Synopsis: In the midst of a marital crisis, Jane hatches an unusual plan to avoid a custody battle. She convinces husband Kevin to walk away from the pressures of New York—in particular, her demanding job and an affair she almost had—in the hope that moving to their favorite city abroad will fix their family.
In San Miguel de Allende, Jane and her young sons delight in new adventures, but Kevin still seethes. Jane befriends a circle of intriguing women and helps two girls who remind her of the brother she abandoned when her own parents divorced. After witnessing violence involving the girls’ father, Jane’s vivid dreams, possibly guided by a hummingbird messenger from the hereafter, grow ever darker. When tragedy strikes San Miguel, the community fractures and then rises, and Jane must make a dangerous choice.
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This was not my usual type of fiction reading - however, I decided to take the plunge, and like the main character Jane, opted for new horizons.
The narrative moved between the present and Jane's childhood, which she sees mirrored in her own married life, whilst immersing the reader in the new locale that Jane and her family now reside. Jane finds pleasure and contentment in her home, her kids, and her new found community - however, husband Kevin quietly simmers with resentment and self-righteous indignation, which may soon put paid to Jane's desire for a new start.
The narrative focuses quite a bit on the local community (culture and customs) and in particular the Casa Mia housing project, which at times I found rather .... well ... over-done (ie: too much page time). Some of the characters that formed part of Jane's circle were a little under-done (ie: no depth of character). Finding the right balance is not always easy.
I found the novel, overall, to be a decent read - I think many readers may find that Jane resonates on a more personal level. As mentioned, it was outside of my normal reading, but I am glad I took it on.
Read: December 2025
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