Dominicana by Angie Cruz (Author)

Ana Cancion is only fifteen years old and lives in the Dominican.  Juan Ruiz is twice her age and proposes to her. Her family forces her  to accept his proposal. With the proposal comes major changes.  She leaves the country she imagined growing old in and immigrates to America.

On a cold, winter day in 1965 she arrived in New York City. She doesn't love or know her new husband. He brings her into their apartment and promptly leaves her to fend for herself. He returns and leaves for days, even weeks at a time. Her life is miserable and she is lonely. He is abusive and unfaithful.

 She makes a plan to escape but it's foiled when she meets Juan's brother, Cesar. He convinces her to stay and for a brief moment her life has happiness. Cesar allows her to take classes to learn English and shows her the beauties of NYC, while Juan temporarily returns to the  Dominican. Ana is finally free and happy but then Cesar returns to NYC...

Ana's voice draws you in from page one to the the very last. The character growth is incredible and she evolves from this timid, innocent young girl to a brave, independent woman. The characters are real, honesty and full of faults. The story tells itself and flows off the pages with ease. Be prepared to get nothing done once you start reading this book because it's impossible to walk away from.