A tense, illuminating tale…
Vega explores age-old questions about family ties, true love, and sexual identity in this gripping read. Tom Ruiz has always been close to his sister Nina. But when Nina dies unexpectedly, Tom realizes he barely knew his sister: Nina was gay and everyone in the family except Tom knew about it. Dumfounded, Tom begins to read Nina’s journals while looking for Sarah, the woman Nina mentioned in her will. As long-buried secrets unravel, Tom begins to question his bond with his sister. The plot is simple, but Vega is excellent when it comes to incorporating suspense, and he is a masterful observer of family, especially sibling dynamics: his brilliantly complex and consistently surprising characters are sketched with skill and precision. No one is perfect, particularly Tom, who is wonderful and terrible, equal parts good and disappointing. Nina gives readers plenty to think about. Her warm-heartedness paired with an unabashed point of view make her an unforgettable protagonist. In energetic prose, Vega tackles themes of marriage, relationships, sibling bonds, individual struggles, lust, love, secrets, missed opportunities, and the stigma and prejudices associated with LGBTQ among others. Told in flashbacks and journal entries from Tom and Nina’s voices, the narrative stays engrossing, keeping the pages flying. As Tom begins his search for Sarah, Vega ratchets up the suspense and pulls off a surprising and yet satisfying ending. Gorgeous and compelling, this enthralling read will equally appeal to lovers of LGBTQ fiction and literary fiction.
Searching for Sarah
By Phillip Vega
Thewordverve Inc
Pub date December 28, 2020
ISBN 978-1948225922
Price $15.99 (USD) Paperback, $3.12 Kindle edition
