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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
A cute office romance between the head of a fashion company’s charitable foundation, and the consult, hunky Rocco, that holds her job in his hands.
Julia is determined to hate him for the sole fact that he could shut down the program and send her packing back to New York. No, she’s drawn the line and even though she is tapped as Rocco’s point of contact for the department, Julia won’t let her obvious attraction blind her to the fact that he’s the enemy.
There’s tons of physical attraction starting from the very first, so the slowburn became a little frustrating. It’s hard to come up with reasons why they shouldn’t already be together when they are both lusting after each other hard. So my least favorite device, miscommunication, makes a ton of appearances.
Despite having some pacing issues, I really love the setup and the eventual HEA!
Julia is determined to hate him for the sole fact that he could shut down the program and send her packing back to New York. No, she’s drawn the line and even though she is tapped as Rocco’s point of contact for the department, Julia won’t let her obvious attraction blind her to the fact that he’s the enemy.
There’s tons of physical attraction starting from the very first, so the slowburn became a little frustrating. It’s hard to come up with reasons why they shouldn’t already be together when they are both lusting after each other hard. So my least favorite device, miscommunication, makes a ton of appearances.
Despite having some pacing issues, I really love the setup and the eventual HEA!
Read for Deeply Diverse Romance Book Club.
This is about Julia and Rocco. They have an attraction to each other right from the beginning, but they are coworkers and due to politics resist each other till they just can't anymore. I loved the characters and representation in this! The audiobook narrators were also excellent. The disappointing part from me was the pacing and ending was a bit of a rushed mess. They FINALLY do the deed, zoom ahead 3 weeks later, and the conflict is too easily resolved. I needed a little bit more time with them to really root for them in the end.
Overall still enjoyed. Definitely look forward to reading more from this author.
This is about Julia and Rocco. They have an attraction to each other right from the beginning, but they are coworkers and due to politics resist each other till they just can't anymore. I loved the characters and representation in this! The audiobook narrators were also excellent. The disappointing part from me was the pacing and ending was a bit of a rushed mess. They FINALLY do the deed, zoom ahead 3 weeks later, and the conflict is too easily resolved. I needed a little bit more time with them to really root for them in the end.
Overall still enjoyed. Definitely look forward to reading more from this author.
I read this immediately after Herrera's Finding Joy as part of a roundup up romances by Latinx authors and while I still recommended it, it fell flat for me personally (and especially in comparison to Finding Joy).
Let's start with the pros: Herrera's writing is a delight. She knows how to build tension and OMFG her sex scenes. Dirty talk, explicit and sexy consent, and steamy—she writes some of my favorite in the industry. Her books are one-handed reads for sure! I also really loved the heroine's family, her dad especially, and wished we got more of them in the story. I was lukewarm on the friend group as I felt like they were super important, then disappeared, then back—but like their personalities and would be open to additional stories in this world. I also LOVED that it took place in a big city, and one that I haven't read many romances in.
And the cons: I really didn't like either MC to be honest. They had their moments but overall I found myself rolling my eyes at them more often than not. I also found it hard to suspend belief with some of the tension—doesn't he have a boss or coworker to talk through his concerns with? I also felt there were a few points that got dropped such as the side plot with Vicky (Julia's coworker at the clinic). The pacing felt slow and while the sex was so worth it once I got there, it was a long wait. The other thing that felt off was the pattern in which characters shared their Big Secrets. Rocco went from "vague hints" to "spill my guts" in seconds.
Even though this wasn't the right fit for me, I'm excited to dive into Herrera's backlist and would happily give other stories set in this world a chance.
Let's start with the pros: Herrera's writing is a delight. She knows how to build tension and OMFG her sex scenes. Dirty talk, explicit and sexy consent, and steamy—she writes some of my favorite in the industry. Her books are one-handed reads for sure! I also really loved the heroine's family, her dad especially, and wished we got more of them in the story. I was lukewarm on the friend group as I felt like they were super important, then disappeared, then back—but like their personalities and would be open to additional stories in this world. I also LOVED that it took place in a big city, and one that I haven't read many romances in.
And the cons: I really didn't like either MC to be honest. They had their moments but overall I found myself rolling my eyes at them more often than not. I also found it hard to suspend belief with some of the tension—doesn't he have a boss or coworker to talk through his concerns with? I also felt there were a few points that got dropped such as the side plot with Vicky (Julia's coworker at the clinic). The pacing felt slow and while the sex was so worth it once I got there, it was a long wait. The other thing that felt off was the pattern in which characters shared their Big Secrets. Rocco went from "vague hints" to "spill my guts" in seconds.
Even though this wasn't the right fit for me, I'm excited to dive into Herrera's backlist and would happily give other stories set in this world a chance.
**Listened to the audiobook.
This was just OK for me. The story was cute but I didn't connect with either character and, frankly, didn't feel their connection with each other. I really loved all the tastes of Julia's Dominican heritage. I was dying to eat at her house every time she talked about her family cooking.
The audiobook was difficult for me. The female narrator was great but the male narrator puts on a really thick New York accent and reads quickly and with a gruff voice. It made understanding him very difficult sometimes, even when I slowed down. I ended up finishing by ebook.
This was just OK for me. The story was cute but I didn't connect with either character and, frankly, didn't feel their connection with each other. I really loved all the tastes of Julia's Dominican heritage. I was dying to eat at her house every time she talked about her family cooking.
The audiobook was difficult for me. The female narrator was great but the male narrator puts on a really thick New York accent and reads quickly and with a gruff voice. It made understanding him very difficult sometimes, even when I slowed down. I ended up finishing by ebook.
A huge thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
The sparks fly between Julia and Rocco. But she's trying to get control of her life again. She's running a charitable foundation and even though she's stuck in Dallas with an apartment and car lease oh so ungenerously gifted to her by her waste of space ex-boyfriend, she's ok. She's making it and she's content.
And her job is threatened when one of the company partners that funds the charitable organization calls in a number cruncher. Julia can hear the death knell. She misses New York anyway.
Rocco is the number cruncher assigned to follow her and evaluate her every move. And he knows he's supposed to be objective and distant and immune. But he finds Julia irresistible. The more time they spend together, the harder it is for him to remember what his priorities should be.
Here are things I loved about this story:
1. It features an AfroLatina heroine whose voice is authentic and grounded.
2. The love story unfolds naturally, as first impressions are shattered.
3. The hero is trying to do the right thing and rise above a past that would break the will of any child.
4. The heroine is strong, independent and unafraid to take control of a situation when necessary.
The level of steam is off the charts in this one, and you'll be doggedly cheering for a happy ending as you swoon.
The sparks fly between Julia and Rocco. But she's trying to get control of her life again. She's running a charitable foundation and even though she's stuck in Dallas with an apartment and car lease oh so ungenerously gifted to her by her waste of space ex-boyfriend, she's ok. She's making it and she's content.
And her job is threatened when one of the company partners that funds the charitable organization calls in a number cruncher. Julia can hear the death knell. She misses New York anyway.
Rocco is the number cruncher assigned to follow her and evaluate her every move. And he knows he's supposed to be objective and distant and immune. But he finds Julia irresistible. The more time they spend together, the harder it is for him to remember what his priorities should be.
Here are things I loved about this story:
1. It features an AfroLatina heroine whose voice is authentic and grounded.
2. The love story unfolds naturally, as first impressions are shattered.
3. The hero is trying to do the right thing and rise above a past that would break the will of any child.
4. The heroine is strong, independent and unafraid to take control of a situation when necessary.
The level of steam is off the charts in this one, and you'll be doggedly cheering for a happy ending as you swoon.
I received an ARC from Netgalley and I am happy to give my honest review.
I really enjoy Adriana Herrera's books and I was excited to pick this one up. It stars Julia, a non-profit director, and Rocco, the consultant hired to get rid of her programs.
Julia recently moved from New York to Houston to follow her fiance. She finds out that he was cheating on her and decides to stay in Houston and make the most of the situation. She is a social worker who has worked hard to become a non-profit director for Latinx families. She misses her family but craves the freedom of branching out on her own.
Rocco is a consultant hired to determine if the fashion company that supports the non-profit foundation is ready to go public with its stocks. He is torn between the twin CEO's who support the non-profit and the CFO and other members of the family who want to go public to earn more executive bonuses for the board. Rocco is attracted to Julia but tries to keep distance because he needs to succeed at this job so he can get a promotion and better support his sister and niece.
I enjoyed the "found family" aspect of the book. Julia is lonely and decides to create an ex-pat New York friend group. Rocco joins the group, even though he is in Houston short term, and their friendship grows. Eventually, Julia decides to lower her guard and give in to her attraction. Of course, this leads to drama as Rocco is literally there to get rid of her job. There was a lot of drama here. Rocco acted like a martyr and Julia was wishy washy with her feelings for most of the book.
In the end, this book was okay. It wasn't my favorite of her books and honestly I think I like her gay romances better than her straight romances. I struggled with the connection between Julia and Rocco and it kind of fell flat.
I really enjoy Adriana Herrera's books and I was excited to pick this one up. It stars Julia, a non-profit director, and Rocco, the consultant hired to get rid of her programs.
Julia recently moved from New York to Houston to follow her fiance. She finds out that he was cheating on her and decides to stay in Houston and make the most of the situation. She is a social worker who has worked hard to become a non-profit director for Latinx families. She misses her family but craves the freedom of branching out on her own.
Rocco is a consultant hired to determine if the fashion company that supports the non-profit foundation is ready to go public with its stocks. He is torn between the twin CEO's who support the non-profit and the CFO and other members of the family who want to go public to earn more executive bonuses for the board. Rocco is attracted to Julia but tries to keep distance because he needs to succeed at this job so he can get a promotion and better support his sister and niece.
I enjoyed the "found family" aspect of the book. Julia is lonely and decides to create an ex-pat New York friend group. Rocco joins the group, even though he is in Houston short term, and their friendship grows. Eventually, Julia decides to lower her guard and give in to her attraction. Of course, this leads to drama as Rocco is literally there to get rid of her job. There was a lot of drama here. Rocco acted like a martyr and Julia was wishy washy with her feelings for most of the book.
In the end, this book was okay. It wasn't my favorite of her books and honestly I think I like her gay romances better than her straight romances. I struggled with the connection between Julia and Rocco and it kind of fell flat.
Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Here to Stay by Adrianna Herrera
Starting over is not all what its cracked up to be, even worse when that decision wasn't yours. Julia del Mar Ortiz moved to Dallas with her boyfriend who ditched her after a few weeks to return to New York. She's struggling with all the leases, the bills and the massive apartment they were suppose to share. The only bright side, is her new job. She is running the charitable foundation of one of the most iconic fashion house. The only little problem is the gorgeous blue-eyed consultant the board has hired to tell them they should get rid of her: Rocco Quinn. When she's put in charge to show him how valuable the programs she's managing are, getting to know him is inevitable, and resist him almost impossible.
Adrianna Herrera has this ability to bring joy and sunlight with only her words. After reading this book, I'm feeling warmed-up by all the love of this book; the romance, the friendships, the family. I love how the author intertwines all these characters and dynamics flawlessly, creating an indescribable chemistry between the readers and the world she built. I love how she incorporates important social topics in her books, creating a dept of importance to each word we read. Their no-nonsense group a friend was absolutely perfect and I wish we had a book on each of them. Rocco was a cinnamon-roll hero with the dirty tongue we all deserves under the sheets. Julia and Rocco's chemistry was off the chart, and their sexy times were steaming hot. This is definitely not my last book by this author!
Can we also talk about this beautiful book cover? How beautiful is it? The lighting and the pure joy on the people's faces represent the book so well!
Starting over is not all what its cracked up to be, even worse when that decision wasn't yours. Julia del Mar Ortiz moved to Dallas with her boyfriend who ditched her after a few weeks to return to New York. She's struggling with all the leases, the bills and the massive apartment they were suppose to share. The only bright side, is her new job. She is running the charitable foundation of one of the most iconic fashion house. The only little problem is the gorgeous blue-eyed consultant the board has hired to tell them they should get rid of her: Rocco Quinn. When she's put in charge to show him how valuable the programs she's managing are, getting to know him is inevitable, and resist him almost impossible.
Adrianna Herrera has this ability to bring joy and sunlight with only her words. After reading this book, I'm feeling warmed-up by all the love of this book; the romance, the friendships, the family. I love how the author intertwines all these characters and dynamics flawlessly, creating an indescribable chemistry between the readers and the world she built. I love how she incorporates important social topics in her books, creating a dept of importance to each word we read. Their no-nonsense group a friend was absolutely perfect and I wish we had a book on each of them. Rocco was a cinnamon-roll hero with the dirty tongue we all deserves under the sheets. Julia and Rocco's chemistry was off the chart, and their sexy times were steaming hot. This is definitely not my last book by this author!
Can we also talk about this beautiful book cover? How beautiful is it? The lighting and the pure joy on the people's faces represent the book so well!
This one was so good. Adriana Herrera is a new author to me and I can see that I have been missing out! The writing was really engaging, the characters were entertaining and the plot was engrossing. I really loved this book because it combined family loyalty with real community issues and a sizzling romance. Definitely one of my top reads of 2020.
Julia del Mar moved from New York to Dallas to follow a boyfriend who dumped her soon after she arrived. He also stiffed her with the apartment that needs two people to pay for so Julia cannot afford to lose her job. She works for a charity foundation, an arm of a high fashion company run by two sisters.
Rocco Quinn is a New Yorker who was sent to Dallas as a financial consultant to the foundation that Julia worked at. The problem is that the two sisters who run the fashion company are being challenged by a younger brother who wants to streamline the fashion company and maximize profits by phasing out their philanthropic wing, which is where Julia works. Julia tries her best to show Rocco what her department means to both the fashion house and to the community.
Julia plans a series of get togethers for the “Gotham Exiles” aka the New Yorkers who now live in Dallas and Rocco joined the group. The sparks between Julia and Rocco was evident but what added to the drama was the fact that Rocco was hired to end Julia’s job. Added to the burgeoning attraction, was Julia’s family. I was laughing so hard because I remember my mom and grandmother worrying about me when I moved from Dallas to New York. Her family is so protective, loving and hilarious. Julia’s family were scene stealers and they made me craving some Dominican food. I also loved the subplot with Rocco’s family and their issues. It helped illuminate Rocco’s values and lets the reader get to know him. I really liked him and Julia as people. They care about other people even to their own detriment.
If you want a book where the author really develops the characters and the plot is relatable, then you have to read this book. Definitely one of my top reads of 2020.
*Special thanks to Carina Press via Netgalley for the e-book given in exchange for an honest review.
Julia del Mar moved from New York to Dallas to follow a boyfriend who dumped her soon after she arrived. He also stiffed her with the apartment that needs two people to pay for so Julia cannot afford to lose her job. She works for a charity foundation, an arm of a high fashion company run by two sisters.
Rocco Quinn is a New Yorker who was sent to Dallas as a financial consultant to the foundation that Julia worked at. The problem is that the two sisters who run the fashion company are being challenged by a younger brother who wants to streamline the fashion company and maximize profits by phasing out their philanthropic wing, which is where Julia works. Julia tries her best to show Rocco what her department means to both the fashion house and to the community.
Julia plans a series of get togethers for the “Gotham Exiles” aka the New Yorkers who now live in Dallas and Rocco joined the group. The sparks between Julia and Rocco was evident but what added to the drama was the fact that Rocco was hired to end Julia’s job. Added to the burgeoning attraction, was Julia’s family. I was laughing so hard because I remember my mom and grandmother worrying about me when I moved from Dallas to New York. Her family is so protective, loving and hilarious. Julia’s family were scene stealers and they made me craving some Dominican food. I also loved the subplot with Rocco’s family and their issues. It helped illuminate Rocco’s values and lets the reader get to know him. I really liked him and Julia as people. They care about other people even to their own detriment.
If you want a book where the author really develops the characters and the plot is relatable, then you have to read this book. Definitely one of my top reads of 2020.
*Special thanks to Carina Press via Netgalley for the e-book given in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 3.5 stars
HERE TO STAY had everything I wanted in a book, starting with the female MC: social worker Julia is a Dominican/Puerto Rican NYC to Dallas transplant who is using her dual MSW/MPA degrees to save her non-profit program from getting axe’d. As a social worker, I squealed so hard at the social work rep in this book. Julia clearly loved her work and is very good at her job, but has yet to find her community in Dallas. So, she and some NYC-to-TX colleagues start the Gotham Exile Club. And can I just say, I would like to be a part of this club, thank you very much! The friends that Julia makes through these group gatherings are lovable and hella funny. These are the friends that would not only be up in the group friend thread, but would have separate threads to dissect the nuances of group dynamics within the main group thread.
PLUS, this book contains a large and close-knit extended Latinx family, made even more authentic with the inclusion of Spanish in discussions, sometimes without translation (even if you’ve never taken a Spanish class, you can understand the gist of the conversation without needing to google translate).
As for Rocco, he was hot, endearing, and had quite the dirty mouth on him in the bedroom! All of those qualities would’ve landed him a spot on the book boyfriend list, but it was his baggage and vulnerabilities relating to his own family that really drew me in. I appreciated that it was Rocco who didn’t have his shit together and needed Julia to snap him out of his quest for personal martyrdom. It was a refreshing twist on the usual trope.
However, this book would’ve easily landed in the four-star category for me had it not been for the mixed messages and lack of communication between Julia and Rocco. Honestly, that piece got frustrating after a while, and I found myself skimming over some parts as I found them to be repetitive. But, that didn’t detract from the overall goodness of this story.
All in all, HERE TO STAY is a love letter to Dominican/Puerto Rican culture, to mental health rep, and to found families everywhere.
This review and others can be found on my book blog: MitchiexBooks.
HERE TO STAY had everything I wanted in a book, starting with the female MC: social worker Julia is a Dominican/Puerto Rican NYC to Dallas transplant who is using her dual MSW/MPA degrees to save her non-profit program from getting axe’d. As a social worker, I squealed so hard at the social work rep in this book. Julia clearly loved her work and is very good at her job, but has yet to find her community in Dallas. So, she and some NYC-to-TX colleagues start the Gotham Exile Club. And can I just say, I would like to be a part of this club, thank you very much! The friends that Julia makes through these group gatherings are lovable and hella funny. These are the friends that would not only be up in the group friend thread, but would have separate threads to dissect the nuances of group dynamics within the main group thread.
PLUS, this book contains a large and close-knit extended Latinx family, made even more authentic with the inclusion of Spanish in discussions, sometimes without translation (even if you’ve never taken a Spanish class, you can understand the gist of the conversation without needing to google translate).
As for Rocco, he was hot, endearing, and had quite the dirty mouth on him in the bedroom! All of those qualities would’ve landed him a spot on the book boyfriend list, but it was his baggage and vulnerabilities relating to his own family that really drew me in. I appreciated that it was Rocco who didn’t have his shit together and needed Julia to snap him out of his quest for personal martyrdom. It was a refreshing twist on the usual trope.
However, this book would’ve easily landed in the four-star category for me had it not been for the mixed messages and lack of communication between Julia and Rocco. Honestly, that piece got frustrating after a while, and I found myself skimming over some parts as I found them to be repetitive. But, that didn’t detract from the overall goodness of this story.
All in all, HERE TO STAY is a love letter to Dominican/Puerto Rican culture, to mental health rep, and to found families everywhere.
This review and others can be found on my book blog: MitchiexBooks.
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
This one is hard for me because I liked everything about this book except for the couple...
I enjoyed reading about Julia and how passionate she is about helping the families and community she works with. I also liked being in Rocco's head and seeing him balance his family and his job. My favorite scenes were when the NYC crew was hanging out, including Julia and Rocco. But...even though I loved the characters and liked their friendship, I had a hard time rooting for their relationship/ feeling the chemistry. I think I have an unpopular opinion on this because I see so many people loving the couple (which I love to see, it was obviously a me thing that I didn't like them as a couple).
My favorite part of this book was the theme of navigating friendship as an adult, especially in a new environment. I feel like friendship and making new friends is not a conversation I see often in romance books so I really appreciated it here.
I am so excited to continue reading more of Adriana Herrera's work and can't wait to pick up the next book in the series.
I enjoyed reading about Julia and how passionate she is about helping the families and community she works with. I also liked being in Rocco's head and seeing him balance his family and his job. My favorite scenes were when the NYC crew was hanging out, including Julia and Rocco. But...even though I loved the characters and liked their friendship, I had a hard time rooting for their relationship/ feeling the chemistry. I think I have an unpopular opinion on this because I see so many people loving the couple (which I love to see, it was obviously a me thing that I didn't like them as a couple).
My favorite part of this book was the theme of navigating friendship as an adult, especially in a new environment. I feel like friendship and making new friends is not a conversation I see often in romance books so I really appreciated it here.
I am so excited to continue reading more of Adriana Herrera's work and can't wait to pick up the next book in the series.