My Train Leaves at Three

By a striking new voice in fiction, this electric coming-of-age novel follows an ambitious young Afro-Latina performer as she navigates grief, family, love, and the price of chasing her Broadway dreams.

“Guerrero leaves the reader not just enthralled and delighted but waiting with bated breath for what she will conjure up next.”—Xochitl Gonzalez, author of Anita de Monte Laughs Last

Finalist for the California Book Award

After the sudden death of her beloved sister Nena, Xiomara, an Afro-Latina singer and actress from Washington Heights, finds herself trapped in grief. Approaching thirty, she’s living with her deeply religious Puerto Rican mother, working two low-paying jobs, struggling to pay rent, and wondering whether the Broadway dream she has chased for years has already slipped away.

Everything changes when Xiomara lands a once-in-a-lifetime audition with celebrated director Manny Santos. At the same time, an unexpected connection with a coworker named Santi begins to thaw the emotional walls she’s built around herself. But as Xiomara gets closer to the career she’s always wanted, she must also confront exploitation, power, and the harsh realities of the entertainment industry, forcing her to question how much of herself she’s willing to sacrifice for success.

Filled with humor, heartbreak, and resilience, My Train Leaves at Three is a moving coming-of-age novel about healing, ambition, identity, and finding the courage to move forward without leaving yourself behind.