VivirLatino

Belinda Acosta’s Damas, Dramas, and Ana Ruiz could be labeled a chica lit book for it’s focus on the life of one woman as a mother, wife, and worker. Pero given all the Spanglish (more than I ever use) and the centering of the story as a Latino one, let’s call it chica lit.

The story centers around Ana Ruiz, named in the title, a mujer who is a high level administrator at a university struggling to balance her life raising her two teenage children, Diego and Carmen, after separating from her husband, Esteban. Diego is dealing with the separation better than his sister Carmen, escaping into his music and into his role as “man of the house” in his father’s absence. Carmen, on the other hand, a “daddy’s girl”, isn’t as accepting, and taker out her anger at her mother. Ana, desperate to make peace with her only daughter decides that a quinceñera, or “sweet fifteen” if you will, will help to bring them all closer.

Claro, it wouldn’t have drama in the title if it all worked out. I won’t spoil the book for you, but there is mental illness, love children, miscarriages, and a sexy artist manchild.

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