My Train Leaves at Three is a raw, emotionally resonant debut that blends grief, ambition, and identity into a vibrant, unflinching narrative. The story follows Xiomara, an Afro-Latina singer and actress grappling with the sudden death of her sister Nena. Rooted in Washington Heights and boxed in by family expectations, financial struggle, and years of emotional stagnation, Xiomara’s life teeters on the edge of collapse. She’s barely surviving—emotionally and economically—until a rare audition opportunity jolts her back to life.

Guerrero crafts a complex protagonist in Xiomara—brash, weary, and heartbreakingly human. Her internal journey is just as compelling as her external one: even as she chases a long-dormant dream in the cutthroat world of performance, she must navigate the murky waters of misogyny, self-worth, and what it means to honor both the past and the self she hopes to become. The arrival of Santi, a new co-worker with an unexpected softness, brings a glimmer of possibility, challenging Xiomara to open up to connection and reimagine what a fuller life might look like.

The novel shines in its depiction of the artistic grind and emotional toll of life on the margins. Through rich, evocative prose and sharp, often darkly humorous dialogue, My Train Leaves at Three paints a vivid portrait of loss and reinvention. It’s a coming-of-age story not of a teenager, but of a woman almost thirty, asking the hardest questions about who she is and what she’s willing to risk for the future she wants.

Ultimately, this is a story about holding space for grief while daring to hope—and it sticks with you, long after the final page.

4 stars

Guerrero expertly captures the angsty, creepy phase we all go through of trying to find ourselves, taking known risks just because we're feeling reckless, and dating maniacs. Xiomara is going through it, but it's to the great benefit of Guerrero's readers.

When Xiomara's sister dies, she understandably crashes out. Her financial situation is bleak, she's working unappealing jobs (especially for her age), and she has a clear dream but no sense of how to realize it without doing herself incredible harm in the process. Much of that harm comes in the form of being exploited by a man who has the power to make her professional goals come true and the money to keep her on the hook. Their interactions are just PAINFUL to read, increasingly so over time, and Guerrero writes this situation so realistically. I suspect many readers will relate to aspects of Xiomara's experiences and deeply wish they didn't.

While I enjoyed the read throughout, I especially appreciate the way things wrap up for Xiomara. This isn't a hopeless novel, and Xiomara is capable of growth. She also doesn't have to receive some outlandish prize or be borderline magical to change her circumstances. The whole time I read, I thought of folks I'd like to recommend this to so that they feel less alone and more seen as they chart their own bumpy courses.

I already look forward to more from Guerrero.

A nice quick read. It was nice to have a realistic ending where she did not get exactly what she wanted. I wish it had more Broadway behind the scenes for auditions.

I connected with this book and enjoyed reading it. Xiomara is utterly lost and a mess, in the best, most relatable way. She’s in her late 20s, dealing with grief, identity, and trust issues, all while navigating new experiences that feel both exciting and overwhelming. Like so many younger adults, she makes messy choices and has decisions forced on her, ones that left me hurt, confused, and reeling right alongside her.
I saw so much of myself in her, especially how she tries to carve out her path while carrying the weight of family and cultural expectations.
Natalie Guerrero captures that in-between space of not having it all figured out. It’s raw, emotional, and so real. Highly recommend if you're into stories about growth, identity, and learning to let go.

🚉 My Train Leaves at Three by Natalie Guerro — A Powerful Journey Through Grief, Identity, and Hope 🚉

I was approved for this book through NetGalley, and let me tell you—I devoured it in just two days. I couldn’t put it down. From the very first page, I was swept up into the world of Xiomara, a half-Dominican, half-Puerto Rican woman living in Washington Heights. As a fellow New Yorker, the familiar references, the essence of a Latina mom, and the raw portrayal of family struggles hit so close to home.

Xiomara is a train wreck—and I say that with all the love. She’s dealing with so much tragedy and trying to navigate a life that seems to be unraveling at every turn. She’s lost, she’s hurting, and she’s just trying to find her way back to herself after losing someone incredibly significant. The way Natalie Guerro writes her story is so real, so raw, and painfully relatable. I found myself rooting for her, aching for her, and completely wrapped up in her journey of self-discovery.

This book took me on a rollercoaster of emotions—grief, hope, heartbreak, and resilience. I could feel every struggle, every bit of confusion, and every small victory that Xiomara experienced. And the representation? Beautifully done. It brought me right back to the heart of Washington Heights, capturing the culture, the community, and the grit of living in that space.

I’m giving this book a solid 4.5 stars because it was everything I wanted and more. If you’re looking for a story that’s unapologetically real and full of heart, this is it. Natalie Guerro delivered a powerful tale of identity, healing, and finding your way—even when life feels completely off track.

I enjoyed this book about an aspiring Broadway actress struggling to find herself again after her sister’s death. Xiomara is working two jobs to support herself and her mom while struggling with grief for her sister as well as her own life and where she thought she’d be by now. At times it was hard for me to understand some of her decisions, leading to my three star rating. Overall a good read with a rom com ending that satisfies.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group for providing the copy of My Train Leaves at Three by Natalie Guerrero.I don't think this book was for me though because my old person energy kept interfering! I was so frustrated with Xiomara and her life choices and I found myself yelling “no no don’t do that!” a number of times. Of course it was because I cared about her and I’m used to being asked for advice by young people, so kudos to Guerrero for creating a vivid character that I worried about. I think readers in their 20s and early 30s might be able to identify with Xiomara’s struggles and take note of her perseverance. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

A coming-of-age novel that tackles grief and sexuality as a young woman. This wasn't totally "up my alley" - it was a bit too heavy for me but I think it touches on important topics of growing up as a woman, and the struggles teens experience when growing up.

A visceral look at grief and what it looks like to chase a dream. A central part of Xiomara’s story is the death of her older sister, and the reader sees her struggle to find dependable and healthy relationships, including frank depictions and discussions of sex that I think added to the complexity of the character.

Currently in a severe reading slump and just had a difficult time getting into this book so it was a DNF for me.

Thank you, NetGalley & the publisher for the e-ARC

3.75 stars

"I'll do anything to be desired."

Xiomara just feels so real and relatable. Every decision she made had me thinking, Would I do the same? Every moment of jealousy made me pause and go, Yeah, I'd probably feel that way too. She’s a little bit bitchy sometimes, but never in a mean-spirited way. It just felt honest, like the kind of emotional messiness we all go through as humans.
And yeah, Xiomara could be childish, moody like a sullen teenager at times. But honestly? I couldn’t even be mad. My grown-ass self still acts like that sometimes too.

Every character in this book felt real. Not like perfect, polished fiction. No Mary Sues, no impossibly supportive best friends or ideal families, just people, as they are. Flawed, raw, but still full of love in their own ways.

And I really loved how things turned out for Xiomara. It felt close to my own life. I’m not living my dream either, but I’m still happy. That hit home.

I really enjoyed this one. I debated between giving it 3.5 or 4 stars, and in the end, I went with 3.75.lol. because I saw a lot of myself in Xiomara. hehe

Note: Thank you, Random House Publishing Group, for giving me this ARC.

I’m a little torn by how to rate this. I’m not sure that I loved it, but at times it did pull on my heart and make me shed a few tears. The world setting for the story was the world I work in, so of course I’m a bit hyper critical about the realism there, and I don’t think it absolutely hit all the time. Ultimately I’m happy with where the story ended, but I had some trouble enjoying the story the whole way there.

This was a quick read, I understood Xiomara; she was dealing with grief and immense financial responsibilities for her and her mother.
We get to read about family, dreams, and identity. Wish the characters had more depth. This was a story about self-discovery.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House/One World for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The first thing that I have to comment on about this book is how gorgeously Guerrero's lyrical writing that seamlessly connects with Xiomara as she chases her dreams of being a Broadway star following the loss of her beloved sister. Xiomara herself, an ambitious Afro-Latina woman, is an authentic character, which makes it easy to root for her success.

Grief is neither a light nor easy thing to tackle, but Guerrero does so with grace and depth. Her writing morphs from having more of a YA-feel to one that's more adult and mature, paralleling Xiomara's own journey. While the pacing occasionally felt slow, the emotional payout at the end makes it that much more worth it.

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

Thank you to One World Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced ARC of Natalie Guerrero’s debut novel.

Grief and loss affects everyone in different ways. The first half of this book was tough to read because X acts so immature for her age, and makes many questionable choices. However, I am a sucker for flawed characters and their growth journeys. X was an easy character to root for, and the second half of the book had me cheering her on. Loved the ending.

*My Train Leaves at Three* by Natalie Guerrero is a beautifully written debut that hit me right in the heart. The story of Xiomara, an Afro-Latina actress and singer coping with the loss of her sister while chasing her dreams, felt so real and raw. Guerrero’s lyrical writing made it easy to connect with Xiomara’s journey, from her struggles with grief to her moments of joy and hope.

The themes of family, identity, and following your dreams resonated deeply with me, though I wished some of the side characters had more depth. There were moments when the pacing slowed, but the emotional payoff at the end was totally worth it.

Overall, this novel left me feeling inspired and moved. Highly recommend it for anyone who loves stories about resilience and self-discovery.

If you are dealing with healing through grief, or have at any point, you will appreciate the beautiful writing and emotions of My Train Leaves at Three. I first of all, am attracted to books set in NYC and have a Broadway connection! I most enjoyed the struggle of trying to achieve your dreams while overcoming loss and grief. It read a little YA in the beginning which I am not a fan of but I think it aged up as the chapters went on. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Learning how to move forward while grieving is different for everyone. The main character did come across as younger then 29, her choices and reasoning fit the age range of 20-24. Overall I appreciated the story and Xiomara’s growth.

I liked this quite a bit. A great coming of age tale that talks about identity and wanting to live a life that is different to what our ancestors had.

this book was a breath of fresh air, it felt like something new and that’s always refreshing. I’m rating this read 4/5

Grief is so weird and stifling and it makes no sense at times and I think the author does a great job of portraying that with Xiomara trying to navigate life after her sister’s death. There’s so much I want to talk about from this book but it’s all spoilers. I’ve stayed up late just to run through this book. Xiomara is a complex character but not in a bad sense, she’s just a girl that’s been through some things.

This was a really great debut, I look forward to more of her work in the future.