Now Then is an extremely moving story of a young women exploring her roots while navigating the challenges of love, loss, and finding one’s footing while navigating adulthood.

I enjoyed the writing and appreciated how the author weaved together the stories of a mother and daughter both fighting personal battles across generations -- and how their own stories influenced and affected each other. I loved being transported back to 1960s Cuba and feeling the hope (and sorrow) of revolution. Following Lily’s growth – from a teenager at Harvard, into a woman forced to confront tragedy and make brave choices – was a joy.

The book is well paced, the writing is superb, and I felt very invested in the characters. There were also several very well executed surprises and plot twists that created high quality suspense and kept me engaged.

This is one of the best novels I’ve read recently and I would recommend it to anyone who likes well-developed characters, history and/or historical fiction, family drama, or a love story in general. I could also imagine this being adapted into a great limited series on television. Kudos to the author and I can’t wait to read her next book!

"Now Then" blends historical fiction, romance, adventure and resistance in many forms into one sweeping story. We get to fall in love with a young woman who is chasing her dreams and later allows her daughter to better understand her own choices. A love story unfolds in an unlikely place at an unlikely time… during a political revolution. The exploration of the relationship between mother and daughters and the secrets generations of women carry. This is actually my favorite part of the story. So often young women know their mothers only through the lens of parenthood. It takes decades for kids to truly understand who their parents were before they forever changed their lives. Lily doesn’t learn about Marisol through an intimate conversation… instead she reads letters penned just for her. It made me think about my own relationships and the questions left unasked. About the immigrant journey. About past lives. About the dreams that were fulfilled and the ones that weren’t. I enjoyed learning so much about the Cuban Revolution and the themes around activism. While fiction, it is clear this book was well researched. I think this is a powerful novel for all generations to read together. It deepens conversations and sparks hope about the future… after learning how much communities have already endured.

This author captured me on page one and took me on a wonderful journey through the loves of Liliana Soto Walker and her mother Marisol. Bouncing between the 1950’s and the 1990’s was seamless, and both characters were beautifully portrayed.
Lily is dealing with college life in the 90’s and discovers letters that her mother has sent with her. Marisol, a very private person, lays out her past to Lily, and the reader can’t help but become as involved as Lily in a brave woman’s journey. Loved it!




Lily Marisol