First off, I must mention that I loved the cover of Watercolors and Tears by Jose Orlando Castaneda as it looked like a watercolor painting that could have been done by Manuel.

I found myself really liking Manuel from the start. It took me longer to come to like Elvira as I had an initial dislike for her interest in romance with Antonio while she was married to Manuel.  However, the pairs' exchange of literary quotes softened my dislike of their interaction, especially with how it began so innocently. There was one moment, though, that I felt like I could practically feel Elvira’s shame when Elvira decides to leave and Clara (Antonio’s wife) immediately asks if Elvira’s family has suffered an emergency and if Elvira needs Clara to buy her a plane ticket. This moment showed a true inner kindness in Clara that made me feel ashamed for coming to like the romance between Elvira and Antonio.  The author did an amazing job in pulling me into the lives of both Manuel and Elvira and making me become emotionally invested in both of them. The author alternated chapters between the two of them which I enjoyed as it almost made it feel like I was reading two books at once sometimes. 

While I did really enjoy reading the book, there were some parts that I found difficult to read due to the devastating emotions they made me feel. The book covers some difficult topics that make it more suited for adults. For instance, at the beginning of the book when Manuel ends up meeting Amanda (an old school friend of his) at the farmhouse, he urges her to share her story of traveling by ship. She shares the horrible conditions, abuses, and sexual abuse that occurred on the ship. The author does not go into descriptive detail, but even so the story of what she experienced and witnessed was horrible. That said, overall, I found the book to be an emotionally riveting read that I enjoyed quite a bit.