Idk why I didn’t notice it was a Romeo and Juliet inspired book until the end, but I thought it was a good story! I loved the tropes used, the build up of the romance, and though the side conflicts helped the character development a lot. I wish it had been a tad bit faster and maybe a bit shorter, but overall I enjoyed it! Solid 4 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC! Full review to come on Maeflower Reads

Lari whos part of a family who owns bakery called salt. Pedro whos part of a family bakery whos called called sugar. Their families have been at war over who has better food since the very beginning. What happens when a cooperate store comes into town making all the small businesses close down and makes them have to work together? This is a great enemies to lovers story!

This is a young adult book, centred around two Brazilian families, that explore their roots and love for baking. It has been a while since I’ve read a young adult book, and this book reminded me of why I enjoy them so much!
I love books that centre around families. It’s so interesting to see family roots, traditions, and drama. I also loved how this book is set in Brazil — I’ve never read a book like this and it had such a great representation!

Thanks NetGalley and Inkyard Press for this arc!

Lari and Pedro have been at war their entire lives - a family feud that has spanned generations. When a department store grocery chain threatens both their family business, Lari and Pedro have to come together to save their bakeries - and hide from their families who are not ready to let go of the feud.

If you like cooking, you will love this novel. If you like stories about family, you will love this novel. It was emotionally charged from start to finish. I would love to read more by this offer.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher, and author for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Oh my goodness I loved this book. I absolutely love hallmark romance movies and this felt like that to me. One of my most favorite tropes is rival businesses. I've watched many movies and read many books with that trope and this one does it perfectly. Another thing in this book that really stood out to me is how close the families and communities are. Right from the beginning at the grandmother's funeral the neighbors packed the restaurant and showed love and support. If you love a good enemies to lovers relationship then I highly recommend this book. This is also perfect for anyone who loves to cook and bake. It was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed it.

This book was an absolute pleasure to read. Anything by Rebecca Carvalho is actually. I highly recommend this book.

Romeo and Juliet meets Brazil and bakeries. Lari Ramos has been raised to never trust a Molina, that feuding baker family across the street. But as a big box store is closing in on their community, Lari and Pedro Molina might just have to work together to save them all. Can they overcome the family feud and their developing feelings to heal the generations of pain?
This was such a fun, sweet book. I enjoyed the look at a new culture and the all too common story of a community being torn apart by a big store coming in. Lari and Pedro are relatable characters and you will be hoping that they will finally bring these two families back together. They oftentimes seem to be the only two who have any sense at all. A book full of laughter, love, friendship, and growth. This book is a quick read.

Thank you Inkyard Press for the eARC! In all honesty, I don’t think this was a bad book, but it wasn’t something that I loved. I think it really just was meh. I really have a lot of mixed feelings about this book, and I honestly don’t have a lot of thoughts about this book so it’ll be a shorter review than my usual ones. I think the thing that stood out to me and kept my going was the romance. I liked the enemies to lovers dynamic and both Pedro and Lari had great chemistry. It was cute and well-developed. However, the things I wasn’t a fan of was both the main character and the plot. I felt very disconnected from Lari as she felt like a very typical, standard YA protagonist. She was a little dull and very VERY dramatic, so at times it was hard to take her seriously, and I got a lot of second-hand embarrassment. However, I did like Pedro, as he was adorable, and I liked seeing his growth and development. I did still feel quite disconnected from his as well though, which was disappointing. And because I couldn’t exactly bond with the characters, the plot really dragged on for me, to the point where I was skimming a lot and forcing myself to finish. I think this had a lot of potential, but the story felt messy and anti-climatic. Thank you again to Inkyard Press for the early copy, but I’m going to have to give this 3/5 stars.

This was a really sweet book (no pun intended). Two teenagers born into rival families discover who they really want to be and the secrets behind the family businesses. It takes a while for them to get there, but the healing between Lari and Pedro, and their respective families is very welcomed. The author did a great job of letting us feel how tense the situation between the two families was. Dona Eulalia and Dona Alice's fighting was ridiculous, but as this was a 4-generation feud, I don't see it as over the top. Both families continued this feud without ever thinking about the children's wishes or wellbeing.

Not to mention I LOVED the absolute amazing setting/location details. I felt immersed in Brazil and Brazilian culture.

What an adorable novel. I really enjoy the common themes and accessability of YA novels. Carvalho has chosen format and language that work really well for YA. The book is easy to get into and it kept me hooked throughout. For an adult reader, and probably some YA readers, it is a quick read. It was a really enjoyable way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

The book follows Lari, Pedro, and their families. Lari's family owns Salt. Pedro's family owns Sugar, which is across the street from Salt in a Brazilian town. Lari's family hates Pedro's and vice versa, a feud that goes back generations. The town Lari and Pedro live is changing. Big box stores are threatening the character and livelihood of local business owners, forcing many shops to close. The threat increases the animosity and distrust between Lari's and Pedro's families.

Salt and Sugar is a wonderful YA novel about how we inherit more than just genetics from our ancestors. We also inherit joys and sorrows. The text includes all teenage angst and drama one would expect from at YA romance, while also remaining truly YA in nature. It is also an age appropriate exploration into the pressures of school, family expecations, finding ones' passions and skills, first love, and heartache, without going over the top. As a multigenerational novel with dynamic characters in every generation, I would recommend this book not just to teens, but also to readers their parents' age and their grandparents, too. I am looking forward to reading more by Carvahlo.

PS. Be prepared to need to go find a good Brazilian bakery after reading this to try all the mouthwatering dishes mentioned in the book!

This was a classic story line with a twist. I enjoyed reading it from the beginning to the end, it was slightly addicting and that made it more enticing. The two main characters were Larissa and Pedro, they were the grandchildren of rival bakeries. It’s difficult keeping the feud going, especially when you so want it to change but you don’t know how.

Pedro and Lari get together in Pedro’s cooking class. Their forced interactions with one another just goes to show them how much they don’t want to be in this feud anymore, but there is always a slight chance of distrust between the two of them. It was all very Romeo and Juliet with the feuding families and that is by far one of my most favorite Shakespeare plays. Throw in some food I’ve never heard of but am wanting to discover more about and this story was just perfect.

I enjoyed the characters, the sentiments, the friendships that were formed and all the hard trials and tribulations they went through separately and together. It was a great read that kept you wanting more for these two. I will not lie, at some points I shed quite a few tears because there was just so much emotion throughout the book. I love when you can connect with the characters, that just makes them more real and enjoyable.

I was glad to be reading a book that seems to be taken in a foreign place, it had me wondering a couple times, but it was a pleasure to be transferred to a place I’ve never been before. Exploring dishes and customs I’m not accustomed to. I will read more from this author because the story flowed without any interruptions or distractions. A great read.

Salt And Sugar was a great retelling of Shakespeare's classic. I especially loved the way Carvalho interwove generational trauma into the feud. Salt and Sugar is an excellent enemies to friends to bakers to lovers and perfect for those looking for a Latine/x romance.

Name of Book: Salt and Sugar
Author: Rebecca Carvalho
Genre: YA/Family Drama
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Pub Date: November 1, 2022
My Rating: 3.7 rounded up!

Awww when this book’s promo said ~ ‘perfect for Nicola Yoon fans’ I knew I wanted to read it!

Lari Ramires and Pedro Molina are the grandchildren of two Brazilian families that have rival bakeries across the street from one another ~ Salt and Sugar ~ one is savory and the other sweet; however, in this case more like ‘Oil and Water’.
When the Lari’s grandmother dies, she mother cannot manage ‘Salt’ by herself and considering selling it.
Pedro’s family is also having financial problem.
Lari and Pedro team up with an idea to try save both of the family business but know they need to find a way to mend this age old feud.

There is a twist at the end that had me a misty eyed.

Want to thank NetGalley and Inkyard Press for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for my honest opinion.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for November 1, 2022.

I’d like to thank Inkyard Press & NetGalley for sending me this e-arc as always all thoughts are my own.

Salt and Sugar is a Romeo and Juliette retelling but instead the usual telling this one involves food and lots of Brazilian culture. This novel follows Larissa Ramires and Pedro Molinas grandchildren of the multi-generation feud that their great grandmothers started. As a new player comes into their town and wants to buy up all the property Lari and Pedro must work through the hate they have for each other to save the family business.

This book was so cute this was definitely a romantic comedy novel. What I really enjoyed about this book was the hate to lover relationship and banter that Lari(Larissa) and Pedro has within the book. The way that they can just get under the others skin is unmatched, the slow burn romance is also magnificent. The main theme of this story is Larissa trying to find out who she is when it comes to being from a family of bakers. We see her struggle with wanting to please her mother and not continue to disappoint her but how much of herself will she continue to lose if she follows this path.

I think that is my favorite part about this retelling it’s not the traditional Romeo and Juliet retelling it’s have it’s own spin on it that makes it feel like your experiencing these problems along with the characters and it makes the focus on continuing a family legacy rather then the making the focus on a forbidden love.

Salt and Sugar is available November 1st 2022 at all major retailers if you haven’t go preorder this book.

Lari Ramires's family owns Salt, a bakery. Pedro Ramirez's family owns Sugar, another bakery. These bakeries are across from each other, and the rivalry between the two families have been going on for years. After Lari's grandmother passes away, things start to change. There is a big chain tries to buy out both bakeries for their development. Even though both bakeries are struggling, Lari and Pedro work together to stop the sales. While they do this, they start falling for one another. This was a sweet rom-com. Both lead characters were genuine and fun to read about. There are so many themes in this novel that everyone will connect to.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Salt and Sugar has an interesting concept and a cover that draws you in. The two main characters are likable overall, and the setting in Brazil is engaging, too. I enjoyed reading about a different culture, including its food and festivals, as well as traditions and details of daily life. The scene where Lari's mother is trying to buy her a computer for college and can't get her credit card to go through was emotionally impactful for me as an adult and a parent. What kept me from giving this book more stars, then? I simply got tired of the families in this book and their constant drama. I know that is a central part of the plot, but I felt like it was overdone. Pedro's mother seems to do nothing but yell or cry, his grandfather is either issuing ultimatums or crying, and Lari's mother is either shutting her out, screaming at Pedro's family, or crying. It just felt like there wasn't a lot of dimension to these characters. I finished the book, but by the end, I was kind of tired of the adults acting like they were less mature than the teens in this story. Teen readers might be drawn in by the Romeo and Juliet comparisons. At fifteen I probably would have enjoyed this story more, but as an adult, I would have liked characters with a little more emotional development.

Thank you to NetGalley and InkYard Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.75 stars.

Salt and Sugar, a debut novel, is a Romeo and Juliet retelling that centres around the culinary world. Our main character, Lari Ramirez has a family bakery, “Salt”, that has been rivals with the Molina family who run the bakery, “Sugar”, across the street for generations. She’s held a grudge against the Molina boy, Pedro, ever since she was a little girl. Due to chance, or fate, a large chain supermarket threatening both the family bakeries, and her schools cooking club, Lari begins to see that maybe Pedro isn’t so bad after all.

I thought that this book was an okay read. In my opinion, it felt quite surface level and I didn’t feel connected to the characters at all. As I kept reading, I slowly lost interest in the plot itself as well, which is unfortunate because I love a good Romeo and Juliet retelling. There were times where Lari’s internal monologue annoyed me a little bit and the entire book felt a little too immature for my taste, in a way. I understand that it is a YA read and I normally do like this genre however, something just didn’t click with me with this book. I don’t really know what happened the last 20% of the book because I ended up skim reading at that point.

That being said, I do think that this was a good debut. It was well written, but it just wasn’t for me! If you’re really into YA romances and looking for a “low maintenance read” you might enjoy this more than I did.

More Info:
- POV? Single (Lari’s), First person
- Spice? No
- Cheating? No
- OW/OM drama? No
- HEA? Yes

Key Tropes/Tags:
- enemies to lovers
- Forbidden romance
- Romeo & Juliet retelling
- YA romance
- POC mcs

Possible Triggers:
- mention of death

I have to say when I saw the characters were from the northern part of Brazil (I had the honor of visiting Belem for two weeks in 2009) and there were Portuguese words, I was hooked! Now I want to go back and see Recife and Olinda and visit the bakeries this story is based on. Not only was this novel beautiful written, I was salivating when I read about the pastries and Brazilian cuisine.

Even though the Ramires and Molina family are feuding, I respect Lari and Pedro because they are cognizant of the unfairness of the feud when they begin to have feelings for each other. In the town, it appears all small, family owned businesses are struggling to stay afloat due to the Deals Deals supermarket that opens up and threatens to expand by trying to open a cafe and buying either the Salt or Sugar bakery.

Both Lari and Pedro have dreams different from what their families expect from them and the struggle they go through to get through to their parents and connect with them is quite emotional. When they finally have that breakthrough moment between both families, it is the sweetest relief to both their fears; the build up to these moments are truly worth the wait.

I love me some food and young forbidden romance and this was just the sweetest “Romario and Julieta” cake! Thank you to Rebecca Carvalho for providing so much insight into the culture and the authenticity of the people. I found the town to be so charming and I felt right at home with the families.

Thank you to the beautiful Rebecca Carvalho, Inkyard Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

***As requested from publisher: I will be posting my review on Instagram and Amazon on 10.25.22 (a week before publication date) and will come back here to add the link. I will be posting this on Goodreads immediately. Thank you!

4 STARS

First things first, I was given a copy of this book as an ARC, in exchange for an honest review. A big thank-you to NetGalley, Inkyard Press, and Rebecca Carvalho for allowing me to be an early reader!

This is a young adult book, centred around two Brazilian families, that explore their roots and love for baking. It has been a while since I’ve read a young adult book, and this book reminded me of why I enjoy them so much!

After Lari’s grandmother passes away, it is her mother’s job to run their family bakery, Salt. Lari has always wanted to help out in the kitchen and be a part of their family business, but her mother has never allowed her to be involved, saying that school should be her only concern.

Across the street lives Pedro. He also has a family owned bakery, Sugar, that he runs with his mother and grandfather. The only difference is that Pedro is actually allowed to participate and be involved in his family business. While Lari has always resented him for being able to bake, Pedro resents Lari for being the golden child who is good at school.

There is a big grocery store that is making many businesses go out of business. Now, the company is pitting Salt and Sugar against each other and trying to get one of them to sell out, to replace it with a cafe. Budgets are already tight, so the two businesses don’t know how long they’ll be able to continue without selling.

Lari and Pedro’s families have a feud that has been going on since generations back. Their mothers hate each other, and there are so many unbelievable secrets between their families. Lari and Pedro make it their job to uncover their family secrets, save their families businesses, and become the generation where the feud ends.

I love books that centre around families. It’s so interesting to see family roots, traditions, and drama. I also loved how this book is set in Brazil — I’ve never read a book like this and it had such a great representation!

I love books that have a baking/cooking theme. It’s so fascinating to see the traditional recipes and learn about foods from different cultures. Also, seeing Lari and Pedro develop their connection through cooking was so cute. I loved the characters and their development throughout the book was well done.

If you are looking for a young adult book about family feuds and bakeries, with Brazilian representation, then this book is for you! Be sure to make note of the release date of this book so that you can get your hands on it: November 1st, 2022!

Have y'all ever seen that movie Little Italy, starring Emma Roberts Hayden Christensen? Two feuding families determined to see who makes the best pizza in Little Italy, NYC - and their shops are right next door to each other? This is the YA, Brazilian version of that - seemingly a reinterpretation of Romeo and Juliet.

First, this book gets all the stars just for the description of the food! I live in Miami, so thankfully I knew a lot of the items they were mentioning - but food is one of my favorite ways to experience another culture and all the descriptions had me salivating!

I did enjoy the story here - rather aggressive and dramatic side characters, two main teenagers with hopes and dreams outside of their families' expectations, and growing love story. The one thing I disliked was the climax during the storm - it just seemed rushed and very random. Maybe I am just not familiar with the frequency of flooding in that neighborhood - but it seemed to really come out of the blue for me.

However, at the end of the day, I think this was a fun YA romance that left me hungry!