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A review by allisonwonderlandreads
You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria
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
4.0
You Had Me at Hola is one of those delightful celebrity romances that takes us behind the scenes in an industry most of us will never experience. In this case, we're on set as a streaming giant adapts a telenovela as a TV series.
Our two protagonists are also the romantic leads on the show. Jasmine, the titular character Carmen, is making the transition from soaps to work on this Latinx-led project. She's confident in her professional abilities, but she's taking a beating in the tabloids for her recent high-profile breakup. Jasmine has a track record of falling spectacularly in love with losers and then getting dumped when they don't return her depth of feeling, but she has a new plan cosigned by her primas to not fall into old habits-- she's going to focus on being a leading lady. Jasmine didn't count on Ashton.
Ashton's making the jump from telenovelas to Hollywood, pursuing his dream of recognition and accolades. A household name, he was shocked when his most recent character was killed off before the season finale. Ashton sees the writing on the wall, fearing that he's aging out of the roles he wants. It's the perfect time to leave his comfort zone and go for what he wants. Beneath his achievement-motivated, aloof exterior, Ashton houses a lot of worries. He's supporting his family back in Puerto Rico... including his secret son. A past traumatic event with a stalker means he keeps his private life under lock and key, especially when it comes to his son, Yadiel. Dating a tabloid magnet is probably the worst thing he could do... or is it?
For both, this streaming giant's remake of a telenovela means a chance to push their careers to new heights. That means they can't mess up on or off camera. The author is masterful at telling the story within the story. We see how emotions can travel between scenes and real life, but they aren't simple mirrors of each other. One is work and one is personal.
The romance starts with a bad first impression, but it doesn't take the dramatic enemies-to-lovers pathway over a spilled coffee. Instead, a tentative friendship quickly spirals into a secret, spicy love affair when the tension between them just can't be ignored. While both have reasons to stay out of the tabloids, their tender bond will have to be tested in the public eye eventually, ready or not. Expect drama, certainly, but also expect self-reflection and a story about taking care of your mental health. I appreciate that Daria doesn't offer romance as a cure for these ills, even if it makes our characters happier. They still have to do the work and get help to be more comfortable in their skin.
Beyond the mental health plotlines, the author goes above and beyond to make her book a safe space for her characters and readers both. The show has a multitude of Latinx identities represented, and we get an up-close look at Jasmine's experiences as both a Puerto Rican and Filipina actress who isn't fluent in Spanish. Queer characters are intentionally but casually included of all stripes. The book also has scenes with the show's intimacy coordinator, reassuring us of the author's commitment to consent in all its forms. To me, it was a meta window into how much thought went into the book's scenes, whether spicy or emotionally vulnerable.
You Had Me at Hola is charming, hot, and thoughtful. I can't wait to see what Daria has in store for the other primas.
Our two protagonists are also the romantic leads on the show. Jasmine, the titular character Carmen, is making the transition from soaps to work on this Latinx-led project. She's confident in her professional abilities, but she's taking a beating in the tabloids for her recent high-profile breakup. Jasmine has a track record of falling spectacularly in love with losers and then getting dumped when they don't return her depth of feeling, but she has a new plan cosigned by her primas to not fall into old habits-- she's going to focus on being a leading lady. Jasmine didn't count on Ashton.
Ashton's making the jump from telenovelas to Hollywood, pursuing his dream of recognition and accolades. A household name, he was shocked when his most recent character was killed off before the season finale. Ashton sees the writing on the wall, fearing that he's aging out of the roles he wants. It's the perfect time to leave his comfort zone and go for what he wants. Beneath his achievement-motivated, aloof exterior, Ashton houses a lot of worries. He's supporting his family back in Puerto Rico... including his secret son. A past traumatic event with a stalker means he keeps his private life under lock and key, especially when it comes to his son, Yadiel. Dating a tabloid magnet is probably the worst thing he could do... or is it?
For both, this streaming giant's remake of a telenovela means a chance to push their careers to new heights. That means they can't mess up on or off camera. The author is masterful at telling the story within the story. We see how emotions can travel between scenes and real life, but they aren't simple mirrors of each other. One is work and one is personal.
The romance starts with a bad first impression, but it doesn't take the dramatic enemies-to-lovers pathway over a spilled coffee. Instead, a tentative friendship quickly spirals into a secret, spicy love affair when the tension between them just can't be ignored. While both have reasons to stay out of the tabloids, their tender bond will have to be tested in the public eye eventually, ready or not. Expect drama, certainly, but also expect self-reflection and a story about taking care of your mental health. I appreciate that Daria doesn't offer romance as a cure for these ills, even if it makes our characters happier. They still have to do the work and get help to be more comfortable in their skin.
Beyond the mental health plotlines, the author goes above and beyond to make her book a safe space for her characters and readers both. The show has a multitude of Latinx identities represented, and we get an up-close look at Jasmine's experiences as both a Puerto Rican and Filipina actress who isn't fluent in Spanish. Queer characters are intentionally but casually included of all stripes. The book also has scenes with the show's intimacy coordinator, reassuring us of the author's commitment to consent in all its forms. To me, it was a meta window into how much thought went into the book's scenes, whether spicy or emotionally vulnerable.
You Had Me at Hola is charming, hot, and thoughtful. I can't wait to see what Daria has in store for the other primas.