★ 05/20/2024
Seventeen-year-old Clary Delgado works in La Rosa Blanca, her family’s L.A. flower shop. When Jada Morrison walks into the store and introduces herself as Clary’s half sister, Clary is unsettled—her mother left when she was young, so Clary was raised by her father and her Cuban grandparents. Unsure of what to do when Jada offers to connect her with their mother, Clary focuses on other things. To honor her Cuban heritage, she embarks on a quest to obtain historic recognition for La Rosa Blanca and Avalos Bicycle Works, the last two Cuban-owned businesses in Echo Park. She’s perplexed and annoyed by neighbor Emilio Avalos’s plans to leave L.A. following graduation rather than take over Avalos Bicycle Works. Lately, however, she feels as if their relationship is evolving, especially when Emilio offers to teach Clary to ride a bike. Expertly rendered characters and pitch-perfect interactions coalesce into a touching and emotionally satisfying novel by Namey (A British Girl’s Guide to Hurricanes and Heartbreak) in which a small Cuban community forefronts love, unity, and support to navigate the consequences of secrets and the endless possibilities of the future. Ages 12–up. Agent: Natascha Morris, Tobias Literary. (Aug.)