“Isa rolled her eyes. “Are you serious? You’re the only person I know who’d get upset that the FBI’s not watching him.” CourageDramaticAlienationHistorical RomanceBittersweetSocial CommentaryLushPolitical ViolencePostcolonial LiteratureArtistic Sacrifice Book:A Delicate Marriage Source: A Delicate Marriage
“What happens to our island affects all of us, including my boys.” Isa looked Marco in the eyes, like a boa constrictor eyeing its prey. “That gives me every right to an opinion.” FeminismCompromiseRedemptionThought ProvokingWomen S FictionCultural HeritageAtmosphericMoral DecayCultural CrossroadsRural Vs Urban Life Book:A Delicate Marriage Source: A Delicate Marriage
“Marco had examined every inch of Guayanés Beach, where coconut palms that once grew along the shore in majestic rows lay crisscrossed in the sand like scattered pencils.” MotherhoodLoyaltySelf DiscoveryRebellionHistorical FictionColonialismEvocativePolitical ReformLush LandscapesCultural Pride Book:A Delicate Marriage Source: A Delicate Marriage
“Marco’s heart swelled with pride at his culture. Maybe it was the coquito, but his eyes teared at this beautiful Reyes celebration, heavenly food, lush green mountains, clean air, and his family’s delighted faces. He felt sorry for the stiff people at the Casino de Puerto Rico, pretending to be jíbaros and eating food half as delicious as this. Actually, no. He didn’t feel sorry for them. It was precisely what they deserved.” FreedomCompellingAlienationFeminist FictionArtistic SacrificeCultural AuthenticityMulti GenerationalPolitical LandscapeRural BeautyU S Colonial Period Book:A Delicate Marriage Source: A Delicate Marriage
“¡Don’t tell me what to think, niña malcriada! And, you—” Don Gabriel pointed at Marco, “Stop filling my daughter’s head with nonsense.” FreedomRevolutionAmbitionAlienationIdentity CrisisAnti ImperialismHistorical DramaTropical SettingsElite SocietyRichly Detailed Book:A Delicate Marriage Source: A Delicate Marriage
“Marco opened the walkway gate just as a sprightly grey lizard skittered across the stone path. A bougainvillea vine laden with a riot of purple blooms scaled the right side of the house, and the heady scent of gardenias saturated the air.” RegretSocial JusticeLongingPerseveranceVividGrippingPatriarchal SocietyPolitical FictionTropical IslandU S Puerto Rico Relations Book:A Delicate Marriage Source: A Delicate Marriage
“Marco would much rather wait, buy his mother a lovely house and then bring Isabela to visit, allowing his poverty to take on a romantic tinge, something from the past, roots safely buried.” SacrificeNostalgiaLiterary FictionPoignantPuerto Rico1920sDouble LifeAmbition Vs PrincipleUrban PovertyHistorical Upheaval Book:A Delicate Marriage Source: A Delicate Marriage
“You boys must always remember your roots, everything that makes you Puerto Rican. Don’t ever lose the stain of the plantain,” Isa said.” BetrayalNostalgiaLoyaltyIntimateRebellionLushFamily DynamicsPeriod FictionBallroomsHistorical Puerto Rican Society Book:A Delicate Marriage Source: A Delicate Marriage
“With the thunderous boom of each firework, Isabela’s heart sank further and further. She loved Papi, and she loved Marco. She could never choose between them.” BetrayalResilienceOppressionDefianceFamily SagaCultural IdentityBallroomsEmotionally ComplexInsular PoliticsMarriage Dynamics Book:A Delicate Marriage Source: A Delicate Marriage
“After endless cajoling, rationalizing, ego stroking, and outright begging—all to no avail—Isa decided that what Marco didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.” Social JusticeVividDefianceHeartfeltGender RolesLush1920sRealistic FictionCaribbean HistoryAmbition Vs Principle Book:A Delicate Marriage Source: A Delicate Marriage
“The bang of the modernist metal doorknocker exploded in the room. Jolting upright on the edge of the couch, Isa froze, her heart beating a discordance of dread. Her mind went blank as she stared at the door. No.” IdentityGrippingReal EstateDebut NovelSuspensefulSocietal ExpectationsInner TurmoilClass ConflictLush LandscapesTropical Settings Book:A Delicate Marriage Source: A Delicate Marriage
“Enraged, Marco paced back and forth, gripping the newspaper in his fist. What do these animals hope to accomplish with senseless violence? We have enough suffering on this island. Do we have to kill each other, too?” PerseveranceThought ProvokingReal EstateLushPolitical StruggleSocial MobilityInner TurmoilClass DisparityCultural FictionFeminism In History Book:A Delicate Marriage Source: A Delicate Marriage