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sydapel's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? Yes
3.5
Not as much of a hit for me as the first in the series, as I struggled with keeping all the family names/relationship dynamics straight and felt the middle of this book lacked pacing. I did love the way Lola and Saint's individual trauma and insecurity made their conflicts believeable, as well as book's overall focus on how oppressive structures feed cycles of violence and crime. Saint's daughter was also adorable and ending was really well done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Mental illness and Fatphobia
Minor: Bullying
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
legalplanner's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I am absolutely in love with the Vega Family series. Caña has done it again with this one, and i'll be not so patiently waiting for the next one to arrive.
The quiet brother and the firecracker former love collide again, you'd think instant sparks. But time changes people and that was absolutely the case for Saint and Lola. I had been curious about who Saint was and what his impact would be to this story line for a while because he was the quiet brother in the previous story. It seemed like he would be the easy brother who didn't really have problems. Boy was I wrong. Saint is working through survivor guilt, anxiety, PTSD, and so many other mental health problems that many Veterans experience. Lola is atoning for the sins of her father, wanting to do good in the community despite how hurtful her father was.
Through all of this I loved how involved the Vega family was and how much they wanted Saint to find his happy. The real star of the show was Rosie. I was in love with her personality and she was such an integral piece of the story even though you wouldn't think a 4 year old child could be that much of a piece. I was wrapped up with her development and her relationships with Saint and Lola and her Vega family.
Overall, this is so much more than just about actual family. It's about the family you find and fight for. It's about being proud in who you are. It's also about how you can be loyal to your beliefs while also having to do something you don't want to do. I loved the complexity of this novel because it wasn't clear at times what might happen and if we would get a happy end. I will gladly read as many books as Caña publishes.
Thanks to NetGalley, MIRA, and Natalie Caña for my advanced copy in return for an honest review.
The quiet brother and the firecracker former love collide again, you'd think instant sparks. But time changes people and that was absolutely the case for Saint and Lola. I had been curious about who Saint was and what his impact would be to this story line for a while because he was the quiet brother in the previous story. It seemed like he would be the easy brother who didn't really have problems. Boy was I wrong. Saint is working through survivor guilt, anxiety, PTSD, and so many other mental health problems that many Veterans experience. Lola is atoning for the sins of her father, wanting to do good in the community despite how hurtful her father was.
Through all of this I loved how involved the Vega family was and how much they wanted Saint to find his happy. The real star of the show was Rosie. I was in love with her personality and she was such an integral piece of the story even though you wouldn't think a 4 year old child could be that much of a piece. I was wrapped up with her development and her relationships with Saint and Lola and her Vega family.
Overall, this is so much more than just about actual family. It's about the family you find and fight for. It's about being proud in who you are. It's also about how you can be loyal to your beliefs while also having to do something you don't want to do. I loved the complexity of this novel because it wasn't clear at times what might happen and if we would get a happy end. I will gladly read as many books as Caña publishes.
Thanks to NetGalley, MIRA, and Natalie Caña for my advanced copy in return for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Minor: Homophobia, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
booknerderika's review
lighthearted
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Natalie Caña has done it again!
There was so much representation in this book (Plus-size, LGBTQ+, mental health/trauma, etc) and tropes that I normally don't like but actually enjoyed here (2nd chance romance, single parent romance, "good boy" smut).
Lola is a plus-sized bisexual activist who stands firm in her beliefs and loves everyone so fiercely. Then there is Saint, the caring father and military veteran who feels it's his duty to protect everyone while neglecting his own struggles withanxiety and PTSD.
I appreciate that this was not a pro-war book and that the topic of how marginalized groups are disproportionately affected by military recruitment out of high school was brought up.
Saint wasn't a favorite character for me in the first book, but I have gained a new view of him and want nothing but the best for him.
I am curious to see how things are going to work out for the next couple. Especially with the drama from book 1. I am very much looking forward to book 3.
There was so much representation in this book (Plus-size, LGBTQ+, mental health/trauma, etc) and tropes that I normally don't like but actually enjoyed here (2nd chance romance, single parent romance, "good boy" smut).
Lola is a plus-sized bisexual activist who stands firm in her beliefs and loves everyone so fiercely. Then there is Saint, the caring father and military veteran who feels it's his duty to protect everyone while neglecting his own struggles with
I appreciate that this was not a pro-war book and that the topic of how marginalized groups are disproportionately affected by military recruitment out of high school was brought up.
Saint wasn't a favorite character for me in the first book, but I have gained a new view of him and want nothing but the best for him.
I am curious to see how things are going to work out for the next couple. Especially with the drama from book 1. I am very much looking forward to book 3.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Biphobia, Gun violence, Sexual content, Body shaming, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Fatphobia
Minor: Car accident
kbairbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A sequel as incredible and as intoxicating as the first! Something about Natalie Caña’s writing is so delicious. I love the characters, I love the romance, the spice, the ABUELOS, everything. I could probably gush about this book, and the Vega family, forever. It’s genuinely so much fun and so heart warming! I love it, I love it, I love it!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Death of parent, Grief, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Medical content, and Police brutality
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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