When Raul shows up at the memorial service for Gabby's mother, she doesn't believe his claim to be her birth father. Gabby's grieving the woman who spent months fighting cancer, the woman who raised her alone until she met and married Juan, the woman who frustrated her and pushed her and made her who she is. There's no space in her mind for the absurd idea that this man could have anything so crucial to do with her. Juan was her father in all the ways that count, or so she is convinced.

After the service, Gabby tries to get her old life back, the one she had before she gave it up to take care of her mother full-time. But several things make that impossible. On top of her mountainous college debt from culinary school, her mom took out credit cards in Gabby's name to try and salvage her mortgage payments. Now that debt is added to Gabby's tab. When she tries to get her job back as a sous chef in a top LA restaurant, she knows the megalomaniac in charge is going to make it hell for her. When he demotes her to hostess and then assumes her desperation entitles him to assault her, Gabby flees with the knowledge that he'll ruin her career in the city. She has another option, one she never thought she'd take.

Raul has an extra house, one once inhabited by his grandmother in Sonrisa, New Mexico, the same small town he calls home. If Gabby agrees to come down and fix it up, she can sell it and keep the profits. Gabby smells a rat. The man is clearly trying to buy his way into her good graces, but what else? He's been content to leave her be for thirty years, and she sees no reason to change that now.

Upon arriving in Sonrisa, Gabby gets off on the wrong foot with the casually dressed Mayor Paz with his clear arrogance and need to voice opinions on things that aren't his business. Things get worse for her when it turns out the mayor is also the most qualified handyman in town. Diego's her best shot at getting the house off her hands quickly, so she'll have to get used to his prickly company. What follows is a closed-door romance that packs in plenty of emotion and growth. The major barrier between them isn't their initial enmity but Gabby's conviction that she'll leave Sonrisa.

The story's single POV suits Gabby's journey and leaves room for relationships outside the romance. In particular, we follow Gabby's relationship with Raul and her discoveries about their family history. She also has strong relationships with her "aunts," the women who have always been her mother's best friends and have a big presence in her life, even now interfering in her decision to go to Sonrisa, however temporarily. I also want to call out her neighborly relationship with Lola, a not-witch, not-psychic (despite her reputation) who nevertheless hits Gabby with some perceptive hard truths. My favorite part is when she draws out the details of the final act breakup (more of an open-ended big fight) and exclaims, "I thought I fixed you!" She's dismayed at the level of self-destruction on display, which she thought she'd cured in her younger, more flammable friend.

There are a lot of real-world issues addressed in the book beyond grief and workplace harassment. Gabby experiences panic attacks and has since she was young. She's defensive about being a Latina who isn't a fluent Spanish speaker-- it's part of her initial battle with Diego. In addition to the sexism she experienced at her high-profile job, racism was also part of her daily experience, and she had to work extra hard to get the coveted position she once had. Gabby's also a fat woman who was shamed by her mother for her appearance. Though she doesn't have a toxic relationship with food as a result, we do see it impact her self-esteem, especially as it relates to her hottie love interest. All these elements of Gabby's story are woven in seamlessly to build her point of view. I only call them out and list them like this here to draw attention to her nuance as a character and the way the author includes real-world experiences that are important to see on the page.

Too Soon For Adiós is a cool take on a small-town story because Sonrisa is a place where so many characters moved for a fresh start, but it also has its roots in a fascinating history of resistance and empowerment. This is a light-hearted book despite the many heavy topics at play-- more of a warm hug than a bucket of cold water. It's also a quick read, and I would have liked to dig into some of the excellent blend of themes and characters a bit further. It's the only thing stopping me from being all-in excited. I would definitely pick up another book by this author. Thanks to Montlake for my copy to read and review!

Beautiful and heartfelt. One that will stay with you. Grief and the hardships of it are well portrayed.

I enjoyed This book. It was well written. I was able to engage with characters and plot. I would Read another book by this author and I recommend This book

Annette Chavez Macias's novel, "Too Soon For Adios," features a Mexican American protagonist, which resonates deeply with Latine readers. The representation felt personal, grappling with lost connections, and navigating complex family dynamics. This is a heartwarming piece of contemporary fiction, following Gabby's poignant journey to reconnect with her father and Mexican heritage after losing her mother to cancer.

The novel beautifully explores themes of grief, identity, and love, complemented by vivid descriptions of food, small-town life, and the challenges of adulthood in one's late twenties. The romance between Gabby and Diego is both compelling and swoon-worthy, adding depth to the narrative. Moreover, the incorporation of historical elements, such as the "soldaderas" in the Mexican Revolution, adds richness to Gabby's journey of self-discovery and heritage exploration. Overall, while the story may follow familiar tropes of the genre, its thoughtful execution and engaging characters make for an immensely satisfying read.

The book is about a Mexican-American chef, Gabby who meets her biological father for the first time on the day of her mother’s funeral. First of all, it’s amazingly written and I have to commend on how the author writes about grief and loss. As I am not Mexican I am not sure if I can give an opinion on this, but my Mexican-American friends praised on how the author writes about Mexican culture. Other than that, I really enjoyed the romance and Diego is such a great love interest. Really excited to read more from this author!

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyed it. Recommend it.

I absolutely loved this book!
It´s an enemies to lovers, slow burn book. But it has so much more to the story than just the romace. It´´s a book about roots and finding yourself in the most mundane things. It´s a love letter for all the people that feel that don´t fit and don´t have a place to call their own. The trouth is, we always have us and this word is built with all the tings that we´ve been trought.
Everyone needs to read this ASAP.

I need everyone to prepare theirselves when they start reading this book. You are going to cry a lot. Just expected it. It's part of the process in reading this beautiful book. Just roll with the punches. That's the best way to read it. Won't explain anything else. Just get ready to be in your feels.

Too Soon for Adios is a great story. Gabby is a character that many people can identify with and you as the reader are cheering for her the entire time.

You don’t get over losing a loved one. You just learn how to live with it.

Thank you to Montlake and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Gabby Medina meets her biological father at her mother’s funeral. She abandoned her when she was a baby, and now he wants to give her a house in Sonrisa, New Mexico. She does not want to do anything about the house or him. But she could use the money. She decided to accept the offer, but she laid down some ground rules— she could do whatever she wanted with the house AND not because she was getting the house, it already meant she accepted him. Will they reach the closure they need? Is she willing to take the whole truth and forgive him?

I didn’t expect to relate to this book on so many levels. I understand Gabby and her strong emotions about her biological father. It is hard to accept someone who’s never been a part of your life. You cannot easily trust them because you know nothing about them. Imagine having to find out about your identity while grieving.

I also liked how grief was shown in different scenarios in this book. Grief can look different to everyone, as we all have our way of going through loss and grief. I liked how I got to see Gabby’s healing unfold. It could be hard for her to accept everything in one snap because she has been experiencing many emotions simultaneously. I liked how she could do and accept everything at her own pace. It didn’t feel forced.

Another thing I liked about this book is the detailed information about the recipes Gabby made! It made me hungry while reading 😅😂 I also appreciated the history lesson about Mexican culture! 😊

"Too Soon for Adios" is a story that explores loss, grief, second chances, forgiveness, and new beginnings. Set in a small town, Gabby's life takes an unexpected turn when she meets her biological father at her mother's funeral. With debt, no job, and no permanent home, she reluctantly accepts her father's offer to renovate and sell a house. As she navigates through messy family history and secrets, Gabby forms connections with the community and rediscovers her passion for cooking. Along the way, she encounters a frustrating contractor named Diego, leading to a complex and evolving relationship. The book delves into the themes of forgiveness, personal growth, and finding a sense of home. Gabby's journey is relatable, as she grapples with her grief and strives to create a new life for herself. The story skillfully addresses various themes in a thoughtful and comforting manner, providing healing and a sense of hope.

I did love this book but only because it helped me with my own closure. It was not my mother, but my father, and while he is not dead, it does feel that way some days. Sometimes fiction comes along and helps you with your own problems and this book did. I cannot wait to see what the author comes up with next.

What I can say about TSFA is that Macias’s prose will always be about family. I know that’s a bold thing for me to say, being that she only has two books out, but judging from the content of everything I just read, we can safely assume that this is her pride and joy.

What I appreciate about the story is that it teaches the late twenty-somethings that life is not all as put together as people make it out to be. Even though this book is peppered with loss, it’s still a nice, comforting story about learning about yourself after grief and determining the next steps. I enjoyed the book. It wasn’t the typical city girl who finds love in a small town kind of story. The plot is a little more complex than that, and I give Macias credit for not making it obvious.

After Gabby’s father (who she has never met) shows up at her mother’s funeral, she finds herself moving across the country with the goal of fixing up her great-grandmother’s house In order to sell it.

I liked this way more than I expecting to. Gabby’s journey to find out who she is without her mom and her job and with her estranged father in her small town hit me in my feelings. I enjoyed the audiobook!

I enjoyed this book about love, family and the importance of those who surround you. A sweet and heartfelt read, with good writing. Looking forward to seeing what the author writes next.

I thought the characters were both complicated and easy to understand, and their relationships were interesting and hard to ignore, overall. I really enjoyed studying the soldaderas who were part of the Mexican Revolution. I really liked this book and think it's a good choice for anyone who wants to read about dealing with sadness and moving forward in life. I was surprised by how fast I related to the story. This might be because I could see similarities between Gabby's mom and my own mom. The writer created a certain mood right from the beginning and the book made me feel many strong emotions. I didn't want the book to finish because I was enjoying it so much.

I originally perceived this novel as a romance and am happy to have been wrong. The writing was more emotional and nuanced than in her previous book, big chicas don't cry. I loved the representation of mexican american culture within the small town atmosphere. The star of the book to me was the food being used to develop the relationship between the MC and her father. The love story was adorable and rom com-like which is a good thing. I laughed several times. Overall i really really liked this book. Can't wait for more from this author.

I loved the captivating ambiance of the small town depicted in the book, and I appreciated the seamless inclusion of Mexican culture in the story. Despite this, the book didn’t quite meet my expectations. The characters felt a bit flat, and the pace seemed hurried. I would have preferred more nuanced character development and a more intricate plot to fully satisfy my reading experience.

I loved this book so much! It made me cry, it made me hungry , it made me happy 😂

This has all of the small town feels in it & was healing to read ❤️

I enjoyed the small-town setting and how the author incorporated Mexican culture throughout the novel. This was an okay read, but not my favorite of the authors. I felt that this book had very one-dimensional characters and felt rushed. I would've liked more character depth and storyline.