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Seventeen-year-old Clary is set to inherit her family's florist shop, La Rosa Blancaâone of the last remnants of the Cuban business district that once thrived in Los Angeles's Echo Park neighborhood. Clary knows Echo Park is where she'll leave a legacy, and nothing is more important to her than keeping the area's unique history alive.
Besides Clary's florist shop, there's only one other business left founded by Cuban immigrants fleeing Castro's regime in the sixties and seventies. And Emilio, who's supposed to take over Avalos Bicycle Works one day, is more flight risk than dependable successor. While others might find Emilio appealing, Clary can see him itching to leave now that he's graduated, and she'll never be charmed by a guy who doesn't care if one more Echo Park business fades away.
But then Clary is caught off guard when an unexpected visitor delivers a shocking message from someone she thought she'd left behind. Meanwhile, Emilio realizes leaving home won't be so easyâand Clary, who has always been next door, is who he confides in. As the summer days unfold, they find there's something stronger than local history tying them together.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
August 27, 2024 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781668126196
- File size: 273142 KB
- Duration: 09:29:02
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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Starred review from May 20, 2024
Seventeen-year-old Clary Delgado works in La Rosa Blanca, her familyâs L.A. flower shop. When Jada Morrison walks into the store and introduces herself as Claryâs half sister, Clary is unsettledâher mother left when she was young, so Clary was raised by her father and her Cuban grandparents. Unsure of what to do when Jada offers to connect her with their mother, Clary focuses on other things. To honor her Cuban heritage, she embarks on a quest to obtain historic recognition for La Rosa Blanca and Avalos Bicycle Works, the last two Cuban-owned businesses in Echo Park. Sheâs perplexed and annoyed by neighbor Emilio Avalosâs plans to leave L.A. following graduation rather than take over Avalos Bicycle Works. Lately, however, she feels as if their relationship is evolving, especially when Emilio offers to teach Clary to ride a bike. Expertly rendered characters and pitch-perfect interactions coalesce into a touching and emotionally satisfying novel by Namey (A British Girlâs Guide to Hurricanes and Heartbreak) in which a small Cuban community forefronts love, unity, and support to navigate the consequences of secrets and the endless possibilities of the future. Ages 12âup. Agent: Natascha Morris, Tobias Literary. -
November 1, 2024
Gr 7 Up-Cuban Americans Namey and Corzo reunite for a second convincing outing after A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow. LA's Echo Park neighborhood is losing its Cuban American community. Clary, 17, is determined she'll keep her family's florist shop afloat, unlike Emilio from the bike shop who's leaving after graduation. Clary and Emilio grew up together, but they're not exactly friends: she's Thorn, he's Wheels-"I'm the sharp-edged part of his day, and he's a force rigged for motion." And then a half-sister Clary never knew about appears with news their mother-who abandoned a 10-day-old Clary-wants to reconnect. Raised by her father and Cuban grandparents, Clary has never lacked for love, but honesty is in limited supply. The very person Clary thought least likely to listen turns out to understand her best. VERDICT Corzo's usual earnestness strikes just the right tone for an unsettled Clary facing life-altering revelations and decisions.
Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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