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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
This book is so magical! Don’t Date Rosa Santos is a story of family, home, memories, death, longing, and also of growing up stuck between two worlds: the worlds of immigrant parents and grandparents, and the world where one was born. It’s also a beautiful story that weaves together timeless traditions and cultural inheritance with modern life in a Cuban-American community in small town seaside Florida.
I absolutely loved the real community that exists in this book, something that I have missed so much ever since I left my little immigrant haven in NYC, and reminds me of the love I feel every time I walk down the main street in my little village in England. I may not have been back for years, but everyone knows me and just acts like we saw each other the day before. Nina Moreno does such a wonderful job creating that warm, recognizable setting.
Rosa Santos lives with her grandmother and her mother (when she is around) in the small community of Port Coral in Florida. She is nearing the end of her senior year in high school and has to make a choice about her future. Faced with indecision about what she really wants to do next, the appearance of a good looking and intriguing man on the harbor, and a curse that the women in her family carry with them through their lives, Rosa steps outside of her organizational comfort zone and lets the waves crash over her for the first time in her life.
This story is gorgeously written and held my heart tightly - I don’t want this to be the last I read of Rosa Santos! I can’t wait to read Nina Moreno’s future work!
“Maybe sometimes going home again could be as simple as listening to a song.” (I relate to that sentence SO MUCH).
I absolutely loved the real community that exists in this book, something that I have missed so much ever since I left my little immigrant haven in NYC, and reminds me of the love I feel every time I walk down the main street in my little village in England. I may not have been back for years, but everyone knows me and just acts like we saw each other the day before. Nina Moreno does such a wonderful job creating that warm, recognizable setting.
Rosa Santos lives with her grandmother and her mother (when she is around) in the small community of Port Coral in Florida. She is nearing the end of her senior year in high school and has to make a choice about her future. Faced with indecision about what she really wants to do next, the appearance of a good looking and intriguing man on the harbor, and a curse that the women in her family carry with them through their lives, Rosa steps outside of her organizational comfort zone and lets the waves crash over her for the first time in her life.
This story is gorgeously written and held my heart tightly - I don’t want this to be the last I read of Rosa Santos! I can’t wait to read Nina Moreno’s future work!
“Maybe sometimes going home again could be as simple as listening to a song.” (I relate to that sentence SO MUCH).
taylor swift 2023 reading challenge
⤑ betty: a book with a name on the title
⤑ betty: a book with a name on the title
Managed to hold my attention during a chaotic week so yes it's good!
Cute, quick read with strong Gilmore Girls vibes, but a GG if Stars Hollow hated Lorelai.
I really really enjoyed this. It definitely has Jane the Virgin vibes, I adored the family, and I even found the romance adorable (shocking, I know). The audiobook was really well done and the whole experience was just a lot of fun. I’d love to read more from this author!
Rosa Santos is cursed - all the women in her family are. Both her Cuban grandmother and first-generation mom lost the men they loved to the sea, so Rosa just knows. The ocean isn't for her. Neither are boats. And of course boys who sail are completely out of the question. With a college decision looming and a deep desire to understand the Cuban world of her grandmother, Rosa's Florida town and her neighbors will be the backdrop as she makes sense of how to move forward as a girl who truly knows where she belongs.
Rosa caught my heart from the beginning. I loved her open and vulnerable voice, her love for her grandma and her Cuban magic, her need for control and order while at the same time finding herself enchanted by the wild and forbidden. I really liked the role that Cuba - what it represents for her and for her family - played in this book. The magical realism in the story comes on softly, sometimes I had to stretch my suspended disbelief a bit, but I was rooting so hard for her that I was able to manage it. A few scenes left me wanting but overall the writing was strong. At one point I had tears at the tenderness of strong women who love each other and find ways to survive and thrive even as they are hurting in ways that no one may ever understand.
Rosa caught my heart from the beginning. I loved her open and vulnerable voice, her love for her grandma and her Cuban magic, her need for control and order while at the same time finding herself enchanted by the wild and forbidden. I really liked the role that Cuba - what it represents for her and for her family - played in this book. The magical realism in the story comes on softly, sometimes I had to stretch my suspended disbelief a bit, but I was rooting so hard for her that I was able to manage it. A few scenes left me wanting but overall the writing was strong. At one point I had tears at the tenderness of strong women who love each other and find ways to survive and thrive even as they are hurting in ways that no one may ever understand.
A cute young adult novel that is a perfect combination of Gilmore Girls and Jane the Virgin. With a cast of colorful characters and a beautiful use of figurative language Rosa struggles to come of age as she faces life changing moments and a handsome sailor. The concepts of cultural identity and being true to oneself are strongly represented in this novel, and it will be on my recommended reading list for my middle schoolers when school starts tomorrow!
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This novel follows the story of teenager, Rosa Santos, who is “cursed” by the sea and on the cusp of heading off to college. She wants to go to her homeland, Cuba, and learn about her culture despite her family’s wishes.
She comes from a small coastal town where the community is a tight knit and everyone looks out for one another. When the town, Port Coral, is in danger they decide to put together a fundraiser where everyone pitches in. Rosa ends up partnering with the tattooed, mysterious, and very cute Alex. They bond over their hopes, dreams, and fears and they find a connection that runs deep.
Rose is a high-spirited and passionate dreamer that wants an adventure outside of the life she has always known. Her grandmother raised her while her mom has been in and out of her life. Her relationship with her mom is somewhat strained due to always leaving Rosa behind and always running away from responsibilities. They still share a bond but it’s definitely unique. Her grandmother, Mimi, is a feisty but caring maternal figure. Though they constantly clash they still love each other.
Rose is “cursed” by the sea and during the book she struggles with the fear it puts in her but all the same time she wants to push the limits and not be trapped by it (pushing boundaries). This novel also focuses on the theme of culture and identity. Rosa feels disconnected from her Cuban culture because she’s never been to the homeland but eventually realizes that’s it’s something that runs deep within.
Port Coral sounds like coziest marina town to visit. It’s small, quaint, friendly, and full of vivid scenery. The writing pulls readers into the town’s setting and the cover art reflect is too. Such a summery novel!
All in all this is a magical and beautifully written story about a multi-generational family, the diaspora, love, and identity. It’s a strong contemporary debut and a story that will stick with readers long after reading it.
*Trigger Warning: Death
This novel follows the story of teenager, Rosa Santos, who is “cursed” by the sea and on the cusp of heading off to college. She wants to go to her homeland, Cuba, and learn about her culture despite her family’s wishes.
She comes from a small coastal town where the community is a tight knit and everyone looks out for one another. When the town, Port Coral, is in danger they decide to put together a fundraiser where everyone pitches in. Rosa ends up partnering with the tattooed, mysterious, and very cute Alex. They bond over their hopes, dreams, and fears and they find a connection that runs deep.
Rose is a high-spirited and passionate dreamer that wants an adventure outside of the life she has always known. Her grandmother raised her while her mom has been in and out of her life. Her relationship with her mom is somewhat strained due to always leaving Rosa behind and always running away from responsibilities. They still share a bond but it’s definitely unique. Her grandmother, Mimi, is a feisty but caring maternal figure. Though they constantly clash they still love each other.
Rose is “cursed” by the sea and during the book she struggles with the fear it puts in her but all the same time she wants to push the limits and not be trapped by it (pushing boundaries). This novel also focuses on the theme of culture and identity. Rosa feels disconnected from her Cuban culture because she’s never been to the homeland but eventually realizes that’s it’s something that runs deep within.
Port Coral sounds like coziest marina town to visit. It’s small, quaint, friendly, and full of vivid scenery. The writing pulls readers into the town’s setting and the cover art reflect is too. Such a summery novel!
All in all this is a magical and beautifully written story about a multi-generational family, the diaspora, love, and identity. It’s a strong contemporary debut and a story that will stick with readers long after reading it.
*Trigger Warning: Death
This was such a fun summer read. I felt transported into a family descended from curses and lost at sea. Lovely writing style and I'm a big fan of the "boy with a boat"