Salt and Sugar
Inkyard Press, 2022
Agent: Thao Le
The grandchildren of two rival Brazilian bakeries fall in love despite their families’ feud in this delicious debut rom-com perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and Gloria Chao.
Trust neither thin-bottomed frying pans nor Molinas.
Lari Ramires has always known this to be true. In Olinda, Brazil, her family’s bakery, Salt, has been at war with the Molinas’ bakery across the street, Sugar, for generations. But Lari’s world turns upside down when her beloved grandmother passes away. On top of that, a big supermarket chain has moved to town, forcing many of the small businesses to close.
Determined to protect her home, Lari does the unthinkable—she works together with Pedro Molina to save both of their bakeries. Lari realizes she might not know Pedro as well as she thought—and she maybe even likes what she learns—but the question remains: Can a Ramires and a Molina truly trust one another?
Accolades:
A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen & YA Romance Book of the Year
Reviews:
"A spectacularly heartwarming story about food, family, and finding your person, with the kind of lush prose you wish you could sink your teeth into. Simply delicious." —Eric Smith, author of Don't Read the Comments
"Salt and Sugar has everything you want in a love story: enemies to lovers, generational feuds, a beautiful setting that will make you want to book a ticket to Brazil, amazing food, and a Romeo and Juliet-esque romance that will leave you swooning. Carvalho’s writing nourishes your soul while teasing your senses, and I can’t wait to read whatever comes next!" —Ashley Schumacher, author of Amelia Unabridged and Full Flight
"Full of heart, humor, and will, Salt and Sugar is about two determined, feisty, hilarious star-crossed teens working together to create something new, but baked with elements of tradition. I could not put this book down!" —Jennifer De Leon, author of Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From
"A sweet, charming story that sets its perfectly seasoned enemy-to-lovers tale in the diverse region of northeastern Brazil...A delectable rom-com debut." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"Carvalho employs theatrical prose, familiar plot beats, telenovela-feeling dialogue, and an ebullient protagonist to examine themes of gentrification, grief, familial obligation, and rich entitlement, making for a charming read." —Publishers Weekly
"Multigenerational family dynamics, profound grief, and the timely struggle of small businesses to stay afloat against big-business encroachment make this debut a layered, delicious read." —Booklist
"A fun read that will have readers cheering for the courage and love of the two protagonists" - School Library Journal