I love the Puerto Rican representation. The dual timelines (30 years before and now) worked well in this story. While the writing was easy, the storyline kept me interested. The story beings 30 years prior where Emilia is on a honeymoon cruise with her new husband, Paul, when he disappears without a trace. Fast forward to today, Emilia has two grown daughters who are both going through their own personal journeys when Emilia receives a phone call that will change all of their lives. This was a family drama with a family secret that runs deep in their veins. I loved the mystery aspects, and the characters were fun. I listened to the audiobook and the narrators really enhanced the story. Overall, it was an easy read, but quite enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
When it all comes together . . . Just wow.
Phenomenal book. Multiple timelines and POV’s that all meld into an amazing story about love and family. I finished this in less than a day and I just couldn’t stop listening. The writing was great and all of the narrators were phenomenal. Really great book.

5-Stars!

This story was stunningly beautiful and deeply moving—it made me cry, and I’m not even a huge crier when it comes to books. The plot masterfully blends mystery, family drama, and emotional depth, keeping you hooked from the very beginning.

The medium pace was perfect, allowing the story’s layers to unfold naturally while maintaining a steady momentum. The vivid setting and the raw emotional journeys of the characters brought every moment to life. Their struggles, secrets, and paths to forgiveness felt authentic and deeply resonant.

This book is an unforgettable exploration of love, redemption, and resilience. It’s a story that lingers long after the final page. Highly recommended!

Thank you, NetGalley and RBMedia, for the gifted audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

This deeply heartfelt novel explores the emotional depths of intergenerational trauma, the bonds of family, and the enduring power of forgiveness. Thirty years after Emilia Oliveras’ husband mysteriously vanished during their idyllic Caribbean honeymoon, her carefully rebuilt life is thrown into turmoil by a phone call suggesting he might still be alive. What follows is not only a search for truth but a profoundly moving journey of healing and self-discovery for Emilia and her two estranged daughters, Meg and Gracie.

Lauren E. Rico skillfully weaves themes of loss, identity, and redemption, portraying each character’s pain and longing with raw, emotional honesty. The strained relationships between Emilia and her daughters resonate with authenticity, as misunderstandings and past mistakes slowly unravel to reveal the love that binds them. The lush, evocative setting of Puerto Rico adds a layer of beauty and hope to the story, underscoring the novel’s emotional impact.

This is a story that lingers, reminding readers of the power of love and the resilience of the human spirit.

After the Ocean by Lauren E. Rico is a compelling and beautifully written novel. The engaging writing style drew me in, making it difficult to put the book down. Rico masterfully portrays the intricate and fierce bonds among mothers and sisters, in a way that feels both authentic and moving.

The story revolves around family secrets, but what sets it apart is the purpose behind these secrets. They are not merely tools for suspense but are deeply rooted in the characters' desire to protect their loved ones. This added depth makes After the Ocean much more than a typical thriller or mystery. It is thought-provoking and explores the nuances of family dynamics.

As a first-time reader of Lauren E. Rico’s work, I am thoroughly impressed. Her ability to weave a narrative that is both engaging and emotionally rich has left me eager to explore more of her writing. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced audiobook copy.
This was a beautiful story about life and forgiveness. It was a little slow going in the beginning but once you did it was hard to put down. Narrator was excellent

AFTER THE OCEAN by Lauren E. Rico

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for the audiobook of After the Ocean

Narrated by Victoria Villareal, Robb Moreira, Frankie Corzo who did a fine job of making this book so enjoyable and come to life.

A compelling multi-layered read that brings Emily Oliver’s past reeling back after answering a phone call claiming—-Paul may be alive. Thirty years ago Emily Oliver was, Emilia Oliveras, and a newlywed on a honeymoon cruise, when her husband, Paul, disappeared. Emily now has two grown daughters and her second marriage has failed due to the secrets of her past. Emily decides to go to Puerto Rico to find answers she has always needed. Her daughters, unbeknownst to Emily, have also traveled to Puerto Rico. Shocked to find their mother isn’t the woman they thought she was and how much of their lives have been a lie.

This is my first read from this author and I look forward to reading more from her. I thought the writing was good and I was engaged in the story from the beginning. Touching upon love, relationships, heartbreak, family drama, mysteries, secrets, and redemption.

This was incredibly emotional. I felt for every single one of the protagonists.
This is ultimately a book about family and regrets. I loved the narration.

3.5 stars rounded up. Overall, I enjoyed this audiobook. The narrators did a nice job bringing the characters to life. It did feel like there were some holes in the storyline that were explained away in an odd way, and the ending was a bit rushed. Regardless, I would still recommend checking out this book as it was paced well and the story was interesting. Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Paul disappears on his honeymoon cruise near Puerto Rico and no one believes Emilia when she says he never came back to their room after disembarking. Emilia has to get Paul's wealthy, influential, crooked family involved in the search. But instead of helping, they immediately try to pin the whole thing on her and make it look like she's responsible for Paul's disappearance.

This captivating story sucked me in from the very first page. Flashing back and forth between the present day and events from 30 years ago, the narrative unfolded through multiple perspectives, drawing me deeper into the lush setting of Puerto Rico and present-day Oregon. Romance, mystery, and family drama intertwined to create a truly engaging listening experience.

Thank you Netgally and RBmedia for the audiobook ARC of After the Ocean.

“𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯. 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘬𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘨𝘰 𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺.”

Thank you RB Media, Kensington Books and Netgalley for the advanced readers copies!

I discovered this author last fall when I came across her other book Familia. I bought it - haven’t read yet - and was intrigued by her premises. A thrilleresque/mystery in the multicultural interests genre? Sounds totally up my alley and I binged the audiobook, which is done by a full cast, almost overnight. We are told the full story between two timelines from a few characters. It’s not so much thriller as it is a family mystery.

Even though I haven’t read the book but only watched the show adaption, I found quite a few similarities between this and Black Cake, but there’s still plenty to distinguish them. I don’t know what it was but it held my attention and interest the entire time, and I really enjoyed it! Beyond the mystery there’s also the family dynamics that is between mothers and daughters, even a father and his sons.

Content warnings include minimal profanity, mentions of sexual abuse and a brutal murder, a side character is said to be a medium, and traumatic injuries. Overall 4 out of 5 and I’ll definitely be reading Familia at some point too.

After the Ocean by Lauren E. Rico- 3.75 stars rounded up to 4

This was a fast-paced mystery that had me hooked from the very first page! The way the plot unfolded was just chef’s kiss. The pacing was spot-on, the writing was well-done, and I love the multiple POV’s. I also liked how the story jumped from 3o years ago to present day.

The narration by Frankie Corzo, Robb Moreira, and Victoria Villareal was fantastic. They brought so much life and depth to the story. My only tiny gripe is that the ending felt a bit too neat and tidy for my taste, but that’s just me being picky. This was my first book by Rico, but I already put her novel Familia on hold at my library.

Many thanks to NetGalley and RB Media for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Lauren E. Rico’s After the Ocean had all the ingredients for a compelling story—rich family dynamics, a promising plot, and an evocative coastal backdrop—but it ultimately fell flat. The pacing felt rushed, leaving little room for slower character development that could have added depth and emotional resonance to the relationships and conflicts. The setting, while full of potential, lacked vivid, atmospheric descriptions that could have brought it to life and deepened the mood of the story. With a more deliberate focus on mood, stakes, and nuanced storytelling, this could have been a powerful, literary read, but as it stands, After the Ocean was good but it could have been great.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved After the Ocean! While the book begins with the mystery of Paul’s disappearance from his honeymoon cruise 30 years ago, the heart of the story focuses on the complex dynamics of family and the healing power of forgiveness. As various characters come to terms with their past, the novel delves into themes of loss, guilt, and reconciliation in such a poignant way.
The multi-POV narration was masterfully done. Each narrator brought a distinct voice and perspective to the story, which deepened my connection to the characters. I found that it really enhanced the experience, allowing me to feel more immersed in the emotional journeys of each character. I could not stop listening and finished the audiobook in just over 24 hours!
If you’re not an audiobook fan, I also think this would make for a fantastic beach or vacation read. The pace is quick, and the story pulls you in from the very first page. Highly recommended for anyone looking for an engaging, emotionally resonant read.

I always listen to audiobooks while running and if I make my run longer so I can keep listening I know the book is a five star listen. The narrators did such a good job of bringing this story to life. This book had everything a love story, family drama, and a supernatural presence that somehow worked.

I enjoyed the pace of this book - medium-paced with a mysterious tone to the book. I had previously read Lauren Rico's novel "Familia" and found this to be very similar, in a comforting and lovable way.

In After the Ocean we meet Emilia when her husband Paul goes missing on their honeymoon cruise. Never to be seen again. He comes from a wealthy family that immediately casts her as a suspect and gold digger. Knowing well how they operate, with the help of a young detective, Miguel, Emilia goes into hiding from the people that may come after her. Thirty years later, Emilia receives a cryptic message from Miguel - Paul may very well be alive.

This book completely grabbed me with its mystery, timeline, short chapters, and love story. There was intrigue and secrecy that made this novel very entertaining. Family tragedy and layers and layers of secrets. It was basically a giant telenovela and I really loved that! The pacing was excellent and it worked super well to create an emotional conclusion. It was poignant yet heartwarming, and the Puerto Rican setting added a great atmosphere.

Thank you to RB Media for the audiobook copy to review. Narrated by Victoria Villareal, Robb Moreira, and Frankie Corzo. It was a great performance all together, but I most enjoyed the accent changes by Robb Moreira, they were superb! 4.5⭐️

My favorite thriller books have multiple POVs and flash backs so After the Ocean did not disappoint. This unsolved case definitely had me feeling all the feels and from The very the beginning wondering what the heck happened to Paul. I really enjoyed that everything came full circle. As well as the sister dynamic between Meg and Gracie. Definitely one of those messages that reminds you everything happens for a reason no matter how messed up it seemed at the time.

What an emotional roller coaster. Loved it! The narration was wonderful. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this audiobook.

Emilia notifies the cruise ship staff where her husband, Paul, fails to show up. They won’t listen to her until she gets his rich family involved. Then she has to be smuggled off the ship because the family plans to pin a murder on her. Years later she gets a call about Paul and rushes back to Puerto Rico. I feel like this book is lacking, yet it’s a complete story. I enjoyed it