As a fan of time travel novels, I was very excited to read The Day Tripper. I enjoyed the fresh take on the idea, as this novel features a jumping timeline and both the reader and protagonist never really know at what point in the timeline they will land in each day (this could be infuriating if you had to live the rest of a lifetime this way, but that's a topic for another day). I also enjoyed the tone of the novel and the character's voice/inner dialogue. There was a point about halfway through the story in which the jumping timelines seemed to drag on and not really move the story forward, I was ready then to move on to more action and the next plot point.

This is a wonderful story for someone looking to escape for a few hours in a feel good novel and for readers who enjoy uplifting stories of redemption and hope. If you are bit of a cynic (which I tend to be) and like stories with a bit of punch, this one might be too nicely wrapped up in a bow for you.

This book had me hooked from page one. If you have ever felt like you have given something up to motherhood, then this book is for you. The main character is so intent on becoming a mother, that she is willing to give it all up; from her sky-rocketing career as an actress (after many years in the trade) to her sanity. At one point she ponders over her reasons for wanting to become a mother.

As a mother myself, I have faced similar choices between family and career, and motherhood and womanhood, that made the premise of this book appealing to me. I also have a very close relative who had to go through several rounds of IVF and I have witnessed firsthand how tough on bodies and psyches that process can be. With that in mind, this book is not for the faint of heart, and on more than one occasion I found myself feeling anxious while reading it. There were some supernatural elements that I could have done without; IVF, pregnancy, and motherhood can be scary and overwhelming enough. Personally, the ending was not what I would have liked it to be, although there is a nice spotlight on the power of women supporting one another.

Readers who enjoyed Nightbitch, The Push, and Mrs. March will likely enjoy this novel as well.

I was drawn to this book because it is set in Cuba (where my ancestors are from, but which I have never visited). I enjoyed that it offered what I feel is an honest tale of immigration; one in which hard work is rewarded (although not with overnight luxury). Although I found Pearl to be an unlikeable protagonist, I admired her pragmatism. She never wavered in her choices and at the end of the novel, one can look back on her journey and make sense of it all.

Aside from the storyline, I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the vibrant, colorful, and flavorful Havana against grey and bland New York. I appreciate that the novel didn't fall into the grandiose New York City clichés often found in immigration novels, although it did romanticize Cuba.

This novel is beautifully written, and its protagonist is well developed. Overall, it is a very good book. I would recommend this to people who enjoy works of historical fiction.