This was an interesting romance novel with a lot of drama!

Our main character, Angel, has not had an easy life. She lost her family, had a child at the age of sixteen, works her way through nursing school and always puts the needs of her child ahead of her own. You almost wonder when her break is coming. She is surrounded by some awful men both at work and in her practicum but she never lets this get her down. She has a fierce spirit and is determined to not let any man or life get her down.

Caleb, The Duke, was not someone I was a huge fan. He seems to have let fame get to him or perhaps even his own childhood and life experiences have jaded him. He doesn’t trust, he surrounds himself with poor examples of friends and while he seems to truly care for Angel – he has a hard time showing it.

Their relationship is rocky at best through the novel – they fight, they separate and there is a lot of drama. You want Caleb to pull those big boy pants on and you want Angel to be firm with him. You may want to scream and give them both a shake at times.

The ending of this novel was too perfect for words and I was happy with the growth and development of our characters. They both were able to overcome their difficulties and start a future together. It was a light read, full of drama but with a happy ending.

Unfortunately, I didn’t love this book. It was very dramatic and a little over the top, and I had a hard time connecting with the characters.

I liked the story but wasn't in love with it. It was quick read and had a lot of drama which I did liked but I didn't feel the chemistry between Angel and Duke. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

I have recently been into sports romances and I am always up for a fake girlfriend story. Unfortunately this book didn’t work for me. I didn’t connect with either of the characters or buy into their romances. I’m disappointed because this sounded like it was going to be a really good read

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book

This book wasn’t what I was expecting at all. I thought I would really enjoy this book. I started and stopped after a few chapters. I just couldn’t get into the book so I put aside to come back to later. I am sad to say that I still was not able to get into this book. I had such hope from the cover to the blurb of the book. I wish I liked this book.

It took two tries for me to read this book. I think my first try was a washout because I wasn’t feeling the genre. Today when I read it, I really enjoyed it and was looking forward to everything going on.

I want to say it was a cute story, but it wasn’t exactly “cute.” It’s your basic girl and boy meet, sparks, drama, resolution, the end.

I feel at odds about how I liked it. Maybe I just wasn’t into it or maybe it just wasn’t the book for me. I do recommend it for the romance lovers out there.

"Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review."

Loved this book very much. It had just enough sweet romance and the storyline was great! I highly recommend!

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I found myself disliking the characters and, as a result, I wasn't routing for their HEA. I do, however, really love the setup and the fact that this a romance featuring POC and a single mom. I hope it will finds it's audience at my library.

I was invited to the review this contemporary romance by the publisher. I actually had a hard time liking the characters and although the plot seems really cute and contemporary, the actual unfolding of events felt contrived. It took awhile to finish but it still had an HEA.

Before I get to the review, I just want to mention a few things that may have influenced how I felt about the book. 1. I was aware that this had a rating of approximately 2 stars on Goodreads so I wasn't expecting anything great out of it. 2. For the sake of completing the entire book to write my review, I listened to the audiobook.

This book is a train wreck; it's not good, but you can't look away and the only time I felt emotional was when someone was hurt. I think reading this is the literary equivalent of watching Real Housewives or Basketball Wives (which Evelyn Lozada is a cast member on). I audibly said what the f**k many times while reading this.

The Good: The cover is cute. The book is short. I finished the audio in 5hr and 25min. I've officially invested more time into this book than Game of Thrones. There's enough going on plot wise (almost too much) that it held my interest.

The Bad: The main characters are awful. Both of them believe that they are better than everyone else and neither of them truly confront their issues and instead just decide to accept what they believe the consequences will be. That really bugged me that essentially both of them walked away from their problems and decided I'm good with the alternative instead of actually dealing with it head on. There's a lot of women bashing and putting down other women as well as women hating on all men and thinking all men are awful. This is also a dual POV that is heavy on Angel's POV, which I don't like to begin with, but the jumps between perspectives are not clear. I had a very hard time distinguishing each character's voice as they all felt the same.

The WTF: I don't think the synopsis really matches with the book I read. Throughout the story the main character is called Duke, which I thought was supposed to be a nickname. There is one steamy scene between the main characters, otherwise the steam feels slimy and like a cheap VHS porno (twice Angel walks in on other couples.) At the end, the story all of a sudden decides to try and turn into a crime novel that was way too out there. I feel sort of bad for everyone who DNF'd this since they didn't get to see what a shit show it became.

I also found myself making a list of topics that were casually mentioned and definitely not dealt with appropriately while reading. This includes mental illness, specifically depression and suicide (MAJOR TRIGGER THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CAUGHT IN EDITING); gun violence; drug abuse, both illegal and prescription; sexual harassment; alcoholism.

Overall, I didn't like this book, but I didn't hate it, and I definitely wouldn't recommend it. I'm not sure if maybe the author has never read a romance novel before and just thinks that this is what they're like. Regardless, I feel like there was a major editing fail since not only is the POV not clear, but there were triggering topics that were handled inappropriately, especially for 2019.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Perfect Date by Evelyn Lozada, Holly Lorincz is a book that was dubbed a romance while it had a little romance I would call this more of a drama. There was a lot of drama throughout the story, maybe a little too much. I am going to be honest and tell you that I didn’t think I was going to like this book but I did. I liked the way the main characters weren’t always the goody-goody do everything right kind of people. Angel is an overworked single mom trying to balance her life going to school to become a nurse and working two jobs to support her asthmatic son. Duke on the other hand is very immature and has very poor judgment but has a good heart. Part of this book is Duke growing up. Angel pushes Duke to become a person that he can live with. He isn't worthy of her, but eventually he is. I am hoping that this is only because the book was an ARC but I found the formatting to be a little difficult to follow as there were no scene breaks between the two points of views. This book is a quick read and if you are looking for something easy this might be for you!

Angel is a single mom, a student nurse, and a bartender (to pay the bills). Duke is the star pitcher of the Yankees with baggage (he witnessed his best friend’s murder, got shot in the ankle, and has his career on the line thanks to the injury). Angel and Duke bump into each other at the clinic where Angeleno works and where Duke tried to get some undercover medical assistance. Then again at the bar where Angel works. The bumping-into-each-other provides the perfect cover story for Duke’s concerned coach: he’s courting her, not seeing a doctor. So, they become linked: trying to help each other out, learning about one another, and having some delicious sex (on the chaste-to-steamy scale, it’s a 6... about the same as the movie Titanic). Of course, they also piss each other off, but, a happily ever after does come to fruition (of course).

This romance is pretty fast paced. There is a variety of action (not *that* kind of “action”) that helps nudge the emotional rollercoaster. There is one semi-steamy sex scene.

I suppose the main disappointment in the story is the Dr. Collins storyline. I hate that he tries to blackmail Angel for sex and that Angel doesn’t even consider turning him in to her practicing advisor at school. (I get the whole Latinx/lack of privilege aspect, but if the author wanted to empower her readers, she should have had Angel bring up this concern with Gabriela who then convinces her to try turning him in to the nursing program. Because to combat minorities’ oppression, we need to discuss it and actively model how to overcome it.

Angel Gomez is doing her best to make things work.

Most of the time, she feels like a complete failure. Between making rent, keeping her growing son in shoes that fit, scraping together enough coins to be able to buy meager groceries – it’s hard to make ends meet. It doesn’t matter that she works two jobs and is constantly hustling. Angel can barely afford the seedy apartment they live in, and with the added expense of Jose’s asthma medicine on top of it, she’s constantly on edge.

And it isn’t just the money that keeps Angel down. On top of the two jobs and being a single mother, she’s working her way through the tail-end of her nursing degree. The light at the end of the tunnel is bright and enticing, but it keeps her attention away from Jose and as a result – she’s missing things. Bedtime stories are going unread, baseball games are going unwatched, and field trips are going unchaperoned. Angel keeps telling herself that it’s bound to get better, and that its only a matter of when.

Angel is stressed, to say the least. Jose is constantly on her mind, even when she’s working her job at the clinic and the patients should have her undivided attention – she’s still thinking of her boy. The distraction of bills and motherhood can be dangerous, especially seeing as how sharp she needs to be on her game when she’s around her boss. Dr. Collins is constantly making inappropriate passes and holding her final grade over her head, but Angel tries to keep her head down and her temper in check as much as possible. It’s all a means to an end, and when she can finally call herself a nurse, then Angel will finally be able to call the shots for the first time in her young life.

She can’t wait.

Caleb Lewis goes by “The Duke” to his friends and most importantly, to his fans. He’s a baseball star in the finest degree : good looking, talented, and charming and with plenty of money in the bank. He’s never had a hard time pulling the ladies or striking the other team out. But ever since that fateful evening in the club when his friend and teammate Mark was shot, Duke has been on a downward spiral. His ankle was injured that night and hasn’t been the same since. He’s been hiding his condition and pain from his team, his agent, and the powers-that-be up in the clubhouse … but he doesn’t know how much longer he can keep the act up.

Duke visits an obscure clinic downtown, one where he can pay the doctor cash under the table to get the fix he needs … no matter how temporary that fix may be. The trouble is, no one can know he goes there … so when he steps out one day and sees press lined up on the sidewalk, Duke has to think fast. He asks the sassy, sexy, young nurse who works there if she’ll agree to be his girlfriend for the cameras. He thinks it’s the best excuse for his being there – that he can’t stay away from this delicious Puerto Rican hottie. Duke is sure the plan is completely believable, given his reputation around town as a ladies man.

Against her better judgement, Angel agrees. She’s completely caught up in the moment, and in how handsome Duke is up close and personal. And no matter that over the next few weeks, Duke leads her into a life full of glitz, glamour, and bitchy ex-girlfriends, Angel continues to see the good that is hidden deep down beneath his bravado and selfish behavior. It’s all an act, and Angel is determined to help Duke accept the good in himself and stop using things like alcohol and lies as a crutch.

But when Duke continues to drag Angel into scandal after scandal and it all begins to interrupt and threaten her quiet life with Jose, she begins to have second thoughts. She’s caught feelings for the famous ball player, but her first priority is always her son – it has to be. Jose has no one else. Duke must learn to stand on his own two feet … no matter how painful it may be.

The Perfect Date is the newest novel by reality television sensation Evelyn Lozada. While this novel is a work of fiction, it is full of behind-the-scenes antics and dialogue that all too often resembles an episode of Basketball Wives, the show Lozada is famous for being on.

Before I read any novel, I always go peruse the reviews first. It’s just a habit of mine, and I’ve always found it interesting just how polarizing some books can be. The general consensus online for The Perfect Date is that its storyline is choppy, that it’s too dramatic, and that the characters are moody and unlikable. It’s not rating very well. And yet …

… I just didn’t see what the other readers saw, I guess.

I always take the first few novels by any author (especially in this romantic/dramatic/rom-com genre) with a grain of salt. These quick books are deceptively hard to write. It’s difficult to have a whole lot of depth with characters in a mere 300 pages, and it’s even harder to have a heavy storyline. I felt that Lozada did a decent job in both aspects. Let me tell you why.

Most other reviewers of this novel complain that Angel has a bad temper and is constantly flying off the handle. I don’t know what book they were reading, but that was not my impression at all. My best friend of 25 years is Latina and culturally speaking, Latin women are sassy and can sting you with words while buttering you up in the next breath. It’s just their nature to be a bit of a roller coaster. In that aspect, I found Angel’s behavior rang true.

Secondly, she is a single mother. I’ve been there and I know what it takes to deal with the stresses of making things work and making ends meet. You constantly feel as if you’re up against the wall. It’s a state of constantly being on edge, and you can feel as if you have no allies. One little thing can make you blow, even if to someone else it may seem insignificant. Again, I found Angel’s behavior appropriate and truthful. I really liked her a lot, and I could see where she was coming from. She had to make hard choices and put herself in unsavory positions to take care of her son, and sometimes as mothers we have to go there. Perhaps the negative reviewers have never had to deal with the prospect of not eating so that your child can eat. I have personally had that experience, and so I *got* Angel.

Some also looked down on how quickly she hopped in to bed with Duke. Again, maybe because I’ve personally been there (*insert sheepish smile here*) I didn’t find it inappropriate. Angel was trying to snatch any slice of happy she could out of the situation with the handsome Duke, if even for a few hours. I’m not into shaming women for using their bodies for their own pleasure, and I feel like if Duke had been a more traditional hero, maybe women reviewers wouldn’t have minded Angel sleeping with him quite so much.

Speaking of Duke. Okay. I get it … you look at the cover and you think “aww, what a sweet romance this will be.” This is not that book. These characters have flaws and they are out there on display for the reader to see. Nothing is hidden from the readers. Duke is NOT your typical hero, and I think *that* is why so many reviewers were whining about him. Duke is selfish, he is self-absorbed, he is a narcissist, and he is a bit of a misogynist. Now that being said, he is trying to change himself. His inner voice is constantly chastising himself when he does something wrong, and Duke does recognize when he’s being a bit of a douchebag. I think that is what attracts him to Angel … that is she so rough around the edges and quick to call him on his stuff. He needs that mirror in his life.

Readers inherently want that cookie-cutter hero who has a few flaws but is always redeemed very quickly and efficiently. They want romances that are easy and flirty and fun. Again, this is not that book. But that doesn’t make it a bad book.

The storyline was a little choppy, but that is to be expected (for me at least) from authors who do not write full-time. Yes, it was dramatic. It was like reading a soap opera, if that makes sense. But … I mean look at the reality show that Lozada is on. Can readers really not put two and two together?

All in all, I gave his novel very close to 4 stars. The characters needed a little fleshing out, but they were honest and I found them likable because of that honesty. I don’t need perfect in every story I read, and I think it’s inauthentic to expect every romance to wrap up in a bow. I also enjoyed the characters on the periphery. I wish the ending had been just a little more, but all in all … this novel deserves more than the reviews its getting online.

I REALLY REALLY wanted to love this book. The premises of the storyline made it seem like it could work but it was really just all over the place.

Angela is a single mom who is struggling to make ends met while trying to finish up nursing school so she can make a better life for herself and her son.

After a chance encounter with Caleb "The Duke" Lucas - a pitcher for the Yankees, she finds herself wrapped up in becoming his fake girlfriend to throw off the press from focusing on an injury he has instead. See... that all sounds great, like the right kind of foundation for a great RomCom.

But the book was just full of DRAMA DRAMA DRAMA. Maybe it was because Angela was such a young mom and had been on her own for so long, that she was just brash and harsh. The Duke - he was just all over the place. From Douchbag to Prince Charming and back. I hated his entourage - Aaron, and his dad, the people around him.

I just couldn't. I tried going back time and time again, hoping the story got better and admit to jumping back and forth between chapters looking for the good. Jose, her son, was the little ray of sunshine in the book when we got to see him. But yeah... so sad that this book couldn't be more.

The Perfect Date by Evelyn Lozado and Holly Lorincz is far from perfect. Angel Gomez is a single mom, finishing nursing school while juggling a practicum, a part time job bar-tending and raising her son; she doesn’t have time for romantic relationships. The “Duke” is a pitcher for the Bronx Bolts but lately he’s been getting more attention for his behavior off the field than on. They meet at the clinic and at the club Angel works at where Duke tries to convince Angel to pretend to be his girlfriend to throw the paparazzi off of why he was actually at the medical clinic. I thought this would be a cute, light-hearted romance, but if was closer to the opposite. Duke likes Angel because she sees the real him, unlike other girls who only want him for the fact he’s a pitcher and has a lot of money. Angel also seemed determined to call Duke out for his behavior; at least for part of the book. As this story continued, the reader is exposed to rude characters who were either mean or angry much of the time. Then there is the male doctor at the clinic where Angel had her practicum who believed it was okay to inappropriately touch the nursing students. There were a number of misogynistic attitudes with some of the male characters or and female characters who did not care who they were hurting. They may have thought it was fun and endearing banter, but this reader found it a bit offensive. The epilogue was a definite redeeming moment in this dramatic and difficult story. Overall, despite the problems and drama, I enjoyed reading The Perfect Date.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

While I enjoyed this story, I feel like it lacked a little depth. I liked the POC representation and just wished that Duke was a little more fleshed out. I think my favorite character in this story was Gabriella. The storyline also felt a little rushed. It read kind of like a tv show which is why I kept going. Thank you Netgalley for this ebook arc.

This was not the perfect date. These people had way too much drama. I was not sure that I even liked the characters until later in the story. Duke was facing the loss of his career. He lost a good friend and he was shot in the foot. It hasn't been healing as it should and could end his career. Angel has been trying to keep her head above water, go to school and take care of her son. Angel and Duke have an attraction, but they are so different. He has money and she has none. She is barely making it. She just wants to finish nursing school and get a good job. There are some things that could keep her from that goal. When Duke enters her life, he just adds to the problems. Neither of them are sure it is worth the trouble.

If you look at the reviews for this book you will see it has a lot of potential.
The author has a fun concept, could shine a spotlight on a cause deserving attention, and would make a wonderful beach read.
That said, I blame the editor for not changing the book's opening. This author loses half her audience by the gross way the story begins.
(If the editor made the author change a more benign opening, I apologize to Evelyn Lozada.)
Even the title is too gentle or (pardon the expression) vanilla to suit this book.

Angel Gomez is a single mom, having had her son before the age she should even have been having sex! This book could be a strong advocate for people of color but instead it seems to focus on and reinforce stereotypes, and not just against POC. The rich are targeted, men in general are portrayed as the scum of the earth, with good choices, decisions and deeds being the exception rather than the rule. That does not mean the women are much better.

Back to the beginning. Angel is studying to be a nurse. Commendable, realistic, even noble.
She also works in a bar/restaurant that caters to the sleazy, wealthy.
What is the publisher thinking calling this a "fun, heartwarming multicultural romance?"
Angel could be studying the names of bones in the hand or positioning of organs, but she is memorizing names for parts of male sex anatomy. This sets the tone for where this book is headed.

I did accept this book from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. I understand that formatting may not be final. There were areas where one scene blended into another where there should have been a noticeable break. That is not the author's fault and hopefully would be adjusted in a final copy. For me, it just added to the overall dissatisfaction of the read. I did not hold it against my overall rating.

Angel meets the main male protagonist several times over the course of a week, in her capacity both as a nursing student and as a bartender. She has the opportunity to see him in good and bad light. She is also so anxious and exhausted trying to handle all her roles in life, especially as mother, that her abilities to make her best decisions begins to slip. She actually is beginning to believe she has no control over her choices any more and has only the lesser of bad actions to choose from until she finally gets her nursing degree.

So when the press and a baseball pitcher's support team force Angel into the spotlight and pretend she is his new, mystery romance, she gets swept up and is taken along for the ride. Her own girlfriends add to the push for Angel to let loose and enjoy life for once. She deserves it.

It turns out the life of the rich and famous is neither a break nor a party or even enjoyable.
They seem to have the same problems as the poor, except in larger portions with bigger price tags.
Once again the reader is exposed to sex and drugs and stereotypes, making this a not so fun, light read.

I appreciated the underlying story, the main characters wanting to grow and change for the better, the potential for bringing attention to a worthy cause. I just wish the taste of the book had been more palatable.

If you get past the first chapters and give the story a chance to play out, I think you will find a good book here. You just have to give it a second chance.

This is about a single mom and a baseball boyfriend I wanted to read more baseball romance and this did not disappoint I am so happy I received it I can’t wait to buy a physical copy I loved it!

I'm a known sucker for a fake dating romance, but there was a little less focus on the romantic storyline than I personally would've liked. I think if I went in more expecting it to be women's fic with romantic elements I would've enjoyed it a bit more. That said, I loved Angel and her part of the story. I was less enamored of walking charm offensive Caleb, but they do have good chemistry.