Dacre Vinson has spent the majority of his life in quite the predicament—even the surf and his books can’t erase his Type 1 diabetes. But when Dacre’s family moves to a new Mexican town, an eccentric girl obsessed with trees offers him a job on the spot, leading to what could be the perfect distraction from his problems.Salbatora Tames has one true love, her avocado farm. Her family constantly … constantly nudges her to be more social, but Sal much prefers the dirt, the sun, and the solitude. Besides, trees listen better than people do.
For Sal and Dacre, their job won’t stay easy breezy for long, not when an avocado delivery to Palenque, Mexico pops up on their radar. Together, they embark on a road trip across the jungle, where they form a tighter bond. However, as obstacles arise, their new-found troubles may lead to more woes than bliss.
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Avocado Bliss is the latest novel co-written by Candace Robinson and Gerardo Delgadillo. Like some of their previous work, it revolves around young adults from (or living in) Mexico who deal with the art of growing up, identifying with different cultures, and figuring out how to balance falling in love and not getting hurt. I’ve read several books by both authors and always enjoy them, and this is definitely the case again. I highly recommend this book, and let’s talk a little bit about why…
Dacre, who must manage Type 1 diabetes, is the oldest of three siblings whose parents live separately in the US and Mexico. On a return trip back to Mexico, Dacre learns his mother has a much younger boyfriend, and he’s having none of it. Upon arrival, he tries to stay far away and ends up accepting a job at an avocado farm where he gets more than he bargained for. Meanwhile, Sal, who runs the farm for her widowed father, is tough and robot-like, according to her friends. He encourages her to let loose more, but she’s reticent ever since her favorite aunt died from Type 2 diabetes recently. When she has to take a trip to deliver avocados to a somewhat dangerous area, several scary and funny scenes occur. Will these two end up together? You’ll have to read the book to find out!
So… these characters are quite lovable. Dacre is generous and witty. Sal is stubborn and thoughtful. In Sal’s world, her father and her flirtatious friend Flor balance out the rough edges. In Dacre’s world, his brother Lach provides the drama. There’s a little bit of everything from dangerous gang fights to sweet love and first-time heartbreak. It’s fantastic to see how two writers with similar and different styles merge their work into a story that really makes you think and worry about the characters. I felt the suspense when they were in danger, and I wanted them to fall in love while tending to the avocados. That’s a sign of great authors!
So… light but full of strong messages and emotions, this book will make you feel happy and sad, but it’s authentic and surprising at the same time. I read it in two sessions, and I only stopped because it was time to cook dinner and have a bit of a break from sitting still. Definitely give this one a chance, and you’ll find two authors with a charming style and excellent sense of storytelling. I can’t wait to see what they dream up next!
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Avocado Bliss is so well blended that there’s no way of knowing who wrote what. Candace Robinson and Gerardo Delgadillo work well together and always deliver a unique story that can be enjoyed by adults of any age. I haven’t read anything else quite like this, and who knew a journey to fulfill an avocado order could be so packed with adventure and self-discovery. Candace Robinson and Gerardo Delgadillo keep everything light hearted and suitable for young adult readers, but also bring awareness to topics like diabetes and how this impacts on a person’s life.
As with Bacon Pie, the supporting cast of secondary characters don’t disappoint and add beautifully to the story. It leaves you wanting to know more about them and for the authors to give some of those characters their own stories also. The authors also combine fact with fiction and you come away having learnt things you didn’t know you would find interesting lol. You can see the work and dedication that goes into the books they write and who knows what recipe they will create next. I can’t wait!
*I voluntarily reviewed an advance complimentary copy of this book
I want to start off by saying that I was given this ebook arc. From the author for my honest thoughts and my review. I want to say that I really connected with this book. I loved all the characters and the story. I am Hispanic and have a husband who is type 2 diabetic. So this book really had me. I worry a lot about my husband and his sugars. This book is very relatable. This book goes by fast and I didn’t want to end.
About Book-
Set in Mexican town. Darc and two brothers share their time with their parents who are divorced. So coming back to stay with his mother. Comes some changes like a new man in the house. Which is hard on him and he meets Sal who works with her father on avocado farm. She is a free spirit who enjoys what she does. These two go on a trip and things getting challenging for the both of them. Highly recommend this book.
This could be a summer full of changes.
Salbatora and Dacre’s character development were both handled wonderfully. It isn’t easy to pull this off when working with two narrators, so I commend the authors for putting so much work into making both of these characters well-rounded and interesting folks. It made me eager to get to know both protagonists better and see if they received the happy endings I thought they deserved.
While I initially understood Dacre’s strong reluctance to talk about his Type 1 Diabetes, there did come a time about halfway through the book when this personality trait of his strained credibility. I’m saying this as someone who has a different medical condition that can become life threatening if not handled correctly. Yes, it made total sense for Dacre to feel embarrassed and annoyed by the way certain folks babied him after learning about his condition. That is always irritating. At the same time, there are certain medical conditions that really need to be disclosed for safety reasons so that others will know what warning signs to look out for in an emergency and when they should call for help. There were so many other things I loved about this story, but I sure struggled to understand why that main character hadn’t learned to communicate the basics about his condition to new people yet.
The road trip was filled with adventure. I never would have guessed that delivering a shipment of avocados could be so dangerous, especially since this was set in modern times and the characters had cell phones and a vehicle. It was a great deal of fun to see just how much trouble two teens could get into despite these advantages.
Avocado Bliss was an exciting read that I’d recommend to anyone who has ever wished they could be like other people.
You know that feeling, when you love the story so much, that you are a loss of word when it comes to talking about it? That is Avocado Bliss.
Dacre and his bother came back from states, to their mother’s place. She moved again and not only that, she has a boyfriend, who is young enough to be her son. And Dacre is not all that happy about it. 🙂 He is desperate for a distraction, so when a cute girl offers him a summer job, he jumps at the chance.
But there is something that is always on his mind, he has type 1 diabetes. It’s a disease that he can never escape, that is always on the back of his mind. He is tired of people treating him differently, so he decided not to tell anyone about it. That makes frequent bathroom visits a bit strange with no explanation. 🙂
Sal lived for her Avocados. She and her father have an Avocado farm and it’s her entire life. In desperate need of help, she hires a guy on sight. They have a big delivery in a few days, and she needs all the help she can get.
I loved reading it, getting lost in the story. It made me laugh and cry and feel for the characters so much.
The story is light and fun on one side, with slowly growing romance, fun banter between Dacre and Sal, Avocado farming, and bandanas.
And very deep on the other side, depicting living with chronic illness, that never goes away, difficult family dynamic, moving places and getting lost in the jungle.
It one of those books you just have to read!
received from author
I had no clue what to expect from a book titled Avocado Bliss. It’s a sweet story of two teenagers trying to find their way while dealing with illness and loss. It’s funny and touching, and gives people a glimpse into what it’s like to deal with diseases that can’t be cured but affect every part of your life. It makes you think about the walls we put up to keep others away because it’s easier than dealing with someone else’s reaction to your medical condition. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
If you’re looking for a sweet young adult romance with plenty to give in terms of characters, plot and overall romance, then you HAVE to give Avocado Bliss a shot! I fell in love with Dacre and his sweet strength, and Sal and her quirkiness. The banter and love/hate/friends relationship between these two totally made the book! You’ll get to see how two teenagers deal with very adult-like issues in the shape of grief and diabetes, but also see a sweet romance bloom. When a delivery sidetracks them onto the other side of danger, Dacre and Sal will really discover the meaning of working together. I loved, loved this!
I loved this book!!! It drew so many feelings out of me!!! I absolutely loved BOTH main characters, not to mention some of the side characters. Dacre and Sal both overcame feelings of insecurity, feelings of worry and sadness in their family, and dangers they went through. But through it all they became friends, and then more than friends. It was moving and I admit I got teary eyed more than once.
Robinson & Delgadillo write so well together. Everything flows beautifully and they write such great characters. Bacon Pie was their first book, which I really loved. Now Avocado Bliss was AMAZING!! I think they both love food!!! Lol I wonder what is in store for their next book?! I hope there will be one!!!
I have to mention the cover!! I really love it, with it’s beautiful colors, the trees, the avocado truck and the silhouette of Dacre and Sal!! BEAUTIFUL!!!
Definitely giving this book 5 Avocados!!!