Love Field (Floricanto Press)
Laura Cano is a Mexican-American teenager living in Dallas in the mid-1980s. She comes from a traditional Mexican family, who came to Dallas from Nuevo Leon, Mexico when she was a child to seek opportunity. Her parents work in a factory, while Laura wants something better for herself — a future in America as a lawyer. But to reach that possible future, Laura must navigate past the ignorance and superstition of her family. Can she distance herself from her relations in order to reach her goals, or will her life be thrown off course by her ties and obligations to family?
“What’s it like to grow up straddling two cultures— torn by love and loyalty to family and heritage— and the promise of the endless possibilities of a new homeland? Love Field by Virginia Alanis lets us relive the AMERICAN dream through the eyes and experiences of her teenaged heroine, the smart and beautiful Laura Cano. Laura Cano like the author is the daughter of hard working Mexican immigrant parents. But while her parents hold on to the ways of their home country— Laura longs to pursue her own dreams— in the big city of Dallas, Texas— to become a lawyer.
Laura’s beauty and strong independent streak soon draws the attention of a handsome young suitor with a family history unlike her own. I enjoyed reading of Laura’s exploits and her dilemmas and the tough choices she encounters. In the vein of the beloved classic, ‘Little Women’ ‘Love Field’ is an inspiring must read especially for young Latinas who may recognize themselves in Laura Cano. The AMERICAN Dream lives on in the heart of ‘Love Field.’ What a pleasure it is to see it through the hopeful eyes of a strong, intelligent young Latina.
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More than any other Hispanic journey through the labyrinths of family, exterior society and especially the pressures of growing up in a foreign country (America), this gently written, provocative novel cuts to the quick. The family is an anchor in this account, showing how difficult it is to rise in a world that keeps pulling you down. Family itself is an inherent weight, a doctrine of what you can’t do rather than what you can do if you try harder. We always think “the other person has it easier.” Not in this story. Everyone, one way or another, is in an existential struggle to be who they are— parents working in a Texas factory want to go back to Mexico. Children, not knowing anything but USA, do not want to leave. The protagonist whose ambition is to graduate from college and become a lawyer is obsessed with her goal . . . but then she falls in love with a man whose own family problems become the final web of seduction, intrigue and terror. How the protagonist makes it through is a miracle of her own making. Read this book and be inspired to be what you want to be.
— GERALD HAUSMAN, AUTHOR OF EVIL CHASING WAY
“Virginia Alanis has written a poignant account of a young woman coming of age. I enjoyed learning about Hispanic culture and so many of the social more and expectations placed on women that I wasn’t fully aware of.”
— DOUGLAS D BOX, AUTHOR OF TEXAS PATRIARCH: A LEGACY LOST
“This story encompasses a number of themes. What is family? How much does one owe family, and what parts do you leave behind? Are there any signs that someone will turn out to be abusive when you first meet, and if so, what are they? How does one safely escape from a violent, or threatening situation, without jeopardizing themselves or others? Is family history something that should be respected at all costs, or left behind when it becomes overbearing? If you like the recent memoir of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor (My Beloved World) you’ll enjoy Love field by Virginia Alanis.”
— GABRIEL CONSTANS PHD, AUTHOR OF A BRAVE YEAR
This delightful novel tackles the plight of many young Latinas caught between traditional Mexican cultural view of the woman’s role and the United States’ more liberal view. The author dramatizes this struggle through the protagonist Laura Cano’s struggle to reach her career goal to become an attorney. Faced with a domineering father, a hasty marriage before graduating high school, and malicious mother-and sister-in-law, Laura draws on her courage, wits, and support from school staff to overcome familial and social barriers. I recommend this book for readers interested in learning more about the struggles of young Latinas wishing to excel in the face of daunting cultural pressures and repressive gender roles. Love field is a must-read for parents, teachers, young men and especially young Latinas to learn we show love by respecting our family members’ desire to live their dreams.
— RICHARD J GONZALES, AUTHOR OF DEER DANCER
Virginia Alanis has created a scenario of wonderful characters and situations that are relevant in today’s day and time. I found her writing to be fresh, her characters to be believable, and the situations to be apropos to what is taking place in the lives of young adults.
— BECKY VILLAREAL, AUTHOR OF GIANNA THE GREAT
Most Americans don’t realize the hardship, suffering, alienation, and endurance young women like Laura must go through in this difficult educational and social environment. All this is very hard to do if social entanglements, family prejudices, cultural assimilation, and related suffocating turmoil pursue you, but exemplary if you’re strong willed like Laura as in this wonderful, complex-as-hell, masterfully written story that reveals the best debutant a Mexican-American novelist can possibly offer.
— JACQUES CARRIE, AUTHOR OF PAPELITOS
Some female characters can be a little too romantic, a little too frivolous— young girls that live too much in fantasy or go to the other extreme— young girls that are too rebellious, that do the drugs and have to do the drinking and just spiral out of control to find themselves. I like the in Love Field, Laura’s character didn’t have to spiral out of control to find herself. She did come across some really difficult situations but she always had a good head on her shoulders and she knew her end goal. Her goal was to get to college and she was going to do what she needed to do to get to college— never sacrificing her own personal values or her own personal beliefs— which I really admire, because you don’t see that a lot.
— NICOLE P MORENO, EPIFANIA MAGAZINE