Beautifully written story about Love, loss and familia! Annette managed to capture the nuanced and often complicated relationships between Latina mothers and daughters. She also sheds light on the often forgotten & buried history of Chicanos in the US and the lasting impact of those traumas. The women were so complex full
of depth and authenticity I could see bits of myself, my sisters and tias in them. Most importantly Annette highlights the power of forgiveness, growth and self-grace. I HIGHLY recommend!

A story about share grief to be sure but really more a story about mothers and daughters. Yesica, Ana, and Mama Melda are all widows and thanks to a flood in a bathroom, they're sharing a house again. This is an easy read, the secrets aren't dark, and it's got good atmospherics. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Annette Chavez Macias delves into the lives of three widows in one family who are forced to live under one roof. Tensions rise, secrets are bursting at the seams, and family drama is bound to ensue. When We Were Widows is a story about grief, communication, and the importance of living authentically.

Yesica has sadly found herself in a club that her mother and grandmother are a part of, the widows club. She lost her husband and has tried to move on the only way she knows how; putting her head down and keeping her emotions locked up. When she has an outburst at work, her boss/friend forces her to take a leave of absence and attend a mandatory grief support group. And to add to her stress levels, her mother and grandmother are about to be living under her roof because of a house flood. In this journey, readers can see the mother/daughter relationship between Yesica and Ana is strained. Most of it is unknowingly caused because of family secrets. Mama Melda( Ana's mom and Yesica's grandmother) is often the peacemaker. Will the truth set them free? Can they move past their drama?

Although the chapters transition from Yesica and Ana's (her mother) POV, readers are also given the voice of the glue to the family, Mama Melda. I really enjoyed reading about these three women because it's so relatable, especially to a Mexican American like me. It highlights the secrets that all families seem to keep in hopes of protecting their loved ones and how they can add strain to relationships. The growth each character takes is a joy to read about. Ana and Yesica deserve to find love again and let go of their fears and "loyalty' to their pasts. I was balling my eyes out when I read about Mama Melda's stories and I too hate "Los pinche Doyers". Annette Chavez Macias has quickly become one of my favorite authors because her writing tells a story that anyone can find relatable. She represented the Mexican American culture authentically and we need more of that. I will be passing this book along to my friends and family because I can't wait to talk about it with them.

Annette Chavez Macias has become an auto buy author for me so when I got this ARC I was very excited to say the least. This book is about grief and delaying with grief and anger. All the perspectives we might have of grief and the secrets we keep to protect those around us.

Also magnifies mother/daughter relationships and how they can be so hard throughout different they are throughout their lives. Also I love how it magnified the first daughter relationship in Latinx families. It is so complex. There is so much to unpack in the first daughter relationship, unless you a first daughter you don't really understand that relationship. I'm glad it was such a main point for this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest reaview as always all words are my own.

While I really struggle with miscommunication trope in romance, in general fiction / women's fiction it's a different story - and in When We Were Widows it worked really well. I felt a real personal connection to this book. It reminded me so much of the communication challenges I witnessed and had experienced between generations within my own family. The complicated and messy way that we withhold information to protect ourselves and others; the ways we respond to acts done with helpful intentions; the way we speak over one another rather than to one another.

The story is told primarily through Yesica (daughter) and Ana's (mother) perspectives, but the third key character is Mama Melda (grandmother). When a flooded bathroom causes Ana and Mama Melda's home to become uninhabitable due to damage and subsequent construction, they take up temporary residence with Yesica in her Santa Monica home. This is a far cry from the Bell Gardens (Los Angeles area) home where these three once lived. Now with three generations of women, all widows, under the same roof, they have to finally confront their strained mother-daughter relationship, marital secrets that have been kept for years, and find ways to heal the grief, hurt, and resentment they have held on to.

Yesica is a prickly heroine. Her portrayal as such is rooted in the expectations placed upon eldest daughters, a desire to excel as a Latina in a capitalist/corporate world, internalized patriarchy, and of course her grief. In the beginning, that grief and pain has her navigating the story with blinders on. She is convinced that therapy won't help and determined to both hide it from her mother and grandmother while also trying to escape future sessions by convincing her boss/mentor she's fine. In that sense, When We Were Widows looks at how some within the Latino community look down on mental health services or talking about mental health challenges. Bury that pain down deep. Keep going. Be resilient. We don't put our business out there for all to see! Que verguenza. But Yesica grows as a character as she embraces speaking about her late husband, their marital challenges, infidelity, and struggles with infertility. All of this helps her in finding better ways to communicate with her mother and begin the long road of repairing their relationship.

Ana is so much like my mom and tias it's not even funny. She is very much an "acts of service" character. And again you have an eldest daughter taking on the weight of those familial and elder care expectations. With her husband several years gone, she is finally taking steps to make her life what she wants it to be: going back to school, reconnecting with a high school friend she had feelings for, finally changing the look and feel of her home through renovations. She is also a keeper of secrets, and it takes time and an emotional confrontation with Yesica, for it to finally be revealed. Like Yesica, Ana also has important character growth through the course of this book. And it was wonderful to see how those changes impacted her relationship with both Yesica and Mama Melda.

This is the third book I have read by Annette Chavez Macias and has solidified her as an auto-buy author for me. I loved everything about this story.

This was such a heart warming book. I loved how the author explored mother/daughter relationships. How there are so many various degrees of bonds * dynamics between mothers and daughters. I also thought the message of exploring how our parents had lives before they were our parents was really well done. There is so many times as kids, we can feel as if our parents say or do things that does not fit into our ideals as an adult. And from the book between the main characters, we learned that that is ok. That we can still grow, learn, and love each other through our different viewpoints. I also really enjoyed how Yessica's character was able to find she didn't have to be so perfect for others to love her. That love and being able family was more than just a family bond but could also be close friends too!

I loved this story. I can’t imagine losing someone let alone your partner. It was told in dual pov which I appreciated because it really let us dive into the mother/daughter relationship. I think the dynamic between them was very relatable.

The thing that I love about Annette Chavez Macias' books is that there are always heartfelt lessons within them. She'd previously talked about grief in Too Soon for Adios, but in When We Were Widows she tackles it from a completely different perspective. We have three generations of women, Mama Melda, Ana, and Yessica, all who became widows in sudden and unexpected ways. Each woman has a complex relationship with their grief, which stems from more than losing their husband, and I also loved how the author depicted how the lack of processing this grief affected everyone around them in some way. Then, there was the layer of Mexican-American culture and the sense of obligation to one's family (especially as the oldest daughter for Ana).
All in all, a beautiful story wrapped in layers of grief, family, friendship, the past coming back, and more. If anything I would have loved for it to be longer so we could dive into the stories of the other characters in the book. I want to know more about Evie and Damian and just everyone.
Thanks to the author for the eARC! I'm looking forward to adding a physical copy to my collection <3

Mother/daughter relationships can be so hard. They can filled with secrets, fears, resentment and misunderstanding. Thank you Annette for a copy of your book. I didn’t realize I would connect with the characters so much.

Yésica, Ana and Mama Melda all share a connection. They are all widows. Yésica, the newest to the widow club, a club no one wants to be a part of, is dealing with the grief of her husband’s death. Ana and mama Melda are forced to move in with Yésica when Ana’s house has to have some work done. Three generations of women all under one roof. All women’s carrying secrets, fears, grief and resentment in one way or another. On so many levels i connected with the feelings I read about. I felt seen. I loved the complex emotions & feelings that we are forced to deal with.

Thank you Annette for this story filled with stories, pain, anger and love.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.**

Yesica's husband, Jason, has just died, and she is having a difficult time with her grief. It has started to affect her work performance to the point where her boss insists she take a six week leave of absence and attend a grief support group to help. Then she gets a call from her grandmother that she and Yesica's mother, Ana, need a temporary place to stay while a contractor fixes some major water damage to their home. Ever since Yesica's father died, there has been a rift between her and Ana, because she has long held a grudge that Ana did not tell her that her father was even sick and so she didn't get to stay goodbye to him. Mama Melda, as her grandmother was called, was tough as nails, and raised her family on her own after her husband was shot and killed while at a liquor store when Ana was eight.

Everyone has things they never talk about, including these three generations of women. Once the secrets come pouring out, will the real healing begin? Can this family ever be repaired?

First off, if Annette wrote it, I'm buying it and reading it. She brings such life to her characters and paints a beautiful picture. This story really goes to show that everyone is going through something, and we need to approach them with kindness and understanding. Not everything may be as it seems.

The three generations of women in When We Were Widows are strong, stubborn and set in their ways. It was so powerful to watch them gain new strengths and trust in themselves and each other by sharing and confiding in one another.

I didn’t know about the history of the Chavez Ravine in Los Angeles, and it is apparent that great care and research was done to properly convey such a devastating part of Mexican American history. I’m thankful the author chose to include it because so much of our history is left untold and it’s important to share it.

When We Were Widows releases in November 2024, so add it to your TBR and give it a read when it releases.

Thanks so much to the author, Annette Chavez Macias, for always thinking of me and sending me ARCs of her books, it’s truly my pleasure to get to read them.

loved this mystery and keeping secrets and the different point of views. Also loved trying to figure out who did it . I enjoyed the mystery behind it.

I'm a fan for anything Annette Chavez writes. You will guarantee to be crying your eyes out and feel so as though you are part of her characters in her stories .

This heart felt story about mother daughter relationships and grief was so beautiful and powerful. The stories of these three woman are so beautifully written I ached for them all .

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

What a great book!! I loved the story and the writing style. One of my favorite authors and this book proves why she is! Such a great book!!

Well written, great character development was nicely done. I enjoyed seeing the generations of women and the bonds they shared.

Another amazing book by Annette Chavez Macias. I absolutely adored this book. When We Were Widows might even be my favorite of hers. There's a magically emotional power in Macias' storytelling that somehow breaks your heart while at the same time repairing it. This compelling and beautifully written story is a true testament to the author's rare talent and skill. This is a must read. And reread!

First, know that if you are venturing into a book by Annette Chavez Macias, you are not only entering the world but also the heart of the characters on the page. She writes characters with complex emotions, compelling life paths, and unforgettable relationships. When We Were Widows follows this literary pattern as we are enthralled by three generations of widows: Yesica, Ana, and Mama Melda. Each brings their own brand of heartbreak and each misunderstood by another. Yesica is the most recent widow and there are secrets she kept that are weighing down her progress. Though she is close to her boss, her unresolved grief ties his hands in encouraging her to confront her grief before it interferes with her success. Unforeseen circumstances for her mother Ana and her grandmother, Mama Imelda drives them to seek shelter under Yesica’s roof. Forcing Yesica to face the estrangement between her mother and herself. Through forced proximity Yesica and Ana are finally able to resolve their misperceptions, their relationship, and move forward in life and love. Each of the ladies finds a fitting romance but more than a love story, this is a story of love. The love for family, romantic love, and the love for oneself!

I highly recommend this read if you love stories like: Summer Island by Paige Toon, From the Embers by Aly Martinez, and The Other Year by Rea Frey!

I was honored to receive “When We Were Widows” before it’s release day from @authorannette & @netgalley ~ Thank you so very much!!🩵 I read this treasure of a book just in a couple of days! I thought “Big Chicas Don’t Cry” was my Fav by Annette Chávez Macías but it now has major competition with this one!! I felt seen, heard & truly felt at home for good & bad reasons. This book is about Mother Daughter relationships & all that entails. Characters Yésica, Ana & Mamá Melda must learn to share a home, their heartbreak, and, once and for all, the haunting family secrets that have kept them apart. Just like “Chicas” I will buy copies & share with my Mom, nieces, tias & cousins! It’s just one of those beautiful heartfelt books that needs to be shared!! Pre-Order now, release date 11/1 😍🥹♥️💕 footnote: Love the insight of Chávez Ravine💙 #whenwewerewidows #preorderbook #instabook #annettechavezmacias #abooktoremember #family #bookstagram #bookclub #nana #motherdaughter #booklover #latina #readwithfancy #favbook ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is another hit from author Annette Chavez Macias! The story being told in the perspectives of mother and daughter allows the readers to see their different point of views of the things that have happened in their life. It shows the dynamic of a mother and daughter relationship. Sometimes society paints the mother/daughter dynamic as competitive. This book shows readers how that relationship can be mended when both parties work together and communicate. I also loved how we see a Latina going to group therapy, as therapy can be mostly frowned upon in the Latina community.

You can guarantee that any new release by Annette Chavez Macias it will result in me crying my eyes out and clutching my soul with the emotions it brings. “WHEN WE WERE WIDOWS” did exactly that.

In this book, we meet 3 generations of women, Yésica, her mother Ana and Ana’s mother, Mama Melda. Ana and Mama Melda move in with Yésica after some repairs are needed in Ana’s house that will take several weeks to complete.

This book touches the topic of grief so well and beautifully. The emotions are so well written and thought out that I ached for all of these women, who regardless of where they were in life or what stage of grief they were in, could be felt so well off the pages.

Yésica recently lost her husband and we get a deep inside look and different views of her grief that aren’t always visible to everyday life and the stories behind the grief. She is navigating like as a new widow, but still is holding on to a pain that came from when her husband was still alive.

She has a strained relationship with her mother, and touching through that subject was very relatable and well thought out and I enjoyed having the story told in the POVs of Yésica and Ana. I left we were able to completely see why the relationship was so strained and the author did a great job capturing the depths of those feelings of having that type of relationship and being able to see it from both sides.

The depth that went into this book with grief, trama, relationships and new romances and old flames and so many other aspects in life especially in a Hispanic household were laid out so perfectly in this book.

This is my 3rd book by Annette that ive read and each one gets better and better.