As a little girl, Komomo Ninomiya delighted in picking on Natsu Azumi, the son of her family's pastry chef. Ten years later, when the family fortune is lost and she has no place to live, Komomo encounters Natsu again in her hour of need. Now that Natsu is a master pastry chef in his own right, he'll help Komomo—but only if she works for him at his new confiserie!
Rated: T
January 1, 2016
Gr 7 Up-When Komomo and Natsu were children, Komomo was a spoiled rich girl who enjoyed picking on Natsu even though she always loved the treats he baked for her. Ten years later their roles reverse-Natsu has become a famous pastry chef, and Komomo's family has lost its fortune. She is desperate for money, so she goes to work in Natsu's shop, where he proves to be a strict taskmaster. Komomo is very one-dimensional-she always expects others to serve her needs and becomes frustrated if they don't-but her love of Natsu's pastries gives him leverage to create some teachable moments. Natsu is harder to read-he alternates between acting like her friend and her enemy, telling her that he enjoys making her cry but then becoming angry with other people who pick on her. Both of these characters slowly evolve throughout the course of the book, and we see that they both care about each other but are reluctant to admit it. Minami's artwork complements the story well, especially when the characters' faces reflect their emotional highs and lows. Readers who finish this book will be curious to read the next volumes to see how they will each mature as individuals and how their relationship will change over time. VERDICT For fans of The Taming of the Shrew and other tug-of-war relationships, and for foodies who live for descriptions of sumptuous desserts.-Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library
Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.