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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
medium-paced
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Domestic abuse, Death of parent
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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:
Complicated
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, but I LOVED this one. A wonderful twist on the millionaire (billionaire?) trope, with two MCs whose backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives on life are very similar in some ways but very different in others; who are 100 percent committed to their close-knit families and friends; and who are caring, competent, funny, and not afraid to face hard truths and work on themselves when they fuck up. And this is Adriana Herrera, so you know it is hot. Damn, she writes good chemistry.
There is so much to love about this book, but I want to focus particularly on Camilo's job as a social worker in a grassroots organization called New Beginnings that provides services, shelter, and support to survivors of domestic violence. While Camilo and Tom first meet and have a scorching encounter at a gala dinner (Camilo's ticket scored from his boss, who had to cancel), their further relationship is enabled by the fact that Tom, the m/billionaire, is funding a huge project for the renovation of one of New Beginnings' domestic violence shelters, for which Camilo is the project leader (neither of them knew this when they had the aforementioned encounter). Adriana Herrera is herself a social worker and trauma specialist working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and her expertise, compassion, care, and awareness is so evident in the way she writes Camilo and his work. Herrera is an excellent and empathetic writer regardless, but in this story - where she is writing about something she obviously knows, lives, and cares deeply about - you can just feel the care, knowledge, and commitment radiating off the page. And it's such a gift for the reader as well, to be made aware of so many everyday things that affect trauma victims' sense of security and self - things that those of us who are lucky enough to not be affected by intimate violence (or other sources of trauma), often would not be aware of. Camilo and Tom's story is a fun, funny, hot romance - but in telling their story, Herrera is also giving her readers a gentle lesson in paying attention to and being mindful about how we can support survivors in our lives, even if only in small ways. And she pushes back hard - and rightly - against the idea that poor people, or people on the margins, or people who are struggling don't deserve joy:
"Turning, [Camilo] pointed in the direction of the street. 'What they hear out there is, "If you're black or brown, poor and a single mom, you have no right to joy, you haven't earned it." We say, "Fuck that because neither has anyone else." So we make a point of doing stuff like the New York City Bodies classes. To reinforce they have the right to moments that are just theirs, that no matter what good or bad decisions they've made or how hard things are, they still get joy.'"
This is so moving and so goddamned right that I nearly busted out crying. Romance as a genre is about many things, but I think that fundamental to the idea of romance is the idea of finding and centering joy - which, in a romance novel, primarily (if not exclusively) takes the form of romantic love. And that is very much present in this novel too: Camilo and Tom's joy comes from many places (family, friends, food, their cultures, their work), all of which are given their due, but certainly the intimacy and love and relationship that grows between them is the focal point of the book. But reading this full-throated defense of joy as something for everyone, not something "earned" or "deserved" or contingent on other people or a relationship or sex or even a happy ending - damn, that made me so happy. Just hats fucking off to Adriana Herrera for this.
As a long-term expatriate raising bi-national, bilingual children, I also really loved the exploration of identity, belonging, and (for lack of a better word) splittedness felt by many of us living with a foot in two countries and cultures. Really beautifully done, and something I really identified with.
Like all Adriana Herrera books, the cast is diverse across many identity markers. I love the way Spanish is woven in, love the dialogue, love the love that Herrera has for her characters and their cultures and how this shines through on the page.
I also appreciated the fact that the story raises and deals with things that legitimately could be obstacles (Camilo's concern about having a relationship with a donor; Tom not telling Camilo about his daughter until an unplanned meeting forces the issue) in a straightforward and grownup way. Like, yes, these are valid issues and concerns! And there is definitely scope for drama here! But guess what? We thought them through and communicated about them like adults, and it ended up that we could work through it! This is like a freaking object lesson in how to deal with your shit, individually and together. Hats off again, Ms. Herrera.
Also, Priya and Ayako are fucking queens. Just so that's clear.
There is, of course, inevitably a conflict that blows up, one that is seeded and foreshadowed throughout. And while I'm hugely sympathetic to Camilo's point of view here, I will say that it felt a bit one-sided (all Tom's fault). I understand that Tom fucked up in how he dealt with the situation, but I also know from experience that it can be incredibly frustrating and hurtful to be in a relationship where the other person is refusing to accept help in a way that is actually harming themselves. So while I accept that Tom was in the wrong, I would have liked if Milo could have similarly accepted that he needs to work on taking a helping hand when it's offered him, and in articulating what it is he needs (not just blankly denying what he doesn't want, i.e. Tom's money). But that is probably more me than the book.
All in all - a fantastic, moving, fun, compassionate, hot read that is just like a big warm hug from a friend you didn't know you had. Loved loved loved it.
There is so much to love about this book, but I want to focus particularly on Camilo's job as a social worker in a grassroots organization called New Beginnings that provides services, shelter, and support to survivors of domestic violence. While Camilo and Tom first meet and have a scorching encounter at a gala dinner (Camilo's ticket scored from his boss, who had to cancel), their further relationship is enabled by the fact that Tom, the m/billionaire, is funding a huge project for the renovation of one of New Beginnings' domestic violence shelters, for which Camilo is the project leader (neither of them knew this when they had the aforementioned encounter). Adriana Herrera is herself a social worker and trauma specialist working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and her expertise, compassion, care, and awareness is so evident in the way she writes Camilo and his work. Herrera is an excellent and empathetic writer regardless, but in this story - where she is writing about something she obviously knows, lives, and cares deeply about - you can just feel the care, knowledge, and commitment radiating off the page. And it's such a gift for the reader as well, to be made aware of so many everyday things that affect trauma victims' sense of security and self - things that those of us who are lucky enough to not be affected by intimate violence (or other sources of trauma), often would not be aware of. Camilo and Tom's story is a fun, funny, hot romance - but in telling their story, Herrera is also giving her readers a gentle lesson in paying attention to and being mindful about how we can support survivors in our lives, even if only in small ways. And she pushes back hard - and rightly - against the idea that poor people, or people on the margins, or people who are struggling don't deserve joy:
"Turning, [Camilo] pointed in the direction of the street. 'What they hear out there is, "If you're black or brown, poor and a single mom, you have no right to joy, you haven't earned it." We say, "Fuck that because neither has anyone else." So we make a point of doing stuff like the New York City Bodies classes. To reinforce they have the right to moments that are just theirs, that no matter what good or bad decisions they've made or how hard things are, they still get joy.'"
This is so moving and so goddamned right that I nearly busted out crying. Romance as a genre is about many things, but I think that fundamental to the idea of romance is the idea of finding and centering joy - which, in a romance novel, primarily (if not exclusively) takes the form of romantic love. And that is very much present in this novel too: Camilo and Tom's joy comes from many places (family, friends, food, their cultures, their work), all of which are given their due, but certainly the intimacy and love and relationship that grows between them is the focal point of the book. But reading this full-throated defense of joy as something for everyone, not something "earned" or "deserved" or contingent on other people or a relationship or sex or even a happy ending - damn, that made me so happy. Just hats fucking off to Adriana Herrera for this.
As a long-term expatriate raising bi-national, bilingual children, I also really loved the exploration of identity, belonging, and (for lack of a better word) splittedness felt by many of us living with a foot in two countries and cultures. Really beautifully done, and something I really identified with.
Like all Adriana Herrera books, the cast is diverse across many identity markers. I love the way Spanish is woven in, love the dialogue, love the love that Herrera has for her characters and their cultures and how this shines through on the page.
I also appreciated the fact that the story raises and deals with things that legitimately could be obstacles (Camilo's concern about having a relationship with a donor; Tom not telling Camilo about his daughter until an unplanned meeting forces the issue) in a straightforward and grownup way. Like, yes, these are valid issues and concerns! And there is definitely scope for drama here! But guess what? We thought them through and communicated about them like adults, and it ended up that we could work through it! This is like a freaking object lesson in how to deal with your shit, individually and together. Hats off again, Ms. Herrera.
Also, Priya and Ayako are fucking queens. Just so that's clear.
There is, of course, inevitably a conflict that blows up, one that is seeded and foreshadowed throughout. And while I'm hugely sympathetic to Camilo's point of view here, I will say that it felt a bit one-sided (all Tom's fault). I understand that Tom fucked up in how he dealt with the situation, but I also know from experience that it can be incredibly frustrating and hurtful to be in a relationship where the other person is refusing to accept help in a way that is actually harming themselves. So while I accept that Tom was in the wrong, I would have liked if Milo could have similarly accepted that he needs to work on taking a helping hand when it's offered him, and in articulating what it is he needs (not just blankly denying what he doesn't want, i.e. Tom's money). But that is probably more me than the book.
All in all - a fantastic, moving, fun, compassionate, hot read that is just like a big warm hug from a friend you didn't know you had. Loved loved loved it.
Let me start by saying that I loved the first installment of this series, American Dreamer. I feel like, with romance, too often negative critique comes from people who pick them up despite not "liking" romance to begin with.
Also, to point out my own bias, this is more of a traditional romance; whereas, I tend to be more of a romcom reader.
My problem with this book was that I found Camilo to make mountains when there were no hills at all. He invites his boyfriend to a concert with his mom when he knows there are no seats available. Then, when his (rich) boyfriend buys them much better tickets where they can all sit together, Milo flips out about his boyfriend throwing around his money, and Milo gets even more upset when the boyfriend takes them all out to a fancy dinner afterward in a clear attempt to impress Milo's mom. I found it all to be almost YA silly. (Think What If It's Us?)
I also would have preferred the novel to build the relationship a little more through an increased focus on the wonderful charity work that brings Milo and his boyfriend (Thomas) together. Instead, this wonderful social commentary element is pushed to the edges of the story fairly quickly to focus on their whirlwind romance.
I will likely give the third installment a shot to see if I can get back some of the spark of American Dreamer.
Also, to point out my own bias, this is more of a traditional romance; whereas, I tend to be more of a romcom reader.
My problem with this book was that I found Camilo to make mountains when there were no hills at all. He invites his boyfriend to a concert with his mom when he knows there are no seats available. Then, when his (rich) boyfriend buys them much better tickets where they can all sit together, Milo flips out about his boyfriend throwing around his money, and Milo gets even more upset when the boyfriend takes them all out to a fancy dinner afterward in a clear attempt to impress Milo's mom. I found it all to be almost YA silly. (Think What If It's Us?)
I also would have preferred the novel to build the relationship a little more through an increased focus on the wonderful charity work that brings Milo and his boyfriend (Thomas) together. Instead, this wonderful social commentary element is pushed to the edges of the story fairly quickly to focus on their whirlwind romance.
I will likely give the third installment a shot to see if I can get back some of the spark of American Dreamer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Death of parent
Wow I loved this! Adriana Herrera has such a gift for weaving deep, beautiful romance with real life struggles on things like ethnicity, class, family, etc. I am a FAN and plan to work my way through this entire series and anything else she writes.
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes