Julia Amante

Isabel Gallegos is tired -- tired of being the responsible one, tired of running the winery that was her parents' dream, tired of being the one who puts her dreams aside to take care of other people. She's ready to sell the winery that her parents left to her and her ex-husband, Nick, and buy a house by the sea. It's too late to pursue her old dream of being a marine scientist, but she's going to at least enjoy the ocean recreationally. A larger wine company has expressed serious interest, and she's in the midst of negotiations with them, looking forward to being free of responsibility to anyone but herself. Nick will also be free of the winery, they won't have to work together, and he'll be able to move away and marry his new girlfriend.

And then her lawyer tells her that he's received notice that her cousin Brenda, in her native Argentina, has been killed in a skiing accident, along with her husband, and her will names Isabel as the guardian of her three children. She has to travel to Argentina immediately to make arrangements to take custody and bring them home to California.
Returning to Argentina is an emotional experience for her, even without the death of her cousin who was as close as a sister when they were growing up. It's where she met her husband when he was an exchange student, and the country she left only because Nick sold her parents on the dream of building an even bigger and more successful winery in America. As much as she loved Brenda, she is not willing to once again defer her own dreams to raise Brenda's children, ages ten, eight, and four. She'll transfer custody to her aunt, the children's grandmother, provide any necessary financial assistance so that the children and her aunt will want for nothing, and go home to complete the sale of the winery and buy her beach house.

But Nick insists on going with her to Argentina. Her aunt is old and increasingly frail, and isn't capable of taking permanent custody of the children. The children, grieving for their parents, are resentful of Isabel, and don't want to move to America.

And then their uncle, Brenda's husband's brother, turns up, demanding custody of the children. But her aunt doesn't trust him, Brenda's husband Andres had refused to have anything to do with his brother for many years, and Isabel's old friend Rosa shares that opinion, though she doesn't really know him at all.

Yet the man Isabel meets, while arrogant and overbearing, is a retired lawyer with a ranch in the country, well able to provide for the children, and he wants to raise them.

Caught between competing obligations and dreams, Isabel makes a decision that will affect her life, Nick's, Romero's, the children's, and even Rosa's life, forever.

This is a complex and well-developed story, with all the major characters and the important minor characters rounded and convincing. You can't help but sympathize with Isabel even when she's clearly making the wrong decision, because her dilemma is so real and so painful.

Recommended.

I received a free electronic galley from the publisher via NetGalley.
… (mehr)

I was really psyched about Say You'll Be Mine. A woman at a turning point in her harried and frustrated life has an opportunity to begin again, with a new life in Argentina when she leave the vineyards in California behind and becomes a surrogate parent to her late cousin's children. Sounds like a great plot and a fabulous opportunity to show growth and the discovery of love in Isabel's life, heart and soul.

I struggled to stay with Say You'll be Mine. I did read it and finish it, but it took several tries, as it just didn't hold my attention. I just didn't care. I thought Isabel should have grown up, developed a heart and moved in a more positive direction, especially with the children and. In some strange way, Isabel reminded me in a way of a modern female Scrooge. Cold, driven, selfish and heartless. The way the character "cared for" and treated the kids just made me want to throw my e-reader across the room. OH... I wish I had been sent a printed galley as I would have tossed it.

I thought the premise was SO full of great story possibilities...and yet we got too much repetitive information. Reading over and over about the issues Isabel's ex has with her when she doesn't have the kids just got old for me. This could have been great! I mean, come on, the cover art was FAB-U-LOUS! The story? Not so much.

I am giving this 3 out of 5 stars, some parts are OK and I am sure others loved it. Maybe I just expected too much.

I was provided this e-galley from the publishers through NetGalley, and that in no way affected my review.… (mehr)

This wasn't a bad read, it just didn't wow me either.

Isabel has ran her parents' winery forever and she would like to cut all ties with it and do what she originally wanted to do: live and work by the water. But just as she is about to sell the winery, she has to go to Argentina and take custody of her dead cousin's kids. Why the cousin left childless, divorced, workaholic Isabel her three children nobody knows.

Isabel agrees to hand them over to Ramiro, an uncle of the children after 6 months. She has no time for them and they need to stay in Argentina. But she doesn't count on falling in love with them.

Her ex husband also falls in love with them. Here is where it gets annoying: 1. The ex husband... nice guy but the books goes on and on way too much about his former alcoholism and the wrongs he committed. I began to say, "Okay, I got it, let's move on." 2. He only wants Isabel when she has the children. It's like they are playing house. He wants a ready made family. 3. Everyone hates Ramiro asap and really, what did he do? 4. The story got repetitive. Nick wants Isabel. Isabel pushes him away. They play house. Nice love Isabel. She pushes him away. Over and over... Then Isabel wants the kids. Isabel thinks the kids would be better with Ramiro. Isabel goes back for the kids. Ramiro and her argue. They both want the kids.. and so on.

I think it was a good story, but could have been less drawn and more to the point.… (mehr)

"To every Argentine immigrant, July 9 is a day that brings back memories of family celebrations centered around food, wine, and heart-pounding renditions of national theme playing on every radio and TV across the nation. July 9 is Independence Day. A day of freedom and new beginnings. But to those Argentines living in America, it's also a day to admit with a fair amount of guilt that they chose to give up their old life for the intangible, unexplainable dream of. . . something better."

- Evenings at the Argentine Club by Julia Amante

So opens, Julia Amante's newest work, Evenings at the Argentine Club. Julia Amante fashions a story around the lives of two families that have emigrated from Argentina to the United States. She captures with depth and sympathy the points of view of the many and diverse characters.

You'll meet the Torres family. At twenty-eight years, Victoria, has worked for the family restaurant, La Parilla, and the Argentine Cafe, ever since she left college. Vivacious, organized, and kind, she has handled the decorations, celebrations, daycare and helped develop a sense of community. It's been seemed natural for her to step in, so much so, that she's hasn't considered going after her own dreams but this changes. Victor Torres, her ambitious and protective father, who dreams of opening a chain of successful restaurants and returning back to Buenos Aires with his lovely wife. Jacqueline Torres, who has made her family her life and is only now allowing herself to feel lonely and disaffected with her daughter gone. Fortunately, Jacqueline is well loved and easy to befriend - her old friends and new help her ride the transition and find her own path.

The Ortelli family has its own secrets. Eric Ortelli, the successful son, visits home for the first time in years. He spent years building a career and business from scratch. He doesn't expect the hostility and disapproval from his old friends and the Argentine community, but he's determined to make a success of his new venture and to help Victoria with the changes in her life. His father Antonio Ortelli was disappointed when Eric chose not to go to law school but he tries to understand his son's new business. Antonio tries to offer his advice and get involved in Eric's business, but his optimism and business naivete threatens their fragile relationship. Lucia Ortelli is happy just to have her family together in one roof. Lucia can't help dreaming that her Eric will fall in love with her best friend's daughter Victoria and that the young couple will choose to make their lives in the neighborhood.

I thoroughly enjoyed Evenings at the Argentine Club for many reasons. What I loved most about the book is how it captures so well the longings, sacrifices, and the compromises that accompany the immigrant experience. Each person balances the desire to succeed in their new country with the love and longing for a place or time that was left behind.

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (September 25, 2009), 352 pages.
Review copy provided by Hatchette Book Group.… (mehr)