A Crop Farmer's Daughter

A heartbreaking emotional page-turner based on a true story

Based on a remarkable true story.

Winter, 1969. Since she was a little girl, Catarina learned not to ask for much. Born to a family of corn farmers in rural south Brazil, she was happiest when she was surrounded by sprawling fields and burly, familial farmhands—until her family was driven out of the land they had worked diligently for years, and Catarina was sent to work for a wealthy family in São Paolo.

Only ten years old, Catarina becomes a housemaid—and the lifeline of her family. Far from everyone and everything she’d ever known, she discovers the shocking gap between her life in the country and the lives of her employers, who enjoy lavish dinners and luxuries while her family huddles for warmth in a crumbling home without running water.

But Catarina would not let it be her fate.

Impoverished yet full of hope, she vows to pursue a better life than what her parents destined for her. She knows the only way out is a proper education, but what school will accept a poor, uneducated girl? And then there is this boy, Rafael, whom she can’t keep out of her mind for long. Can Catarina take her fate into her own hands? Or is there nothing she can do to escape the life of a poor crop farmer’s daughter?

With a uniquely authentic voice, Ioni Goldstein tells a hopeful story of grit and resilience. If you love the works of Rachel Wesson and Delia Owens, you will be glued to this inspiring and unforgettable journey.

Interesting book of a girl who steps up and gets an education…

What bothered me is why, once her boyfriend or husband really meets her family and sees where she came from, it changes their relationship with her!?! I think that’s sad. I am wishing it would make them give her more respect that she has what it takes to step forward and get an education etc. It is an interesting book helping one to understand more about people and lives.

A true overcomer!

well paced and amazing the way this woman grew up and overcame so many challenges.

An incredible story! Sadly the AI narration distracts and diminishes the quality of the read/listen experience.

I really enjoyed the story itself! I absolutely wish the narration was done by a living human and not AI! The intonations were often very off, which was disappointing and frustrating. The pronunciation of characters names being called out sometimes four and five different ways was off putting. The AI narration caused so much distraction and frustration, it took away from a very good story. I recommend the book to read, but I cannot recommend the Audible version to listen as it takes away from an incredible story.

Harsh life story of a girl growing up in poverty

Very inspiring story of a girl growing up very poor in Brazil. She had to fight to even go to school but with an amazing spirit she managed to escape poverty and to stay positive.

This is my first listen to a book with virtual voice and I am pleasenly surprised. It was not as bad as I feared. Yes some of the stuff is a bit mispronounced and a real person could have put more emotion into it but it was perfectly OK to listen to.