Reviews

Super cute fun retelling with a great Latinx twist. Priscilla in the past I think has held back on the Latinx or over explained it, where with this book it is at the forefront.

Super swoony. Not overtly spicy, if that is your thing!

practicingshelfcare's review against another edition

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5.0

Fans of West Side Story will adore this feminist West Side Story/Romeo and Juliet retelling about Mariana, an ER nurse and member of an all-female mariachi band, who is falling for her father’s enemy’s nephew Angelo. Angelo’s uncle and Mariana’s dad had a falling out decades ago over a woman, and their mariachi band had to split up. Flash forward to the modern-day and Mariana and Angelo are in competition for a grand prize that Mariana needs to win to prove the greatness of all-female bands and save her family’s home and shelter. This book is filled with drama-- there are so many layers you will be completely engrossed waiting to see what happens next. I found myself quite literally on the edge of my seat at several points throughout the story and I know you will too. The beginning was a bit of exposition, but once you get into the heart of the story you won’t be able to put it down! I cannot wait for the next book in the series, Kiss Me, Catalina, which comes out in November. This book is perfect for fans of forbidden love, and feminist retellings of stories-- there is no helpless Maria or Juliet in this story! Thank you to Priscilla Oliveras and her team for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

gemi1y's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

1.75

jessicawatson1008's review against another edition

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2.0

The story line was good, but the writing style had me falling asleep every few pages. There was so much explaining and soooooooo many similes that it was exhausting. She spent so much time describing unnecessary things, that she didn't fully develop or address the rivalry.

luna_rondo's review against another edition

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slow-paced

2.0

melbsreads's review

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emotional hopeful slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Content warnings: misogyny, grief, sexism, death of a parent (in the past), drug use, fire, abandonment, sexual assault, deportation

I wanted to love this but I just..........didn't. I think in part it's because the premise - Romeo and Juliet but they're in rival mariachi bands - just felt very YA to me, and yet this is an adult romance. And, like, it wasn't a BAD book. It's just that a lot of the tension felt very.....young? And yet the characters are very definitely in theirs 20s.

Anyway. I wanted to love this. But I didn't. I honestly can't pinpoint why it didn't work for me other than that. It just....yeah. No. Aggressively mid for me.

brittanylee0302's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

I really enjoyed the narrator Karla Serrato!
However, I wasn't a huge fan of the story. There isn't a whole lot that happens in this story thats exciting. Its kind of dry up until a few parts at the end & it made it hard to want to continue reading. I really loved Angelo's character but wasn't a huge fan of Mariana. I also felt like there were entirely too many characters & some felt unnecessary. There are characters that add to the book, but they weren't introduced well enough to be recognized, they were kind of just tossed in.

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