro’s burgeoning relationship so that trust remained an issue throughout as you’d imagine it would when you’ve been trained to dislike someone since childhood.

Aside from the few minor issues I’ve mentioned here, overall this was an entertaining read sprinkled with a handful of poignant moments.… (mere)

Salt and Sugar was about so much more than just a happy, young love romance. There were moments that brought me to tears as I got to see the grief these characters experienced. There was something about this story that took me on an emotional rollercoaster, with all the ups and downs. I laughed, I cried, but most of all, I was touched. I had a beautiful experience reading this book, and I didn't want it to stop.

The enemies-to-lovers trope is one of my favorites. I find that there is something heartwarming when characters get over their preconceived notions, when they start to see the truth, not just what they have always wanted to believe. The characters in this book had to do that a lot due to the feud between the families. But they never really knew each other. They never got to see the person behind the tainted view of the feud. But then they did. It happened gradually, without a strong presence, just the way I like it. Then they had to fight to save so much more than just their homes, but also their relationship.

The other elements of love and friendship throughout the community was touching. They gave a whole new definition to family. They had their blood relatives, but also their community family. I really wish we had seen more of those connections explored and brought into the story.

While I did enjoy some characters more than others, I could see a purpose behind each and every one of them. They each brought their own life to the story. I felt like I really knew all of them.

One of the great things about books is getting to see a different world from your own. I actually could vividly picture everything from this book. I could see the culture throughout the story even though I haven't really read much having to do with it. It was great to see. I felt like I was there, experiencing this story. Perhaps that is why I got to emotional invested in the story.

Sadly, it couldn't go on forever, but it is one I hope to read again and again. Maybe we will see more of these characters in the future? I certainly hope so. I will definitely check out any other books from this author in the future based on this amazing book. I highly recommend!… (mere)