What do you think?
Rate this book
Win a free print copy of this book!
10 days and 16:09:44
5 copies available
U.S. only
Familia
Win a free print copy of this book!
10 days and 16:09:44
5 copies available
U.S. only
What if your most basic beliefs about your life were suddenly revealed to be a lie? In this compelling, emotional novel, two young women are brought together by a genealogy test and a haunting question that shakes their understanding of what family is and who they truly are . . .
As the fact checker for a popular magazine, Gabby DiMarco believes in absolute, verifiable Truths—until they throw the facts of her own life into question. The genealogy test she took as research for an article has yielded a baffling result: Gabby has a sister—one who’s been desperately trying to find her. Except, as Gabby’s beloved parents would confirm if they were still alive, that’s impossible.
Isabella Ruiz can still picture the face of her baby sister, who disappeared from the streets of San Juan twenty-five years ago. Isabella, an artist, has fought hard for the stable home and loving marriage she has today—yet the longing to find Marianna has never left. At last, she’s found a match, and Gabby has agreed to come to Puerto Rico.
But Gabby, as defensive and cautious as Isabella is impulsive, offers no happy reunion. She insists there’s been a mistake. And Isabella realizes that even if this woman is her sister, she may not want to be.
With nothing—or perhaps so much—in common, Gabby and Isabella set out to find the truth, though it means risking everything they’ve known for an uncertain future—and a past that harbors yet more surprises . . .
As the fact checker for a popular magazine, Gabby DiMarco believes in absolute, verifiable Truths—until they throw the facts of her own life into question. The genealogy test she took as research for an article has yielded a baffling result: Gabby has a sister—one who’s been desperately trying to find her. Except, as Gabby’s beloved parents would confirm if they were still alive, that’s impossible.
Isabella Ruiz can still picture the face of her baby sister, who disappeared from the streets of San Juan twenty-five years ago. Isabella, an artist, has fought hard for the stable home and loving marriage she has today—yet the longing to find Marianna has never left. At last, she’s found a match, and Gabby has agreed to come to Puerto Rico.
But Gabby, as defensive and cautious as Isabella is impulsive, offers no happy reunion. She insists there’s been a mistake. And Isabella realizes that even if this woman is her sister, she may not want to be.
With nothing—or perhaps so much—in common, Gabby and Isabella set out to find the truth, though it means risking everything they’ve known for an uncertain future—and a past that harbors yet more surprises . . .
320 pages, Paperback
First published December 26, 2023
About the author
Lauren E. Rico
16 books438 followersLibrarian Note: Also writes under the pen name L.E. Rico.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 625 reviews
November 29, 2023
Lauren E. Rico has crafted a fascinating novel that combines family drama, a cold case, and a genetic mystery. Gabriella (Gabby) DiMarco works as a fact-checker for a magazine in New York. As a group the staff do DNA tests. When Gabby gets her results, she believes the laboratory made a mistake. Then she gets a message from someone on the genealogy site claiming to be her sister.
This is an emotional and heartwarming story of Gabby and the woman who claims to be her sister Isabella trying to solve the mystery. While the story is told mainly from the points of view of Gabby and Isabella, there are chapters featuring several other characters. Will Gabby and Isabella get the full story and solve the mystery?
Set in Puerto Rice, this is a compelling narrative that has wonderful, but flawed main characters. The author weaves a complex web of emotions, secrets, and conflicts that will keep readers turning the pages. The worldbuilding is fantastic and the writing style is engaging.
Overall, this story is emotional, entertaining, and thought-provoking. The author delivers a vivid story of life and drama. I’m looking forward to reading more novels by this author.
Kensington Books provided a complimentary physical copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date was December 26, 2023.
---------------------------------------------
My 4.31 rounded to 4 stars review will be coming soon.
This is an emotional and heartwarming story of Gabby and the woman who claims to be her sister Isabella trying to solve the mystery. While the story is told mainly from the points of view of Gabby and Isabella, there are chapters featuring several other characters. Will Gabby and Isabella get the full story and solve the mystery?
Set in Puerto Rice, this is a compelling narrative that has wonderful, but flawed main characters. The author weaves a complex web of emotions, secrets, and conflicts that will keep readers turning the pages. The worldbuilding is fantastic and the writing style is engaging.
Overall, this story is emotional, entertaining, and thought-provoking. The author delivers a vivid story of life and drama. I’m looking forward to reading more novels by this author.
Kensington Books provided a complimentary physical copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date was December 26, 2023.
---------------------------------------------
My 4.31 rounded to 4 stars review will be coming soon.
January 2, 2024
I’ll start this review by saying that I am Puerto Rican, born, raised and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. I love Puerto Rico with all my heart and whenever I see anything by Puerto Ricans I have to try and support it or give it a chance.
Rough description of the book, Gabiella is a fact checker at a magazine and her boss thinks its a good idea that every employee does a DNA test to find out if they can find some dark family secret. Gabby, who has recently lost both of her parents, finds out that she has an alleged sister she has never met, when said sister messages her letting her know that they are related and that she a missing baby from 25 years ago, the plot starts to roll. Slowly the book reveals what happened that day and all the people that played a part for the separation of these two sisters.
Here is where I have issue with this book and the plot:
At the very beginning the author wrote a note talking about her family history. How one of her grandparents is from Cuba and her grandmother was Puerto Rican and she wants to honor them by writing this book set in Puerto Rico. I think she pretty much failed at honoring an island that has so much culture and beauty. I understand that it's has to be dark and it has to be have dark these for the plot, but was it hard to have a balance. To add beauty (not just the sister relationship) between all the darkness.
The plot mostly is set in old San Juan and la Perla, and I understand why she chose la Perla. I know all the negative connotations la Perla has, but only mentioning once why it was founded calling it "this used to the slaughter house for the slaves". The fact that following that statement the gringa says "this is prime real estate, how come no on has snatched it up and made a hotel here". Like it feels like an erasure of the history of Old San Juan and la Perla. It's too complicated for me to get into all the details.
The characters drove me up a wall, because every single character from Puerto Rico is a criminal or has criminal behavior in their past. EVERY SINGLE ONE. Almost every single character but Isabella played a role in the kidnapping of this child. The fact that the story tries to justify why this baby deserved to be taken away from Puerto Rico for a "better" "safer" life. It keeps pushing the narrative that you could have a better, safer, life if you left Puerto Rico, and I don't ride on that.
The dark themes that bothered me most in the book, apart from the kidnapping, are the drugs. Drugs happen every where and Puerto Rico isn't the only place that has drugs. I've lived here 32 years and no one has tried to sell me drugs. The way the book portrayed it mostly hints that people come to Puerto Rico looking for drugs. Maybe some do, but that is not the image of Puerto Rico I want out there. Adding to this, that when both cops lie to the girls about what really happened in the past they used the Dominican Republic as another criminal hotspot for people to get kidnapped and human trafficked.
The timeline of this book is a bit wild for me. It goes back and forth between the day Mariana was kidnapped and the present. It was believable until one POV in the past and they mentioned Hurricane Maria. Which if my calculations are correct, the kidnapping takes place in 1998. Obviously in 1998 nobody would imagine that in 2017 there would be a devastating Hurricane, if the author had done any research she could've used Hurricane George, but this felt like it had no research and it only followed the knowledge the author had of her experiences in Puerto Rico.
The book tried, and failed, to connect the darks sides of the island with the beauty but we only get to hear about the beauty when Gabiella is on the plane and other people tell here to visit the island and see the beautiful parts of it. She never does, or we never get to see it. Add to that the author places Guanica wrong on the island in the story, but correctly placed it in her authors note.
I don't recommend this book because I don't want to keep promoting books that only highlight crime and drugs in Puerto Rico. I got a free arc of this book on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Rough description of the book, Gabiella is a fact checker at a magazine and her boss thinks its a good idea that every employee does a DNA test to find out if they can find some dark family secret. Gabby, who has recently lost both of her parents, finds out that she has an alleged sister she has never met, when said sister messages her letting her know that they are related and that she a missing baby from 25 years ago, the plot starts to roll. Slowly the book reveals what happened that day and all the people that played a part for the separation of these two sisters.
Here is where I have issue with this book and the plot:
At the very beginning the author wrote a note talking about her family history. How one of her grandparents is from Cuba and her grandmother was Puerto Rican and she wants to honor them by writing this book set in Puerto Rico. I think she pretty much failed at honoring an island that has so much culture and beauty. I understand that it's has to be dark and it has to be have dark these for the plot, but was it hard to have a balance. To add beauty (not just the sister relationship) between all the darkness.
The plot mostly is set in old San Juan and la Perla, and I understand why she chose la Perla. I know all the negative connotations la Perla has, but only mentioning once why it was founded calling it "this used to the slaughter house for the slaves". The fact that following that statement the gringa says "this is prime real estate, how come no on has snatched it up and made a hotel here". Like it feels like an erasure of the history of Old San Juan and la Perla. It's too complicated for me to get into all the details.
The characters drove me up a wall, because every single character from Puerto Rico is a criminal or has criminal behavior in their past. EVERY SINGLE ONE. Almost every single character but Isabella played a role in the kidnapping of this child. The fact that the story tries to justify why this baby deserved to be taken away from Puerto Rico for a "better" "safer" life. It keeps pushing the narrative that you could have a better, safer, life if you left Puerto Rico, and I don't ride on that.
The dark themes that bothered me most in the book, apart from the kidnapping, are the drugs. Drugs happen every where and Puerto Rico isn't the only place that has drugs. I've lived here 32 years and no one has tried to sell me drugs. The way the book portrayed it mostly hints that people come to Puerto Rico looking for drugs. Maybe some do, but that is not the image of Puerto Rico I want out there. Adding to this, that when both cops lie to the girls about what really happened in the past they used the Dominican Republic as another criminal hotspot for people to get kidnapped and human trafficked.
The timeline of this book is a bit wild for me. It goes back and forth between the day Mariana was kidnapped and the present. It was believable until one POV in the past and they mentioned Hurricane Maria. Which if my calculations are correct, the kidnapping takes place in 1998. Obviously in 1998 nobody would imagine that in 2017 there would be a devastating Hurricane, if the author had done any research she could've used Hurricane George, but this felt like it had no research and it only followed the knowledge the author had of her experiences in Puerto Rico.
The book tried, and failed, to connect the darks sides of the island with the beauty but we only get to hear about the beauty when Gabiella is on the plane and other people tell here to visit the island and see the beautiful parts of it. She never does, or we never get to see it. Add to that the author places Guanica wrong on the island in the story, but correctly placed it in her authors note.
I don't recommend this book because I don't want to keep promoting books that only highlight crime and drugs in Puerto Rico. I got a free arc of this book on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2023
Publication date: January, 2024
This review will take time for me to write because it is important to get this one right, to put the thoughts together with the best words to reflect my impression of this book. The author has looked very deeply at relationships struggling to connect and make sense of divergent pasts. The whole idea of DNA testing has opened up wonderful and challenging issues regarding family and what that means. Emotions are fragile as people reconnect and perhaps find that one person has had a much more privileged upbringing than the other. The story also examines the fact that separations of family members are usually not simple matters and the reasons for those separations are often complex. Overall, this is an engaging, wonderful story of loss, love and, always, family. I wholeheartedly recommend this book as one to keep and cherish.
My thanks to the author, Lauren E. Rico, and the publisher, Kensington Books, for my Advance Uncorrected Proof of this wonderful book. #Goodreads Giveaway
This review will take time for me to write because it is important to get this one right, to put the thoughts together with the best words to reflect my impression of this book. The author has looked very deeply at relationships struggling to connect and make sense of divergent pasts. The whole idea of DNA testing has opened up wonderful and challenging issues regarding family and what that means. Emotions are fragile as people reconnect and perhaps find that one person has had a much more privileged upbringing than the other. The story also examines the fact that separations of family members are usually not simple matters and the reasons for those separations are often complex. Overall, this is an engaging, wonderful story of loss, love and, always, family. I wholeheartedly recommend this book as one to keep and cherish.
My thanks to the author, Lauren E. Rico, and the publisher, Kensington Books, for my Advance Uncorrected Proof of this wonderful book. #Goodreads Giveaway
January 28, 2024
This was a sweet read that would have made an excellent Lifetime movie. I liked that the author’s forward talked about her desire to use writing this book to rediscover her own cultural heritage. I thought the two main characters each had great voices and I liked that you also got to see some of the past perspectives of the people present as it really rounded out the story. When Isabella was a young girl her younger sister Marianna disappeared and was never found again. Gabby is a fact checker who knows she’s meant to be a writer if she can only get the chance to prove herself. When she does a DNA test with her company she is shocked to discover a woman matches with her and claims to be her full sister. Determined to tell her story and be a writer she needs to go to Puerto Rico to find this woman and tell the story of the mix up at the lab. But as they two women explore what really happened to Marianna they both will discover a lot about themselves and family.
January 31, 2024
4.5 very glowing stars! Familia by Lauren E. Rico left such a deep and positive impression on me. It was the first book that I had the pleasure of listening to by Lauren E. Rico. Her writing was so impressive, especially her beautiful and vivid descriptions of the Puerto Rican countryside and its inhabitants. I listened to the audiobook of Familia that was masterfully narrated by Frankie Corzo, Robb Moreira and Victoria Villarreal. These talented narrators captured my complete attention as soon as I began to listen to Familia. I really enjoyed the characters, both the major ones and the minor ones. They were flawed but so believable. I became so immersed in this well plotted story that i found that I had difficulty turning it off.
Gabriella (Gabby) DiMarco was an only child. She had been raised by two very loving parents who were now gone. Gabby had grown up enjoying the privileges that her upper middle class life provided. She was now working as a fact finder for a prestigious magazine. She was extremely good at her job but Gabby did not find it stimulating. Her goal was to become a writer for the magazine. Gabby had been biding her time until the right opportunity presented itself. When the entire staff of the magazine she worked at decided to take a DNA test, Gabby went along with it. Since Gabby had no family anymore, she thought that the test might provide a name of a distant cousin but Gabby was not very hopeful. When the results came back, Gabby was told that she had a sister. Gabby’s first reaction was that the results had to be a false positive. The test had to have been flawed. How could she have a sister? Then that night, Gabby received an email from someone named Isabella Ruiz. She claimed to be Gabby’s sister. Isabella told Gabby that she lived in Puerto Rico and that she believed that Gabby was her little sister who had disappeared when she was a baby. Isabella was convinced that Gabby was Marianna, her baby sister who had vanished all those years ago. Gabby thought that this was crazy but she could not let the idea go. Even though, Gabby was still doubtful that this was true, she wanted to pursue this and write a story about it. Unfortunately, Gabby’s boss, Max, was not convinced that Gabby was capable of doing this. Gabby was left with no choice when her boss threatened to terminate her job if she pursued this. When Gabby was convinced that Max was not going to change his mind, she decided that he left her no choice. Gabby was going to pursue this as a freelance journalist and she was not going to back down or change her mind about it. She made arrangements to fly to Puerto Rico to meet Isabella and look into the cold case of Marianna Ruiz. Gabby was determined to prove to Isabella that she was not her sister but she also wanted to help Isabella discover what really happened to her baby sister all those years ago. What would Gabby’s and Isabella’s efforts turn up and uncover? What would they discover about each other?
I really enjoyed the dynamics between Gabby and Isabella. It was quite enjoyable as I witnessed how each one of them grew, evolved and adapted themselves to the circumstances they found themselves in. Their relationship and the roles they were meant to play were met with constant challenges, compromises and expectations. They were so different yet so alike. Most of Familia was told through the alternating POVS of Gabby and Isabella. Familia was about loss, family, reconciliation, the mystery of what happened to the baby known as Marianna Ruiz, solving a cold case and finally putting it to rest, lots of secrets and sisterly love. There were a few twists that I enjoyed. Familia by Lauren E. Rico was very compelling and most engaging. I highly recommend it.
Thank you to Recorded Books for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of Familia by Lauren E. Rico through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Gabriella (Gabby) DiMarco was an only child. She had been raised by two very loving parents who were now gone. Gabby had grown up enjoying the privileges that her upper middle class life provided. She was now working as a fact finder for a prestigious magazine. She was extremely good at her job but Gabby did not find it stimulating. Her goal was to become a writer for the magazine. Gabby had been biding her time until the right opportunity presented itself. When the entire staff of the magazine she worked at decided to take a DNA test, Gabby went along with it. Since Gabby had no family anymore, she thought that the test might provide a name of a distant cousin but Gabby was not very hopeful. When the results came back, Gabby was told that she had a sister. Gabby’s first reaction was that the results had to be a false positive. The test had to have been flawed. How could she have a sister? Then that night, Gabby received an email from someone named Isabella Ruiz. She claimed to be Gabby’s sister. Isabella told Gabby that she lived in Puerto Rico and that she believed that Gabby was her little sister who had disappeared when she was a baby. Isabella was convinced that Gabby was Marianna, her baby sister who had vanished all those years ago. Gabby thought that this was crazy but she could not let the idea go. Even though, Gabby was still doubtful that this was true, she wanted to pursue this and write a story about it. Unfortunately, Gabby’s boss, Max, was not convinced that Gabby was capable of doing this. Gabby was left with no choice when her boss threatened to terminate her job if she pursued this. When Gabby was convinced that Max was not going to change his mind, she decided that he left her no choice. Gabby was going to pursue this as a freelance journalist and she was not going to back down or change her mind about it. She made arrangements to fly to Puerto Rico to meet Isabella and look into the cold case of Marianna Ruiz. Gabby was determined to prove to Isabella that she was not her sister but she also wanted to help Isabella discover what really happened to her baby sister all those years ago. What would Gabby’s and Isabella’s efforts turn up and uncover? What would they discover about each other?
I really enjoyed the dynamics between Gabby and Isabella. It was quite enjoyable as I witnessed how each one of them grew, evolved and adapted themselves to the circumstances they found themselves in. Their relationship and the roles they were meant to play were met with constant challenges, compromises and expectations. They were so different yet so alike. Most of Familia was told through the alternating POVS of Gabby and Isabella. Familia was about loss, family, reconciliation, the mystery of what happened to the baby known as Marianna Ruiz, solving a cold case and finally putting it to rest, lots of secrets and sisterly love. There were a few twists that I enjoyed. Familia by Lauren E. Rico was very compelling and most engaging. I highly recommend it.
Thank you to Recorded Books for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of Familia by Lauren E. Rico through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
April 1, 2024
2.5 stars, but rounding up to 3 stars, "I liked it." However, I wanted to LOVE this book. I'm Puerto Rican-American, so this should have been a 4- or 5-star book, but I never found Gabby, one of the two main characters, particularly believable, or even that likable. The other MC, Isabella, worked better for me, but the story, overall, just wasn't the strongest for me. Plus, I personally don't think this presented Puerto Rico nor its people in such a great light. And some of the plot points and time lines felt off. All that said, many of my friends will like this book, including many fellow Boricuas/Latinos, and I would recommend it to them.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. (I also happened to receive a physical ARC from the publisher, many thanks for that as well.)
Also, many thanks to Kensington Publishing Corp., as I also received a physical ARC of this book.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. (I also happened to receive a physical ARC from the publisher, many thanks for that as well.)
Also, many thanks to Kensington Publishing Corp., as I also received a physical ARC of this book.
May 5, 2024
This is an entertaining, well-written, fast paced contemporary women's fiction novel. It has engaging, sympathetic female protagonists, vividly described settings, a beautiful bond between sisters, a mystery, a few twists, a touch of humor, some emotional moments, and a gratifying conclusion. Many thanks to Kensington Books, from whom I won a paperback copy of this delightful novel as a member of their Between the Chapters Book Club. This is my honest opinion.
February 5, 2024
"Familia" concerns two very different women, Gabriella "Gabby" and Isabella. Gabby is 25 years old, living in NYC and working as a fact checker for a magazine. Her parents are recently deceased and she has no other family. Her best friend is now in Los Angeles. Gabby is feeling herself to be alone.
Isabella is 30 years old, full of spunk, and lives in San Juan, Puerto Rico with her husband. She is a talented wall muralist, but makes her living painting tiny pictures on tourists' fingernails. As the story will detail, Isabella lost her infant sister when she herself was 5 years old. There is much mystery about the baby's abduction. Isabella believes that she is alive and has never stopped looking for her. To this end, she has sent her own DNA to several DNA registry companies, hoping to find her sister through a genetic match.
Gabby sends her own DNA into a company, because the magazine where she works is doing a story about these kinds of companies. Gabby is shocked when the DNA results show that she has a sister, after growing up as an only child. She thinks that it must be a lab error. The story unfolds from there.
I wish that I liked the story better than I did. It devolved into solving the mystery, which is a genre that I'm lukewarm about. I enjoy more character driven books.
This is a rather predictable mystery with a happy ending. Readers who like mysteries will appreciate it more than I did.
Isabella is 30 years old, full of spunk, and lives in San Juan, Puerto Rico with her husband. She is a talented wall muralist, but makes her living painting tiny pictures on tourists' fingernails. As the story will detail, Isabella lost her infant sister when she herself was 5 years old. There is much mystery about the baby's abduction. Isabella believes that she is alive and has never stopped looking for her. To this end, she has sent her own DNA to several DNA registry companies, hoping to find her sister through a genetic match.
Gabby sends her own DNA into a company, because the magazine where she works is doing a story about these kinds of companies. Gabby is shocked when the DNA results show that she has a sister, after growing up as an only child. She thinks that it must be a lab error. The story unfolds from there.
I wish that I liked the story better than I did. It devolved into solving the mystery, which is a genre that I'm lukewarm about. I enjoy more character driven books.
This is a rather predictable mystery with a happy ending. Readers who like mysteries will appreciate it more than I did.
June 13, 2023
I absolutely loved this book. The setting was beautiful. The storyline was engaging and very interesting. I was immersed in the story from the very beginning.
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review which is not affiliated with any brand.
#Familia
#NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review which is not affiliated with any brand.
#Familia
#NetGalley
June 2, 2024
4.5 ⭐️ I always find it so impressive when an author who has primarily written in one genre does very well in another. Familia exemplifies the strength of community between Puerto Ricans and dives into the complex emotions of separated families. This book is not without flaws but is a wonderful effort by the author into literary fiction. Would love to see more deep research being done for her next book in this genre. The narrator is excellent.
(accidentally deleted the review from feb 😭 so reposting)
(accidentally deleted the review from feb 😭 so reposting)
September 7, 2024
I liked this one.
Full Review: Thank you to the author Lauren E. Rico, publishers Kensington Books, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of FAMILIA. Thank you to Libby for an audiobook copy. Read by multiple narrators. All views are mine.
"...You're talking about my parents–" "They were not your parents!" She hisses in a voice that stops me cold. "They were your kidnappers!" (2:42:29)
FAMILIA is one of those books for me that is equal parts good and bad, and lands solidly in "I like it" territory. The premise is exciting and also a creative use of true crime elements. A young journalist travels to Puerto Rico in pursuit of the point at which her cold case true crime story and her dark family history intersect. Is she a long-lost baby, kidnapped from her true family? The mystery created by the premise is strong enough to carry the whole novel and compelling enough to move a great many POV characters.
But I was far from riveted. Certain stylistic choices prevented me from fully connecting with this story. I found the form needlessly complex for the simplicity of the plot and premise. Still a worthwhile read!
I recommend this one to fans of true crime, mysteries, and even memoirs, long lost family stories, and stories written by Puerto Rican writers or set in Puerto Rico.
What the hell am I even considering here? I'd have to believe that the people I loved most in this world kidnapped me and raised me as their own. But I can't. Because to believe that, would mean my whole life was a lie. And that I do not believe. (3:19:58)
Reading Notes:
Three (or more) things I loved:
1. The writing in this book is absolutely gorgeous. Not purple, but lyrical nonetheless.
2. I read a few reviews that said this book doesn't honor the beauty of Puerto Rico. I'm not trying to refute what they say; I believe these readers would know better than me. But there is a scene at the beginning of the book between Gabby and an old man on a plane. The man practically represents the author's respect and love for what is good about her chosen setting. This wouldn't be enough, however; I'll be back with an edit.
3. I love the little things about Gabby's feeling like a fish out of water. The bit about "getting her hots wrong" was an lol moment for me!
4. I love the tiny touch of magical realism at the very end.
5. I love the audiobook narrator, Frankie Corzo, and I plan on listening to many more of her book performances.
Three (or less) things I didn't love:
This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.
1. This book is difficult to follow because there is so much transition. The setting changes often, as well as alternating POVs and time frames.
2. This character is a walking contradiction. She *doesn't* think she's related to the other fmc. And yet: Suddenly, I want to cry. "Dammit! I've known this woman for 90 minutes and I've already got emotional whiplash! It's just– I'm so excited," I admit quietly. Mateo, she's right here. Right in front of me after so many years! I just want to grab her and hold her and cry and do all that girly shit that sisters do." And let's not forget the subtle toxic masculinity, with her ascription of "girly shit."
3. This book is hard on people who can't or don't give birth. She was a failure. Unable to do the one thing she was built to do–reproduce. (2:56:03) First, bodies are "built" to do countless things other than be pregnant. Also, I am not a fan of books that suggest, through theme, plot, or character, that fetuses and infants are more important than the adults who carry and birth them.
4. At 26% of the narrative, the author introduces a brand new character POV named Lucy. She gives no suggestion about who this character is and how she connects to the larger narrative. No rule says a writer can't introduce a new character late in the narrative, but I don't think these latecomers should get their own POV. It creates a confusing kind of suspense that will cause your less fangirl-y readers to close the book without finishing.
5. The author opted to provide the backstory using alternating timelines rather than flashback and narrative. I think this was a poor stylistic choice, if only for the fact it weighed down the narrative with several additional POVs. The more of these a narrative has, the harder it is to follow. Especially when new POVs are introduced at different points of the text. Books don't have to be this much work to read, and shouldn't be, unless that is their purpose. It takes skill to manage one's story clearly and simply.
6. Holy wow, this is a really long denouement. But plot threads get tied up tight, if you're into that.
Rating: 👩👦👩👩👦👨👩👧👦 /5 familias
Recommend? Yes
Finished: Sep 7 '24
Format: Digital arc, NetGalley; Audiobook, Libby
Read this book if you like:
🔪 true crime or mystery
👤 memoir
👨👩👧👦 family stories, family drama
👭🏽 women's new friendships
💇♀️ women's coming of age
🇵🇷 Puerto Rican authors, characters, settings
Full Review: Thank you to the author Lauren E. Rico, publishers Kensington Books, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of FAMILIA. Thank you to Libby for an audiobook copy. Read by multiple narrators. All views are mine.
"...You're talking about my parents–" "They were not your parents!" She hisses in a voice that stops me cold. "They were your kidnappers!" (2:42:29)
FAMILIA is one of those books for me that is equal parts good and bad, and lands solidly in "I like it" territory. The premise is exciting and also a creative use of true crime elements. A young journalist travels to Puerto Rico in pursuit of the point at which her cold case true crime story and her dark family history intersect. Is she a long-lost baby, kidnapped from her true family? The mystery created by the premise is strong enough to carry the whole novel and compelling enough to move a great many POV characters.
But I was far from riveted. Certain stylistic choices prevented me from fully connecting with this story. I found the form needlessly complex for the simplicity of the plot and premise. Still a worthwhile read!
I recommend this one to fans of true crime, mysteries, and even memoirs, long lost family stories, and stories written by Puerto Rican writers or set in Puerto Rico.
What the hell am I even considering here? I'd have to believe that the people I loved most in this world kidnapped me and raised me as their own. But I can't. Because to believe that, would mean my whole life was a lie. And that I do not believe. (3:19:58)
Reading Notes:
Three (or more) things I loved:
1. The writing in this book is absolutely gorgeous. Not purple, but lyrical nonetheless.
2. I read a few reviews that said this book doesn't honor the beauty of Puerto Rico. I'm not trying to refute what they say; I believe these readers would know better than me. But there is a scene at the beginning of the book between Gabby and an old man on a plane. The man practically represents the author's respect and love for what is good about her chosen setting. This wouldn't be enough, however; I'll be back with an edit.
3. I love the little things about Gabby's feeling like a fish out of water. The bit about "getting her hots wrong" was an lol moment for me!
4. I love the tiny touch of magical realism at the very end.
5. I love the audiobook narrator, Frankie Corzo, and I plan on listening to many more of her book performances.
Three (or less) things I didn't love:
This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.
1. This book is difficult to follow because there is so much transition. The setting changes often, as well as alternating POVs and time frames.
2. This character is a walking contradiction. She *doesn't* think she's related to the other fmc. And yet: Suddenly, I want to cry. "Dammit! I've known this woman for 90 minutes and I've already got emotional whiplash! It's just– I'm so excited," I admit quietly. Mateo, she's right here. Right in front of me after so many years! I just want to grab her and hold her and cry and do all that girly shit that sisters do." And let's not forget the subtle toxic masculinity, with her ascription of "girly shit."
3. This book is hard on people who can't or don't give birth. She was a failure. Unable to do the one thing she was built to do–reproduce. (2:56:03) First, bodies are "built" to do countless things other than be pregnant. Also, I am not a fan of books that suggest, through theme, plot, or character, that fetuses and infants are more important than the adults who carry and birth them.
4. At 26% of the narrative, the author introduces a brand new character POV named Lucy. She gives no suggestion about who this character is and how she connects to the larger narrative. No rule says a writer can't introduce a new character late in the narrative, but I don't think these latecomers should get their own POV. It creates a confusing kind of suspense that will cause your less fangirl-y readers to close the book without finishing.
5. The author opted to provide the backstory using alternating timelines rather than flashback and narrative. I think this was a poor stylistic choice, if only for the fact it weighed down the narrative with several additional POVs. The more of these a narrative has, the harder it is to follow. Especially when new POVs are introduced at different points of the text. Books don't have to be this much work to read, and shouldn't be, unless that is their purpose. It takes skill to manage one's story clearly and simply.
6. Holy wow, this is a really long denouement. But plot threads get tied up tight, if you're into that.
Rating: 👩👦👩👩👦👨👩👧👦 /5 familias
Recommend? Yes
Finished: Sep 7 '24
Format: Digital arc, NetGalley; Audiobook, Libby
Read this book if you like:
🔪 true crime or mystery
👤 memoir
👨👩👧👦 family stories, family drama
👭🏽 women's new friendships
💇♀️ women's coming of age
🇵🇷 Puerto Rican authors, characters, settings
January 30, 2024
I’ve been hitting the book jackpot lately. Familia did not disappoint! I felt it imbedding itself into my soul.
Hispanic literature or known to some as Latino literature is one of my favorite genres. This book has incredible character development, sets up a backstory and answers any questions you may have. You also get a solid conclusion. No laying awake at night wondering all the what if scenarios- am I the only one that does that?-
I love how the author incorporated Spanish throughout the book. It’s a must for me when it comes to Hispanic Literature.
I received a copy of the audiobook for review. I also added a physical copy to my BOTM box. Have you looked at the cover? It’s beautiful! Of course I want this on my bookcase.
Quick summary-A woman on a journey to discover the truth about her past after a genetic health test done for work. Two women trying to find the truth and discovering each other and the importance of family.
The narrators- Frankie Corzo, Robb Moreira, Victoria Villarreal - all three had soothing genuine voices for the characters. It felt genuine to the story and perfect Spanish pronunciation.
Thank you to Lauren E. Rico, NetGalley, and RB Media for a copy of an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Hispanic literature or known to some as Latino literature is one of my favorite genres. This book has incredible character development, sets up a backstory and answers any questions you may have. You also get a solid conclusion. No laying awake at night wondering all the what if scenarios- am I the only one that does that?-
I love how the author incorporated Spanish throughout the book. It’s a must for me when it comes to Hispanic Literature.
I received a copy of the audiobook for review. I also added a physical copy to my BOTM box. Have you looked at the cover? It’s beautiful! Of course I want this on my bookcase.
Quick summary-A woman on a journey to discover the truth about her past after a genetic health test done for work. Two women trying to find the truth and discovering each other and the importance of family.
The narrators- Frankie Corzo, Robb Moreira, Victoria Villarreal - all three had soothing genuine voices for the characters. It felt genuine to the story and perfect Spanish pronunciation.
Thank you to Lauren E. Rico, NetGalley, and RB Media for a copy of an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
December 29, 2023
As part of a research project for a potential magazine article, Gabby DiMarco submits to a DNA test just to see if there could be the remote possibility of discovering a distant cousin. But Gabby already knew that the existence of any relative would be next to impossible. But miracles sometimes happen. And to Gabby’s surprise, a 50% familial match is revealed — a potential sibling.
Dumbfounded by the discovery of a potential sister and receiving a message from a Isabella Ruiz claiming to be her sister, Gabby becomes determined to clear up any misunderstanding or mixup on the gene pool data.
However, once realizing that she may have a potential magazine headliner, Gabby rushes off to Puerto Rico to meet with Isabella to uncover the truth behind Isabella’s claims. But what both Gabby and Isabella discover is a history that goes deeper than any of them could imagine.
I wasn’t impressed with the cover of the novel. But Familia turned out to be one of the best women’s fiction/multicultural interest novels that I’ve read in 2023.
The story unfolds through multiple points of view and dual timelines. I loved how the layers of the story got revealed with mini cliffhangers in between chapters. Familia combines snarky humor, mystery, and heartfelt emotion into a complete package. Familia is a novel that had me racing through the chapters to find out what happens next.
The characters in the novel are well developed. So much so that they felt like family. I especially loved the two main characters of Gabby and Isabella. Their snarky sense of humor and sister-like banter really brought the story to life. The other players in the story added depth and dimension to an already enjoyable plot. And the insertion of Spanish phrases throughout just added to the narrative and realism of the characters.
Overall, I loved everything about Familia. The humor, the mystery, the emotions and family. Five over the top stars.
I received a DRC from Kensington Books through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
Dumbfounded by the discovery of a potential sister and receiving a message from a Isabella Ruiz claiming to be her sister, Gabby becomes determined to clear up any misunderstanding or mixup on the gene pool data.
However, once realizing that she may have a potential magazine headliner, Gabby rushes off to Puerto Rico to meet with Isabella to uncover the truth behind Isabella’s claims. But what both Gabby and Isabella discover is a history that goes deeper than any of them could imagine.
I wasn’t impressed with the cover of the novel. But Familia turned out to be one of the best women’s fiction/multicultural interest novels that I’ve read in 2023.
The story unfolds through multiple points of view and dual timelines. I loved how the layers of the story got revealed with mini cliffhangers in between chapters. Familia combines snarky humor, mystery, and heartfelt emotion into a complete package. Familia is a novel that had me racing through the chapters to find out what happens next.
The characters in the novel are well developed. So much so that they felt like family. I especially loved the two main characters of Gabby and Isabella. Their snarky sense of humor and sister-like banter really brought the story to life. The other players in the story added depth and dimension to an already enjoyable plot. And the insertion of Spanish phrases throughout just added to the narrative and realism of the characters.
Overall, I loved everything about Familia. The humor, the mystery, the emotions and family. Five over the top stars.
I received a DRC from Kensington Books through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
June 11, 2023
During the last few years many books have been written about the effects of DNA test results on shocked recipients of often startling information. Without a doubt, this is the best of the fiction DNA books (Dani Shapiro has written the best non-fiction account).
I loved the main characters, Gabriella and Isabella,, triggered by the results of a DNA test begin a search for the truth about their relationship. The author weaves this search into a fascinating story about the real circumstances and people behind this wonderfully twisty and compelling story.
It is set in Puerto Rico where Gabby goes in search of her history. It is there she meets Isabella who has no doubt about their history.
I enjoyed this novel and the backstory. Rico made even minor characters accessible and likable. This novel ends with the most perfect closure I have ever read, what satisfaction for a reader!
Thank you Netgalley for this original take on DNA I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
I loved the main characters, Gabriella and Isabella,, triggered by the results of a DNA test begin a search for the truth about their relationship. The author weaves this search into a fascinating story about the real circumstances and people behind this wonderfully twisty and compelling story.
It is set in Puerto Rico where Gabby goes in search of her history. It is there she meets Isabella who has no doubt about their history.
I enjoyed this novel and the backstory. Rico made even minor characters accessible and likable. This novel ends with the most perfect closure I have ever read, what satisfaction for a reader!
Thank you Netgalley for this original take on DNA I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
February 7, 2024
Thank you so much NetGalley and RB Media for my advanced copy and the chance to review it honestly.
Two women are brought together by a genealogy test and a haunting question that shakes their understanding of what family is and who they truly are.
I received Familia as an ALC through NetGalley and I listened to it quickly. I went into this book blindly and I am happy I did. I loved this book so much and I got a story I was not expecting based on the cover alone. It was emotional and made me feel so much. I loved the strong female characters and the plot twist I didn’t see coming. The narrator’s really did an excellent job telling this story. It was an easy five star read for me, I even went out and got myself a physical copy to keep forever. I highly recommend you give this book a read!
Happy reading!
Two women are brought together by a genealogy test and a haunting question that shakes their understanding of what family is and who they truly are.
I received Familia as an ALC through NetGalley and I listened to it quickly. I went into this book blindly and I am happy I did. I loved this book so much and I got a story I was not expecting based on the cover alone. It was emotional and made me feel so much. I loved the strong female characters and the plot twist I didn’t see coming. The narrator’s really did an excellent job telling this story. It was an easy five star read for me, I even went out and got myself a physical copy to keep forever. I highly recommend you give this book a read!
Happy reading!
May 5, 2024
Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5.
Familia is a contemporary novel focusing on, as the title says it all, family and past tragedies through following two protagonists solving a mystery after a DNA test and matching.
I found the premise intriguing as I never really thought much about DNA testing. The different perspectives are interesting and made me curious about this thing: what happens when you actually get your results and find out something, like a relative, a new family, or that your whole life is a lie? What do you make of it? Do you shrug and forget about it, or do you try to learn a bit about this part of yourself? You may start questioning your entire existence, have an identity crisis, etc. It can for sure be a life changing event. And I think it's nice to have a book about this topic.
I enjoyed Familia. It wasn't too long nor too short. I thought the story was told well through the structure of the book and its narration. I liked the author's prose was well; simple, not poetic but not too much dialogue. The mystery part of the novel was good, obviously you want to know. Because of the first chapter, I don't think the mystery is about the DNA test result, but clearly more about what went wrong to lead to this. I think the main theme remains family, with the classic questions: what it means, does blood only make family, are you willing to start bonding with a newly found family member, and so on.
There were a lot of different points of vue and I have to say I sometimes got lost, in particular regarding the recurrent characters and the chapters in the past but it's fine. I personally think that Isabella's pov was the most interesting. She could be annoying at times, being a little naive and not taking into account Gabby's feelings about this whole situation they were both in. Obviously, her way of seeing things is understandable. Nevertheless, the author gives Isabella a well appreciated character development.
This book takes place for the most part in Puerto Rico. I can't really say anything about the representation of Puerto Rico and the Latino/hispanic culture as it is not my place. The only thing I will say though is how I wasn't too sure about the constant reminders that certain places were far from being safe, and the whole "drugs, crime, child traffic" thing because in my opinion it lacked nuance. I feel like I didn't get to see another side of Puerto Rico? From my small experience, Latinos and their culture are often represented as that old 'criminals' cliché. Then again, I don't know how valid my opinion is. But is there enough of a balanced, or enough of a positive, latino representation in general so these themes can still take so much space in one book? It is noted in the preface of the book that the author has origins from Puerto Rico through her grandparents and she clearly stated she wanted to give justice to the Puerto Rico of her grandparents, that she meant well. So maybe this lack of nuance comes more from her own unconscious American and western vision of Puerto Rico and Latin America in general.
If you want to read about family, DNA testing consequences in a Puerto Rico setting with a touch of mystery novel, then go for it. Be very careful with the trigger warnings: rape, alcoholism, addiction, murder, violence, mention of child trafficking.
3.5/5.
Familia is a contemporary novel focusing on, as the title says it all, family and past tragedies through following two protagonists solving a mystery after a DNA test and matching.
I found the premise intriguing as I never really thought much about DNA testing. The different perspectives are interesting and made me curious about this thing: what happens when you actually get your results and find out something, like a relative, a new family, or that your whole life is a lie? What do you make of it? Do you shrug and forget about it, or do you try to learn a bit about this part of yourself? You may start questioning your entire existence, have an identity crisis, etc. It can for sure be a life changing event. And I think it's nice to have a book about this topic.
I enjoyed Familia. It wasn't too long nor too short. I thought the story was told well through the structure of the book and its narration. I liked the author's prose was well; simple, not poetic but not too much dialogue. The mystery part of the novel was good, obviously you want to know. Because of the first chapter, I don't think the mystery is about the DNA test result, but clearly more about what went wrong to lead to this. I think the main theme remains family, with the classic questions: what it means, does blood only make family, are you willing to start bonding with a newly found family member, and so on.
There were a lot of different points of vue and I have to say I sometimes got lost, in particular regarding the recurrent characters and the chapters in the past but it's fine. I personally think that Isabella's pov was the most interesting. She could be annoying at times, being a little naive and not taking into account Gabby's feelings about this whole situation they were both in. Obviously, her way of seeing things is understandable. Nevertheless, the author gives Isabella a well appreciated character development.
This book takes place for the most part in Puerto Rico. I can't really say anything about the representation of Puerto Rico and the Latino/hispanic culture as it is not my place. The only thing I will say though is how I wasn't too sure about the constant reminders that certain places were far from being safe, and the whole "drugs, crime, child traffic" thing because in my opinion it lacked nuance. I feel like I didn't get to see another side of Puerto Rico? From my small experience, Latinos and their culture are often represented as that old 'criminals' cliché. Then again, I don't know how valid my opinion is. But is there enough of a balanced, or enough of a positive, latino representation in general so these themes can still take so much space in one book? It is noted in the preface of the book that the author has origins from Puerto Rico through her grandparents and she clearly stated she wanted to give justice to the Puerto Rico of her grandparents, that she meant well. So maybe this lack of nuance comes more from her own unconscious American and western vision of Puerto Rico and Latin America in general.
If you want to read about family, DNA testing consequences in a Puerto Rico setting with a touch of mystery novel, then go for it. Be very careful with the trigger warnings: rape, alcoholism, addiction, murder, violence, mention of child trafficking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2023
This was such a unique and interesting concept, and I'm really glad I picked it up.
Familia explores questions around the meaning of family, what story our DNA tells, identity, and what shapes who we are. It tugs at the loose threads of who we think we are -- and explores what happens if they start to unravel.
Gabby DiMarco, a single child of Italian American parents, works as a fact checker at a magazine in New York. But when a story about DNA testing prompts the magazine staff to do their own genealogy testing, she's hit with an unexpected result - and a potential sister. Meanwhile in Puerto Rico, Isabella Ruiz has been searching for her lost sister for 25 years, and she's sure her search is over. When a highly skeptical Gabby flies to Puerto Rico to try and track down the truth, she and Isabella must work together to uncover what happened all those years ago.
The mystery of this story really drew me in, and I couldn't stop turning the pages to find out what happened. I was also so compelled by the evolution of Gabby and Isabella's relationship, and they got me feeling emotional at times! And I admit, I did get a bit emotional at times (especially around the end).
The writing largely worked for me. The narrative voice feels less like you're in the character's mind and more like they're telling the story to you -- kind of like a narrator's voiceover in a movie. The writing style wasn't the most embellished, but it did keep the pacing moving ahead smoothly.
I did find Gabby to be a little immature for my taste. She has a bit of a "teenager insisting they're an adult" vibe. Isabella was more my speed, despite her hotheadedness. I liked a lot of the side characters, like Isabella's husband Mateo, too.
Overall, I'm very glad I picked this up and I look forward to more by Lauren E. Rico.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC to read and review.
3.75 stars, rounded up
Familia explores questions around the meaning of family, what story our DNA tells, identity, and what shapes who we are. It tugs at the loose threads of who we think we are -- and explores what happens if they start to unravel.
Gabby DiMarco, a single child of Italian American parents, works as a fact checker at a magazine in New York. But when a story about DNA testing prompts the magazine staff to do their own genealogy testing, she's hit with an unexpected result - and a potential sister. Meanwhile in Puerto Rico, Isabella Ruiz has been searching for her lost sister for 25 years, and she's sure her search is over. When a highly skeptical Gabby flies to Puerto Rico to try and track down the truth, she and Isabella must work together to uncover what happened all those years ago.
The mystery of this story really drew me in, and I couldn't stop turning the pages to find out what happened. I was also so compelled by the evolution of Gabby and Isabella's relationship, and they got me feeling emotional at times! And I admit, I did get a bit emotional at times (especially around the end).
The writing largely worked for me. The narrative voice feels less like you're in the character's mind and more like they're telling the story to you -- kind of like a narrator's voiceover in a movie. The writing style wasn't the most embellished, but it did keep the pacing moving ahead smoothly.
I did find Gabby to be a little immature for my taste. She has a bit of a "teenager insisting they're an adult" vibe. Isabella was more my speed, despite her hotheadedness. I liked a lot of the side characters, like Isabella's husband Mateo, too.
Overall, I'm very glad I picked this up and I look forward to more by Lauren E. Rico.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC to read and review.
3.75 stars, rounded up
January 8, 2024
Familia has two main characters, Gabby and Isabella, who each have to deal with things in their past in order to move forward with new beginnings in their lives. Gabby receives notification from an ancestry site that she has a sister she never knew about. Gabby figures it's an error in the test, but travels from New York to Puerto Rico to meet Isabella. Isabella is convinced from the very beginning that Gabby is her long-lost sister, but Gabby still has reservations. The two women start asking questions to determine what happened to Isabella's baby sister, Marianna, and if Gabby could really be that girl. No matter what the outcome is, both Gabby and Isabella's lives will have changed forever.
The book is part mystery, part family drama, and the plot twists kept my interest even when I couldn't always relate to the characters or the plot became a little hard to believe. I was pleased that both Gabby and Isabella showed character growth as the book progressed. I enjoyed the Puerto Rico setting and am happy to have read this book.
I received an advance copy of this book at no cost from Between the Chapters and Kensington Books, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
The book is part mystery, part family drama, and the plot twists kept my interest even when I couldn't always relate to the characters or the plot became a little hard to believe. I was pleased that both Gabby and Isabella showed character growth as the book progressed. I enjoyed the Puerto Rico setting and am happy to have read this book.
I received an advance copy of this book at no cost from Between the Chapters and Kensington Books, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
April 10, 2023
Familia is different than Rico's previous novels and it's a winner! Her beautiful prose hooked me in the first paragraph. She masterfully weaves rich characters, the culture and setting of Puerto Rico, clever plot twists and vivid characters into a truly riviting story.
February 4, 2024
I really enjoyed this read. I found it interesting that people take these test and find out they have family they never knew about. Which is what this book is about. It’s about these two women who take a genetic test and find out they are sisters.
January 28, 2024
I devoured this book! I actually stopped reading at one point because I didn’t want it to be over. It was such a captivating story of love, loss, hope, forgiveness, perseverance…just, all of the things! I absolutely loved the underlying theme of making the ultimate sacrifices for the ones you love.
April 6, 2024
This is a book with a very promising premise, and a very heart-warming and emotional Author’s Note strategically placed as the opening chapter, completely derailed by a very weak execution.
It starts strong with an interesting concept: What would you do if a genealogy test you casually took for a work project rocked your world by claiming that not only your ethnicity is not what you were raised to believe, but also you have a sister you knew nothing about and a biological family you had never heard of in another part of the world? I was immediately intrigued as I could see right away the potential for this story to take me on an emotional rollercoaster.
Unfortunately, it took me nowhere. Didn’t take me on any rollercoasters; frankly didn’t take me to Puerto Rico either… (More on this later).
This book is written by a first-time author, and it definitely shows. It’s littered with repetitive dialogue and very underdeveloped characters. The story had a lot of very heavy themes, including drug use, alcoholism, gang violence, murder, kidnapping, loss of a parent at a young age, child neglect, rape, poverty, social injustice, infertility and of course at the center of it, a hell of an identity crisis… I mean you name it; you could find it here. However, sadly the author takes all these very heavy and potentially emotional themes and writes something that doesn’t even really touch the surface, let alone delve deep. The story read like YA to me, with two main characters that were written like teenagers, especially Gabby. The two sisters are meant to be age 30 (Isabella) and 25 (Gabby) and both have supposedly gone through life events that would make anyone grow up real fast. Isabella has gone through literally everything a difficult life could throw at a person… And Gabby, well she has zero family. Both parents have died (although we were never told how or why?), and she has no siblings, no aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents. No one. (again, we are not told how so?!).
And there lies my biggest problem with the book. The tone was all wrong. It was so light and breezy and “causal” that it didn’t make any sense for the serious premise. The writing was juvenile. There were so many pointless meaningless dialogues, so much “filler”. It was an only 320-page book that was still 100 pages too long.
Most of the characters were not believable to me, specially Gabby. She’s meant to be a 25-year-old New Yorker, from a middle class family. As the only child of a loving couple, she lives mortgage free in her Brooklyn apartment; she was taken to Paris for her 16th birthday; her bff was flown in too as a cute little surprise… She quits her job when she doesn’t like the way management treats her; she buys what appears to be a one-way ticket to Puerto Rico, and while there she appears to be living large (for no reason whatsoever!) and staying in luxury hotel suites larger than average people’s homes; and yet, if you think this 25-year-old globetrotter girl, raised in the melting pot of the world, has ever tasted or heard of empanadas you’d be sadly mistaken. If you think she knows what a Quinceañera entails, you’d also be mistaken.
What’s worse is that this is a woman who’s completely floored by the idea that she may not be who she thought she was. But if you think she ever thought to ask her parents what happened to her mom’s pregnancy pictures, what happened to any photos of her or her parents in the hospital after she was born, where is any sign/memento of her during the first few months of her life, you’d again be mistaken.
In general, I was expecting a character driven story that explores the unbelievable and lasting pain of loss, whether it is loss of family (your mother, your baby sister, a loving father, your innocence, your hopes and dreams) or it’s the loss of your identity and your reality, and then explores the long and windy road to healing from those blows. But it didn’t really do much of that. At least it attempted to take a stab at expressing Isabella’s pain, but it didn’t really tell us a single thing about Gabby’s pain. And don’t get me started on the ending of this book. Don’t get me started on the road to redemption and healing... Because it really pissed me off.
Major spoilers ahead:
Isabella’s entire life is defined not only by the loss of her mom when she’s only 5 years old, and subsequently the disappearance of her baby sister, but also by the constant neglect she experienced from her deadbeat father, Alberto, who was a drug addict and an alcoholic. A man who was never there for her daughter, and therefore forced her daughter to grow up alone and fast, fend for herself, and even take care of him. This man is a source of embarrassment and heartbreak for her daughter, and their complex relationship and the emotional trauma she experienced by feeling completely alone in this world was what I wanted the story to explore more.
And yet, the moment the long lost sister finally arrives wanting to meet Alberto, we find him to be, sober, well dressed, warm, kind, and he even has a well-used bible on the coffee table!!! This is the same man who didn’t show up to home for his child’s 15th birthday and then that child went on the streets to drown her sorrows in her art, and was violently raped… THIS is that man, but I digress, let’s get back to the meeting Alberto scene: Not only his house is clean, his grocery is purchased, his coffee is strong and warm, his bible is well read, but oh he also speaks English wonderfully… Why? Because in his 50s, he decided to quit decades of substance and alcohol use and then you know also learn perfect English?
And then the 3 of them hold hands, literally!!!, and there is electricity flowing through their bodies, and the universe tilts on its axis, and they know they belong to each other, (because of course NATURE wins, nurture be damned) and then… what road to redemption? What healing? We are there! All is forgiven. All is forgotten! Let’s all sing Kumbaya! (And let’s not worry about the small detail of the dad seemingly having sobered up but still standing there, lying to both daughters by withholding KEY information, and an absolutely life changing decision that was made by him impacting every moment of their whole lives!)
This was not just unrealistic, this was a slap in the face of Isabella, the girl who never had a sober father, the girl whose heart was broken every day for 20+ years. But do we explore this? Of course not! Because exploring difficult topics is not the author’s forte. And sadly not the point of this book either. Instead, the point of this book was solving the mystery of “whatever happened to baby Marianna?” except we know what happened to her; we know all was well with her, and she grew up happily ever after. We’ve known all along. So as a reader, the mystery didn’t particularly interest me, because not much was riding on it.
There was a small “twist” at the end of the story, but for me to have cared, I needed to have been deeply invested in the characters. I needed to not only care about the two sisters, but also the other characters including the two Puerto Rican police officers involved in the case, but the story hadn’t been written well enough for me to care a whole lot… about anyone really.
I really wanted the story to sit with the turn of events. With the lies that were told, the crimes that were committed, the life changing decisions a bunch of adults made for 2 children, and the conviction with which they stuck to their lies to the very end. I wanted the story to explain the gray area we landed in, where we realize nobody is ever going to come clean to Isabella and Gabby. They’re not going to tell them what they really did and why. They’re not going to look in Isabella’s eyes as she finds out while she spent her whole life searching for her sister, the people nearest to her continued to watch her flail around and didn’t do a thing to put her out of her misery. How many times did Gabby quote Shakespeare that “Truth Will Out”? Well, apparently not, Willy, my boy! But if you think we are going to explore what the burden of lies does to men and women who chose to tell those lies and break a girl’s heart for 20+ years, then you’re expecting the kind of depth and emotional weight that the author is not prepared to offer.
Instead Lauren Rico takes the easy way out to absolve Gabby’s American parents, Alberto, the cop, and really everyone involved, conveniently with one easy copout of an explanation that “if the baby stayed in Puerto Rico she would have been killed” and may I add nonsensically, by her own uncle! Ummm… make it make sense.
My final comment is about the story unfolding in Puerto Rico. I was intrigued by that too. I’ve never been. I wanted the book to take me there. I thought I’d learn something about its culture and history. I thought surely the author as a descendant of Puerto Ricans will show me the true soul of the country. Sadly, I can’t say I learned anything. In fact, I'm sorry to say if you had replaced the word “Puerto Rico” with Mexico or Panama or even Brazil, I don’t think anything would have changed at all. I found that to be incredibly disappointing. And what a complete wasted opportunity!
I have a lot more to say, but I think I’ll leave it at this. I had ranked this book as 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3, when I started this review. But in the process of writing this, I’ve realized it needs a round down, not up, and if I don’t stop now, and ask any more questions (e.g. What on earth happened to Franny? Or what was the point of Max being hot and Gabby being sort of in-lust with him?), I’m afraid I might end up with a one-star rating!
It starts strong with an interesting concept: What would you do if a genealogy test you casually took for a work project rocked your world by claiming that not only your ethnicity is not what you were raised to believe, but also you have a sister you knew nothing about and a biological family you had never heard of in another part of the world? I was immediately intrigued as I could see right away the potential for this story to take me on an emotional rollercoaster.
Unfortunately, it took me nowhere. Didn’t take me on any rollercoasters; frankly didn’t take me to Puerto Rico either… (More on this later).
This book is written by a first-time author, and it definitely shows. It’s littered with repetitive dialogue and very underdeveloped characters. The story had a lot of very heavy themes, including drug use, alcoholism, gang violence, murder, kidnapping, loss of a parent at a young age, child neglect, rape, poverty, social injustice, infertility and of course at the center of it, a hell of an identity crisis… I mean you name it; you could find it here. However, sadly the author takes all these very heavy and potentially emotional themes and writes something that doesn’t even really touch the surface, let alone delve deep. The story read like YA to me, with two main characters that were written like teenagers, especially Gabby. The two sisters are meant to be age 30 (Isabella) and 25 (Gabby) and both have supposedly gone through life events that would make anyone grow up real fast. Isabella has gone through literally everything a difficult life could throw at a person… And Gabby, well she has zero family. Both parents have died (although we were never told how or why?), and she has no siblings, no aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents. No one. (again, we are not told how so?!).
And there lies my biggest problem with the book. The tone was all wrong. It was so light and breezy and “causal” that it didn’t make any sense for the serious premise. The writing was juvenile. There were so many pointless meaningless dialogues, so much “filler”. It was an only 320-page book that was still 100 pages too long.
Most of the characters were not believable to me, specially Gabby. She’s meant to be a 25-year-old New Yorker, from a middle class family. As the only child of a loving couple, she lives mortgage free in her Brooklyn apartment; she was taken to Paris for her 16th birthday; her bff was flown in too as a cute little surprise… She quits her job when she doesn’t like the way management treats her; she buys what appears to be a one-way ticket to Puerto Rico, and while there she appears to be living large (for no reason whatsoever!) and staying in luxury hotel suites larger than average people’s homes; and yet, if you think this 25-year-old globetrotter girl, raised in the melting pot of the world, has ever tasted or heard of empanadas you’d be sadly mistaken. If you think she knows what a Quinceañera entails, you’d also be mistaken.
What’s worse is that this is a woman who’s completely floored by the idea that she may not be who she thought she was. But if you think she ever thought to ask her parents what happened to her mom’s pregnancy pictures, what happened to any photos of her or her parents in the hospital after she was born, where is any sign/memento of her during the first few months of her life, you’d again be mistaken.
In general, I was expecting a character driven story that explores the unbelievable and lasting pain of loss, whether it is loss of family (your mother, your baby sister, a loving father, your innocence, your hopes and dreams) or it’s the loss of your identity and your reality, and then explores the long and windy road to healing from those blows. But it didn’t really do much of that. At least it attempted to take a stab at expressing Isabella’s pain, but it didn’t really tell us a single thing about Gabby’s pain. And don’t get me started on the ending of this book. Don’t get me started on the road to redemption and healing... Because it really pissed me off.
Major spoilers ahead:
Isabella’s entire life is defined not only by the loss of her mom when she’s only 5 years old, and subsequently the disappearance of her baby sister, but also by the constant neglect she experienced from her deadbeat father, Alberto, who was a drug addict and an alcoholic. A man who was never there for her daughter, and therefore forced her daughter to grow up alone and fast, fend for herself, and even take care of him. This man is a source of embarrassment and heartbreak for her daughter, and their complex relationship and the emotional trauma she experienced by feeling completely alone in this world was what I wanted the story to explore more.
And yet, the moment the long lost sister finally arrives wanting to meet Alberto, we find him to be, sober, well dressed, warm, kind, and he even has a well-used bible on the coffee table!!! This is the same man who didn’t show up to home for his child’s 15th birthday and then that child went on the streets to drown her sorrows in her art, and was violently raped… THIS is that man, but I digress, let’s get back to the meeting Alberto scene: Not only his house is clean, his grocery is purchased, his coffee is strong and warm, his bible is well read, but oh he also speaks English wonderfully… Why? Because in his 50s, he decided to quit decades of substance and alcohol use and then you know also learn perfect English?
And then the 3 of them hold hands, literally!!!, and there is electricity flowing through their bodies, and the universe tilts on its axis, and they know they belong to each other, (because of course NATURE wins, nurture be damned) and then… what road to redemption? What healing? We are there! All is forgiven. All is forgotten! Let’s all sing Kumbaya! (And let’s not worry about the small detail of the dad seemingly having sobered up but still standing there, lying to both daughters by withholding KEY information, and an absolutely life changing decision that was made by him impacting every moment of their whole lives!)
This was not just unrealistic, this was a slap in the face of Isabella, the girl who never had a sober father, the girl whose heart was broken every day for 20+ years. But do we explore this? Of course not! Because exploring difficult topics is not the author’s forte. And sadly not the point of this book either. Instead, the point of this book was solving the mystery of “whatever happened to baby Marianna?” except we know what happened to her; we know all was well with her, and she grew up happily ever after. We’ve known all along. So as a reader, the mystery didn’t particularly interest me, because not much was riding on it.
There was a small “twist” at the end of the story, but for me to have cared, I needed to have been deeply invested in the characters. I needed to not only care about the two sisters, but also the other characters including the two Puerto Rican police officers involved in the case, but the story hadn’t been written well enough for me to care a whole lot… about anyone really.
I really wanted the story to sit with the turn of events. With the lies that were told, the crimes that were committed, the life changing decisions a bunch of adults made for 2 children, and the conviction with which they stuck to their lies to the very end. I wanted the story to explain the gray area we landed in, where we realize nobody is ever going to come clean to Isabella and Gabby. They’re not going to tell them what they really did and why. They’re not going to look in Isabella’s eyes as she finds out while she spent her whole life searching for her sister, the people nearest to her continued to watch her flail around and didn’t do a thing to put her out of her misery. How many times did Gabby quote Shakespeare that “Truth Will Out”? Well, apparently not, Willy, my boy! But if you think we are going to explore what the burden of lies does to men and women who chose to tell those lies and break a girl’s heart for 20+ years, then you’re expecting the kind of depth and emotional weight that the author is not prepared to offer.
Instead Lauren Rico takes the easy way out to absolve Gabby’s American parents, Alberto, the cop, and really everyone involved, conveniently with one easy copout of an explanation that “if the baby stayed in Puerto Rico she would have been killed” and may I add nonsensically, by her own uncle! Ummm… make it make sense.
My final comment is about the story unfolding in Puerto Rico. I was intrigued by that too. I’ve never been. I wanted the book to take me there. I thought I’d learn something about its culture and history. I thought surely the author as a descendant of Puerto Ricans will show me the true soul of the country. Sadly, I can’t say I learned anything. In fact, I'm sorry to say if you had replaced the word “Puerto Rico” with Mexico or Panama or even Brazil, I don’t think anything would have changed at all. I found that to be incredibly disappointing. And what a complete wasted opportunity!
I have a lot more to say, but I think I’ll leave it at this. I had ranked this book as 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3, when I started this review. But in the process of writing this, I’ve realized it needs a round down, not up, and if I don’t stop now, and ask any more questions (e.g. What on earth happened to Franny? Or what was the point of Max being hot and Gabby being sort of in-lust with him?), I’m afraid I might end up with a one-star rating!
March 29, 2024
Gabby DiMarco works as a fact-checker for a magazine (Flux). She takes a genealogy test as research for an article and discovers that she supposedly has a sister in Puerto Rico. She decides to investigate.
Isabella Ruiz is an artist and has been searching for her baby sister, Marianna, who disappeared 25 years ago.
Gabby sets out to find the truth and believes the genealogy test made a mistake. She is hellbent on setting the record straight. Isabella, on the other hand, whole-heartedly believes that Gabby is her long-lost sister, especially after several signs point to them being siblings (their similar physical features, the genealogy test, and a pair of socks).
This story follows the two sisters as they work to uncover the truth and discover if they truly are connected as the DNA test says they are.
I gave this book 4.25 stars - I had no idea what I was getting myself into with this one and I was not disappointed. While it's labeled as a contemporary fiction, there are some elements of mystery involved (but not like the scary kinds of murder mystery/thrillers one might read). I hope that you pick this one up and give it a try because it's a great story!
Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media (Recorded Books), and Lauren E. Rico for an Advanced Listener's Copy of this book.
Isabella Ruiz is an artist and has been searching for her baby sister, Marianna, who disappeared 25 years ago.
Gabby sets out to find the truth and believes the genealogy test made a mistake. She is hellbent on setting the record straight. Isabella, on the other hand, whole-heartedly believes that Gabby is her long-lost sister, especially after several signs point to them being siblings (their similar physical features, the genealogy test, and a pair of socks).
This story follows the two sisters as they work to uncover the truth and discover if they truly are connected as the DNA test says they are.
I gave this book 4.25 stars - I had no idea what I was getting myself into with this one and I was not disappointed. While it's labeled as a contemporary fiction, there are some elements of mystery involved (but not like the scary kinds of murder mystery/thrillers one might read). I hope that you pick this one up and give it a try because it's a great story!
Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media (Recorded Books), and Lauren E. Rico for an Advanced Listener's Copy of this book.
January 29, 2024
3.5 ✨
April 1, 2024
Shocked more people aren’t talking about this book?? An absolute whirlwind!!
June 3, 2024
I’m reluctant to give this a four because I’m still kinda angry about the way the story unfolded. I want all the secrets revealed so that everyone can move on with a clear conscience, but there were still so many secrets held at the end of the book, and it felt like the story was never going to end with every new secret being revealed. It was a good book, and I would’ve given it a four if there had been even one less secret.
July 19, 2023
This book was an easy read that flowed smoothly, sometimes it flowed a little too smoothly. Two sisters, connected by DNA genealogy testing meet in Puerto Rico. One sister, Isabella is positive that she has found her long, lost sister. Gabriella is positive that the genealogy lab has made a mistake. She wants to write an expose on the downfalls of DNA testing. The outcome is pretty assured throughout the book as "the sisters" investigate the mystery of the lost sister. It wraps up a little too nicely--without any obstacles along the way. Still, I did enjoy it. Maybe it was the simplicity of the book in a busy world? For me it was a 4 star read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC. This review is my own opinion.
January 10, 2024
I’m a little disappointed in my first 2024 read, as this read like a young adult Nancy Drew novel to me with repetitive dialogue and underdeveloped characters. Nothing was really a surprise, as it was predictable and even a little ridiculous as the story unfolded. Great premise, but definitely falls flat for me.
February 24, 2024
This is a well-constructed novel that is riveting and moving. 4.5 stars!
It unfurls steadily with layers revealing themselves within and to the main characters, who seem to be sisters mysteriously separated early in their childhoods. Additional characters’ pieces of the puzzle are folded in, in succinct, well-timed chapters of their own. The characters are honest and complex, as are the truths that do and don’t eventually reveal themselves.
I love the setting in Puerto Rico 🇵🇷, bringing alive the street art, the food, the climate and culture, how the story navigates money and privilege, island and mainland and local/tourist dynamics - none of it being heavy handed - but integral to the plot line as they must be to any story.
I received an advanced audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It unfurls steadily with layers revealing themselves within and to the main characters, who seem to be sisters mysteriously separated early in their childhoods. Additional characters’ pieces of the puzzle are folded in, in succinct, well-timed chapters of their own. The characters are honest and complex, as are the truths that do and don’t eventually reveal themselves.
I love the setting in Puerto Rico 🇵🇷, bringing alive the street art, the food, the climate and culture, how the story navigates money and privilege, island and mainland and local/tourist dynamics - none of it being heavy handed - but integral to the plot line as they must be to any story.
I received an advanced audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 5, 2024
It started out strong, and held your attention. Then it started to waiver towards the last half at least for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 625 reviews