Okay, so first off this novel doesn't have the same grab you from the start effect that Dominicana does. How Not to Drown sneaks up on instead.

I found Cara's story quite difficult to engage with for the first quarter of the book but then something clicked and I found myself wanting to read more for longer.

The story follows Cara Romero who has been living in the USA for many years but lost her factory job a few years ago. Under the Obama presidency various schemes were begun to help those long term seniors back into employment. Cara's story follows her regular meetings with her counsellor who helps her navigate the job market. Of course Cara spends far more time talking about her life than about the possibility of a job but she is ever hopeful that she will gain employment. Of course the main impediment is that she looks after everyone else she knows giving her little time for paid work.

At first I found the regular use of Dominican slang quite irritating but I eventually gave up looking everything up and just enjoyed the ride. And it is enjoyable and gentle telling of a woman's (often difficult) journey through life from escaping an abusive mother and husband to moving to the USA to the rift with her son and sister.

Angie Cruz is definitely a talented writer. I'd love her to write something that had a wider scope than Dominican expats but both Dominicana and How Not to Drown have been enjoyable reads.

I would recommend this to previous fans of Angie Cruz. It's not as impactful as Dominicana but stick with it, it's still a good story.

I received this ARC from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I absolutely loved the format of this book. Akin to my internal monologue I was compelled to find out more about Cara and her chaotic quest to find work, a desire to source a sustainable income in a time of great despair, and all of the care and love she provided in between. My favourite parts were the “formal” documents in between chapters which revealed far more about Cara that her sessions did. I will be thinking about Cara for a long time.

Im now going to find another Angie Cruz novel to devour as she writes with such relatable tenderness that I need more!!

Thank you as always to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a chance to read and review this ARC.

I loved Dominicana so I was thrilled to get my hands on this book early! Again, a wonderful read from Cruz.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this title in exchange for my feedback.