Reading: A Touch of C: A Novel by Yaffa S. Santos

Date: Thursday, October 17 at 12:00 PM EDT

Larimar Cintrón works hard at three things: her job as brand manager for Beacon Café, a New York based corporate bakery chain; taking care of her parents and her abuela; and hiding that she’s a ciguapa—a mythical creature of Dominican folklore with long, straight hair and backward feet. Larimar may be a ciguapa only during full moons, but she feels like an outsider in her family the rest of the month too. Her love of ’90s punk rock music and style further sets her apart. But when her best friend introduces her to Ray, a bakery owner and fellow punk rock lover, Larimar thinks she may have finally found someone with whom she can be her true self.

As Beacon Café’s brand manager, Larimar oversees all new location openings, including its newest in New Jersey, which could be the project that finally lands her a coveted promotion. But when she discovers the location is right across from Ray’s bakery, Larimar is torn between impressing her boss and saving Ray’s business. As she continues to grow closer to Ray, and as the new store’s opening looms, she struggles to hide the truth about herself and her job. But embracing her magical nature may be the only way Larimar can have everything she wants.