Speak to Me of Home

More about the book

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jeanine Cummins comes a deeply felt multigenerational family story that explores the meaning of home. On her wedding day in 1968 San Juan, Puerto Rico, Rafaela Acuña y Daubón marries Peter Brennan Jr., unaware of the dramatic changes ahead when she relocates her family to the American Midwest, leading to a series of disappointments. In the 1980s, Rafaela’s daughter, Ruth Brennan, feels isolated in St. Louis and yearns to belong, sacrificing her language and childhood memories of Puerto Rico. Decades later, when Ruth’s daughter, Daisy, returns to Puerto Rico, the family begins to reflect on their choices. A hurricane strikes the island, leaving Daisy critically injured, prompting Rafaela and Ruth to return to their roots. As they gather at Daisy’s bedside, they confront the pasts that shaped their lives. The narrative follows their journeys of love, risk, and the complexities of family dynamics. As old memories resurface, buried secrets emerge, leading the family to question their sense of belonging. This striking examination of marriage, family, and identity ultimately poses the question: how can three women with shared geography and genetics have such different perceptions of their origins, and can they find a common language to navigate their way home?