Guava and Grudges

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What to expect

Bloomsbury presents Guava and Grudges by Alexis Castellanos, read by Marisa Blake

Ana Maria Ybarra dreams of becoming a world-famous pastry chef, but dreams have a cost. Her family can barely keep the family business running, let alone pay for culinary school. Ana Maria helps out at the family bakery, Café Y Mas, whenever she can, but they are struggling while the rival Cuban bakery across the street, Morales Bakery, is doing better than ever with their Instagram famous desserts. Ana Maria’s only hope is winning a recipe competition, which has a grand prize big enough to pay for culinary school. But then the ultimate distraction shows up in her small town: Miguel, a boy she spent one magical day with six months ago, and who she never thought she’d see again. Ana Maria thinks maybe fate has brought them together again for a reason-- until she learns the horrible truth that Miguel is a Morales.

A Ybarra cannot be associated with a Morales—let alone fall for one. But when Miguel offers to help Ana Maria with the competition, she is so desperate to win she can't turn him down. All she needs to do is keep Miguel at arm’s length and keep their deal a secret from their families. After all, teaming up with Miguel is just business, nothing more…right?

Critics Review

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

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