The Quick Cut: A teen girl struggles to balance work, school, and baby while pursuing her passion of cooking. Drama ensues when a new boy causes emotions to stir up.
A Real Review:
What would you do to follow your passion? If you're anything like me, you wake up in the morning and your first thought goes directly to the things that make your blood pump faster and a smile appear across your face. Whether it's work, hobbies, kids, or pets - passions run the gamut and can take their own roles in keeping us happy in everyday life. For our heroine Emoni Santiago, it's her passion for cooking that causes both happiness and some growing pains.
Emoni has led a very complicated life. Having a father who lives in another country and a mother who has died, she lives in Philadelphia with her grandmother who has been the only real parent she has ever known. She's a high school senior who's a mother herself as she got pregnant her freshman year (and does her best to share custody with the father). Through all this trauma, the one constant and moment of sunshine for her is cooking. It's a place where she gets to be creative and follow her instincts. So when a new cooking class brings in a fancy chef to teach who is strict, but also provides an opportunity to go to Spain, Emoni is stretched in ways she isn't comfortable with. Can she survive the growing pains and what does this mean for her future?
This story of Emoni's is just as flavorful as the dishes she creates. Beyond the fact she is half black-half Latina, she struggles with the multiple roles she already plays in her life. On top of all that, she has such a passion and talent for cooking, but can she learn to direct that into what is needed for becoming a top rate chef one day? Only she knows and that question is one that drives the entire book. I felt so connected to her struggle and drive that I couldn't stop reading until I was sure of what was happening in the end.
There are a few recipes in the book and the way they're presented really does play multiple roles. Not only does it show how she is a cook and the type of recipes she enjoys making, but how she utilizes them for each moment in her life. From joy to sadness, there's a recipe for it and the author ensured that point was made in the book.
There is a multitude of important secondary characters, but two of the most important are the love interest Malachi and her grandmother Gloria. The best part about both characters is that neither is perfect. Each one has flaws and secrets, just like in real life any person would. Gloria is the woman who raised Emoni but is getting to another phase of her life and you see that process unfold for her a bit. Malachi is the new handsome boy at school that only has eyes for Emoni and is willing to take it slow to capture her heart. It's adorable how willing he is to ignore what everyone else says to make her comfortable and feel safe.
I hated to see this enrapturing book end, with all it's flavor and power.
My rating: 5 out of 5