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Newly married Angelica and Antonio Perez find joy and contentment in their love for each other. Holding onto that joy is difficult in the face of continued prejudice from her parents. Angela’s work as a public defender puts stresses she could not have imagined on the marriage and Antonio’s fledgling landscaping business seems fraught with troubles. Will Angelica’s new faith hold her together enough when even more serious problems rise up? Can Antonio show Angelica how God is sovereign and will see them through no matter what?
This second book in the Regalo Grande series, “In the Shade of the Jacaranda” by Nikki Arana continues the story of Angelica and Antonio on their road through life. Pressures from Angelica’s parents show the degree of prejudice, even in today’s cultural climate. Other tough issues are tackled in believable ways by characters who become friends. You still see some of the spoiled little rich girl in Angelica which is foiled well by Antonio’s lack of spoiling. We meet Maclovia, Antonio’s grandmother from Mexico, and fall in love with the dear older woman and her undying faith in God.
I liked the way Nikki Arana handled most of the issues in the book. I disagreed, a little, with some of the handling of faith issues, but overall the writing and the characters were true to themselves.
“In the Shade of the Jacaranda” is a well written book with lively characters and real life issues faced in the world today. I recommend it as a good read. I would recommend it for older teens and adults due to some of the problems the characters face being more mature than a younger reader would be able to understand fully.
Reviewed by Allison M. Wilson
for The Road to Romance
March 16, 2006
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