Tag: Latinx

Spoiler Free Review: The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: The Bewitching

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Pub. Date: July 15th 2025

Genre: Horror/Historical Fiction/Paranormal

Format: eARC

Publisher: Del Rey

 Pages: 357

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SMG delivers YET again with The Bewitching, a truly spooky/bone-chilling multigenerational horror set between 1900’s Mexico, and 1930’s/1990’s Massachusetts. We follow three women in their timelines as they find themselves in mysterious circumstances. Nana Alba in 1900’s Mexico is a young woman whose family has seen many a misfortune that leads her to believe they have been cursed by a witch. Nana Alba made sure to pass these stories down to her great-granddaughter Minerva who in turn, is now a graduate student focusing her research on horror literature and the life of Beatrice Tremblay. The author Tremblay wrote macabre tales and a novel titled “The Vanishing” that was inspired by a true story. Beatrice was attending the same university as Minerva in 1930’s Massachusetts when her roommate disappeared without a trace and under very mysterious circumstances. We see Minerva begin to find the thread that connects her to Nana Alba and Beatrice Tremblay. She begins to feel as if those same entities that Nana Alba spoke about and Beatrice based her novel on, may now be stalking her and they mean her harm.

What better way to start spooky season than with a brand new SMG?!?! This one matched the energy Mexican Gothic left me craving even with it admittedly being much slower paced. You just can’t rush masterful storytelling, the atmospheric writing was 10/10! Set in Massachusetts , this is NOT your average tale of Salem witches. Instead we get Witches and their origins in Mexico but bring it to Massachusetts, I’ll tell you one thing! These witches scared the hell outta me and made me keep the lights on as I read. Frankly I got anxiety anytime Minerva had to perform her campus duties of making sure all was good in the dorms at night carrying nothing but a flashlight and a clipboard SMH. The Bewitching is cinematic, haunting, atmospheric, eerie and at times gory. Each timeline has a healthy dose of mystery and paranormal encounters blending the folklore of Mexican witches with that of the New England witchcraft lore. The reason for this story unfolding at a much slower rate makes all the sense once you know why these women are being hunted by blood thirsty witches. Alba, Beatrice, and Minerva have some things in common that make them prime targets. Ranking The Bewitching as my #2 favorite of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and HIGHLY encouraging book lovers add this one to their September Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month TBR’s.  

★彡 “𝙱𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗, 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚜. 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙽𝚊𝚗𝚊 𝙰𝚕𝚋𝚊 𝚞𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚢 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝙼𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚊 𝚋𝚎𝚍𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜; 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚊 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚖 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜.” 彡★

 

 

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Spoiler Free Review: Kiss Me, Maybe by Gabriella Gamez

Title: Kiss Me, Maybe

Author: Gabriella Gamez

Original Pub. Date: May 6th 2025

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Latinx/Queer

Format: eARC

Publisher: Forever

 Pages: 384

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Kiss Me, Maybe is the second installment in the Librarians In Love series by Gabriella Gamez where we follow Angela Gutierrez as one of her TikTok videos goes viral for reasons she could’ve never anticipated. In what most would consider modest pajamas, Angela speaks on her Ace identity and the fact that she’s a late bloomer who’s never been kissed. Influencer status UNLOCKED. Viewers want to follow Angela’s journey to getting that first kiss and so she feels inspired to turn this into a scavenger hunt with the prize being her first kiss. Women start flocking to the comments and asking for the application to participate and before she knows it, the city is tuned into her journey. Including one hot bartender Krystal Ramirez who Angela has had a five year crush on and thinks it to be a case of unrequited love. Krystal seems eager to help Angela find her first kiss and doesn’t deny her attraction to her but she’s also upfront with where she stands on love. It’s simply not for her and she doesn’t wish to get attached. 

This one is sitting at 3.5 stars with me which is a smidge lower than the first book in the Librarians in Love series but still enjoyable. I did wish that like its predecessor, we had seen Angela in a library setting but instead we spend more time at the bar where Krystal works. The only time work is brought up is when Angela’s higher ups frown upon her TikTok getting so much traction for her choice of sleepwear which showed not a lick of skin to begin with. That being said, the bar was lively and had all the vibes you’d want to see when drinks are being served. What I loved? The discussion on the highs and lows of having an online presence as Angela experiences online love/support turn to attacks on her personal life. The very real possibility that your offline career could be watching and have some sort of say in the content you post. I loved seeing how respectful and supportive Krystal is of Angela as she’s figuring out where she stands with her Ace identity. The questions she wants to answer for herself as someone who’s never experienced a kiss or anything sexual with anyone else, Angela is tired of not knowing. There’s a ton of exploration between the two with open-door play that is definitely a step up in the spice meter than The Next Best Fling. What I appreciated? Krystal’s reason for staving off love actually being well within reason and not something that is contrived to keep her away from our MC. Lastly, it wouldn’t be a Latinx romance without the presence of a large family that perhaps meddles a bit too much haha! Angela has these cousins who she always has felt the need to lie to in order to keep them out of her personal life, if this means making up a boyfriend or kiss then so be it. I’ve seen this happen way too many times and have also experienced the inquisition from my own Latinx familia so on that note, same girl! same! I do we hope we get another installment in this series and soon ❤ 

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Spoiler Free Review: The Seventh Veil Of Salome by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: The Seventh Veil Of Salome

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Pub. Date: August 6th 2024

Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance/Latinx

Format: eARC

Publisher: Del Rey

 Pages: 336

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The Seventh Veil Of Salome is a dual timeline/multi-perspective Historical Fiction set during 1950’s Hollywood and Biblical times (with background appearances of Jesus who at the time is performing miracles on the townspeople.) We follow three women as their stories unfold: Vera Larios – an unknown Mexican ingenue who is cast in the lead role of Salome; Nancy Hartley – an actress whose career has run dry and is starving for a lead role that will grant her access to a life of fame and fortune; Princess Salome – in love with a prophet who has angered many of the higher officials looking to silence him but not before he speaks on the misfortune that is to come onto Salome’s stepfather.

We meet Vera Larios who’s just been cast in a swords-and-sandals biblical movie that is being directed by a notoriously difficult to work with director. Vera has no acting experience whatsoever but she caught his eye as the only ideal fit to play the role of the beautiful Salome. In the bible, Salome is known for the beheading of John the Baptist. Vera who has spent most of her life being overlooked or dismissed by her mother for her darker complexion saw this as an opportunity to step into the limelight and a chance to breakaway from the toxicity at home. On the film set and in the media she encounters misogyny and racism from men and women. The men objectify her, the women see her as stealing their roles with her “exotic” features, while the media portrays hers as an explosive unpredictable Latina. As the movie begins to film, we get an inside look at Hollywood during this time as the cast of Salome parties and gives the media the tea for their headlines. Nancy Hartley on the other hand is desperately trying to secure a lead role by any means necessary, Vera being a Mexican woman fuels her ire. We see an unhinged woman’s downward spiral powered by hate and racism. The cunning Salome has suitors lined up but she’s set her eyes on the one man she absolutely can’t have and whose days are numbered. will she choose love or power?

It wouldn’t be a SMG novel if it followed the same style of writing with each story she delivered. The Seventh Veil Of Salome is part documentary told through the lens of multiple characters reflecting on what transpired on the set of Salome. While also traveling back to the biblical times of Salome and John the Baptiste. Each of these ambitious women deliver such a captivating story that as much as I was enjoying the perspective I was in, I was also thinking of the other women’s situations. Whether you’re new to SMG or an avid reader of her books, the atmospheric writing alone will guarantee a rich reading experience. I’m not sure what is in SMG’s pen but no matter the time period/plot, the ease with which you are transported make all of their books a must read.

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Review: The Next Best Fling (Librarians In Love #1) by Gabriella Gamez

Title: The Next Best Fling (Librarians In Love #1)

Author: Gabriella Gamez

Pub. Date: July 9th 2024

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Latinx

Format: eARC

Publisher: Forever

 Pages: 384

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The Next Best Fling features a plus sized Latina female librarian who is feeling stuck with a case of unrequited love for her best friend. A bestie who is getting married to a mutual college friend leaving Marcela feeling like the ship has sailed on their second chance romance. They briefly dated years ago but Marcela always felt as if she was never quite enough for him. Fast forward to the events leading up to the wedding and with it, his older brother and ex-NFL Player Theo’s return. Theo is also harboring some unrequited love of his own and its for the bride-to-be. They were all friends at one point but his feelings for the bride led him to put some distance between them for some years. Now he’s back and is considering letting her know exactly how he feels before she marries his brother who he has some friction with. Cue Marcela who overhears his plan to stop the wedding with his confession and decides to stop him. Marcela talks some sense into Theo and so begins their friendship which leads some in their inner circle to believe they’re actually dating. Including the groom who begins to aggressively try to persuade his bestie Marcela that his brother is not the great guy she thinks he is. This leads Marcela and Theo to let the lie roll so to speak while actually exploring a friends with benefits relationship.
I’m always on the hunt for Latinx romance to feed my soul, these books typically have families as supporting characters and delicious dishes being cooked in the kitchen being served alongside the steamy romance. The Next Best Fling checked off all the boxes while also stirring my appetite for some authentic Mexican food. Marcela’s mother always having food on the stove or set aside for her was heart warming and made me think of my own dad who loved to feed his daughters. I also loved the library setting and actually seeing Marcela in her work environment where she thoughtfully chooses books for the Young Adult community reading in her branch. The fun nights of Cosplay she and her friend organize to really get kids excited to read and be a part of something had me smiling and wishing I had that as a teen. Marcela is one of the coolest FMC’s I’ve come across with the exception of the lack of transparency she had with Theo while he was confessing his years long feelings for the bride to be. They were in the same exact boat except Theo spent it mostly in the dark about Marcela’s feelings for his brother the groom. Other than this, I could relate to Marcela SO MUCH! her insecurities absolutely came into play while handling her feelings and it was empowering watching her come into the realization that she’s bad a**! and NOT undesirable. Theo being the sweet kind big guy that he is allowed Marcela to see she was settling before just by simply listening and observing all of the little things she loves. Instead of making someone the center of her world, she was being doted on like she deserved. Friends to Lovers is my favorite trope to read from and although there isn’t a foundation for their friendship, it does evolve as one first before it turn romantic. This is the first installment in the Librarians In Love series by Gabriella Gamez and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

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Spoiler Free Review: Raiders Of The Lost Heart by Jo Segura

Title: Raiders Of The Lost Heart

Author: Jo Segura

Pub. Date: December 5th. 2023

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Tropes: academic rivals/close proximity

Format: eARC

Publisher: Berkley

 Pages: 357

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Lara Croft meets Indiana Jones and they embark on a dig set in the Mexican jungle…but make it hot?!? 🤗 there was no passing this up, even more so when the female main character is a Mexican archeologist with a penchant for adventure. Dr. Soccorro “Corrie” Mejia has devoted her academic career to becoming world renowned expert on the ancient warrior of the Aztec Empire Chimalli. She’s invited to an all expenses paid dig to search for Chimali’s long lost remains, the warrior she believes is one of her ancestors. When she learns that the lead archeologist is none other than her academic rival Dr. Ford Matthews, Corrie is put in the position of having to rise above or miss out. Corrie is a woman of color working in a male dominated field, her work should garner her the respect she deserves. Instead Corrie is objectified by her peers which leads her to believe this is the reason why she was overlooked to lead this dig. The point of contention throughout this expedition is the fact that Dr. Ford a white cishet male with knowledge of Chimali (but not quite as much as Corrie) was offered THE once in a lifetime opportunity she has worked so hard for.

The plot thickens when we find out Corrie and Ford have actually already hooked up years before becoming the successful archeologists they are now. She can’t deny her attraction to ford or the awkwardness that comes with having to work in close proximity to him. Neither can Ford but he also has his eye on the prize, the hefty pay-out from their investor that will help with a personal situation he’s dealing with. One that is weighing heavy on his heart and mind and that is also leading to questionable/ethical decisions. What didn’t work for me? the ick feeling Ford’s actions left on me made it hard to ship this duo even though I really wanted to. Certain things he did made it hard to think he even deserved a woman like Corrie who already has the odds stacked against her in their shared field. I’m not saying he was totally irredeemable, I just wish the core of this story wasn’t based on a less than favorable move he made.

What I loved? National Treasure is one of my all time favorite adventure movies and this book does read like one with high stakes. I loved their archeological discoveries and theories of Chimali. Throwing in the artifact smuggler angle heightened the danger you’d typically get while watching Lara Croft/Indiana Jones in action. Lastly, I’d be quicker to call this friends to lovers than hate to love. I’m always going to prefer friends to lovers, the history between Corrie and Ford is a part of this story giving the reader a sense of picking up right where they left off. The steamy scenes were giving me LIFE! while also raising a brow at how well Ford’s more intimate chapters were written ☺️ I’m all for this becoming a romance/adventure series, the intrigue and spice alone would keep me flipping pages!

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Spoiler Free Review: Full Moon Over Freedom by Angelina M. Lopez

Title: Full Moon Over Freedom (Milagro Street #2)

Author: Angelina M. Lopez

Pub. Date: September 5th 2023

Genre: Romance/Latinx

Format: eARC

Publisher: Harlequin Feature

Pages: 400

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Full Moon Over Freedom is the second book in the Milagro Street series following a Mexican-American family trying to breathe life back into a Kansas city street, home to many hard working class immigrants. This time we’re following Gillian Armstead-Bancroft, one of the Torres sisters who is returning to Freedom Kansas with her two children and in the middle of an ugly divorce/custody battle. To friends and family, Gillian has always been a do-gooder who did everything “right” and more than ever, wants to be good at being bad. Running into her childhood bestfriend Nicky Mendoza poses an opportunity to let go and go with the flow. Nicky was the one she entrusted to help her lose her virginity the summer before leaving for college, he represents home and safety. For Nicky, the return of the girl he loves comes with a ton of mixed emotions including abandonment. Nevertheless, they throw caution to the wind and ignite what they’ve never been able to forget. 

What I didn’t love? I struggled warming up to Gillian, but that may just be my preference for lead characters who go against the grain and are a bit more bold in life choices. Gillian is trying to find her footing after having her idea of success and happiness completely changed and her life turned upside down. We get a healthy dose both Gillian and Nicky independently however, their romance in present time felt a bit unbalanced. As in, Nicky was definitely pouring into Gillian’s cup but she was wrapped up in a lot of unresolved issues. The friends to lovers trope set the foundation for this connection but its also what carried this story arc. 

What I loved? returning to Freedom Kansas, seeing familiar faces, and the progress being made to open business in this long forgotten street. There’s discussion of opportunities and business plans being drawn up to help women of color gain financial independence through ownership. We also see our MC’s dig through historical documents that paint a better picture of how women of color contributed to this street in decades past. One a more personal level, Gillian is navigating being a new single mom to her kids. One of which has autism; Gillian’s very real concerns and fears of being in a toxic co-parenting situation and how it affects her child. There are heavy themes explored such as drug addiction, emotional abuse, and death of a loved one. This series also has a touch of magical realism, we come across La Llorona who is a ghost from Mexican Folklore as well as a wolf entity that follow our main characters down their paths independently. I love when my romance books are meaty and complex like the Milagro Street books are, my interest in reading about the youngest Torres sister next is definitely piqued!

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Spoiler Free Review: Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: Silver Nitrate

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Pub. Date: July 18th 2023

Genre: Horror/Historical Fiction

Format: DRC

Publisher: Del Rey

Pages: 323

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I’ll be the first to admit I was unsure I’d be reading Silver Nitrate when we got wind of the premise. SMG is and will always be one of my top favorite authors and if there’s anyone who can get me to read a book based on horror films, it could only be Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Character driven and slower paced than some of her other books, Silver Nitrate is a blend of Horror and Historical Fiction set in Mexico City during the 90’s with references to the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema. Our main characters Montserrat is a sound editor who is stuck at a bad paying job where all the projects worth having are given to the owners favorites. Montserrat stays for the love of what she does but doesn’t do so silently, she’s tough and isn’t one to keep quiet at the inequality of it all. Her best friend Tristán who she’s been in love with since childhood, is a soap opera actor whose career is rapidly fading. After a break-up Tristán packs up and moves into a building and discovers his upstairs neighbor is the legendary cult horror director Abel Urueta. Montserrat and Urueta hit it off when he senses her real passion for horror films and so he tells them of the curse he believes is responsible for ending his career overnight. Urueta tells them of his involvement in a cult led by a Nazi occultist and how silver nitrate stock was being used in an effort to dispel magic through the screen. This of course backfired and cast a spell on all those working on the film, Urueta is one of the very few to have made it out alive. 

We really get to know Montserrat & Tristán once they decide to get involved with helping Urueta and start living through the repercussions. For Tristán it’s the ghost of his dead girlfriend and for Montserrat its the feeling that she’s being followed by a dark presence. It was around the 60% mark that I started feeling as if I couldn’t put the book down, I was engrossed in the paranormal happenings at this point. Our MC’s who are an odd pairing to say the least are also deeply connected to one another, there’s real care and concern coming off the page. Tristán is freaked out and would much rather close the door on all of this while Montserrat can’t turn away, it’s just not in her nature. She’s always had to play the tough role as someone who’s disabled and was bullied at a young age but never backed down. The contrast of personalities worked really well in getting me to care for these characters which in turn got me to get invested in the horror/historical elements that play center stage. SMG is a phenomenal writer! it was easy to reimagine Mexico City in the 90’s through her pen similar to the magic of Velvet Was The Night. Whether the muse behind this book was my jam or not doesn’t take away from the fact that this author continues to deliver quality story telling. Silvia Moreno-Garcia continues to prove that she cannot be boxed into any one genre and I’m here to read anything she writes! 

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Spoiler Free Review: Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo

Title: Family Lore

Author: Elizabeth Acevedo

Pub. Date: August 1st 2023

Genre: Contemporary/Fiction/Latinx

Format: DRC

Publisher: Ecco

Pages: 371

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One of my MOST highly anticipated reads of 2023 by one of my all time favorite authors, I could not wait to get my hands on a copy! and since I’ve always listened to Acevedo’s books while reading along, I couldn’t break tradition. If you haven’t done so already, you should absolutely treat your ears to Acevedo’s narrative style and join the many readers who simply adore this author’s storytelling/voice. This is Acevedo’s first adult fiction debut and we follow the six women of the Marte family in past + present timelines between Santo Domingo and New York City. Sisters Flor, Matilde, Pastora, and Camila have gathered to organize a living wake for Flor. The Oldest of the sisters has always had a close relationship with death, experiencing premonitions at a very young age that predicted which family members were close to passing. After watching a documentary of a man having a living wake with his loved ones present, Flor decided she would have one for herself. This story is slow paced as we get to know the sisters and some of their offspring, cousins Ona and Yadi also have chapters of their own as they navigate their mother/aunts live funeral. 

There’s something comforting in reading one of Acevedo’s books and I believe it’s because family is always at their core. Also, as a Latina woman myself having grown up in a large family there is one universal truth and that is…everyone is deeply invested in everyone elses lives for better or worse. Matilde is dealing with a husband who is always having an affair and this time has taken his extra marital activities much further. Pastora is tired of seeing Matilde put up with her philandering husband and wants her to end her marriage. She’s also trying to get to the bottom of the reasoning behind Flor’s live wake. Camila is the youngest and most forgotten of the sisters and she’s grown tired of that. Flor’s daughter Ona is struggling with fertility issues and wanting more than anything to have a child with her husband. Pastora’s daughter Yadi has her world rocked when her boyfriend from her teenage years returns after having been in prison for some years. 

I found some of these women’s stories to be  more compelling than others but can appreciate what Acevedo set out to achieve. It was during the scenes that took place back in Santo Domingo where you can see where and why these ladies have unhealed generational trauma and wounds to heal. Although they’re all deeply woven with one another, six lives to follow can get chaotic and sometimes I found myself getting lost. I felt some women were better developed than others and this led to some blending in of voices and difficulty keeping the story lines straight. Even though we Know Camila is sick of being the forgotten one, I still felt she pretty much was forgotten in this story which seemed like a missed opportunity. If you enjoy reading slower paced stories with a strong focus on family dynamics paired with a unique storytelling voice, you can’t go wrong with Elizabeth Acevedo. 

Favorite POV’s: Matilde and Yadi

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Spoiler Free Review: Ana María AND The Fox (A Luna Sisters Novel)

Title: Ana Maria And The Fox

Author:Liana De La Rosa

Pub. Date: April 4th 2023

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Latinx

Format: eARC + audiobook

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 352/10 hours + 43 minutes

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This Latinx Victorian era slow-burn Historical Romance follows Ana Maria Luna’s arrival in London alongside sisters Isabel and Gaby. The Heiress and her sisters have been shipped off by their father during the French occupation of Mexico to seek refuge with their uncle Arturo in London. Their domineering and controlling father has already arranged Ana Maria’s marriage upon her return but in the mean time gives them instructions to keep a very low profile and their family name/affiliation a secret. Uncle Arturo has other plans for the Luna sisters, he sees an opportunity to help Mexico by having them act as ambassadors. By winning over the British peoples love and admiration, Arturo hopes they can rally their support to oust the French from Mexico. For Ana and her sisters this is the first time they’ve experienced freedom from their father’s control. They all have a sense of duty to their mother country and are willing to socialize with politicians and the elite in hopes of gaining favor to their cause.

Gideon Fox is your classic grump at a distance, he’s a man of Parliament with an agenda of his own. He’s the son of a slave woman who has had to work very hard to get to where he is now in a society where the color of his skin marks him an outsider. Gideon however has one goal he is working very hard towards, securing the votes he needs to eliminate the Transatlantic slave trade. This is his life’s purpose and all is on track until he meets Ana Maria on the Ballroom floor. He’s not one to easily get distracted but there’s something undeniably intriguing about the oldest sister who isn’t afraid to speak her mind. She’s beautiful and alluring that even while trying to minimize their interactions he quickly realizes that there isn’t a room Ana Maria walks into where everyone isn’t instantly drawn to her including himself.

Book Lovers if a slow burn romance with a meaty historical subplot is your thing then Ana Maria and The Fox is here to deliver! Our leads are undeniably attracted to each other which we see when Ana slips up and compliments some body part or other while Gideon silently yearns for Ana every time he hears her laugh. I had myself a good giggle whenever Ana tried and failed to get her mind off how attractive Mr. Fox is, this is the type of girl you want in on your girls night! loved her! Our girl knows that she does NOT want to back home and be married off only to be treated like cattle. Ana seizes the opportunity to carve out a new life path for herself in London. Although the Luna sisters miss their homeland dearly, it isn’t safe for the to return while it’s under french occupation.

I thoroughly enjoyed Ana and Gideon’s story because of how well they complimented each other mentally. They each have Philanthropic mindsets and it was nice seeing how they listened to one another and truly supported each others cause. Above all they understood that neither would be sidetracked and neither wanted the other to put their goals to the side. This is a ship I can get behind! If you enjoyed Adriana Hererra’s A Caribbean Heiress In Paris, you may slo find yourself enjoying this Latinx Historical Romance. I’m looking forward to reading the other Luna sister’s story arcs, fellow book loving sister Isabel seems to be the next one *fingers crossed*

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Spoiler Free Review: Take The Lead by Alexis Daria

Title: Take The Lead

Author: Alexis Daria

Pub. Date: Re-Published on February 14th 2023

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Latinx

Format: eARC + audiobook

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Pages: 368/11 hours + 10 minutes

GOODREADS | BARNES & NOBLE | AMAZON | LIBROFM

☆☆ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review☆☆

Gina Morales has BIG dreams when she hops on a seaplane to Alaska to meet her partner in the next season of The Dance Off. In the four season of being a contestant on the show, she has yet to make it to the finals. She’s hoping to get paired with an Olympian who is agile and can easily learn the choreography. Who she meets when they dock in Alaska is not what she expected. Tall Rugged Outdoorsman Stone Nielson signed up as a contestant for The Dance Off to help out his family but a dancer he is not. He does however have some experience with reality tv since his parents and siblings are known for their show based on outdoor living in the Alaska wilds. When these two meet and realize just how big the differences are in the lives they’re living, they question whether this can workout. To the shows producers, their differences are exactly what makes them the ideal dance couple to have a “Showmance.” A storyline to fee the public and get them invested in Gina and Stones on screen chemistry is a tried and tru way to boost up the ratings. Neither one wants to fake a romance but they both have a lot to lose if they don’t. For Gina, it’s her last shot at fame and really jump starting her career. It’s the reason why she left the Bronx and moved to L.A and she doesn’t want to throw in the towel just yet. For Stone who is hiding a family secret, this show can grant him the money he needs to help them. This may not be his comfort zone but he’s up for the challenge.

This was a tandem read between my eGalley copy and audiobook which may be the reason why I didn’t rate it a bit higher. It took me a bit to get into the narrators style but I’d say two hours in is when elements of the show started taking off and I started to get into the story. It’s fast paced with what can be called instalove but considering the whole setting is this episodic dance show, we get to see Gina and Stone’s romance develop along the way. This wouldn’t typically work for me but that’s because I’m just a slow burn girlie, I actually felt the instalove worked in this story because of its dance show theme. Alexis Daria did her thing with scene and dance descriptions that brought excitement to the page. The competition aspects were woven in perfectly and because some of the dances practiced/performed are sensual, our couple had a ton of close proximity moments where it was just 🔥🔥🔥

As a fellow Latinx woman I loved seeing Gina address the stigma attached to many Latinx women. How in the entertainment industry, Latinx women are often seen as spicy, feisty and seductive. Taking care of her image and maintaining her professionalism is something she takes seriously because of these stigmas. This is definitely a romance but first and foremost we get a strong goal oriented Latina who knows herself and what will make her happiest is this career she’s nurtured. Stone is also very true to his roots and Alaska is his home, we see him getting real with himself and redefining his wants/needs. I loved these two together, they’re polar opposites yet their differences compliment each other so well. If you love dancing, choreography, and high stakes competition with a big dose of close proximity/steamy scenes then pick this one up! 

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