Flavored with a pervasive and good-natured sense of humor, Shaw's (Any Advice?
) teen romance, a culinary re-imagining of Cyrano de Bergerac
, serves up a sympathetic hero and a supporting cast of likeable friends. High school senior Cyril is a whiz in the kitchen—he also weighs 240 pounds—and dreams of attending the prestigious American Institute of Culinary Arts. His love for food is matched only by his love for Rose, a beautiful classmate who cherishes Cyril as a friend but nothing more. When Cyril's old friend, the Adonis-like Nick, moves back to the neighborhood, Rose falls for him, and Cyril reluctantly helps his friend woo her by preparing elaborate dinners, allowing Nick to take the credit for them. Shaw freshens contrivances in the plot via his teen characters' quick repartee. Cyril will endear himself to readers with his impassioned, funny responses to food, from his vow never to touch black beans again ("They're so last century!") to an uproarious scene in which he hisses at the TV set during Emeril Live
. Sharing a trick favored by culinary mystery writers and novelists like Laura Esquivel, Shaw ends each chapter with a recipe for a dish that played a role in the preceding pages. Like a fine dessert, this light novel leaves a pleasant aftertaste. Ages 12-up. (Sept.)
