**Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.**

Yesica's husband, Jason, has just died, and she is having a difficult time with her grief. It has started to affect her work performance to the point where her boss insists she take a six week leave of absence and attend a grief support group to help. Then she gets a call from her grandmother that she and Yesica's mother, Ana, need a temporary place to stay while a contractor fixes some major water damage to their home. Ever since Yesica's father died, there has been a rift between her and Ana, because she has long held a grudge that Ana did not tell her that her father was even sick and so she didn't get to stay goodbye to him. Mama Melda, as her grandmother was called, was tough as nails, and raised her family on her own after her husband was shot and killed while at a liquor store when Ana was eight.

Everyone has things they never talk about, including these three generations of women. Once the secrets come pouring out, will the real healing begin? Can this family ever be repaired?

First off, if Annette wrote it, I'm buying it and reading it. She brings such life to her characters and paints a beautiful picture. This story really goes to show that everyone is going through something, and we need to approach them with kindness and understanding. Not everything may be as it seems.

The three generations of women in When We Were Widows are strong, stubborn and set in their ways. It was so powerful to watch them gain new strengths and trust in themselves and each other by sharing and confiding in one another.

I didn’t know about the history of the Chavez Ravine in Los Angeles, and it is apparent that great care and research was done to properly convey such a devastating part of Mexican American history. I’m thankful the author chose to include it because so much of our history is left untold and it’s important to share it.

When We Were Widows releases in November 2024, so add it to your TBR and give it a read when it releases.

Thanks so much to the author, Annette Chavez Macias, for always thinking of me and sending me ARCs of her books, it’s truly my pleasure to get to read them.

loved this mystery and keeping secrets and the different point of views. Also loved trying to figure out who did it . I enjoyed the mystery behind it.

I'm a fan for anything Annette Chavez writes. You will guarantee to be crying your eyes out and feel so as though you are part of her characters in her stories .

This heart felt story about mother daughter relationships and grief was so beautiful and powerful. The stories of these three woman are so beautifully written I ached for them all .

Well written, great character development was nicely done. I enjoyed seeing the generations of women and the bonds they shared.

Another amazing book by Annette Chavez Macias. I absolutely adored this book. When We Were Widows might even be my favorite of hers. There's a magically emotional power in Macias' storytelling that somehow breaks your heart while at the same time repairing it. This compelling and beautifully written story is a true testament to the author's rare talent and skill. This is a must read. And reread!

First, know that if you are venturing into a book by Annette Chavez Macias, you are not only entering the world but also the heart of the characters on the page. She writes characters with complex emotions, compelling life paths, and unforgettable relationships. When We Were Widows follows this literary pattern as we are enthralled by three generations of widows: Yesica, Ana, and Mama Melda. Each brings their own brand of heartbreak and each misunderstood by another. Yesica is the most recent widow and there are secrets she kept that are weighing down her progress. Though she is close to her boss, her unresolved grief ties his hands in encouraging her to confront her grief before it interferes with her success. Unforeseen circumstances for her mother Ana and her grandmother, Mama Imelda drives them to seek shelter under Yesica’s roof. Forcing Yesica to face the estrangement between her mother and herself. Through forced proximity Yesica and Ana are finally able to resolve their misperceptions, their relationship, and move forward in life and love. Each of the ladies finds a fitting romance but more than a love story, this is a story of love. The love for family, romantic love, and the love for oneself!

I highly recommend this read if you love stories like: Summer Island by Paige Toon, From the Embers by Aly Martinez, and The Other Year by Rea Frey!

I was honored to receive “When We Were Widows” before it’s release day from @authorannette & @netgalley ~ Thank you so very much!!🩵 I read this treasure of a book just in a couple of days! I thought “Big Chicas Don’t Cry” was my Fav by Annette Chávez Macías but it now has major competition with this one!! I felt seen, heard & truly felt at home for good & bad reasons. This book is about Mother Daughter relationships & all that entails. Characters Yésica, Ana & Mamá Melda must learn to share a home, their heartbreak, and, once and for all, the haunting family secrets that have kept them apart. Just like “Chicas” I will buy copies & share with my Mom, nieces, tias & cousins! It’s just one of those beautiful heartfelt books that needs to be shared!! Pre-Order now, release date 11/1 😍🥹♥️💕 footnote: Love the insight of Chávez Ravine💙 #whenwewerewidows #preorderbook #instabook #annettechavezmacias #abooktoremember #family #bookstagram #bookclub #nana #motherdaughter #booklover #latina #readwithfancy #favbook ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is another hit from author Annette Chavez Macias! The story being told in the perspectives of mother and daughter allows the readers to see their different point of views of the things that have happened in their life. It shows the dynamic of a mother and daughter relationship. Sometimes society paints the mother/daughter dynamic as competitive. This book shows readers how that relationship can be mended when both parties work together and communicate. I also loved how we see a Latina going to group therapy, as therapy can be mostly frowned upon in the Latina community.

You can guarantee that any new release by Annette Chavez Macias it will result in me crying my eyes out and clutching my soul with the emotions it brings. “WHEN WE WERE WIDOWS” did exactly that.

In this book, we meet 3 generations of women, Yésica, her mother Ana and Ana’s mother, Mama Melda. Ana and Mama Melda move in with Yésica after some repairs are needed in Ana’s house that will take several weeks to complete.

This book touches the topic of grief so well and beautifully. The emotions are so well written and thought out that I ached for all of these women, who regardless of where they were in life or what stage of grief they were in, could be felt so well off the pages.

Yésica recently lost her husband and we get a deep inside look and different views of her grief that aren’t always visible to everyday life and the stories behind the grief. She is navigating like as a new widow, but still is holding on to a pain that came from when her husband was still alive.

She has a strained relationship with her mother, and touching through that subject was very relatable and well thought out and I enjoyed having the story told in the POVs of Yésica and Ana. I left we were able to completely see why the relationship was so strained and the author did a great job capturing the depths of those feelings of having that type of relationship and being able to see it from both sides.

The depth that went into this book with grief, trama, relationships and new romances and old flames and so many other aspects in life especially in a Hispanic household were laid out so perfectly in this book.

This is my 3rd book by Annette that ive read and each one gets better and better.

A well written story that highlight the complexities of the mother and daughter relationship. I’ve always admired the authors writing style and getting the perspective of each character. This story will make you cry and bring you smiles. Definitely my new favorite book by the author. I recommend this book to everyone!

Thank you so much net galley for the e arc.

This was a beautiful story about mother daughter relationships both navigating grief.

I loved the dual POVs I feel like it made me understand what each of them were feeling.

Oh this story was beautiful! It pulled all the hearings and was just wonderfully written. What a great book! Highly recommend

I absolutely loved this book!!! It makes me feel like I’m reading about family or like I’m part of the story and author gave me that same feeling with “Big Chicas Don’t Cry” & “Too Soon For Adios”.
Also, the way that I enjoyed reading about the character development from beginning to end was top tier. There were so many different issues that were mentioned throughout the book but they made them seem so real and relatable.
Another thing I absolutely loved was the recipes at the end. During that chapter when the family was cooking together, it made me feel like I was in the kitchen with them. Such a great addition to the story. Such a great book that deals with, spousal loss, infertility, mother/daughter issues, family drama, second chance romance, friends to lovers, so much more. A definite must read!!!

This is a very powerful book, for many reasons. Personally, I'm a fan of stories about family dynamics and grief, so I was completely drawn in when I read the premise. I was not disappointed! Such an achingly beautiful story about loss, complicated relationships, food (like I was hungry reading this!) and all that with beautiful writing that's not at all difficult to read. I thought it would take me a lot longer to read, but the story flies by as you become more and more invested in the lives of these three widows.

The overall feeling of the story is also a bit hopeful, so it's not as depressing as it sounds, just a very realistic book that I think unfortunately, everyone will be able to relate to in some way.

I'm so glad I picked this up because I needed to read something that would really make me feel something, and it definitely did. I grew to care a lot about these characters and the feeling of family they built. It's clearly not a cozy read, but at some point it started to feel that way due to the familiarity of the topics covered in it.

*Thanks to NetGalley uk, the publishers and the author for the ARC*

Three widows under one roof contend with loss, grief, ire, and a hurtful family past. Poignant and powerful.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters and the plot were believable. I recommend this book.

This is truly one of my favourite reads of this month. The plot and pacing just flowed plus the solid characters and world-building only enriched this story.

I loved meeting Yesica, Ana, and Mama Melda in "When We Were Widows." Their storylines and relationships were palpable and authentic. It's notable that plenty of thought was put into each of these characters as their stories developed and progressed throughout the book.

This book gives great insight into grief, generational trauma, family secrets, rekindled friendships, romance, mother-daughter relationships, and the pressures faced by first-born daughters. I really resonated with the eldest/first daughter scenarios and appreciated that a book addressed them at different stages of life. I also appreciated the various stages of grief and the benefits of group therapy covered throughout the book. I am glad to see more Latine authors including the use of therapy to address mental health concerns in their storylines.

Including the historical piece of the Chavez Ravine was the perfect touch for this book. It really added to the depth of the characters and it tied with the ending so well. I, like the author, learned about this part of LA history as an adult, and I continue to be saddened by it. Annette definitely did this particular storyline justice and hopefully more readers take something away from it.

If you have read anything else by Annette Chavez Macias before, you know there will be some focus or mention on food and this was no different. I felt as if I was cooking/eating right along with Yesica, Ana, and Mama Melda. I appreciated the recipes at the end, too.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and had a hard time putting it down. It is a beautifully written work.

Thank you to NetGalley, Annette Chavez Macias, and Montlake for providing me with an ARC copy of this book!

Decent fast paced read. First read by this author, I actually never heard of her before. Good work and decent writing.