I needed some time to sit with my feelings before reviewing and posting about this book. The protagonist, Alaine, is one of the most unique and likable characters I have encountered through my reading this year. She is bold and is unapologetic for it. However, in the first part of the book - before she gets to Haiti - she comes across as a little younger than she actually is. I enjoyed reading her thoughts much more once she travels abroad and starts to mature. On another note, both of the authors did a fantastic job with creating the setting of this story (one that takes place mostly in Haiti) and I enjoyed "traveling" through their descriptions of the island. So why didn't this book blow me away if I liked the main character and the setting so much? The simple answer is the plot. I felt like this book could have been split into two separate books, as there was just so much action happening. There were family curses, young romance, political scandals, sickness of a family member, Haitian traditions, and much more covered in this story. Personally, I would have preferred if the authors had just focused on a few of these topics as I found myself overwhelmed with all of the plotlines that were occurring. This may be more of a "me" problem than a problem with the book itself and I did go back and forth between a three and four-star rating. If Goodreads did half stars, Dear Haiti, Love Alaine would definitely have gotten a 3.5-star rating and I encourage you to pick up this title and see if it works better for you. The representation and the message of this story is important and I do not want this review to dissuade you from reading this one.