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AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK A sweeping, masterful debut about a daughter's fateful choice, a mother motivated by her own past, and a family legacy that begins in Cuba before either of them were bornIn present-day Miami, Jeanette is battling addiction. Daughter of Carmen, a Cuban immigrant, she is determined to learn more about her family history from her reticent mother and makes the snap decision to take in the daughter of a neighbor detained by ICE. Carmen, still wrestling with the trauma of displacement, must process her difficult relationship with her own mother while trying to raise a wayward Jeanette. Steadfast in her quest for understanding, Jeanette travels to Cuba to see her grandmother and reckon with secrets from the past destined to erupt.From 19th-century cigar factories to present-day detention centers, from Cuba to Mexico, Gabriela Garcia's Of Women and Salt is a kaleidoscopic portrait of betrayals―personal and political, self-inflicted and those done by others―that have shaped the lives of these extraordinary women. A haunting meditation on the choices of mothers, the legacy of the memories they carry, and the tenacity of women who choose to tell their stories despite those who wish to silence them, this is more than a diaspora story; it is a story of America’s most tangled, honest, human roots.

Of Women and Salt: A Novel by Gabriela Garcia is an epic tale that spans four generations of a Cuban-American family, exploring the themes of identity, loss, and resilience.

The novel begins in Cuba in the early 1900s, where we are introduced to the Garcia family. Juan Garcia is a successful sugar plantation owner and his wife, Isabel, is a beautiful and intelligent woman who yearns for something more than the confines of her traditional role. Their daughter, Celia, is a strong-willed young woman who dreams of becoming a doctor, much to the disapproval of her father.

When the Cuban Revolution breaks out, the Garcia family is forced to flee their homeland and start a new life in the United States. They settle in Miami, where they struggle to make ends meet and come to terms with their new reality. Celia is able to achieve her dream of becoming a doctor, but she is haunted by the memories of her past and the loss of her family's home.

The novel then follows Celia's daughter, Ana, who is born in the United States and grows up in the shadow of her mother's past. Ana is a talented artist, but she struggles with her own identity and sense of belonging. When she meets Carlos, a Cuban immigrant who is also trying to find his place in the world, they form a deep connection.

As Ana and Carlos' relationship deepens, they must confront the challenges of their families' past and the secrets that have been hidden for generations. Together, they embark on a journey of self-discovery and healing, as they come to terms with their own identities and the legacy of their family.

Of Women and Salt is a beautifully written and deeply moving novel that explores the complex relationships between mothers and daughters, the struggles of immigrants, and the power of love to heal old wounds. Garcia's lyrical prose and vivid storytelling bring to life the characters and their struggles, making this a novel that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.