I am always down for a travel novel, especially for young adults as the premise opens up readers to the world! This is the companion novel to The Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, centered around Flora, Orion’s sister, as she deals with the grief from losing her mother. Flora’s indecisiveness is at times frustrating (as is the love triangle, which seemed unnecessary) but it is also understandable given how she is navigating through grief by avoidance. Her floundering as she attempts to forge her new future is relatable and realistic. While I enjoyed both this book and the first, I also didn’t feel superbly impacted by them, which is what I look for in a YA novel, even a sweet one and they both felt a little forgettable. But, overall, I would recommend these to student readers dealing with loss, interested in photography, curious about culture in Miami, or figuring out life after high school.

Emma-Kate Schaake @hiketothelibrary