This is a delightful coming of age story that follows Rubi Ramos, a senior in high school who has her life planned out. Her life plans get a major wrinkle when Rubi gets waitlisted to her number one school. Rubi decides to get a math tutor (Ryan), but also has to make sure she doesn’t get distracted by her number one passion…baking.

I absolutely loved Rubi. She’s determined to be successful after all of the sacrifices that her parents made for her, but her love for baking and desire to connect to her Cuban roots makes her question everything. I love that she’s full of so much passion and drive. I wanted to taste every single one of her concoctions, and I loved how much it connected her to the legacy her parents built (even if they didn’t realize it).

I will say that I didn’t really care about the romance plot one way or another but I enjoyed how much Rubi and Ryan brought out passion and ambition in one another.

This book was truly a joy, and I can’t wait to read more from this author!

FLEW through this excellent, incredible book. Tightly written, earnest, laugh-out-loud funny at several parts—one of the best YA books I've read in ages

a solid 4 star read!

potential massive spoilers below!

overall enjoyed the book, the start was *very* YA but in a 15yo way instead of 17/18 (which is most likely rubi’s age). I’m not a fan of miscommunication tropes, especially ones involving lying, so it was a bit of a grit my teeth through it moment.

honestly the least favourite part of this book is the love interest-who’s-name-I-can’t-remember. it was far too insta-love and I’m so confused because I didn’t feel there was any chemistry full stop. it sort of made the first part of this book too tropey and cringey and unrealistic. none of their plot lines were properly explored, it would have worked so much better if they chose less plot lines and to develop each one more

in saying that, the ending made up for the rocky start, I love how rubi didn’t win the competition, but got what she wanted in other ways, because hey, life is unexpected, things go haywire but sometimes it all works out in the end! I love the family aspects and her passion and her inner thoughts fighting with each other. I love how real this part of the book feels, I wish the rest of the book was like this too. i definitely related to a lot of the first? second? gen immigrant parts of the book, and I love how that part was explored and I wish the author added more of it, especially some of the lesser touched socio-economic parts- it felt like it was just thrown in and definitely deserved more screen time

the whole journey of her trying to get into alma, balancing her school and baking life and how well that was written is the main reason I’m giving this book 4 stars! (btw this isn’t by any means supposed to be a negative review, I genuinely enjoyed the book, I’m just in a rare analytical mood)

thank you netgalley and st. martin’s press for the audio-arc for an exchange for an honest review!

At first I wasn’t sure I was into this book. But as it continued I really enjoyed it. There are a lot of unique themes that are applicable to young adults and adults.
Rubi is a unique character who wrestles with her future- expectations versus desires. It’s an easy to follow story and has powerful lessons about one’s life and dreams.

Rubi’s parents didn’t leave Cuba for her to be a baker like they are. They have much bigger plans for her - but first she needs to get accepted into Alma University. When her application is waitlisted, Rubi is determined to get in without her parents ever finding out she was waitlisted and nothing will stop her. Until she gets accepted into a local baking competition - she’s always had a passion for baking, but her parents view it as a distraction. Can she enter the competition without them finding out, and will she be able to balance getting into Alma AND the Bake Off?

I love books with baking competitions - the food descriptions always make me wish I could be there to taste test. Rubi’s creations sounded SO good! The real winner of this book was the message about family. Rubi’s relationship with her parents was definitely complicated, but as the book went on, it was clear they truly wanted everything for her. And the ending was everything I could have wanted. I wanted a bit more from the love interest though - I feel I never really got to know Ryan as much as I would have wanted to.
I love Karla Serrato’s narration of the audiobook. It was a book I could keep listening to for hours and her various accents and voices were incredible.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the advance copies.

💭Thoughts:
First off, how fun is this cover?! I love all the bright colors. Definitely couldn’t miss it at the bookstore.

This is a fun, quick coming of age story. I enjoyed the Cuban representation and learning more information about a country I don’t know a lot about.

Be warned reading this book will make you hungry. All of the references to different baked goods had me craving sweets. I enjoyed the bake-off and how the competition played out.

My only complaint about this book is that the story jumped around a bit and I found myself confused about what was happening several times.

The narration in the audiobook was great and really brought the characters to life. Overall, I recommend this fun debut YA novel.

Rubi Ramos has been given a recipe for success: study hard, avoid her family bakery, join debate, get into the college her parents had been dreaming of. The only issue is that she is at home and dreams of being a baker like her parents who dream of her doing more with her life. But when she gets waitlisted for her desired school, her debate study heats up, she also adds a cooking competition. The heat is on but can she stand up to it?

Rubi's story is an immigrant story mixed with a coming of age, finding ones self, learning when to stand up for ones self, how to use ones history to inform the future. It's cute, funny, delicious, and spicy.

#arc
#netgalley
#rubiramossrecipeforsuccess

Rubi Ramos is a baker, on a baking ban - so when she finds out about a baking contest happening near her she is immediately drawn to it and the possibility of it helping her out of the ban.
The issue is, her family can’t know about the contest- her parents own bakeries but they do not want the same for her. They wish for her to stick to the plan of getting into Alma college, and being captain of the debate team.
She has a lot of pressure on her as a second generation immigrant from Cuba, trying to find her Roots through food and living up to her family’s expectations.

Jessica Parra’s debut novel stood out as a top of the line cookie in the midst of a lot of coming of age books, exploring the line between being a dutiful daughter and exploring one’s passion. Full of life lessons and great characters and just a little bit of romance, I enjoyed reading this lighthearted and heartwarming story as this one rose to the top, in a sense.

Rubi Ramos hasn’t been allowed to bake anything for the past four years, all in the pursuit of making sure she was the perfect candidate prestigious (and fictional) Alma University. Being a first generational American born from Cuban parents, her family’s sure this will forward her path to become a lawyer and make life better for her family. When she’s waitlisted by Alma and a chance to show her baking skills comes to pass, she’s jumping on it, juggling Trig homework, her hot new surfer tutor, debate team, and keeping baking a secret from her folks.

Rubi was super relatable, she’s a bit geeky and passionate about baking despite not being allowed to, and determined to get into her dream school at almost any price. She learns a lot through her many mistakes, and discovers a lot about herself, her family and heritage, and what’s important to her. I loved the great character depth of the entire cast; all but two characters had a good side, and there’s a hint that one of them might be able to turn it around given more time. Rubi’s family is well meaning, yet not perfect, with her Dad being her partner in crime and her Mama being the more serious of the two. Her school friends were all great, and everyone in the baking world was rather interesting. Part of me is glad that the romance between Rubi and her tutor turned boyfriend Ryan isn’t super big, and takes a backseat for a big chunk of the story as Rubi has other things to worry about, but there is resolution. There are a few cute moments and boyftu is now a thing.

While there are a lot of things going on throughout the story and to some, it might feel like hopping back and forth, everything makes sense in that each element eventually comes together and bakes throughout the book to make a great and yummy treat. The prose was on point, easy to follow along. As a warning, do not read this book with an empty stomach, you will be hungry super fast with all the food descriptions. Also, there’s lots of food related puns and I giggled at a few of them. In addition, there were so many SoCal and Orange County references in this book (as it takes place in the OC), I did not expect the whole “LA Angels of Anaheim” bit to show up here. There are a few Spanish phrases, but it’s easy to understand due to the context. There was one nitpick I had about a contestant being allowed in the contest despite it being in progress, but this seems to be a common trope in these types of stories. And the consequences evened it out. The ending was heartwarming and satisfying in more ways than one.

The audiobook by Karla Serrato was done well with the proper accents and great inflections, especially on the Spanish words, that got me to finish the book in two days!

If you’re looking for a tasty coming of age story with just a bit of romance, donut skip this one!

"Rubi Ramos’s Recipe for Success" is a beautifully written coming of age novel that follows Rubi as she attempts to blend her love of baking with her desire to make her family proud. This novel perfectly demonstrates the constant anxiety that is present when your dreams don’t align with your parents.

The representation was written so well, incorporating Spanish in the conversations and Rubi feeling so strongly toward her Cuban family recipes. It really enforces the struggle of having immigrant parents and the ever-present need to make their decision worth it while also dealing with direct racism by her peers. Rubi’s full circle coming-of-age moment at the end brought tears to my eyes and I was rooting her own in both elements of her passions.

The romance in this book really fell flat for me. I didn’t love Ryan as a character, he just felt a little boring to me. It seems like they were in a relationship after meeting just days ago and I just didn’t care for the pages spent gushing over him. I wish the book would have focused less on the romance and more on Rubi because her story in itself was so compelling without her relationship making her seem more juvenile.

I really believe this was a fantastic debut for Jessica Parra, her writing was so emotional I really found myself caring for Rubi Ramos. I was flying through the pages toward the end, desperate to find out if it all comes together. I also adored the narration! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for proving an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. 3.75 Stars rounded up

Super cute, perfect foodie YA romance. If you like the Great Brititsh Baking show you'll enjoy this. This was perfectly YA geared that I think anyone 13-18 could find something to enjoy in it. I did get hungry while reading this so make sure you have a snack near by!

Rubi is a Cuban-American senior in high school with a lot on her plate. Improving her grades while falling for then having her first relationship with her tutor. Battling her frenemy throughout debate team practices and trying to portray the perfect daughter to her parents.

After being waitlisted for the college she’s been taught to be her dream, Rubi is determined to show the school something that gives her an edge/would aide in her full acceptance. Rubi joins a bake-off style baking competition both to enjoy her passion for baking and in hopes it will impress the admissions.

This was a well written YA book about being first-generation to immigrant parents and the pressures of high school and all that comes with the transition to college/life beyond.

4 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape media for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a solid YA contemporary. With fantastic rep, a story enriched in culture and a high school senior torn between her dreams and her family expectations and sacrifices along with a delectable cast of recipe creations, this book was a fast, fun, heartwarming read!

This was a delightful read! The reader is immersed in Cuban culture and is left with wanting to explore more.
As Rubi is trying to follow her parents’ plan for her, while also pursuing her love of baking, she keeps secrets - those cringe worthy ones that have a reader screaming at the book… of course everyone will find out at the worst time possible!
She meets the charming Ryan, with whom an instant connection is made - the reader can’t help but love him.
The real crux of the story is the development of Rubi’s relationship with her parents. Her parents have high expectations for her and while she works hard to reach their goals, there is a lot of tension created. Due to this, the relationship with her mother is rather strained. It takes a long time to fix the rift that gets created. In fact, it only happens when Rubi is successful. However, Rubi comes to terms with a lot.
I enjoyed the story. The narrator did a good job with the delivery.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc of the audiobook. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.

Rating: 4.5/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

What would you do if your parents had a path set for you and you wanted that path, until something happens and a whole new path opens for you. Would you take the chance at the new path and maybe break your parents’ hearts, or would you stick to the path you know?

I loved every second of this book. I was hooked after the first page and it just continued until the end, where I was sad because I felt like it went too fast.

I thought the plot was done well. It was well written and had the right amount of a YA rom com feel to it, with all the drama, the teenage drama and of course the happy ending. I thought the pace of the book was not fast but not slow, it was perfectly in the middle. The author did an amazing job writing this book, I had a really hard time with putting it down so I could sleep instead of reading/listening to it (I was lucky enough to have the eARC and Audio of this book)

Rubi is such a young adult, and you can see the struggles that she is having with not giving into the pressure of school, spending time at her family’s bakery, studying and of course doing what she loves not what her parents want from her. I know at her age, I felt the pressure to please my family members and get good grades, so I could go to college and make them all proud. So, I was able to relate to her character, and the author really made her character someone who was so easy to connect with. I loved that her family is close even though she does hide a secret from them. They still have a close relationship, and you can see and feel that in this book.

I loved the young romance in this book, it brought me back to my youth. It was so sweet and cute, the connection that Ryan and Rubi have based on the same platform of wanting to make your parents proud but at the same time encouraging each other to do what they love and what will make them happy.

I do have to say that reading/listening to Rubi make all those yummy desserts really made me want to find a Cuban restaurant to see if they have what I read. They all sounded so delicious, and I know a lot of that might have been because you can feel the love that Rubi puts in them. She is proud of her family’s background and wants to share her parent’s hardship of coming to America from Cuba by showing her love for her country’s food and parents.

I think this was an amazing book, and the narrator did an amazing job by really bringing this book to life. I really felt as if it was Rubi telling me her story and not just having someone read the story to me. I loved how she put love into words at the right time.

I would recommend this book to EVERYONE who reads YA, with romance, coming to age.

I want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to review this book

Just by the cover, this book is a must read.
And then you start listening and it became even better.
I just have love it.

This is an amazing story with incredible characters.
Rubi manage so much things in her life, feeling the pressure but not surrendering to it. She deals with not just her life but her´s parents life´s, aspirations and expectations of a better life for her, and all the Cuban hope of the American Dream, until she understands that she deserves to live her life. And by fighting for what she wants and her dreams, not so confident at first, but with each step she takes closer to herself and what makes her happy, she starts to feel bolder.
Still, I really feel the deep connections she has with her parents, the love and bond they have, made even more noticeable by the complicated situations they go through. They show love and even acceptance, even if they didn't agree with her choices.
Her life extends further into connections with her friend, who is supportive and wants the best for Ruby, and in her end, Ruby shows her friend love, support, and acceptance. It is an incredible and exceptional friendship.
And it extends a little further into the romance, I enjoyed the romance so much, it was so sweet and cute. The connections they had and the bond they shared.
Is really beautiful see all this brought to us. Deals with some hard topics for the character but she don't back down and that is inspiring to listen to.
Through the words of the book we feel Cuban life. We feel hunger with all those fantastic descriptions of food, with the little pieces of stories that are passed on to us from the life her parents led, we feel reality, and with her interactions, we see the difficulties of everyday life.
I think it's an amazing book.

And the narrator has just perfect for this. Her soft voice with some of the spanish words, gave life to the book.

Rubi Ramos, a first gen Cuban American, has a plan for success: get into the prestigious Alma University and become a successful lawyer. When Rubi gets waitlisted, she has re-think her plan, or she'll risk losing not only everything she's worked for but everything her parents have sacrificed in order for Rubi to succeed. Rubi tells her parents she was accepted and devises a new plan to get off the waitlist: get tutored in math by hottie surfer Ryan to improve her grade, thereby raising her class rank to the top five percent, and win the debate championship.

However, when a baking competition comes to town, Rubi can't resist applying. She loves baking, much to her parents, especially her mom's, chagrin. They didn't leave Cuba just so she can bake like them. Rubi sets out to balance her plan to get into Alma while participating in the baking competition and managing her budding romance with Ryan.

I absolutely adored Rubi Ramos's Recipe for Success and wish I had a book like this growing up! The younger me would've related to Rubi so much. I've read some reviews that say there was too much going on in the story, but I wholeheartedly disagree. That's the point! When you're born to blue-collar parents who sacrifice so much so that you can be the first in your family to go to college, it can be difficult to manage your hobbies and passions with your aspiration and parents' expectations, let alone be able to navigate a relationship. I love that we get to see a smart, ambitious Latina balancing her career goals with hobbies, dating, and exploring her heritage.

Readers who enjoyed A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow and Don't Date Rosa Santos will also like Rubi Ramos's Recipe for Success.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for giving me an early copy in exchange for my review.

3.5-4 Star review!

This was an ABSOLUTE cover grab request - I needed to read this just from the cover alone, which I love sometimes. We all judge a book by its cover.

This was a really cute YA debut for Jessica Parra. It was a feel-good read about Rubi Ramos who is wrapping up her senior year of high school and awaiting the university fiasco. The catch for this is - Rubi is hiding the fact that she was waitlisted at her go-to university and wants to enter a local baking competition. We learn that baking is Rubi's true passion and she's only applying and attending university for her parents. Her parents are Cuban immigrants and want what they couldn't have growing up and want Rubi to ultimately live the American dream.

This was a fun read with a lot of humor. It's a meet-cute love interest who just stumbles into Rubi's life. Ryan O'Reilly is a red-headed Irish-American surfer boy who we all swoon for. He enters her life and shares his own struggles with Rubi, which goes to show the teen struggles that we all suffered growing up. This isn't a super straight-up romance but more or less a developmental story of accepting your path.

I really enjoyed this one but the side characters fell flat for me and I was sort of rooting for the romance and it just... didn't spark.

Thank you, NetGalley for an ALC for my honest review!

The sweetest book!

Literally. You will want all the sweet desserts while reading this book. And be inspired to bake.

And Rubi! The sweetest daughter who wants to please everyone. She struggles trying to please everyone and be the best and not crumble under the pressure.

Go on this journey with her while she finds the right balance between chasing and her dreams and doing what’s expected of her.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read and review

📚This sweet coming of age story was full of family and fun with a touch of romance. The story follows Rubi as she follows her baking dreams, despite her parents wishes, entering a baking contest. With school, baking, and college applications Rubi has a lot going on. She definitely makes some teenage mistakes but overall her character is persistent, loving, and aware. The family dynamic is also great. The pieces of the parents past is also nice and added to their characters. I liked how the romance wasn’t the entire plot. Finally, this story was enjoyable and if you’re looking for a cute coming of age tale check it out!


“That’s the trouble with bending. It was impossible to know how far to go before you broke.” - Jessica Parra

🎧The audiobook narration was very well done. Production was seamless and the narrator did an excellent job.

Publisher: Wednesday Books
Author: Jessica Parra
Audiobook: Dreamscape


Huge thanks to NetGalley for an audiobook arc of this fun story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫