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The Family She Never Met
Jessica Russo knows nothing about her mother's family or her Cuban culture. Every time she's asked about it, her mother has shut down. But when the Cuban grandmother she's never met sends her right-hand man, Luis, to offer Jessica the chance to come to Miami and meet her estranged family, she can't help but say yes, even as she knows it will pain her mother.
The woman that Jessica meets is nothing like what she expected. Her grandmother is successful, intelligent, determined, and all too willing to take blame for what has happened to cause the estrangement, and, more importantly, to try and set things right. As Jessica spends time with her grandmother in her beautiful island home, she learns about her family's history and what caused the schism between her mother and grandmother.
As days with her grandmother turn to weeks, Jessica is determined to find a way to heal her fractured family. And in the end, Jessica might just learn something about herself and what it means to embrace the many facets of her identity.
The woman that Jessica meets is nothing like what she expected. Her grandmother is successful, intelligent, determined, and all too willing to take blame for what has happened to cause the estrangement, and, more importantly, to try and set things right. As Jessica spends time with her grandmother in her beautiful island home, she learns about her family's history and what caused the schism between her mother and grandmother.
As days with her grandmother turn to weeks, Jessica is determined to find a way to heal her fractured family. And in the end, Jessica might just learn something about herself and what it means to embrace the many facets of her identity.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2022
31 people are currently reading
1594 people want to read
About the author
Caridad Piñeiro
179 books1,136 followersCaridad Pineiro is a transplanted Long Island girl who has fallen in love with the Jersey Shore. When Caridad isn’t taking long strolls along the boardwalk, she’s also a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author with over a million romance novels sold worldwide. Caridad is passionate about writing and helping others explore and develop their skills as writers. She is a founding member of the Liberty States Fiction Writers and has presented workshops at the RT Book Club Convention, Romance Writers of America National Conference as well as various writing organizations throughout the country. You can connect with Caridad at www.caridad.com. You can also find Caridad on:
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
June 10, 2022
The title is very apropo as this book is all about the side of Jessica Russo’s family that she never met.
Jessica’s mother has been estranged from her mother, Carmen, who lives in Miami. She left when she was a very young woman and has refused any efforts to reunite the family. When Jessica has asked for her reasons, she would give none.
As the book opens, Camen, wants very much to meet her granddaughter Jessica. She sends her “right hand man”, Luis to visit Jessica and extend an invitation to come to Miami and meet her extended family. Jessica has always been interested in her Cuban heritage. She decides this is the time to go and possibly heal her divided family.
When she arrives she marvels at the beautiful estate that her grandmother has along with a very successful company.
The book is really entirely about her connecting to this side of her family. She finds that she really enjoys being with her grandmother, meeting her aunts and cousins.
The story for me was a little bit too predictable. With the addition of a romance that we could all see coming, I was left feeling that I had expected more.
I have always loved historical fiction and I was hoping to learn more about Cuba. We do see glimpses into Cuban life when Castro arrived, through the eyes of her grandmother. However the main focus of the book is about mother-daughter relationships, forgiveness and new beginnings for this large family.
I would call this family drama and not really historical fiction. There just wasn’t that much about life in Cuba and the revolution.
**I was fortunate to receive both the EARC and the audiobook for this novel. I found that the audiobook brought more life to the book. The narration was good and I enjoyed the different voices.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley.
Jessica’s mother has been estranged from her mother, Carmen, who lives in Miami. She left when she was a very young woman and has refused any efforts to reunite the family. When Jessica has asked for her reasons, she would give none.
As the book opens, Camen, wants very much to meet her granddaughter Jessica. She sends her “right hand man”, Luis to visit Jessica and extend an invitation to come to Miami and meet her extended family. Jessica has always been interested in her Cuban heritage. She decides this is the time to go and possibly heal her divided family.
When she arrives she marvels at the beautiful estate that her grandmother has along with a very successful company.
The book is really entirely about her connecting to this side of her family. She finds that she really enjoys being with her grandmother, meeting her aunts and cousins.
The story for me was a little bit too predictable. With the addition of a romance that we could all see coming, I was left feeling that I had expected more.
I have always loved historical fiction and I was hoping to learn more about Cuba. We do see glimpses into Cuban life when Castro arrived, through the eyes of her grandmother. However the main focus of the book is about mother-daughter relationships, forgiveness and new beginnings for this large family.
I would call this family drama and not really historical fiction. There just wasn’t that much about life in Cuba and the revolution.
**I was fortunate to receive both the EARC and the audiobook for this novel. I found that the audiobook brought more life to the book. The narration was good and I enjoyed the different voices.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley.
August 11, 2023
"The Family She Never Met" by Caridad Piñeiro is a multi-generational family story!
Jessica Russo is approached by Luis, who has been sent by the maternal grandmother she has never met, with an invitation to travel to Miami to meet her Cuban family. She can't say no to this opportunity of learning about the family her mother has kept hidden from her for her entire life.
What Jessica discovers in Miami is nothing like what she expects. Will she be able to bring her broken family back together and heal the deeps wounds from the past?
Women's Fiction, Family Fiction, and Historical Fiction all blend together nicely in the telling of this story. With a theme of family estrangement, it is as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming. Both the writing and the premise are engaging and the main characters are well developed. What I did crave more of was a deeper dive into the Cuban back-story before migrating to the U.S.
What touched me about this story is knowing the author's use of her own Cuban family history as the catalyst for writing this book. The desire to leave her children with her family's history is what drove this author to create a protagonist with a similar experience making the emotional process of telling her story easier for her. I love that!
When I first saw this audiobook, I passed it up but kept going back to it. This is such a worthy listen and I'm glad I decided to take it on. The narrator, Frankie Corzo, clearly brings this story to life through her voicing skills and I will look for her name when choosing the many audiobook's in my future.
I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy reading a multi-generational family story with great characters and engaging writing!
Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Caridad Piñeiro for a free ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
Jessica Russo is approached by Luis, who has been sent by the maternal grandmother she has never met, with an invitation to travel to Miami to meet her Cuban family. She can't say no to this opportunity of learning about the family her mother has kept hidden from her for her entire life.
What Jessica discovers in Miami is nothing like what she expects. Will she be able to bring her broken family back together and heal the deeps wounds from the past?
Women's Fiction, Family Fiction, and Historical Fiction all blend together nicely in the telling of this story. With a theme of family estrangement, it is as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming. Both the writing and the premise are engaging and the main characters are well developed. What I did crave more of was a deeper dive into the Cuban back-story before migrating to the U.S.
What touched me about this story is knowing the author's use of her own Cuban family history as the catalyst for writing this book. The desire to leave her children with her family's history is what drove this author to create a protagonist with a similar experience making the emotional process of telling her story easier for her. I love that!
When I first saw this audiobook, I passed it up but kept going back to it. This is such a worthy listen and I'm glad I decided to take it on. The narrator, Frankie Corzo, clearly brings this story to life through her voicing skills and I will look for her name when choosing the many audiobook's in my future.
I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy reading a multi-generational family story with great characters and engaging writing!
Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Caridad Piñeiro for a free ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
July 6, 2023
The Family She Never Met by Caridad Pineiro
Contemporary romance with intermittent passages from the 1950’s through present for background and character memories.
Jessie Russo grew up with the Italian side of her father’s family, but she knows nothing of her Cuban history on her mothers side. The subject was taboo until she meets Luis, her maternal grandmother’s right hand man. He’s in New York to try to reconcile the family before it’s too late.
It’s an emotional and devastating time of crisis as the political scene changed in Cuba and the family was torn apart. The story starts current day and we get the history in memories and back flashes from Carmen and her daughter Lara. Jessie plays intermediary between the generations with the hep of Luis who has worked for the family business in Miami since he was young.
Luis and Jessie end up spending a lot of time together as they help work through the emotional minefields.
A journey across time and family. Tears, cheers, and love.
Contemporary romance with intermittent passages from the 1950’s through present for background and character memories.
Jessie Russo grew up with the Italian side of her father’s family, but she knows nothing of her Cuban history on her mothers side. The subject was taboo until she meets Luis, her maternal grandmother’s right hand man. He’s in New York to try to reconcile the family before it’s too late.
It’s an emotional and devastating time of crisis as the political scene changed in Cuba and the family was torn apart. The story starts current day and we get the history in memories and back flashes from Carmen and her daughter Lara. Jessie plays intermediary between the generations with the hep of Luis who has worked for the family business in Miami since he was young.
Luis and Jessie end up spending a lot of time together as they help work through the emotional minefields.
A journey across time and family. Tears, cheers, and love.
January 30, 2022
The Family She Never Met by Caridad Pineiro is a beautiful and touching historical fiction that is about family, love, forgiveness, and by finding one’s past, one can then find themselves.
This is such a wonderful book in that it is not just about Cuban history and migration, but it is also about identity and family. It is about hope that one is giving their children a better future and existence than what it currently has become. It is about the complicated balance of finding that future and also preserving the past. And that it is possible to do both.
It was fascinating to read this family’s journey from one country to another. At this time, Cuba was such a dichotomy of natural beauty and vivid and stunning culture, but political upheaval, instability, and unrest. Many fled to a safer existence for their families, and the author gives us that complicated story that was inspired by her own family’s journey.
Jessica Russo has been separated from her mother’s Cuban lineage for unknown reasons. She is given a chance to visit Miami and meet this part of her family and discovers that in finding out the secrets and the past, it helps her answer her own questions and find her own purpose and sense of self. It is a story of hope, resilience, second chances, and family ties that can weather all storms.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my NG account only at this time and will post the review to my GR, Bookbub, Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication per publisher request.
This is such a wonderful book in that it is not just about Cuban history and migration, but it is also about identity and family. It is about hope that one is giving their children a better future and existence than what it currently has become. It is about the complicated balance of finding that future and also preserving the past. And that it is possible to do both.
It was fascinating to read this family’s journey from one country to another. At this time, Cuba was such a dichotomy of natural beauty and vivid and stunning culture, but political upheaval, instability, and unrest. Many fled to a safer existence for their families, and the author gives us that complicated story that was inspired by her own family’s journey.
Jessica Russo has been separated from her mother’s Cuban lineage for unknown reasons. She is given a chance to visit Miami and meet this part of her family and discovers that in finding out the secrets and the past, it helps her answer her own questions and find her own purpose and sense of self. It is a story of hope, resilience, second chances, and family ties that can weather all storms.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my NG account only at this time and will post the review to my GR, Bookbub, Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication per publisher request.
February 17, 2022
There are two different plot lines throughout this book. One I really liked and one I hated. I did NOT like the romance at all, and I’m generally someone who loves a romance subplot in every book she reads. I did not feel the chemistry between the two. The romance felt insta-lovey in one moment and then like there were no feelings the next, and Luis just didn’t seem like a real person. It’s kind of hard to explain.
What I really liked was the family story. There is an estrangement, with somewhat good reason, but the story revolves around trying to mend that estrangement after several decades. I enjoyed watching Jessica get to know her grandmother and part of her culture she was unaware of. I also liked the blending of cultures with the Italian side of her family and the Cuban side. It felt like a real modern family.
That said, I didn’t feel like I really knew any of the characters. They were a little surface level, and I had a hard time connecting.
Overall, this book was fine. It definitely had some redeeming qualities, but I did find myself rolling my eyes often enough and went through a couple of spurts of boredom in the first half.
Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What I really liked was the family story. There is an estrangement, with somewhat good reason, but the story revolves around trying to mend that estrangement after several decades. I enjoyed watching Jessica get to know her grandmother and part of her culture she was unaware of. I also liked the blending of cultures with the Italian side of her family and the Cuban side. It felt like a real modern family.
That said, I didn’t feel like I really knew any of the characters. They were a little surface level, and I had a hard time connecting.
Overall, this book was fine. It definitely had some redeeming qualities, but I did find myself rolling my eyes often enough and went through a couple of spurts of boredom in the first half.
Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 5, 2025
A sweet story of romance, forgiveness, and family. This story of a young woman finding a family she never met and forgiveness her mother needs to give to find her family again.
This story was a little predictable but it kept my attention, quick read and just what I needed to read right now. Light and sweet.
I enjoyed it.
This story was a little predictable but it kept my attention, quick read and just what I needed to read right now. Light and sweet.
I enjoyed it.
February 24, 2022
I really didn’t like this book. I was hopeful because the premise of finding out about a whole other half of your family that was kept from you was intriguing. But the characters were just so unlikable and flat. The author tries to say that Jessica and Lara are stubborn and determined…but really they were just annoying. Lara decides to cut off her family for 30 years and the whole time Jessica is in Miami you think some big secret will be revealed as to why…but there was no real reason. Jessica went to Miami feeling like Luis lied to her…so of course she falls in love with his lying ass… she doesn’t know if she should call her grandma Carmen or grandma or abuela and dwells in it for chapters…I also didn’t need to know what Luis was thinking either…because it really didn’t add anything extra to this story, just more boring thoughts to get through. The only part that was a little redeeming was the historical parts about Cuba and being exiled.
December 20, 2021
I really enjoyed this terrific story. Jessica travels to Miami to meet family she never knew due to her mother’s estrangement. The author threads Cuban history along with three different voices in the narrative. Carmen, Lara, and Jessica, three generations of strong women have to find ways to mend the broken fences. And then there is Luis, smoking hot, sizzling, who I couldn’t get enough. It’s a great book, full of history and family drama. Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the early read.
March 13, 2022
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Copy provided by Dreamscape Media.
Jessica Russo knows nothing about her mother's family or her Cuban culture. Every time she's asked about it, her mother has shut down. But when the Cuban grandmother she's never met sends her right-hand man, Luis, to offer Jessica the chance to come to Miami and meet her estranged family, she can't help but say yes, even
as she knows it will pain her mother. The woman that Jessica meets is nothing like what she expected. Her grandmother is successful, intelligent, determined, and all too willing to take blame for what has happened to cause the estrangement, and, more importantly, to try and set things right. As Jessica spends time with her grandmother in her beautiful island home, she learns about her family's history and what caused the schism between her mother and grandmother. As days with her grandmother turn to weeks, Jessica is determined to find a way to heal her fractured family.
The Family She Never Met was a decent story, I would have liked to learn more about the Gonzalez family’s flight from Cuba and Castro’s rise to power. The story is more of a family drama than historical fiction. I was hoping to learn more about Jessica's heritage which didn't happen. I do feel like the historical aspect was a bit watered down, the predictable. I also didn't think the romance part of the book was necessary at all. The book was okay and very slow paced. I wished I could like the book more.
Jessica Russo knows nothing about her mother's family or her Cuban culture. Every time she's asked about it, her mother has shut down. But when the Cuban grandmother she's never met sends her right-hand man, Luis, to offer Jessica the chance to come to Miami and meet her estranged family, she can't help but say yes, even
as she knows it will pain her mother. The woman that Jessica meets is nothing like what she expected. Her grandmother is successful, intelligent, determined, and all too willing to take blame for what has happened to cause the estrangement, and, more importantly, to try and set things right. As Jessica spends time with her grandmother in her beautiful island home, she learns about her family's history and what caused the schism between her mother and grandmother. As days with her grandmother turn to weeks, Jessica is determined to find a way to heal her fractured family.
The Family She Never Met was a decent story, I would have liked to learn more about the Gonzalez family’s flight from Cuba and Castro’s rise to power. The story is more of a family drama than historical fiction. I was hoping to learn more about Jessica's heritage which didn't happen. I do feel like the historical aspect was a bit watered down, the predictable. I also didn't think the romance part of the book was necessary at all. The book was okay and very slow paced. I wished I could like the book more.
February 2, 2022
28 yo Jessica has never met her maternal grandmother and family. Her mother, Laura, became distant from her family many years ago after family disagreements. Now, Jessica has the chance to meet and connect with her Cuban grandmother, meet the family and learn more about the family business. Will Jessica be able to help her mother and grandmother repair their relationship?
This was a lovely story about 3 generations of the Guerreiro “Warrior” family reuniting after too many years apart.
Here are some things that I enjoyed most about the story:
🤎Cuban culture, food and family connections
🤎The family’s history from different POVs immigrating from Cuba to the US
🤎The successful business Abuela Carmen established, along with the business acumen that everyone works from the bottom-up, even family.
🤎The strong sense of family and reunification!
🤎The sweet romance that unfolded!
🤎Likable characters, although I didn’t care for Lara. It was unfair for her to deprive Jessica of close family for so long, when their issues could’ve been long rectified.
The Family She Knew is out now - Pub Date 2/1/22!
🎁Many thanks to @sourcebookscasa @sourcebooksfiction for my gifted copy!
This was a lovely story about 3 generations of the Guerreiro “Warrior” family reuniting after too many years apart.
Here are some things that I enjoyed most about the story:
🤎Cuban culture, food and family connections
🤎The family’s history from different POVs immigrating from Cuba to the US
🤎The successful business Abuela Carmen established, along with the business acumen that everyone works from the bottom-up, even family.
🤎The strong sense of family and reunification!
🤎The sweet romance that unfolded!
🤎Likable characters, although I didn’t care for Lara. It was unfair for her to deprive Jessica of close family for so long, when their issues could’ve been long rectified.
The Family She Knew is out now - Pub Date 2/1/22!
🎁Many thanks to @sourcebookscasa @sourcebooksfiction for my gifted copy!
February 2, 2022
Absorbing, romantic, and heartfelt!
The Family She Never Met is an uplifting, engaging tale that takes you into the life of furniture restorer Jessica Russo who, after years of secrets and misunderstandings, journeys to Miami to meet the grandmother she’s never met and to uncover her mother’s past that unfortunately seems to be littered with a multitude of hurts and regrets.
The prose is vivid and rich. The characters are multi-layered, torn, and sympathetic. And the plot is a well-crafted, heartwarming tale full of mystique, heartbreak, familial drama, secrets, history, culture, hard work, courage, forgiveness, self-discovery, hope, romance, and the struggles faced by Cubans under Castro rule to endure oppression, rebellion, economic instability, and forced exilement.
Overall, The Family She Never Met is a lovely blend of historical facts and compelling fiction. It’s a delightfully touching tale that’s nostalgic, interesting, heartbreaking, and sweet and does a wonderful job of highlighting Piñeiro’s passion for her familial heritage.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Family She Never Met is an uplifting, engaging tale that takes you into the life of furniture restorer Jessica Russo who, after years of secrets and misunderstandings, journeys to Miami to meet the grandmother she’s never met and to uncover her mother’s past that unfortunately seems to be littered with a multitude of hurts and regrets.
The prose is vivid and rich. The characters are multi-layered, torn, and sympathetic. And the plot is a well-crafted, heartwarming tale full of mystique, heartbreak, familial drama, secrets, history, culture, hard work, courage, forgiveness, self-discovery, hope, romance, and the struggles faced by Cubans under Castro rule to endure oppression, rebellion, economic instability, and forced exilement.
Overall, The Family She Never Met is a lovely blend of historical facts and compelling fiction. It’s a delightfully touching tale that’s nostalgic, interesting, heartbreaking, and sweet and does a wonderful job of highlighting Piñeiro’s passion for her familial heritage.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 18, 2022
I enjoyed this audiobook and the tale of a story of a family that came from Cuba to Miami to make a way for themselves. The innerworkings of family where things are left unsaid, feelings run deep and the younger generation trying to understand the dynamics of a family she has never met.
Not only do you get the family dynamics, but a love story unfolds for Jessica. It wasn't just a love story between a man and a woman, but a woman with her family and the love between a daughter and a mother. It was a wonderful tale of the love and regrets of Carmen (grandmother/mother) and Lara (daughter/mother) plus the relationship of Jessica and Lara. However, it was a new beginning of a relationship for Jessica and Carmen.
This book helps you understand that old feelings should not be harbored, but spoken about and put out into the open so that the hurt does not carry on. Sometimes that protecting people by not speaking your truth can hurt the relationship between you.
It's about new beginnings and learning to love and forgive.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the early read!
Not only do you get the family dynamics, but a love story unfolds for Jessica. It wasn't just a love story between a man and a woman, but a woman with her family and the love between a daughter and a mother. It was a wonderful tale of the love and regrets of Carmen (grandmother/mother) and Lara (daughter/mother) plus the relationship of Jessica and Lara. However, it was a new beginning of a relationship for Jessica and Carmen.
This book helps you understand that old feelings should not be harbored, but spoken about and put out into the open so that the hurt does not carry on. Sometimes that protecting people by not speaking your truth can hurt the relationship between you.
It's about new beginnings and learning to love and forgive.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the early read!
January 24, 2022
Beautifully written, rich with detail, and full of powerful emotions, The Family She Never Met by Caridad Pinero is a story of love and homecoming and forgiveness.
Jessica Russo is startled to receive an invitation to visit her maternal grandmother in Florida. She’s completely unacquainted with this side of her family as her mother has steadfastly not spoken of her mother or family, pretty much ever.
Luis Torres would do just about anything for Carmen Gonzalez, a formidable woman who essentially rescued him and his family, even reach out to a granddaughter who isn’t sure she wants to be “found”.
The Family She Never Met is a story of love and family, and how pain and loss can linger and continue to wound. It is also a story of healing and forgiveness, written by someone who is able to describe the joy and sorrow experienced. Caridad Pinero’s story brings to life a family’s sacrifices and the impacts they have on the generations that follow. Her writing is layered and descriptive, and her characterizations captivating. A wholly fantastic read.
Jessica Russo is startled to receive an invitation to visit her maternal grandmother in Florida. She’s completely unacquainted with this side of her family as her mother has steadfastly not spoken of her mother or family, pretty much ever.
Luis Torres would do just about anything for Carmen Gonzalez, a formidable woman who essentially rescued him and his family, even reach out to a granddaughter who isn’t sure she wants to be “found”.
The Family She Never Met is a story of love and family, and how pain and loss can linger and continue to wound. It is also a story of healing and forgiveness, written by someone who is able to describe the joy and sorrow experienced. Caridad Pinero’s story brings to life a family’s sacrifices and the impacts they have on the generations that follow. Her writing is layered and descriptive, and her characterizations captivating. A wholly fantastic read.
March 3, 2022
Jessica Russo knows next to nothing about her mother’s Cuban heritage. Anytime she has questions her mother, Lara, shuts down. When after thirty years of estrangement her grandmother Carmen sends her employee Luis to invite them to Miami she goes, despite her mother’s objections.
In Miami Jessica quickly learns her Cuban family is much like her Italian family back home in New York. They are large in size and volume and everyone has an opinion. Driving up to Star Island, Jessica also figures out how successful her grandmother’s American dream became after being exiled from Cuba. Now that Carmen is mostly retired, her thoughts are consumed by reuniting her family after so many years of heartache.
Overall The Family She Never Met was a decent story, I would have liked to learn more about the Gonzalez family’s flight from Cuba and Castro’s rise to power. The story is more of a family drama than historical fiction, as the vast majority of the book focuses on Carmen’s choices as a young parent. I could have done without the romance subplot that was unnecessary and hard to believe given the timeframe of the book.
If Hallmark movies are your thing, you will probably enjoy this book, I certainly was hungry reading about all the amazing Cuban food described. The Family She Never Met comes out next Tuesday, March 8th. Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and of course Caridad Peñeiro for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Http://www.instagram.com/passionforprose
In Miami Jessica quickly learns her Cuban family is much like her Italian family back home in New York. They are large in size and volume and everyone has an opinion. Driving up to Star Island, Jessica also figures out how successful her grandmother’s American dream became after being exiled from Cuba. Now that Carmen is mostly retired, her thoughts are consumed by reuniting her family after so many years of heartache.
Overall The Family She Never Met was a decent story, I would have liked to learn more about the Gonzalez family’s flight from Cuba and Castro’s rise to power. The story is more of a family drama than historical fiction, as the vast majority of the book focuses on Carmen’s choices as a young parent. I could have done without the romance subplot that was unnecessary and hard to believe given the timeframe of the book.
If Hallmark movies are your thing, you will probably enjoy this book, I certainly was hungry reading about all the amazing Cuban food described. The Family She Never Met comes out next Tuesday, March 8th. Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and of course Caridad Peñeiro for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Http://www.instagram.com/passionforprose
January 31, 2022
I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
The Family She Never Met is an intriguing story, highlighting the fraught relationships between mothers and daughters in a Cuban-American family, but also the importance of honoring that history of what previous generations went through when immigrating to the US.
While it is largely set in the present, there are brief flashbacks to various points in the past to highlight the family’s story, and what led them here. I love how it provides context to the current state of things between them.
Jessica is a wonderful lead character, and I appreciated that she wanted to do the right thing when she heard from her grandmother, and she later wants to bring peace.
The relationships between Jessica, Lara, and Carmen are fabulously written. The novel explores the complexities of the mother-daughter relationships among them, and I appreciate that their issues were navigated in such a sensitive way, with a believable path to healing.
And while this book is not in itself a romance, there is a romantic arc between. and her grandmother’s right hand man, Luis, that is quite sweet.
This book is delightful and heartwarming, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a heartfelt family-centric contemporary.
The Family She Never Met is an intriguing story, highlighting the fraught relationships between mothers and daughters in a Cuban-American family, but also the importance of honoring that history of what previous generations went through when immigrating to the US.
While it is largely set in the present, there are brief flashbacks to various points in the past to highlight the family’s story, and what led them here. I love how it provides context to the current state of things between them.
Jessica is a wonderful lead character, and I appreciated that she wanted to do the right thing when she heard from her grandmother, and she later wants to bring peace.
The relationships between Jessica, Lara, and Carmen are fabulously written. The novel explores the complexities of the mother-daughter relationships among them, and I appreciate that their issues were navigated in such a sensitive way, with a believable path to healing.
And while this book is not in itself a romance, there is a romantic arc between. and her grandmother’s right hand man, Luis, that is quite sweet.
This book is delightful and heartwarming, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a heartfelt family-centric contemporary.
March 14, 2022
I really enjoyed this book! It was a stark reminder of the rifts and challenges that plague every family. The ties that bind, whether they be through blood or chosen family, remain connected even when fractured (seemingly) beyond repair. Our families help weave the tapestry of who we are whether we want them to or not.
I appreciated learning more about the Cuban culture and was interested to find similarities with my own Italian heritage. I would have liked even more historical information since historical fiction is my favorite genre. The romance that developed was predictable but still entertaining. I found myself rooting for the couple even though I knew it was coming from the moment the characters were introduced. All in all, this is a great story of determination, strength and love. A worthwhile read for sure!
Thank you to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for the opportunity to review this ARC of #TheFamilySheNeverMet in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
I appreciated learning more about the Cuban culture and was interested to find similarities with my own Italian heritage. I would have liked even more historical information since historical fiction is my favorite genre. The romance that developed was predictable but still entertaining. I found myself rooting for the couple even though I knew it was coming from the moment the characters were introduced. All in all, this is a great story of determination, strength and love. A worthwhile read for sure!
Thank you to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for the opportunity to review this ARC of #TheFamilySheNeverMet in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
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October 1, 2025i had to sit with this book for a while before i could write this review. I wanted to do an in-depth college level essay at one point, lol. this is a semi-autobiographical story of a Cuban family and how they dealt with the rise of Castro and their subsequent flight. i am a history nerd and i love hearing first hand accounts of things i only read in history books. and this story was cleverly told mixing the past and the present with the seemless use of flash backs. I love how it is not just a linear retelling but you get the relevant pieces as Jessica uncovers her family's pain and how history shaped it. while this is technically a romance, it is so much more. it is history, family, healing... it is life.
March 1, 2022
A heartwarming story of a family reunion after decades apart. Through Jessica's meeting with her grandmother, we learn about the Cuban revolution and the Mariel boatlift that brought so many Cubans to the US. I'm always a fan of families reuniting before the death of a matriarch but I felt the romance seemed forced and wasn't necessary to the story. Definitely recommended to those who like historical fiction and/or family dramas.
Audiobook was well done, no issues.
I received a copy from NetGalley for an honest review.
Audiobook was well done, no issues.
I received a copy from NetGalley for an honest review.
January 2, 2023
I usually love multi generational books, but this one, in a word was boring. I kept waiting for something to be revealed that explained the estrangement in the family. The Luis and Jessica relationship was totally unrealistic. I would have stopped about half way through but kept waiting for something important to happen. It never did.
July 10, 2022
This was in a romance section, but it has the promise of a character study of a Cuban immigrant in a new country. It takes time, but that story does come out. The arms that Castro has in airports and other countries is a surprise.
Yes, I’m interested in Jessica and Luis, but Carmen has a story to tell. Her rise to a powerful CEO of her company at the expense of family and the past is what has me reading. After I was done, it wraps up, no sequel needed.
Yes, I’m interested in Jessica and Luis, but Carmen has a story to tell. Her rise to a powerful CEO of her company at the expense of family and the past is what has me reading. After I was done, it wraps up, no sequel needed.
December 31, 2022
I enjoyed the cultural experiences and the romance. Great book.
February 15, 2022
Who doesn’t love a book that combines, history, culture, multi-generational family drama, and a bit of romance!?!
The Family She Never Met is a vivid and dynamic story about a family’s escape from Cuba and the repercussions for the future generations. This was such a beautiful story, and it was about so much more than the family’s escape from Cuba. It was a story about three generations of strong women who have to find it in themselves to heal old wounds within their family in order to find peace and preserve the past.
Overall, this was a heartwarming story about forgiveness, and I enjoyed the family drama and history.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
Thank you Sourcebooks for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
The Family She Never Met is a vivid and dynamic story about a family’s escape from Cuba and the repercussions for the future generations. This was such a beautiful story, and it was about so much more than the family’s escape from Cuba. It was a story about three generations of strong women who have to find it in themselves to heal old wounds within their family in order to find peace and preserve the past.
Overall, this was a heartwarming story about forgiveness, and I enjoyed the family drama and history.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
Thank you Sourcebooks for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
March 5, 2022
I absolutely loved this audio and had a hard time putting it down. Jessica is approached with a request to visit her grandmother, her mother's mother, who she does not know, before it is too late. It sounds like her time is running short. Her mother is against this and has never told Jessica anything about her family but her father stands behind her choice to visit. Off to Miami she goes and she does not find a woman on her deathbed but a vibrant old woman who is much like her Italian grandmother. Luis is the man who approached her to bring her to Miami. He is very much like family to her grandmother even if not actually family. The week Jessica spends in Miami opens her eyes to her Cuban ancestry and brings her close to her family...and Luis. Together they forge a friendship and become lovers. I found this so intriguing that even though 30 years had passed and all the turmoil of the past was still so fresh in minds, they were able to get past it and come together. I really did love this one.
**Received this ARC for review in audio from the publisher via NetGalley**
**Received this ARC for review in audio from the publisher via NetGalley**
June 21, 2024
Absolutely loved "The Family She Never Met" by Caridad Pineiro. It was such a sweet read about Jessica, who is trying to find answers about her mother's side of her family. Her mom had parted from her Cuban family years ago, and Jessica wants to know why. While she is down in Miami visiting her grandmother and aunt's for the first time, she can't seem to figure out what went wrong with the relationship between her family. She also becomes close with Luis, who works for her grandmother. Her mother doesn't like that Jessica is digging up things from her past, but Jessica wants answers. My favorite scene was when Luis was teaching Jessica how to play dominoes. Overall, I felt this was a very well written book, and I will definitely check out other books by Caridad Pineiro.
July 19, 2024
This is a beautiful story by Caridad Pineiro. It is a romance in the sense that it has an HEA, but the romance is secondary to Jessica’s quest to understand herself more by embracing the family she never knew.
As Jessica comes to know her estranged grandmother and all the family on her side against her mother’s wishes, we get a little history lesson on Cuban migration to the US from the times of Fidel Castro to now. I was intrigued enough by these personal stories to seek out further information on some of the key history moments referenced in the book.
Jessica has a lot of inner-conflict as she navigates these new waters. She is close to her mom and doesn’t want to hurt her but she feels that perhaps her mom didn’t fully understand her own mother, perhaps unfairly cutting her out of her life. Jessica is a strong woman who is content in her life, but this upheaval brings more to her life than she ever could have imagined.
Loved it!
As Jessica comes to know her estranged grandmother and all the family on her side against her mother’s wishes, we get a little history lesson on Cuban migration to the US from the times of Fidel Castro to now. I was intrigued enough by these personal stories to seek out further information on some of the key history moments referenced in the book.
Jessica has a lot of inner-conflict as she navigates these new waters. She is close to her mom and doesn’t want to hurt her but she feels that perhaps her mom didn’t fully understand her own mother, perhaps unfairly cutting her out of her life. Jessica is a strong woman who is content in her life, but this upheaval brings more to her life than she ever could have imagined.
Loved it!
March 1, 2022
The Family she never met was an amazing book about how family once torn apart was able to mold back together. From the moment I started listening I knew I was not going to be able to put it down. Jessica Russo came from a good family background, created her own store restoring furniture and creating peoples “dream pieces”; she was in the point of her career where things possibly could not get better. One day she gets a visit from a man named Luis whom she would turn down until he finally admitted to knowing her maternal grandmother and allowing Jessica the opportunity to meet her for the first time. Jessica decides to take a trip to Florida to meet her grandmother Carmen- she was unable to relate as to why her mother walked away from the life Carmen worked so hard to provide for her children. Jessica hoped time and time again that she would one day be able to get Carmen and her mother Lara to reunite. As the days continued Jessica’s bond with Carmen grew stronger while her love for Luis grew hotter.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book for my honest feedback.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book for my honest feedback.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2022
This is a beautiful family saga that will draw you in from the moment you press play. Jessica lives and works in Brooklyn and is super close with her loud, invasive, opinionated love filled family. They are in each others business all of the time and have no boundaries. That is except for the subject of her mothers family. So when Jessica is contacted by Luis, a man who works for her grandmother, she makes the trip to Florida to meet her and the rest of the family. She learns of their exile from Cuba, how her grandmother fought to build a business and take care of her family and community having lost her husband to war. In doing so much to take care of her family and community, her eldest daughter felt unloved, uncared for and like everyone else mattered more. When her mother met the man she fell in love with she did not approve of him and so began the estrangement. This is the story of understanding, learning to forgive and let go, family, acceptance, love, moving forward and understanding the past to move to the future. The writing is beautiful. This is one of my favorite books Ive listened to in a long time. The narration was fabulous and added to the listening experience.
I received an advanced copy of this audiobook from Netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review. it did not influence my comments. My thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity.
I received an advanced copy of this audiobook from Netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review. it did not influence my comments. My thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity.
April 17, 2022
Jessica Russo grew up in New York with her parents and her father's large, Italian family. She knew nothing about her mother's Cuban family except that her mother was estranged from them. When her abuela who she's never met sends her right-hand man, Luis, to offer Jessica the chance to come to Miami and meet her estranged family, she can't help but say yes, even as she knows her mother will be hurt. The family she meets, especially her Cuban grandmother is nothing like what she was expecting. The family is wealthy, philanthropic and loving. She spends time getting to know them and her family history. As she begins to understand all that happened, she is determined to heal the rift and bring her mother back into her family.
The Family She Never Met blends women's fiction, family drama, and historical fiction together nicely. I found the characters to be well developed as we get to know them as Jessica does. Learning about some of the issues and reasons to migrate from Cuba was part of the story, but I would have liked to learn more. That yearning to return that I have read about in other books was also there. With another plot of a romantic relationship, we got to know Jessica as she went on a journey of discovery as well. Themes of migration, family estrangement, mother-daughter relationships, forgiveness and new beginnings are all part of this story. It is heartbreaking at times, but also has hope, healing and resilience. I liked that Caridad Piñeiro used her own Cuban family history as the background for writing this book, to leave her children with her family's history. The audiobook was extremely well done with Frankie Corzo bringing this story to life. Her expression, voices and tone were excellent and added much to my enjoyment of this story. I will definitely look for more books she narrated. If you enjoy multi-generational stories, then I recommend this one to you.
The Family She Never Met blends women's fiction, family drama, and historical fiction together nicely. I found the characters to be well developed as we get to know them as Jessica does. Learning about some of the issues and reasons to migrate from Cuba was part of the story, but I would have liked to learn more. That yearning to return that I have read about in other books was also there. With another plot of a romantic relationship, we got to know Jessica as she went on a journey of discovery as well. Themes of migration, family estrangement, mother-daughter relationships, forgiveness and new beginnings are all part of this story. It is heartbreaking at times, but also has hope, healing and resilience. I liked that Caridad Piñeiro used her own Cuban family history as the background for writing this book, to leave her children with her family's history. The audiobook was extremely well done with Frankie Corzo bringing this story to life. Her expression, voices and tone were excellent and added much to my enjoyment of this story. I will definitely look for more books she narrated. If you enjoy multi-generational stories, then I recommend this one to you.
March 21, 2022
Frankie Corzo radiantly narrates Caridad Piñeiro’s The Family She Never Met. Corzo’s narration and Piñeiro’s storytelling vividly bring to life this emotional and compelling tale of three generations of Cuban women reconciling the pain of the past from the Cuban exile to Miami and its impacts on their culture and family and reuniting their family with heartfelt emotion, excitement, sorrow, respect for culture and history, and a profound sense of wonder, discovery, and burgeoning hope. Piñeiro sets the novel primarily in the present but uses flashbacks to explore the exile of Jessica’s grandmother Carmen and her family from Cuba and the pain that it causes her family, especially her oldest daughter, Jessica’s mother. She immerses readers in Cuban culture with vivid imagery and description that appeals to the senses as Jessica and Luis explore the city of Miami, and she partakes of its pastries, delicacies, and regional meals. Their scenes are sexy, funny, and intimate and the experience unexpectedly changes both. Jessica’s interactions with her grandmother are intense, emotional, and beautifully written, as are the scenes with her and her mother. I love how Piñeiro makes Jessica’s trip an immersive experience by writing Cubano Spanish into the narrative. Like Jessica, the readers must dive headfirst into the Cuban Miami cultural experience.
The Family She Never Met is an emotional listen about a young woman whose mother walked away from her Cuban family 30 years ago and never looked back. As a result, her daughter Jessica Russo knows nothing about her Cuban culture or mother's family because her mother refuses to talk about it. Finally, however, she can visit Miami and meet and spend time with her estranged Cuban grandmother and family after her grandmother contacts her through her protégé, Luis. Although she knows it will hurt her mother, it’s something she must do for herself to fully discover who she is and embrace both sides of her identity—Cuban and Italian.
Corzo’s narration effortlessly captures Piñeiro’s beautiful and compelling story, emotional beats, and strong, intriguing, and deftly developed characters. Her narration nicely differentiates between characters with voices that fit the characters’ ages, genders, personalities, moods, and emotions. She narrates scenes where the characters speak Cuban Spanish with a beautiful, authentic accent—one of my favorite things about the book. Her Italian accent is just as good. Her narration for Jessica’s mother as a child and grownup is great, capturing her terror, isolation, loneliness, sense of betrayal, denial, and anger. I couldn’t imagine anyone else narrating Piñeiro’s novel with the same skill or depth of emotion.
A poignant, insightful story suffused in history, culture, loss, love, and healing, The Family She Never Met explores themes of forgiveness, home, family, cultural identity, and a family’s exile coming to an end.
Advanced review copy provided by Dreamscape Media via Netgalley for review.
The Family She Never Met is an emotional listen about a young woman whose mother walked away from her Cuban family 30 years ago and never looked back. As a result, her daughter Jessica Russo knows nothing about her Cuban culture or mother's family because her mother refuses to talk about it. Finally, however, she can visit Miami and meet and spend time with her estranged Cuban grandmother and family after her grandmother contacts her through her protégé, Luis. Although she knows it will hurt her mother, it’s something she must do for herself to fully discover who she is and embrace both sides of her identity—Cuban and Italian.
Corzo’s narration effortlessly captures Piñeiro’s beautiful and compelling story, emotional beats, and strong, intriguing, and deftly developed characters. Her narration nicely differentiates between characters with voices that fit the characters’ ages, genders, personalities, moods, and emotions. She narrates scenes where the characters speak Cuban Spanish with a beautiful, authentic accent—one of my favorite things about the book. Her Italian accent is just as good. Her narration for Jessica’s mother as a child and grownup is great, capturing her terror, isolation, loneliness, sense of betrayal, denial, and anger. I couldn’t imagine anyone else narrating Piñeiro’s novel with the same skill or depth of emotion.
A poignant, insightful story suffused in history, culture, loss, love, and healing, The Family She Never Met explores themes of forgiveness, home, family, cultural identity, and a family’s exile coming to an end.
Advanced review copy provided by Dreamscape Media via Netgalley for review.
February 15, 2022
During the years I lived in SW Florida, I had many friends and co-workers whose families had escaped to the U.S. from Cuba. Their feelings about their allegiance to their homeland, the (often successful) lives they had left behind, the struggles of learning a new language while forging a new life in a strange country where they were often not welcomed, and their expectations for their children and grandchildren were understandably complex and multi-layered. Pineiro captures all that and more in her poignant and realistic portrayal of a fractured, Cuban-American family in The Family She Never Met.
I was immediately intrigued by these characters and the mysterious estrangement that had caused Jessica to grow up knowing nothing of her mother's family in Miami nor the trials they had endured in the past. Pineiro skillfully guides the reader through their journey, using brief flashbacks at strategic points to fill in the blanks of their family's saga while at the same time allowing the reader to get to know the characters in the present day. It gave me the opportunity to understand these characters fully, to experience their flaws, fears, mistakes, and motivations. It made them more real to me, their circumstances more compelling, and in the case of Jessica's mother, the anger stemming from her childhood more understandable. I appreciated the fact that the author took her time with them, not giving them easy fixes but letting the characters evolve organically, allowing forgiveness and healing to come slowly, realistically.
I also enjoyed the depiction of Jessica's father's Italian-American family in New York, characters who have been instrumental in guiding her life since she was born. The dichotomy between the two sides of her family clearly showing that no two immigrant experiences are alike.
While this book is centered around the multiple generations of women in Jessica's family, there is also a strong romantic thread with a happy ending that is an integral part of Jessica's journey, not only bringing love into her life but also helping her to more completely understand both the challenges and expectations placed upon the Cuban exiles within and outside of her family.
After you finish the book, take a minute to read the author's note. It explains how Caridad Pineiro was able to create characters and a story with so much authenticity and heart. Knowing her own family's history made reading this book an even richer experience.
ARC received for fair and unbiased review
I was immediately intrigued by these characters and the mysterious estrangement that had caused Jessica to grow up knowing nothing of her mother's family in Miami nor the trials they had endured in the past. Pineiro skillfully guides the reader through their journey, using brief flashbacks at strategic points to fill in the blanks of their family's saga while at the same time allowing the reader to get to know the characters in the present day. It gave me the opportunity to understand these characters fully, to experience their flaws, fears, mistakes, and motivations. It made them more real to me, their circumstances more compelling, and in the case of Jessica's mother, the anger stemming from her childhood more understandable. I appreciated the fact that the author took her time with them, not giving them easy fixes but letting the characters evolve organically, allowing forgiveness and healing to come slowly, realistically.
I also enjoyed the depiction of Jessica's father's Italian-American family in New York, characters who have been instrumental in guiding her life since she was born. The dichotomy between the two sides of her family clearly showing that no two immigrant experiences are alike.
While this book is centered around the multiple generations of women in Jessica's family, there is also a strong romantic thread with a happy ending that is an integral part of Jessica's journey, not only bringing love into her life but also helping her to more completely understand both the challenges and expectations placed upon the Cuban exiles within and outside of her family.
After you finish the book, take a minute to read the author's note. It explains how Caridad Pineiro was able to create characters and a story with so much authenticity and heart. Knowing her own family's history made reading this book an even richer experience.
ARC received for fair and unbiased review
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