Review: lots of potential, but falls flat
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 01 27, 2014
This book was just okay for me. Enjoyable enough that I don't regret taking the time to read it, but not one I'll keep on my kindle to reread and wouldn't automatically be interested in any future books from the author.The subject matter - U.S. immigration policies and life as an illegal alien - is fresh and unique to this genre, but the way it was handled fell flat for me. I felt like the author relied heavily on a great deal of stereotyping when writing about Ana and her family - their actions and attitudes. And the storyline was a bit too Cinderella meets Prince Charming for me to buy into - while the relationship between Ana and Ethan was pleasant enough I never felt like I was reading about people who could be real, which makes it a bit hard to be too invested in what happens to them. I experienced a 'how convenient' attitude about the struggling to make ends meet, living in a tiny apartment with the entire family Ana falling in love with the handsome, rich, lives in a giant house doctor Ethan. Would all of Ana's problems been able to be tied up in such a pretty bow if she had fallen in love with an 'average joe' with a more modest income? I also had a hard time buying Ana as a recommended tutor for a school, especially a "rich" one without having to have consented to a background check and proving a legal ability to work in the country - granted the author raises this issue as one of Ana's first hurdles in the book - that she now has to provide such proof or be removed from the tutor list - it came off as more of a convenience to bolster the author's storyline than being based in any realm of reality (and that the author had to make the principal of the school sleazy and creepy to make the plot point work I felt was unnecessary).I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.