So authentic and real! You could taste the food, the descriptions were so thorough they jumped off the page and into your mouth. I’m going to have to hunt down some Cuban food ASAP. I loved the sweet story between Lila and Orion, and I loved Lila finding herself. Namey has such a poetic way with words, some of the passages flowed so beautifully on the page. And, above all, what’s better than a book set in England?

I really enjoyed A Cuban’s Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow! The plot was mostly set in England, with hints of Miami and the whole Cuban culture sprinkled in. The author did a beautiful job on creating the main character, Lila–which is always a plus!!–and in bringing the rich descriptions to life!! It felt like I was in that kitchen, smelling those pastries and dancing the salsa with my friends XD
(full review on my blog)

Move over, any other romance, I think I’ve found my new favorite! I’ve been excited for this story since I saw the PW deal announcement last year (back when it had a different title, even!), and all of my expectations were far exceeded. I’m having a hard time putting into words exactly what I feel about this book, but suffice it to say that I loved everything.

Let’s start with the food. I’m not typically one of those readers who feels hungry when reading foodie books, but that changed here. Lila’s Cuban pastries gave me such strong cravings for baked goods. If there isn’t a recipe book in the back of my finished copy, I will be so sad. I love reading books about chefs because they all have such strong memories attached to their cooking, Lila included. Her Abuela teaching her how to bake, running La Paloma with her sister Pilar, sharing a kitchen with her family, all laid out with Namey’s signature beautiful writing, constantly brought smiles to my face.

Lila, of course, is a strong character outside her baking as well. She suffered three immense losses one right after another and didn’t cope all that well, but time and again she learned to get up and heal. I want to be her. I seriously want to have that capacity for resilience and growth, not to mention the enthusiasm she brings to every new morning in her kitchen. Always looking to brighten others’ days with a precious baked good, always seeking to improve on old recipes and mix up new ones. I would read a thousand books starring Lila as long as every one of them was written like this. Again, I have to come back to Namey’s character building. The pace of her prose, and the moments which she chooses for the reader so that we may learn Lila’s story fluidly are perfect.

Of course, I couldn’t review a YA romance without actually discussing the romance. Let me speak for many, many readers when I say… I think we all wish we had an Orion in our lives. English love interests can do some serious damage to American readers’ hearts, y’all. He was a perfect tour guide for Lila—showing her around Winchester with a mix of his own favorite haunts and spots he knew she’d love. Orion is compassionate and smart and thoughtful, and also happens to be a perfect complement for Lila because they share an understanding of loss and grief. Not in the same ways as each other, but as mentioned in the synopsis I really believe this helped spark their chemistry. I prefer relationships between characters who understand each others’ worlds on some level to ones who are totally “opposites attract,” so that contributed to my adoration of their romance. Now, this doesn’t mean they didn’t have challenges. Their relationship came with a ticking clock on it, since Lila was only in England for the summer, but I still enjoyed the heck out of it, and no spoilers, but Namey totally brought me joy with the ending she chose.

We ALSO got some amazing side characters. In England, Lila hangs out with a circle of friends made up of Orion, her cousin Gordon, and their friends Jules (a fabulous singer), Remy (Jules’ boyfriend), and Flora (Orion’s sister). I’m a main character person, but I still appreciated that each of them had a story arc and an important role to play in the novel. This definitely helped set the scene and it was fun to see Lila romp around Winchester with a new group of friends.

Most of all, though, what I loved about A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow is the message that dreams can change. Lila had her life all planned out, but she truly grew as a character throughout the novel (I know I say this so much, but I REALLY mean it this time). Whoever said romance novels couldn’t be deep and sob-inducing was totally wrong. Her rigidity was challenged by her new circumstances, which (spoiler alert!) actually brought her some happiness. I’m a sucker for that moment in a novel where a character who’s faced unimaginable loss gets to be happy and have moments of peace, and ACGGTTAT was filled with those.

I can’t recommend this beautiful novel enough. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll want to read it over and over and over again. I know I do! I beg of you, get a copy. A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow is original and wonderful and all of the good things about YA romance combined. 5/5 stars (and thank you for reading my treatise).

A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow is a heartwarming #ownvoices Contemporary YA Romance that follows Cuban-American teen Lila Reyes as she struggles to overcome the grief of recent tragedies and the upheaval of her perfectly planned life in Miami.

I'm not going to lie, I was initially drawn to this book by the gorgeous cover art.  Thankfully, the story is as precious as the cover.  Lila is a firecracker of a character whose light has been dimmed by three sudden and unexpected losses: the break-up of her long time boyfriend, the abandonment of her best friend, and the passing of her beloved abuela.  Like an artist adding color to a black and white picture, Author Laura Taylor Namey adeptly guides readers through the stark reality of bereavement and the slow and arduous process of finding a way past it.  

I thoroughly enjoyed the journey that was reading this novel.  The clash of cultures provides equal parts tension and humor.  Though some of the misunderstandings seemed absurdly exaggerated, I respect that our main character is coming from a completely different background, one where I would likely flounder as she did abroad.  Lila's transformation from her initial culture shock to adapting an infusion of the English lifestyle and her own Cuban-American roots was gradual and believable.  The growth of her ability to embrace change imbues every facet of this story, resulting in a conclusion both satisfying and inspiring.  

Of course, Lila is not the sole character of this book.  She is supported by an engaging and unique cast of characters that captured my heart and kept me reading.  I loved the genuine and thoughtful development of the relationship between Lila and Orion.  Though they are each dealing with loss in their own way, their shared grief allows them to provide the other with solace not found elsewhere.  It is a beautiful approach to building a YA relationship that far exceeds the typical methods of the genre.  Most of all, I am grateful that this story did not spiral back to Lila needing her former best friend or getting back together with her ex.

The "recipes" sprinkled throughout are a clever touch.  

Overall, this book is a brilliant addition to YA fiction.  While uplifting and light-hearted, Namey manages to tackle several heavier themes like overcoming grief, accepting change, and being open to new ideas while honoring traditions.  This is sure to be a fast favorite for fans of YA Contemporary seeking unique perspectives and #ownvoices narratives.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review. This review will be posted at My Heart Is Booked Blog on September 17, 2020.

An enchanting read! This book made me homesick for Miami and for pastelitos de guayaba even though 95% of it takes place in England.

Lila Reyes can't keep it together, her BFF has abandoned their plans to stay in Miami and gone off to do volunteer work in Africa, her boyfriend dumped her and worse of all, Lila just can't get over the death of her beloved Abuela.

Her family intervenes, sending her to an Aunt who lives in England in an inn. Lila wants nothing to do with England, but when she starts helping out in the inn's bakery, she starts to heal. Although her dream is to continue working at her grandmother's bakery in Miami, Lila finds herself in England and can't imagine leaving.

(Disclaimer: I was offered an early copy of this book from Atheneum Books for Young Readers through Netgalley. All opinions are my own!)

overall, I think this book was great and I'm so thankful for the opportunity to read and review it ahead of its publication date! I loved Lila's character arc throughout the story and I truly could feel how much she grew just by how she talked and how she felt. I also liked that she admitted when she was at fault, which is something that is difficult for some characters to do. it never felt like the book was dragging on; on the contrary, I felt excited and pumped to find out what would happen next. Lila's love for cooking and baking was a huge theme throughout the book and I loved when she would include the recipes in the chapters. also I loved her usage of Spanish (as someone learning the language!).

a great 4 star read! definitely would recommend.

Link to buy A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50892004-a-cuban-girl-s-guide-to-tea-and-tomorrow?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=71kA6JcW42&rank=1

Loved this book! I loved Lila and Orion and their friendship. I loved how much Lila learned about herself during her time spent in England! I loved her experiencing tea and how her baking developed and changed as she experimented with different recipes. One of my favorite books of the year!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

This was an incredibly special book. The prose was beautiful, and there were quite a few lines that gave me chills; it tackled the heartache of growing up and moving on with poignance and heart; the characters were dynamic and lovable; the baking scenes and descriptions of Cuban pastries made my mouth water; and the romance was sweet and organic. I loved being a part of Lila’s journey and would highly recommend that anyone reading this take that journey with her if you’re in the mood for a novel that’s light and sweet but never loses its deeper notes.

Lila is grieving the loss of her Abuela, best friend , and boyfriend. Her grief overcomes her when her family decided to give her a one-way ticket to London to “fix” herself. She finds her home in the kitchen of the inn, using all the talent her grandmother taught her. But as she tries to overcome her grief she meets new friends and Orion who has his own since of loss.
It is a cute story of managing a loss, finding yourself and embracing the universe.

Thanks to Laura Taylor Namey, I am REALLY craving a cup of vanilla black tea and an empanada! This sweet sophomore release by Namey is a cozy read for anyone who, like our main character Lila, needs an escape. Lila, grieving her abuela and heartbroken by her best friend and her boyfriend, is sent to England to heal. While in England, she discovers a new kind of family--- and a new kind of self. The descriptions of the English countryside made me want to book a one-way plane ticket. I already can't wait to recommend this book to my students. I am SURE this book will be buzzy in the fall. Thanks to netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC!

First, this book was amazing. Lila is every teenage girl’s character, learning how to recover a heartbreak, losing a friend, and the loss of a loved one (the trifecta). When Lila spends the summer in England, in hopes to face her emotions, she ends up meeting Orion, a guy with possibilities to heal her. Such a cute love story between these two and how much they have endured in their short lives. Second point, if you are Latin, you will love every second. Being Cuban-American, I could relate with Lila on so many levels. The loss of an abuela, I love what was said that ‘parents raise the child but her abuela grew her’. The food mentions were mouthwatering...wishing I was back in Miami visiting the local bakery for all the delicacies. I highly recommend this book for all YA readers who want to a little romance but a whole lot of culture.

This was a heartwarming story about how loss can change the course of a life. It was funny, sweet, and had a Water Like Chocolate feel. The character development was perfect - they grew without losing individuality.