Hmmm. Has a bit of a YA feel, but midway through began to morph into more of a chick-lit vibe. Xiomara is an easy to root for protagonist, though a little rough around the edges, I easily and quickly slipped into the grooves of her life. She sings in a diner, one of those places where the staff breaks out in song every so often. Her dream is to make it big as a singer. Her sister is on board, however her mother is definitely not!

So when her big sister dies, grief takes hold of Xiomara and her dream of making it, grinds into a slow death. What’s impressive here, is the tender prose showing how grief can be disorienting and lead to some sketchy decisions. When a big time Broadway producer takes an interest in Xiomara, she feels like this is the break she has needed. But the writing is so good, it hints to the reader, that Xiomara be smart, go slow, I found myself giving her advice out loud.

Ultimately, this is a story of familial relations, grief and the timing of life. The title stands as metaphor of life moving on with or without you. If the train leaves at three, will one miss it? Can one then just get on the next one and everything stay in concert? Obviously grief is often devastating and sometimes debilitating, but it’s almost a rites of passage in life, yes?

The way Ms. Guerrero wraps an image of grief around Xiomara’s coming of age signals her talent with the pen and page. Can’t wait for her next work. Thanks to One World publishing and Netgalley for an advanced DRC. Book drops 07.15.25

Let me start by saying that I loved this book so much that I gave it 4 stars, which I rarely do. Xiomara, an Afro-Latina singer and actress is existing, more than living after the death of her sister. When she gets her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, it seems like things are turning around for her. But life isn't always like that, is it?
With wonderful, melodious writing, terrific character development, and a plot that propels you forward, My Train Leaves at Three is one to put on your "must read" list. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a much-appreciated advance reading copy.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/220239037

This novel was a disappointment for me. I expected so much more from the description. Xiomara lives in Washington Heights with her mother. She works two jobs. One as a waitress and singer at a diner and the other as a print shop clerk. She has a wondaful singing voice that she hasn't used since the unexpected death of her sister. Her story was hard to believe and disjointed on so many levels.

"X" is a finalist for a Broadway musical, but gives in to couch casting and allows herself to be abused and almost strangled. She is skinny yet always seems to be eating. She meets this wonderful man who comes to work at the print shop, seemingly falls in love with this winner, and then ghosts him. She makes bad choices continuously, Then, miraculously, she lands a job as a musical theater teacher at a private school in Westchester through her cousin Maria, a hairdresser who knows the principal. Really? Without any experience or a college degree she is paid $85,000 a year. And she succeeds in this job putting on a musical based on West Side Story.

What was so disappointing was that the author was truly capable of better writing, as she showed in some scenes. Yet the book was filled with trite sayings and strange descriptive lines that made no sense. It began as a real and emotional story of the difficulties of being poor and a minority woman, plucking on your heartstrings and then went off the rails.

Thank you Net Galley and One World for an ARC copy to read.

I identified with this book, dealing and healing with grief and trying to achieve your dreams is something I know all too well. Books set in NYC always do well with me, ESPECIALLY if we have an added Broadway element. This book was honest and raw. Made me look at my own life and how grief has changed me. Recommending this book if you're also dealing with and healing through grief.

The first half of this book is a bit brutal about all the things Xiomara does & allows to be done to her. She is numb & wonders when she'll feel like her old self after her sister's death. She does get better & the story ends on a hopeful note for her. The book is an intimate look into an interracial young woman in NYC trying to make get discovered. The story was challenging at times but ultimately worth it.

I really enjoyed this book.

Xiomara is almost 30. She is living is a small apartment with her ultra catholic mother in Washington Heights. She works at a copy store and also as a waitress. Since she was a child she has dreamed of being on broadway. She was very very close to landing her breakout role when her sister suddenly died. For the past year she has barely been able to function in her grief. This novel is about her coming to terms with the fact that her sister would want her to keep living.

I thought Xiomara was an immature and deeply troubled character. She makes a lot of mistakes trying to land the lead part in a broadway play. It was really interesting to see her blossom and grow as a person. In the beginning of this book I kept thinking that this girl must be 21. She was working two minimum wage jobs barely scraping by and living with her mother. The story telling and character development of this book were superb. I was rooting for Xiomara and hoping that everything worked out for her and her mom.




Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book.

This was a great read, with a narrative that was equally about growth and grief. Xiomara was a compelling protagonist trying to find her way in the world despite her sister's death and he rnother's disapproval. Some of the things that really worked for me were (1) Xiomara's character voice and the way she processed the world; (2) the scene setting, both in Washington Heights and in the "singing waitress" diner where she works; (3) Xiomara's feelings of imposter syndrome as she tries to get the lead role in a stage show despite having two left feet and needing to deal with the "casting couch" dilemma of its director; and (4) the ending as Xiomara turns a corner and finds something that stokes her passion and provides a creative outlet for her musical theater interests. On the weaker side, (1) I didn't feel like Xiomara's on-and-off relationship with her co-worker at the copy shop ever fully came together for me; and (2) I wanted a bit more character detail about Xiomara's coworker at the diner whom she's competing against for the role.

Overall, this was a great read, with Guerrero providing a lot of texture to the proceedings and writing/feelings that really popped off the page.

I really did love following Xiomara along her journey to follow her dreams to be on Broadway while dealing with the grief of losing her older sister unexpectedly. I just believe that there were too many storylines happening and we focused a lot on plot instead of characters. This read like a telenovela, coming of age, new adult story of a late 20s woman. That’s not a bad thing but it wasn’t what I expected. I did finish it in 5 days which is fast for me. I’m usually a slow reader so it did keep me coming back for me. It feels full of potential but ultimately incomplete.

This was a quick read but the story didn’t really speak to me. 29-year-old Xiomara Sanchez is reeling from the death of her sister and has hopes of making it on Broadway while she waits tables at Ellen’s Stardust Diner and works a side job at a printer to make ends meet for her and her mother. I felt for Xiomara; she was dealing with grief and immense financial responsibilities for her and her mother. But while she’s scrappy, I also was annoyed by a lot of her behavior and choices — I thought she was really immature. I also enjoyed the aspiring Broadway performer premise, but I wanted to see even more of Broadway and musicals.

I was so moved by this wonderful debut about a young woman who once tried to make it to Broadway and is now trying to survive while spinning out of control in a harsh and complicated world after the sudden death of her sister.

This book walks though like with Xiomara after her sister’s unexpected passing. Parts of the book felt heavy as she navigated her new normal, but this was still an enjoyable read. Natalie Guerrero did an excellent job with displaying the many waves one can ride while grieving. The rough ups and downs of Xiomara’s life felt so realistic as I read each page. A true tragedy to triumph story! I’d love to read a sequel to continue to see where life takes Xiomara. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read this ARC. #netgalley #mytrainleavesatthree

i was invited to read this by netgalley and although at first intrigued, it seems that this story is not for me and i will be dnf’ing it. at no fault of the writer or the story, it’s just not my cup of tea! thank you to netgalley for the opportunity 💫

Are you in the mood for a new read? Check out My Train Leaves at Three by Natalie Guerrero. This was one I had a hard time putting down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | A Poignant and Beautifully Written Debut

My Train Leaves at Three by Natalie Guerrero is a deeply moving novel that explores grief, ambition, and self-discovery through the lens of Xiomara, an Afro-Latina actress and singer struggling to find her place in the world after the loss of her sister. The book beautifully captures the emotional weight of loss while balancing it with moments of joy, romance, and hope.

Guerrero’s writing is lyrical and immersive, making it easy to connect with Xiomara’s journey. The themes of chasing dreams in an industry full of rejection felt raw and authentic, and I appreciated how the novel tackled issues of identity and family with nuance. The romance subplot added warmth to the story, though at times, I wished for a bit more depth in the development of certain side characters.

While the pacing was steady, there were moments that felt slightly drawn out, making me eager for more action or resolution. However, the emotional payoff in the end was worth it.

Overall, My Train Leaves at Three is a heartfelt and beautifully written debut that will resonate with readers who enjoy stories about resilience, self-discovery, and the power of following one’s dreams. Highly recommend!

Reviewed for NetGalley:

I appreciated Guerrero's honest and realistic language and style of writing, demonstrating Xiomara's honest nature of her character.

I would have been disappointed with any flowery portrayal of the circumstances and characters otherwise.

After Xiomara's sister died unexpectedly, everything seems to fall apart. She loses focus on her singing and acting career, and she feels stuck in her grief. When she hears about a new Broadway musical that is holding open auditions, she grabs onto the opportunity, albeit reluctantly. The process of auditioning and practicing brings Xiomara slowly out of her grief. She realizes that her sister would not want her to stop living, but Xiomara also learns that her life may not look the way she thought it would, but new opportunities have given her a renewed hope in herself. This is ultimately a hopeful novel, but Xiomara must work through a lot of trauma, some of which happens on the page.

What a gift to read this novel. It's a coming of age exploration unlike anything I've read before. The culture and setting work so well with the plot and story of a young woman's life. I feel like the book captured this time in a woman's life so well. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is one of those books that I know will stick with me long after I've finished it.

Natalie Guerrero does a wonderful job at inserting her reader right into the action. I felt as if I was an extra in Xiomara's story, watching from the sidelines and rooting her on the whole way through. This novel does a wonderful job at tackling grief and heartache and wants and desires and everything in-between. I found myself highlighting a plethora of lines and passages that I know I'll keep coming back to.

I can't wait to continue reading more from Guerrero for hopefully a long, long time.

This is a great book. I loved reading about NYC and its effect on its residents. I was moved by Xiomara’s journey and related to a lot of her experiences, particularly with men. Highly recommended!

this was a good story! It covers deep themes of grief, love, coming of age, relationships, and lgbtq+ and more. I do think it was overall very well written and it kept me entertained while reading this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!