OOooo! Wow. I really cannot say enough good things about Thirsty. This story got me from the first page and I could not put it down. Mia Hopkins is a new author to me, I have had a lot of those lately and she absolutely blew me away with Thirsty! It is raw, gritty, filled with emotion and had my heart full of empathy for these characters!

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Lee’Anne – ☆☆☆
This was an okay read for me – the two main characters are likable and it’s an easy read with a good plotline. I did feel almost like I was missing a portion of the beginning of the story, it just starts oddly and takes a bit to get into. It picks up after the first few chapters though.

Ghost is the member of a gang and has recently been released from prison. He is doing everything in his power to keep his nose clean and save enough money to get a place of his own before his younger brother is also released from prison. Ghost has been staying with a friend and when things don’t work, he’s out on the street until his elderly neighbor offers him her garage as a temporary home. Vanessa is the granddaughter of the elderly neighbor and 0% interested in allowing Ghost to be on the same property with her and her daughter. It takes Ghost a while to break through her icy exterior but once she gives him a chance, things really heat up.

I think what was missing the most from this story was Vanessa – she didn’t feel like a main character. I don’t feel like we every really got to know her and it left me feeling disconnected from her character. I do think her and Ghost were perfect together and I love that he works to make himself better for her. This is a cute romance without being mushy – I enjoyed it.

4 STARS FOR THIRSTY!! This story was so good it keeps you turning pages. The story will hit all your emotion button and then some. Salvador has a story to tell you, so curl up with this book and listen. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

3.5 Stars

Gritty and raw, this book was an intense read that was so much more than just a romance. It started a bit slow for me and took a bit to get into, but once it did I was transported right into the barrio with Sal.

I’ve read other books by this author and have always been impressed with her ability to write the emotions into the page, but this book took that to another level. Perhaps it was that the emotions this book deals with aren’t all those of the heart, but also included getting inside Sal’s head and feeling what his life is like, not just reading it off the page. He is trying hard not to let his past with the gang shape his future, but is not convinced that he is truly worthy or capable of finding what he terms “something real.”

This book had a lot of edge to it, but it also had a lot of heart and romance. There was such chemistry between Sal and Vanessa and their heat was off the chart, but there was also a tenderness between the two that was sweet. Despite all Sal’s hard edges, he’s able to show his softer, sweeter side when it comes to Vanessa…as well as to her daughter and her mother.

As the beginning of a new series we get introduced to lots of characters and the details of the world that is being built. Being immersed in a culture and world that was not familiar to me made this book slow to start, but once I got through that I really felt as if I was part of the world the author created.

I really enjoy the author’s writing style and love how she is able to make you feel right along with her characters – something I have found in all the books by Mia Hopkins that I have read. The characters are real and watching Sal find who he was and begin to see that he was worthy and capable of “something real” was great.

Mia Hopkins has definitely pulled me into this new series – so bring on the next book!

OK, wow. How in the world did I get lucky enough to read two such different but equally amazing books in a row? This is a unique sort of romance book, considering it’s first-person POV from Sal’s point of view.

“’It’s not as easy as you think it is, Vanessa.’ I say.
She narrows her eyes at me. ‘It’s not as complicated as you want it to be, Sal.’
[..]
‘What do you mean by that?’ I whisper. I can hear my own heartbeat, pounding blood through my body.
‘I mean,’ she says quietly, ‘my whole life people have been trying to tell me what I am. A nerd. A good girl. An honor student. A slut. A whore. A failure. They were wrong each time. No one else is going to tell me who I am. Never again.’
She’s right. But her situation is not my situation. ‘That may be true for you. For me, it is complicated.’
‘The word complicated is nothing but an excuse to keep from thinking clearly and making a clean choice. It’s a coward’s word.’"


Sal “Ghost” Rosas has been in prison for five years for car theft, and after his release he goes back to his old neighborhood. He’s sleeping on one of his old gang friend’s couches, working two overnight cleaning jobs, generally keeping his nose clean and saving up money to rent an apartment for when his brother gets out of prison in a few months. While he’s been in a gang for most of his life (as has the rest of his family) he’s overall a good guy – he crashes on his friend’s couch, and when his friend cheats on his wife and leaves her, Sal still keeps coming around to help clean the place up and takes his friend’s wife and her kids to the church carnival. He works hard – he leaves in the dark, commutes via series of trains and buses, and comes home before dawn. He’s also brutally honest with himself about his chances of making anything of himself, with his conviction and the fact that once you’re a gang member, you’re always a gang member – as his own father learned. While he earned his nickname in the gang for other reasons, Sal’s pretty much a ghost now, working a job that nobody really notices, not really making an impression on anyone around him – “[u]nderpaid, often exploited, ignored, dismissed.” Vanessa is the girl everyone thought was going to get away from East LA – until she got pregnant by another gang member and had to give up her dreams of going away to college. Instead, she went to the local community college while living with her grandma and raising her daughter. She’s hardworking and stubborn, but still loving and sweet with her daughter and grandma. Sal’s noticed her since they were in school together, but thought he never had a chance with her. When her grandma offers Sal a place to stay in return for clearing out their old garage, it almost seems too good to be true. Of course, you can probably guess what happens next!

“’Do I look guilty?’
‘No.’ She stares at me a bit longer. She touches my cheek with the tip of her finger and it feels like a match igniting against my skin. ‘You look like you’re in pain.’
There are people who dance around what they mean and hide what they know. There are people who talk to you and ask you questions not because they care to know about who you are or what you feel but because they want to know how to exploit you, how to use you for their own purposes, and how to use your pain against you. Vanessa does none of these things. She gets right to the ugly part of the matter and shines a bright light on it. I suppose that’s what accountants are supposed to do. See where the numbers are wrong and shine a spotlight on them. To say, ‘Here’s where you’re weak. Here’s the hole where the money’s draining out. Here’s how to fix it.'”


Sal is buried under so many expectations of what he’s supposed to be – tatted ex-felon from the eastside – that it’s hard for him to be who he really wants to be. Vanessa helps him learn to say no to things that don’t fit his vision for his life, rather than just going along with whatever will get him attention, and grateful for it. Their relationship is good for Vanessa because it gives her something to focus on for herself – not for her job, or her daughter, or her grandma – oh, and lots of seriously steamy sex. Watching the two of them work out how a relationship would work was sweet and oh so fulfilling.

“’It’s a process, Sal. Just like brewing beer.’
‘What is?’
‘Making . . . making a man. Making yourself.’ He pauses. ‘You know, you remind me a little of myself back then.’
I put down my fork. What do I have in common with this skinny white dude? ‘What the hell are you smoking?’”


As for cons – the book ends on a serious bombshell. Not exactly a cliffhanger, but holy crap, I want to read the next book NOW. I also wish Ms. Hopkins would’ve went into Sal’s mental health issues more. Otherwise – I pretty much loved the whole thing!

Overall, this is an intense, delightful romance. Highly recommended!

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Sal is just release from prison for a crime he did while in his neighborhood gang. Vanessa's grandmother offers him a place to stay when he ends up homeless. Sal doesn't want to go back to what he did before he got busted and is trying to staying on the right side of the law but the gang isn't letting him move on. When Vanessa learns about Sal staying there she is against it until she sees that he truly is trying to make his life better. Sal can't believe it when Vanessa starts hanging out with him and is even more surprised when they start sleeping together. He wants to have a good life and have something with Vanessa and her family. Can his past stay there or will it continue to mess up his life?

This was a great story about a man that wants to change his life for the better after being in prison and he has found someone he wants to share it with. The chemistry between Vanessa and Sal slowly builds into something neither really expected. This is a new author for me but I will definitely be looking for more books by her in the future.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

The storyline was well written and the characters were well defined which made this book hard to put down, therefore, I read this book in one sitting!

Short synopsis of the book:
A gang member released from prison. A barrio neighborhood widowed princess trying to protect her daughter in the neighborhood. As Sal tries to restore his life and stay out of trouble, trouble finds him, after he develops a relationship and feelings for the princess of the neighborhood, where everyone looks out for each other. When the ESHB comes calling for Sal, you'll be on pins and needles waiting to see if he can keep Vanessa and her family in his life, or if he gets thrown out of theirs.

Mia Hopkins is a new-to-me author. One I will search out books for. This book is one of a kind. It is a more realistic, true-to-life book, that brings out things that are and can truly happen in daily life for some. In an off-typical lines book, Mia Hopkins writes about a gangster who attempts to clean up his life and finds romance while he's doing it. She shows the realistic side of anxiety and how it can affect anyone, not specific people. It's genuine and most definitely a page turner.

Mia Hopkins takes a person and shows the world that you can have second chances and come out on top. Mia Hopkins as definitely gained a new fan. Now I can't wait for the next book to come out!

I received my copy of Thirsty from Netgalley in return for my honest opinion.

Rcvd an ARC at no cost to author..(netgalley) This is a second chance story and it was nice, nice in the sense that Salvador gets to correct his past mistakes. Sal is learning to live a life not belonging to a gang and he meets and is captivated by Vanessa. Vaness is single mother working to bring up her daughter and she is not interested in getting with aman who was once in a gang, however Sale starts breaking down her walls and my friends it was explosive. I also truly enjoyed the secondary characters. So grab a copy and Enjoy!

This book was not for me. Liking a certain book is subjective, what I might like others might not and vice versa, it was intriguing but it didn’t capture my undivided attention

I’m new to Mia Hopkins, and what an initiation Thirsty was! It’s told entirely from the male POV which makes it stand out, but Salvador himself was who made me stay.

So, if you follow my reviews you probably know that I gravitate towards stories where the HEA isn’t easy. I like watching the main MCs conquer personal demons, rebuild their lives, and never give in. With that said, I wish we had more MCs like Salvador Rosas.

Sal works hard, pinching every penny, as he picks up the pieces of his life. Eventually, he wants to save enough money to buy a place for him and his brother. Being an ex-con and a member of a gang makes that difficult. You can see Sal’s inner struggle as he re-shuffles some pieces only for his past to come knocking.

Meeting Vanessa again sends Sal for an even bigger loop. He doesn’t think he deserves the time of day where she’s concerned. Vanessa has plenty on her hands too with school and her daughter.

These two were so well-drawn and developed. Sal is open about his past, honest and self-aware with himself and others, and he’s so genuine with Vanessa. His inner thoughts were just heart-wrenching. His story just dug into my soul and attached itself, and I’m not going to forget it anytime soon.

And Vanessa was FIERCE. I loved her to pieces. She’s got such heart, and although she doesn’t trust Sal one hundred percent, she can’t resist the silent but determined man he is. They learned a lot from the other and the character development was on point.

What makes this read totally swoon-worthy, though? Sal appreciates the hell out of Vanessa, and oh my gosh, he just understood how hard Vanessa works as a single mother…

Heart. Throb.

It doesn't hurt that seeing them together was blazing hot. Gosh damn.

If you’re wanting a story that tears you to shreds and picks you back up again—making you even stronger—than I highly recommend this book.

4.5 stars!

This story takes the reader into the heart of a community run by a powerful gang, East Side Hollenbeck. After being released from prison, Salvador Rosas is trying to avoid being part of the gang but it is hard. He was an enforcer for it and his father was the leader but now his father is dead and prison has changed him, he has anxiety issues, though others don't realise how bad it is and his "Ghost" reputation still remains. He is endeavouring to start again without being dragged back into the gangland culture, but  the pull to be part of it all again is there. It is also about being there for one another, caring for those in need and supporting each other.

Vanessa Velasco was at school with Salvador but she was a studious student with big dreams that were crashed when she became pregnant. Now she's a single Mom, living with her Gran who recognises how hard Salvador is striving to go straight. Nothing is simple for the people in this community. Can Salvador make a fresh start? He is hard working and is given unexpected opportunities but can he escape the past that has killed so many of his family? Can he make a fresh start for himself and his brother? Will Vanessa give their mutual attraction a chance, trust him to give her and her child a future together?

This is an emotional roller coaster, a brilliant start to a new series and an enthralling read. A very different, dark story, venturing into the gangland underworld with all its ramifications, it is a page turner that I thoroughly enjoyed and have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance with well developed characters and plenty of hints of more to follow.

I requested and received a copy of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.

***4 Stars***

So it went like this “Ohhhh the cover” then “Oooohhhh, beer?” then “Oh, gangsters?”
Mmmm, Yes. Please *hit request*
And I thoroughly enjoyed it. It took a different direction than what I had expected, but I really liked it. It’s got all the goodness of a romance, the heat, the connection that goes soul deep, but there is so much more going on than just that. It’s about getting back on your feet and believing that there is more to you than where you come from, if only you let yourself believe it.

I loved Sal. He’s working really hard to do the right thing and stay on the right side of the law for more reasons than the simple desire to NOT go back to prison. But along with that determination, there was also an honesty that made it easy to connect with him and see just how golden his heart was, even if he couldn’t see it. Vanessa was a little spitfire. Hardworking, sassy, stubborn, but also compassionate, caring and honest. She was a lot of fun and I loved how she didn’t mince words. She let you know what was what and was more than capable of standing her ground when needed.

Sal and Vanessa’s journey was interesting one with how everything started between them, but it actually worked in their favor because they were probably more open and honest about who they were than if things had started differently. The smexy was off the charts! But the way they connected and how they saw each other simply made the chemistry between them burn brighter. Some issues arise, which come as no surprise, but how everything worked out in the end for them was perfect!

This is my first read by Mia Hopkins and I really enjoyed it. The writing was engaging and I really enjoyed the solo 1st person POV. I loved how gang life was shown in the book and how it affected everyone who lived around it. The secondary characters brought a lot of depth to the story and definitely kept things interesting. Alan was fun, but Chinita stole the show for me. That woman has moxie. And with that little mystery popping up at the end...all I can say is I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book in the series!

Thirsty is my first read from Mia Hopkins and overall I enjoyed the storyline and look forward for more not only in this series but more from the author.

I will start off by admitting that it started off extremely slow for me and it took well into the second half of the book for the storyline to pick up and capture my full attention. I say this not to deter people away from the book but to encourage anyone who might feel the same way at first to keep going.

Salvador Rosas fell into a gang as a young boy . When he was nineteen, his criminal activity put him in prison. Five years later, he's out and trying to make an honest living. He's working two part time jobs and trying to lay low but it's known that you can't ever escape that life, right? When the gang finally does come back into his life, he ends up risking the one good thing he has going for him. The beautiful woman who is stealing his heart.

Vanessa Velasco's been around the neighbor and the gang scene. She knows how it works and she's already got a past with one man who was in it. When Sal shows up in her Grandmother's garage, she wants nothing to do with him but he slowly starts to break down her defenses and she starts to see what a good man he really is. But the past always catches up to you.

My absolute favorite thing about Thirsty isn't the two main characters. It's the Grandmother. Oh my god, I couldn't get enough of her. She's blunt with zero filter. She's not afraid to talk about anything, including her or her granddaughter's sex life. Her direct dialogue had me laughing so hard.

Thirsty is ultimately about the possibility of getting a second chance to better your life. Love comes along with that but what had me rooting the most was for Sal to end up with a straight, narrow and happy life. Free from the gang. Free from violence. The beauty in the story is not only about the person working to change their life but allowing others that believe in them love and guide them along the way. If you are looking for a story that will lift your spirits by the end of it, then Thirsty is the book for you.

Thirsty held me captivated from the first page to the last with its heartbreaking, bittersweet and raw tale of a man who remakes himself against seemingly insurmountable odds. It’s an achingly frank depiction of gangs, and their overwhelming influence on entire communities. Told exclusively through Salvador’s point of view, it’s evocative storytelling that immerses the reader into his fight to transform his life when he falls in love with a woman, who is the tipping point to harness his strength and desire to make extremely difficult changes. Mia Hopkins sublimely blends frank realism with sharp-eyed social observation and romantic fantasy, and delivers a happy-ever-after that is much more than the neat conclusion to a love story. Thirsty is an inspiring, complex character-driven romance that will linger in the heart and mind long after reading it, and it is a singular reading experience.

I have to say right off the bat that Mia Hopkins is a great writer, I enjoyed her writing style and Thirsty: An Eastside Brewery Novel drew me in from page one. This is one of those books you can read in one sitting, I read it in two. The story is told first person POV by Salvador Rosas a.k.a. Ghost. I requested this one from NetGalley because I saw it revolved around Latinos. Being Puerto Rican myself this book intrigued me straight away because the main characters are Latin and I enjoy good romance. I haven’t read a full on romance novel featuring Hispanics before.

Ghost needs a place to stay while he saves up money to get an apartment for himself and his brother who will be out of jail soon. Gang-banging has been his lifestyle since forever, his dad was in a gang, his granddad was in a gang, his brother is in it too. He is working two cleaning jobs at night now and Chinita, an elderly woman from his neighborhood rents him her garage for two months. Enter Vanessa, Chinita’s granddaughter. Vanessa is a single mom. Her son’s father overdosed on heroine. She was always a good girl, got good grades but got pregnant by a gang banger and now she is raising her daughter alone. Ghost has been infatuated with Vanessa for years since they were in school together. Vanessa went to a local college and works as a bookkeeper, she is trying to become a certified accountant. These two fall in love pretty quickly and Ghost swears he will give up the lifestyle for her but the lifestyle comes calling and it isn’t easy to just quit a gang.

The chemistry between these two was sweet and the story is very romantic. I liked how Ghost thought of Vanessa, he respects her. He was a sweet character, he’s hard-working and he wants to do the right thing even though the odds are stacked against him. The writing is also very insightful which I enjoyed. Ghost suffers from anxiety attacks he has a rough upbringing and Vanessa has a tough past as well and is trying to better herself. The two naturally gravitate towards each other. It was a sweet romance in that aspect.

Hopkins does a great job at writing from a guy’s POV as well as writing about the gangster lifestyle. She includes a note at the end of the book saying that she volunteered at a gang intervention program and people shared their stories with her that inspired the characters in Thirsty. I appreciated that it all felt legit in regards to the gang lifestyle. The ending wraps it up nicely but also leaves it wide open for the second installment.

So while I enjoyed Thirsty: An Eastside Brewery Novel, I am disappointed that my first time reading contemporary romance featuring a Latin couple centered around thug life.
I didn’t like that the hero was a gang-banger. I read on and I actually enjoyed the story. I will say, it is a story about getting your life together so the plot was full of hope and redemption.

Thirsty by Mia Hopkins
Eastside Brewery #1

Join a gang and you commit for life – Salvador “Sal” Rosas knows this when he gets out of jail. To his homies he is Ghost for a number of reasons. When he gets out of jail after five years he spends six months working hard and strictly keeps the rules of his parole. He knows the gang can call him back at any moment but he hopes against hope that they won’t.

Vanessa Velasco is the woman Ghost used to dream about when in high school then later when in prison. He has wanted her for a long time so when the opportunity arises to live in her garage…he snaps it up. Vanessa is a contradiction in some ways…bright girl that fell for a bad boy, got pregnant, was widowed, became a bookkeeper and is studying to be a CPA. She wants nothing to do with gang members but is attracted to Sal.

Sal is offered opportunities that might lead him away from the gang…maybe. He might end up with Vanessa…if he plays his cards right. He might make something of himself…eventually. But, can he? He has brothers getting out of prison to worry about and plan for but…can he steer them away from the gang his family has been immersed in for decades? Perhaps more will be learned as future books are written.

This is a book about family, values, commitments, change, becoming the person you are meant to be, growth, community and being true to self. It is a book of gangs, is violent, is steamy and it is intriguing.

Did I enjoy it? Yes
Will I read more books in the series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley, Loveswept and Barclay Publicity for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

This is my first book by Mia Hopkins and I'm now a fan. I love Chinita and her evil wiener dog. Sal is an ex con with gang ties and Vanessa is his soul mate. I love how the book is told in Sal's point of view. You get a a great feel for who he really is. This book is a great read.

Favorite quote: Vanessa to Sal ~ "It's like you woke me up after I'd been asleep for five years. Every part of me, awake and alive. But now, without you, I'm twice as lonely as I was before. As if being happy for a short time only magnified my loneliness instead of weakening it."

Thirsty is my first Mia Hopkins book. I found I liked the "real" bad boy hero. Ghost is a mess though. His life is upside down since being released from prison. He's trying to get by...and live the dream. Vanessa is a dream he's had for a long time. But his life and hers are not on the same path.

Thirsty has a real edge to it. It's got a gritty feel to it. It's a got a blend of English and Spanish but I love the reality that they bust into Spanglish too. No worries though, it's translated or easy to figure out for those that would be lost. But I could really go for some puerquitos and beer right about now.

Mia Hopkins is a new author for me and I must say I really enjoyed her work and she's gained a new fan. She has a nice writing style that took me out of my world in the burbs and brought the barrio to life for me. I loved her characters and I was intrigued by the struggles they face on a daily basis.

As a member of the neighborhood gang, Sal was caught and convicted for auto theft. He's served his time and has been released on parole but being back in the barrio has him facing everything that pushed him into that life before. When he finds himself homeless, a kind old woman in the barrio offers him a place to stay. She knows he's working hard to stay straight, keep his head down, and save enough money for a place of his own. Her kindness is what brings Vanessa into his life. She's faced her own hard times but she's fighting hard to make a better life. To Sal Vanessa is everything good in life. She's everything he ever wanted but knew he didn't deserve. Now though if he can stay out of the clutches of his old gang maybe he can have the life he's always dreamed of.

This was a fantastic read and one I highly recommend.