I just couldnt get into this book i could connect to the story nor the characters but it had beautiful writing. Maybe ill give this author another chance but this book wasnt it for me

I loved this so much. I didn’t want to put this down, the relationships feel real and relatable, the main character is funny and I feel her pain. This was a nice refresher from the heavy books I’ve been reading lately.

I was so suprised by this book. The emotions flew off the pages. We got to witness an emotional transformation in Gabby. As a Mexican-American myself it was too easy to understand Gabby, her struggles, family dynamics, and struggling to understand the culture. I was so happy when Gabby just continued to grow and find her happiness when she was so lost. Although there was some heavier themes there were many other themes that just brought the whole story together. Diego was amazing and I enjoyed the gradual relationship he developed with Gabby, it was beautiful. This was my first book from this author but I look forward to reading more of her work.

This book was so heartwarming and absolutely real with emotion. I felt like I was going through every emotion the main character was going through, grief, guilt, relief, sadness, anger, love.

Gabby is 29 years old and she just lost her mother to cancer. At her mothers funeral she meets her biological father whom she heard nothing of her entire life.

He is offering her a home to keep or do whatever she wants to do with. His way of hoping to find a connection with his daughter. But Gabby wants no part of getting to know this man.
She just needs to find her footing again since she not only lost her mother but her job and has no money or savings.
She finds herself accepting her great grandmother home in a small town in New Mexico.
He is where we see her go through so many emotions of her healing journey with grief and learning to accept love in her life.

This story was beautiful, the growth we see in this character and her attraction to Diego was so cute to read about.
The recipes in here, had me wishing I had it next to me. They sound so appetizing.

In conclusion I loved this book and it’s storyline
All emotions, I cried a lot while reading this some of the quotes said in here were so sweet and got down to my heart.
I feel as though more people need to Read something that feeds the soul

This book did that for me

3 stars//

Thank you Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows Gabby Medina, a chef from LA, who meets her biological father for the first time at her mother's funeral. He offers her a house back in his small hometown, Sonrisa, with no expectations of amending their relationship. Gabby takes the opportunity to make some money and moves to Sonrisa to renovate and sell said house. In the process of renovating the house, she meets the town mayor and handyman, Diego, who is the love interest. We watch Gabby navigate through grief, self discovery, and family's past while trying to keep her head over the water and falling in love with both the town and its mayor.

Starting with my likes, it was so fun to read about the latin representation through food specifically. The Mexican (correct me if I'm wrong) dishes described were painted so vividly I literally want to try to make them because they sounded so delicious. The author did an incredible job at representing latin culture and the importance of preserving it. I also loved Lola and her words of wisdom. A lot of what she told Gabby resonated with me; she was like a therapist to both Gabby and me. The found family and small town tropes are bonuses too!!

As for my dislikes, the rest of the plot felt bland to me. It had so much potential to be so much more; alas, I was let down. It took me so long to get through even though I was so excited to read it after reading the synopsis. I didn't like Gabby's character at all. I know she is supposed to be going through her character development as part of the plot, but I just didn't like her as a person. She was super opinionated, immature, moody, and too prideful at times. Diego's character is also very lackluster. I couldn't tell if he was grumpy or sunshine??? It felt like he was only there for the romance element, which honestly, if that was the case, the whole romance element wasn't needed in this book. Why you may ask? Well, because it is heavily character driven and revolves mainly around Gabby's self-discovery after her mother's death + they had absolutely no chemistry. Their dynamic was just so bland and almost rushed amidst everything else happening in Gabby's life.

All in all, this book had its cons and pros. I didn't love it, but it was a fun one.

It’s been such a long time since I read a sweet and wholesome small-town romance and this was so charmingly composed.

I adore Gabby for being such a strong-willed, determined main character and the fact that this trait didn’t just fall away when she finally embraced her roots and opened her heart to those close to her.

Sonrisa was made to be a small, homely town filled with smiles and familiar faces and it was so enjoyable to read about.

In people’s different backgrounds from all around the world, I find that food is of such importance to our cultures and traditions and I truly enjoyed Gabby’s journey as someone learning more about her personal and cultural history through food.

This was a precious small-town romance filled with romance, grief and second chances. I truly enjoyed Gabby’s story and found that she was someone I could relate to.

At the start of the story, we meet twenty-nine-year-old Gabby Medina as she is attending her mother’s funeral. It is there she discovers the identity of her biological father, Raúl. A failed attempt to return to her previous job at a restaurant prompts her to travel to the small town of Sonrisa, New Mexico where she hopes, with the help of a generous offer from Raúl, to gain the resources to start a new chapter in her life. As Gabby starts meeting the people of Sonrisa and connecting to her legacy, she begins to doubt her original plans and must decide whether to follow her heart or stick to the path she envisioned upon arriving in Sonrisa.

A heartfelt story, there were things that worked and others that did not work well for me. I enjoyed Gabby’s evolution throughout the novel, from the naïve, sometimes bratty twenty-nine-year-old to a woman that is finally willing to take control of her own life. There are beautiful reflections on love and loss and grief, and the descriptions of food are delightful. I loved learning about the “soldaderas” or “adelitas” as well. However, there were some parts that could have benefited from additional editing, such as the sexual harassment scene and a couple of phrases in Spanish that got lost in translation. The villains in the story felt one dimensional and stereotypical and Gabby’s naivete did not feel true to her age. Despite this, I was highly satisfied with the ending and certainly liked the author’s afterword.

Rating: 3.75/5 Stars for me.

Even though this novel was not a great fit for me, I can see its appeal to those who enjoy stories of found family, loss, grief, romance, food, and second chances.

#TooSoonforAdiós#NetGalley#bookstagram#booktrovert#booklover#netgalleyreviewer#bookstagrammer#bookreviews#goodreads#netgalleyreviews#bookshelf#booknerd

I absolutely devoured this book in one sitting!

This is a great read with beautiful writing. I especially loved the cultural references and in depth descriptions, it’s a nice personal touch from the authors heritage.

Gabby’s growth throughout the book was heartwarming to read, and tells a tale of grief that I’m sure many of us can relate too sadly.

The plot was a little predictable which I often find for this genre, but to be honest I don’t mind that as I gravitate toward these kind of books when I want something cosy, and feel good to read.

I really enjoyed this book and I got so much from it on so many different levels. It was well written with a compelling storyline and well developed characters that I took to my heart. I really enjoyed it.

I fell inlove with this book!!!! I was a little worried that Gabby would be stuck in her ways but she opened up and kept it interesting. I was worried Diego would disappear for good or something tragic would happen when he left to California bit this book kept me wanting more I couldn't put it down. the story line keeps you wanting to know what's next will they end up together will gabby learn to accept her father and all the friendships formed and how she slowly opened up to the town was beautiful!!!!! great book from an amazing author!!

4 out of 5 stars.

Firstly, many thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for the opportunity to read this e-ARC!

The story follows a Mexican American woman in her late thirties who, after the loss of her mother, is reunited with her biological father - much against her will. After some to and froing, and some difficult situations and choices, Gabby takes up his offer of moving down to Sonrisa, New Mexico, where his abeula's home is in need of some TLC for being put on the market.

There is a real rich heritage and culture to this story, and that has to be one of its main successes. The story of the Adelita's and the La Revolucion, giving the birthplace and history of a town that sounded like a dream of a community to live in - it all serves to make a reader feel a lot of warmth towards it. Gabby has been born and raised in America, educated at an all-white religious school, and doesn't speak Spanish fluently. For her, this is an opportunity to return to her roots, to learn about that half of her that she never knew and the family she knew knew on her father's side.

Though this is definitely a romance, it's also a lot more than that. At it's heart, it is a story about grief, growth, and forgiveness. It's about learning, and become the person you are supposed to be.

It really is a heartwarming tale, and one that I enjoyed reading. There are many strong female characters throughout, and the main men of the book are so easy to fall for! Gabby, at times, can come across as rude; especially when she first gets to Sonrisa and has no interest in getting to know anyone or anything about it. But, as frustrating as these moments can be, you come to understand her and her point of view. It makes her growth into someone who takes charge of her life and makes the decisions without sway from others all the better.

This one was a bit of a surprise for me. I hadn't expected much, but it really delivers. A sweet, sometimes poignant tale that is perfect for a cosy read.

Annette really has that magical touch on making you feel that connection with the characters - I felt it with Gabby on a very personal level.
The topics that she writes about are real problems and real feelings to them - it’s surprising how spot on Annette is with those two things, there’s no feeling of being over dramatic nor just brushing the problems under the rug.

This second novel by Annette, we follow Gabby and her life through some life changing events; Gabby unfortunately loses her mom to cancer and meets her biological father on the day of the funeral. Meeting Raul and deciding to take his offer of fixing and selling her paternal grandmother’s house means the possibility of getting to know Raul and learning his side of the story, something Gabby was not planning nor considering doing. Once in Sonrisa, NM, Gabby realizes that it’s going to be harder to leave, especially when she realizes she’s in love with Diego. Gabby has to make the tough decision of continuing with her original plan in hopes of landing her dream job or start fresh and set course to another dream.

It was such a realistic story - and speaking from a personal perspective. Gabby reacted in such a real and raw way when she met Raul - all those emotions and not knowing how to go about them was so real and relatable; Annette nailed that down so amazingly.

I also enjoyed the love interest - it wasn’t anything dramatic nor did it drag on just waiting for it to happen, again another thing that I feel Annette did amazing with.

Between this novel and 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐬 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐂𝐫𝐲, I would many be able to say which one I enjoyed the most. Her story telling is so realistic and refreshing. I truly enjoy her story telling - another plus the perfect amount of twist to it, it’s kinda expected but not in an obvious way.

Anywho, I truly enjoyed her second novel and cannot wait what else she has in store for the future!

Lastly, thank you so much for letting me pre-read!

I really appreciated Gabby’s growth throughout the story. I was torn whether or not I had liked her character at first, because she wanted nothing to do with Raul and was mean to him, but wanted his house. I also didn’t like how rude she was to the Mayor at the first meet. Without giving too much away, I was happy how things turned out in the end. Will be recommending this book in my local book club.

#4 STARS

Too Soon for Adios by Annette Chavez Macias did such a great job showing the different ways that grief shows up for folks and the myriad of ways we both deny our grief and move through it. The story begins with Gaby laying her mother to rest and a series of events unfold that cause her to confront some difficult truths that she at first could not believe. I really enjoyed going on this healing journey with Gabby as she discovers who her biological father is, why he abandoned her, and what she wants for herself in life as a result of all of the new information she is integrating into her life story. She goes through a traumatic event at work where her boss sexually assaults her *trigger warning* and this scary event clarifies a lot for her around who she is and what she wants for her career and future. I was so glad that her father, Raul, had a role to play in helping her figure this out and offering her other options.

Raul, just like Gaby, is a chef. They both end up healing their wounds and estranged bond through their love of food and gift of cooking. What a beautiful way to show the gifts we inherit from our parents and the ways food helps us to connect in community and within Latinx culture in particular.

There are so many quotable moments in this story. Here is one of my favorites:

"But no matter how overwhelming or insignificant they are, secrets always find a way to come out. So, sometimes, it's just better if you're the one who sets them free."

Thank you to the author and publisher for the E-arc copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC. All opinions are honest and my own.

This book follows Gabby Medina as she struggles through the grief of losing her mother and the surprise of meeting her biological father, Raul, who offers her a chance at a new life in the small New Mexican town of Sonrisa. Gabby meets handyman/mayor Diego, fixes up her bisabuela’s old house, and learns a lot about herself in the process.

The plot was an interesting concept so I was excited to see how it all played out. Unfortunately, I struggled with a lot of the novel.

I really wanted to enjoy this novel, but by the time I hit the sexual harrassment and assault scene (15% in), I was already shutting off my brain. To me, sexual harrassment needs to truly be an integral piece to the story that furthers the plot along. In this case, it felt like it was just an opportunity to make Gabby’s life worse and connect her closer to Diego. There were so many other ways the plot could have been furthered along without a descriptive assault scene. I felt uncomfortable reading it, but decided to plow along.

A lot of the exposition felt like it was dumped on in long paragraphs. Everyone had this lengthy story to share with Gabby in order to help her grow as a person, but the paragraphs felt clunky and drawn-out. Rather than being fed bits of exposition and character background at a time, it felt like I was being force fed lengthy descriptions that I had to set the book down and digest before I could continue. I wanted to get to know the characters organically, but it felt very stilted and structured. I was 70% of the way through the novel and still being hit with chunks of long exposition and flashbacks. It made the emotional connection fade because I feel like I should know the characters by then instead of getting handed a litany of traits and stories I hadn’t been told yet.

While I understand that Gabby experienced bullying from mean girls in school, it felt like a lot of her inner monologue and personality was based around being a mean girl herself and not in the “I was bullied” mindset, but from a misogynistic lens. The second she meets Carolina, she decides that she hates her, that Carolina is stuck up, and Carolina is a mean girl simply because she’s getting coffee with Diego. Carolina’s character was very flat and one-dimensional and seemed to be merely a proverbial punching bag for Gabby’s internalized misogynistic insecurities, rather than a person herself. Jessica also just seemed like an unnecessary stereotype.

I did love the numerous pieces of culture weaved into the story. The heavenly descriptions of food made me so hungry and I loved having the ability to learn about Adelitas/soldaderas. I can tell that the author loves her heritage and culture and I appreciate her sharing it with us.

This was my second novel by this author and I have to say that she is 2/0 for me. I throughly enjoy her writing style and you can tell how much love and pride the author has for her Mexican culture.

Story begins with Gabby Medina grieving over the loss of her mother. Their relationship was complicated, her mother had her at a young age. Gabby had these built in insecurities that steamed from the guilt she felt because her mother giving up her dreams just to raise. There was always this expectation Gabby had that she could never quite be good enough for her mother, her boss or anyone. Early one Gabby discovers her biological father is very much alive and offers her his family home to live in and sell when she is ready. Against her aunties wishes, she accepts the offer and moves from the bustle of Los Angeles to Sonrisa, New Mexico. As she digs deeper into her great grandmothers home she is also digging deeper into herself and discovering the confidence in herself. Throw in some mouthwatering descriptions of staple Mexican dishes, hot mayors/handyman and you have yourself 4/5 star read. The romance was just enough to wet the appetite but it wasn't the primary focus of the story. I will be purchasing this when it gets released in 2023

Annette Chavez Macias’s sophomore novel is a beautiful and charming story of loss, grief, and learning to live through them both.

The FMC, Gabby Medina, loses her mother. Her mom’s two best friends (aunties) are supporting her in every way that they can, until a stranger at the funeral reveals that he is her biological father…and he has a gift for her. He offers her a house to live in and sell when she’s ready. The money will be all hers, no strings attached. She just has to move from L.A. to a small town in New Mexico, called Sonrisa.

Gabby has lost her mom, her job, and a bit of herself. So against her aunties wishes, she accepts the offer. Upon her arrival, she meets the town’s mayor who also happens to be the handyman in charge of renovating her new house. Will Gabby open herself up to having relationship with her father? Will the handsome handyman/mayor teach her to love this new town? Will the town witch poison her?

There are several types of loss, loss of a loved one, loss of a job, a home, loss of identity, and the loss of a dream. All of these play an intriguing role in this story and are catapults for thought provoking discussion.

Despite some of the heavier subject matter, this was a fun and charming read. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Mexican American author writes Mexican American main character and is then read by Mexican American reader. Full circle, eh? Call me a narcissist but I’m damn proud of my heritage and I really loved seeing the representation in this book. I felt so many parallels between myself and Gabby: same age, Los Angeles natives, lost souls, no relationship with their biological dad. I wanted to say all of this to stress that this probably a biased review because of the deep connection I felt to it.

Too Soon for Adiós is a beautiful piece of women’s fiction! Absolutely loved it. The story is about a 29 year old woman named Gabby and her journey to connect with her father, past, and Mexican roots immediately after losing her mother to cancer. It was such a heartwarming read filled with humor. One of those books where you finish it and think “That was such a nice read.”

The descriptions of the food, characters navigating grief, found family, small town setting, the scary part of your late 20s when you don’t have your life figured out yet, navigating massive student debt, and falling in love when you’re still figuring out how to love yourself all made for my type of contemporary read. The book definitely tackles tough themes but does it in such a thoughtful way. And I loved the romance in this so much! Diego is totally my new book bf and the urge to move to a small town to bag me a hot mayor/handyman/former doctor has never been stronger. Gabby and Diego had fantastic chemistry and I was straight up swooning at some parts. The book was predictable in the way that these type of books normally are but I don’t read this genre for shock value so I wasn’t bothered. Really loved the ending!

I also loved the learning about the soldaderas in the Mexican Revolution. Strong woman in history often get snubbed from the textbooks and I loved how this was such a big part of the Gabby’s journey as she learns about her heritage.

4.5 ⭐️ I didn’t rate this 5 stars for a couple reasons, mainly down to some technical issues with the writing that I’m sure will be fixed in the final edit, but it is absolutely worth reading if you’re a fan of women’s fiction.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Montlake and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Well developed characters in a novel that’s like a comfortable pair of jeans. It just fits.

CW: sexual assault, parent loss

Gabby Medina has just lost her mother and lost her job. At her mother's memorial, her biological father, who she hasn't ever met, shows up and offers her a house that she can fix up and sell as a gift. With no other offers, Gabby takes this opportunity to move to Sonrisa, NM where she meets Diego Paz, the local handyman and mayor of the town. Will Gabby open up her heart to new family and love?

I relate heavily to Gabby having also lost my father a couple years ago. The grief she feels is so real. The plot was a bit predictable, but I really liked learning about the adelitas who were real historical figures. I think it's really awesome to learn about other cultures.

I would recommend this book to people who like women's fiction.