"Returning meant choosing a life I had run away from many years ago and realizing that it was the life I was destined to live"

Finally a book that focuses on going home and the internal struggle that comes with it. I enjoyed the details about Colombia, the culture and community dynamics.

I enjoyed the story but there are a few things that didn't work for me, including the use of magical realism/ghosts. It felt like the author was shy, just dipping her toes on magical realism and not committing all the way to it. The romance aspects of the story felt underdeveloped, it makes sense that they were because the main character's journey focuses on her family ties and individual journey but at points, feel like throwaway characters.

3.5 stars. Very good debut by Maria Alejandra, the cover is spectacular, the plot is very interesting and although some chapters are long and make it a little difficult to read, it is a good read. In fact, it is a different reading than what I usually read, but since it is set in Colombia I have enjoyed it a lot as a Latina. Regarding the words in Spanglish, as a Latina they did not bother me, but I understand that those who are not native or know the language may not understand, so a glossary would be vital.

My mouth watered as I turned the pages in this really beautiful novel about family, making tough decisions and working through pain to come out better on the other side. The love triangle setup is very engaging and I really enjoyed the magical elements in the story. The descriptive, sesnual and lyrical writing supported an interesting and engaging story. I felt like I could feel the sweet salty air of Barranquilla and taste the delicious food in the cafe. It was transporting. Loved it!

I was immediately drawn to this book because of the beautiful cover art, and then realizing on top of that that it involved magical realism convinced me that I had to give it a read. It was a lovely story of love, loss, grief, and family.

Some things I loved:
- Magical realism
- Second chance romance
- Familial bonds
- Beautiful cultural descriptions
- Good pacing
- Engaging story

I was immediately drawn to this book by the cover. The vibrant colours, the feeling of joy … unfortunately the old saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” really kicked me with this one. I enjoyed the family dynamics in this book and the vivid descriptions of Barranquilla and Colombian food, but the relationship and romance really ruined the story for me.

This book is well written in its descriptions of challenging family dynamics and the struggle to find one’s place and purpose. One of my favourite parts of this book is the positive development and growth in the relationship between Vi and her mother that occurs in parallel with Vi learning about her grandmother. The passing of trauma through generations with the repeating of mistakes caused by fear is really interesting and well explored.

Unfortunately, the romantic relationships made no sense to me. If anything, they infuriated and frustrated me. At the start of the book we see Vi in a childhood romance with Rafa, a boy she knew and dated for a few years before moving away to New York, at which point Rafa refused to speak with Vi anymore. Fast forward ten years and Vi is in a loving relationship with Liam, a man she lives with and has even discussed marriage with. But as soon as Vi steps foot back in Barranquilla, Liam may as well have never existed. Vi actively ignored his calls and speaks only of wanting to see Rafa. The ending to this book came as no surprise to me, though it definitely came with exasperation.

I can’t say I really liked any of the main characters.

Vi seemed very multi-dimensional and interesting until, suddenly, her every thought revolves around her childhood ex. She refuses to speak to Liam, her current partner, about her feelings and then claims he doesn’t understand her … but this ex she’s not seen in ten years obviously does.

Rafa is in a relationship throughout this book with a woman called Marta, though we never see her appear nor does Rafa seem remotely interested in her. He actively pursues Vi despite knowing she’s in a relationship, and gets grumpy and sullen when Liam arrives to help her out.

Liam is also by no means perfect, though I do still feel sorry for him by the end of this book. His informing Vi that she’d definitely give up before succeeding was in no way okay and rather insensitive, even if said in anger.

In the end, my main joys in this book were the side characters of Vi’s Mami and Antonio. I loved these two for all of their flaws and was happy with how the story ended for them.

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC. A special shoutout to the cover artist, it has one of the prettiest covers I’ve ever seen in 2024! I think I might be one of the few people who didn't like Violeta at all, and no it didn't affect my enjoyment of the book. I feel like as a character, she didn't grow from the beginning to the end, all her decisions annoyed me. I enjoyed the cultural immersion that the novel afforded me though. The food, the little quirks of people, the language even had rhythm, I enjoyed this a lot.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. I like the plot of the book and the main story behind it but I really didn’t like how ridiculously long the chapters were. I also found it super hard to understand at times when they made some words, Spanish and some English, and then kind of mix them together in the middle of sentences, especially in times where it didn’t make sense to do so.

The Waves Take You Home by María Alejandra Barrios Vélez is a story of knowing who you are, where you feel home, and belonging.

Violeta comes from a line of women who are supposed to be cursed in love. Her Abuela wants a better life for her and sends her to NYC from Columbia. Sacrifices are made, but are they happy? Fast forward years later, Abuela dies, and Violeta has to travel back and has to save her grandmother's restaurant. Is saving her grandmother's going to help her find herself as well?

First and foremost, the cover of this book is gorgeous. The story reflects the exact vibrancy of this cover. I really enjoyed reading about the spices, the cuisine, and the culture portrayed in the book. It's a beautiful story overall showing the relationship between a granddaughter, grandmother, found family, and their sacrifices for each other.

Thank you, Lake Union Publishing, for this book.

Maria Alejandra Barrios Velez, the Author for “The Waves Take You Home” has beautifully crafted a well written novel that is captivating, thought-provoking and heartfelt. The Genres for this book are Magical Realism, Contemporary, Women’s Domestic Life Fiction, Adult Fiction, and Women’s Fiction. The author vividly describes the scenery, landscape and the colorful and dramatic characters. The author describes the characters as complex, complicated, and flawed.

Violeta Sanogueria had always listed to her Grandmother, and followed what was suggested for her. She left Columbia went to school in America, and is an artist barely making it. She lives with her boyfriend, and does feel she gets emotional support from him.

Violeta receives a message that her Grandmother is sick in Colombia, but before Violeta can get there, her Grandmother dies. Violeta goes home to Colombia seemingly corresponding with the ghost of her grandmother. Her Grandmother is trying t0 send her messages and communicate with her. The Grandmother leaves a large portion of the family restaurant to Violeta.

In this story of past loves, and several generation of strong women, Violeta has to decide where her life and home will be. She knows that she has to face the past to see the present and future. I appreciate how the author writes about the importance of family, friends, neighbors, love and hope. I highly recommend this amazing novel.

The Waves Take You Home by María Alejandra Barrios Vélez is a beautiful story steeped in culture, food, family, grief, love, fear, and choice. After ten years of living in New York City to pursue an education and career in art, Violeta Sanoguera returns to her hometown in Colombia after her abuela dies, only to find that she is the heir to the failing family restaurant that she was driven away from. In her journey in trying to save the restaurant and her family’s legacy, the ghost of Violeta’s abuela speaks to her and leaves her messages, providing answers beyond her death that she never gave in life.

This story is ultimately a ghost story that stretches across generations as it reveals and examines the trauma that the women of the Sanoguera family face in both the past and present as they ultimately try helping each other break cycles of fear in favor of love. Theirs is a story of sacrifice and survival, resilience and strength. As Violeta learns about her abuela’s hidden history, she finds herself rediscovering her roots and coming to terms with the lives she was forced to life (aka her half-lived life of hustling in NYC) versus the life she chooses to live back home in Colombia with her family, restaurant, and first love.

Violeta spends much of the book *knowing* that something is not quite right— that she is being called to the very home she was forced away from. She was taught not to wear her heart on her sleeve, not o ask for help nor charity. But reading her determination to save her family and the restaurant and her journey to learning to trust herself, breaking the cycle of fear passed down from her abuela that she was on the path to repeating— that was cathartic. I loved reading the motivations that drove the Sanoguera women. The writing was beautiful, and I found myself rereading sentences for the sheer beauty and appreciation of it. Also, this book gave me more appreciation for the Colombian culture and food, for every word describing them was written with such love and imagery.

(spoiler below)
But also, while I’m very well aware that the romance in this book was very much a subplot for this story, I hope Liam finds what he deserves. Yes, he was dismissive, and sure, he didn’t fully understand Violeta’s pull home despite being physically there and helping the family out for the week (and it goes without saying he was certainly right to fear she would never return), but Violeta also never gave him the words *to* try and help him understand, which also made me want to shake her lol. However, seeing as how this was really my one gripe with the book— not too shabby lol.
(/spoiler)

Shoutout to the cover artist because this book has one of the prettiest covers I’ve ever seen!! Thank you, Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing, for the ARC!

This was a beautiful yet difficult story of self discovery and reconnecting to your roots.

The characters felt super real and had interesting arcs, I went from hating some of the characters to understand them and from loving some characters to realising their faults. Violeta is annoyingly indecisive, which really is the point of the story. She is pushed around by her family and by her employer. She has found new love but cannot let go of the past. The constant Rafa Liam thoughts and obviousness was a major turn off. Her mother seemed so horrible that I wanted to stop reading, but somehow she slowly grows on you. But still, it’s annoying that Violeta is the only one baring responsibility and for things she really even shouldn’t.

The setting was perfect and I fell in love with Barranquilla. And all the mouthwatering food descriptions! I was in heaven. It was easy to feel the pull of home alongside Vi.

I really loved the idea of the book but felt disconnected from the story and the characters. The writing felt choppy and a bit repetitive at times. The pacing felt odd at times, being very descriptive and slow at times while breezing past some parts.

Sorry, I accidentally chose the wrong book and submitted the wrong review and I can't undo it now. Will post the correct one in a few days.

After growing up in Colombia, Violeta's grandmother tells her she's going to America to study university. She doesn't want to go but she must. Once the years go by Vi has her life in NYC, until she has to go back to Colombia. Going back to her family, childhood house, her grandmother's restaurant makes Violeta wonder who she really is and where she really belongs.
So nicely written, a book to enjoy, nice characters and strong women, love, family issues, heritage that will always define who we are.
A lot of fun to read!!

I was first drawn to this story by the cover and the title, but wow was I not expecting the journey I was about to go on. This story shows the pressure and hardships that go with being a child of immigrants and the expectations they have for you. It is hard to find your own way while also keeping in mind the sacrifices they made for you and not wanting to disappoint them. We see the constant struggle within Violeta in wanting to find out who she is, but also following the women in her family. I enjoyed being able to go on this journey with the main character and I enjoyed how the author described the food, places, and culture. It made it feel like I was there too.

⭐️4.5

A deepthoughts read. Superb !!
I’ve been hit with a writing reviews slump due to school but I will be back to write a great review as soon as the inspiration magic strikes again.

Tada 🪄

The Waves Take You Home has heart. It has some beautiful writing and interesting characters. If you migrated to another country and or are of a latinx background, you might find something in this story to appreciate or resonate with.

It's a decent book. I just didn't connect well with the characters. I also found some story aspects lacking. I firmly believe this story had the potential to be more.

While the writing was mostly done well, there were some setences that the structure was off. It made the sentence confusing to read. Another thing was I wasn't sure how I felt about the ghost. More could have been done with this aspect. Or it could have been done away with altogether. I also feel the story could have ended sooner than it did.

I was frustrated with some of the characters or didn't care for them. For Violeta, it was her being with Liam but still harboring feelings for Rafa. Even though romance is not the main focus, I feel the romance could have been executed better. Instead of feeling sympathy or investment in Violeta's romantic conflict, I was irritated with her. She didn't deserve Liam. And she needed to more honest with herself, in all aspects of her life. I disliked Vi's mother. I wasn't a complete fan of Abuela. I liked Liam and Anton though. I wish Rafa had more of a presence in the story.

Some possible triggers: death of a family member, dealing with the grief of losing a family member, and mention of an abusive marriage.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 5⭐
Diversity: latinx community

If you like "Clap When You Land" or a fan of author Angie Thomas, you'll love this book.

I could not stop reading this book. Violeta is caught between living the life she wants and what her family wants for her. Her Abuela wants her to go to the States and study and do something more with her life and not be trapped by the stresses of running a restaurant. However, Violeta loves the restaurant and her childhood love and doesn't want to leave. She sees that the women in her life, including her mom, are doomed in their love lives, and decides to go to school in the States.

We follow Violeta, ten years later, living her life in the States, but is called back home for a family tragedy. Violeta is again faced with deciding what life she wants to live, a beautiful safe life in New York, or back home, where things are uncertain but feel right.

Impossible choices, leading with love not fear, and learning to honor yourself are key themes in this book. Beautifully written by Vélez, it's a must read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Maria Alejandra Barrios Vélez for my #gifted copy of The Waves Take You home!

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐣𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐬 𝐕é𝐥𝐞𝐳
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟏𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

★★★★★

The Waves Take You Home is a beautiful story about family, loss, grief, and growth. I loved the magical realism aspect and just fell in love with Violeta and her journey. If you love heartwarming books infused with character growth, you will not want to miss this book!

Violeta, born and raised in Colombia, left her home, her family and their restaurant, and her boyfriend to chase her dreams of education and art in NYC. After establishing herself in the US, she is called to return home after her grandmother passes away. As she begins her journey home, she starts to receive messages and signs from her grandmother. Upon returning to Colombia, she finds that not only is the family restaurant failing, but that she is heir to the restaurant and the family legacy. After trying to hard to leave her life in Colombia behind, Violeta must confront her past in this beautiful debut novel.

I loved every character in this book and really enjoyed the focus on generational trauma. This book just flowed so well I really did not want it to end. I truly admire the author and her ability to vividly paint a picture of each character and scenery so well. If you think the cover of The Waves Take You Home is beautiful, wait until you read about Violeta and her story!

🌺Magical Realism
🌺Love Triangle
🌺Loss and Grief
🌺Personal Growth
🌺Heartwarming

Posted on Goodreads on March 18, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around March 18, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on March 19 2024
**-will post on designated date

The Waves Take You Home is one of the best debut novels I read this year. A poignant story that mixes love and loss, this novel blends relatable characters with fantastic location descriptions. I loved reading about Violet, her doubts and struggles, and, above all, I appreciated the real character growth. The story is captivating enough to make you want to visit Colombia. Overall, it was a fast and immersive read I undoubtedly recommend.

Thank you María Alejandra Barrios Vélez, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

I won’t rate this book yet because I have a lot of thoughts about this book and I felt a lot of things were unresolved.

I have issues with the fact that Vi could understand where her grandmother was coming from. She could empathize with why her grandmother was the way she way, yet she judged her mother. It’s different, I know. One is your mother and the other one is your grandmother but both where the way they were because of the way they grew up, and I do think by the end Vi forgave her mother yet she still judged her mother.

I guess the romantic in me or the romance reader in me hated both relationships because I don’t think we got a second chance romance because Vi and Rafa don’t get to fall in love as the adults that they are now, she kept romanticizing the kids they were and the past.

I think Vi treated Liam like she and she kept comparing him to her “true love” and I think the way he turned into a villain was uncalled for because they both grew up in different cultures. Her as a Latine was waiting for a white man to understand why the restaurant meant to much to her. She kept resenting him and saying that Rafa (a man that is also Latine) would understand why she wants to save the restaurant so much.

I also think that the pacing/time jumps in this book were confusing. Like every time Vi reads a passage of her grandmothers life she quickly compares it to her current situation in her life and it just confused me.

I think the only part I liked was the magical realism. Her seeing her grandmother and how the people that mean the world to us are still with us after they pass away. I liked the description of the Caribbean. It’s something special and you have to be there to get it.

Maybe I’ll give more thoughts about this later. I just finished it and I wanted to vent.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.