Jeanette Escudero

I picked this for my Kindle FirstRead book for July. I was really looking forward to a good rom-com/drama about a protagonist who's lost people in her life, and reaches out to them to make things good again. I had a similar situation in my personal life recently and was excited to see the author's take on it.

I felt pretty 'meh' about it. I really liked Amelia, at first. I really enjoyed reading about her as a high-powered lawyer who doesn't tolerate misogyny and stands up for victims' rights. She has a career as a partner in a prestigious law firm, until she stands up against a case she doesn't believe in, and winds up getting into a brawl with one of the partners, and then gets fired. From there, she has to go find herself again, makes amends with friends she's lost along the way, and meets a new love interest.

I enjoyed reading about her character arc and how she learns to rediscover herself, and there's a little subplot in there about found family as well, which I thought lent a nice depth to her character development.

It's told in first person from Amelia's POV. And it's a wonderful story of how when one door closes, another one opens (though I'm sure extremely few of us will get fired from a job, and then have enough money to afford to never work again). That change isn't always something to be feared. And most of all, it has some great lessons to take away from it. That apologizing isn't always for the other person, but about knowing that you did the right thing, and reached out that olive branch.

So why the three stars? Without giving away too many spoilers - I really didn't like John, her love interest, or the way their relationship progressed. He came off as very condescending and snarky her the first night they met - and the lesson that a one night stand turns into a HEA isn't a great one (again, I know there are people who did start their marriages with a one night stand). Something about his character just rubbed me the wrong way. And he gets her eventually because he's persistent and won't take no from an answer from her - again, I disagree with this. I didn't feel any chemistry between Amelia and John, and the whole romance just fell flat. I would have preferred it if she just stayed single and found her HEA with her newfound interests and reconnections with her friends and family. Or if she had a more likeable love interest. I dislike the notion that a woman (or a man, for that matter) has to be married or have a partner to be wholly happy.

Other than the romance, I enjoyed the rest of the story and the lessons contained within!… (more)

Alex has been struggling lately and is not on her game at work. When she collapses, she goes to the doctor's only to learn she has a brain tumor. Not telling anyone and being in denial, she carries on with her life. Her boss tells her to take a vacation. Finding a travel book from her late sister, she decides to take some of the trips they had planned as teens. Will she take the trips? Will her tumor stop her?

I enjoyed this story. Keep tissue by your side. I liked that Alex had to go cold turkey on her cell phone because of reception in some places plus she did not want to be inundated with calls telling her she should not be traveling but having surgery. I liked her mothers and her friends. She makes new friends as she travels. She also makes decisions about her future after surgery. While it was tough to watch her fall apart and cry, I was glad she could admit she was scared of the surgery and afraid of the future. She did linger on all that could go wrong. Others thought about how much better her life would be without the headaches and falls. She had a great support system. I also liked that, while she grieved her lost marriage, she was open to love.

This is a keeper.… (more)

I didn't expect to like this book so much. Alex is diagnosed with a brain tumor and that causes her to re-evaluate her life and finally deal with some of her losses, her sister's death from leukemia years before, her failed marriage, and her job that is beginning to feel like a dead end. She decides to travel to some of the places she and her sister talked about going to when her sister's treatment was complete--but that never happened. She discovered a romantic interest during her hike in the Grand Canyon, a new job with some women she met in Costa Rica resort, and her family who comes to get her in Puerto Rico when her health begins to deteriorate. The thing I appreciate the most about this book is that it doesn't have a happy ending. There are still struggles facing Alex at the end of the book.… (more)