author: Marisa de los Santos
published: November 28th 2006 by Plume
isbn: 0452287898 (isbn13: 9780452287891)
pages: 320
Description: When Martin Grace enters the hip Philadelphia coffee shop Cornelia Brown manages, her life changes forever. But little does she know that her newfound love is only the harbinger of greater changes to come. Meanwhile, across town, Clare Hobbs—eleven years old and abandoned by her erratic mother—goes looking for her lost father. She crosses paths with Cornelia while meeting with him at the café, and the two women form an improbable friendship that carries them through the unpredictable currents of love and life.
AND I SAY:
Any book that has “pancit” in it, automatically gets 5 stars from me, hehehe. (All it has to do is to mention callaway golf balls and it will be a hit with my husband, too!)
As a mom, this book talked to me. Many of the passages hit my mommy-core and, since the book had a poetic delivery to it, it hit my consciousness on many different levels.
Yes, I think Marisa went somewhat overboard on writing – when Cornelia blabbered, she really blabbered (albeit intelligently). But then again, I think her character called for that (she’s smart but needs direction). As for Clare, Marisa was on point about her resilience, courage and fears. And as for Teo, ooohh, I could just imagine how good-looking that dude must be. 
So anyway, for a first novel the book may have tried a bit hard to put in a good impression. But I loved it – it had a simple premise, it was easy to read, and left me with a good feeling.
Thanks to Abby, for the reco. 
