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lasafica_reads's review
emotional
funny
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Stalking, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death of parent, Medical content, Alcoholism, and Cancer
plumpaperbacks's review
funny
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
5.0
I read this on a whim because I was in the mood for a fun romance novel, and Daria absolutely delivered. While there were plenty of relevant topics discussed—including racism in Hollywood, the toxicity of gossip columns, and the struggle of being bilingual but not fluent in your second language—You Had Me at Hola was so much fun to read and I flew through it.
I loved Jasmine and Ashton from the very first chapter, and immediately sensed the chemistry between them. Seeing that grow as their relationship developed was delightful, and honestly, their entire dynamic was brilliant.
I also really liked the relationship Jasmine had with Michelle and Ava. Though they’re cousins, not sisters, their dynamic reminded me of Chloe, Dani, and Eve from Talia Hibbert’s The Brown Sisters trilogy, which are some of my all-time favorite romance books. There’s plenty of banter and teasing between the three women, but also a strong friendship and unrelenting support. I love to see it.
Something that made this book stand out to me was the focus on Jasmine and Ashton’s roles in the new TV show that brought them together. She was cast as the protagonist and he as the love interest in Carmen in Charge, and a good portion of the story took place on set or involved learning lines and rehearsing. Daria even included the episodes they filmed, written like chapters, sprinkled in between regular chapters. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed this aspect of the story, and became nearly as invested in the show’s romance as I was in the actors’ romance. If it was a real show, I’d totally watch.
What I look for in every romance novel I read is a good balance between the story and the steamy scenes. In this case, the latter didn’t overpower the former, and I appreciate that very much. I like seeing relationships built on more than just ridiculously frequent sexual activity.
I was totally surprised by just how much I enjoyed this book. I’ll absolutely purchase my own copy, and I look forward to reading Michelle’s story when A Lot Like Adiós releases in September. Daria has a new fan in me.
Representation
I loved Jasmine and Ashton from the very first chapter, and immediately sensed the chemistry between them. Seeing that grow as their relationship developed was delightful, and honestly, their entire dynamic was brilliant.
I also really liked the relationship Jasmine had with Michelle and Ava. Though they’re cousins, not sisters, their dynamic reminded me of Chloe, Dani, and Eve from Talia Hibbert’s The Brown Sisters trilogy, which are some of my all-time favorite romance books. There’s plenty of banter and teasing between the three women, but also a strong friendship and unrelenting support. I love to see it.
Something that made this book stand out to me was the focus on Jasmine and Ashton’s roles in the new TV show that brought them together. She was cast as the protagonist and he as the love interest in Carmen in Charge, and a good portion of the story took place on set or involved learning lines and rehearsing. Daria even included the episodes they filmed, written like chapters, sprinkled in between regular chapters. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed this aspect of the story, and became nearly as invested in the show’s romance as I was in the actors’ romance. If it was a real show, I’d totally watch.
What I look for in every romance novel I read is a good balance between the story and the steamy scenes. In this case, the latter didn’t overpower the former, and I appreciate that very much. I like seeing relationships built on more than just ridiculously frequent sexual activity.
I was totally surprised by just how much I enjoyed this book. I’ll absolutely purchase my own copy, and I look forward to reading Michelle’s story when A Lot Like Adiós releases in September. Daria has a new fan in me.
Representation
- Puerto Rican-Filipino protagonist
- Puerto Rican love interest
- Latinx side characters (one is trans and in a m/m relationship, one is sapphic and in a f/f relationship)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Stalking, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Cancer, Death of parent, Grief, and Infidelity
stalking occurred prior to the storywomanwill's review against another edition
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Stalking
Minor: Infidelity and Toxic relationship
k_tiches's review
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Racism, Stalking, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Medical content
reading_between_the_trees's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
All I kept hearing about this book before I read it was how steamy it was, and it definitely did not disappoint on that front! I also loved the structure of this book and how it switched back and forth between the characters' lives and the telenovela. It gave the characters such a rich new dimension because you also got to get to know the characters they were studying and portraying. There was also a lot of diversity in gender identities in the side characters, and normalization of therapy, which we love! And finally, I read this class while taking a Spanish class, so I loved all of the Spanish sprinkled throughout the book, and the fact that this book brought to light the fact that not every Latinx person speaks Spanish or is fluent in it, and that doesn't make them any less Latinx!
Some things I didn't love were the lack of communication between the two main characters. There is usually a stage of romance novels where conflict arises and the main characters just can't get through to each other, but I felt like I spent a large portion of this book just being really frustrated at the characters. Also, in the beginning of the book, Jasmine has this "leading lady plan", but she didn't really follow through with it, or reckon with the fact that you can be complete and whole on your own, and also be in a healthy relationship with someone else. There was a lot of discussion about toxic dependency on relationships, but it felt like the opportunity to explore that further was missed.
I would recommend this book if you are a fan of Jane the Virgin or like other telenovelas. I would also recommend it if you're looking for a steamy romance!
Some things I didn't love were the lack of communication between the two main characters. There is usually a stage of romance novels where conflict arises and the main characters just can't get through to each other, but I felt like I spent a large portion of this book just being really frustrated at the characters. Also, in the beginning of the book, Jasmine has this "leading lady plan", but she didn't really follow through with it, or reckon with the fact that you can be complete and whole on your own, and also be in a healthy relationship with someone else. There was a lot of discussion about toxic dependency on relationships, but it felt like the opportunity to explore that further was missed.
I would recommend this book if you are a fan of Jane the Virgin or like other telenovelas. I would also recommend it if you're looking for a steamy romance!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
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