Reviewed for Amateur de Livre March/2008
Caesar & Mariposa
4 stars
At its center "Hearts Never Lie" by Patricia Pickett is a love story. The love story is layered with street slang and talk about drugs and murder, but the love is definitely there. Mariposa Soto has crushed on Caesar Simpson for most of her life. Caesar is 4 years older than Mariposa. He is also the best friend of her older cousin, Coffee, which makes both of them off-limits to the other. Mariposa was raised primarily by her maternal grandparents since the age of 7. "Butterfly's" mother was always off looking for the man that would complete her; she had no time for raising her daughter like a mother should. Caesar pretty much raised himself and his younger brother. Caesar's mom was absent in a different way, drugs.
I really enjoyed this book. I related to Mariposa's struggle as a single mom, trying to make her way in the world while still being a 20-something woman. I would recommend this to any reader of women's fiction, 16+. To the author I would like to mention two things. 1) There are some pretty distracting editing issues (quote marks are off, some new paragraphs and dialogue were not tabbed). 2) I would love to read a part two to their story.
My favorite part was Butterfly finding the will to stand up to Manny (I actually cringed away from the page when⦠you'll have to read âHearts Never Lieâ to find out.
Caesar & Mariposa
4 stars
At its center "Hearts Never Lie" by Patricia Pickett is a love story. The love story is layered with street slang and talk about drugs and murder, but the love is definitely there. Mariposa Soto has crushed on Caesar Simpson for most of her life. Caesar is 4 years older than Mariposa. He is also the best friend of her older cousin, Coffee, which makes both of them off-limits to the other. Mariposa was raised primarily by her maternal grandparents since the age of 7. "Butterfly's" mother was always off looking for the man that would complete her; she had no time for raising her daughter like a mother should. Caesar pretty much raised himself and his younger brother. Caesar's mom was absent in a different way, drugs.
I really enjoyed this book. I related to Mariposa's struggle as a single mom, trying to make her way in the world while still being a 20-something woman. I would recommend this to any reader of women's fiction, 16+. To the author I would like to mention two things. 1) There are some pretty distracting editing issues (quote marks are off, some new paragraphs and dialogue were not tabbed). 2) I would love to read a part two to their story.
My favorite part was Butterfly finding the will to stand up to Manny (I actually cringed away from the page when⦠you'll have to read âHearts Never Lieâ to find out.
