Don't Date Rosa Santos

by Nina Moreno

[layawaydragon]

>Loved it, flew through it.
>Very cute and sweet YA romance. It felt pretty shallow to me, w/ no common bond. But it's character growth & plot movement for someone who's been stagnant & reactionary. One of the few times I can remember where I'm rooting for the main couple to amicably settle into friendship & move on eventually. I'd like to see a follow-up with that situation & college TBH.
>Love the understated mundane magical realism.
>I love the daughter, mother, grandmother dynamic. That's what my family is made of, though we're not cursed as such.
>Really felt the push/pull between the generations, the Cuban diaspora.
>The Obamas in Cuba.. WOW. I knew it was huge but Rosa describing it made me tear up.
>Ending of senior year
>Driven academic overachiever planner extraordinaire
>Best friend Girl drummer
>Sibling teasing
>A wedding
>Community action
>Small businesses
>Men baking
>Boy with a boat
>Almost drowning
>Treasure hunt
>Conquering fears
>Unpacking baggage
>Figuring out what you really want
>Going for it.
>I love the ending. Its trust and freedom, with a buoyant feeling of hope.