A review by misterintensity
Salty, Bitter, Sweet by Mayra Cuevas

4.0

Isa is the only American who got accepted to a prestigious French cooking competition for teenage chefs. However, the pressure she faces makes her wonder whether she has what it takes. Her father’s new wife pregnancy, his wife’s stepson, and a tough teacher complicates things. Cuevas does a good job in showing some of the things Isa is struggling with, whether it’s mourning her grandmother, trying to make sense of the breakup of her parent’s marriage, or trying to live up to the expectations of her cooking teacher. The pressures of the competition quickly gets to her, making her question her cooking abilities. Her relationships with her family and fellow friends is one of the book’s strengths. What doesn’t work quite as well is her romance with her mother’s stepson, Diego. While they share a nice rapport with each, it feels more friendly than romantic until the point of the book which forces them together. Interestingly, the theme of the book is not what the reader would expect at the start of the book. There are a lot of similarities between this book and With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo. Fans of Sarah Dessen and John Green might also like this book.