Hi y’all!
I am thrilled to share my review of A British Girl’s Guide to Hurricanes and Heartbreak by Laura Taylor Namey. This companion to Namey’s novel A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow is beautifully written and transports readers to Miami. The ending is beautiful and so satisfying.
Here’s what you can expect in this novel:
- Coming of age story as Flora seeks a path for her future after her mother’s death
- Discussions of grief, death of a parent, following your dreams, and the importance of family
- A small love triangle that moves aside for a lovely love story
- Lots of fun British vernacular and culture (chips, bins, etcs)
- More swearing than I expected (including a few bad ones)
Here’s what people are saying about this novel:
A highly anticipated companion to the NYT bestseller and Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club YA Pick A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, this novel follows Flora Maxwell as she heads to Miami to find a path for her future…and finds her heart along the way.
- Based partially on Laura’s experience of growing up apart from her huge Cuban family in Florida and her experiences visiting every year
- Laura’s companion to this novel is currently being made into a TV show
- Builds on themes of navigating your future, grief and mental health, finding yourself, family and expectations, romance, and more
This novel releases today — September 26th 2023!
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the author/publisher. All opinions are my own.
Book Summary: “Winchester, England, has always been home for Flora, but when her mother dies after a long illness, Flora feels untethered. Her family expects her to apply to university and take a larger role in their tea-shop business, but Flora isn’t so sure. More than ever, she’s the chaotic “hurricane” in her household, and she doesn’t always know how to manage her stormy emotions.
So she decides to escape to Miami without telling anyone—especially her longtime friend Gordon Wallace.
But Flora’s tropical change of scenery doesn’t cast away her self-doubt. When it comes to university, she has no idea which passions she should follow. That’s also true in romance. Flora’s summer abroad lands her in the flashbulb world of teen influencer Baz Marín, a Miami Cuban who shares her love for photography. But Flora’s more conflicted than ever when she begins to see future architect Gordon in a new light.
Laura Taylor Namey’s newest novel navigates heartbreak that feels like a hurricane in a city that is famous for them.“
The writing stands out in this novel; it’s poignant, beautiful and perceptive. Many times I sighed contentedly as I read her descriptions of places, people or experiences. She has a beautiful way of expressing her story. Namey tackles many difficult topics in this novel including intense grief. There were so many beautiful passages about working through sadness and grief after losing a loved one. I appreciated those words and also the perspectives in the novel. Grief isn’t easy and at times it can be overwhelming. Namey gives us that complexity for grief and other emotions. As Flora realizes how important other characters are to her, we can feel her fear, her hope, her joy, her sadness, her hesitation, her courage, everything. Her complexities are beautifully expressed. Likewise, the many descriptions of sites near Miami are absolutely gorgeous. I want to visit the castle and the gardens that Flora gets to see. The locations come alive with Namey’s beautiful writing as do the characters.
The characters are well developed and relatable in their imperfections especially Flora. I appreciated how Flora is imperfect. She makes many mistakes. She lashes out at people she cares about. She runs away from home. She says things she regrets. She doesn’t know how to deal with her grief. And all that makes her feel more real. Haven’t we all experienced emotions that were too big to control? Haven’t we all made mistakes and tried to right them? I think the best aspects of Flora’s character are her willingness to change and her attempts to make things right, to heal. Luckily, she has an incredible support system around her. I loved getting to know Gordon, Lila’s family in Florida and Baz especially. Baz brings out a side of Flora that can see a future without her mom but that still celebrates what she loves. And I loved the ways Flora is welcomed and brought into Lila’s family. They love her and put her to work, no matter her circumstances. And of course, Gordon was a rock and genuine good friend. I loved seeing their relationship progress and seeing how much they care about each other.
The hurricanes were a compelling analogy as Flora feels like the unpredictable hurricane in her family then she actually experiences one. At times, Flora was a bit maddening as she fights against those who love her most. Her revelation about missing her mother’s final moments on purpose was so sad. She says things that hurt her brother, dad, and Lila (who is like a sister to her). And she pushes away Gordon throughout the book for various reasons. In many ways, she is a hurricane. Then she experiences one in Miami. The wind, the rain, the destruction, the intensity. It was overwhelming! I was pretty annoyed that she decided she would go outside in the middle of it (come on girl, that’s obviously a bad idea!) but I appreciate the things she learns from that experience especially about Gordon. Their race to be reunited afterwards is probably my favorite part of the book.
Overall, a delightful and beautiful novel about finding your place in a world after your world shifts. I loved the writing and the journey Flora goes on in this novel. The swearing was a bit much for me and the almost love triangle wasn’t my favorite. But overall, I really enjoyed it!
What are your favorite novels in this genre?
What books have made you want to travel to their settings?
Laura Taylor Namey is the New York Times bestselling author of Reese’s Book Club pick A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, The Library of Lost Things, and When We Were Them. A proud Cuban American, she can be found hunting for vintage treasures and wishing she was in London or Paris. She lives in San Diego with her husband and two children. This former teacher writes young adult novels featuring quirky teens learning to navigate life and love. She holds a BA in Elementary Education from the University of San Diego and is the winner of the Peggy Miller Award for excellence in young adult fiction.
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