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Rating: 5 out of 5.

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Determined2 Publishing

Pub date August 2, 2022

ISBN 978-1088054192

Price $16.95 (USD) Paperback, $4.99 Kindle edition

Alvarado’s latest novel is a touching, insightful story, filled with poignant emotion and character. Little Bertelina’s fierce determination and resilience is what sets her apart from her other siblings. After she grows older, her courageous spirit forces her to be a part of the raging revolutionary quest for social justice in the country. Her struggles begin after she gets married. Trying to protect her children from her abusive husband, Bertelina applies for divorce and immigrates to the United States. But life as a single mother in a foreign land is more than difficult. Bertelina’s emotional arc is intriguing—she wants a happy, fulfilling life, but the relentless difficulties that life keeps throwing her way make it almost impossible for her to be at peace. Alvarado beautifully portrays Bertelina’s fierce spirit, which refuses to sway in the face of utmost difficulties, her burning need for understanding, and her search for identity. Crisp and straightforward, his prose is expert and the pacing smooth. Meticulously researched historical facts add to the authenticity. Alvarado deftly intermingles Bertelina and Bertha’s stories while touching on complex topics of love, longing, marriage, individual angst, physical and psychological abuse, grief, redemption, human connection, and the power of love. A compelling, raw read.

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