Para Olvidar Tus Besos = In Order to Forget Your Kisses

Maritita Amor is growing up in the lap of luxury in Santiago de Chile when her loving parents are killed in a car accident and she is left in the care of her compulsive, gambling aunt, Lavinia. Close to being destitute, the aunt embraces the new wealth she inherits from her brother's vast fortune, sends Maritita off to private school, and continues gambling. Maritita's new life is one of sorrow, solitude, and fantasy. One of those fantasies becomes reality when her close friend brings her together with Abel Fortuna, a young and handsome man of Arab descent. But before their love can flourish, Lavinia arranges Maritita's marriage to Juan Fiero, a wealthy landowner who is known for being exceptionally ugly. Abel and Maritita's passionate love story takes a winding, tortuous route. In her vivid blend of fantasy and family history, told from Maritita's and Abel's perspectives, Sfeir uses her own Chilean and Arab-Croatian roots to create a multicultural romance. Recommended for public libraries. Yolanda Cuesta, Sacramento, CA