Starting from the cover page of the book, I was drawn to the appealing illustration it was designed with.  The book's cover showed a man who was painting and a woman watching him closely.  From my reading, the man appears to be Manuel since he was the only one mentioned in the book who loved painting, while the woman is most likely Elvira, who always watched him paint whenever she visited him as a child.

Aside from the book cover, I was immersed in the plot, which focused on the distinct lives of both Manuel and Elvira. It described their struggles and complexities of their travel as they moved to New York in pursuit of a better life.  Though they traveled through different means of transportation, the hardship they experienced can be considered relatable.  The cramming of travelers in an unsuitable vehicle, the humiliation, the harassment they had to face, and the shipwreck which was caused by a natural disaster depicted the realistic life of an immigrant.  Still on the plot, I loved how the author alternated between the lives of the main characters.  Also, when writing about the adult character, the author sometimes switched to the character's younger years, which helped me understand their current situation.

I also loved how emotionally charged the plot was, particularly when Manuel and Elvira had to leave their children behind and travel. They were sad and heartbroken for not being there for their children.  To compensate for this, Elvira treated the children she was to care for as a nanny, like her own. Manuel, on his part, took good care of a little boy who was left in his care and formed a strong relationship with him.  Lastly, I admire how the family, despite being pulled apart by fate, did not stop thinking about each other. They were in different countries, but they were still drawn together by love.

Another aspect that made the book stand out were the characters.  The female protagonist, Elvira, is a caring and bold lady. I also consider her as an adaptable character since she was able to cope in a new country and adjust to their way of life without her family.  While reading, I came to appreciate her bold and daring personality when she stood up for an unknown girl on the ship who was about to be harassed by the captain. The male protagonist, Manuel, is also a caring and loving young man. He was also adaptable to the circumstances he found himself in.  I adored how he made a little boy who was always mute around strangers begin to speak through his use of watercolor paints on the boy's hand, thereby creating a long-lasting bond with him.

Apart from the main characters, there were supporting characters, but one in particular made me like the book even more. That character was Antonio, the father of the children Elvira took care of. When he discovered Elvira's love for books, he was so happy and used his books and bookmarks to send messages to her, to which she responded by doing the same.  This felt very romantic, and I was fully engrossed while reading this part.

Overall, the book was very engaging and one I enjoyed reading. I would suggest this book to readers of romance books with a touch of adventure. I'm sure they would love every bit of it.