Reviews

When people say “don’t judge a book by its cover”, THIS IS THE BOOK THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT. My distaste for books with pictures of people on the covers almost drove me away from ACHIP, but I am so glad I decided to give it a try because it has become an unequivocal favorite of mine.

From its charmingly witty banter and loveable side characters to its harrowing drama and (very) steamy love scenes, I can confidently declare that this is the perfect romance.

Evan is the epitome of “he fell first AND fell harder”, and honestly, who could blame him with such a well written FMC. Luz is incredibly bright, devoted to those she loves, and sassy in all the best ways. She is strong in a way that many authors try to achieve in their characters, yet Adriana Herrera makes seem effortless and utterly believable. Ethan- with his strong sense of justice, kindness to his family and staff, bravery, and talent for dirty talk- has secured a top spot on my book bf tier list.

Although this book is a romance through and through, I appreciate that Luz and Ethan’s relationship was not the complete center of the story. I loved that Luz’s dedication to her family and business never wavered, and seeing Ethan try to get justice for his mother and long lost brother made this book more than just a gushy love story. When the story did revolve around their relationship, it felt organic and charming in a way that I haven’t been able to find in other romances.

Overall, I absolutely adored this book. It is very much an 18+ novel, so parents beware. For those of us lucky enough to make the age cut, let’s look forward to the rest of the books in the series… I know I will!

Content Warnings

kellib1422's review

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medium-paced

4.0

mmitch10's review against another edition

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medium-paced

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

3.75

This was a fun, unique mix of romance and historical fiction. There were times where I found the romance/marriage of convenience storyline frustrating, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

chronicreader's review

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4.25

I did want a little more of the feelings and the pinning but still really enjoyed it.

nothingforpomegranted's review against another edition

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funny informative lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

I think I could have loved this as a romance novel, but I just wasn’t focused, so too much of the history and world-building just washed right over me. I like the idea of a Caribbean woman taking the European world by storm when she shows up at the Expo with her grandmother’s rum recipe. The marriage of convenience was well-played, and I appreciated that the lovers had banter but no real tension between them. Rather, the majority of the tension came from outside sources and the secrets they kept from each other (quite reasonably given their lack of relationship). The sexy scenes were just that, and there was some excellent dirty talk as the characters discovered each other.

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