La Finca by Corky Parker is all about chasing a dream, searching for an escape, adventure, providing for one’s family and hoping to find oneself alone the way. But with great adventure comes loss sadly, and Corky endure a lot, through and unforeseen divorce, hardships of keeping the Inn, the death of her second husband and Hurricane Maria.

But Corky has this beloved tenacity to not give up with things get rough. She fights until the end and even then never full gives up on her dreams.

I loved this book and admired Corky’s journey. I loved her singing on the audiobook. Her quotes from Buddhist sayings like, “The trouble with chasing dreams is you can wake up”. So true. Thank you Corky and NetGalley for the wonderful opportunity to hear this story.

Absolutely loved this memoir (and I’m not usually one to gravitate towards a memoir)! The story, the way it’s told and the way it leaves you feeling are all as magical as each other. Coming from a family hospitality background I related so much to Corky’s story and couldn’t wait to continue and finish each chapter. A must-read for anyone that’s ever imagined running an accommodation business, changing career paths, moving to another country or, like me, loves hearing other people’s life stories.

"I'm not crying, you're crying" is definitely the perfect match for this (audio)book narrated by the author herself (a detail that makes everything even more touching, besides she has a sweet calming voice that I found beguiling - at some point she even sings!). La Finca is basically an emotional account of Corky Parker's life through a common thread for every event in her adult life: the finca, this cottage on a lush island of the Caribbean, which is both a backdrop for everything that happens and a character who plays a role in the story. The narration is so engaging that you feel part of it. I loved how the audiobook is vivid, even if there are no illustrations as in the written version. The ending made me cry!

This is exactly the type of memoir I love! Someone who has a passion to make/create something and then takes you on the adventure through the process. Corky’s story really appealed to me due to locations and her hopes of what she was wanting to create. In her memoir she shares about buying a group of cabins on a small island in the Caribbean which she turns into an inn and runs from her home in WA state. With frequent trips down… a slew of managers, and a well known guest. You are transported in the shoes of Corky and her journey through this what may seem like crazy dream/ goals. There was many moments let just say the whole book I felt transported to this place I could only dream of visiting. This book is super special and it is real life… you will feel inspire, frustrated and sad. Im beyond happy to have listened to the audio Corky did a fantastic job narrating her own experiences which just made it that much better. I recommend this one to any memoir lover, if you want to feel inspired, and if your working towards your own dreams.

3.75⭐️

<i> Many people fantasize about leaving the rat race behind for a tropical island. That's what Corky Parker did . . . sort of.

At age forty, Parker surrendered to her Swept Away meets Swiss Family Robinson fantasy of running an inn far from her home in the Pacific Northwest. She bought a group of cabins built by women in the hills of a small island in the Caribbean, and for the next twenty-plus years she and her family split their time between Seattle, where they operated a thriving media business, and what became La Finca Caribe, their eco-lodge in Vieques, Puerto Rico.

Over the years La Finca Caribe, or "the Caribbean farm," grew into a paradise of fruit trees, mockingbirds, and ocean breezes enjoyed by guests from around the world. Sketchbook in hand, Parker began to write, draw, doodle, paint, and collage a chronicle of her daily experiences as she learned from the land and from local Puerto Ricans, all while working to overcome her cultural naivete. The result is a lively, fully illustrated graphic memoir about a woman creating a new life amid wild animals, political upheaval, environmental challenges, the dot-com bust, divorce, and hurricanes, especially the destruction wrought by Hurricane Maria, which led Parker to reconsider everything.

Ultimately La Finca is a classic, unique story about trusting oneself, self-discovery, accepting disappointment and loss, and falling in love with a place. </i>

I count myself among the many who have fantasized about moving to a tropical island. It sounds heavenly. …. This memoir is a good reminder that such dreams are rarely matched by reality. Corky Parker endured one calamity or crisis after another, both on the island and in her life, over the course of her twenty year adventure. And oh, the staffing issues! Nonetheless, there’s still enough good there to keep the dream alive- for her and for the rest of us dreamers.

Author Corky Parker is also the narrator of her audiobook, and does a good job at the task.

Thank you to Corky Parker, NetGalley, and Lantern Audio for providing this ALC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

La Finca was a good book. Fast paced and entertaining while at times it wasn’t as attention grabbing. It’s hard to rate memoirs because who am I to critique someone’s life experiences but I enjoyed most of it while I was reading it.

Thank you NetGalley, Corky Parker and Mindbuck Media Book for letting me listen to audiobook of La Finca: Love loss, and Laundry on a Tiny Puerto Rico Island.

I absolutely love this audiobook. It was very enjoyable book about trusting yourself, self- discovery. Heart breaking and wonderful. Inspirational. I highly recommend this book.