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geno's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
"A Taste of Sage" parte de una premisa atractiva pero no logra mantenerla. Es un romance, con cierto nivel de rivals-to-lovers, que se queda corto en el desarrollo y que pierde su camino.
La historia nos presenta a Lumi, una chef que debe cerrar su negocio y termina trabajando para Julian. La particularidad de Lumi es que puede sentir las emociones de la persona que cocinó el plato solo con probarlo.
El elemento mágico es interesante, y como enseguida nos los presentan, esperaba que fuera parte más integral de la historia. La verdad es que es apenas un detalle al que vuelven de vez en cuando como para recordarnos que sigue ahí pero que, al final, no aporta nada.
En cuanto a los personajes principales, el romance está ahí pero no hay desarrollo, se detestan por un par de capítulos y de pronto, es amor. No hay intermedios, no hay evolución. Es insta-love entre jefe y empleada. Personalemente, esperaba que el drama llegara por ese conflicto de intereses, pero no, en lugar de aprovechar un tema que está a la mano, la pelea y el drama vienen por otras situaciones -en dos oportunidades distintas, porque se arreglan y como aún queda un tercio del libro se vuelven a pelear-.
Lo otro que le resta puntos es la resolución de conflictos, hay varias situaciones que vienen escalando y... simplemente se arreglan. Hay un par de charlas y todo está bien (y no digo que no se puedan solucionar las cosas hablando, es que no hay consecuencias, no hay aprendizajes reales).
Le doy puntos por representación latina tanto en el personaje como en las recetas -hay recetas en varios capítulos y es un lindo detalle-, pero no mucho más, es un libro que queda con gusto a poco.
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This is the kind of book that makes me mad: it has a lot of potential but does nothing with it.
"A Taste of Sage" stars as a cute rom-com with a nice premise but never commits to the full idea. And, after the first quarter, things got weird and angsty for no reason.
The story goes a little like this: Lumi is a chef that can perceive a person’s emotions just by tasting their cooking. She has her own restaurant but, once it fails, she ends up working in Julian's place.
Since right off the bat the narrative lean on the fantasy aspect of the story I was expecting something more "magical". Unfortunately, it only adds noise to the narrative, the same story could be told without that subplot with the same result, which is a shame since it is the differential of this story.
The other big issue here is the characters, this is a "rivals-to-lovers" type of story but most of the romantic development is just not there. In the beginning, there is a little confrontation but, suddenly they are into each other and after that, everything is drama for no reason.
Lastly, what really lost me was that all the conflicts get resolved just because it's the end - the "secret" Lumi's mother has and affected her whole life, Esme situation, the restaurant, and a few other small things with secondary characters-. It feels like nothing really matters. And I'm not saying that situations can be solved easily, it is just that anything felt earned.
On the bright side, latinx representation was good, I wanted to love it only for that but... it was not enough.
I do like that some chapters had recipes, it was a nice detail.
La historia nos presenta a Lumi, una chef que debe cerrar su negocio y termina trabajando para Julian. La particularidad de Lumi es que puede sentir las emociones de la persona que cocinó el plato solo con probarlo.
El elemento mágico es interesante, y como enseguida nos los presentan, esperaba que fuera parte más integral de la historia. La verdad es que es apenas un detalle al que vuelven de vez en cuando como para recordarnos que sigue ahí pero que, al final, no aporta nada.
En cuanto a los personajes principales, el romance está ahí pero no hay desarrollo, se detestan por un par de capítulos y de pronto, es amor. No hay intermedios, no hay evolución. Es insta-love entre jefe y empleada. Personalemente, esperaba que el drama llegara por ese conflicto de intereses, pero no, en lugar de aprovechar un tema que está a la mano, la pelea y el drama vienen por otras situaciones -en dos oportunidades distintas, porque se arreglan y como aún queda un tercio del libro se vuelven a pelear-.
Lo otro que le resta puntos es la resolución de conflictos, hay varias situaciones que vienen escalando y... simplemente se arreglan. Hay un par de charlas y todo está bien (y no digo que no se puedan solucionar las cosas hablando, es que no hay consecuencias, no hay aprendizajes reales).
Le doy puntos por representación latina tanto en el personaje como en las recetas -hay recetas en varios capítulos y es un lindo detalle-, pero no mucho más, es un libro que queda con gusto a poco.
---
This is the kind of book that makes me mad: it has a lot of potential but does nothing with it.
"A Taste of Sage" stars as a cute rom-com with a nice premise but never commits to the full idea. And, after the first quarter, things got weird and angsty for no reason.
The story goes a little like this: Lumi is a chef that can perceive a person’s emotions just by tasting their cooking. She has her own restaurant but, once it fails, she ends up working in Julian's place.
Since right off the bat the narrative lean on the fantasy aspect of the story I was expecting something more "magical". Unfortunately, it only adds noise to the narrative, the same story could be told without that subplot with the same result, which is a shame since it is the differential of this story.
The other big issue here is the characters, this is a "rivals-to-lovers" type of story but most of the romantic development is just not there. In the beginning, there is a little confrontation but, suddenly they are into each other and after that, everything is drama for no reason.
Lastly, what really lost me was that all the conflicts get resolved just because it's the end - the "secret" Lumi's mother has and affected her whole life, Esme situation, the restaurant, and a few other small things with secondary characters-. It feels like nothing really matters. And I'm not saying that situations can be solved easily, it is just that anything felt earned.
On the bright side, latinx representation was good, I wanted to love it only for that but... it was not enough.
I do like that some chapters had recipes, it was a nice detail.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical trauma
mldavisreads's review against another edition
lighthearted
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Adult contemporary romance. Iluminada (Lumi) is a chef that is finally running her own Dominican restaurant in New York City. Julien is a French Canadian chef running a high-class French restaurant in NYC. They meet at a wedding that Lumi catered, with Julien immediately putting his foot in his mouth about the food. Unfortunately the wedding doesn't bring in quite enough for Lumi to keep her restaurant afloat, and she soon finds herself job-searching. If you guessed that she ends up working with Julien you would be correct.
Though this story is told in two perspectives, we don't know much background info about either protagonist. They initially meet and hate each other: Julien is stuck-up and Lumi has no respect for classic French cooking (she added apple to the ratatouille for extra tartness!). But as they work together more, they find more to like about each other. I would have liked to have had more scenes of the two of them outside the kitchen, but they did have chemistry. I enjoyed the recipes sprinkled throughout the text and really enjoyed the friendships Lumi had. A fairly short, fun romance centered around cooking.
Though this story is told in two perspectives, we don't know much background info about either protagonist. They initially meet and hate each other: Julien is stuck-up and Lumi has no respect for classic French cooking (she added apple to the ratatouille for extra tartness!). But as they work together more, they find more to like about each other. I would have liked to have had more scenes of the two of them outside the kitchen, but they did have chemistry. I enjoyed the recipes sprinkled throughout the text and really enjoyed the friendships Lumi had. A fairly short, fun romance centered around cooking.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma
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