I adored this book! There aren't nearly enough books like it on the market, and if you like your heroes flawed but brave, your adventures fast-paced and well timed, and your mythology truly an original take, look no further than this gem of a book!

American Love Story is the third book in Adriana Herrera’s Dreamers series of contemporary m/m romance novels. I was so excited about the opportunity to read this book because I absolutely loved the first two books in the series about a group of guys from NYC who all have Caribbean heritage; they’ve been friends since middle/high school, and now one by one, they’re finding their happily ever afters. I’ve been waiting to see how Patrice and Easton’s story was going to play out ever since Herrera dropped hints about them in American Dreamer. So, needless to say, I was ridiculously excited to finally get to read their story.

Patrice has just started a job as a professor at Cornell economics professor, and returning to Ithaca brings him back in contact with Easton, a local lawyer. Patrice and Easton had a short-term attachment about a year ago, when Patrice was helping his friend Nesto get his food truck up and running in Ithaca. Patrice and Easton’s chemistry was off the charts hot, but things dissolved when Patrice returned to the City.

So can they just pick up where they left off?

Ideally, yes, but it’s not that simple. Patrice, who is Haitian-American, finds himself having to justify his Twitter activism when he speaks out against a variety of social issues, including the alarmingly high number of African-American men being pulled over by local police for no reason.

And Easton, who works as a DA, comes from a completely different background: he’s white, his family is moneyed, and he owns the apartment building Patrice moves into. He acknowledges the problems with the police, and wants to do something to help, but it’s different when considering the issue in an abstract sense.

At times, the issues they face seem insurmountable, and Patrice and Easton have to work through need if they’re going to fight for their love.

This book has so much to say about race, politics, immigration, activism, and finding one’s place in the world. Patrice’s outrage at the injustices he sees is visceral, making this the most emotionally evocative entry in the series.

As a fan of the series, I appreciated the chance to see some of the characters from previous books, and as much as I loved the secondary romance, I really hope those two get their own book eventually.

I would absolutely recommend American Love Story. Readers should start at the beginning of the series in order to fully appreciate the character arcs. But really- an Ivy League economics professor as a romantic lead? Yes please! And I’ve gotta say- there’s a small preview for the fourth book, American Sweethearts, and I can’t wait for it to come out!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

American Love Story hits on what is happening in the world today. Race, homophobe, religion, bullying, police brutality, and socialism. Patrice is black, raised by a single mom, immigrant, and has a chip on his shoulder by the injustice in this world. Easton is rich, white, believes that he is looking out for the injustice, and gave issues with his prominent family.
They've met previously but didn't keep in touch with each other. You can tell the attraction is there but Patrice is fighting it. It takes a run in the police before Patrice finally realizes even though he right with some of the issues that he is dealing with when it comes to race and listening to his family that he comes to terms with what he wants with Easton. Easton knows how his family is but didn't follow in his family's footsteps and he tries to keep their prejudice from Patrice. It's a great book and once you started reading it you can't put it down. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.

American Love Story is a book that deals with complicated issues posing complicated questions that are not black and white or easy to resolve but it does it in a way that by the end of the journey you feel hopeful. Not only for Patrice and Easton's relationship which feels like it's just starting and finally on the right foot. But also because one of the main messages of this book is that, struggles are better shared with someone else. There might be miscommunication and privilege in the middle but no one can do it alone specially when you're the one being wrongfully trated by racial and/or social injustices.
I loved this book because of how honest and realistic it was about these really tough issues that being in an interracial relationship can bring out. Not to mention the off the charts chemistry and attraction of Patrice and Easton. Those sex scenes were *fans self*. But mostly I just loved how truthful it was about beginnings sometimes needs work and couples sometimes need a bit of extra help to find their happiness and balance and I will leave it here so I don't spoil anything of the ending.

so, each subsequent book that publishes in the dreamers series is better than the last. i thought it would be hard to top nesto and jude, but then there was milo and tom, and now patrice and easton are just...they are absolute perfection in american love story.

easton has been crushing on patrice since they first met, but patrice holds him at arm's length because this shouldn't be the guy patrice finds love with. they come from backgrounds that are too different, and what they do, what they stand for are two very different things. at least it seems so on the surface.

the thing about easton is that he is so good. like he's genuinely a good person and is trying so hard to do the right thing and respect patrice's boundaries. and like, patrice is a total jerk at times, but you also get it, he's got baggage and he's got reasons to feel the way he does.

and i also loved that we were back in ithaca, and that patrice works at cornell, because well i know these spaces well and the author clearly does too.

**american love story will publish on october 7, 2019. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/carina press in exchange for my honest review.

Loved loved loved loved this book.

Honestly, I loved it for the romance, but I also very much loved it for all of the truths. The truth of how people are treated, just because of the color of their skin. The way discrimination and racism is portrayed... It's one of those "Hits the Nail on the Head" type situations. Herrera nails this.

The way the story moves through the issues both Patrice and Easton face because of who they are, and their jobs and passions, and how those issues intertwine with what is going on in the community, and then how they navigate through all of it... I can't tell you how much appreciation I had while reading this. The balance in the story and how everything is connected had me struggling to put the book down when real life responsibilities called on me.

This series is wonderful, and I think this book really demonstrates one of the many struggles of the Dreamers in the US. This is not just a story about two wonderful men who find love, but a story where those men also have to navigate the world in which we live in, and how they can come together, learn from each other, grow together, and find ways to work together to make this world a better place. Not just for themselves, but for everyone else who has a dream.

And straight up... this book is hot af. Like, really smoking hot. The chemistry between Patrice and Easton is beautiful, and not just in the bedroom. The connection to each other felt real and palpable. I seriously dug it.

Highly recommended.

Another winner from Adriana Herrera! Patrice and Easton.are such amazing characters, even if they are frustrating and stubborn. Their HEA is hard-won and interwoven seamlessly with hauntingly relevant story lines.

"..,the struggle and the law could not go to bed every night, without coming to a standoff at some point."

Patrice and Easton are on opposite sides of a heated issue, and this complicates any already unnecessarily complicated .potential relationship. Their inner turmoil over this issue and their feelings for each other make for an angsty and, at times, heartbreaking journey.

I'm excited to learn JuanPa's story is next. I'm not ready to say goodbye to this gang.

ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Readers of the previous books in Herrera's Dreamers series, featuring the romances of a group of Latino and Afro-Latino men who grew up together in NYC, have been waiting with bated breath for the details about the relationship between Patrice and Easton, a relationship only hinted at in Nesto's and Camilo's earlier books. Doctoral student Patrice Denis, who came to the U.S. with his mother as a refuge from Haiti, has focused his research on "how people of color experience discrimination through government-sanctioned public policy," while Easton Archer, from an economically privileged white Ithaca NY family, works in that city's district attorney's office. The two should be enemies, right? But their mutual physical attraction led to a hot affair the previous summer—an affair that ended as soon as Patrice stopped visiting his friend Nesto in Ithaca, focused on finishing the last year of his doctorate at Columbia. Easton was disappointed by Patrice's ghosting him, but still, now that Patrice has accepted a tenure-track offer from Cornell, he can't help but anticipate more than the occasionally hook-up from the sexy professor.

Patrice has never had a steady boyfriend—no time, and no emotional energy for all the drama. Especially the drama that would surely come with dating a rich white guy who works for the very institution that his research and activism is trying to disrupt. Thus, the first part of the story falls into that dreaded "no, we can't be together/oh, let's fall into bed/no, we can't be together" loop, a loop that I find particularly annoying no matter the gender of its participants. But when Patrice finally decides that he and Archer should give a relationship a try, the romance becomes far more engaging, with open-hearted Easton laying his emotions all on the line, Patrice still cautious, but taking tentative steps toward greater emotional intimacy.

Easton comes off as a bit too perfect, "woke" in all the right ways despite his DA work—I would have liked to know what led him to become a progressive, and then to take a job in the DA's office in spite of it. Herrera emphasizes Easton's wokeness by showing him prosecuting only one crime—a rape by a white boy of a girl of color—rather than by making Easton entangled in the systemic racism of the government institution in which he is employed. And by positioning readers to feel sympathy for him by making his family constantly belittle his work (they wanted him to work for the family vineyard instead). But as this is a category-length romance, wishing for a more nuanced portrait might be asking for too much.

Patrice is more subtly drawn—a quiet, thoughtful man, one who prefers to think before he speaks. But that quietness also often masks a deep anger at the injustices immigrants and people of color suffer in a country that is supposed to be the "land of the free," an anger that Patrice, a large, dark-skinned man, has learned will only lead to more injustice if he has the audacity to give voice to it out loud. That repressed anger, as well as his abandonment issues (his father kept his mother as a mistress, and, though he paid for the two of them to leave Haiti in the wake of the '91 coup, he was never actively involved in their lives), make Patrice's unwillingness to engage in any deep relationship with a potential romantic partner more than understandable.

The external plotline focuses on the racial profiling that the Ithaca police department is doing in recent traffic stops, Patrice's Tweeting and organizing to protest it, and Easton's wariness to speak out publicly about it, despite personally finding it objectionable. Easton's filling in as DA while his female gay mentor is recovering from heart surgery, and she pressures him to remain quiet so that the office can maintain a productive working relationship with the police. Needless to say, Patrice isn't happy about Easton's unwillingness to take a stand. And Easton isn't happy about Patrice's tendency to push him away at the first sign of disagreement or disappointment.

Herrera is particularly good at conveying the real anxiety and fear that people of color have about encountering the police during traffic stops—especially when the predictable happens to Patrice...

Another strong entry in a series with protagonists, and issues, that have far too rarely been featured in traditionally-published romance in the past.

If you are a fan of Adriana Herrera’s other books, you’re going to want to read this one, too.

First, though, I just want to give a shout out to the cover, which really works for me. The way the guy is looking down and to the side, and then that smile . . . What is going on in his head? My inquiring mind wants to know!

One of the things I love about this entire series is that the author isn’t afraid to take on real-world issues. In this case, it’s “driving while black” and the fear that black and brown men experience when encountering the authorities in what should be a routine traffic stop. This becomes a stumbling block for romance in the book, since Easton is part of the establishment as a white assistant district attorney from a privileged background, while Patrice is a Haitian immigrant who overcame obstacles to get where he is in life and who is now an active voice for racial justice. Both Ethan and Patrice have to learn how to navigate these differences so that they can find common ground on which to build a lasting relationship. Ethan has to do more in terms of acting on his principles and the things he’s learning from Patrice, and Patrice has to learn to accept that Easton will say and do things that disappoint him, because no one is perfect. I love that the two of them are in couples therapy at the end of the novel, doing the work to be together.

As for the romance between them, Patrice drove me crazy with his hot and cold routine. It’s not like Patrice doesn’t have reasons for why he finds it difficult to let Easton in, and I get why it’s a struggle for him. However, he’s kind of hard on the guy he claims to have feelings for. Easton really doesn’t deserve it; he’s so open and honest and sweet that it seems a bit like Patrice is kicking a puppy every time he shuts Easton down, which happens a LOT. (Easton is also quite playfully bratty, which I wasn’t expecting given what readers see of him in the previous books.) When Patrice finally got his head out of a certain orifice, it was a relief to both Easton and to me as the reader. They are a really cute couple when they do connect, but it takes a long time to get to the point where they are both comfortable with their relationship.

Three of the four friends have now had their romances, which leaves Juanpa’s story to wrap up the series. Priscilla has been a strong character in the other books, so I’m looking forward to seeing what Herrera has in store for the two of them.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

American Love Story by Adriana Herrera
Dreamers #3

Patrice Dennis and Easton Archer have a complicated relationship. Patrice, though highly educated seems to have a chip on his shoulder...though that chip and sometimes fear that leads to political activism and social media output is verifiable, real and threatening. Easton is a man who wants justice for those who deserve it and puts himself out there in the courtroom. He may appear easy going but is deeper than you might think. The two come to loggerheads on issues from time to time with Patrice, more than Easton, backing away. That backing away and holding himself from Easton began to wear at times. The two do work through their issues and find their way to a HEA but it is not easy.

Okay, that said, I have to say that this book made me think. I live overseas and though I do hear news from time to time had not heard of “Driving While Black” and that had me looking it up online. I have seen some clips that are scary but I had no idea that there is information out there telling people of color how to respond when pulled over by law enforcement. When I mentioned it to my daughter and sister they were surprised that I had not heard the term. Both were aware and concerned about the situation as it is now in the USA. SO...that said...I have to say this is a timely and important as well as educational story in more ways than one.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Do I want to read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

I liked, okay, loved everything about this book. I devoured it in hours.


Adriana Herrera is three books in and has stamped herself as a leading voice for stories about representation and diversity. And I am here for it!


I loved how she weaved Patrice and Easton's love story into very real-world, and scary climate that's building, not only in the US, but around the world. And while the particular theme she decided to highlight in this book is heavy and even tough to read, she also keeps a thread of hope throughout too.

The characters were all amazing. Ari and Yin's story happening in the background was the perfect highlight, it added tension and worry without actually being a cause of conflict between any of the actual characters.

I think my favourite theme of this book is the importance and value of allies. Sometimes I feel like allies in literature are often scoffed at, that even though they want to help, because they didn't go through the same 'hardships' their help isn't as valued and are downgraded to "happy colour". But they are vital, and needed to advocate and stand by those they care about. I really liked seeing as a fundamental source of support for the main characters, and not just background cheerleaders.

But mostly, I think I really enjoyed this story because of Easton and Patrice. As they built their relationship, worked on comprising, Easton's pretty corny too which is fun, Patrice attempts to lower his walls to be with Easton . . . just all of it. Seeing them come together totally charmed me.

A must read!

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
I can’t get enough of Adriana Herrera’s writing! This third Dreamers book is a difficult, angst filled read – but it’s also a wonderfully warm and beautiful written romance. After years of hard graft, Patrice has finally been hired as a professor at Cornell University. The move brings him back to Easton, the gorgeous, talented assistant DA that Patrice refuses to let himself desire.

I’m not sure I can remember having such conflicting reactions to any previous characters, ever. Patrice and Easton are both as infuriating as they are wonderful. As a Haitian immigrant, Patrice has had to work impossibly hard for everything he has achieved. Nothing is more important to him than his values and his fight for equality. He’s almost superhuman in his passion, but his refusal to compromise or to allow space for human error makes relationships almost impossible for him. Easton’s passion for justice is just as strong as Patrice’s but at times Easton’s privilege clouds his judgement and he can’t seem to live up to Patrice’s exacting standards.

I think this is the darkest and grittiest of the books in the series so far. Easton and Patrice’s relationship is genuinely complicated in ways that romance usually writing tends to avoid. The conversations between Easton and Patrice are difficult but immensely important. As an assistant DA, Easton represents a system that is institutionally biased against Patrice and the people he identifies with. And while Easton tries to be an ally, he gets things wrong sometimes. This book explores uncomfortable truths about race, privilege, and identity in a way that is both thought provoking and meaningful.

The story isn’t all dark and it isn’t all heavy discussions. The sexual connection between Patrice and Easton is explosive and very steamy. Nesto and Jude from the first book bring some light and some balance to the book. Patrice’s friends drag him from his soap box and back into the real world when he needs it. But Easton and Patrice are probably the most serious of the couples in this series and they both spend their lives working with the darkest parts of society.

I have loved this series from the start and I love the way the author writes romance that is a million miles away from genre norms. This is romance writing that demands thought, reflection and reader engagement. It’s writing about people I recognise and whose voices I want to hear more of. I can’t wait for the next book.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the third book in the series and I would definitely recommend that you read them in order, as knowing each friend's story builds into the whole. We knew that Patrice and Easton had met last year... now to see what can happen next!

I would say that all these books have brought to attention issues about colour and race that many readers will have never considered. This story does it in a far stronger way than the previous two, but maybe that is because Patrice holds himself and everyone else to an impossibly high standard and as a university professor has more widespread clout that the rest of the Dreamers. He is so focussed on what he considers he must do, that he is determined to pass up the chance of a real relationship with Easton. And that is even more true due to Easton being an ADA. For the first half of the book we do get a lot of information conveyed by both leads from their thoughts and beliefs, rather than their actions and conversations. In fact, one might say this is a particular failing on both their parts – even if for somewhat different reasons.

Once they finally let down some walls, the story speeds up a bit, and we get to enjoy a passionate relationship... even if only until Patrice shuts down again! Thankfully his friends have the best intentions for both men at heart and eventually P gets the message. I am not sure I would have been as patient as Easton, but given his family background, maybe his tenacity was understandable.

Another good addition to the series, and it does a good job of raising some difficult but important ethical questions.

"Don't cheat yourself out of the happy future you're fighting for"

A fantastic read. I'm new to the series and the author and I didn't have a problem in following the book as all the information I need for these characters is included in the book in a seamless way. I was drawn by both Patrice and Easton, and how their backgrounds play a role in who they are and their character traits. Patrice's origins and his family's struggles and how much he needs to continue pushing for opportunities it was heartbreaking and empowering at the same time. Adriana Herrera has a wonderful way to weave in such important topics in a way that is organic and real and it makes you feel so much for the characters and their struggles. I loved the conflict she portrays between the main couple and the steps taken to overcome it. Easton's pain broke my heart into pieces and I adored his "I'm not perfect." speech.
Overall, a beautiful story of two people falling in love and overcoming their obstacles.
I look forward to the next one!!!

Adriana Herrera has been my stand-out new to me author of the year. Her stories are relevant and real, and this third installment of her Dreamers series was no different. American Love Story is about fear, honesty, activism, trust. It's more than just a romance.

Highlights:

-Activism. American Love story touches on diversity, immigration, racial injustice, equality. All topics that are important today. The best part of all this is that Adriana Herrera touches on all these topics without becoming preachy.

-Romance. Patrice and Easton had their work cut out! Even though I knew it'd work out at the end - I was questioning how they'd be able to make it work? Just like in real life, relationships aren't easy, and they require work. AH made these guys work hard, and it was so satisfying how realistic it was.

-Chemistry. Off the charts! I knew it'd be hot between Patrice and Easton. The past two books had indeed built up my expectations for their story, and they did not disappoint.

-Interracial romance.

-The end was unconventional for romance and but it's one that many couples today will be able to relate- and I think give them hope.

As a Colombian immigrant living in the United States, a POC, in an interracial marriage, this series has been everything. American Love Story is my favorite of the series thus far. Fantastic writing, highly recommend it.

5 Stars

For a romance novel, this really got into some heavy topics, and it was so well done. The discussions on racism and police bias were definitely my favourite parts of this book. It was especially interesting how the author explored the dynamics and difficulties of an interracial relationship, because I feel like those are often glossed over.

I did often feel like I was missing out on parts of the backstory, but that's entirely on me, since I haven't read the previous two installments. So I would recommend reading those first to be able to fully appreciate this novel.

Rep: gay Afrolatinx MC, gay MC, multiple gay and/or black/Afrolatinx side characters

CWs: racism, homophobia

The third in what continues to be a top favorite series, the author brings us a completely different sort of romance from the others in the series. Set in Ithaca, New York, home of Cornell University, this time it’s Patrice’s turn in the spotlight, and he certainly shines. Oh my, does he shine! A quick word about the cover: it’s to die for! The stunning black man, his locs tied back, the smile on his face, the dimples… Oh my gosh, he’s gorgeous and should definitely attract attention to this book. I know he attracted my eye. And throughout this story we learn he’s as beautiful inside as he is outside.

This series features four young men who grew up together in New York City. All sons of Caribbean immigrants, the men are of an age to strike out on their own. In American Dreamer, Nesto pursued his dream by taking his food catering business to Ithaca, where he met the man of his dreams. In book two, Camilo Santiago Briggs, or Milo to friends and family, is a social worker and project manager in a nonprofit that serves victims of domestic abuse. He meets his dream man in the City in the least likely location—his workplace. Their story is told in American Fairytale.

Now it’s time for Patrice, who has been hired as a professor at Cornell University—the greatest achievement of his life. He wants to make his momma proud since she worked two jobs to raise him after they fled from Haiti on their own when he was a child. Patrice is not only a professor, however. He’s also an activist and his Black Twitter feeds have thousands of followers. Now, shortly after arriving in Ithaca, he learns about the narrow-minded cops who pull over young men for “driving while black.” And Patrice is full on board with bringing that to an end.

Last summer, Patrice showed up in Ithaca to help Nesto set up his business and at the same time met Easton Archer, the tall, gorgeous, intelligent assistant district attorney. Now he’s back and he’s not sure he and Easton stand a chance, because Easton’s job puts him in conflict with Patrice’s activism, and though they are sizzling in the bedroom, their personal and professional lives continue to collide until a single traffic stop sends them into disaster.

Just like with the previous books, there’s so much to like about this story—the writing, the pace, the Haitian cultural information, the relationship-building, the secondary characters, and the core message of drawing strength from family and friends. When Patrice finally lets his guard down, he and Easton face a very nice happy ever after.

I’m definitely looking forward to more from this author in future and I very highly recommend this book to all lovers of MM romance, and especially to those who enjoy stories so rich in cultural heritage that readers are inspired to learn more.

I liked the glimpse I saw of Easton and Patrice on “American Dreamer” that I jumped at the chance of early copy for this third installment to Herrera’s “Dreamers” series. Which is why it’s a bummer that I found it wearying to say the least. Easton and Patrice were such an opposites-attract match in heaven, but it was really exhausting following the push/pull, hot/cold dynamics and mixed signals from the get go. I guess I was just not patient enough to deal with the drama.

AMERICAN LOVE STORY took place close to two years after Jude/Nesto’s book. It’s implied on the early pages that Easton and Patrice had a rather torrid affair during Patrice’s earlier visit to Ithaca (on “American Dreamer” to help Nesto with his food truck business). So don’t expect to encounter first impressions, date or whatever - those happened off page in the first book. Instead, readers (along with Easton) are directly treated with Patrice’s mixed signals. And for all both men’s POVs inferred, to me theirs are abundance and unquenchable lust that manifested into frequent sex scenes.

This book also took on the crucial issue of latent bias and racism toward POC that complicated the relationship between our heroes. I was actually quite intrigued on how this would affect their budding romance. Yet again, what unveiled was rather predictable and the incident that followed practically had me losing patience with the judgey, sanctimonious professor and way too lenient and tolerant ADA. To summarize: Patrice basically treated Easton like shit and Easton just kept forgiving him because ...he thirst after Patrice and the sex (between them) was great. 🙄

I just can’t...


Copy of this book is kindly given by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It's so great to have a book where the main characters are full-on adults! Patrice and Easton are both established in their careers, have a good sense of who they are as people, and aren't into any relationship shenanigans. There is no made-up misunderstanding or juvenile conflict between them. They have backstory that makes them interesting characters. Patrice is a university professor who emigrated from Haiti as a child, Easton is an attorney from a wealthy family who became an assistant DA instead of the family business. The way they come together is both emotional and hot.

<b>*I received an ARC copy of this book on <i>NetGalley</i> in exchange for an honest review*</b>

AMERICAN LOVE STORY hit me right in the feels. For multiple reasons:
It is set in Upstate New York, which means <i>my absolute favorite place on Earth</i> (I cried every time Rochester was mentioned, ok?)
One of the MCs is an early career academic. I so get Patrice’s struggle, SO MUCH.
Competent people with their hearts in the right place, who make mistakes and make amends are HOT.

Patrice and Easton are two awfully competent men in their early/mid 30s. They had a brief no-strings-attached physical relationship a year prior to the start of this story and neither of them stopped thinking about the other. Only Patrice had returned to New York City and he admittedly is not good at proper relationships. They had exchanged some texts in the meantime (No, not that kind of texts). They meet again when Patrice accepts a job at Cornell and moves to town. The spark is still very much there, BUT. There is conflict: they can be no more different for the kind of upbringing they had (old family money on one side, an experience as a refugee for the other); one’s an activist, the other works as an assistant DA. Patrice has never committed to anyone in his life, focused as he was on his career goals; Easton is very much a fan of relationships. There is also conflict caused from external circumstances of their respective jobs and sets of values.

AMERICAN LOVE STORY is the story of a relationship between two mature adults who meet, are extremely attracted to each other; at the same time, they don’t want to accept compromises (Patrice, I am looking at you). The chemistry between the MCs is pretty powerful, the sexy times pretty creative and HOT, but I am a sucker for the kind of personal growth both of them go through. When a commitment-phobe meets the love of their life and actually comes to acknowledge it, I am a goner.

It was also kind of an eye-opening story, at least for me. I do not share the same background as most readers (I am Italian, born and raised; I am white), so while I was aware of the awful kind of discrimination and harrassment Black people sometimes have to suffer in America, I had never read it in the context of a story. <spoiler>The car scene, OMG. I had to put down the book and take a few deep breaths. It made me so angry.</spoiler> I appreciated the realism. I did not expect to find this in a romance novel, but the romance genre is full of welcome surprises.

Adriana Herrera was a completely new-to-me author. The book came recommended by a friend (@alextweetsbooks on Twitter), and I am so glad I got accepted for an ARC. I loved AH’s writing style, if only she could get a little <i>less</i> real about academia, jeez woman, <i>way to make me uncomfortable</i> . <spoiler>”Coffee break already, it must be nice to work in a field where the pressure to publish isn't as rigorous”. Jesus Christ. I think everybody in academia knows AT LEAST one Brad. What a meanie. As I always say to my friends, “<i>Non praevalebunt</i>” (They will NOT win).</spoiler>

Adriana Herrera’s Dreamers, a series about a group of four Afro-Latinx friends who live and work in and around New York, seems to get better and better with each book.  American Love Story is the third instalment and I loved it.  It’s complex and romantic while remaining grounded in reality; the two leads are principled men who come from completely different worlds and their HEA is hard work and hard won; the secondary characters are well-rounded and the relationships between them well-written, and I loved the romance, which is intense, sexy, angsty, tender and superbly developed.  On top of all that, the author tackles some difficult topics – institutionalised racism among them – and takes a long, hard look at the immigrant experience in the US, and does it so skilfully that the reader is completely drawn into the world she has created. There are no info-dumps or soapboxes here, just a damn good story that isn’t afraid of telling some unpleasant truths while also telling a tale of love, friendship, shared experience and shared ideals.

Around a year before this story begins, Haitian born Patrice Denis, a Black economics professor and activist, met Assistant District Attorney Easton Archer, and the insanely hot chemistry between them led to some insanely hot hook-ups.  At the end of his visit to Ithaca (to help his friend Nesto (American Dreamer) set up his business) Patrice went back home and that was that – except now, he’s accepted a tenure-track position at Columbia University, and even though he strenuously denies it when his friends tease him about his having moved to Ithaca because he wants to reconnect with Easton, deep down, Patrice can’t help but admit – to himself - that there is perhaps just a tiny kernel of truth to their teasing.  But anyway, it doesn’t matter. Even though Patrice is completely captivated by Easton all over again the moment he sets eyes on him once more, there’s no possibility of anything long-term happening between them. They’re too different; he a black immigrant who has worked doubly hard for everything he has, Easton from a background of wealth and white privilege; he a long-time activist for racial justice, Easton part of the system which is failing people of colour so badly. No, being with Easton would mean compromises Patrice just isn’t prepared to make.

Easton is still desperately attracted to Patrice, and senses the reverse is true, but he remembers Patrice’s tendency to keep him slightly at a distance and to close himself off when things get too heavy, so Easton doesn’t push.  He makes his interest clear and waits for Patrice to come to him – which Patrice eventually does, and they resume their physical relationship, but this time, they start to spend time together out of bed as well as in it, and to Easton’s delight (and Patrice’s confusion) start to get to know each other properly, talk about some of the issues that have arisen between them and are building a real relationship.  The connection between them is as strong as it ever was, and they take care to communicate with each other, but even so, it’s not easy or simple. Patrice can be very judgmental, and holds everyone –including himself – to an incredibly high standard, not taking time for himself, feeling he doesn’t deserve to be happy while there is still so much of the good fight to be fought.  He’s passionate in his beliefs, and he’s right to be angry about the injustice faced by Black and Brown people on a daily basis – but he’s also exhausting to be around, and his desire for perfection takes a serious toll on his relationship with Easton, who feels like he’s constantly treading on eggshells around him:

 "I can't be in a relationship where I'm constantly one mistake from being iced out."

The big external conflict in the story comes when the local police in start performing more traffic stops than usual on young men of colour.  Easton is every bit as furious about what’s going on as Patrice is, but is in a tricky situation.  He wants to talk to the sheriff and make it clear the situation is unacceptable and must stop, but he’s ordered to take a softly-softly approach by his boss, who doesn’t want to rock the boat and lose the support of local law enforcement.  Easton is a good man and a highly respected lawyer who cares passionately about justice and has built a reputation for aggressively prosecuting cases of sexual assault and domestic violence; he wants to see the officers responsible for the stops receive more than a slap on the wrist and to suggest that the department should have some anti-racism training.  But his hands are tied and he’s forced to sit back and wait.  Patrice recognises Easton’s frustration and appreciates his desire to do more, but he doesn’t have the luxury of being able to wait and see, a fact that’s brought home to Easton in a forceful and scary way.

Patrice and Easton are two complex, flawed and very well-realised characters, and while there’s no question they care for each other deeply, the author doesn’t gloss over the difficulties inherent in their relationship.  In spite of their intense and powerful mutual attraction, Patrice feels, deep down, that being with Easton will mean having to compromise his beliefs, while Easton struggles under the weight of expectation placed upon him by those around him, including his incredibly judgmental father and his boss, who is trying to persuade him to run for DA.  Much as he wants to be with Patrice, he slowly comes to the realisation that he can never live up to his expectations and that he can’t be in a relationship with someone who won’t meet him half-way.

“I can’t keep getting pushed away every time things go awry.  My parents have made me feel like I wasn’t enough, my whole life.  I can’t do that with you too…”

Both men learn new things about themselves, each other and the world around them as a result of their association.  Easton, who has worked hard against injustice, comes to see there’s even more he can do, while Patrice has to learn that his insistence on perfection isn’t having a good effect on those around him and that he needs to achieve a better balance in his life if he’s not to run himself into the ground. When the novel ends, it’s clear that Patrice and Easton are in it for the long haul, and committed to making things work between them – and work it is; American Love Story is quite possibly the only romance I’ve ever read that ends with the central couple acknowledging that that work is just beginning.

As with the other novels in the series, there’s much to enjoy in addition to the complex, well-written romance.  The supporting cast is strongly characterised and the relationships between them are brilliantly drawn; these guys would do anything for one another and know they have each other’s backs, no matter what.  Ms. Herrera has created a group of relatable, engaging individuals and continues to portray their experiences as immigrants to the US with incredible insight, showing clearly what they bring to the table and their passion for what they do.

If you’re already following this series, then you’ll need no encouragement from me to pick up American Love Story as soon as it’s released; if you haven’t, then it can be read as a standalone (all the books in the series can), or you could just hop back to American Dreamer and start there.  I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

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