Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

A Lot Like Adiós by Alexis Daria

11 reviews

kdailyreads's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective tense 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? It's complicated

3.75


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nitya's review

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emotional relaxing 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

3.0

If you like the following:

- friends with benefits (not me but it worked here)
- second/third chance romance
- best friends who are estranged
- New York/Bronx setting
- mostly Latinx cast
- fake dating

Add this to your TBR!!

(And I gotta read book 1 now)

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zombiezami's review against another edition

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emotional funny

4.0


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renpuspita's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted 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

4.0

 A Lot Like Adios start with a rocky bump but end up with a (little) stronger note compared to the first book in Primas of Power series, You Had Me At Hola. Honestly, at the start I'm not impressed with the way our heroine, Michelle meet her childhood friend, Gabriel aka Gabe that left her 13 years ago. I got that she was pissed off, but I hate when she didn't respect Gabriel wish and lie to him. Rather than bring him to her apartment, Michelle bring Gabe to her OWN home, near to his parents home, while it's clear that Gabe didn't want to met his parents because of his fight with his dad and the reasons why he left New York in the first place. Sure, Michelle then admit her mistakes, but I start this book, albeit, with a sour note.

However, this book have many tropes that totally my catnip, so the liked outweighing the sour note. A Lot Like Adios have:
- Childhood friend turn to lover. One of my ultimate favorite trope, beside enemy/adversaries turn to lover;
- Fake dating (just a little bit);
- Diverse characters (mostly latinx community) and also diverse in sexuality for some side characters.
- Bisexual MCs, although I think this fact just written as a little tidbit, since Daria didn't discuss much about both Gabe and Michelle past lovers or flings;
- Sisterhood support, in form of the Primas of Power, Jasmine and Ava, much like the previous book
- A love letter for fanfiction community, because both Gabe and Michelle is a scifi soap opera nerd;
- The scene when...Gabe's dad apologize to Gabe for his treatment to him when Gabe was teenager and he was informed by Gabe's nieces & nephews that it's toxic masculinity. Le gasp! Honestly? This part left me dumbfounded because I keep singing Queen's lyrics "Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide, No escape from reality", in my head. I mean..it's feel unreal, lol. I guess that Latinx community is just like Asian community, just like mine had, the elders can be annoying as hell, the parents is hard to their children just because their parents also treat them the same way. But, the fact when parent apologize for the way they educate their children is the same with if Lochness monster is really exist. Aka...in your dream, lel.

Just like You Had Me at Hola, A Lot Like Love written with more than 40 chapters, so it can go on and on. Like, actually the problem is very simple but Daria keep prolong it with "will he leave me again" or "but I love Michelle, but I have no future with her" that keep me rolling my eyes. Sometimes I feel like both Mich and Gabe act as teenager while they already in their 31's. Or maybe because they are know each other from the start, they feel comfortable but also afraid to go pass friend, aka to be a lover. Why, they just said love in the end of the book, while Gabe's feeling is already obvious from the start. However, I do like how Daria address both Mich and Gabe's anxiety and personal anguish. Mich was described to have a burnout from her work and also seen consume her meds. Gabe itself need to face his fear of his parent's disapproved of his way of life. 

I do like how Mich and Gabe are both passionate characters. From their sharing love about fan fiction and how they passionate about their work. This is when the part of the book really shines. I enjoy the way Daria describe Mich's creative process for branding and marketing. I liked how she describe Gabe's struggle to maintain his gym business. I know narrating about working process can be boring, but like in You Had Me at Hola that describe production process in television series making, this book also show how the business process in both maintaining the business that on going and how to marketing and branding your business to your potential client. Yeah, I know, I know. It can be boring of sort, but like I said, I thoroughly enjoyed. Another of my favorite is the chapter that have Gabe and Mich's chat when they brainstorming their fanfiction "Celestial Destiny". I really can feel their excitement and Daria really show they are really best friend.

I said that this book end with a (little) stronger note compared to its previous books, because I see how both Mich and Gabe develop to be a better version of themselves. Yeah, there are angst, there are some drama and inner turmoil, but surprisely the fight that happen is not that big or maybe because Mich didn't want her heart to be broke again and Gabe himself still struggle with his need to proved to his parents. So, the character development is pretty well written in this one. As for the steamy factor, yeah, pretty much hotter than the first one. Pretty fun too, practice safe sex (the scene when Gabe buying a lot of condom and to see his dad see him buying it is my favorite scene to date because of the hilarity ensues) and full of consent, beside both Mich and Gabe is best friend so their sexual tension is off the chart. However, while first or second (or maybe third) sex scenes is wowza, it's become almost boring in the end. I feel myself just want to skimmed and read the next one.

A Lot Like Adios have its up and down, and like I state at the first, I start the book with a sour note and expect to just rate it in so-so rating. But, since the trope, the dynamic, the way Daria write business process, the brainstorming session between Gabe and Mich while writing their fanfic and also how the story end with strong character development is winning my heart, I end up finish this book with a satisfied sigh. If you search for contemporary romance with diverse characters and friend turn to lover trope, A Lot Like Adios may up to your alley. 

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btwnprintedpgs's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted reflective 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? No

4.0


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cemeterygay's review

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emotional funny hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

I loved this book even more than the first. Gabe and Michelle's relationship is just amazing and so believable. I loved the connection between both characters as childhood friends. The fanfiction segments and how it's incorporated into the story is so good and sweet and satisfying. I also just love the casual bisexual representation and it brings me immense joy. As with the previous book, I adore the side cast and the exploration of family relationships both positive and negative. The angst and character growth were just immaculate. I didn't quite like the actual surrounding plot of the gym as much as I did the last book but I still adored this book.

I'm so excited for the next book and I cannot recommend this book enough.

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lasafica_reads's review

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hopeful inspiring 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

5.0


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armontheroad's review

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emotional funny 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

5.0

Although I liked the plot of YOU HAD ME AT HOLA more than this one, I adored this romance more. The relationship between these two is written perfectly! Also, was not mad about how often smut scenes were. Although, I do think the ones in the first book were slightly steamier. This was overall, a book I was fully emotionally invested in. Tears may or may not have been shed. I adored all the conversations Alexis Daria managed to insert seamlessly into their storylines. I do wish she would stop using the terms 'male' and 'female', though. Especially since trans characters are in all her books. It's jarring seeing TERF wording in books by vocal allies. To end this on another positive note, both protagonists are ON PAGE bisexual. This book being queer was such a delight!!

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allygator's review

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

 Wow. Talk about a fun, sexy romance novel. From the very first page of this, I loved the protagonists and their stories. I fell in love with how stubborn and goal-oriented they were, and how conflicted they were. I loved how both of them were ambitious as hell. I loved the way that despite all their differences, they still communicated fairly well and did their best to understand each other. I loved how much they loved each other.
I'm going to be real, I've read very few sexy novels. The last one I read was Call Me by Your Name, which I despise (for reasons beyond the sex -- but we don't need to get into that). I was really nervous to start this, especially when it got smutty about 50 pages in. However, I was never uncomfortable with the sex in this, which I think is really a testament to the author and how amazing she wrote everything. Every sexual interaction Gabe and Michelle had always felt entirely consensual. Despite other problems they had, they always were great at communicating what they wanted and needed in bed, and if the other person was going too far. It was refreshing to read. Also, no weird words for penis were used. That was nice.
This was a little slower paced than the other romance novels I've read, but it wasn't really a hindrance to my enjoyment.
Not a perfect romance novel, but a really solid read -- I'll definitely be picking up the other books in this series! 

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caseythereader's review

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

 - Time for a QUEER SCREAMING review! A LOT LIKE ADIOS has two bisexual leads! Second chance romance! Friends to lovers! Workplace romance! Even a dash of fake dating! It's just so lovely.
- I loved the way Gabe and Michelle just fell right back in with each other. Both their deep friendship and their attraction to each other felt so real. Plus the sci-fi fanfic they were writing as teens was just so cute.
- I love a romance where the leads are gentle with each other as they try to figure things out. Gimme that over enemies to lovers any day.
- As one last minor note, I was a big fan of how openly and casually both Gabe and Michelle spoke about not wanting to have kids, and maybe not even ever get married. Love to see a romance with an HEA epilogue where the woman isn't six months pregnant. 

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