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.
It’s been a long time coming
This book has been on my tbr for ages, after a friend of mine once talked about it. That must have been the influence of the Heartstopper comics, as I was immediately drawn to the style and story. Compared to Heartstopper, this story revolves around older characters who need to figure out where and how they want to spend the time after their graduation. Our protagonist is sure he wants to get away from his family and their bakery business. With the person he finds as a replacement for himself, he gradually begins to enjoy the work there and to connect with his family again. I did see many of the twists coming but others were surely delightful and surprising.
New adults but still growing and learning
Both our protagonists know approximately where they want to go. Which nonetheless does not mean that they have everything figured out. In contact with each other, they are called out but also grow together and dare to open up. The illustrator allowed us to see the joy in their joint baking sessions as much as in their casual conversations. I also got to feel the moments of their separations in which they started to realize their feelings for each other. This story is a beautiful tale of growing together and falling in love without much interception from other characters.
Conflicts
Ari and Hector are not fully isolated though but interact with other characters as well. Contrary to my expectations, Hector deals carefully but clearly with his ex-boyfriend and Ari’s parents slowly reconnect with their son. There was a lot of potential for drama, which the creators of this graphic novel omitted to have the conflict rather between the two main characters and in their negotiation of things. They have to admit to their mistakes and trust themselves and their feelings. I adored all those moments when they finally admitted to them and eventually made a move.
In conclusion,
More than Heartstopper, this story explores one’s place in the world and one’s journey to find oneself, one’s passion, as much as love. Set over the summer, it is a short, but emotional vacation read. I can’t wait for the continuation of Ari and Hector’s story.
The author:
Kevin Panetta is a comic book writer and the co-creator of the baking graphic novel Bloom and the magical girl series Zodiac Starforce. He grew up in New York and Alabama but is currently living halfway between the two in Washington, DC. Source
The illustrator:
Savanna Ganucheau is a comic artist from New Orleans, LA. She co-authored her first graphic novel titled Bloom in 2019 with Kevin Panetta. Bloom received a distinction from the Junior Library Guild, a GLAAD award nomination, and Amazon’s pick for Best graphic novel of 2019. Savanna’s has also adapted the novel ‚Turtle in Paradise‘ into a graphic novel that has a release of May 2021 from Random House Graphic. Savanna has been creating comics since she was in 3rd grade and self-published her work in local comic book shops throughout high school. Savanna has also contributed to comic series such as Adventure Time, Lumberjanes, Jem and the Holograms, and The Backstagers. Source