**Read If You Like:**
- Intergenerational family sagas
- Explorations of trauma and redemption
- Stories set in Puerto Rico
- Emotional journeys of self-discovery
- Novels by authors like Nina LaCour and Celeste Ng

A painful unsolved mystery resurfaces after decades of confusion, sending one woman and her daughters on a journey of redemption. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Puerto Rico, the narrative delves into themes of intergenerational trauma, family bonds, and the quest for self-discovery. As the characters confront their past, they uncover long-buried secrets that challenge their perceptions and reshape their futures.

Lauren E. Rico masterfully weaves a tale that is both heart-wrenching and hopeful, offering readers a profound look into the complexities of familial relationships and personal growth. This novel is a compelling read for those who appreciate deeply emotional stories that resonate long after the final page.

Thanks so much to the publisher for my ALC!

This was a very engaging read. I enjoyed it and I would definitely read another book by this author. I would like to look into her backlist. Will review on my Bookstagram soon.

I enjoyed this audio very much! It had a little bit of thrill, a lot of family drama and a bit of romance and a lasting love. The writing was beautiful and engaging and the narration compelling. I'm glad I got this one!

This was a whirlwind of heartbreak and suspense with a full cast of characters and POVs. I appreciated how this story unfolded. The dual timeline jumps were clear as well as when POV switched.

From the start I was invested in Amelia and Grace. I wanted to know more about them and how they overcame everything life threw at them. While I was able to guess some parts the journey was engaging and enjoyable.

Highly recommend the audiobook. The narrators were fantastic.

This fast paced story is told in dual timelines and multiple points of view. a large portion of the story takes place thirty years ago, when newly wed Amelia's husband is missing from the cruise ship. The chapters alternate between Amelia in the past and Gracie in the present. This could be effective storytelling, but is confusing for the reader because the connection between the two is not made clear for quite a while. Those chapters are eventually alternated with those from the view point of a policeman who is brought in on the investigation. The characters were interesting, and show some growth. I alternated this story between an ebook and the audiobook. The three main characters are voiced separately and the narrators do a fantastic job. If you enjoy your books in either format, you will want to opt for the audiobook.

I accessed both the temporary audiobook and a digital advanced copy of the text version from the publisher, but this review is voluntary. I recommend this entertaining book to fans of contemporary fiction. However, you probably wouldn't want to take this beach read to the ocean.

I loved this book, the storyline was unique and it had me on the edge needing to know what happens next. The dual timeline was well done and it had a great balance between family dynamics and mystery.

WOW! I loved this book. The female main character Emilia and Paul are newlyweds that take a cruise to celebrate. A few nights into the cruise, Paul disappears and Emilia is suspect number one. Emilia disappears to escape the extensive reach of Paul's powerful family who wants her to be persecuted for their son's disappearance. Thirty years later, Emilia is a family woman who is married with two adult daughters, and she gets word that Paul is still alive. She decides to hop on a plane to return to Puerto Rico to try and find him. What happens next is such a beautiful, heartwarming story full of suspense and surprises! I really like Emilia. Her character was so well developed that I was fully invested in her journey. The story develops though varying timelines and POVs, and the ride was absolutely immersive!

The narrators Victoria Villareal, Robb Moreira, and Frankie Corzo were great at making this story come to life.

I highly recommend this book. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia/Recorded Books for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this audio production. The narrators were perfectly theatrical and highly engaging. Told in time dashes between present day and 30 years ago, centered around Emily/Emilia and her two daughters with the mysterious disappearance of her first husband Paul at the heart of it all. I loved the exploration of family relationships and identity as presented from parent to child.

*After the Ocean* by Lauren E. Rico presents an intriguing premise, but ultimately falls short. With too many characters to keep track of, the story quickly becomes muddled, and it’s difficult to form any emotional connections to them. The lack of depth in the character development left me feeling disengaged, and despite the novel's potential, the narrative became predictable and ultimately boring. While the writing is competent, the overcrowded plot and underdeveloped personalities make this one a bit of a miss for me. I'd rate it 3/5 stars—adequate, but not memorable.

I did enjoy listening to this, and I'm glad it was on audio, I think I would have struggled a bit to get through the second half of reading it physically.

The first half of the book was really compelling and I listened to it in one sitting! I think I had the idea that this book was going to be more of a mystery/thriller as opposed to a suspense/contemporary women's fiction. I was a bit surprised when everything was wrapped up by the 50% of the book. I found the second half dragged a little bit and I found myself losing interest.

I would recommend this book to others, but I would preface by telling them it isn't a mystery/thriller!

This was an interesting family drama set across three generations demonstrating how ancestral trauma and familial characteristics can leave an impact from generation to generation.

When Emilia marries Paul after they meet during their studies at a music conservatory, they underestimate Paul's wealthy family's resistance to the marriage and how far they are willing to go to separate the lovers.

But things go from really complicated when Paul disappears during their honeymoon cruise, and the family suspects Emilia of having something to do with it.

This is something of an epic story and I found it initially slightly hard to get into. But after the first 25% the characters begin to grow on you, and you become invested in their outcomes.

All in all, it is a satisfying read, and the narrator does a good job of telling the story. Worth a listen.

After the Ocean delves into family secrets, intergenerational trauma, redemption, and forgiveness. We follow Emilia Oliveras who learns that her new husband Paul has vanished from their honeymoon cruise in Puerto Rico, and that she is the prime suspect. When no one is willing to believe her innocence, she flees and becomes Emily Oliver. 30 years later she returns to Puerto Rico in search of the truth, leaving her daughters to wonder who their mother really is and what secrets she has been keeping.
The character development for each person was great and l liked that they were all able to speak their peace by the end of the book. None of them are perfect but nobody really is in real life. My only critique is that I wish there was more details about Emilia after she left Puerto Rico, and on the relationship with her daughters when they were growing up. I listened to this as an audiobook and liked that the narrators were able to make each character unique. Overall, I enjoyed this book and could definitely see this as a movie!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

I enjoyed this mystery novel. I felt invested in the characters and them finding the truth.

Paul and Emilia elope and take a honeymoon cruise, but Paul disappeared. The stroy is secrets unraveling over two generations.  This story has multiple timelines and character perspectives that were easy to follow.

I enjoyed the audiobook.  The narrators did a great job! The different narrators made it easy to decipher who was speaking.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC.

This story happens in dual timelines, the present when Emilia Oliveras is older and has two daughters, and the past where she is a young bride, who wants to be a concert pianist and her newly married husband, a cello concert player. He goes missing during their honeymoon cruise. The journey is a wild one and full of twists and secrets.
He was from a rich family with infinite resources, she felt intimidated by them as they tried to blame his disappearance on her. We get to hear a poignant story of love lost and filial loyalties put to the test. The author weaves a tale intermingled with Puerto Rican folklore.
The audiobook narrators were extremely good at conveying the emotional journey throughout the story. I felt the emotions running through the entire tale.
This book would appeal to fans of twisty thrillers with moving family drama.

Triggers
Child abuse
Intergenerational trauma
Pedophilia
Domestic Abuse
Murder
Injury detail

This was a solid and enjoyable mystery! The beginning completely sucked me in with the boat disappearance set up. I enjoyed the dual timeline of present day and the past, learning about the greater context of what happened after the disappearance. I think my only complaint is I would have liked more flashback or intro scenes with our main character and her husband prior to him going missing. But ultimately this was an enjoyable and easy to read mystery.

I was unsure how I would feel about this book. But I was hooked from the first few pages . I never would have guessed the ending of this book. I will be reading more from this author.

After the Ocean starts off brilliantly with evocative prose and a compelling opening scene. I was instantly hooked, and my investment in the story never wavered. There are a few scenes where I felt things took a somewhat theatrical turn, and the plot itself is reminiscent of a Lifetime movie. However, the narrators deliver the story perfectly, and I devoured it.

Thank you to RBmedia, Lauren E. Rico, and NetGalley for my advanced listening copy. My opinions are my own. After the Ocean is out now!

Plot - 4
Writing and Editing - 4
Character Development - 4
Narration - 5
Personal Bias - 4
Final Score - 4.2

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for gifting me the audiobook of After the Ocean for an honest review. I really enjoyed this story!

I went into this expecting more of a suspenseful mystery which it was not. That did not stop me from really enjoying this book and the stories of Emilia and her daughters as well as the side characters POVs. I think the audio was done really well and I’d highly recommend!

4 Stars

Man, this book had me hooked. Imagine thinking your man is dead for thirty years just for some random phone call to be like, “Nah, he chillin’.” Emilia really went through it—lost her husband, got blamed for it, ran off, started a whole new life, and still couldn’t escape the drama. Now her past creeping back in like an ex that won’t let go.

The family mess? Elite. The secrets? Juicy. And Puerto Rico? Chef’s kiss. The only reason this ain’t five stars is ‘cause some parts dragged a little, but overall? This was tea with a side of trauma, and I was here for it.

This book was...so good. At one point I was sitting there, covered in chills, and just thinking wow, I need to process this a minute. Honestly, I couldn't have told you where this book was going to go next, and while it started a bit slow, once I was hooked, I couldn't stop listening. The way this resolved had me on a rollercoaster of emotions, I was furious, sad, heartbroken, angry, happy, absolutely livid, but mostly I just wanted to hug everyone (most everyone).

I wouldn't have normally picked a contemporary fiction up to read, but this audio from NetGalley was perfectly narrated and I loved it.