Now that high school is over, Ari is dying to move to the big city with his ultra-hip band—if he can just persuade his dad to let him quit his job at their struggling family bakery. Though he loved working there as a kid, Ari cannot fathom a life wasting away over rising dough and hot ovens. But while interviewing candidates for his replacement, Ari meets Hector, an easygoing guy who loves baking as much as Ari wants to escape it. As they become closer over batches of bread, love is ready to bloom . . . that is, if Ari doesn’t ruin everything.
Writer Kevin Panetta and artist Savanna Ganucheau concoct a delicious recipe of intricately illustrated baking scenes and blushing young love, in which the choices we make can have terrible consequences, but the people who love us can help us grow.
Read on November 16, 2020
This was delightful. That’s it, that’s the review.
Just kidding, that’s pretty much the gist of how I feel about this graphic novel, but I do have more to say.
I saw a lot of people saying that they thought Ari was kind of a brat, which, yeah, was true, but I’m also a very sensitive and moody person so I was definitely able relate to him and his struggles. Though, I didn’t really get why he was so upset when Hector went back home to visit, he was the one who kept going on about how he wanted to leave and it’s not like Hector would’ve gone with him.
I found that most of the characters were really grounded and had very distinct personalities. I really liked Hector and how he wasn’t afraid to step back sometimes and call Ari out when he was whining for no reason. I also loved the Kyrkos family as a whole and that scene between them at the end was so wholesome.
You were so happy back then…but I feel like you lost that somewhere along the way. And I felt like I lost you. Lost my boy. But then something happened this summer. You were like your old self for a little while…Maybe just…don’t try to be what you think you should be. Be what you love.
I unfortunately found myself confused at times because some plot elements didn’t make sense to me. For example, I thought Hector was hired to replace Ari when he left, but both of them ended up working at the bakery. Also, Hector wasn’t staying there long-term so it never would have worked out, but this fact was never acknowledged.
Ultimately, I thought Hector and Ari had good chemistry, but moreso as friends. Before they kissed, nothing between them felt romantic, so Ari making a move was sort of unexpected even though I knew that was where the story was going. I liked the slow-burn but it was almost too subtle.
Another qualm I had was with the ending, which was kinda messy. I never got the vibe that Ari loved baking, this was just told to us by his father, so I was surprised when Ari decided to stay. I didn’t see a lot of personal growth from him throughout and there was no build up to this decision. I also thought that the resolution between Hector and Ari was rushed and their conversation at the end felt too easy.
Even though I talked more about what I didn’t like, I did actually thoroughly enjoy this graphic novel. I don’t know how to describe it, but I loved the essence of it and it doesn’t hurt that I’m also obsessed with the art style. Technically, since there were quite a few things that I wish were down differently I should be giving this 4 stars, but I just loved it so much I’m rounding up on Goodreads. 4.5 jars of sourdough starter / 5
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