With Love, Echo Park - by Laura Taylor Namey

About the Book

"Cuban American teenagers Clary, seventeen, and Emilio, eighteen, grew up together in the Echo Park community of Los Angeles clashing over their visions for the future of the neighborhood, but they find there is something stronger than local history tying them together."--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

From the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, this "touching and emotionally satisfying" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) novel follows two Cuban teens in LA's Echo Park neighborhood who clash over their visions for the future, the secrets between their families...and the sparks flying between them.

Seventeen-year-old Clary is set to inherit her family's florist shop, La Rosa Blanca--one of the last remnants of the Cuban business district that once thrived in Los Angeles's Echo Park neighborhood. Clary knows Echo Park is where she'll leave a legacy, and nothing is more important to her than keeping the area's unique history alive.

Besides Clary's florist shop, there's only one other business left founded by Cuban immigrants fleeing Castro's regime in the sixties and seventies. And Emilio, who's supposed to take over Avalos Bicycle Works one day, is more flight risk than dependable successor. While others might find Emilio appealing, Clary can see him itching to leave now that he's graduated, and she'll never be charmed by a guy who doesn't care if one more Echo Park business fades away.

But then Clary is caught off guard when an unexpected visitor delivers a shocking message from someone she thought she'd left behind. Meanwhile, Emilio realizes leaving home won't be so easy--and Clary, who has always been next door, is who he confides in. As the summer days unfold, they find there's something stronger than local history tying them together.

Review Quotes

★ "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."--Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

"A satisfying blend of romance, social activism, and deep roots. . . . This earnest coming-of-age story is a tribute to family, culture, and resilience."--Kirkus Reviews

"Clary evolves from a high school girl clinging to her hometown and way of life to imagining a world beyond the city's borders. . . . Cuban culture and Spanish are sprinkled throughout, adding dimension and authenticity to the story. . . . A great addition to realistic fiction, this book has equal parts romance and family drama."--School Library Journal

"Namey crafts deep, complex characters with rich relationships, both to their families by blood and the greater sense of familia that residents of the close-knit neighborhood of Echo Park have. . . . Set against this tight weave of history, family, and belonging, Namey's multi-dimensional characters, pitch-perfect dialogue, and big, personal questions about identity and belonging make this an ode to family, community, culture, and friendship."--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

About the Author

Laura Taylor Namey is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of young adult fiction including Reese's Book Club pick A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, A British Girl's Guide to Hurricanes and Heartbreak, When We Were Them, and With Love, Echo Park. A proud Cuban American, she can be found hunting for vintage treasures and wishing she was in London or Paris. She lives in San Diego with her husband and two children. Visit her at LauraTaylorNamey.com.