Overview

A young woman from Barcelona embarks on a life-changing adventure in an exuberant, emotional, and relatable novel about family, coming of age, and finding oneself in the most unexpected places. After Rita Racons fails her college’s required English course and her plans for a summer with friends are ruined, she loses all sense of direction. Until Rita heeds her free-spirited grandmother’s advice to get off their roof terrace and go out and find her place in the world. Boarding a plane from Barcelona to New York is just the beginning. Fate eventually lands Rita in Atlanta as an au pair with two questions: What is an au pair, and where the hell is Atlanta? The Booklands, a cultured, well-read, picture-perfect American couple, have hopes that Rita will be up to the standards set by their three intellectually gifted children. She won’t be. Entirely. But Rita can brush up on her English, the kids can refine their Spanish—and what’s more, during Rita’s sometimes-chaotic stay in America, her charges will experience a life beyond books and privilege. As for Rita, her grandmother’s words have never sounded truer: “You don’t go travelin’ to escape. You go travelin’ to find yourself.” Rita is well on her way.

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9781662532443

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Reviews

“It’s so rare for a debut to be written with such good craft, with scenes and dialogues so hilarious and on point, so well thought out and carried out. The protagonist feels like flesh and bone and the array of secondary characters is memorable. The action unfolds at high speed, mixing smiles and tears, just like life itself!” —Diari Ara “A novel to regain faith in humanity.” —ElNacional.cat “A great read.” —Julià Guillamon, La Vanguardia “A tender, wild, and hilarious novel.” —Marc Giró, award-winning Spanish journalist “The success of this book reveals the ambition and talent of a storyteller who knows how to reach everyone with a good story.” —Antoni Bassas, Diari Ara

Author Information

Regina Rodríguez Sirvent was born in Puigcerdà, Spain. A graduate in psychology, Regina studied screenwriting at Escola Superior de Cinema and creative writing at Ateneu Barcelonès. She has written for various newspapers and media outlets. Singing to the Sun, a literary sensation in Spain and winner of the L’Illa dels Llibres popular-vote award, is her first novel to be translated into English. Beth Fowler has been a translator since 2009, working from Spanish and Portuguese to English. She won the Harvill Secker Young Translators’ Prize in 2010, and her published translations include Open Door and Paradises by Iosi Havilio; Ten Women by Marcela Serrano; and We All Loved Cowboys by Carol Bensimon. She lives in the west of Scotland.

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