Bloom
Written by Kevin Panetta
Illustrated by Savannah Ganucheau
Published by First Second
on January 29. 2019
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Graphic Novel
Length: 368 pages
Ages: 14 - 18 years

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Synopsis:
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 easy going 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. 


My Thoughts:

Ari wants nothing more than to escape his hometown by moving to the city to rent an apartment with the other members of his band, but his parents, who own and run a bakery, need him to stay and help out. Ari compromises with finding a replacement. 
Hector is taking a break from culinary school to sort through his grief when he applies for the bakery job. 
As Ari shows Hector the ropes, a beautiful friendship is born. A friendship that blooms into something more. 

This is a super sweet little lgbtqia+ love story that I can't help but compare to Nick & Charlie from Alice Oseman's Heartstopper series. Ari and Hector are such kind and wholesome characters that come into each others' lives at just the right time to help get through their hardships. There's a lot of character growth and little life lessons that make this perfect for young adults. 

This is much more of a summer read than anything but I had to wait a few months on hold but it was worth the wait.