"Love is a sacrifice".

Nine Years Gone by Shelly Cruz completely blew me away. I'm a mood reader and also a slow reader, but this one had me binge reading in one day. The way this story consumed me and refused to let me quit until the big reveal was the best feeling ever. Shelly really knows how to write a detailed, story full of angst that pulls at every single heart string. 

Nine Years Gone is supposed to be a romance but the depth of this story makes it so much more. We get layered characters in Marielena and Massimo, who are both imperfect. We get honest conversations about their differences in culture early on and we get to watch their love grow like a whirlwind. Their chemistry and the steam was intense. I had to stop and fan myself at some points. Another aspect I loved was the setting. Shelly does a fantastic job of setting the tone and introducing Boston as its own character. The word 'pockabook' is etched into my brain forever and I will always smile hard when I see it.

What stands out to me the most is the authentic voice of the writing. Lena wasn't the typical romance protagonist but the issues she was facing were realistic, gutwrenching and heartbreaking. I could see Shelly in the pages because the writing felt so personal and raw. It's rare that you see women's reproductive/fertility issues in a story and a HEA that comes after detours and hardships. The ending left me filled with hope and put my heart back together. I felt beautifully broken by this one. 

This one definitely contains the perfect formula for romance as well as important themes: communication, consent, reproduction, motherhood, being culturally othered, anger issues,  and sacrifice. If you're looking for a new indie author to love and a story full of New England and Puerto Rican culture pick this one up and grab a copy for a friend. You won't want to read it alone because there's just so much to love and talk about. I am grateful to @shellycruzwrites for sending me a signed copy and for joining the #ReadPuertoRican buddy read this month to chat with us. I am already excited for Shelly's future books because I know the writing is golden.