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100_pages_hr's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Oliveras has a real talent for writing realistic and relatable Latinx RomComs. Not only are her romance and comedy parts fantastic, but her side characters in the form of two sets Latinx familias are perfect. I love the close knit familia bonds especially with the siblings.
The romance in this part "second chance" and at least in my opinion part "enemies to lovers" is full of angst, chemistry, and heat. I love how she writes intimate scenes that push the bounds of closed door just a little but don't get overly explicit (though some conservative readers might think so). The passion between Ale and AM is evident and keeps you turning the pages to see if it will work out or crash and burn.
The setting of Key West in this book makes you wish you were there. You can practically smell the ocean and see the flowers. Not to mention all the food described makes you wish you were eating at Miranda's.
I loved the character growth in this book. Truly it was special to watch both Ale and AM learn some important lessons. There were some really special moments that touched my heart.
I've loved every book Oliveras has written and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.
The romance in this part "second chance" and at least in my opinion part "enemies to lovers" is full of angst, chemistry, and heat. I love how she writes intimate scenes that push the bounds of closed door just a little but don't get overly explicit (though some conservative readers might think so). The passion between Ale and AM is evident and keeps you turning the pages to see if it will work out or crash and burn.
The setting of Key West in this book makes you wish you were there. You can practically smell the ocean and see the flowers. Not to mention all the food described makes you wish you were eating at Miranda's.
I loved the character growth in this book. Truly it was special to watch both Ale and AM learn some important lessons. There were some really special moments that touched my heart.
I've loved every book Oliveras has written and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Cursing
Minor: Medical trauma
leahsbooks's review
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Rounded up to 3.5 stars.
For my full review, visit: https://leahs-books.com/2021/03/20/anchored-hearts/
Thank you to Bookish First for providing me with a copy of this book. I am offering my honest opinion voluntarily.
I loved the way the author brought Key West to life so vividly on the page. I’ve never been there, but everything was so descriptive and detailed, that I almost felt like I had been there after reading the first book.
I liked Anamaría’s character. She’s tough, smart, and strong, both physically and mentally, and she’s motivated to work hard to achieve her goals. I especially loved that she worked hard to fight cultural norms that she didn’t agree with, even if they weren’t commonly encountered in her own home:
“He remembered her grumbled curses at the machismo and sexism common in the two cultures that were so much a part of her familia’s life — Cuban and firefighting. Though much less evident in their actual home.”
As for Alejandro, I didn’t quite love his character as much. He was hardheaded and incredibly stubborn, and came off as immature and petty. The majority of his storyline involved him hosting a one-man pity party, and failing to understand why no one else saw things from his point of view while he never bothered to even try to see anyone else’s point of view.
“Yeah, thank God he was okay. If “okay” meant slipping down a fucking waterfall and busting the shit out of his leg, then being forced to return to the home he could no longer claim as his to face the people he was destined to disappoint.”
While the cultural and family aspects of the story were great, I think at times the mothers got a little too involved. It almost felt as though the mothers were forcing Anamaría and Alejandro together, whether they wanted to be or not. Honestly, it felt as though the moms forced a lot of the action to occur.
“As much as she didn’t want to think of them as being on the same side, she and Alejandro might have to come up with their own plan for putting a stop to their moms’ matchmaking.”
Things moved kind of slow in this book. Maybe it just felt that way to me because of how repetitive Alejandro’s POV chapters were, but the story was also very slow-burning. When things finally did heat up, the lead-up started out as a little explicit, but then the scene just faded out before anything actually happened. I found that strange, and it just felt like a let-down.
I especially enjoyed the way the story connected characters to their cultural roots. The immigration history in these families is touched on in such a beautiful way, and made it even more understandable why they hold onto their culture so tightly. Even with the meddlesome mamis, I liked reading about family dinners, the styles, and the delicious sounding foods! It didn’t hurt that this ARC came with recipe cards for ropa vieja and picadillo, now I just have to get to the supermarket and pick up the right ingredients to cook a genuine Cuban dinner.
For my full review, visit: https://leahs-books.com/2021/03/20/anchored-hearts/
Thank you to Bookish First for providing me with a copy of this book. I am offering my honest opinion voluntarily.
I loved the way the author brought Key West to life so vividly on the page. I’ve never been there, but everything was so descriptive and detailed, that I almost felt like I had been there after reading the first book.
I liked Anamaría’s character. She’s tough, smart, and strong, both physically and mentally, and she’s motivated to work hard to achieve her goals. I especially loved that she worked hard to fight cultural norms that she didn’t agree with, even if they weren’t commonly encountered in her own home:
“He remembered her grumbled curses at the machismo and sexism common in the two cultures that were so much a part of her familia’s life — Cuban and firefighting. Though much less evident in their actual home.”
As for Alejandro, I didn’t quite love his character as much. He was hardheaded and incredibly stubborn, and came off as immature and petty. The majority of his storyline involved him hosting a one-man pity party, and failing to understand why no one else saw things from his point of view while he never bothered to even try to see anyone else’s point of view.
“Yeah, thank God he was okay. If “okay” meant slipping down a fucking waterfall and busting the shit out of his leg, then being forced to return to the home he could no longer claim as his to face the people he was destined to disappoint.”
While the cultural and family aspects of the story were great, I think at times the mothers got a little too involved. It almost felt as though the mothers were forcing Anamaría and Alejandro together, whether they wanted to be or not. Honestly, it felt as though the moms forced a lot of the action to occur.
“As much as she didn’t want to think of them as being on the same side, she and Alejandro might have to come up with their own plan for putting a stop to their moms’ matchmaking.”
Things moved kind of slow in this book. Maybe it just felt that way to me because of how repetitive Alejandro’s POV chapters were, but the story was also very slow-burning. When things finally did heat up, the lead-up started out as a little explicit, but then the scene just faded out before anything actually happened. I found that strange, and it just felt like a let-down.
I especially enjoyed the way the story connected characters to their cultural roots. The immigration history in these families is touched on in such a beautiful way, and made it even more understandable why they hold onto their culture so tightly. Even with the meddlesome mamis, I liked reading about family dinners, the styles, and the delicious sounding foods! It didn’t hurt that this ARC came with recipe cards for ropa vieja and picadillo, now I just have to get to the supermarket and pick up the right ingredients to cook a genuine Cuban dinner.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Minor: Death
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