"Earthy, magical, and utterly charming, this tale of family life in turn-of-the-century Mexico became a best-selling phenomenon with its winning blend of poignant romance and bittersweet wit.

The number one bestseller in Mexico and America for almost two years, and subsequently a bestseller around the world, "Like Water For Chocolate" is a romantic, poignant tale, touched with moments of magic, graphic earthiness, bittersweet wit - and recipes.

A sumptuous feast of a novel, it relates the bizarre history of the all-female De La Garza family. Tita, the youngest daughter of the house, has been forbidden to marry, condemned by Mexican tradition to look after her mother until she dies. But Tita falls in love with Pedro, and he is seduced by the magical food she cooks. In desperation, Pedro marries her sister Rosaura so that he can stay close to her. For the next twenty-two years, Tita and Pedro are forced to circle each other in unconsummated passion. Only a freakish chain of tragedies, bad luck and fate finally reunite them against all the odds." - Goodreads
Title: Like Water for Chocolate
Author: Laura Esquivel
Publisher: Black Swan
Release Date: January 1st 1989
Format: Paperback
Pages: 224
Genre: Fiction
Rating: ❤❤❤❤

Having read it for a group project in the Fall semester of '09, I was curious about it from the start. The back of the book was what made me read it in the first place. What kept me going was the story and the really cool touch of having recipes added.

It was broken down into twelve chapters. Each chapter represented a month and a special recipe was added at the beginning of each chapter. And the recipes were picked for that special moment of that month or for that season. I have yet to try any of them, but it's all Mexican recipes written in english.

Anyway, it's a fantastic book and left me and my classmates being satisfied with the ending; well sort of haha it was an "odd" ending, but a good one.

I would say it's worth reading once and great for anyone looking to write a report in high school or the freshman year of english in college.