3.5 stars

This is a compelling debut from Jimenez, whose future work I'm already excited to read.

The titular Ruthy Ramirez went missing in the distant past, so it's shocking when she maybe appears on a reality show. Her sisters, mother, and readers wonder if this is really her or if her appearance is more a manifestation of desire than reality. Structurally, readers journey between each sister's perspective, the mother's perspective, and even Ruthy's perspective as we all hope to get closer to the truth about, well, 'What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez.'

I was instantly engaged based on the first couple of chapters. The fast pacing and the intriguing characters immerse readers in not only Ruthy's story but in how each of her family members has been impacted by those events (and how their own lives are unfolding in general). I did feel the pacing slow a bit after the initial jumpstart. For me, one of the sisters is far more interesting than the others, and I wondered if one less sister or a bit more focus on the central notes about Ruthy might have kept me more engaged all the way through. That noted, I did enjoy this read overall.

When I recommend this to folks, I'll likely give them more of a primer on the structure. For some, this will be the standout feature of the novel. For others, it might be a bit off-putting along with the slight misdirection from the title. Either way, I know I'll be back more from this author whose perspective is fresh and gripping.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ I Liked It. The story was much more about the family of Ruthy who disappeared and that was a pleasant surprise, the sisters were great. Still a good bit of mystery, humor and some reality TV too

What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez is the story of a Puerto Rican family living in Staten Island, NY. I liked Claire Jimenez's easy-to-read writing style and that the story was told in muliple voices - mother Dolores and daughters Jessica, Nina, and even the missing Ruthy. I'm a sucker for a happy ending and unfortunately this story did not have one; I felt like the last chapter was rushed and depressing. All in all, though, I would like to read more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

{Bleeeep}

I lost track of the number of times that the word f*ck ( or a derivative of it) was used. If you find bad language or references to bodily fluids or functions funny, than you might enjoy this book more than I did.

OUTLIER 🚨 ALERT!

In 1996, Ruthy Ramirez, a thirteen year old girl with long red hair, and a beauty mark beneath her left eye, failed to come home after track practice one day.

There were no clues in the diary she left.

Years later, her now grown up sisters, Nina and Jessica, think that they spot her as a contestant called Ruby, on a raunchy, reality TV show called “Catfight”. (For some reason when I read the initial blurb, I thought they spotted her on “The Bachelor”- now that would have been funny!!)

They reach out to her on the show’s website but when they get no response-they decide to take a road trip along with their mom, Dolores and her friend, Irene, to the condo where the show is filming-so they can bring Ruthy/Ruby home.

This was described as hilarious and that is what I was expecting when I picked this up. I loved the premise!!

Unfortunately, the “humor” just didn’t resonate with me.

READ it if other reviews intrigue you.
SKIP it if my first paragraph convinced you that it isn’t a fit for you, either.

Expected Publication Date: March 7, 2023.

Thank You to Grand Central Publishing for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

Engaging plot with complex characters. I enjoyed the different voices which added perspective to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.

4.5

Ruthy Ramirez disappeared when she was 13. Over a decade later, her sisters see someone who looks just like her on a trashy reality TV show. Could it really be Ruthy? They decide to find out.

The story is told by Ruthy's sisters, Jessica and Nina; 13-year-old Ruthy, before she vanished; and their mother, Dolores. For being a story about a missing child, it is unexpectedly funny, especially Dolores's chapters, in which she's speaking to God. It was a little sad, but still a delight, and I look forward to more from Claire Jimenez.

CW: childhood sexual abuse (off page, some probably from family), child abuse, death of a parent, sexual assault, abduction, murder, physical violence.

4.5 rounded up. I loved this book and inhaled 75% of it in my second sitting. In only a bit more than 200 pages, Claire Jimenez sets up a whole world of this family and their lives. The voices and sense of place are so strong, and Jimenez clearly establishes who these women are and what their dynamics are. Around their relationships, you get a full sense of cultural, religious, economic, and generational influences, and the ways the disappearance of Ruthy has affected them over the years while they have also had to continue with their lives in their own ways. Underneath all of the humor - the dialogue and everyday observations are so funny - is sadness, quieter and longheld and coming out in different ways. The only drawback was that I felt that the ending was too abrupt, even though I hadn't expected a happy ending and it still hit me hard.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC of What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez.
While I was hoping that this book would be a true crime road trip, I was surprised that most of the book happens before they ever start looking for Ruthy. It wasn't what I was expecting but it did keep me engaged and desperate to know what happened to Ruthy Ramirez.

I thought this book would be more about finding out what happened to Ruthy, buts it's way more about the family. Also, way too many POVs. Would have preferred to stick with Nina and maybe Ruthy.

I read this book in one sitting! I could NOT put it down! WOW! What an incredible journey this book takes you on. Grief, laughter, anger, and forgiveness. I highly recommend this book.

A story of family secrets, young girls of color struggles through friendship challenges, hope, and loss. One finds this novel a mix of ups and downs and possibly one own family in one or more characters. Will Ruthy be found? That was the foundational hope, but instead other important things within this culturally proud family.

What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez
by Claire Jiminez
Pub Date: March 7, 2023
Grand Central Publishing
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!
A deeply powerful, raw debut novel that's "equal measures hilarious and haunting" (Crystal Hana Kim), of a Puerto Rican family in Staten Island who discovers their long‑missing sister is potentially alive and cast on a reality TV show, and they set out to bring her home.
I am such a sucker for sisterhood. I loved the back and forth telling between the sisters, their mom and even Ruthy.
This story is an honest tale of love and grief, Puerto Rican generational womanhood and hope. Fans of Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid would like this book.
4 stars

4.5 stars rounded up.

If you love books about family dynamics (and not just the pretty parts) then this is a story for you!

I like that the story was told from different points of view: Ruthy, who went missing when she was thirteen, her sisters, Jess and Nina, and their mother, Dolores.

It gives you extra insight into everyone's individual perspective and makes the telling of their family story more powerful.

While I wouldn't say it's an uplifting book, neither would I declare it to be too depressing.

I was invested in Ruthy's family's search for her and enjoyed the dialogue between them as they dealt with love, generational trauma, struggles with religion, and childhood challenges.

Thank you to #Netgalley for this ARC of #WhatHappenedToRuthyRamirez

I recently came across this title but I'm so glad I did because it was everything I needed at the time that I read it. I enjoyed this one and I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it! It was a deep read about family and different struggles. I think most people will enjoy it as well once they dig into this read. I enjoyed the characters and enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

I’m left trying to sort through my thoughts after reading What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez. There was a lot that I really liked about this book: the multiple POVs, the character development, the family bond (despite some obvious dysfunction), and the sprinkling of comedy. But there’s also a lot that left me disappointed: some added but (imo) unnecessary uncomfortable parts (which I won’t derail at risk of spoiling any details), some religious weirdness, and ultimately, the ending. I found it to be really disappointing, even if it was probably realistic.

I was left feeling largely meh after finishing this. It had potential, but a story like this one is maybe one that shouldn’t border on multiple genres- drama, comedy, etc. 3.5 stars rounded up.

I'm unsure on this book. The book description promised one thing, but the author delivered something else. The Ramirez family endured a parent's worst nightmare, the disappearance of their child, Ruthy, one night when she never returned home from school. Twelve years later, the two remaining sisters, Jessica and Nina, think they see someone on a reality TV show who looks like Ruthy, and decide to go investigate. Their mom gets wind of this and wants to join along on their trip.

As a reader, I went into the book thinking more of the story would surround the road trip to go find out if the TV star was really their long-lost sister Ruthy. But the road trip doesn't happen until 3/4 of the way through the book. Instead, the author spends a significant amount of time developing the various characters in the book and providing back story to the Ramirez family. I appreciated the character development but was looking forward to reading about the road trip and what the family would learn when they finally met up with Ruthy.

Overall, a solid debut. But don't read too much into the book's description as you may be disappointed.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read and review.

A generational story told alternately by Ruthy and her crazy culturally mixed Latina/black sisters, Nina and Jessica, and mother, Dolores. It’s adult fiction liberally sprinkled with expletive language. The story included girl drama with each other, boys, teachers etc. while they were in middle and high school. A very unfamiliar environment of a generation I’m far removed from set in Staten Island and the Bronx. It was cute, funny, clever and annoyingly like a reality show, my least favorite programming. I was not the correct audience for this genre. I did finish the book, couldn’t really relate to any of the characters. The author was new to me and I’m probably in the minority and others will love it.
Thanks to NetGalley for the digital advance reader copy of “What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez” by Claire Jiménez published by Grand Central Publishing. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

Ruthy Ramirez disappeared when she was 13 years old. Twelve years later, her older sister thinks she sees her on a bad girls reality TV show. Together with her sister, mom and mom's best friend, they set out to where the show is filmed to find out if it's really her. While this plot summary is accurate, the book really isn't about the search for a missing sister/daughter. It's really more about how her disappearance affected her family members. The novel alternates between the POV's of the main character and we really get to know this family in all of their hilarious and heart-breaking moments. Highly recommend.

Certain parts of this book worked very well for me. I bought into the family dynamic immediately, really enjoying the connection between Nina and Jessica, especially (two sisters). It felt genuine.
But while I enjoyed both the beginning and ending of this, I did find myself skimming through a few pages.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read with a realistic story to tell about losing a loved one.

I started this book a couple of days ago and had never heard of the author, but it sounded intriguing. Immediately, I was drawn to the author’s writing style! I absolutely loved the alternating points of view and the raw way the characters speak about what’s happening and about those around them which allowed for great character building. The story follows the Ramirez family whose daughter/sister went missing when she was 13. Eventually, her sisters see someone with the same birthmark and who looks just like Ruth’s on a reality tv show. From there, the story just takes off.

I loved this book and would highly recommend!