After her post-graduation plans fall apart, Lila Reyes is sent away to spend the summer with family friends in England. But what Lila expects to be a summer devoid of proper Cuban food and sun turns into one of unexpected love when she falls for teashop clerk Orion Maxwell and, most surprising, England itself.
For Lila Reyes, a summer in England was never part of the plan. The plan was 1) take over her abuela’s role as head baker at their panadería, 2) move in with her best friend after graduation, and 3) live happily ever after with her boyfriend. But then the Trifecta happened, and everything—including Lila herself—fell apart.
Worried about Lila’s mental health, her parents make a new plan for her: Spend three months with family friends in Winchester, England, to relax and reset. But with the lack of sun, a grumpy inn cook, and a small town lacking Miami flavor (both in food and otherwise), what would be a dream trip for some feels more like a nightmare to Lila…until she meets Orion Maxwell.
A teashop clerk with troubles of his own, Orion is determined to help Lila out of her funk, and appoints himself as her personal tour guide. From Winchester’s drama-filled music scene to the sweeping English countryside, it isn’t long before Lila is not only charmed by Orion, but England itself. Soon a new future is beginning to form in Lila’s mind—one that would mean leaving everything she ever planned behind.
Content Warnings: Death of a close family member, dementia
Ace Entertainment is adapting Cuban Girl for film!
https://deadline.com/2022/08/a-cuban-girls-guide-to-tea-and-tomorrow-film-in-works-from-ace-entertainment-1235093485/
A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow debuted at #3 on the New York Times Bestseller List!
A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow is the November Reese’s Book Club YA pick!
Praise for A CUBAN GIRL’S GUIDE TO TEA AND TOMORROW
“(Namey) shines at characterization and portraying self-discovery . . . A heartwarming romance paired with a well-written setting add up to a satisfying read on multiple levels.” -Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review ⭐️
In A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, Cuban American author Laura Taylor Namey (The Library of Lost Things) writes in language as rich as her protagonist’s pastries, with just the right amount of sweetness. Lila, hanging out with a new friend, considers her (temporary, maybe) new scene: “We lean against moss-painted stone that was built eons before either of us was ever imagined. A friend, eating my food after late-night music. Miami, Winchester–like salsa dancing and band rehearsal, they’re different but also kind of the same.” Characters have realistic depth and failings, making every one of them sympathetic. A delectable read about loss, renewal, and pastelitos.
Shelf Awareness Starred Review 🌟
“Part romance, part foodie heaven, the warm atmosphere will make readers want to cook and dance and love.” –Kirkus
“This book has it all: the recipe for new, lasting, happy friendships, a dash of romance, and some gentle (albeit hard) lessons about honoring yourself and letting go of people as perspectives shift.”
-Booklist
“Like so many children of immigrants, there is a sense that first-generation children should have careers thought out, and Lila is realizing that she has power over her life’s direction. VERDICT: Readers who have often wondered about stepping outside their comfort zone can find courage in Lila’s story.”
-School Library Journal
“A CUBAN GIRL’S GUIDE TO TEA AND TOMORROW is an absolute delight. Cozier than a hand-knit gray cardigan, and richer than Abuela’s pastelito recipe, Namey takes you from Miami to Winchester, and leaves your heart belonging to both. Best enjoyed with a steaming cup of your favorite signature tea.”–Rachael Lippincott, author of “Five Feet Apart”
”This book. THIS BOOK. Laura Taylor Namey has written the coziest love story I’ve ever had the pleasure to read. I want to sit in Abuela’s kitchen, wearing a hand-knit sweater and drinking my favorite tea while Lila and Orion take turns feeding my soul and filling my heart with their shared grief and sweetly blooming affection. Namey’s prose left my heart fit to burst into a million starlit pieces scattered between Miami and Britain. Beautiful.” –Erin Hahn, author of ”You’d Be Mine” and ”More Than Maybe”
“Warning: do not read while hungry. This delectable blend of romance and pastry across two continents filled me up and left me eager for more. I could live inside Laura Taylor Namey’s vibrant words forever.” –Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of “Today, Tonight, Tomorrow”
“A CUBAN GIRL’S GUIDE TO TEA AND TOMORROW is bursting with love for home, family, and culture. An utterly charming read that feels like a treasured recipe that will heal and feed a broken heart. This is the ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS of my Latinx dreams.” –Nina Moreno, author of “Don’t Date Rosa Santos”
“A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow is a tale so sweet, savory, and delightful that you’ll long to travel, bake, and believe in the possibilities of love.” –Margarita Engle, Newbery Honor-winning author of “The Surrender Tree” and Young People’s Poet Laureate Emeritus
Articles and Interviews:
Reese’s Book Club Essay: The Seed of a Story
Between Two Lockers Interview with Forever YA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVPoO0V7Chg&feature=youtu.be
OnFrolic Magazine Guest Post!
https://frolic.media/cuban-enough-by-laura-taylor-namey/
The Spinning Pen:
Books to Read if You Love Taylor Swift’s Folklore
Goodreads Most Highly Anticipated
Kirkus’s 11 Diverting Teen Reads for Stressful Times
https://www.thenerddaily.com/laura-taylor-namey-cuban-girls-guide-interview/
Foreign Editions:
Poland
Portugal
World Spanish
Italy
Denmark
Russia
UK
Germany
Czech Republic
Serbia
Hungary
Croatia
France
Macedonia
Brazil
Bulgaria
