Bloom by Kevin Panetta and Savanna Ganucheau (Illustrator)

"Maybe just...Don't try to be what you think you should be. Be what you love."

Synopsis: Though he loved working there as a kid, Ari cannot fathom a life wasting away over rising dough and hot ovens. But while interviewing candidates for his replacement, Ari meets Hector, an easy going guy who loves baking as much as Ari wants to escape it. As they become closer over batches of bread, love is ready to bloom . . . that is, if Ari doesn't ruin everything.

First, I have to say: I love baking, and I have since I was a kid, but nothing has ever made me wish that I could drop everything to work in a bakery like this graphic novel did.

I am a really big fan of Alice Oseman's Heartstopper graphic novels, and after flying through the most recent volume I was dying to find something similar, which led me to Bloom, and I was not disappointed. For one, the art style is adorable, especially the baking scenes. There were so many pages where I had to pause just to take it all in, and I have since gone back more than once just to look at them again. Second, I feel like Panetta nailed the coming-of-age theme, which is a storyline that I am especially fond of. Even though some of the character's choices were aggravating as a reader, they also felt very real.

Speaking of aggravating choices, let's talk about Ari.

I think we all can relate to Ari's desire to have a fresh start to go follow our dreams, especially if it feels like someone is trying to make those decisions for us. His desperation is incredibly real, and my heart went out to him. That being said, this ambition blinded him throughout the story, often leading to poor, rash decisions. Whether it be excusing his friend's toxic behaviors, lashing out at Hector when his emotions got the best of him, or the horrifying series of events during the climax, it is abundantly clear that Ari is a flawed character. There are many books where I have not particularly liked characters with a similar character arc, but about halfway through the novel, there is a scene where Ari and Hector are lying on a rooftop looking up at the stars. While the two are talking Ari becomes emotional, admitting that not only does he not know what he wants out of life, but also that he does not know what makes him happy. He goes on to admit that he is unsure if he has ever even been happy at all, and it was this scene that sold me on Ari's character. These fears drove his character, and as unfortunate as his decisions were, they all made sense. I could understand why he made them, which was excellent writing by Panetta. I was really rooting for him, and I felt invested in following his journey.

Hector, on the other hand, was a literal ray of sunshine. With a kind heart, an abundance of compassion and understanding, and a seriously adorable love of baking, it was impossible not to love him. My only complaint that I have in regard to Hector would be that in comparison to Ari's admittedly messy character, he comes across as having no faults at all. Now, I am not suggesting that Hector has the same amount of flaws as Ari. The story would have been completely overwhelmed by unnecessary drama, and it would not have been an enjoyable read. However, adding even just a few small faults to his personality would have made him a more compelling character to follow.

The plot was relatively fast-paced, focusing primarily on Ari's struggles with his friends and trying to move to the city, Hector's job at the bakery and settling into his new surroundings, and the budding relationship between them. I know that I have commented pretty heavily on the conflicts that we see throughout the story, but this really is such a fluffy read. There's of course a wide selection of baking sequences that are ridiculously pleasing to the eye, sweet scenes between Ari and Hector as their friendship progresses (such as hanging out at the local fair, looking at stars, etc.), and, of course, the eventual romance. I will admit, I expected the actual romance to happen much sooner, and I do wish that we could have saw more of it on the page. I do believe that I saw that the author has since released a sequel to Bloom, though, so hopefully we will see a closer look at their relationship going forward!

In summary, this is a fluffy read with delightful artwork, lots of baking, and a realistic look at the pressures of growing up and figuring out where we fit in the world. I genuinely enjoyed this story so much, and it is only further fueling my growing appreciation for graphic novels.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars