A great story to lose yourself in. Lucia is amazing. Smart, strong, creative, kind, giving, everyones “go to” person often at the expense of her own self interests. She is incredible at her work and yet that’s all her life is composed of. That is until she meets the love of her life and upends everything she knows and adores. Now that she has moved from the US to London, is a new mom she’s feeling a bit adrift. She starts a new job things weren’t as anticipated. With so many things in flux, up to and including questioning her husbands commitment to their relationship. she is wondering if she can figure it all out before it all comes crumbling down? I enjoyed her story of finding her inner self and strength and getting to where she wants to be.

Lucia thought her life was going to be great, she fell in love, got married had a baby and moved across the ocean from Austin to London. But Lucia doesn't fit in to her husband Oliver's fancy snotty friends and they don't give her any grace. In order to feel more like herself Lucia takes a job at an uber posh bank's philanthropy division. Now she's surrounded by wealthy people with open pockets to give to worthy causes, but she isn't fully feeling like she's accomplishing the same good that she did in Austin, and she is constantly working which is hurting her marriage. Can Lucia find the balance she needs to find happiness?

I really wanted to like this one but it fell a bit flat for me. There was quite a bit of miscommunication in the storyline and had the main characters just had an honest conversation with each other there would not have been a story to tell. I personally am not a big fan of miscommunication that can be easily addressed. That being said I did really like all of the characters the premise of the story. Unfortunately it was a bit slow and with the level of miscommunication it didn't work for me. I will definitely try another book by this author because I really did enjoy some of the banter and the characters.
3.5 stars

Thank you to Zibby Books and NetGalley for the ARC to review

This story, set in London, is about the outside pressures we all face and the many hats we wear as women. It’s about the roles we play in taking care of everyone else, many time losing ourselves, and sometimes our purpose, along the way. I enjoyed it, and it really resonated with me!

Before I start I will admit that this isnt my usual fare. But I wanted something lighter so ...

Lucia is a charity worker who lives in Austin, Texas but her world is turned upside down when her very own Mr Darcy, Ollie, arrives and they fall in love.

A couple of years later Lucia is now living in London, a full time mum to Marley. She feels cut off from the world and when a chance to pursue her charitable works presents itself she jumps at the chance.

However Lucia finds out very quickly that this new job is more about protecting the wealthy than making a difference to those in need. Plus the job is playing havoc with her home life. How can she still be a mum but have friends and a satisfying work life?

I didn't really find Lucia a very sympathetic character. The descriptions of British life are also pretty hackneyed - we're all posh, we sound like the Queen and we care more about animals than people.

This simply wasn't my sort of book. However I would recommend it to those who like a little romance, a little intrigue and a lot of swanky characters. It would make a great light summer read.

Thankyou to Netgalley for the advance review copy.

The bulk of the storyline is Lucia’s evolving self from- daughter of immigrants
single, post-grad working gal
married
mother
British transplant
working mother- long, long hours
Ultimately Lucia comes across as a relatable woman who struggles to balance all of the lives of her life. I didn’t always agree with her choices, but that didn’t get in the way of enjoying her story.

I am a true fan of the books Zibby Owens’ publishing company puts out and was thrilled to receive a digital ARC of Something’s Gotta Give by Alisha Fernandez Miranda. The main character, Lucia, begins the story working in philanthropy for ArteAustin, moving with the desire to help in fundraising. After meeting Ollie at an event, they fall in love and a child later, end up relocating to London, changing Lucia’s life trajectory. After stumbling through establishing herself on a new country, leaving behind the knowns of her world and taking on motherhood and new family, she finds herself needing more. Alisha lands a job for the philanthropy branch of a bank and starts on a quick about face back into the working world. This push and pull of motherhood, wanting meaningful work without losing your “self” becomes the central theme throughout the book. Alisha Fernandez Miranda weaves a unique and fun story built on a bigger theme of purpose, work and family. I absolutely loved the setting and the storyline with its twists and turns. Thankful for the early copy and the wonderful story. Can’t wait to go back and her first book now!

In Someone's Gotta Give by Alisha Fernandez Miranda we will meet Lucia, a Latina nonprofit executive turned new mother, is navigating the chaos of expat life in London when she lands what seems like a dream job advising the ultra-wealthy on charitable giving. From Buckingham Palace events to private island philanthropy, Lucia confronts the question: can she keep her moral compass and her sanity intact while juggling motherhood, marriage, and the pressure to “do it all”?

I truly enjoyed the sharp humor and emotional candor here. I found Lucia to be authentic, relatable, self-aware, and honest. Reading the author's previous work I was pulled to the sharp social commentary. Miranda draws on her real-world experience in philanthropy to offer a nuanced critique of wealth and altruism. As she notes, the novel explores the tension between "meaning well" and "doing good"—a central theme drawn from her 20+ years in the sector.

Someone’s Gotta Give is a vibrant and heartfelt debut that balances sharp cultural insight with laugh-out-loud moments. It’s especially rewarding for anyone grappling with identity, ambition, and belonging; not just as working parents and professionals, but as adults striving to align values with a life that’s often too busy to pause.
If you're drawn to character-driven stories that tackle societal themes with humor and grace, this novel delivers both charm and substance.

A funny and relatable mom-com!

Thanks Zibby Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

Synopsis -

Lucia has roller bladed into her London life - falling in love, getting married and having her baby daughter, she’s figuring it all out as a new mom. But when a job comes up as a Philanthropic advisor at a highly reputed London bank, Lucia has to try to fit into the corporate world. With her one year old teething and getting stretched thin at work, Lucia is struggling to juggle both her family and professional life. Will she find her middle ground?

Review -

Oh this was such a fun and entertaining book! What drew me to Lucia’s character is of course how relatable she is to me as a working mother. I instantly warmed to her like she was my own best friend through our shared experiences.

The author explores all the facets of today’s womanhood - the aspects of life as a SAHM, the feeling of invisibility/taken for granted, the lack of purpose, worthlessness and low self esteem, while also delving into the “mom guilt” once a mom goes back to work - how the feeling would now morph into “ the not doing/being enough”, over compensating and how the domestic burden still weighs heavy. What's more, there’s the overbearing new boss, the long hours and the toxic workplace where you need to prove yourself.

The other highlight of the book is the humor, the jovial tone of the writing that makes it so light-hearted and breezy to read. There’s a huge focus on Lucia’s previous career as a charity fundraiser back in Texas and themes of Philanthropy. It was mindblowing to learn about the kind of impact the gift of giving could have and the difference it makes to the needy.

Towards the end, though Lucia is scrambling to fix her life, seeking that rhythm and balance, I loved that she was determined to do good in the world and make it a better place, however small her role might be.

I really enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it as a breather between heavier reads!

Alisha Miranda steers readers from internships in her memoir, My What If Year, to the fundraising world of London’s elite. Her main character, Lucia is a workaholic whose “life expands as it contracts.” From the ArteAustin Festival in Texas to London’s posh parties, Lucia experiences the daily dilemmas of family life along with the chaos of corporate politics. A challenge corporate moms will recognize at every turn. Zibby Publishing calls it, “A fun and feisty novel about balancing motherhood, love and career all set in gorgeous London!”
Miranda’s debut novel is well-paced and witty. Unlike corporate schemes to gather money from the elite, Someone’s Gotta Give is seeking readers’ support with themes of loyalty, making an impact, and learning the difference between meaning well and doing good.
Alex, I’ll take “Galas and Giving” for $2000!

I enjoyed this book so much!

I mean, anything that contains a scheme called Operation Bridget Jones is a no-brainer, right?

Lucia has met the love of her life, but being with him means moving to another continent and trying to find a place in his world. She loves her husband and precious daughter, but is she losing herself?

In a Devil Wears Prada-esque move, she takes a job in high finance, and things start to change.

This book made me laugh, and it made me tear up. I wanted to be best friends with Sooz and roll my eyes at pompous Belly.

And those touching moments between Lucia and sweet Marley… so genuine and heartwarming.

This is a story about staying true to who you are when life’s inevitable changes come your way, and Lucia is that friend I think we’d all want to get takeout and a glass of wine with.

Lucia’s work means a lot to her; what is your favorite job you’ve ever had?

After a whirlwind lance and a quick Las Vegas wedding, Texas fundraiser Lucia moves to London with her new English husband and has a baby daughter. She’s having trouble adjusting to the life of a stay at home mom, the loss of her career and the general oddities of life in England when she’s offered a dream job. She will be working for a private bank, assisting wealthy clients with philanthropy decisions. On the surface, her life looks perfect. She has a nanny, a new wardrobe, wealthy new friends and a busy job related social life. The reality is that she has no time for her husband and her old friends. Her marriage is in trouble and a childhood friend of her husband, the improbably named Belly, has reentered his life. And Lucia is putting her principles aside to further her career. She is lost.

How she finds herself is what makes Someone’s Gotta Give a delightfully entertaining novel. You can’t not love Lucia! Other characters shine: Sooz, Ollie, the unforgettable Henry and even Celeste. The plot has its twists but what stands out is Lucia’s struggle to do the right thing - at home and at work. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Zibby Publishing and Alisha Fernandez Miranda.

this one was just okay for me. i don’t think i was the target audience because i struggled to connect with the characters and found it hard to stay fully invested in their journey. there were moments that had potential, but overall, it just didn’t hit for me. not bad, just not for me. 🤷🏾‍♀️

SOMEONE’S GOTTA GIVE – Alisha Fernandez Miranda
Zibby Publishing
ISBN: 979-8990630406
August 5, 2025
Contemporary Fiction

London – Present Day

To outsiders, Lucia appears to have it all. A loving husband and a toddler daughter whom she stays home with in their posh London home. But Lucia is restless. She’d left a career behind in the United States, working for a nonprofit that she left to move to London after she met Ollie. She hasn’t yet been able to fill her days with lots of friends, though she did recently meet “Sooz” at a playground where they both take their children.

One day out of the blue, Lucia receives an email from her old boss in Austin, Texas. There is a job opportunity for Lucia at a local London bank working with rich people looking for charities to give to, and the job description is right up her alley. With a recommendation from her old boss, she applies for the job, though the interview is awkward as the potential new boss, Celeste, is a bit of a stickler. However, Lucia gets the job, and her life will never be the same. She is under a lot of pressure, both at home and at work. But it turns out to be rewarding. But the more she begins to enjoy the job, the harder things are at home. Will she have to choose her marriage or her job?

SOMEONE’S GOTTA GIVE is about a modern-day look at a woman juggling a career and family. Lucia loves her family but being a newcomer in a city she barely knows is frustrating. She could be friends with Ollie’s friends, but their lives are different from hers, and they tend to look down on her American ways. The job opportunity literally landed in her lap, and she feels she can’t turn it down. Celeste is a bear of a supervisor. She's tough as nails. But Lucia is soon on Celeste’s good side, though it means giving up time with her husband and child. Readers can see why there is soon marital tension. A family crisis while Lucia is abroad may be the last straw.

Along the way, Lucia meets several rich potential donors. It does turn out that Lucia is good at her job. She gets the confidence of a few, including directing them to good causes, and not ones that you’d think were typical charities. But of course, it runs afoul of Celeste, who thinks charity giving should be what others are doing and not necessarily off the wall or political. But that is why Lucia loves her job, as she enjoys helping the less fortunate in ways that are outside the box. As she locks horns with Celeste, will Lucia find her job in jeopardy? What about her marriage to Ollie? Can she get the right balance between her career and family life?

An intriguing tale that is not a romance, though by the end of SOMEONE’S GOTTA GIVE, a lot of people are happy. See what I mean by picking up a copy today.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

“Before she knew it, she woke up one morning a mother, a wife, and an expat. She didn’t regret it—not for a second—but sometimes it felt like she had sleepwalked into a brand-new existence.”

Lucia Gutierrez-Barrow, granddaughter of Venezuela immigrants has moved from Austin, Texas to London following a whirlwind romance with her real-life version of Colin Firth. Once a non profit fundraiser, she finds herself on the other side of the table, working at the philanthropy arm of a major global bank and becomes embroiled in a world of British aristocracy. But spending other people’s money unexpectedly encompasses nefarious acts of greed, sabotage and power.

As Lucia tries to juggle her personal life with her professional passion and deep seeded principles, a cast of characters enter her orbit, complicating her journey toward redefining her purpose.

I was drawn to the premise, especially the London-expat-with-little-ones experience I share with the main character, and appreciated the care and balance the author took with both humorous and serious topics. Well done!

Many thanks to Net Galley and Zibby Books for the early copy in exchange for my honest review.

Lucia is a compelling, relatable character whose journey had me fully invested from the first chapter. There's a well developed examination of extreme wealth and the underlying questions of purpose, identity, and whether it’s possible to do good in the world and stay true to yourself. Someone's Gotta Give had great themes that resonated with me and was also a read with hidden depth, a smart, nuanced dramedy that’s equal parts "I feel seen" and "This is good to talk about" moments.

💫 A perfect end-of-summer read for anyone who’s ever wondered if it’s possible to “do it all” without losing yourself in the process.

Someone’s Gotta Give by Alisha Fernandez Miranda is a sharp, funny, emotionally aware novel that hit me right where I live. Thank you to Zibby Publishing and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

Lucia is that rare kind of protagonist who feels like someone I might actually know—or have been. She’s smart, capable, and restless. A new mother who loves her baby but misses herself. A woman who’s moved across the world for love and found herself isolated and untethered. There’s a real sense of unease beneath her daily routine: the tension of being grateful for what you have while mourning what you gave up to get it. When she accidentally lands a high-powered job as a philanthropic adviser to London’s wealthiest families, it feels like a lifeline. But it’s not a rescue—it’s a whole new balancing act.

The job is as surreal as it is seductive. Lucia goes from baby wipes to black-tie events, rubbing shoulders with aristocrats, boarding private planes, and attending donor meetings in glass-walled boardrooms overlooking the Thames. But beneath all the glamor, she’s still wiping mashed banana off her coat and texting her nanny in a panic. Miranda nails this juxtaposition—the fantasy of power and prestige up against the unrelenting reality of early motherhood. Lucia’s attempts to inhabit both worlds are painful, funny, and deeply familiar.

Miranda writes with a confident wit that gives the novel an irresistible rhythm. The scenes are cinematic and packed with tiny, telling details—awkward curtsies, high-stakes charity galas, absurdly posh conversations. But what grounds it all is Lucia’s inner monologue. She’s sharp, often self-deprecating, sometimes oblivious, and always human. Watching her try to keep it together—even as her marriage cracks, her friendships strain, and her sense of self warps—is like watching a friend unravel in slow motion. Not with drama, but with quiet desperation.

There’s a moment when Lucia reflects, “You can only sell your soul in installments before you realize it’s gone.” That line stuck with me. It speaks to the moral ambiguity of her new world, where billionaires pat themselves on the back for giving away money while expecting social credit in return. But it also speaks to something more personal: the slow erosion of boundaries women experience when they try to be everything to everyone. The “just this once”s that turn into a life you no longer recognize.

One of the novel’s strengths is that it doesn’t flatten its supporting characters into archetypes. Sooz, Lucia’s fierce, no-nonsense boss, is ambitious and complex, not just a workplace villain. Her husband’s ex, Charlotte, could’ve been an easy source of jealousy or drama, but Miranda gives her grace and realism. Even Lucia’s husband, who is frustrating in his emotional distance, is not a bad guy—just someone who’s also lost and afraid to admit it. These layered relationships keep the story emotionally grounded and nuanced.

The novel doesn’t push toward a fairy tale ending. Lucia’s choices come with consequences. Her ambition costs her time with her child. Her silence frays her marriage. Her craving for something “more” leads to detours she can’t take back. But the power of the book is in how it honors those complexities. It doesn’t punish her for wanting. It lets her fumble, regroup, and begin again—not perfectly, but honestly.

There were moments I laughed out loud—Lucia’s panicked scramble to find a decent outfit for a royal brunch, her stilted small talk with people who think “work” is a hobby. And there were moments I had to put the book down and just sit with it—especially the quiet ones, like when Lucia stares at herself in a bathroom mirror, mascara smudged, asking what it is she really wants.

Someone’s Gotta Give is more than a story about motherhood, marriage, or career. It’s about identity—the one you build, the one you lose, and the one you fight to reclaim. It’s about the space between what you should want and what you do want, and the courage it takes to tell the truth about that. Alisha Fernandez Miranda captures this beautifully, with humor, insight, and a lot of heart.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy for an honest review.

Overall, I enjoyed the writing and story of this book. Lucia is a new mom, in a new country, without a job and has seemingly forgotten who she is as she is navigating her new normal. When it unexpected job opportunity arises, Lucia finds her back to herself, but not without some challenges and consequences.

I rooted for Lucia throughout most of the book, even when it was clear that she was making some terrible decisions and somewhat being dismissive of her husband’s and Sooz’s feelings. There were definitely several times where I was frustrated at her being non-communicative and letting things fester until things eventually became worse. Ultimately, I’m glad she got things together when it was obvious her life was falling apart.

The writing was good—fresh in a way where I immediately felt like I was taken back to London and alongside Lucia as she navigated the ups and downs. There were also times of hilarity over Lucia’s bumbling performance of an American in London—something I am all too familiar with!

Three and a half stars!

Someone's Gotta Give by Alisha Fernandez Miranda was such a fun read. Who doesn't want to try and have it all? Landing a job when you aren't looking, Lucia is on her way to help people and reap the glamour and benefits of her important new role. Only at what cost to her family, friends and everything that truly matters? Following Lucia's ups and downs made you feel like you were tagging along for the ride, and rooting for her all the way. Pick this one up, it is a great new book and doesn't disappoint.

Thank you to Zibby's Publishing and net galley for the advanced reader copy.

Lucia has lost herself in motherhood, after a whirlwind romance, marriage and move to London. She doesn’t fit in with her husband’s family, friends, or country. Although she loves her daughter, giving up her job securing donations for immigrant causes was also giving up a piece of her identity. Why not get dressed up and go to an interview, just to check it out?!

In a flash, Lucia is immersed in the world of philanthropy again, only this time on the side of the super wealthy. She no longer has to plead for donations, but must entertain old money families, finding places to channel their money and make them look good in the process. She’s torn between the moral issues behind this wealth as well as the demands of her ladder climbing boss.

This novel gives off Devil Wears Prada/ “Younger” vibes. It was interesting to follow Lucia to the events with the rich and famous. It also sheds light on the motives behind some philanthropic endeavors being less than from a true generous spirit. Really enjoyable read. No spice. Loved it!!

Zibby publishing has introduced me to many authors, and this is one I have enjoyed. Miranda’s debut My What If Year: A Memoir was a delightful memoir where she explored many facets of her life.

This one explores Lucia, single living in Austin, Texas and it fast forwards to London, as a married woman with a baby. In England she works with wealthy families while managing motherhood and being a wife.

This one is entertaining as it explores the complex world of fundraising, philanthropy while daily challenges of motherhood. Can she keep it all together? Something of Someone Gotta give? Can she do it all with a smile or will her life come crashing down?