L.A. is parched, dry as a bone, and all Oscar, the weather-obsessed patriarch of the Alvarado family, desperately wants is a little rain. He’s harboring a costly secret that distracts him from everything else. His wife, Keila, desperate for a life with a little more intimacy and a little less Weather Channel, feels she has no choice but to end their marriage. Their three daughters—Claudia, a television chef with a hard-hearted attitude; Olivia, a successful architect who suffers from gentrification guilt; and Patricia, a social media wizard who has an uncanny knack for connecting with audiences but not with her lovers—are blindsided and left questioning everything they know. Each will have to take a critical look at her own relationships and make some tough decisions along the way.
With quick wit and humor, Maria Amparo Escandón follows the Alvarado family as they wrestle with impending evacuations, secrets, deception, and betrayal, and their toughest decision yet: whether to stick together or burn it all down.
My thoughts:
*I was sent an ARC of this novel via the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review – thank you so much to Claire over at FlatIron Books for the opportunity*
L.A. Weather is a hilarious, off kilter and touching portrait of the Alvarado’s, a Mexican American family, following an eventful year of their lives with plenty of drama, secrets and mishaps. This isn’t the type of novel I would usually go for but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this story and how quickly I sped through it, which is definitely down to how inviting the writing and fast paced the story itself is.
I really like books with a whole host of characters who all fit together somehow and the Alvarado’s definitely fit this description. I enjoyed how we get all of the characters perspectives and they’re all unique and well developed, ranging from Oscar, Keila, to their three daughters as well as their partners. Sometimes books with multiple perspectives can feel convoluted but I think it works really well here to depict all of the converging storylines and events which affect the whole family.
The novel also offers a glimpse into many different marriages and relationships in general, and while you definitely have to suspend your disbelief at all the relationship drama occurring within one family – it makes for an entertaining read for sure.
I really liked how family was represented within the novel and and the tight knit nature of the Alvarados. While they have their fair share of fiery arguments and things they may be hiding from each other, at their core they have this deep love for each other which surpasses any other obstacle. I liked how they all came together for any crisis the others may be going through and take everything in their stride.
Overall, L.A. Weather is a fun if slightly crazy read, which will definitely keep a reader interested. There’s definitely no room to get bored with the Alvarado’s antics!
Until next time,
Rums x
Rums the Reader 