Les Jours sucrés (Olympia)

by Loïc Clément, Anne Montel (Illustrator)

À 25 ans, Églantine apprend le décès de son père et part pour Klervi, le village breton de son enfance. Elle y retrouve sa vie d'avant, ses souvenirs et la pâtisserie paternelle (qui est désormais la sienne), mais aussi Gaël, son amoureux de l'époque, sa tante Marronde et tous les chats du village. Surtout, elle découvre le journal intime de son père. Il y a mis tous ses secrets de vie et de cuisine. Un véritable guide pour Églantine. Et si c'était l'occasion d'un nouveau départ ?

Une comédie romantique légère et subtile.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Bande Dessinée, Comics, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, France, Adult

150 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 19, 2016

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNFed

Merged review:

Thanks #NetGalley for the copy of #DaysofSugarandSpice.
I simply couldn't enjoy this one as I was unable to get connected to the story or any of the characters. I tried and it wasn't just my cup of tea. The premise sounded so good and the cover art appealed to me so much. But I realised that the artstyle and the dialogue representation were not up to what I had expected. I just couldn't get into it.

[Marnie (Enchanted Bibliophile) · Rating 3 out of 5]

”If endless jabber is what you want the world’s full of it"



Firstly I have to say I LOVE THE CATS. They are the cutest, funniest most adorable part of the story… They earn this story an extra star.

I particularly liked the art style of this one; it softens the whole feel of the story. Giving it that romantic feeling it deserve in the end.
The story itself is the usual run-of-the-mill romantic comedy. Girl gets stuck in small home town and falls for her old school crush.
All-in-all an enjoyable quick read.

I received this copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Ari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Endearing and extremely relatable story. The artwork is sweet, enjoyable, and the ending is the wholesome and HEA one would hope for and expect—not disappointing.

ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, voluntarily read. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.

This is the sweet story of Rose and how she becomes the owner of bakery in a small French village. I really liked how they talked about cakes and other sweet pastries, but most of all I loved the variety of themes that are dealt with in this graphic novel. Family, relationships and past all intertwine to give Rose, the main character, such a profound and meaningful backstory. The drawing style was also really cute.

[Laurelas · Rating 4 out of 5]

L'histoire est simple mais c'est tellement mignon et drôle. Parfait pour une après-midi lecture sur une plage bretonne !

[♛ Garima ♛ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I generally like this type of graphic books...Great graphics, earthy tones, soothing background, heartwarming storyline but for some reason I didn't fall in love with this one. Maybe it is translation thing but dialogues and storyline feel forced....At first, I thought it was just me but then while I was searching this book online, I got this review and I ended up agreeing with it. Isn't it nice when someone feels exactly what you feel about certain things and that saves you from writing the same boring review?

In short, I have read better.

If you are too lazy to click on the review link -
Days of Sugar and Spice: A Saccharine Tale That Lacks Zing

As much as I wanted to like Days of Sugar and Spice, the book was let down by its over-reliance on a central romance that failed to sizzle, and outdated notions of social justice that left a sour taste in my mouth.

[Juho Pohjalainen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a pretty low-key and personal slice-of-life thing, mostly quite comfy and nice to read through. The characters stuck to me with their personal growths, and the artwork carried it fine. I didn't like it too much at first, but it grew on me.

Small issues with the pacing and plot revelations, though. It brought up the true nature of the parents too quickly: turns out the father was all right all along, and the mother was a dick. It felt like there was very little point for the misconception, since it didn't carry around for that long.

[Matilda · Rating 4 out of 5]

C'est beau, c'est doux, les aquarelles sont superbes, ça se lit chouettement bien.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy from Europe Comics through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rose was raised by her mom after her dad kicked them both out of his life when she as a kid. At the ripe age of 28, she gets a call informing her that her dad has died, and she has to return to her hometown to sign some paperwork. After inheriting her dad’s bakery, she discovers his old journal and finds her love for baking and reconnects with the town she once lived in. However, that journal is missing pages, and she’s shocked to the core when she finally gets her hands on them, changing her life forever.

I picked up this book because it sounded cute and sweet. I can now confirm that it’s exactly that. Rose is a bit unhappy in her current life when she gets the news that her dad has passed away. Inheriting his bakery turns out to change her life for the better as she discovers herself through baking, which bridges the connection she never had with her father. I thought it was a sweet way for her to fill the void and heal the trauma she experienced by getting the boot from her father when she was a kid. While the story is short, it’s clear that it’s affected her life and how she treats relationships through her interactions with her on again off again boss/lover as well as her romantic relationship with Gael, her childhood friend and crush.

I truly enjoyed Rose’s relationship with her aunt, Marronde, who talks through gestures and written notes thanks to the stroke she suffered. I was irritated about the truth about why she doesn’t speak that’s revealed later. I wish it was handled much differently and not attributed to Marronde’s stroke. However, I do love the character. In fact, I think I like Marronde more than I like Rose.

I also love Rose’s friend and co-worker, Mei. She’s such a bright character that I can see why Rose is such good friends with her. I love how she interacts with all the characters and the light she brings to the story. I was excited to see her turn back up after it appeared that she had exited the story.

One thing that I didn’t care for was the panels following the town’s stray cats talking to each other. I kept expecting it to somehow relate to the story other than just putting their two scents in between the panels. I kept expecting for the cats to openly talk to the human characters but that just never happened. I their individual panels is something the story could’ve done without because it comes off as a random addition.

Otherwise, I think it’s a cute story that surprisingly covers some tough topics. I love most of the characters and the artwork is adorable. I look forward to checking out Loïc Clément’s other work.

[Lili · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a lovely graphic novel. I couldn't get enough of the cats! The illustrations are what made the story even more lovelier. It is a simple and well known plot of a protagonist coming back to her childhood home and finds out certain things weren’t what she thought they were. But the extra touch of the cats and some unique characters made me enjoy the story. Thank you to Netgalley for this awesome copy in exchange for an honest opinion/review. This is a 4 star read for me!

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this graphic novel from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.


This is a beautifully written and illustrated graphic novel about a woman who inherits her father’s bakery. However she doesn’t have the fondest memories of him as he kicked her and her mom out when she was a kid. That does sound pretty bad, right? Not really something you want to constantly remember. And so we see her go between wanting to stay (because of her auntie, because of a man she has known since childhood (but hasn’t seen in 20 years), because she likes baking) and wanting to go (to her friends, to her apartment, to her life). It was quite interesting to see her try to decide, and I also loved seeing what she did to the bakery. She didn’t just make it a bakery but she made it something more. She added something that the town so desperately needed. She had some great ideas. The town is dying and she is seeing it as a mission to help out.

She finds a diary, and later on in the book gets the missing pages from her auntie… including some very big truths about her mom and her dad. She finds out that maybe it wasn’t only her dad’s fault. She finds out that her mom wasn’t having any clean hands in the matter at all. And then there is a truth about herself. Something that had me shocked.

I loved how with each page we got to know the MC and the village more and more. And the ending was just magnificent and had me crying a bit.

I wasn’t a fan of the kitties. It seemed silly and distracted from the story.

Like with many graphic novels or comics the text was hard to read and at times I just had to stop reading to do something else. My eyes just don’t like reading on a pc, and it would help if Netgalley/publishers made sure that their books are good to read. It shouldn’t be too hard.

Sorry for the chaotic review, my eyes are burning and I really need to read a non-computer book or just rest my eyes a bit.

I would recommend this book to everyone. I am sure it will be loved by many. It is about loss, about finding truths and how to handle them, finding love, finding a place to belong, and more. The art is lovely, and I was a big fan of it.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Annetius · Rating 2 out of 5]

Je n’ai pas pu m’accrocher vraiment à cette histoire, je trouve que les caractères n’ont pas été bien développés, et en tout c’était plutôt trop doux et trop mignon pour mes goûts. J’apprécie pourtant les aquarelles qui sont sympas mais pas plus que ça. Mon personnage préféré: la tante Marronde qui m'a fait rire à chaque fois qu'elle apparaissait dans l'histoire! Toutefois, je dirais qu'il s'agit d'un mauvais timing vu que la plupart des commentaires sont jubilatoires.
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Παρόλες τις καλές κριτικές, δεν κατάφερα να αρεστώ με το συγκεκριμένο κόμικ. Συστατικά της ιστορίας ένα οικογενειακό μυστικό, ένα μικρό χωριό της Βρετάνης απ'όπου ξεπετάγονται παιδικές αναμνήσεις στην ηρωίδα και μια ανατροπή των αρχικών της πλάνων και σκέψεων. Οι ακουαρέλες είναι πανέμορφες αλλά γενικότερα ήταν υπερβολικά γλυκούτσικο για τα γούστα μου.

[Shopgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Si vous avez envie d'une parenthèse délicieusement légère dans votre quotidien gris et moche, Les jours sucrés sont une douceur dont vous auriez tort de vous priver !

Lorsqu'Eglantine apprend le décès de son père qu'elle a si peu connu , elle fait sa valise pour ce petit coin de Bretagne où elle retrouve ses souvenirs d'enfance. Les émotions remontent, la jeune femme a hâte de tourner la page mais la boulangerie, les chats , tante Marronde et Gaël , son copain d'enfance pourraient la faire changer d'avis ...

On s'émeut, on rit, on vit à Klervi et on rêve d'aller y déguster une pâtisserie ...

[Insiya♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fast read! A story about a girl who inherents her estranged father's bakery. The concept of the story is forgiveness and finding happiness which I really liked. I also really liked the art. It was so soothing and made me want to see more of it. The story was a sweet and fun romance and i really liked the characters even though we didn't have much time to get to know them. The parts with the cats were so cute and funny. I loved them. Overall a fun read!
I'll recommendations it to anyone who is looking for a sweet and fun romance.
Thank you to netgalley for this ARC.

[littleprettybooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

20/20

C’est beau, adorable même. Les dessins sont à croquer, les petits chats sont tellement mignons et l’histoire est si belle. Le mélange est un régal. Une BD que l’on savoure, que l’on veut lire et relire encore. J’ai adoré !

Ma chronique : https://myprettybooks.wordpress.com/2...

[Etienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5/5. It was lacking something about the story and the characters to really grab me and that's too bad because from a visual point of view if was great. I liked the liberty the author/illustrator have taken to play with the canvas, no case here and the writing script style. It was original and fun to read from the perspective....

[Daphnee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Days of Sugar and Spice by Loïc Clément! It was easy to read and the sketches were lovely. It made me want to go to a French bakery so badly! The characters were all so funny and charming. I definitely recommend this graphic novel!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy.

[Chantal - Fables & Reveries · Rating 5 out of 5]

Églantine, graphiste à Paris, mène une vie assez routinière avec le stress qui vient avec. Un beau jour , elle reçoit un appel d'un notaire lui annonçant le décès de son père et doit se rendre à Klervi, au beau milieu de la Bretagne. Une ville qu'elle n'a pas visité depuis qu'elle l'a quitté avec sa mère, 20 ans plus tôt, laissant son père derrières elles. Notre protagoniste n'a pas vu ce dernier depuis et c'est avec appréhension qu'elle s'y rend pour la lecture du testament. Son père était boulanger de métier, il lui lègue sa pâtisserie et Églantine hésitante tout d'abord, accepte de reprendre la boutique peu de temps après. Avec l'aide de sa tante et d'un ami d'enfance, Églantine prend confiance en elle pour accomplir cette tâche qui la sort totalement de sa zone de confort. L'héroïne de cette bande-dessinée tombera par hasard sur le carnet de notes de son père, celui où il écrivait toutes ses recettes, c'est alors qu'elle se dit qu'elle pourra de cette manière, apprendre le métier paternel. Mais, elle s'apercevra bien rapidement que ce carnet contient bien plus que ce qu'il en laisse paraître, puisque entre les gâteaux et les pains, elle découvrira un véritable journal intime qui contient un lourd secret familial et qui expliquera bien des événements du passé. Une belle BD qui sort du cadre habituel autant au niveau du sujet que de la forme et qui se déguste comme une bonne pâtisserie tout fraichement sortie du four.

[Macarena (followed that rabbit) · Rating 5 out of 5]

~ARC gently provided in exchange for an honest review~

What a lovely story! 😍 And the illustrations ... so beautiful!

Rose finds out that her father has passed away and she has inherited his bakery in her childhood village. It's been 20 years since she left Klervi, so when she's finally there she can't help having mixed emotions. She was told, by her mother, that her father kicked them out of the house; therefore, Rose and her mother lived in different places through her childhood and she started feeling angry at her father. The feeling grew stronger and she wasn't just angry with him but with the world.

At first, Rose only wants to sell the bakery, but once she sets foot on Klervi she meets again with her aunt Marronde, her childhood friend Gael, and Marronde's mischievous cats. Moreover, she comes accross with her farher's bakery journal. Now too many memories are coming back, and Rose realises where her real home should be.

[Liloo Looli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Je viens de terminer cette BD avec les yeux tout mouillés....
Des personnages attachants, la situation compliquée de la narratrice (perso et pro)...ma propre situation actuelle (envie de reconversion).
Bref....encore trop émue pour en parler mais allez y! Foncez et lisez 😊
En plus les dessins sont tout doux 😊

[Bogdan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The artwork is definitely gorgeous! But the story was lacking in some moments and hasn`t evolved in the way it was expected. It was something with a lot of potential, but kind of an ok product in the end. Still, the scenes with the cats were killing me! :)

[LydieL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Une douceur pour le coeur ♥️

[Samantha Paterson (Magic.between.pages_za) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really sweet graphic novel. The illustration style was fantastic, it had a really French flair that I just loved. The cats had to be my absolute favorite thing about this novel. It was humorous and real and fast paced. I also quite enjoyed that it wasn't in a typical comic book format but rather flowed organically. Great little story!

I was provided with an ARC by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Meteora-books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Une très jolie histoire toute en douceur, très cocooning et feel-good même si on évoque beaucoup de souvenirs douloureux vécus par Églantine! Les dessins sont très beaux, l’histoire est simple mais elle m’a emportée en a peine quelques pages ! Il y a aussi pas mal d’humour, de jeux de mots et des chats donc ça ne pouvait que me plaire, surtout que ça se passe en Bretagne, région que j’affectionne particulièrement !

[Al Capwned · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cutest graphic novel I've read in ages. There's nothing super original in this slice-of-life story but, combined with the beautful art, it's pretty wholesome.

[Vanessa (Wanderness) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received in exchange for an honest review.

This is truly beautiful - this is a graphic novel done right. There was so much content; the characters were loveable and well fleshed out, the art was a beautiful watercolour, and the plot was deep and perfect. Will be purchasing this in a physical copy to read again as it was a well worthwhile read.

[Susana P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super histoire! Un secret de famille, un changement de vie et retour aux sources pour l'épanouissement d'une jeune femme, le tout dans une petite boulangerie bretonne.

[Oneirosophos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bitter & sweet, like life itself!

[Beyond Words · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and I'd like to thank them in letting me read a copy of Days of Sugar and Spice by Loïc Clément.

Since reading the description of being set in a small town in Brittany, France, and being about a bakery, I knew I wanted to read this. I loved the incorporation of recipes in this; it wasn’t step-by-step instructions, but it gave the gist of it. From drinks to soup to tarts, everything seemed delicious. The art is beautiful, filled with colour, but not overwhelming so, and filled with details. I liked the change in colour scheme, going to a minimal set of shades colour, when the main character, Rose, was recalling events from the past. It made things clear, and easy to not mix up the two. My only criticism about the art, although it’s not really about the art itself, is that sometimes there weren’t any borders between the “panels”. It might be that I’m so used to those concrete dividing lines that I prefer it not to change, but it’s still relatively easy to follow.

I do have to say that the first half is a bit predictable and slow-moving, but in the second half, it gets more interesting. Nevertheless, I love the aunt with her big personality, as well as the cats who gave me a good laugh. Gael is also nice, but since this is such a quick, easy read, I didn’t get too attached neither to him nor any other character.

My only regret is that I wish I read this in French, as how it was written. On another note, I would like to say that the narration font isn’t the best. Don’t get me wrong, I love the cursive; however, there are some words of which are hard to make sense, and some letters that don’t always appear to be what they actually are, such as the capital letter “I” that looks like a “J”.

That aside, I think this is a sweet little book (pun intended).

[Jolien ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so cute!

I kindly received a copy from Netgalley in order for an honest review so thank you for that.

I really enjoyed the story, I've always been into stories where the main character loses a relative and then proceeds to inherit a shop,farm or any other building from them. In this case it was a bakery that had been inheritted.

The main character was very relatable since she was just like us going through her usual life. I enjoyed how the characters were so easy to relate to since that made the story so easy paced.

I also really loved the auntie she was just an adorable addition and when she appeared for the first time I giggled at the dialogue.

I do want to point out that the font that this comic is written in is very difficult in the beginning to read due to the fact that some letters are a bit vague. Especially the so to say script/caligraphy font I found a bit confusing at times. (Even though I write like that myself)

Overal I really enjoyed the story and I would definitely read it again in the future. Thank you for the free copy and I hope to read some other cute comics by the same author again!