thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books for an eARC of this book!

It has been a MINUTE since I read a romance, and my soul was craaaaving it. This book was everything I needed: sexy, funny, heart-warming, and extremely swoon worthy. My only regret is I didn’t read it sooner!

You Had Me At Hola follows costars Jasmine, a soap star coming off a very public breakup, and Ashton, a telenovela star trying to make the jump to American TV. After a classically awkward rom-com meeting, these two are working on developing chemistry as on set love interests while their off screen chemistry is leaping off the charts.

This book was so goddamn charming. Jasmine is an incredible heroine who wears her heart on her sleeve and is desperate for love and affection (hi, relatable!). Ashton is a solemn hero traumatized by a past incident which he slowly works through and begins to open up. The steam was... out of this world good. I put my iPad down just to yell “HOLY SHIT” because it. Was. Intense!!! I loved both character’s families who were wonderful side characters that brought so much warmth and heart to the book. I’m desperately hoping Jasmine’s cousins get their own spin off books!

Beyond romance, this book covered the importance of consent by making consent explicit in sex scenes as well as having scenes with an intimacy coordinator work with the actors to insure comfort. It talks about the importance of an all Latinx cast and crew discussing the importance of representation (shout out to Nico a side trans character!!) and slightly delves onto colorism in Latinx communities. This book had so much to offer beyond the romance, all the romance itself was TOP NOTCH!!