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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
Authentic, heart-warming, lots of friends & family support, and two serious challenges to overcome.
I stumbled a bit over the overstating or showing and then also telling, but this was very good regardless. Most of all, there is a kindness here that's soothing even when someone (Milo) is getting royally pissed off. :)
I stumbled a bit over the overstating or showing and then also telling, but this was very good regardless. Most of all, there is a kindness here that's soothing even when someone (Milo) is getting royally pissed off. :)
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I am quickly becoming a fan of Adriana Herrera's writing and storytelling. Her stories are rich with culture, identity, family (including found family), community, and humor and it comes off very real and refreshing for me as a Black reader.
I don't tend to read "billionaire romances" and I was not aware that would be the prominent trope when I picked this up (I didn't really read the blurb). American Fairytale follows the romance of Camilo, who we are introduced to in the first book in the series, and Thomas. Milo is a social worker (like me!) so I instantly connected to him and the experiences he encountered in the field.
Thomas is rich rich and often uses his money and power to influence those around him. This often frustrated me as Camilo OFTEN told Tom he did not want money defining or centering the relationship. But Tom for the majority of the story did so anyways. This dynamic strongly contributed to my rating this only 4 stars, because I found that side of Tom to be insufferable. I also was not a fan of the groveling.
I do think Thomas had a stronger character development than Camilo; Camilo remained fairly rigid in his thoughts and beliefs. That is not a bad thing, just left him less room to grow into the relationship. The true stars of the story were Libe, Dinorah, and Ayako. I will definitely pick up book 3.
I don't tend to read "billionaire romances" and I was not aware that would be the prominent trope when I picked this up (I didn't really read the blurb). American Fairytale follows the romance of Camilo, who we are introduced to in the first book in the series, and Thomas. Milo is a social worker (like me!) so I instantly connected to him and the experiences he encountered in the field.
Thomas is rich rich and often uses his money and power to influence those around him. This often frustrated me as Camilo OFTEN told Tom he did not want money defining or centering the relationship. But Tom for the majority of the story did so anyways. This dynamic strongly contributed to my rating this only 4 stars, because I found that side of Tom to be insufferable. I also was not a fan of the groveling.
I do think Thomas had a stronger character development than Camilo; Camilo remained fairly rigid in his thoughts and beliefs. That is not a bad thing, just left him less room to grow into the relationship. The true stars of the story were Libe, Dinorah, and Ayako. I will definitely pick up book 3.
This is a sexy sexy book!! It also has a lot of heart and reality. Herrera is an excellent writer. I love how she incorporates issues such as mental illness and social justice. Her books reflect the world and she doesn't shy away from that.
Received an ARC via Netgalley
I liked this even more than American Dreamer. I liked Camilo and Thomas together overall just a tad bit more I think. They worked together so well. I also liked the setup and how the potential problems of the power dynamic were addressed and confronted. It also didn't feel preachy. I really only have one thing that bugged me and that was towards the end. Like always. There's always that one last grasp for drama and conflict and it always irks me. I totally understand why Camilo had an issue with what Thomas did, that it was behind is back. However, I hate that no one held a mirror up to Camilo and called him out on his pride and refusal to ask for or accept help, especially given his job. He of all people should understand that sometimes people need help. I get what he was afraid of and why it was a difficult situation for him, but everyone raked Thomas over the coals and ALL the characters got to voice an opinion on what he did (which wasn't bad, it was how he went about it that was the issue) and I was expecting Camilo's friends to at least be like, "Dude, take a step back, are you upset at him going behind your back or are you upset because this hurts your pride?" and it never happened. I don't like when things feel unbalanced. The story and romance are still great aside from that. I think they were really caring together and made sense for each other. I like that Thomas also spent time alone with Camilo's mother, he forged a separate bond with her. I also appreciate the bond developed between Camilo and Thomas' daughter. I can't wait for the next book. I'm so happy to have found this author.
I liked this even more than American Dreamer. I liked Camilo and Thomas together overall just a tad bit more I think. They worked together so well. I also liked the setup and how the potential problems of the power dynamic were addressed and confronted. It also didn't feel preachy. I really only have one thing that bugged me and that was towards the end. Like always. There's always that one last grasp for drama and conflict and it always irks me. I totally understand why Camilo had an issue with what Thomas did, that it was behind is back. However, I hate that no one held a mirror up to Camilo and called him out on his pride and refusal to ask for or accept help, especially given his job. He of all people should understand that sometimes people need help. I get what he was afraid of and why it was a difficult situation for him, but everyone raked Thomas over the coals and ALL the characters got to voice an opinion on what he did (which wasn't bad, it was how he went about it that was the issue) and I was expecting Camilo's friends to at least be like, "Dude, take a step back, are you upset at him going behind your back or are you upset because this hurts your pride?" and it never happened. I don't like when things feel unbalanced. The story and romance are still great aside from that. I think they were really caring together and made sense for each other. I like that Thomas also spent time alone with Camilo's mother, he forged a separate bond with her. I also appreciate the bond developed between Camilo and Thomas' daughter. I can't wait for the next book. I'm so happy to have found this author.
I haven’t been this conflicted about a book for sometime but I think I wanna give this a 3.5.
I haven’t read the first book in this series but I have heard great things and really got excited when I got this ARC. I love stories with fairytale-esque themes and this book was very adorable and swoony for the most part.
Camilo is a social worker and I loved the passion he had for his work. Every time he talked about the work he did at the shelter and the ideas he had for how to help his clients, it was wonderful to read and I could totally see why Tom fell in love with him. Tom on the other hand is such a thoughtful amazing person, very connected to his roots and this drive to support causes that are close to his heart. Except the part where Tom tries to solve issues with money, which made Camilo uncomfortable, these two were literally perfect for each other. The attraction was instant since the first time they met and the slow organic progression to love was beautiful to watch. And the scenes with Tom’s daughter Libe were an absolute delight.
The writing in this book is just so easy to get through, I was done in a single sitting. The author does a great job of showing us the culture that both Tom and Camilo come from, and it was awesome to read their conversations about their heritage, the ethnic food or even the issues related to their community. The friend group in this book is also very very diverse and I liked getting to know them, even if I couldn’t keep track of all of them sometimes. While I understood why the conflict occurred in the story, I didn’t completely like how it played out and I felt that some very thoughtless accusations were thrown around, which never did get a proper resolution. Also, despite hearing so much about Camilo’s passion for his work, we don’t get to see much of him actually doing it and I think that was a missed opportunity.
Overall, this is a swoony sweet romance featuring very good characters and some emotional angst thrown in. I recommend this book if you like reading romances about people who are proud of their cultures and it reflects off the page and who are very eager to do something for helping those in society who need it. It also works very well as stand-alone and I never felt that I was missing out any references. I also have a feeling I’ll be checking out the next one in the series because I really liked the author’s storytelling.
I haven’t read the first book in this series but I have heard great things and really got excited when I got this ARC. I love stories with fairytale-esque themes and this book was very adorable and swoony for the most part.
Camilo is a social worker and I loved the passion he had for his work. Every time he talked about the work he did at the shelter and the ideas he had for how to help his clients, it was wonderful to read and I could totally see why Tom fell in love with him. Tom on the other hand is such a thoughtful amazing person, very connected to his roots and this drive to support causes that are close to his heart. Except the part where Tom tries to solve issues with money, which made Camilo uncomfortable, these two were literally perfect for each other. The attraction was instant since the first time they met and the slow organic progression to love was beautiful to watch. And the scenes with Tom’s daughter Libe were an absolute delight.
The writing in this book is just so easy to get through, I was done in a single sitting. The author does a great job of showing us the culture that both Tom and Camilo come from, and it was awesome to read their conversations about their heritage, the ethnic food or even the issues related to their community. The friend group in this book is also very very diverse and I liked getting to know them, even if I couldn’t keep track of all of them sometimes. While I understood why the conflict occurred in the story, I didn’t completely like how it played out and I felt that some very thoughtless accusations were thrown around, which never did get a proper resolution. Also, despite hearing so much about Camilo’s passion for his work, we don’t get to see much of him actually doing it and I think that was a missed opportunity.
Overall, this is a swoony sweet romance featuring very good characters and some emotional angst thrown in. I recommend this book if you like reading romances about people who are proud of their cultures and it reflects off the page and who are very eager to do something for helping those in society who need it. It also works very well as stand-alone and I never felt that I was missing out any references. I also have a feeling I’ll be checking out the next one in the series because I really liked the author’s storytelling.
3.25
There's still too much tell/exposition for me. It did take some feels out for me.
Interestingly, the big "choice" conflicts I understand with the ordering and what not. Silly though to make the second time at the chef's table w/ a pre-planned menu because that's part of the experience and... Like .. Usually amazing?
I like what Herrera's doing, and appreciated that there was no real villain here. Two sweet, idealistic, evolved heroes that talk.
There's still too much tell/exposition for me. It did take some feels out for me.
Interestingly, the big "choice" conflicts I understand with the ordering and what not. Silly though to make the second time at the chef's table w/ a pre-planned menu because that's part of the experience and... Like .. Usually amazing?
I like what Herrera's doing, and appreciated that there was no real villain here. Two sweet, idealistic, evolved heroes that talk.
Thomas is the multimillionaire immigrant alpha progressive cinnamon roll of our dreams, Camilo is a sexy Momma's boy who devotes his life to helping women and kids, and when they meet at a fundraiser it's straight fire.
On their second meeting, which occurs in a professional setting, the connection deepens. Camilo reacting to Thomas:
They share values and chemistry but inhabit very different class positions and social worlds. Plus, they have a working relationship that further exacerbates those conflicts. The challenges they face are realistic and relevant. So basically, American Fairytale is simply my platonic ideal of radical romance. Just the right mix of social conscience and unabashed swoon.
I've put off writing this review for too long waiting for just the right words to do this justice, so for now I'll leave it at that.
On their second meeting, which occurs in a professional setting, the connection deepens. Camilo reacting to Thomas:
At the mention of his mother his face lit up. A Dominican boy who loved his mother. Like I needed one more reason for my ill-advised crush to grow.
They share values and chemistry but inhabit very different class positions and social worlds. Plus, they have a working relationship that further exacerbates those conflicts. The challenges they face are realistic and relevant. So basically, American Fairytale is simply my platonic ideal of radical romance. Just the right mix of social conscience and unabashed swoon.
I've put off writing this review for too long waiting for just the right words to do this justice, so for now I'll leave it at that.
This book started off super promising, and I thought for a minute that I might like it even more than AMERICAN DREAMER, the first in this series. Camilo and Tom are both great leads, and their extended family and friends are fantastic. True to the title, this is indeed an American fairytale featuring a wealthy hero and his no-nonsense, not-so-wealthy object of affection who is rich in sass and unconditional love. I loved how the book knowingly flagged its fairytale aspects with the perfect number of eyerolls from various characters, and everything stayed within a range of believability. I just kind of checked out at the low stakes obstacles, many seemingly self-inflicted, and the amount of time spent in the leads' heads as they agonized over...being too perfect for each other? having too much great sex? being able to communicate too well? I felt the angst was way disproportionate to the obstacles, which became repetitive. Overall there's a lot to like in this book in terms of family and Caribbean culture, but for me it ran out of steam at about 60%. Another quibble is that (at least the Kindle version of) the book is rife with both missed punctuation and mis-punctuation, to the point where it was very frustrating and distracting; it felt like the book needed one more editorial pass before heading to publication. Really hoped to like this one more, but it was a bit of a miss for me.
Super interesting not-a-Cinderella story. Some of this is utterly spectacular and Herrera is a truly gifted writer. Much like in the first book of this series, Herrera has her characters carving out the sorts of spaces they needed but didn’t have as kids. From the queer BIPOC non-profit where Milo works to the project these two collaborate on, a shelter (and so much more) for those fleeing domestic violence, both men are invested in this project for reasons beyond the altruistic and, speaking as someone in the field of non-profit housing and homeless services, Herrera did a great job creating something that isn’t just pandering to the SJW types.
Milo is a gorgeous character and I adored him. He stole every scene he was in. He’s worked hard to get where he is, he believes in the work he’s doing, he’s unapologetically himself, and scrappy af. He struggles with trust but is open to love. He wants this thing with Tom to work, even if there are loads of reasons it isn’t a great idea to pursue, and he does a lot of compromising to make that happen.
The peripheral characters are well-drawn and tons of fun. It was nice to get glimpses of Nesto and Jude and the other folks from book one and we meet some new people that are just as compelling. Milo’s boss and work bestie, Tom’s best friends, and Tom’s kid are all cool people that I’d love to hang out with and I enjoyed the way they brought out different aspects of the main characters. There’s also Tom’s ex-husband, who is mainly there so his invasive pushing puts Tom into some kind of sympathetic light … I think he’s also meant to give Tom a chance to grow and change, though that gambit wasn’t super successful, imo.
Cuz then there’s Tom.
I really struggled with Tom and his need to center himself in everything. I loved that Milo and Tom’s friends had no problem calling him on it … and I hated that he never seemed to understand what the problem was. I especially didn’t appreciate that he couldn’t take Milo’s word for it when a problem was pointed out, but had to have it explained to him in small words by one of his besties. Even with her input, Tom kept not only repeating the same mistake but, as another review mentioned, he *escalated* each time. Every time was about what he wanted and every time he ignored Milo’s wishes, either unintentionally by trying to be suave and order for him (seriously, though – ordering alcohol for someone else is BEYOND presumptuous, especially at a supposed work meeting you manipulated him into) or blatantly blowing past Milo’s stated boundaries (Can I? No. What if I? No. It’d be so simple if I? No. /smirk/ Did it anyway cuz I know what’s best for you babes … 🤮). He even has the gall to accuse Milo of being the one unwilling to compromise.
So Milo is understandably unhappy when the man he loves doesn’t seem to notice or care about his feelings, and hasn’t even considered the things Milo has done to make this relationship viable. Then Tom “fixes” it with a big romantic gesture that fell pretty flat for me, not only cuz I’m not super into romantic gestures where there’s an established pattern of bad behaviour but cuz I don’t understand why this was so special. Frankly, it seemed more in line with his pattern of not checking in with Milo. I couldn’t help wondering if there wasn’t some way that Tom could’ve found to do it WITH Milo, instead of as some janky surprise.
Honestly, I can’t get excited about a billionaire character that can’t be bothered to give af about the consent of the supposed love of his life. There are enough of those assholes in the world – I want something more in my fantasy. YMMV.
Review cross-posted at redhotbooks.com
Milo is a gorgeous character and I adored him. He stole every scene he was in. He’s worked hard to get where he is, he believes in the work he’s doing, he’s unapologetically himself, and scrappy af. He struggles with trust but is open to love. He wants this thing with Tom to work, even if there are loads of reasons it isn’t a great idea to pursue, and he does a lot of compromising to make that happen.
The peripheral characters are well-drawn and tons of fun. It was nice to get glimpses of Nesto and Jude and the other folks from book one and we meet some new people that are just as compelling. Milo’s boss and work bestie, Tom’s best friends, and Tom’s kid are all cool people that I’d love to hang out with and I enjoyed the way they brought out different aspects of the main characters. There’s also Tom’s ex-husband, who is mainly there so his invasive pushing puts Tom into some kind of sympathetic light … I think he’s also meant to give Tom a chance to grow and change, though that gambit wasn’t super successful, imo.
Cuz then there’s Tom.
I really struggled with Tom and his need to center himself in everything. I loved that Milo and Tom’s friends had no problem calling him on it … and I hated that he never seemed to understand what the problem was. I especially didn’t appreciate that he couldn’t take Milo’s word for it when a problem was pointed out, but had to have it explained to him in small words by one of his besties. Even with her input, Tom kept not only repeating the same mistake but, as another review mentioned, he *escalated* each time. Every time was about what he wanted and every time he ignored Milo’s wishes, either unintentionally by trying to be suave and order for him (seriously, though – ordering alcohol for someone else is BEYOND presumptuous, especially at a supposed work meeting you manipulated him into) or blatantly blowing past Milo’s stated boundaries (Can I? No. What if I? No. It’d be so simple if I? No. /smirk/ Did it anyway cuz I know what’s best for you babes … 🤮). He even has the gall to accuse Milo of being the one unwilling to compromise.
So Milo is understandably unhappy when the man he loves doesn’t seem to notice or care about his feelings, and hasn’t even considered the things Milo has done to make this relationship viable. Then Tom “fixes” it with a big romantic gesture that fell pretty flat for me, not only cuz I’m not super into romantic gestures where there’s an established pattern of bad behaviour but cuz I don’t understand why this was so special. Frankly, it seemed more in line with his pattern of not checking in with Milo. I couldn’t help wondering if there wasn’t some way that Tom could’ve found to do it WITH Milo, instead of as some janky surprise.
Honestly, I can’t get excited about a billionaire character that can’t be bothered to give af about the consent of the supposed love of his life. There are enough of those assholes in the world – I want something more in my fantasy. YMMV.
Review cross-posted at redhotbooks.com