“Another fine writer we can embrace as ours: an honorary Dominicana. Like the best of writers, Gardner moves beyond borders into the wide open spaces of the heart.”
—JULIA ALVAREZ, author of A Wedding in Haiti, Recipient of the 2013 National Medal Of Arts
“In this riveting coming-of-age story, Gardner paints an exquisite portrait of her family’s rupture in paradise.”
—JULIA SCHEERES, author of Jesus Land and A Thousand Lives
ADVANCE READER REVIEWS
“An idyllic paradise with the omnipresence of family secrecy and fear is a gripping backdrop for this intimate and moving story. An inspiring memoir, told with bravery, candor and compassion.”
—BETSY GRAZIANI FASBINDER, author of Fire & Ice
“The narrative, revolving around a terrible secret which the family is forced to keep, is as compelling as the language is seductive. I was hooked from page one.”
—DONVE LEE, author An Intimate War
“There is a strange sense of love and fear that lingers…a superb job of capturing the vivid details. I thoroughly enjoyed Rita’s memoir and found her descriptions incredibly visual; just like watching a movie”
—SONIA MARSH, author of Freeways to Flip-Flops: A Family’s Year of Gutsy Living on a Tropical Island
“Rita Gardner looks deeply into the ocean of her childhood and sees all the way to the bottom. Cocoloco continues to wash over me and makes me different from before.”
—DONNA L. EMERSON, author of This Water, Body Rhymes, Wild Mercy, and Following Hay
“Gardner paints the beautiful backdrop of her story in thick layers. eventually escap[ing] into art to survive…her writing is as evocative as the colors of her palette.”
—KELLY KITTEL author Breathe: A Memoir of Motherhood, Grief, and Family Conflict
“The book made me think…it will really touch those who’ve had to soul-search their way out of a complex upbringing.”
—KIMBERLY PATERNOSTER, Goodreads Reviewer
“A moving memoir, especially to anyone who grew up abroad, and those who enjoy exploring the murkiness of family ties.”
—JANEY, Goodreads Reviewer
“…as rare and beautiful as a shell found on the beach… the voice of a young woman who found love and self-reliance in the midst of family anguish more powerful than a hurricane.”
—PAULA TERREY, Advance Reader
“Though sparsely worded, Rita’s tale left an indelible impression on me.“
—JUDITH WARD, Goodreads Reviewer
“I went through the journey with the author as I read each word…a vivid tale of loss, desertion and courage.
—CLAUDIA RANDEL, Goodreads Reviewer