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bookishmillennial's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
Lola León is a preschool teacher and also works with unhoused LGBTQ+ youth who have been disowned by their families. Saint Vega is set to take over his uncle Luis' construction company, and he has been navigating why his four-year-old daughter Rosie is not speaking at school, and even at home sometimes. He is a single dad, and while her teachers are quick to diagnose her with an intellectual disability, Lola steps in and hopes to give Rosie and Saint the space to figure this out.
Lola has recently returned home and is also dealing with the gentrification of her neighborhood, including the homeless shelter that she volunteers at. She teams up with Saint to find a new space for the unhoused LGBTQ+ youth that rely on this space, and this forced proximity forces them to confront their falling out years ago. Their grandfathers are also pranking each other at the senior care home that they live in, so that's yet another thing these two need to worry about.
Lola is a main character you really root for: she is an incredibly independent, passionate, self-deemed social justice warrior. She is fat and has no time for fatphobia or body shaming. Her brother and father were well-known gang members and she is constantly reckoning with the bias she receives from others because of this association. She cares deeply about her neighborhood, has no qualms protesting loudly and proudly, and she is not easily swayed. She has absolutely wondered if she was "too much" for people, but she mostly stands strong in her convictions, almost to a fault if you ask Saint.
On the other hand, Saint is grappling with his own past with the military as such a young kid, being a single father, and now worrying over Lola's safety in addition to his own and his daughter Rosie's. I appreciated that Lola called attention to the manipulative tactics that armed forces take when it comes to targeting minors from communities of color and framing it as one of their "only" options for a bright future. Saint can be a bit condescending at times, but it felt rooted in his deep concern over the consequences, which he knew all too well from his time in the military.
I enjoyed the flashbacks in this second-chance romance, and my favorite moments are always when folks divulge what caused it to all unravel so long ago, or when they are so bravely sharing their deepest cuts.
I listened to the audiobook on Kobo, and thought the narration by Valentina Ortiz was excellent!
steam rating: 2/5
cw: ableism, classism, gentrification, mention of armed forces/military, gun violence, injury detail, incarceration/prison system, fatphobia, body shaming, homophobia, biphobia, unhoused/abandoned/kicked out LGBTQ+ youth
Lola León is a preschool teacher and also works with unhoused LGBTQ+ youth who have been disowned by their families. Saint Vega is set to take over his uncle Luis' construction company, and he has been navigating why his four-year-old daughter Rosie is not speaking at school, and even at home sometimes. He is a single dad, and while her teachers are quick to diagnose her with an intellectual disability, Lola steps in and hopes to give Rosie and Saint the space to figure this out.
Lola has recently returned home and is also dealing with the gentrification of her neighborhood, including the homeless shelter that she volunteers at. She teams up with Saint to find a new space for the unhoused LGBTQ+ youth that rely on this space, and this forced proximity forces them to confront their falling out years ago. Their grandfathers are also pranking each other at the senior care home that they live in, so that's yet another thing these two need to worry about.
Lola is a main character you really root for: she is an incredibly independent, passionate, self-deemed social justice warrior. She is fat and has no time for fatphobia or body shaming. Her brother and father were well-known gang members and she is constantly reckoning with the bias she receives from others because of this association. She cares deeply about her neighborhood, has no qualms protesting loudly and proudly, and she is not easily swayed. She has absolutely wondered if she was "too much" for people, but she mostly stands strong in her convictions, almost to a fault if you ask Saint.
On the other hand, Saint is grappling with his own past with the military as such a young kid, being a single father, and now worrying over Lola's safety in addition to his own and his daughter Rosie's. I appreciated that Lola called attention to the manipulative tactics that armed forces take when it comes to targeting minors from communities of color and framing it as one of their "only" options for a bright future. Saint can be a bit condescending at times, but it felt rooted in his deep concern over the consequences, which he knew all too well from his time in the military.
I enjoyed the flashbacks in this second-chance romance, and my favorite moments are always when folks divulge what caused it to all unravel so long ago, or when they are so bravely sharing their deepest cuts.
I listened to the audiobook on Kobo, and thought the narration by Valentina Ortiz was excellent!
steam rating: 2/5
cw: ableism, classism, gentrification, mention of armed forces/military, gun violence, injury detail, incarceration/prison system, fatphobia, body shaming, homophobia, biphobia, unhoused/abandoned/kicked out LGBTQ+ youth
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Gun violence, Ableism, Body shaming, War, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Fatphobia, and Classism
stephbeaudoin20's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A Dish Best Served Hot by Natalie Caña
This is the second book in a series, but you can definitely read it as a standalone. If you read it on its own, you'll be in the same place as the main character Lola. 😊
Things I am here for:
Lola is a fat woman who loves her body and doesn't dress to hide it 🔥
Diverse main characters: Lola is Puerto Rican and Mexican and Saint is Puerto Rican
Bisexual representation! Lola is bisexual and Saint immediately accepts her sexuality when they are in high school
Lola is an absolute badass, taking on systems and fighting the man
Saint is the absolute best single dad. Doing Rosie's hair and her edges 🥰
Saint listens to others, apologizes when he is wrong, and goes to therapy! No shame in getting help!
Rosie is the perfect addition to the story. I love her so much.
Lola chooses not to have kids. And that is OK. It's also OK for her to fall in love with Rosie and make a family.
This is the second Natalie Caña book I've read. The third act break up happens because of major character flaws with both main characters. They wrestle with these flaws and how to be a better partner. I'm not a fan of the third act breakup, but at least it's for the characters to grow instead of something ridiculous like miscommunication.
This is an arc, and I'm not supposed to quote it. Know that there are so many highlights on my copy. So many good things!
I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is the second book in a series, but you can definitely read it as a standalone. If you read it on its own, you'll be in the same place as the main character Lola. 😊
Things I am here for:
Lola is a fat woman who loves her body and doesn't dress to hide it 🔥
Diverse main characters: Lola is Puerto Rican and Mexican and Saint is Puerto Rican
Bisexual representation! Lola is bisexual and Saint immediately accepts her sexuality when they are in high school
Lola is an absolute badass, taking on systems and fighting the man
Saint is the absolute best single dad. Doing Rosie's hair and her edges 🥰
Saint listens to others, apologizes when he is wrong, and goes to therapy! No shame in getting help!
Rosie is the perfect addition to the story. I love her so much.
Lola chooses not to have kids. And that is OK. It's also OK for her to fall in love with Rosie and make a family.
This is the second Natalie Caña book I've read. The third act break up happens because of major character flaws with both main characters. They wrestle with these flaws and how to be a better partner. I'm not a fan of the third act breakup, but at least it's for the characters to grow instead of something ridiculous like miscommunication.
This is an arc, and I'm not supposed to quote it. Know that there are so many highlights on my copy. So many good things!
I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Biphobia, Body shaming, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, and Cursing
Minor: Grief, Kidnapping, Mental illness, War, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Drug use
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