A review by mynameisprerna
American Dreamer by Adriana Herrera

4.0

I listened to the audiobook while mostly following along with the e-book.

I really loved the story and the characters, but some of the writing felt stilted and a lot of the sex felt clinical. I know this author is popular, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series with hopes that these facets improve.

Jude and Nesto are two guys who have always deprioritized love.

It was really nice to watch them realize what love could actually be. For example, when the inn backs out on their commitment with his truck, Nesto thinks “Today I’d talked to my mother, to the guys who called to check in, I even talked to Pri, they all tried to cheer me up and got nowhere. A minute of talking to Jude and I was feeling like a different person.”

I read this book as part of the #23for23 challenge to read more books by POC authors about POC characters. One of my favorite parts of this book was how present Nesto’s culture is. While I expected Spanish phrases and Caribbean foods, I especially appreciated the little things

like the discussion about why Nesto is always asking Jude if he’s happy: “Are you happy, baby?” Occasionally Nesto would ask me that out of the blue, at random moments, and I’d say yes automatically, but always thought it was such an odd thing to ask. “I am actually. I feel happy. Why do you always ask me that?” He shrugged. “It’s a Dominican thing I guess. We always ask each other. ¿Estas contento? ¿Te sientes bien? It’s important to ask, if the person you’re with is happy, if they’re okay. Those things shouldn’t be taken for granted.” I looked at him again, his dark eyes so intent on me. “No, they shouldn’t be.”

I loved getting to know this tight knit group of friends.

Jude recognizes and values the intimacy this friend group shares. “In that moment I felt glad for Nesto and a bit sad for myself, because he had people in his life who knew his story. Who understood the ways in which he was strong and the ways in which he wasn’t, and they still loved him. Not despite, but because of it.”

I’m glad we’ll get to continue with them all in subsequent books.