As a Colombian-American myself, with literally the exact first and middle name, I truly wanted to love this book.
The story sounded promising, and I loved reading all the Colombian phrases and all about Colombian food. However, I felt like the story fell flat for me at times. Most of the chapters were too long and dragged out, the story in itself ended up not being as captivating for me as I had hoped. There was a lot of telling instead of showing and I could not relate nor feel deeply for any one character.

On the flip side, the cover is stunning and I love how it captures a Caribbean woman so beautifully. For being Barrios's first novel, I believe it is a good read overall, and whoever wants a glimpse of our beautiful Colombia, can appreciate this story.

Thank you to NetgalleyUK and the publisher for an eARC of The Waves Take You Home in return for an honest review.

In this book we follow Violeta, a woman raised in Colombia, who has spent her adult life living in New York. At the age of 28 she travels home following the death of her grandmother. We follow Violetta as she comes to term with which of the places she is to call home.

I found this book so interesting. I haven't read a story set in Colombia before, and I felt that the author did a great job of describing not just the environment, but the culture, and the way of life of the locals. As a person who knows ZERO Spanish, I like the way that the language was written within the book, it really added to the reading experience. Also, the descriptions of food and art were incredible, and I really felt the depth to Violeta and the difficulty of the decision she had to make, in terms of where to call home. I found parts of this story infuriating (none of the characters knew anything about business or money management), but I'm glad that I stuck with it to see the development of their skills. I enjoyed how the story was wrapped up, and would especially recommend this to anyone who likes to read about food.

I have a weak spot for stories with a Latin American setting, so of course it was impossible to resist this debut by Maria Alejandra Barrios Velez. I loved the sound of both the premise and the coastal Colombia setting; after having lived in Cartagena for three months and meeting my hubby there, this area of Colombia has a special place in my heart. As an immigrant myself, I can understand the feeling of being torn between two countries and I was curious to see how the author would incorporate this aspect in The Waves Take You Home. I fully expected to love this story, but I somehow ended up having mixed thoughts instead.

First of all I have to stress that The Waves Take You Home is by no means a bad read and I absolutely loved the Colombian flavor infused in this story. The many descriptions of Barranquilla, the local customs and food truly brought Colombia to life, and it also brought back great memories for me. Especially the descriptions of the food are both abundant and vivid, and it made me both crave Colombian food and wish that I could sit down and eat at the Caminito restaurant myself... I also loved how Spanish words and phrases were incorporated in the text; this definitely made the Spanish philologist in me do a happy dance. The meaning of the Spanish words is easy to grasp even if you don't speak the language though; either by context or translation included in the text.

The writing style itself flows easily and the previously mentioned Spanish additions really enhanced the reading experience for me. It gave the story more authenticity and helped fully inmerging yourself in Colombian culture. I also loved how the magical realism/ghost element was incorporated into the plot; it's all rather subtil and not overpowering at all, so don't be afraid to pick up this story even though magical realism isn't really your cup of tea. This story also has a lot of focus on family, loss and being an immigrant struggling with two identities, and I liked what it added to the plot.

Where did it go wrong for me then? This had a lot to do with the romance, which basically ruined the story for me. I wasn't really expecting this much focus on the romance, and to make things worse The Waves Take You Home is basically one big love triangle. There is so much focus on the conflicting feelings of the main character and how she is torn between the two men, and it all made me feel SO frustrated. Then again, I'm always allergic to love triangles... To make things worse, I never felt the chemistry with neither Liam nor Rafa, as it was too much telling and not enough showing. All this romance business simply took too much time away from the rest of the story. There was also a surprising lack of character growth especially in Vi, which was unexpected for a more character driven story.

I also struggled with the pace, and especially in the second half of the story things became repetitive. Yes, we know Vi still has feelings for Rafa. Yes, we know she doesn't want to betray Liam. Yes, we know the restaurant is in trouble. Yes, we know Vi's mom Paula is flaky. How many damn times to we have to see this repeated over and over again?!? Especially the restaurant business was mentioned SO many times, and instead of adding tension it only made me feel more detached. I wasn't a fan of how 'convenient' the ending was either... I don't mind happy endings, but this was just too clean.

All in all there were things I loved in The Waves Take You Home, while other elements prevented me from fully enjoying my time with this debut. I know that I'm in the minority though, so if you think the issues I mentioned won't bother you I can still recommend picking it up. The descriptions of the Colombian setting and food are glorious!

This is a beautiful story of rediscovery.

Violeta was in love with Rafa. Their love was one her abuela didn’t approve of. She wanted what she thought would be better for her so she pushed Violeta to leave Colombia and pursue greater opportunities in America. Reluctantly, Violeta appeases her abuela and moves to New York City. She works as a contract illustrator and is in a relationship with a man named Liam. She doesn’t live an extravagant life, but it’s decent. That is until she gets news of her abuela’s death which leads her to return home. This news is the beginning of the end for many things. In a good way (wink wink) although as they say, after the rain comes the rainbow. We witness Vi face her past and uproot the sins of her mother, grandmother, and herself. In the end, she gets the chance to appreciate everything she ran from and avoided for a decade.

There is something really heartwarming about the journey we see Vi go through. Simply put, a devastating event is the spark that leads her to return to herself, discover generational trauma, and learn to trust and forgive herself.

At the heart of this story is her abuela’s restaurant El Caminito. When Vi returns home, she learns her grandmother left majority ownership to her, but the restaurant is drowning in debt. Her desire to save the restaurant forces her to work with her mother who she has never been close to and a close family/friend Anton; both of which also own stake in the restaurant. Together, their dedication and resilience was commendable. I was really happy to see how Vi’s relationship with her mother grew during their time trying to save the restaurant. Side note: can we talk about the food descriptions! I wanted to jump in the book and eat everything.

While in Colombia. Vi is visited on several occasions by her abuela’s ghost. Learning her true intent for showing up….omg my heart was bursting. I have a strong appreciation for people realizing what they could’ve done better. I won’t speak too much on that as not to spoil the story, but kudos to her abuela for taking accountability and guiding Vi so she could learn and not make the same mistakes she made. There’s also a love triangle. It seemed obvious who Vi would choose in the end, but the way the plot was written I found myself constantly wondering how things would actually turn out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced eARC.

The Waves Take You Home is an intriguing debut novel about a women’s fight for home and love amid loss.
I had some conflicting opinions here- my favorite aspect was Vi’s exploration and unraveling of her grandmothers story and how she chooses to take wisdom from the ghosts (both literal and metaphorical) of her family’s past. However, I struggled quite a bit with the romances here. Liam’s character wasn’t clear to me, it felt as if the narration was telling me one thing while the actions I was seeing were telling me something completely different- there was a lot of telling instead of showing that made him seem very inconsistent. With Rafa, I had a similar struggle to feel the love that was supposed to be there, I think because we spent so little time with him, and most of how we learn about him is through our MC’s narration, and not through experiencing his character.
In addition, I often felt as if moments that were meant to be grand revelations fell flat because they were reiterations of things that already appeared obvious to me as a reader- oh no, the restaurant is in debt! - yes, we’ve known that nearly since the beginning- it started to feel a bit repetitive towards the end.
I did really appreciate the ending, it felt comforting and wrapped up everything very nicely.
Maybe not my top read, but certainly some strong moments.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Lake Union Publishing for this ARC

I was fortunate to receive an ARC of "The Waves Take You Home" through NetGalley, and I dove into it eager for a heartwarming story about rediscovering oneself and one's roots. I also love to read and support Latina authors.

Following Violeta's return to Colombia after her grandmother's passing is an emotional journey. While the plot may not surprise seasoned readers, it unfolds with tenderness and offers familiar themes of self-discovery and family reconciliation in a fresh context. The familiar tropes are handled with warmth, making for a comfortable read.

While the narrative itself might not break new ground, the vibrant descriptions of Colombia truly shine. The bustling energy of Barranquilla and the heartwarming atmosphere of the family restaurant paint a vivid picture that transports readers to the setting. The cultural immersion adds a unique layer to the story, making it more than just a predictable journey.

I also have to give major props to the cover art – it's absolutely stunning, a vibrant explosion of color and energy that perfectly captured the spirit of the story.

Overall, "The Waves Take You Home" offers a comforting read with a familiar narrative structure, enriched by its cultural setting and a truly gorgeous cover. While it might not be groundbreaking, it provides a heartwarming escape and a chance to immerse yourself in a vibrant Colombian atmosphere.

This book was boring, which was surprising seeing as there was a ghost in it.

Violeta wanted to find herself in her family's restaurant; we never got that. The author starts off trying to portray that but then nothing, we never get her journey of learning to cook in full, she just learned somehow. Another thing is, forgiveness comes way too easily in this book, Violeta forgives Rafe, Rafe forgives her, her mother forgives Abuela, and Liam forgives her with barely any fight at all.

Nothing felt earned in this book, I stopped caring about saving Caminito halfway through the book, our main character never grew throughout the book. I was okay with this in the beginning, but when she was the same in the end, I was disappointed. The ghost element did not help one bit and I truly dislike how the restaurant was saved in the end.

This book started off okay but slowly turned into a repetitive boring book that made me not care for any of the characters, I'm sorry.

The bonds between the women in this book are beautifully described and nuanced. The author painted Barranquilla, the food, the language, the culture and the weather in such vivid detail that it felt like I was there myself.
The protagonist is torn between her home in Colombia where she feels rooted and her life in New York which is full of potential. She is also torn between living up to expectations of others and finding her own path. I felt for the protagonist.
The only thing that was not for me was the romance part of the novel. I didn't understand the pull Rafael had on Violeta. Maybe it's because we spent very little time on the page with him before she emigrated to the US. I had similar feelings about Liam. I wish the author had let actions speak for them rather than describing who they are as people through Violeta's eyes

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this advanced reader copy

This beautifully written tale filled with love, grief and magical realism had me completely in its grip!

Violeta left her life in Colombia with the dream of a better future, but she left behind a boy she loved when her family told her he wasn't good enough for her. Now, she is living in NYC and she loves her life. She loves what she has made of herself, her work (for the most part), and her loving boyfriend.

When she gets a phone call that her beloved Abuela has died, she rushes home to Colombia, devastated that she never made it back in time to say goodbye. Being home feels great, but it comes with a whole new set of issues... like her mother... and her ex...

Violeta is left with a difficult path ahead of her. Plagued with the ghost of her grandmother seemingly trying to send her a message from beyond, she also learns that Abuela left her a majority in the restaurant the has owned and run for as long as Violeta can remember. Her grandmother never wanted her to be a part of the business, so why did she leave her with so much responsibility? The restaurant is failing and Violeta doesnt know what to do. She is torn between the life she loved in New York with Liam and the possibility of making a future home in Colombia with her family and the spark of old love.

This was so beautifully based around food and I adored that aspect so much. Food is such an immense comfort and seeing through Violeta's eyes as she struggles to make head or tails of how to bring the restaurant from ruin, thus honoring her grandmother's wishes, was emotional!

I also really like the realistic portrayal of this love triangle Violeta has found herself in. She had moved on from the love she left behind all those years ago, but did she, really? Is first love ever truly forgotten? What kind of strength does it take to recognize that what you have may already be enough? Her struggle between past and present was heart-breaking and done in such a delicate way.

The shining light of this book, for me, was the bonds of family, though. There are some real struggles she faces with her mother that I could relate to. This book is filled with so much beauty and longing and I adored it so much!

This is a beautifully told story of a young woman, Violeta Sanoguera from Baranquilla, Colombia, whose mother and grandmother want her to study in the United States. They want her to be able to achieve more from her life, and not end up with the hardships they had. Violeta or “Vi” loves Baranquilla and a young man that lives there, her first love, Rafa.
In the end Violeta does what her family wants, and goes to the States to study art, and then moves to NYC where she is beginning slowly to make a name for herself as an illustrator. She has been in the United States ten years already, where she has a great boyfriend and a comfortable life, but every time she goes back to visit her family she misses her Town more and more, and then she gets notice of her grandmothers Passing, and she heads back home.
The family restaurant is struggling to stay afloat, and she finds out that her grandmother had left her as the main heir to the restaurant, along with her mother and the cook.
Here is where the story takes us on a journey, taking us through mending relationships, figuring out what she really wants her life to look like , and trying to save abuelitas restaurant.
A great read.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. This was gorgeous! I have no other words to describe it, but I plan to buy a physical copy because I enjoyed it so much and because the cover is so beautiful. Can’t wait to see what else she writes.

The Waves Take You Home by Maria Alejandra Barrios Velez was assigned for a Library Journal book review. The review has been submitted to Library Journal for publication in an upcoming issue of print or online editions.

I loved so much about this book! The characters felt so real and pulled me into their relatable worlds from the very first chapter. The angst of first love and if you can ever truly let go. And how the bulk of the book was set in Columbia--who was a character all on its own. Did I mention the angst of the romantic plot line? I was ALL IN! A wonderful and fully immersive debut from an author who will be one to watch.

4.5!
This was such a well written novel I don’t even know where to start with feedback.
Touches a lot on family values, missed opportunities, and coming back full circle to where your life should be. I thought this was such a nice read, I enjoyed it so much. It kept me engaged and wanting more from every page turn. I loved how this ended too. Well done!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read and rate this ARC!

Beautifully written and thought provoking. I could feel the love and longing in each line. She’s become a autobuy author.

My review and playlist for this book has been posted on my Goodreads

🌺This is a stunning book inside and out. The cover immediately captured my attention. Then I read the synopsis and I immediately had to read this book.🌺

Brief Summary:
The Waves Take You Home introduces you to 18 year old Violeta also know as Vi she is living in Columbia with her Abuela and Mami. Her family owns a small restaurant in town. Her Abuela not wanting her granddaughter to end up living the same life as her forces Vi to leave Columbia and to go to school in American to become and artist. Vi always doing what she is told. Packs her bags and leaves the love of her life behind , Rafa, to start a new life and fulfill her Abuela wishes.

The book jumps forward 10 years where Vi has started an art career and has a charming boyfriend. Sadly her Abuela passes away which forced Vi to go back to Columbia to grieve her grandmother. When she gets there she realizes the family restaurant is in debt so she decides she needs to stay for a month to help save the restaurant… being back in her hometown brings backs a lot of memories. She gets to reunite with a lot of of old friends and a certain old flame. 👀

My Thoughts:
I throughly enjoyed this book. I loved learning about Columbia and the culture of the beautiful people that call Barranquilla their home. I love books that can teach you a thing or two.

The writing in this book was so beautiful. I was whisked away to Columbia. I could see the beautiful beach. I could bury my toes in the warm sand and see the full moon above me. I could envision the characters and myself dancing and eating in the streets of Barranquilla. I could smell the cooking. I could almost taste the flan and the arroz de coco. I felt like I was in the restaurant watching everything unfold while enjoying some Sancocho. I would like to mention there is a lot of sentences and phrases in Spanish. But the author translates what is being said in English so smoothly. I really enjoyed the added magical realism. It was woven perfectly into the storyline.

“Abuela’s cooking: butter, saffron, garlic and olive oil. A smell that could guide anyone who was lost home.”

I fell in love with every character. The supporting characters were very enjoyable to read. Everyone intertwined flawlessly.
🏝️Vi character develop was so beautifully done. I loved her resilience. Her strength. She was so determined it was very admirable.
🏝️I loved the character of Abuela—who is very much alive in the story despite having passed away. Her story was written in a way that I felt like she was every readers Abuela. She was a wise women who had so much love for her family.
🏝️Oh my heart goes out to Liam. I feel for him. He loved Vi but I didn’t like how unsupportive him was being towards her. All she wants is to save the restaurant and he was just being discouraging.
🏝️I have the hots for Rafa. Omg what a heartthrob 🥵 a perfect gentleman. I was rooting for him since the very first page. Omg I just wanted to dance the night away with him. 💃💋

🌊The Waves Take You Home was such a cozy read. The story is filled with so much heart and wisdom. I laughed. I cried. I felt an array of emotions as the reader. I was captives by this story. There was so many different elements that kept you engaged. I definitely recommend this book. This was an amazing debut novel. This book held several powerful message one being, believe in yourself and never give up…I can’t wait to follow this author in the future.

✨Thanks to NetGalley and The Author & Lake Union Publishing for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ✨

From the colorful and beautiful cover art to the rich descriptive writing. This book is a door waiting to take you to the beautiful streets of Barranquilla.

Vi is sent off to college in the US by her Abuela. Forcing her to leave behind her home, family, Rafa (who her mom and abuela never approved of). Ten years later she is living in NYC with a new love (Liam) and trying to make ends meet with her artwork when she gets the call that abuela has passed away. Vi returns to Colombia to find that abuela left her their struggling family restaurant from which she was kicked out on multiple occasions by abuela herself. Vi is left to to figure things out and reconnect with family, friends, and Rafa who she had been forced to leave behind.

I wholeheartedly loved this book so much that I am preordering a physical copy. The complicated and intense familial relationships. The delicious (AND I MEAN DELICIOUS) descriptions of the food. Processing through the grief of loosing the matriarch of the family. Finding love. And most importantly, finding your own path. I see myself in Vi, in the way she tries to do what's right for her family while also trying to find her happiness and what's right for her.

But what I had ignored was that life always had a way of pushing you toward the center of the caracol, where you belonged. Life always found a way of making you return.

They didn't understand that there were things and obligations that tied you to the world when you were an immigrant woman of color.


This was an ARC read, thank you to Lake Union Publishing and to the author.

A great debut for Maria Alejandra Barrios Velez. A wonderful portrayal of being true to one's destiny, regardless of being pointed in an opposite direction. Vi experienced loss, love and hardships but knew to come home. The story coming full circle leaves the reader feeling that the story is complete.

I was initially intrigued by the beautiful cover of this book. I love the hispanic culture and will read a book which includes anything regarding the culture at any chance I get. The setting alternates between Columbia and NYC. The author does a great job at portraying the culture of Colombia. The importance of abuela in our main character's life was palpable. I loved all the Spanish phrases that were intertwined into the story. Sometimes when this is done it makes it hard for me to follow the story, but the way the author does it here makes it easy to understand what is being said. I am always a sucker for second chance romance stories and this did not disappoint! There was also so much more to this book such as the importance of family, choosing what you truly want, finding where home is, and of course, food. This is a great debut novel and look forward to further books by the author.

Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

*3.75 stars

"Time comes and goes, it passes and it comes back and then it repeats the same cycle, everything growing and connecting to a center where our ancestors are in front of us and our future stands behind us."

The Waves Take You Home by María Alejandra Barrios Velez, a debut Colombian author, planning to be released on March 19, 2024. In this coming-of-age, magical realism story we follow our main character Violeta, a 28-year-old woman who left her home of Colombia at a young age to pursue an education in art in New York City. We follow her journey as she is called back to Colombia due to the passing of her Abuela. Upon her arrival, Violeta is faced with the ghost of her grandmother and a large portion of her grandmother's failing restaurant, a place that her abuela had always tried keeping her away from. As Violeta faces these challenges, we see her rediscover her home, stories of her abuela, and herself.

This book was incredibly impactful as an immigrant whose family lives in another country while living life in the United States. There was a constant tugging of identities and direction that Violeta contemplated as she traveled to and from her home in Colombia and the life that she had created in New York City. There are parts of myself that live here in Washington, but my roots have always been planted in India and they play a huge role in my identity as a person.

There was also an emphasis on family, how we're connected to our ancestors and how their stories live within us as they pass on to the next life. I found Violeta's journey of self-discovery empowering. The relationships that she used to have with her mom slowly evolved as they reached a common goal to save Abuela's restaurant, a place that gave them a chance to redefine what their relationship looks and feels like. It takes a lot of empathy and understanding to hold one's feelings and decisions at the forefront while still making space to care about others. This is something that I've been practicing in therapy because oftentimes I experience dissociation when these two things don't align perfectly. I have to remind myself that my feelings are valid, while also knowing that my parents love and care about me, but have a way of showing it that might not have been what I needed growing up.

All in all, this book is beautifully flowing with Colombian culture and food and it holds a bumpy and uncertain atmosphere as our main character paves her path for herself as she discovers her identity on her terms, while still remembering where her roots are. I highly recommend keeping a look out for this book when it comes out this year.