A Woman of Endurance starts off with Pola's story as a slave. From the coast of Africa to the plantations of Puerto Rico, Pola's life has not been easy. Used as a "brood mare" at her previous plantation, Pola decides to take her own life. However, she is discovered, beaten within an inch of her life, and sold to a new patron. She recovers in the new plantation's infirmary, but has closed herself off, emotionally and physically. She goes through the motions of living, but maintains a chip on her shoulder and carries her anger like a badge of honor.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Written with such passion and feeling, I was transported to the Hacienda along with Pola. While the story itself was amazing, I found the chapter divisions a little confusing at first. However, as the story went on, the events became clearer and everything fell into place. I loved the strength of Pola's character, the truth behind her anger and personality, and the love she eventually learns to feel for those around her. I highly recommend this one if you're looking for a story of redemption, healing, and the power of friendship.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. I also want to thank the author for taking me on this journey. I could not stop reading this book. It is not often I come across a book that hits me as much as this one did, it only happens maybe once a year. This was so moving. I felt for Pola, the main character. I cried with her, got angry with her..i even had to put the book down in one scene because it was too much excitement for me! (i picked it up a few minutes later). This is a must read.

Through A Woman of Endurance we follow the life of Pola , a slave in Puerto Rico in the 19th century, as she heals from a past wrought with loss and abuse.

The content matter itself makes it a hard read, but it never felt gratuitous. The writing was poetic and beautiful. There is a good chunk of thought-provoking content as well as details of the time which felt well-researched (particularly all those food passages and the little details included that transports the reader right into the time period). The writing is also exceedingly clever in purposeful word choice. I definitely am going to keep an eye on this author's career.

I do wish some things were elaborated on, particularly it could have expanded on Pola’s empathy. I would've liked a bit more driving forces and motivations for Pola. I feel like even though she was the main character there was a lot of unexplained growth we saw by the end but not so much the development. She sort of just watched the people around her and had a passive role in her own journey.

And the romance was, fine. I feel like there could have been a bit more build-up or scenes of them sprinkled in before having them finally interact like, the last 15% of the book. I just didn’t have strong feelings on them one way or another which is a shame because the potential was definitely there.

I did enjoy this read though, especially certain sections when done well , were remarkable (RE: the passages on grief). It was a beautiful read about resilience, a detailed portrait of the time, and an ending filled with hope. I would suggest it for fans of historical fiction.

This novel is set in 19th-century Puerto Rico on a plantation. The main character, Pola, is extremely spiritual and is sold into slavery. She encounters horrifying violence and dehumanization. She begins a journey to heal and regain her sense of self and humanity. The storytelling is rich with details. The author makes you feel as if you are right in the thick of the time period. You can clearly see things from Pola's perspective and feel like you are alongside her on the journey through the plot.

An absolutely amazing and heartbreaking book you’ll never want to put down, even at the end. This book is an amazing look at a time and place in history and the suffering of a people that should never be forgotten.

Wow. This book was totally different than the kind I usually pick up and breeze through as "entertainment" which is exactly why I chose it. The gorgeous cover caught my attention and reading the blurb made me think that this author would take me out of my comfort zone and tell me a story that would stay with me long after I turned the last page—and that is exactly what Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa did with A Woman of Endurance. The writing is so beautiful—lyrical, even—that during the most painful parts of the book my brain was riding that razor's edge of loving every sentence and yet being cut so deeply by what was actually happening on the page. Thank you for sending this book to me.

A Woman of Endurance is a powerful novel I won't soon forget. The author has done an incredible job of depicting the beauty of the region with writing that is lyrical and elegant. Pola's spirituality was conveyed in such a beautiful way that it had my spirt soaring. All of this beauty made the sheer brutality of Pola's life all the more jarring and affecting. This book rips your heart out, stomps it thoroughly and then heals it with beauty and love. When I think about why I like historical fiction, it's because of books like this that provide such unexpected insights and powerful perspective to a period and place in history that is just rarely explored completely. I loved this book and look forward to recommending it!