I absolutely loved this book! I enjoyed the black and blue-hued color scheme. It was a great reflection of the ocean town and the gentleness of the story. Ari is conflicted about life after high school. He wants to pursue music but is needed at the family bakery he once loved. A chance meeting with Hector, who is in town to take care of his recently-deceased grandmother's house, brings out Ari's love for baking and the family's bakery. There is also a romantic element to the story but it's more about finding out what you love, not what you ink you're supposed to love. I would hand this to 9th grade and up.

When I first heard about <i>Bloom</i>, I knew it was my kind of story. Some key features that readers should be aware of when picking up this graphic novel: adorable romance, wonderfully realistic family dynamic, and baking! This story left me with so many warm fuzzies once I finished, and I think it would appeal to many different readers whether they're new to graphic novels or hardcore readers like me.

While the main focus is on Ari and Hector's developing relationship, I really loved how much all of the other characters contributed to the story. There's Ari's stoic but also supportive dad, his warm and compassionate mom, and a multitude of friends (both Ari's and Hector's) that just add to the overall richness. And it's fascinating to see the differences in Ari's friends from Hector's since both sets seem to have a slight age difference. Ari and his crew have only just graduated from high school while Hector's group have been in college for at least a year. Still, despite their sometime immature behavior, Hanna and Jake are hugely supportive of Ari. It felt as though Cameron and Lauren kind of faded into the background more, but that was likely due to their own developing relationship both romantic and working.

Now, I say this is a romance, but it's also a story about finding yourself or at least finding a path that means something, and Panetta and Ganucheau did an excellent job of showing the inner turmoil that Ari experienced. On one hand, he's really interested in music and would like to pursue that interest, but on the other, he has his duty to help in his family's bakery. And then along comes Hector who might be a solution to Ari's situation, and yet even he makes Ari unsure on what he wants to do, especially when Hector has such a passion for baking. It's quite adorable seeing both of them working in the bakery together.

Finally, I have to say that the art style is lovely, clean, and crisp, and it really made <i>Bloom</i> a joy to read. Ganucheau's art is truly one that exudes warmth even in the most challenging moments of the story. I have to wonder how the graphic novel would have turned out if it had been shown in full color. However, I think the black, gray, and white really captured all of the story's tones and characters, allowing everything from the backgrounds to the transitions to really shine from the page.

I highly recommend this graphic novel for any public library's graphic novel collection, and I know I'll be adding a copy to my personal library once it's released in 2019.

This is such a great , sweet read! It has a slow build up which is nice. Ari & Hector are well thought out characters with distinct wants and needs. The art is awesome too! This is a great queer romance!

Impossible to review a graphic novel with only text. I would try to reread if the graphics were included.