Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet

I’m Not Your Perfect Mexican DaughtermeetsEmergency Contactin this stunning story of first love, familial expectations, the power of food, and finding where you belong.
Penelope Pradohas always dreamed of opening her own pastelera next to her father’s restaurant, Nacho’s Tacos. But her mom and dad have different plansleaving Pen to choose between disappointing her traditional Mexican American parents or following her own path. When she confesses a secret she’s been keeping, her world is sent into a tailspin. But then she meets a cute new hire at Nacho’s who sees through her hard exterior and asks the questions she’s been too afraid to ask herself.

Xander Amarohas been searching for home since he was a little boy. For him, a job at Nacho’s is an opportunity for just thata chance at a normal life, to settle in at his abuelo’s, and to find the father who left him behind. But when both the restaurant and Xander’s immigrant status are threatened, he will do whatever it takes to protect his newfound family and himself.

Together, Pen and Xander must navigate first love and discovering where they belong in order to save the place they all call home.

This stunning and poignant novel from debut author Laekan Zea Kemp explores identity, found families and the power of food, all nestled within a courageous and intensely loyal Chicanx community.