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Sea Salt and Coffee Beans
When Sofia loses her coveted job, her American dream is on the line. With her U.S. work visa hanging by a thread, a job interview at a top Miami marketing firm is her last shot at staying in the country. But as she navigates the high-stakes competition, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to her chief rival for the position—charming and ambitious Esteban.
Esteban embodies the glamorous Miami lifestyle Sofia has always admired, and he's unbothered by their rivalry. But for Sofia, everything is at stake. She can’t bring herself to tell him how much this job means to her, nor that her future depends on securing it. With her visa expiring, mounting family pressures, and bills piling up, Sofia faces an impossible choice: win the job, or risk returning to a life she fought so hard to leave behind.
Can Sofia claim the career—and the love—she longs for, or will her dreams slip through her fingers just as they're within reach?
Esteban embodies the glamorous Miami lifestyle Sofia has always admired, and he's unbothered by their rivalry. But for Sofia, everything is at stake. She can’t bring herself to tell him how much this job means to her, nor that her future depends on securing it. With her visa expiring, mounting family pressures, and bills piling up, Sofia faces an impossible choice: win the job, or risk returning to a life she fought so hard to leave behind.
Can Sofia claim the career—and the love—she longs for, or will her dreams slip through her fingers just as they're within reach?
- GenresRomance
304 pages, Paperback
Published December 2, 2025
3 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 12, 2025
Sea Salt and Coffee Beans provides a meaningful glimpse into the experience of being an immigrant in the United States, though of course not all immigrant experiences are the same. The protagonist, Sofia, has left her home country to make a new life for herself in Miami, and feels obligated to support her mother and brother back in Colombia. Unfortunately, that means she’s been barely scraping by financially, and when she loses her job, not only is her livelihood at risk, but also her ability to remain in the U.S.
Sofia struggles to find a new job while dealing with growing feelings for Estaban, the driven, handsome man she meets in unlikely circumstances. Her plight is realistic and frustrating, and Sofia must come to terms with how and why she intends to stay in Miami. I enjoyed reading her story. Thanks to NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing for the e-ARC of this novel!
Sofia struggles to find a new job while dealing with growing feelings for Estaban, the driven, handsome man she meets in unlikely circumstances. Her plight is realistic and frustrating, and Sofia must come to terms with how and why she intends to stay in Miami. I enjoyed reading her story. Thanks to NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing for the e-ARC of this novel!
October 15, 2025
This is a story about starting over, rediscovering home, and finding love in the most unexpected places.
Sofia’s journey felt real; it reminded me how hard starting over can be.
I also loved how Miami was written almost like a character of its own. Perfect city for the story!
The book has moments that hit right in the chest. Perfect for anyone who enjoys contemporary romance with heart, a touch of nostalgia, and beautifully flawed characters.
A heartfelt, immersive debut that lingers long after the last sip of coffee.
Sofia’s journey felt real; it reminded me how hard starting over can be.
I also loved how Miami was written almost like a character of its own. Perfect city for the story!
The book has moments that hit right in the chest. Perfect for anyone who enjoys contemporary romance with heart, a touch of nostalgia, and beautifully flawed characters.
A heartfelt, immersive debut that lingers long after the last sip of coffee.
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September 15, 2025This was a book of contradictions. It had mature writing and immature plotting. Serious characters whose actions were extremely unserious. It got me to weep at one point, but still left me feeling indifferent.
Sofia was one of those typical so-annoying-because-they're-real type of characters. An underpaid, overworked people pleaser, she lived in Miami on her work visa. She was so determined to hold on to this life that she let her mother, brother, co-worker, neighbour, and even her landlord walk all over her.
The scope of the story was tiny -- Sofia lost her job, found love, lost love, and found a job, all in the span of sixty days. And in the middle, she has non-stop, repetitive worries about her visa, her obligation to her family, and her wish to fulfil her father's dream of living in Miami, and being deported to Bogota, where she had no prospects. I get that these thoughts consume her, but to see them on every page was tiring and uninspiring. I appreciated Sofia as a character, her struggles, and her story arc theoretically. Her remembrances of her dad were the part of the story with the most heart, but even those were repeated too many times.
The second biggest problem was the romance storyline, particularly the characterisation of Sofia's love interest. He was designed to be everything Sofia wanted to be -- a successful young person with a similar upbringing to hers. He was a prize rather than a real person. It was telling that the interactions between them that were the most compelling were their rivalry as they didn't have chemistry as a couple.
Another small issue was the several phone calls with her mother. I was put off not just by its repeated content (mother wanted money), but because they were written in Spanish and translated to English line-by-line. This was a weird decision. Just giving us the translation with some Spanish words sprinkled in, indicating with one line that the conversation was happening in Spanish, would have served the purpose. It could be that this book was written for bilingual readers.
I liked the unique perspective of a modern-day first-generation immigrant, and the few instances where the writing shone. Overall, though, this was an underwhelming read.
Sofia was one of those typical so-annoying-because-they're-real type of characters. An underpaid, overworked people pleaser, she lived in Miami on her work visa. She was so determined to hold on to this life that she let her mother, brother, co-worker, neighbour, and even her landlord walk all over her.
The scope of the story was tiny -- Sofia lost her job, found love, lost love, and found a job, all in the span of sixty days. And in the middle, she has non-stop, repetitive worries about her visa, her obligation to her family, and her wish to fulfil her father's dream of living in Miami, and being deported to Bogota, where she had no prospects. I get that these thoughts consume her, but to see them on every page was tiring and uninspiring. I appreciated Sofia as a character, her struggles, and her story arc theoretically. Her remembrances of her dad were the part of the story with the most heart, but even those were repeated too many times.
The second biggest problem was the romance storyline, particularly the characterisation of Sofia's love interest. He was designed to be everything Sofia wanted to be -- a successful young person with a similar upbringing to hers. He was a prize rather than a real person. It was telling that the interactions between them that were the most compelling were their rivalry as they didn't have chemistry as a couple.
Another small issue was the several phone calls with her mother. I was put off not just by its repeated content (mother wanted money), but because they were written in Spanish and translated to English line-by-line. This was a weird decision. Just giving us the translation with some Spanish words sprinkled in, indicating with one line that the conversation was happening in Spanish, would have served the purpose. It could be that this book was written for bilingual readers.
I liked the unique perspective of a modern-day first-generation immigrant, and the few instances where the writing shone. Overall, though, this was an underwhelming read.
October 17, 2025
Sea Salt and Coffee Beans tells the story of Sofia, a young Colombian woman living in Miami. Sofia's world is shattered when she loses her job, threatening her ability to remain in the United States legally. She has sixty days to find a new job that will sponsor her visa or be deported. At the same time, she meets Esteban, a handsome young man who embodies the successful American life Sofia has always wanted. He's also her chief rival for a job that can keep her in the country.
Santamaria's characters were well-written and engaging. Sofia's life is multifaceted and realistic. She's caught between her own dreams of what her life should look like, the reality of her situation, and the pressures put on her by her mother and brother back in Colombia. I found Sofia's inner conflicts fascinating and relatable.
The only real problem I had with the book was the amount of Spanish-language dialogue. I understand that it lent credibility to the characters, but as a non-Spanish speaker I found myself kicked out of the story by entire conversations held in Spanish, with only some of the main points paraphrased in English. I felt that telling the reader these characters were speaking in Spanish and then rendering the dialogue in English would have been far more impactful for non-Spanish-speaking readers. As it was, I was completely shut out of the nuances of the conversation or the emotion conveyed by word choice and instead got a bare-bones summary of the content after the fact.
Overall, however, I would recommend this book.
Santamaria's characters were well-written and engaging. Sofia's life is multifaceted and realistic. She's caught between her own dreams of what her life should look like, the reality of her situation, and the pressures put on her by her mother and brother back in Colombia. I found Sofia's inner conflicts fascinating and relatable.
The only real problem I had with the book was the amount of Spanish-language dialogue. I understand that it lent credibility to the characters, but as a non-Spanish speaker I found myself kicked out of the story by entire conversations held in Spanish, with only some of the main points paraphrased in English. I felt that telling the reader these characters were speaking in Spanish and then rendering the dialogue in English would have been far more impactful for non-Spanish-speaking readers. As it was, I was completely shut out of the nuances of the conversation or the emotion conveyed by word choice and instead got a bare-bones summary of the content after the fact.
Overall, however, I would recommend this book.
November 17, 2025
This was a fun, easy read that I flew through, but it definitely touched on some timely themes. Sofia was such a relatable character, struggling with many of the things young women her age deal with. However, her immigration issues added an extra layer that gives you insight into something many people are dealing with. I really appreciated Sofia’s courage in setting off on this journey alone and working so hard to figure it out, even as she was dealt blow after blow. I was rooting for her the whole time and really loved seeing her come into her own power along the way. When she finally stood up for herself, I was so proud of her because I think many immigrant children can understand the pressure to please their parents. I absolutely loved Nina and how supportive she was to Sofia and how she wasn’t scared to tell her the truth about her family.
I was torn with how Sofia handled her relationship with Esteban because I could understand her reluctance to tell him about her situation, but I also didn’t think keeping him in the dark was the right move. I wish she had told him the truth earlier because then he could have decided how he wanted to handle their relationship, knowing all the information.
I enjoyed this book and seeing the experiences of a young immigrant woman who has to navigate the system. The relationship between Sofia and Esteban didn’t really grip me and I didn’t really care if they ended up together in the end.
I was torn with how Sofia handled her relationship with Esteban because I could understand her reluctance to tell him about her situation, but I also didn’t think keeping him in the dark was the right move. I wish she had told him the truth earlier because then he could have decided how he wanted to handle their relationship, knowing all the information.
I enjoyed this book and seeing the experiences of a young immigrant woman who has to navigate the system. The relationship between Sofia and Esteban didn’t really grip me and I didn’t really care if they ended up together in the end.
November 26, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and Rising Action for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
While the plot of the main character, Sofia, struggling with unemployment, visa issues, and making ends meet are such real and relatable issues, it's also written in such excruciating detail that it gets kind of painful to read in what is otherwise a fluffy romance novel. Having to worry about money constantly is such a real and scary thing and more people should talk about it, but I guess at the end of the day it just doesn't make for a fun read to have the character constantly worrying and thinking about her money struggles chapter after chapter.
This book also definitely leans into the millennial corporate girlboss propaganda (e.g., that a dream corporate job exists and leads to a HEA-type stuff), especially towards the end, so be aware if that is not your cup of tea!
Other reviews have mentioned this as well, but as a non-Spanish speaker, the Spanish dialogues without exact English translations were also really hard to understand, and I definitely felt like I missed a lot of context because of that.
Overall, the prose is readable (I did really like the descriptions of the city of Miami, the beach, and the nightlife), and the main plot of layoffs, immigration issues in America, and the general state of the economy is really relevant, but I'm just not sure I want to read about these issues this much in detail in a romance book.
While the plot of the main character, Sofia, struggling with unemployment, visa issues, and making ends meet are such real and relatable issues, it's also written in such excruciating detail that it gets kind of painful to read in what is otherwise a fluffy romance novel. Having to worry about money constantly is such a real and scary thing and more people should talk about it, but I guess at the end of the day it just doesn't make for a fun read to have the character constantly worrying and thinking about her money struggles chapter after chapter.
This book also definitely leans into the millennial corporate girlboss propaganda (e.g., that a dream corporate job exists and leads to a HEA-type stuff), especially towards the end, so be aware if that is not your cup of tea!
Other reviews have mentioned this as well, but as a non-Spanish speaker, the Spanish dialogues without exact English translations were also really hard to understand, and I definitely felt like I missed a lot of context because of that.
Overall, the prose is readable (I did really like the descriptions of the city of Miami, the beach, and the nightlife), and the main plot of layoffs, immigration issues in America, and the general state of the economy is really relevant, but I'm just not sure I want to read about these issues this much in detail in a romance book.
October 21, 2025
This story explores Sophia’s experience living as a Colombian immigrant in the USA. Throughout the story she balances her fears of deportation and struggles with maintaining a stable income all while being in a relationship with Esteban and hiding most of her struggles from him. She also doesn’t have support from her family.
I really liked how the author highlights the struggles many immigrants face with jobs and the fears that come with being an immigrant. Obviously every immigrants experience is different but it’s nice to see their story’s being shared even though this one was fictional. I love the character growth of Sophia.
I don’t think Esteban was a good enough match for her. Romantically he was attracted to her and vise versa but they weren’t compatible when it came to her situation and his thoughts on it from a prior relationship. I would have liked it better if the story ended without the things that happened in the epilogue.
Some dialogue and thoughts of the main character is in Spanish (my native language). Some of it is translated to English but other times there is enough context in English next to it for non Spanish speakers to understand.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked how the author highlights the struggles many immigrants face with jobs and the fears that come with being an immigrant. Obviously every immigrants experience is different but it’s nice to see their story’s being shared even though this one was fictional. I love the character growth of Sophia.
I don’t think Esteban was a good enough match for her. Romantically he was attracted to her and vise versa but they weren’t compatible when it came to her situation and his thoughts on it from a prior relationship. I would have liked it better if the story ended without the things that happened in the epilogue.
Some dialogue and thoughts of the main character is in Spanish (my native language). Some of it is translated to English but other times there is enough context in English next to it for non Spanish speakers to understand.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 25, 2025
Sofia is a driven Colombian immigrant whose promising life in Miami begins to unravel when she’s fired, putting her U.S. visa in jeopardy. To live her best life and stay in the country, she must find another job – and pronto. Sofia has bills to pay and her family back home demand her financial support. On the verge of landing a coveted marketing position, Sofia realizes that she’s falling for Esteban, the handsome man who is her chief rival.
This heartfelt debut novel captures the immigrant experience with all its hopes and travails. I was cheering for Sofia from page one, and the conflict/courtship with Esteban kept me turning pages. The romance story is threaded perfectly with Sofia’s career struggles. Even when her situation seemed hopeless, Sofia never stopped fighting for the future she dreamed of.
I also really enjoyed the magic and allure of Miami with its balmy breezes and the energy of the neighborhoods and people. A very satisfying read from a talented storyteller, with characters as colorful as Miami itself.
This heartfelt debut novel captures the immigrant experience with all its hopes and travails. I was cheering for Sofia from page one, and the conflict/courtship with Esteban kept me turning pages. The romance story is threaded perfectly with Sofia’s career struggles. Even when her situation seemed hopeless, Sofia never stopped fighting for the future she dreamed of.
I also really enjoyed the magic and allure of Miami with its balmy breezes and the energy of the neighborhoods and people. A very satisfying read from a talented storyteller, with characters as colorful as Miami itself.
September 23, 2025
Loved it! It had my heart swooning! What a beautiful story… as an immigrant in this country, this story hits close to home. It is beautifully written. I loved how the author is able to make you feel like you are right there in the story with all the amazing details.
This is not only a beautiful love story; it is also a story about resilience, women’s strength, and perseverance! I also loved the little twists! It had me wanting to read more and more!!
The only reason this is not a 5 star is because for me the start of the love relationship felt a little bit rushed and I wanted more in the end!!
This is not only a beautiful love story; it is also a story about resilience, women’s strength, and perseverance! I also loved the little twists! It had me wanting to read more and more!!
The only reason this is not a 5 star is because for me the start of the love relationship felt a little bit rushed and I wanted more in the end!!
August 29, 2025
La protagonista, Sofía, es una emigrante que vive una verdadera montaña rusa de emociones: miedos, inseguridades, pero también felicidad, sueños y esperanza. La narración logra transmitir esas sensaciones de manera tan real que es imposible no conectar con ella.
Lo que más me encantó fue el uso del slang colombiano a lo largo del libro, que le da una autenticidad única y hace que la historia se sienta cercana, como si la estuvieras escuchando de alguien muy querido. 🫰🫰
Lo que más me encantó fue el uso del slang colombiano a lo largo del libro, que le da una autenticidad única y hace que la historia se sienta cercana, como si la estuvieras escuchando de alguien muy querido. 🫰🫰
September 3, 2025
I loved this book! I read it quickly becuase I cared so much about Sofia that I had to know how her story ended. The immigration struggles, the family drama, and the romance are compelling. But not too heavy. It was an enjoyable read. I can't wait to see more from this author.
September 6, 2025
A well-written story about a young Colombian woman desperately trying to stay legally in Miami after losing her job.
Sometimes honesty will bring you further than pretending, asking for help isn't a shame.
Sometimes honesty will bring you further than pretending, asking for help isn't a shame.
December 8, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this read. This book was well written and a good debut. It kept my interest throughout, and I would like to read another book from this author. Thank you!
December 10, 2025
Loved loved loved this book!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews