I read You Had Me at Hola right at the end of 2020 and loved it. So the second my library got this next book in the Primas of Power series, I was all over. While it took awhile to get on the shelves, which was a tough wait to live through, the timing ended up being perfect because I got it right in time for the New Year's Day holiday and binge-read it all in that one day. The perfect way to start the year! 

 

The "prima" that stars in this second book is Michelle, who moved into freelance graphic design after some severe burnout in her corporate marketing position. And she's fine being single, really she is. Even in her Puerto Rican-Italian family that's obsessed with marriage. And then there's Gabe. He used to live next door to Michelle. They grew up together, maybe once had a chance to be more than just friends, but he left for college and never looked back. Thirteen years later, the gym Gabe co-owns is expanding from its home base in LA to NYC, and though he doesn't want to go back home, at all, he's taking the lead on the expansion. When his business partner reaches out to Michelle to help with the marketing for the expansion, the two are abruptly thrust back into each other's lives. And while both have reasons to steer clear of the other, they also can't deny the fact that the attraction that was there over a decade ago is just as strong, and their reunion takes a very steamy turn. When their families get involved though, they'll have to make some difficult decisions about how serious they really are about this second chance to be together. 

 

What a freaking wonderful follow-up to the first book. Daria brought it on all the parts I loved, like the support amongst the cousins, the complex and rowdy big family dynamics, the steaminess (and in fact, I believe that was kicked up a notch, in the best kind of way, in this installation), the great dialogue, the realistic (if heavy on the drama) life situations, and overall fire and life in story/characters. I thought the way Michelle and Gabe had to work together was a great premise, a fun forced proximity that allowed them space to get to re-know each other as adults, who they'd become, in a more or less safe way. Under the circumstances, as this was a romance, they also conveniently complemented each other. I did like how they were each able to, sort of unknowingly (or at least not fully intentionally), help the other move past a career rut they'd found themselves each, giving them the encouragement to make a change for themselves, unrelated to their interpersonal connections, that they were deeply needing to make. That was very fulfilling to read, as a side-plot to the sexy parts. 

 

A few other things jumped out at me while I read that I particularly enjoyed. They're kinda scattered, topically, so I'm going to just mash them all together here. As a person obsessed with being in a gym and working out, but who also tried it as a job and found it to not be what I'd hoped for, a number of parts of Gabe's story resonated with me. Plus, kudos to Daria for writing a fitness-career character with a focus on well-being and health, not physical appearance. I am here for that. I loved Michelle - she was so feisty and I was into the way she was so in charge in the bedroom (and out of it, of course). The fanfic! I loved the way it paralleled the story so adorably, I loved that that's how they two bonded as kids, and I loved the role it played in the end. *nerd swoons*  The bi rep! For both Gabe and Michelle! It felt really recognizable, for me. Loved it. The Spanish - not as much as in the first one, but still a highlight when it was there. And last, I'm gonna mention it again, because it deserves it: Daria writes big, messy, too-much-love families to perfection.        

 

This was a great second chance romance, with lots of spice, quick and easy writing, compelling individual professional story arcs for our professional leads, quite a bit of personal/familial growth for Gabe (as was needed, to make the second chance happen), and pages chock full of life. I so enjoyed my time with this book and all the feels it gave me.