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eul4lieeee's review
3.0
Great book, a lot of unexpected twists and turns but some part just made me kinda want to roll my eyes
thenovelmaura's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I wanted to love this book and I'm kind of surprised that I didn't! Can I say before starting out that I'm obsessed with this book cover? Setting aside my review, props to the designer because it is gorgeous.
There were a lot of well-done and lovely elements to this story: the complicated relationships between Rosa and her mother and her grandmother, her grandmother's mixed feelings about her homeland of Cuba, Rosa's need to live up to everyone's expectations while struggling with her identity, grief and how we honor the memories of our loved ones, and the power of a supportive community. Spanish is used throughout the book without a side-by-side English translation, and all the food described here sounded delicious.
My two biggest problems were the pacing and the way the "curse" is never addressed. The Santos women constantly alluded to the curse but no one ever laid out what it is and what it meant to them. My understanding was that any men they fell in love with would end up drowning? But that didn't explain why Rosa herself hadn't gone to the beach in her 17 years of life, despite growing up in a port city in Florida. What's more, she just randomly decided to start going to the boardwalk (even before she falls for Alex) and everyone in town was shocked, but no one explained why it would be an issue. The pacing was all over the place; at first, too many characters were introduced too quickly, Rosa agreed to plan an entire wedding for two people she didn't seem to know that well, and the story dragged in the middle and end.
Maybe another reader could overlook these issues and enjoy this lighthearted story, but I found them too distracting! I do own another book by Moreno so I plan to give her another try at some point.
There were a lot of well-done and lovely elements to this story: the complicated relationships between Rosa and her mother and her grandmother, her grandmother's mixed feelings about her homeland of Cuba, Rosa's need to live up to everyone's expectations while struggling with her identity, grief and how we honor the memories of our loved ones, and the power of a supportive community. Spanish is used throughout the book without a side-by-side English translation, and all the food described here sounded delicious.
My two biggest problems were the pacing and the way the "curse" is never addressed. The Santos women constantly alluded to the curse but no one ever laid out what it is and what it meant to them. My understanding was that any men they fell in love with would end up drowning? But that didn't explain why Rosa herself hadn't gone to the beach in her 17 years of life, despite growing up in a port city in Florida. What's more, she just randomly decided to start going to the boardwalk (even before she falls for Alex) and everyone in town was shocked, but no one explained why it would be an issue. The pacing was all over the place; at first, too many characters were introduced too quickly, Rosa agreed to plan an entire wedding for two people she didn't seem to know that well, and the story dragged in the middle and end.
Maybe another reader could overlook these issues and enjoy this lighthearted story, but I found them too distracting! I do own another book by Moreno so I plan to give her another try at some point.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, and Death
chachachuy's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Lo iba a dejar en dos estrellas, pero los últimos capítulos me conmovieron un buen.
lostintomes's review
5.0
The tagline is "Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls" and I would say that is spot on! This is a generational story about family, the choices that form us, a little bit of magic and lots of love.
While there is a really cute romance in this story, that isn't what our main focus in on. Rosa is about to be a new high school grad, who is wrapping up her two year college degree at the same time. She thinks she knows what she wants to do next but things are turning out to be not so simple. Between family curses, small town drama, a new boy in town and other issues that go along with being an immigrant family. We end up with a complex and beautiful story full of ups and downs. The characters are raw and full of life. The culture is rich enough to taste and the romance is sweet. I smiled, I swooned, I laughed, I cried - a lot. There's a lot of year to go but this just might make my list of favorite books of 2019. It deserves it's own movie, you should probably read it.
Content Notes/Trigger Warnings:
- Grief
Recommend for fans of:
- Practical Magic
- Gilmore Girls
- Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants
- To All the Boys I've Loved Before
While there is a really cute romance in this story, that isn't what our main focus in on. Rosa is about to be a new high school grad, who is wrapping up her two year college degree at the same time. She thinks she knows what she wants to do next but things are turning out to be not so simple. Between family curses, small town drama, a new boy in town and other issues that go along with being an immigrant family. We end up with a complex and beautiful story full of ups and downs. The characters are raw and full of life. The culture is rich enough to taste and the romance is sweet. I smiled, I swooned, I laughed, I cried - a lot. There's a lot of year to go but this just might make my list of favorite books of 2019. It deserves it's own movie, you should probably read it.
Content Notes/Trigger Warnings:
- Grief
Recommend for fans of:
- Practical Magic
- Gilmore Girls
- Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants
- To All the Boys I've Loved Before
zoraidasolo's review
5.0
This book is just everything. It is a love song to Cuba, to diaspora, to complicated families. It captures the way generations of Latinx women can communicate—or NOT communicate at all. It is about love and loss and grief. It is so absolutely charming and pure poetry. It is magical realism in the way Latinos only understand and it is romantic AF. I hope everyone gives it a chance and reads this book.
torithelibrarian's review
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. It is brimming with gorgeous sentences and beautifully constructed (mostly female) characters. I particularly loved the sincere and sometimes devastating attention Moreno paid to the ideas of place/home and family and the inexhaustible spectrum of what those look like for different people.
isabellariggs's review
4.0
This book was good. Me likey. I wasn’t sure what all to expect but the story line has lots of mini ideas that were integrated very well.
soupwitch86's review
5.0
It started out so cutesy and I was crying so much at the end, lol. Such a great story. I came for the romance but am so happy that's not what it centered - it was so much of Rosa's relationship with Cuba, Florida, the ocean, Mimi, her mother, her friends, her neighbors, SO MUCH, without being too much. It felt like it was set in a utopia and now I wanna go to Florida. Such a fun, and touching read.
gwenby's review
5.0
This is a charming book about coming of age, having a blended culture, overcoming fears. The only thing I would change is the title. The title bears virtually no resemblance to the story. It is “dumbed down” and could deter many a reader. It almost kept me away. But the story is lovely. Highly recommend.