Loosely based on the author’s own struggles prior to gaining U.S. citizenship, Melissa de la Cruz’s latest teen read is a tender yet unlikely romance between an illegal immigrant and a congressman’s son.
Jasmine de los Santos has been offered a National Scholarship, the most prestigious award in the nation—quite a feat for an immigrant who has been in the United States since the age of 9. For her parents, leaving the Philippines for “the land of hope” proved to be more difficult than expected, as they had no choice but to take less than stellar jobs with meager wages. But Jasmine knows she has finally made her parents proud.
Prior to sharing the exciting news with her folks, Jasmine meets Royce Blakely and is quickly enamored. Thoughts of Royce momentarily disperse when Jasmine learns that she and her family have been living in the U.S. illegally. Against all odds, Jasmine resolves not only to find a way to fulfill her educational dreams, but also to hold fast to the love of her life.
Through engaging dialogue and a flurry of unanticipated scenes, de la Cruz shines a light on the pressure immigrants face within an unjust and politically driven system. Provocative, eye-opening and poignant, Something in Between is a timely read in a troubled era.
This article was originally published in the October 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.
