Good Read: The Mango Tree: A Memoir of Fruit, Florida, and Felony

In Florida, few things beyond fishing inspire as much passion—or occasional mischief—as a backyard mango tree. For many Floridians, the fruit isn’t just produce; it’s a prized possession, fiercely guarded from neighbors, passersby, and late-night “mango bandits.” That blend of tropical abundance and territorial humor sets the perfect stage for Annabelle Tometich’s memoir, The Mango Tree: A Memoir of Fruit, Florida, and Felony. Beginning with her mother’s arrest for firing a gun at a suspected mango thief, the book taps into this uniquely Floridian mix of devotion, absurdity, and drama—while peeling back the deeper family story hidden beneath the surface.

The memoir opens with a gripping scene: Annabelle receives a collect call from jail. Her mother, Josefina, has been arrested for shooting at a man she believes was stealing mangoes from her yard—an incident that immediately rings “utterly Florida” in tone and substance. From this startling moment, Tometich delves into her childhood in Fort Myers, Florida, growing up in a Filipino-American household fraught with marital strife, emotional upheaval, and cultural tension. She recounts her father's death in a motel (suspected suicide), the family's chaotic dynamics, and the emotional burden borne by a mother juggling identity, survival, and sacrifice for her children and relatives back in the Philippines.

Tometich’s writing is witty, heartfelt, and vividly descriptive—even in her approach to the most difficult chapters of her upbringing,  with a measured tenderness and clear-eyed compassion. Her story is unflinchingly honest yet balanced by humor, drawing readers into both the warmth and the messiness of her family’s lived reality. The book weaves together reflections on cultural identity and belonging, the complex nature of mother-daughter relationships, and the importance of moving beyond scandalous headlines to reclaim the narrative in the most authentic and unforgettable way.  

The Mango Tree is a compelling debut that weaves Florida’s unique regional flavor with the universal narrative of family, identity, and forgiveness. It’s simultaneously quirky and tender, heartbreaking and hopeful. Tometich shows how a single, bizarre event—a mango-related felony—can serve as a window into the deeper stories that define us.