Graphic Novel Review - 'Lovely Recipe' by Myra Rose Nino

'Lovely Recipe' is the kind of graphic novel that grows on you the more you read. At least, that was my experience.

I really thought I wouldn't like it at first. I mean, after a three-page touching dream/memory sequence, it properly starts with the MC, Sofia Carini, throwing her late grandmother's handwritten family recipe book at her cat for, well, being a cat, and she has the nerve to blame the cat for it getting damaged and falling apart. She then threatens and verbally abuses her poor kitty.

For someone who loved her grandmother and wants to use the recipe book to keep traditions alive and bring her family back together, Sofia treats it appallingly. She stuffs it in her bag unprotected with her other things, and she constantly forgets it and leaves it behind everywhere she goes, for other people to find it and bring it back to her.

Sofia is so scatterbrained, messy, childish and incompetent, it's more annoying than charming or endearing.

It is around the middle of the graphic novel that I slowly, surely, began to like her, and genuinely find her endearing. I think this is due to her personality mellowing and balancing out well against her character foil and opposite - the cool, mature, responsible and no-nonsense Anna Marie Riccio, as the two girls cook more and more together; Anna Marie teaching Sofia, so the latter can finally put her grandma's cookbook to use (Anna Marie's family owns an Italian restaurant). It is very sweet, and they are nice to each other, if awkward, uneasy and frustrated initially.

Sofia and Anna Marie have great, wonderfully developed chemistry, in and out of the kitchen. And while I think the story would have worked fine if they had been just friends, as an opposites-attract romance, of course it is even better.

Even better than that is this is treated as normal by everybody in the graphic novel. There is no homophobia whatsoever. Brilliant, and important representation.

'Lovely Recipe' has a lot going on, with a lot of characters. But it is mainly about the developing/dough-ing, kneading, high-rising romance between the two leads, Sofia and Anna Marie, and the separation anxiety that comes with it. They are both high school seniors, and graduation, and college options and opportunities, they are drawing nearer and nearer...

You can never stop the future. It is always coming, for all of us. But with family and friends there for you, to care for you and love you, it doesn't have to be so scary. Treasure the moments with - the memories of - those you love.

I like Sofia's mum, as supportive-if-overworked-and-flawed-in-dealing-with-grief as she is, and Sofia's friends Kim and Paige, and Anna Marie's adoring grandpa. Loving, supportive, happy and communicative families are the best, and 'Lovely Recipe' showcases this in an understated, natural and organic way.

Sofia's cat Peach is hilarious in a way only selfish and no-effs-given cats are. An example: she'll leap onto a person's back whenever they bend over in her proximity. She reminds me of my own cats in how she just does whatever she feels like.

I still dislike how Sofia abuses Peach at the beginning - seriously, that is totally uncalled for and unnecessary, and not a good introduction to our main character. In fact, it is out of character for her, compared to how she is for the rest of the book. She is never so cruel and moody again.

The artwork is nice, colourful and sweet (I like the tiny detail of Sofia's black nail polish). Although, the high school characters look so young! If I was told before reading that they are actually meant to be ten-years-old, I would believe it!

On that note, despite appearances, 'Lovely Recipe' is not a middle grade graphic novel. Due to the occasional use of somewhat light swearwords, it is YA. But remove the swearing and it would easily have been all-ages, and therefore it'd have reached a wider audience. I don't understand why the mild language was necessary. It's 'Pizza Witch' all over again (another LBGTQ+ foody graphic novel, heh).

One final note: Almost nobody is white. Perfect.

'Lovely Recipe' - as it turns out, it really is lovely. And as sweet as Easter bread. It's a lovely, sweet LBGTQ+ coming-of-age and coming-to-cook graphic novel. And it's funny. It's like 'Navigating With You' (Sofia even looks and acts like Gabby, though she is far less tragic), 'Mismatched', 'Carousel Summer', and 'Crumble'.

What a lovely treat. One that will grow on you and warm you from the inside. From your heart as well as your stomach.

Final Score: 3.5/5