Description

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How do you find your way back when you’ve left yourself behind?

A painful unsolved mystery resurfaces after decades of confusion, sending one woman and her daughters on a journey of redemption in this emotional story about intergenerational trauma, family, and the beauty of Puerto Rico for fans of Nina LaCour, Xochitl Gonzalez, Elizabeth Acevedo, Annette Chavez Macias, and Julia Alvarez.

Thirty years ago, young music student Emilia Oliveras married her dream man. Their Caribbean honeymoon cruise was idyllic—until the night Paul disappeared from their ship, presumed drowned. Reeling from loss, Emilia was horrified when his wealthy, vindictive family tried to railroad her as a gold-digging murderer. She escaped home to Puerto Rico and then across the country, where she became Emily Oliver, suburban wife and mother of two. Still, the trauma and secrets of her past ruined her second marriage, and created a disconnect with, and between, her grown daughters, Meg and Gracie. But now, a recent photo in Emilia’s mail shows Paul alive and well . . .

Emilia immediately delves into a search, no matter the cost. Unknown to her, Meg and Gracie are following close behind, each on a search of her own. . . .  A gifted musician, Meg wants to understand why she's always felt like an imposter, raising self-sabotage to an art form. And Gracie, soon to discover that she’s Paul’s daughter, is fleeing yet another shattered relationship, hoping the truth can shed light on her choices.

As Emilia and her daughters’ paths converge, they will be forced to see each other anew, reconcile their mistakes and misunderstandings, and find a way to forgiveness—for a chance to both uncover Paul’s fate, and shape their futures on their own terms . . .

About the Author

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Lauren Rico is an award-winning author and one of the top classical music broadcasters in the country. She is the recipient of awards from First Coast Romance Writers, Birmingham Romance Writers and NJ Romance Writers, and her novel Familia was an Indie Next Pick and a LibraryReads selection. Her voice is heard nationally on SiriusXM’s Symphony Hall channel, as well as on radio stations in New York City, Charlotte, and Tampa. A graduate of the University of South Florida and George Mason University, she lives outside New York City. For more info, visit LaurenRico.com.

Praise For…

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Praise for Familia

“A moving story about the bonds of sisterhood and unraveling the mysteries of your past. I truly enjoyed going on this journey with Isabella and Gabby. A wonderful debut!” —Annette Chavez Macias, bestselling author of Big Chicas Don’t Cry

“Rico's novel is a love letter to her heritage [that] enables an immersive experience as the would-be sisters follow elusive leads and bypass previous dead ends. Rico cleverly balances a diverse supporting cast, both unreliable and persuasive. Even as Rico highlights connections by blood, she repeatedly reminds readers, ‘It's not about who we share our DNA with so much as who we share our heart with.’” —Shelf Awareness

"Rico dazzles with a surprising story of the pleasures and pitfalls of amateur genealogy. Rico perfectly portrays the possible sisters’ fraught relationship through a series of surprising twists and turns. This skillful tale enchants." —Publishers Weekly

"A masterfully woven tale of mystery, reconciliation, and familial love." —Abby Jimenez, New York Times bestselling author

"Familia is an absolute delight. I couldn't stop turning the pages—I needed to know what the both the past and the future held for these sisters and how they would put together the pieces of the events that separated them to make their family whole again." —KJ Dell'Antonia, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Chicken Sisters (A Reese's Book Club Pick)

“A page-turning story of family lost and found, wrapped in the tangled threads of an engaging mystery, and sprinkled with just a bit of Sazón, I loved everything about this modern yet timeless book.” —Ann Dávila Cardinal, author of The Storyteller’s Death (And International Latino Book Awards Winning Author)

"Familia is a compelling and emotional narrative that explores a past wrapped in secrets, the bonds of sisterhood, and what it means to be family. With twists that unfold in every chapter, Lauren E. Rico crafts a compulsive story with engaging characters that hooked me from the start. Gabby and Isabella will stay with you long after you finish the last page. This is a must read! —Kerry Lonsdale, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post & Amazon Charts Bestselling Author

“Familia has it all: An old crime, unsuspecting victims, a genetic mystery that will explode a family, the enormous tenderness of desperate parents. By page 30, I would have walked on coals to finish reading this story." —Jacquelyn Mitchard, New York Times bestselling author of The Deep End of the Ocean

“Familia is a novel of robust joy. The story spills off the page in a rush of emotion that makes you feel like you've been on the journey of a lifetime. Simply marvelous!” —Amy T. Matthews, author of Someone Else’s Bucket List

“Rico combines sharp, thoughtful observation with an engaging plot in her women’s-fiction debut. Readers will be invested in Gabby and Isabella’s story, and the alternating chapters, which tell the story of Marianna’s abduction from the perspective of the people who were involved, add a layer of suspense. It’s an irresistible blend of family drama and mystery, ideal for fans of Julia Alvarez and Diane Chamberlain.” —Booklist

“Familia is a heartwarming story with autobiographical memories of the author’s childhood visits to a tiny fishing village on the southwest coast, a place where neighbors became extended family.” —WSHU’s Baum on Books