I’m kicking it back to books for this month’s recommendation post because I'm actually reading them again LOL. Anyway, I wanted something light and romantic, and so I picked up You Had Me At Hola by Alexis Daria from the stacks and stacks of books that fill my bedroom.

The  jist of this story: After a very public breakup with a world renowned musician, actress Jasmine Lin Rodriguez, swears she isn’t going to commit to love for a long time. Instead, she hatches a Leading Lady Plan that involves being fine on her own while trying to break out of daytime soap operas and focus on her next full-time gig, which is the leading lady on a streaming service (Streamflix) original series. But a last minute casting change shakes up this plan by casting telenovela hunk, Ashton Suarez, as her romantic opposite. 

Ashton’s trying to revive his career (after his last character is killed off) and break into more mainstream media. All the while, he has secrets of his own that he is attempting to keep out of the public’s view. But of course, being a celebrity does not afford the kind of privacy Ashton desires. Something he continuously struggles with throughout the course of the novel and that makes it difficult for him to initially connect with Jasmine on screen.

Which prompts Jasmine to suggest they practice scenes in the privacy of their hotel rooms. Which, of course, leads to a lot of other things that complicate their personal lives and threaten to thrust them back into the spotlight of the media they’re trying to avoid. 

My thoughts and feels: Friends. I'm running not walking to recommend this book to you all. This book is one of the loveliest and steamiest contemporary romances I have recently read. The things I love most about this:

• Both Jasmine and Ashton are 30+ years old. That’s not necessarily groundbreaking since a lot of romance novels are exploring this age range, but it’s worth noting if you’re specifically seeking that out as opposed to YA romance or 20s romance.  
• Family was a huge theme throughout this. And books #2 and #3 will feature two of Jasmine’s cousins, who are more like her sisters. I'm pumped for both! 
• Tender, considerate man. I’m here for that shit all day, every day.
• Slower burning for contemporary romances and that’s lovely. (Don’t worry though, they get it on in a lot of ways that are :hot face:). 
• I loved the inclusion of Spanish and the diversity within the Latinx community that the author explored. Representation matters and Alexis Daria weaves so many things into the fabric of the story that represent a multitude of identities and ethnicities and it just really made this story stand out.  
• Hot sex. Continuously asking for consent. Realistic add ons to make the experience more pleasurable. (Ask me if you’re curious, I don’t know what I can/can’t say on the forums).
• This idea of the story being about Jasmine and Ashton and then also telling the story of the character’s they’re playing on this TV show? The whole thing was just very creative and cool how it reverted from the script and their character’s internal thoughts to reality and back. 
• The big blow out fight? Sure, hurtful things are often said in the heat of the moment (that's life), but it was nothing unforgivable. They both got a true reconciliation moment in the end, which leads us to the next point… 
• …absolutely adorable, happy ending. We read romances for them, right? 
• Both of these characters needed therapy. It’s alluded to that they get it and are wholly supportive of one another’s experiences in the end. It isn’t heavily explored, but I appreciated the acknowledgment of it since not including a mention of it would have been a drawback for me. Things aren't suddenly happy and perfect the minute you're in a relationship with the right person, but they can be made better with additional help and the right person. That was my takeaway from the ending here.  

It’s not often I can’t put a book down or forgo sleep for one, but this one was totally worth not sleeping for. If you want a contempo romance, you want this one.

 Courtney