I know what it’s like to be a Latina and fall in love with England. This book reignited all of the feelings I had when I flew there three years ago and I’m so grateful for it! I loved the romance but it was the pastelitos that stole my heart.

First things first, there is SO much delicious food discussed in this book that it made me hungry while reading! Lila is such a lovable character, and I loved seeing her grow into herself as she made her mark on a completely new place, simply by using what she knows and holds dear. This book also deals a lot with grief, with her abuela's death being one of the lynchpins in her undoing. Her grief felt so raw and real in the way that it fluctuated and changed, and I appreciated Orion's perspective on there not being a "worse" way but each was equally hard and challenging in its own way.

Absolutely adorable! And a cover that draws you in and is simply wonderful. Just the right balance of friendship to romance, blending of cultures, and humor and tension. I loved the mini-vacas into Lila’s and Orion’s lives...tasting their food, seeing their views, and hearing their music. Especially intriguing was the peak into what could be a future enterprise at the tea shop if Lila decides to take her pastry skills to Maxwells. I’d love companion stories to follow the other characters since there were some interesting side stories percolating. All-in-all a really well done romantic escape. It’s what I’ve been needing during this 2020 weirdness.

Sweet and completely charming. A recommended first purchase for YA and high school collections where contemporary stories are popular.

A cute romance about culture, travel, and the meaning of home.

I thought I would love this, but it ended up just being okay. The descriptions of the food were hands down the best part--you can sense the author's love and pride for Cuban culture and food in her writing. But the plot and the romance just weren't exciting enough for me. What kept me reading until the end was the hope for some resolution with the main character's estranged best friend, and that also ended up falling flat for me. I'll still purchase this, but I'm not sure I'll recommend it often after reading it myself.

This was the first book I’ve read by LauraTaylor Namey and I was so excited. Food, England, and romance? Yes, please!

For me, this book was very slow, especially in the beginning. I want to be drawn into a story in the first chapter, and that didn’t happen for me this time. Sometimes the writing didn’t flow smoothly for me either, causing me to have to re-read parts to follow. I found Lil’s character to sometimes be immature. I understand she was going through a lot, but for her age, it felt like she was just constantly complaining.

What I did enjoy was Orion and Gordon’s characters. They were a lot of fun and a great addition to the story.

As a non-Spanish speaker, I was afraid I would have trouble following the language, but the author did a great job of using context throughout to make sure that didn’t happen.

Overall, this wasn’t necessarily the book for me, but if you enjoy the Venezuelan culture, sweet treats, and an English romance, then this is for you! Thank you to S&S and NetGalley for this ARC

Lila had her future all mapped out! Her boyfriend and best friend would go to college in Miami, while she assumed her responsibilities at the family bakery. Yes, the future looked bright until her beloved grandmother passed away, her boyfriend broke up with her, and her best friend left for Africa. Her heart broken beyond repair, her family shipped her off to England, which helped Lila come to terms with her heartbreak and her future.

I don't want to sound like a fangirl, but SQUEEEEE! I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH! I adored the characters, the setting, the romance, the familial love, the food, and of course, the feels delivered by this stupendous story.

Let's start with the food. Wow! So. Much. Food. I expected to read about a lot of baked goods, and let me tell you, they all sounded amazing, but there was also a plethora of Cuban dishes sprinkled throughout. Namey did a beautiful job helping me "taste", "smell", and "see" each culinary delight. My advice - don't read this book on an empty stomach.

It was also fantastic being transported to Winchester, England. I simply loved touring the town with Lila. The picnics, stargazing, and motorbiking were some of the highlights, and I loved that the town served as more than just a backdrop. I felt the warmth and kinship of its inhabitants and delighted in the new friendships Lila made there.

As much as I delighted in these things, it was the characters who stole my heart. I instantly loved Lila and couldn't help but want to soothe her pain. She suffered "the trifecta" of losses, and each had such a profound impact on how she saw her world. It was wonderful to see her making so many new and important connections after everything she had lost. Orion and his circle welcomed Lila with open arms, and they played a big role in easing her heartache. I had a lot of fun with this group and counted Lila lucky to have found them.

Lila's family was also stupendous. Though Lila was not pleased that they plotted this whole getaway in secret, she grew to understand that they did it, because they loved her. They were so sweet and supportive, and even when Lila wasn't sure about her life, their belief in her never wavered. I was drowning in their outpouring of love and affection, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

The summer didn't turn out the way Lila thought it would, it turned out better! Though she suffered some grave losses, her world expanded in leaps and bounds. By moving out of her comfort zone, Lila discovered so much about herself, her abilities, her dreams, and her desires. Not only was I super warm and fuzzy at the end of this book, but I was overwhelmingly proud of Lila and the way she grew.

Overall: A wonderful story of love, loss, and self discovery made better with enchanting characters, a fantastic setting, and lots and lots of delectable food.

Review will be available on my blog, The Reading Fairy, on October 22nd.

TW: Death of a family member (off-page), gossip, grief, dementia, self-harm (mentioned)
Rep: Cuban MC

Disclaimer: I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect my opinion.

She forgets that what she does in one small moment can affect tomorrow.

I’ve been eyeing this book ever since I got the cover. It looks so good, and very cute-and I was very surprised to see that I got an ARC of one of my anticipated releases of this year! And while I think my expectations were a little too high as I kinda got a little disappointed with this book.

I expected something good, but it felt really lackluster and it may have been because of my expectations. It also lost the magic for me around the middle of the book, where it felt like there was really nothing to keep me interesting. I also don’t think it helped if I read this book, after doing a bit of schoolwork 😂.

This book made me hungry and I just now want to have Cuban food. I basically want anything that I never tried before or had as long as my gag reflex is decent. The descriptions of the food sounded so good, and I really want to try Lila’s cooking.

Can we talk about the romance though? I really want Orion in my life because he whisks Lila away on a motorbike, eating her food and mostly making sure that Lila loves cold, dreary England. But also, I want to go to England. It was so cute, and the way it was developed. And the ending was so swoon-worthy.

**3.75**
This was a cute and well written book that also made me SO hungry for all the Cuban food! I liked seeing Lila's growth as she bakes, makes friends and falls in love in England. I love how she genuinely struggled but also allowed herself to see the truth and work on being better. Her treatment of a side character was so very nice to see her do better for that person to help them. It is a slower burn romance than I had thought but I think Orion was a great love interest. While I wasn't always dying to keep reading the book and I think the two teens could've been a bit more upfront on their feelings, this was enjoyable. This is a great escapism book during these times. I'm interested to see what this author writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Antheneum Books for the ARC!

I finished this book with tears in my eyes because the ending was exactly what I needed to read at this moment in time. A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow is a beautifully written hug of a book. It follows Lila who is sent to stay with her aunt in England, leaving behind her Miami home, after a series of losses: the death of her beloved abuela, being dumped by her boyfriend, and abandoned by her best friend. Nothing seems to be going right in Lila's life, and to top it all off she has to spend her entire summer in dreary England.

But once she arrives, Lila starts to see things through new eyes, learning new things about herself and finding out that maybe this trip to England wasn't the worst plan. (Especially once a dreamy tea-selling boy comes into the picture)

I love Laura's writing so much. It's very lyrical and almost poetic, the way she describes things. And her characters are so vibrant that they almost seem like real people. I read her debut novel, The Library of Lost Things, which I also loved, but Lila and Orion may have taken over first place for me. It has everything I love about contemporary YA--a loveable, but slightly broken, heroine, a journey of figuring out who you are, and a swoon-worthy love interest. Plus, her descriptions of food are so delectable that I am seriously craving some Cuban pastries!

I definitely recommend this book if you are in need of distraction or even if you just need to read about a great romance (and pastries!). Also, I suggest reading it while wearing your fluffiest cardigan :)

A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, by Laura Taylor Namey, is a book that demands to be eaten with a snack -- and of course, a cuppa. When Lila Reyes experiences a trio of tragedies one right after another, her erratic behavior causes her parents and beloved older sister to pack her up for a summer staying with family in England. Lila, furious, tries to resist finding anything to love in this new town, but finds herself drawn in by Orion, seller of tea and soon to become tour guide for Lila's stay in England.

A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow mostly follows relatively expected beats, not doing anything new or revolutionary with the genre, even as it hits those beats very well. Lila is a wonderful protagonist, in that she feels like an actual human being. She is arrogant, for good reason it seems, about her baking, and headstrong to the point of disrupting her relationships at times. She is also a character the reader will find themselves rooting for, as she so clearly wants to do what is best not just for herself, but for her family and friends as well.

Where the novel really shines are the moments between the story, with beautiful little pieces of writing about immigrating and moving far away from family, about how to be true to yourself while being good to those around you, and about what to do when the plans you've made for yourself your whole life no longer fit just right.

Settle in with a pastry and a good cup of tea, and enjoy this cozy, sweet, at times heart aching story, one that is sure to make you want to pack up and move to England -- or maybe Miami.

Today I’m coming to you with the most special treat of a book: Laura Taylor Namey’s YA contemporary A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea & Tomorrow.

Told in writing that’s often lyrical, ACGGtTaT is both a story of grief & celebration as Lila Reyes copes with suffering three recent big losses & being sent away from the loving arms of her family to live in Hampshire, England for a summer.

After her beloved Abuelita dies—the woman who taught Lila how to bake—& her long-time boyfriend breaks up with her, & her best friend changes their graduation plans & moves to Africa for work instead, Lila is unmoored. Her protective, loving family decides that the best thing for her is a temporary new environment.

Lila leaves Miami, her family bakery, & her family (internally) screaming. But spending time with some of her other family in England, running the kitchen in their inn, & becoming friends with the local tea shop owner’s son, Orion Maxwell, make her see that her life & heart can follow a new map .

This beautiful book gives such love to place whether it’s Miami or England. Vivid descriptions; characters who delight in the world around them & the things they create; & food-rich scenes—mostly of Lila baking Cuban and/or English recipes—make for a sensory feast.

Lila’s confidence is inspiring & her relationship with Orion, their friendship that doesn’t stay just a friendship, is so sweet & banter-filled. While I did have a slight problem with the romantic timing of it all—esp given that Lila had just gotten out of a 3 yr relationship—her relationship with Orion moves so slowly, so gradually, that I was okay with it. And honestly, they’re so great together. So.

This lovely contemporary gave my heart the boost it needed last week. I highly recommend it & I’ll be singing its praises for a while into the future.

5⭐️. Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

Between spring and graduation, seventeen-year-old superstar Cuban cook Lila Reyes suffers the trifecta of pain: her abuela dies, her beloved boyfriend dumps her, and her best friend abandons her. In an effort to protect her mental health, her family sends her to Winchester, England. Lila begrudgingly boards the plane, angry that she’s forced to leave behind everything she’s ever known. Already vowing to hate England, Lila doesn’t expect to run into tea maker and superstition-collector Orion. With only three months in England and a looming plane ticket home, Lila has to decide between her past and her future, Miami or Winchester, her family or a new love.

Full of delicious-sounding Cuban cooking, my stomach growled almost the entire time I read this book. It’s a fairly light and quick read with some heavy topics wrapped in fun references to Cuban culture. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the execution of this high-spirited contemporary romance. I got off on the wrong foot with Lila from the very beginning by her annoyingly whiny attitude about her trip to England and her sometimes immature actions. However, I absolutely fell in love with Orion’s character. Sweet, thoughtful, and a lover of tea, it was fun to follow his journey throughout the story. Overall, it was a delectable read, but not my favorite contemporary novel I’ve read as of late.

(Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing us with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

I am very much here for cute stories written from different voices. This qualifies, and I'm glad to have been able to read an early copy!

What joy to get lost in England along with Lila as she finds herself and who she wants to become. While it was tropey, it was in the best way. Like a warm hug or a cup of tea, I found solace in the conflict, resolutions, joys, and romance. It was a great escapist fiction to snuggle into. I ended the book feeling hopeful and uplifted. It wasn't strictly a romance. Laura Namey dives into grief, friendship evolution and loss, emerging adulthood, and scrumptious food. Thanks to Netgalley and Atheneum Books for Young Readers for giving me the privilege of reading this title early during quite a stressful time in my life (and historically too no less).

This book was such a comforting and heart-warming read. Reading this book felt like being hugged by Orion: sweet, and I wish it ould last forever. I loved reading Lila's story as she struggled through every form of heartbreak there is while trying to pick up all of the pieces. The most devastating loss for her was her grandmother's death, which pulled at my heartstrings. You could feel the grief in her words and actions but also how she was able to honor her grandmother's memory and keep her spirit alive through her stories and her cooking. The food and cooking in this book is easily a favorite of mine: incorporating some of my favorite dishes and bringing everyone together. The heart of this book is on coping with loss but it's done in a light-hearted way, showing that there's always an opportunity to forge new connections while also remembering the ones you've lost. The cast of the tight-knit family and a new group of friends was perfect with fully-realized and realistic characters. I adored this book with all my heart.

I really love this author's writing. She has a way of weaving words that make her stories feel like they are full of life and breathing off of the page. This particular title was of interest to me because of the cultural aspect and I was super excited to dive in.

And it didn't disappoint! I found myself enveloped in the story, despite the fact that it was somewhat mundane. I read this in one sitting, so it was a nice contemporary to break up a ton of fantasy reading. I find that when I throw in a contemporary, I am pleasantly surprised.

I read Library of lost Things and was blown away by the mental illness rep. It was so important to have and the rep in this is just as important. I highly recommend this title and I absolutely love the cover art, too. I hope this makes people cover buy and fall in love with the story!

Ever wish a book would have come out when you were years younger? That’s how I’m currently feeling while reading this charming little novel by Laura Taylor Namey. A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow follows the story of Lila Reyes as she traverses the streets of England while recovering from a trifecta of painful life-altering events. Her abuela has just passed away, her best friend decided to abandon their college plans, and her boyfriend dumped her. Her year sounds a lot like 2020. I wouldn’t call it a recipe for success.
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The reason I wish this book had come out years ago is because I sincerely wish something this cute, by an Own Voices author would have been around when I was a teen. Perhaps there was, but I didn’t know of it?
As an adult, it’s a tad difficult to relate to, though fun to stand back and admire with a familiar nostalgia. As a Chicana, it rings with certain truths that only Spanish speaking people would find relatable.
There are sweet moments and heartbreaking ones. A mix of awkward teen cringe and the growing pains that come along with getting older.
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I found myself transported back into adolescence for a moment and I was reminded of the tender moments we all face with family, friendship, and love.
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A word of caution, this book contains far too much pasteles for an empty stomach. If you haven’t had lunch, be sure to have a bite before the talk of flan and pastelitos de guayaba comes into play. 😋🍮🍰
Unfortunately I could not procure any guava paste, but I did make some delicious spiced scones with pumpkin glaze to enjoy with my tea.
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If you’re looking for a light-hearted and sentimental read, you’ll find it in A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow. 💞✨

Actual rating 4.5

Lila Reyes has had a difficult time dealing with loss. Her grandmother, her boyfriend, and her best friend have all left her and, in an attempt to escape her feelings, she worries her family and forces them to send her to England to spend the summer with her cousin, Cate. No matter how much she resists, she finds herself in the kitchen of the inn that Cate owns, doing what she does best, baking. On her first day in the kitchen, she encounters Orion Maxwell, a proper British boy who pushes her boundaries and eventually becomes her unofficial tour guide around town. As Lila bakes, runs, and explores, she finds herself healing in ways she never thought possible. But her legacy is in Miami, with her family bakery, but can England and Orion Maxwell heal her enough to make her stay? Filled with whimsical writing and a teenager who finds herself in the most unexpected way, Lilas story transports the reader to the English countryside in a whirlwind of new and old friendships and the importance of self love.

Full of food, family, and feeling, this book follows a young Cuban girl as she is sent to England by her family to deal with her grief. This books is a dream for food-lovers as a love for food fills every page and the author inserts different recipe styles in the writing. This is a sweet and compelling coming of age story, with a perfect atmosphere.