| Dominican American women -- Fiction. |
| Bakeries -- Fiction. |
| Secrecy -- Fiction. |
| Romance fiction. |
| Fantasy fiction. |
| Women, Dominican American |
| Bakers and bakeries |
| Bakeshops |
| Concealment |
Available:
Library | Shelf Number | Shelf Location | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Searching... Norfolk Public Library | F SANTOS, Y. TOU | FICTION | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
"A delicious culinary romance." --Booklist
From the author of A Taste of Sage comes another charming and engrossing novel in which a young woman must navigate her family's expectations, the demands of her job, a new love, and a secret about her magical identity.
Larimar Cintr贸n works hard at three things: her job as brand manager for Beacon Caf茅, a New York based corporate bakery chain; taking care of her parents and her abuela; and hiding that she's a ciguapa--a mythical creature of Dominican folklore with long, straight hair and backwards-facing feet. Larimar may only be a ciguapa on full moons, but she feels like an outsider in her family the rest of the month too. Her love of '90s punk rock music and style further sets her apart. But when her best friend introduces her to Ray, a bakery owner and fellow punk rock lover, Larimar thinks she may have finally found someone with whom she can be her true self.
As Beacon's brand manager, Larimar oversees all new location openings, including its newest store in New Jersey, which could be the project that finally lands her a coveted promotion. But when she discovers the location is right across from Ray's bakery, Borrachitos, Larimar is torn between impressing her boss and saving Ray's business.
As Larimar continues to grow closer to Ray and the new store's opening looms, she struggles to hide the truth about herself and her job. But embracing her magical nature may be the only way Larimar can have everything she wants. Witty and poignant, A Touch of Moonlight is a celebration of heritage, culture, and identity--of embracing yourself and finding your place in the world.
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Santos offers up another culinary romance with a dash of fantasy in her sweet but slightly unsatisfying sophomore novel (after A Taste of Sage). Larimar Cintr贸n has always felt like an outsider, from her love of punk music to the fact that, every full moon, she secretly turns into a ciguapa, a mythical creature from Dominican folklore with backward facing feet, straight hair, and a craving for butter. After a pleasant blind date with Ray Antonio Concepci贸n, a baker and fellow punk fan, Larimar considers giving love a chance. But her job as brand manager for the popular bakery chain Beacon Caf茅 puts her in a tight spot when she's asked to oversee a new store opening directly across the street from Ray's bakery, Borrachitos. A successful store opening might mean a promotion--but would Ray ever forgive her if she put him out of business? The central relationship is fun but slow-moving, and Ray's too-nice personality and lack of development make it difficult to invest in the couple. Still, Larimar's journey to accepting her ciguapa identity is admirable, and the recipes between chapters are a treat for baking enthusiasts. It's not perfect, but Santos's fans will find plenty to enjoy. (Oct.)
Kirkus Review
A Dominican American woman tries to navigate a career, romance, and self-love while living with a supernatural ancestral secret. Larimar Cintr贸n is just like any other "totally average" 34-year-old. She loves ska music, and she's gunning for a promotion at Beacon Foods, the corporate bakery chain where she works. Yet there's one small factor that sets the Cintr贸n women apart from other residents of Roselle Park, New Jersey--on the full moon, they transform into ciguapas. Straight out of Dominican folklore, Larimar, her mother, and grandmother bear backward-facing feet, long, straight hair, and impossible speed. In order to maintain a "normal" life, Larimar opts for floor-length skirts and minimal dating, especially since her last boyfriend ran away screaming after witnessing her transformation. But when her best friend, Brynne, introduces Larimar to the gentle-hearted Army vet Raymond Antonio Concepci贸n, Larimar immediately feels weak in the knees. Ray owns a local mom-and-pop bakery called Borrachitos, which is slightly problematic given that Larimar is supposed to be breaking ground on a new Beacon location across from his small business. As Larimar begins to fall for Ray, she concocts a lie about her job in order to find more time to save his bakery and still score her promotion. However, Larimar soon realizes that in more ways than one, she may never be able to fully reveal her true self. Santos' second novel offers a unique spin on a Dominican myth, presenting a ciguapa as someone who longs for love and security rather than a "siren-like" creature who lures men to their deaths. Although the concept of a modern-day ciguapa is intriguing, Santos' story lacks excitement and often spends too much time on mundane details such as descriptions of clothing, food orders, or Larimar's visit to South Jersey Stone and Tile. Pages of cupcake recipes also feel unnecessary, and at times Larimar's work troubles and the semisupernatural ciguapa storyline feel like two disconnected novels. A promising novel that's hampered by banal details. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
In Santos' (A Taste of Sage, 2020) second delicious culinary romance, Larimar is a brand manager for popular bakery chain Beacon Caf茅, tasked with opening new locations as the company expands. A new assignment close to home makes Larimar hyperaware of how the new corporate food stop will impact the neighborhood, particularly business for the Dominican bakery across the street, run by former-military heartthrob Ray. Larimar's loyalty to her family, whom she supports financially, and her loyalty to her Dominican heritage come into question as she navigates the ethics of Beacon's growth. Her moral quandary is further complicated by a budding love affair with Ray, and by the hidden fact that she is actually a full-moon ciguapa, a mythical creature from Dominican folklore with backward-facing feet. As in her debut, Santos includes actual recipes for the treats Ray and Larimar bake. A Touch of Moonlight is that magic breed of rom-com that will leave readers' hearts and bellies equally full.