A British Girl's Guide to Hurricanes and Heartbreak

A British Girl's Guide to Hurricanes and Heartbreak by Laura Taylor Namey is a YA contemporary novel that is not quite a sequel, but a companion to the former A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow. Winchester, England, has always been home for Flora, but when her mother dies after a long illness, Flora feels untethered. Her family expects her to apply to university and take a larger role in their tea-shop business, but Flora isn’t so sure. More than ever, she’s the chaotic “hurricane” in her household, and she doesn’t always know how to manage her stormy emotions. So she decides to escape to Miami without telling anyone—especially her longtime friend Gordon Wallace. But Flora’s tropical change of scenery doesn’t cast away her self-doubt. When it comes to university, she has no idea which passions she should follow. That’s also true in romance. Flora’s summer abroad lands her in the flashbulb world of teen influencer Baz Marín, a Miami Cuban who shares her love for photography. But Flora’s more conflicted than ever when she begins to see future architect Gordon in a new light.

What I loved most about this book, was it's characters. Each of them were fully fleshed out with plenty of flaws to call them swiss cheese. WHICH IS GOOD. I like characters that are truly human, and can be seen actually growing with the passing of the pages. Though this book was a complete emotional rollercoaster in all the best ways.

What I didn't like so much about this book, was the love triangle. I am a simple girl. I don't want a book with a love triangle, because the main character ultimately NEVER picks the love interest I was rooting for (I'm looking at you Inheritance Games). Regardless this is an adorable read that will have you swooning, and rooting for the characters. No matter how chaotic they might get.

After experiencing the devastating loss of her mother Flora Maxwell is struggling to cope with her grief. Adding to her emotional turmoil Flora's best friend Gordon reveals he has romantic feelings for her. Overwhelmed with life Flora impulsively leaves her family and goes to Miami for a journey of self-discovery. It's while she is in Miami and about to experience a hurricane that she begins to look at her own emotions and feelings.

What I Liked: As soon as I heard the title of this book, I thought it would be a fun rom-com, but it was so much more than that. At the heart of this story, it was Flora trying to figure herself out and what she wanted out of life all while processing her grief for her mom. Each character in the book brings something unique to the story. I especially like the Cuban family that Flora stays with while in Miami. Their family bond and how they welcome Flora is so heartwarming. I like how author Laura Taylor Namey portrayed Flora's pain in a way that readers could feel. I found myself rooting for Flora to find her happiness.

What Left Me Wanting More: The last few chapters of the book show Flora making some major strides in her love life and her dreams and ambitions, but it feels a bit rushed. I want to read more chapters of Flora being happy.

A British Girls Guide to Hurricanes and Heartbreak is part rom-com, part self-discovery, and all-around entertaining.