Featuring an unexpected subway encounter, Ismée Williams’ newest contemporary, This Train Is Being Held, is going to make you swoon over the slow-burn romance between Isabelle Warren, a girl who does her dance routines in secret due to a strict mother, and Alex Rosario, a boy who plays baseball in pressure in attempt to make his father proud. Heavily centered around Spanish culture and heritage in the current timeline, Isa and Alex’s journey in this book was absolutely eye-opening, not just in regards to their romance, but also to their family, friends, and surroundings.
Isabelle Warren is a half-Cuban high-schooler and passionate dancer in secret. She’s your typical privileged girl, though I’d say that she’s more than aware of her privilege and family’s wealth, which makes her character more bearable to follow. With a mother suffering from unstable emotions and a brother who suffered from depression, you soon realise that she doesn’t have it all. Enter Alex Rosario, a Dominican-American high schooler and forced-baseball player. Living with a controlling father who expects his son to be all athletic, the idea of Alex becoming a poet might as well become a death-sentence for him.
Isa and Alex’s first encounter may or may not be the most swoon-worthy material in this story. As a matter of subjectivity, I’d personally consider it as realistic, which makes the whole narrative feel way more real and believable. The two didn’t immediately get love-struck with one another, yet the attraction was clearly showing on this first meeting. Aside from the romance, which was slow yet delightful to follow, what piqued my interest the most about this story is the richness of the Latino culture and representation. It accentuated many important and sensitive topics as well from parental pressure for their kids, to heavy mental disorders and racism.
Told in an alternate point-of-view, Isa and Alex’s perspective was completely contrast yet beautifully complement each other. With two main leads who come from different backgrounds and social classes, you may want to hold your tongue before judging this book as your typical cheesy YA novel because This Train Is Being Held is far from that. Williams eloquently incorporated this classic trope into something that’s way more heartfelt, meaningful, and raw.
As I previously mentioned, I cherished the rich representations included in Williams’ newest book. Although one thing quickly becomes a challenge for me, which is the heavy-use of Spanish in this story. While I enjoyed the incorporation of Spanish in both dialogues and internal monologues of the characters, I was hoping there’d be a guide for non-Spanish speakers such as myself.
In conclusion, This Train Is Being Held is an evocative and heartfelt slow-paced realistic fiction. It’s the perfect companion to bring on your next train ride while enjoying the after-work hours.
This Train Is Being Held is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
When private school student Isabelle Warren first meets Dominican-American Alex Rosario on the downtown 1 train, she remembers his green eyes and his gentlemanly behavior. He remembers her untroubled happiness, something he feels all rich kids must possess. That, and her long dancer legs.
Over the course of multiple subway encounters spanning the next three years, Isabelle learns of Alex’s struggle with his father, who is hell-bent on Alex being a contender for the major leagues, despite Alex’s desire to go to college and become a poet. Alex learns about Isabelle’s unstable mother, a woman with a prejudice against Latino men. But fate—and the 1 train—throw them together when Isabelle needs Alex most.
Heartfelt and evocative, this romantic drama will appeal to readers of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen.
