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rusereviews's review against another edition
4.0
4/5 stars
3/5 steam
Here to Stay by Adriana Herrera is a steamy contemporary romance and the first book in her Dating in Dallas series. I listened to the audiobook, which clocks in at nine and a half hours and is narrated by Carmen Vine and Sean Crisden. We follow our two main characters with first-person points-of-view.
Julia del Mar Ortiz moved to Dallas with her boyfriend, until he dumped her and scuttled back to New York City after less than a month. She is working at her dream job--running a charitable foundation for one of the most iconic high fashion department stores. Then the store hires Rocco Quinn, a consultant with a smart mouth and beautiful blue eyes, to help take the company public. But in order to go public, they'll have to make some budget cuts, and the foundation may be on the line.
I'm a big fan of the enthusiastic consent and female empowerment that Herrera includes in her books so often. She works as a trauma therapist in NYC as her day-job and shows a bit of that side of her here as Julia is a social worker.
Warning: this book may make you really hungry for Dominican food.
Tropes in this book include: latinx main characters, found family, curvy main character, friends to lovers, nyc transplants
CW: domestic violence, deportation of immigrants, gaslighting, toxic family members, racism
If you want to see more from me, check out my blog and my bookstagram!
3/5 steam
Here to Stay by Adriana Herrera is a steamy contemporary romance and the first book in her Dating in Dallas series. I listened to the audiobook, which clocks in at nine and a half hours and is narrated by Carmen Vine and Sean Crisden. We follow our two main characters with first-person points-of-view.
Julia del Mar Ortiz moved to Dallas with her boyfriend, until he dumped her and scuttled back to New York City after less than a month. She is working at her dream job--running a charitable foundation for one of the most iconic high fashion department stores. Then the store hires Rocco Quinn, a consultant with a smart mouth and beautiful blue eyes, to help take the company public. But in order to go public, they'll have to make some budget cuts, and the foundation may be on the line.
I'm a big fan of the enthusiastic consent and female empowerment that Herrera includes in her books so often. She works as a trauma therapist in NYC as her day-job and shows a bit of that side of her here as Julia is a social worker.
Warning: this book may make you really hungry for Dominican food.
Tropes in this book include: latinx main characters, found family, curvy main character, friends to lovers, nyc transplants
CW: domestic violence, deportation of immigrants, gaslighting, toxic family members, racism
If you want to see more from me, check out my blog and my bookstagram!
tia_birdreads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
barbistull's review against another edition
4.0
This is the first book from Adriana Herrera for me. It took me just a few chapters to warm up to this book, but it quickly captivated my attention. I love the duel POV in this book. Rocco is easy to fall for and champion for. He’s damaged but it doesn’t set his entire character in a bad light. Julia is sassy and strong. I would love to learn more about the Gotham Exiles Club! Perhaps some future books about Jose and Tariq are in order! I received an ARC from NetGalley.
addydeejreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hammock_and_read's review against another edition
4.0
Julia is in Dallas after her ex-boyfriend had them move there, but she has a wonderful- dream job for a foundation off a high-end clothing store. The foundation works for immigrants- which comes into play in the book and love how well the author put immigration into the story. Rocco is there to see the company can make an IPO- just falls for Julia right away. Loved the NYC group, loved all the Spanish woven into the story that lets even us non speakers understand what is going on. Its a slow burn but get super steamy once it hits! We even get an added kitten in this one!
This was my first Herrera novel and won't be my last! Loved it all and loved learning more about Dominican food! I also enjoyed how she had the two families in the books and how different they can be - along with shape you well into adult life.
Overall, 4 stars and 4 steam.
Thank you to Carina Press and Netgalley for the free review copy of Here To Stay.
This was my first Herrera novel and won't be my last! Loved it all and loved learning more about Dominican food! I also enjoyed how she had the two families in the books and how different they can be - along with shape you well into adult life.
Overall, 4 stars and 4 steam.
Thank you to Carina Press and Netgalley for the free review copy of Here To Stay.
kle105's review
4.0
Ever move cross country for a guy and then get dumped for your efforts? Well that is what happened to Julia. While she might have loved to move back to her beloved NYC, she loves her job! Getting to work at a company that thrives doing charitable work, which she is now in charge of running, can you say dream job.
However on of the siblings of the company wants to take the business public to an IPO, and they bring in consultants to evaluate the company's charitable giving, and position to bring it public. Enter Rocco, a fellow New Yorker, he is riding on this job to go well so he can get a promotion and help his family. It doesn't help that he finds Julia attractive, but he tries to keep his distance. I loved the camaraderie in the group Julia creates of the exiled New Yorkers. Each character was supportive, and sweet, funny, and intrusive when they needed to be. I love the sharing of Julia's family and her culture. How loud, sweet, loving, and caring they were, accepting Rocco into the fold when they meet him. It is the kind of family we should all hope to have, and want to be apart of.
This was my first book from this author and I enjoyed this book so much it certainly won't be my last.
I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
However on of the siblings of the company wants to take the business public to an IPO, and they bring in consultants to evaluate the company's charitable giving, and position to bring it public. Enter Rocco, a fellow New Yorker, he is riding on this job to go well so he can get a promotion and help his family. It doesn't help that he finds Julia attractive, but he tries to keep his distance. I loved the camaraderie in the group Julia creates of the exiled New Yorkers. Each character was supportive, and sweet, funny, and intrusive when they needed to be. I love the sharing of Julia's family and her culture. How loud, sweet, loving, and caring they were, accepting Rocco into the fold when they meet him. It is the kind of family we should all hope to have, and want to be apart of.
This was my first book from this author and I enjoyed this book so much it certainly won't be my last.
I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
heabooknerd's review against another edition
3.0
HERE TO STAY about set my kindle on fire because Julia and Rocco were hot together! They're somewhat enemies because Rocco's report on the Sturm corporation's finances could take away funding for their humanitarian arm where Julia works. But in reality they can't stay away and they don't dislike each other at all, the complete opposite in fact. As two New Yorkers in Dallas they bond over their shared experiences growing up in NYC and I loved seeing the friendships that Julia and Rocco created with the rest of the Gotham Exiles as they called themselves.
I loved Julia as our heroine! She's passionate about her work, dedicated to her family, and not afraid to ask for what she wants. Julia was a lot of fun and I enjoyed watching her find her place in Dallas and take control of her life. I also laughed every time she referred to Rocco as "Rocco fucking Quinn". And speaking of Rocco, he's my favorite kind of hero; sweet and kind but also wild in bed. Bless Rocco's dirty, dirty mouth! Rocco doesn't want to hurt Julia's job but he needs his upcoming promotion to help his sister and niece and basically he couldn't be anymore perfect. Both Rocco and Julia have some ups and downs but their connection is undeniable and I loved watching them fall in love.
This doesn't appear to be a series but I'll keep my fingers crossed that maybe we'll get stories for the rest of the Exiles because they were so much fun. Adriana Herrera is a master at character development and I felt like I really knew the side characters and fell for them just as much as Rocco and Julia.
**ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Favorite Quotes:
Rocco Quinn didn't just make me nervous. He made me want to run my hands all over that big-ass body and moon over his almost but not quite curly hair and blue eyes, in spite of the fact that I knew he was out here gunning for my entire program. And yet, I still wanted to kiss the hell out of him while I climbed him like a sequoia.
I loved Julia as our heroine! She's passionate about her work, dedicated to her family, and not afraid to ask for what she wants. Julia was a lot of fun and I enjoyed watching her find her place in Dallas and take control of her life. I also laughed every time she referred to Rocco as "Rocco fucking Quinn". And speaking of Rocco, he's my favorite kind of hero; sweet and kind but also wild in bed. Bless Rocco's dirty, dirty mouth! Rocco doesn't want to hurt Julia's job but he needs his upcoming promotion to help his sister and niece and basically he couldn't be anymore perfect. Both Rocco and Julia have some ups and downs but their connection is undeniable and I loved watching them fall in love.
This doesn't appear to be a series but I'll keep my fingers crossed that maybe we'll get stories for the rest of the Exiles because they were so much fun. Adriana Herrera is a master at character development and I felt like I really knew the side characters and fell for them just as much as Rocco and Julia.
**ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Favorite Quotes:
Rocco Quinn didn't just make me nervous. He made me want to run my hands all over that big-ass body and moon over his almost but not quite curly hair and blue eyes, in spite of the fact that I knew he was out here gunning for my entire program. And yet, I still wanted to kiss the hell out of him while I climbed him like a sequoia.
bookschaosnart's review against another edition
4.0
An excellent romance and found family story from Herrera. I always love the author's ability to make you feel like her characters could be part of your own friend group or family and this one did not disappoint. Although I was a bit worried to start off with because the potential for power dynamics related to Rocco and Julia's jobs, my mind was put at ease pretty quickly based not only on how it was actually written into the story and how both characters took that seriously within the story itself. I really appreciate how the characters are allowed to be unabashedly themselves, both with how they interacted with their friends, family and peers, but also their inner monologues. Definitely a slow burn, but also a great story of family and allowing someone to both leave on their own and still keep their friends and family close. Overall, it's a well written and relatable story that definitely needs to be told!
ashleylynnreads's review against another edition
3.0
It was hot spicy emotions all over the place a great introduction to this author. I’ll be checking out more of her work, but I really wish authors would get away from the third act break up
bookjunkie57's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Here to Stay
Dating in Dallas, Book 1
I Picked Up This Book Because: Seemed like a good idea at the time.
Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Everand
Dates Read: 4/27/24 - 4/30/24
Rating: 4 Stars
Narrator(s): Almarie Guerra, Sean Crisden
The Characters:
Julia Del Mar:
Rocco Quinn:
Gotham Exiles, Julia’s Family, Rocco’s Family
The Story:
A very enjoyable if somewhat predictable story. I loved the characters. I want to hang out with the exiles. This was my first read from this author but will not be my last. I also really enjoyed the narrators as it was my first time hearing them also.
Dating in Dallas, Book 1
I Picked Up This Book Because: Seemed like a good idea at the time.
Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Everand
Dates Read: 4/27/24 - 4/30/24
Rating: 4 Stars
Narrator(s): Almarie Guerra, Sean Crisden
The Characters:
Julia Del Mar:
Rocco Quinn:
Gotham Exiles, Julia’s Family, Rocco’s Family
The Story:
A very enjoyable if somewhat predictable story. I loved the characters. I want to hang out with the exiles. This was my first read from this author but will not be my last. I also really enjoyed the narrators as it was my first time hearing them also.