[4] The book tells the story of Ana, a young woman from the Dominican Republic who moves to New York in 1965 after marrying an older man, Juan.

She is unhappy there, but sees a new side of life when her husband temporarily returns to the Dominican Republic leaving her in the care of his younger brother, Cesar: she can study English, go to the beach, and go dancing.

[5][6] Publishers Weekly described the work as "Enthralling...Cruz's winning novel will linger in the reader’s mind long after the close of the story.

"[8] The Observer's reviewer described it as "a grim portrait of what it means to be doubly disenfranchised as a female illegal immigrant in an oppressively patriarchal community", and says that Cruz "was inspired to write it by her mother’s experience"[1] Kirkus Reviews called the novel "a moving, sad, and sometimes disarmingly funny take on migration and the forces that propel us into the world.

[4] It was selected as the inaugural pick for Good Morning America's book club,[12] and viewers were offered a recipe for "Ana's pastelito love bites".