Anchored Hearts was absolutely wonderful! I was so happy to go back to Key West with the Navarro family and also get to know the Miranda family. Anamaría and Alejandro‘s relationship and their individual stories of achieving their dreams and finding their place fascinated me. Their families meddle like crazy but that just felt like a typical Latinx family, in my experience, and I laughed throughout this entire story. I loved loved loved all the Spanish words and phrases. I think Priscilla Oliveras does an excellent job of weaving the translation or explanation in the text so that non-Spanish speakers can understand. Her writing is so wonderful that I could picture every beautiful part of Key West, imagine Alejandro’s photos, and and feel the sense of “comunidad” of the Miranda’s family restaurant. I don’t want to give spoilers, but there is a part that really moved me and brought me to tears. 💕 Anchored Hearts is really a story about family and community mixed with a sweet second chance romance.
Anchored Hearts is book 2 in the Keys to Love series, after Island Affair. It can be read as a stand-alone, but I think reading Island Affair first helps the reader really understand the family dynamics better.

Thank you to @netgalley (digital arc) @bookishfirst (physical arc) @kensingtonbooks and @prisoliveras for an advanced copy of #anchoredhearts. All thoughts expressed are my own.

Anchored Hearts is a cute, second chance at love contemporary romance. Annmaria and Alejandro were each other's first loves, but life's circumstances send them in opposite directions. AM chooses to stick close to home and family while Alejandro becomes a world class photographer and travels world. The two reunite back in their home town when an accident bring Alejandro home to recooperate. The two are thrown together over and over by meddling family and by the need to help support each other in the current circumstances. The book is a bit of slow burn type of romance, no insta-love here. The story is told from the POV of both main characters. Its a cute, fun fast read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I will forever be screaming from the rooftops about the KEYS TO LOVE series by Priscilla Oliveras! These books are set in Key West, largely focus on a Cuban family, and are just the cutest romance stories. And, similar to Jasmine Guillory’s THE WEDDING DATE or other romance series, each book truly can be a standalone novel - if you prefer to skip around!

Last year, I devoured ISLAND AFFAIR, a fake relationship romance, and loved every minute of it! I live in Miami (I know, not quite the keys), but it was so wonderful to read a book that so perfectly described the vibe of South Florida, Cuban-American culture and food, and the beautiful weather.

When I got an ARC from @bookishfirst of the second book in the series, ANCHORED HEARTS, I flipped and was honestly so excited! It is a second chance romance for two high school sweethearts - Anamaria and Alejandro - as they figure out their conflicted feelings for each other, and the ambitions they have for their careers. This book has culture, meddling Cuban mothers, a whole cast of lovable characters, and, of course, steam!

CW // leg injury; medical scenes; brief mention of disordered eating; Operation Peter Pan - family/child separation

ANCHORED HEARTS is out April 27 - so you have time to read the first book before pre-ordering this new release! So, @prisoliveras, any hint at whose story we get next? 👀

I loved Sara and Luis’s story and I was excited to read this one. I do not typically read a lot of second chance romances but this one was such a cute story. I love the way Priscilla weaves Spanish and English throughout the book in a beautiful way. Anamaria and Alejandro are both passionate about their work and fighting their attractions to each other. Anamaria is strong, independent and started her own business. Ale is a professional photographer recovering from an injury. Both show growth throughout the story and I loved their chemistry. Plus, they have adorable meddling Cuban moms!

I loved the strong relationships in this story and sense of community. The location makes this a perfect book to escape from the real world!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, thank you to the publisher and Bookish First for an ARC of Anchored Hearts!

Anamaría and Alejandro were high school sweethearts, but Alejandro left the Keys when he chose his dream of photography. Anamaría was going to join him after her father got better, but she never did. Years later, Anamaría followed in her brothers' and father's foosteps and became a first responder, on top of starting her own fitness center when Alejandro returns home with an injury. Both of their families are trying to push them back together, and though they'd deny it, they both severely attracted to one another.

So, overall I liked the writing style, but I just couldn't care for the characters. It also felt a little strange that Anamaría was a first responder and a personal trainer? Where does she have the time ot be a personal trainer? Those two sides of her career along with her becoming an influencer and spokeperson were just really weird for me? Alejandro seemed more fleshed out. I understood his character's dynamics and why he'd stayed away for so long, but the two together just felt really strange.

Overall, the character dynamics and the extensive descriptions just clashed. I needed more dialogue and more character interactions, and I just really struggled after the first 60 pages. Rating 3.5, rounding up to 4.

I loved this book! I read Island Affair at the end of 2020/beginning of 2021, and enjoyed it thoroughly. When I saw the "sequel" on NetGalley, I hoped I would get the chance to read it. Like I said, I enjoyed Island Affair, but Anchored Hearts took it to the next level for me. I loved both Anamaria and Alejandro as characters and was enthralled by their story and to learn what was going to happen to them next. The story was interesting and relatable, and just like in Island Affair, I loved the Latinx influences. This was easily one of my favorite books I've read in 2021 thus far.

Taking a trip to the Keys sounds like such a fun idea right now. I can't actually do that, so I dove into a book about it instead.

Anchored Hearts was such a great story. I adored that the author gave us beautiful translations between Spanish and English in a way that didn't feel weird.

AM and Ale are such a fun duo. I loved watching their history and their reality unfold. I appreciate when a story can be read with some backstory without stepping back into that time frame. This allows the reader to have a continuing flow and I approve of that!

One of my issues, which is petty...is that often throughout we had some more insinuation that there would be some intense steam building up between the two. I would have liked those scenes to be a bit more open door but that is my own personal preferences interfering.

Thank you @kensington and @netgalley for a chance to read this advanced copy for my honest opinion.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy.
I haven't read the first book in this series, though I'm thinking it was about Sara and Luis. It didn't impact the story by starting at book two, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I usually don't sway towards second chance romances, but because both characters weren't overly dramatic towards each other, it was easy to read. I liked the friendship/dynamic they shared.
The setting and the family factor are probably what made this book stand out to me, and I'll be keen to see what happens in the next book, which I'm assuming will be about Enrique.

This was so cute!!! I absolutely loved the setting. This will be the perfect summer/ beach read and I will be recommending it!

"Anchored Hearts" captured my heart as two old flames, Anamaría and Alejandro are fighting against their attraction to one another, their meddling Cuban mamis, and their personal issues. Through the book, the two decide to try to work together to appease their moms, but... we know how that ends. The characters seemed very authentic. The strained relationship between Ale and his father really pulled at my heartstrings. I appreciated the Spanglish dropped through the book, as it adds to the authenticity of the book.

Also, although their storyline is brief, I can smell a book with Enrique and Natalia on the horizon. It will be great, I can feel it. I'm curious to know why he won't pursue his art and whether Natalia will be able to crack the code. That being said, I really enjoyed the book. I was able to read it practically in one reading. It was funny, emotional, action-packed, and pulls the reader in from start to finish.

This a cute, no brainer, beach read. The writing is on the wall within the first few lines of the book. Alejandro and Anamaría reconnect after years being apart. With meddling family and jobs pulling them in opposite directions, how could their love for one another last?
The story is cute enough. I didn’t particularly love the inner dialogue of the main characters and the Spanish speaking with repeat in English was a little redundant. Granted, I’m a fluent Spanish speaker so maybe that’s the reason.
Overall, it’s a cute enough book that will likely be read by those enjoying sand and sun, but not looking for anything complicated.

First of all if you haven’t read Island Affair, the first in the Keys to Love Series, go read that right now. I absolutely loved that book and it has a completely different feel than this book does. While the first book felt light and fresh, this book was much heavier. I was surprised by the lack of steam and connection between these two. I was hoping for more reconnection as this is a second chance romance but at times it felt like these two just hated each other and were trying to please their mothers. It took a REALLY long time for them to get together and I don’t love the lack of build up. If I hadn’t read the first book I might not have kept going looking for more of the feel of the first story.

Somethings I did enjoy about this one was the friendship between Anamaria and Sara, Anamaria’s relationship with her family and Alejandro. I liked how strong Anamaria was and that she had started her own business that she was passionate about. The women in Priscilla Oliveras’s novels are such an inspiration and I love that about her. I just wish we could get back to the happy carefree love story from book one. I think I wasn’t ready to take on the emotions of this one. The writing was good the mood just wasn’t for me.

Rating; 3.5/5

Anchored Hearts is a second-chance romance set in Key West and is the second book in Keys to Love series by Priscilla Oliveras. It can be read as a stand-alone. Second-chance romance is my favorite trope and I love books with a destination setting, so I was very excited to read Anchored Hearts.

Alejandro and Anamaria were childhood sweethearts, who despite their love for each other, couldn't stay together because they had different goals and passions. They didn't part on good terms and blame each other for the break-up. Alejandro, against his father's wishes, followed his passion for photography and traveling the world, while Anamria stayed behind in Key West after her father's health scare. She built her life and her growing business on her beloved island with love and support from her family. After a devastating injury, Alejandro is forced to come back home, where he will have to confront his estranged father and the only woman he ever loved.

I loved Alejandro, Anamaria, their angsty relationship, and their chemistry. I also loved Anamaria's big Cuban family, especially Anamaria's and Ale's meddling mothers, who just wanted their kids to be together despite the years of hurt. The descriptions of Key West and the mouthwatering Cuban food made me want to jump on a plane and visit the beautiful island. I haven't read the first book, Island Affair, but I will be picking it up for sure!

This second-chance romance follows high school sweethearts separated for a decade after a messy breakup. Alejandro left to pursue his globetrotting photographer dream, and Anamaría stayed behind, uncertain of her own dreams and afraid to leave her family behind.

I'm struggling with how to write a review because this story was such a letdown for me. After absolutely adoring Island Affair, I've been so eager to return to the Navarro family in Key West. The family dynamic is a huge draw for this series with the tropical environs a secondary albeit worthy draw. There are couples in romance novels where I am apathetic towards one person or unconvinced by the love story, but it's sad to reach the end of one and actively be against the whole thing. And that's where I ended up here, despite my best efforts to see the leads' perspectives or respect their journey. It just wasn't happening for me.

The first problem was that the plot dragged, particularly in the first half. There's a lot of brooding in the present while the characters remember happy teenage times and also the painful trajectory of their implosion. It takes Alejandro way too long to come to terms with the fact that he was in the wrong to ask Anamaría to give up her entire life for his dream (at 18, no less). I would describe most of his behavior as petulant and self-centered throughout, which is decidedly not attractive. In general, I also find it concerning that the couple's pubescent heartbreak so traumatized them both for over a decade. If everyone was so distraught over run-of-the-mill high school breakups, the world would be a very dark place indeed. In the end, my overall mood is frustrated and disappointed.

NetGalley/ARC review

Synopsis: We return to the same familia(s) from Island Affair, this time following Annamaria Navarro. She’s a firefighter/EMT and has a budding business as a personal trainer. She’s also never gotten over her high school first love, even though he left Key West and left her behind over a decade ago. Award-winning photographer Alejandro Miranda left Key West and hasn’t returned, but he also never got over Annamaria and hasn’t stopped striving/hoping to make his family proud.

Interfering Cuban mamis feature heavily when Ale is injured and returns to Key West to convalesce.

Review: As with Island Affair, I loved the interfering Cuban mamis and adorable children and generally enjoyed the family dynamics. Second chance romances aren’t really for me, so this was just ok in that respect. Very predictable, but a decent slow burn.

This book has me ready for summer! I wish I was on the beach while reading this.

I read Island Affair a year ago, and while I loved the story and the characters, there was an element of it that seemed so unbelievable. That was not a problem in this book—I love the second chance trope and it reminded me a bit of my own relationship in ways. Anamaria and Alejandro were both well developed characters, and it was great to watch them grow closer together throughout the book, while also healing old wounds and growing their own businesses. They both had family drama and insecurities to overcome, and Oliveras did a great job setting the scene and really showing how they both overcame their challenges. The end scene in the art gallery had me a little teary. (You'll have to read it to find out!)

My only critique is that the beginning moved very slow. It took a while to set up their backstories and get the two main characters interacting again. Overall, though, I really enjoyed this book, even more than Island Affair! I can't wait to see which character will have their own book next—maybe Enrique? I love the Keys to Love series!

Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley, and BookishFirst for advance copies of this book!

Anchored Hearts was a sweet second chance love story that I just adored! AnnaMaria and Alejandro were high school sweethearts who separated after he left their home town to pursue his dreams, and she stayed to be close to her family. Now years later Alejandro is forced to come back after an accident has left him injured. The love story of this book was sweet and the family drama was gripping. This isn’t just a romance, it’s a journey. I laughed and I cried, the whole time rooting for both of these amazing characters!

When photographer Alejandro Miranda is injured on a shoot, he’s forced to return home to Key West to recuperate. Alejandro has good reasons to be reluctant to return. After all, he not only left years ago at odds with his father, he also left behind his one true love.

Anamaría Navarro was devastated when Alejandro left without her, but their visions for the future just never matched up.
Now Anamaria is a successful firefighter and paramedic who still lives in their hometown. She is also in the process of starting her own brand revolving around her work as a personal trainer. Anamaria is doing so well that when Alejandro returns, she’s surprised to find his presence stirs up feelings she thought she had buried years ago.

Anchored Hearts is technically the second book in the Keys to Love series, although it can be read as a standalone. That being said, I still wish I had carved out the time to read Island Affair first as there are minor references sprinkled to the first book throughout the second installment. I also feel it would have given me a better picture of the family dynamics which are the backbone of this story. Somehow I felt like I was jumping in on a conversation that already started with this book, one that I can only assume might have been remedied by reading them in order.

Alejandro and Anamaria had a decent amount of chemistry, but their love story is told through a lot of internal monologues and passive pining. It’s a slow burn romance whose destination is known, which I’m totally ok with. Overall though I still wanted more than I got from these characters. I also wanted more out the breakdown of Alejandro and his father’s relationship.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the advanced copy that comes out next month

The story of Anamaria and Alejandro make you want to believe in love. Their story was sweet and easy to get swept up in. They were each others first loves and no other person has filled that spot for either of them in over twelve years. They both have matured and grew into the people they were meant to be. Its fun to tag along with them as they rekindle their relationship.

This was a quick and light read. There is a first Key West book with different main characters- Island Affair that I have not read yet. I loved all the family dynamic in this book as well

I loved the feel of the community in this book, the description of island life and Cuban food and the interconnectedness between the people and their families and their community. I liked Anamaría well enough, although they don’t really do a great job explaining why she stayed all those years ago. I was a little frustrated with how stuck she seemed for most of the past 12 years, it didn’t seem to make sense with who she is now. Alejandro was annoying and still seemed like a spoiled little boy for most of it. I hated how Ale’s father treated him too. How the mothers interfered with their children’s lives was also frustrating and not something I can relate to. Overall it was a fun book and I wouldn’t mind seeing a Lulu book at some point down the line.