Review: Watch Us Shine (by Marisa de los Santos)

My Rating: 4 stars

When I first picked this book up, I had no idea that it was part of Marisa de los Santos's popular series Love Walked In. This worried me initially, as I hadn't read any of the other books in the series, so I was afraid I would be lost without the backstory or that I wouldn't be able to connect with the characters.  Luckily, this one turned out to be a standalone story that didn't require any knowledge from previous books (though I've heard that it's recommended to read the other books in the series for the best emotional effect).  With that said, even though I wasn't familiar with this particular series or its characters prior to diving into it, one thing I was familiar with was the writing, as I had read de los Santos's previous standalone novel I'd Give Anything and remember being smitten by how beautiful and heartfelt the writing was.  My sentiments toward that book very much apply here as well — the memorable, relatable characters who may act a bit quirky at times, but overall are tremendously endearing; the themes of family, love, forgiveness, truth, regrets, and relationships in all its various forms;  the "messiness" of complicated family dynamics where each member might not agree with or understand one another, but still love each other regardless;  and of course, the emotional nuances that permeate the story, woven into the narrative in a way that felt seamless and effortless.

De los Santos has a way of tackling difficult topics with empathy and grace, which I admire and appreciate.  Her characters are put through some incredibly hard things, and sometimes the decisions they make I might not necessarily agree with, but yet I couldn't help rooting for them wholeheartedly.  I loved all of the characters in here, but I especially connected with Martha, specifically in her role as protector (in this case, of her sister Eleanor), which ends up taking more of a toll on her than anyone could've anticipated. Martha's story was heart wrenching, yet rendered so magnanimously, with an undercurrent of hope and compassion that added emotional nuance, but was never heavy-handed.  

There was actually so much to unpack with this moving, poignant story that it's virtually impossible to do the story justice in the short space of a review.  I definitely recommend picking this one up, especially if you've read the other books in the series.  Over the course of just this book, Cornelia, Eleanor, and their large, extended family already endeared themselves to me to the point that I definitely want to read the previous books in the series so that I can get further acquainted with them.

Received ARC from William Morrow via NetGalley.