ARC, 325 pages
Release Date: May 14, 2019Published by: Disney-Hyperion
Read from: May 10-13, 2019Stand-aloneSource: NCTE 2018TW: DeathFor fans of: Contemporary, Romance, Sparkly Covers, POC on the cover, POC MC, Own Voices, Rom Com, Meet Cute, Tear-Jerker, Stand-alonesRosa Santos is cursed by the sea-at least, that’s what they say. Dating her is bad news, especially if you’re a boy with a boat.
But Rosa feels more caught than cursed. Caught between cultures and choices. Between her abuela, a beloved healer and pillar of their community, and her mother, an artist who crashes in and out of her life like a hurricane. Between Port Coral, the quirky South Florida town they call home, and Cuba, the island her abuela refuses to talk about.
As her college decision looms, Rosa collides – literally – with Alex Aquino, the mysterious boy with tattoos of the ocean whose family owns the marina. With her heart, her family, and her future on the line, can Rosa break a curse and find her place beyond the horizon?
*MY THOUGHTS*
I knew from just looking at this cover I would love this before I even got my hands on it. And let me tell you, I was exactly right. Dare I say this is my favorite YA contemp of 2019 so far. It was so sweet and I loved almost everything about it. This was definitely a “me” book.
“There was a wooden and steel wind chine that was steady when the day was nice, a little wilder with the rain, and as agitated as a scared kid when bad luck was coming.“pg. 7
Rosa Santos is cursed by the sea. And because of this, dating a boy (or anyone) with a boat is out. But Rosa is hoping to be different. She wants both of those things along with getting to know her culture and knowing more about her mom’s and abuela’s past…. All things that her abuela has wanted to keep her from doing. But as Rosa’s biggest decision gets closer and closer, she realizes she has to do something, no matter what was on the line.
“Her laundry room window stayed closed as she made a breakfast flavored and seasoned by her frustrations. She made it every time my mother left, salting it with tears, heartbroken regrets, and angry prayers..“pg. 53
I LOVED Rosa! She was funny and was smart. And she had a planner/journal! In a lot of ways her and her family reminded me of me when I was that age. Personality wise, me and Rosa had a lot in common. The other characters were also amazing. Mimi was the sweetest ever and I loved Alex too. Everyone had their own role in the story to help Rosa grow in some way and I loved that everyone was important in their own way.
“This was my date- with- the- Head- Boy- of-Ravenclaw fantasy come to life. […] What’s with the tie? Ana asked. “He looks like a nerd.” Pamela made a low noise. “He looks like a slow jam that came to do my taxes.“pg. 195
As for the plot, I thought I was in for a super sweet, cute, fluffy book. But it was so much more! I felt so much while reading this and that’s how I knew I loved it. At one point I was even crying, which I wasn’t expecting to do. I was so into this, and I really hope everyone else is as into this one as me!
“Don’t you want to win… Of course I do, but messing up in the beginning is not the way to do it.“pg. 217
I also really, really liked the setting. As always, whenever I am reading a book with a setting that is by water, I always remember where I’m from. There were a lot of similarities that it shares, but unlike Rosa I didn’t choose to stay away from the water, so for that I couldn’t relate. Everything else, like the festival, the salt smell in the air, I completely understood.
“Ana was at my side. She didn’t say anything. What use were words anyway? You could never find the right ones when you needed them. Words were islands that sank into silence like forgotten songs.“pg. 258
The last and most important thing I liked about this was the writing style. I found myself sucked into this small Florida town and I didn’t want to quit reading. It was hard to believe that Moreno was a debut author. Her words literally “took me away” and it made the story such an easy read to get through.
“Maybe if I had a sibling. Another parent. Did pain feel lighter when there were more hands to carry it?“pg. 260
This book checked so many of my “Things that Nikki will like” boxes that I’m not surprised at all that I loved it so much. The romance was cute, characters and setting were amazing, and it was easy to get lost in her words. I loved this one and I can’t wait until more have read it and can sing its praises like I’ve done.
Overall, I give this
