Okay first things first this is a closed door romance, not a lot of steam but a lot of sexual tension. I cried, I laughed, I loved loved loved the passion that Ale and Anamaria each have for their own paths and a path they can carve together. I loved both their Cuban families. The description of food had me hungry the whole book. I love how the author write about the family dynamics in Latinx communities and the pressure we are put under to make the sacrifices our parents made worth it.

I loved that Ale was able to grow and realize his mistakes without this big revelation. I loved how Anamaria was able to do the same. I loved watching their love rekindle again page by page. Clearly I loved a lot and I cannot wait to read more books by this author.

Something I really enjoyed was the emphasis on community here. As a girl who grew up in Miami and whose friends parents became her parents and vice versa this summarized what community means to me really well. Meddling families who mean well are part of my community and this book just felt like home in a way.

I’m a sucker for a love story but I felt this was oddly predictable. The prodigal son returns home and deals with the repercussions from those he left behind. A rekindled romance on the horizon may be the best part although it dragged a bit. Overall I thought it was a good read. I finished it in an afternoon.

I found Anchored Hearts to be a pleasant read. I cant say that I loved the story, sometimes it felt like it was dragging on, but I did overall enjoy the relationship and the family aspect of it. I liked that she incorporated the Spanish language into it, but sometimes the on going translations seemed redundant. But I really loved the ending. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Not great; the slow burn was too much for me, considering the characters were technically already in love. Also, the way the author handled the wheelchair use was...unsavory. There is a comment about it being a baby stroller, and it's not pushed back on AT ALL, and it made me feel really icky.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. After shattering his leg in an accident, Alejandro returns to his family home in Key West to recover. But a restful recovery comes hard as he must also deal with his mother's matchmaking and his father's hostility, still angry at Alejandro for turning his back on the family restaurant in order to pursue his photography dream. Complicating things even further is Alejandro's beautiful ex-girlfriend, Anamaria, who is still his mother's pick for her son.

Priscilla Oliveras gives us a collection of likable characters with realistic issues all set in a beautiful tropical locale. My only issue, and I'm certain I'm in the minority here, is that the author peppers her text so frequently with Spanish, then explains the Spanish, that I found it distracting.

While it seems there will never be any perfect ending for Alejandro and Anamaria, the author deftly pulls off a touching and satisfying ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I am a sucker for second chance romances and boy did Priscilla Oliveras deliver! I adored her first book in the Keys to Love series and Anchored Hearts was a fantastic follow up. This book has all of the elements readers loved from Island Affair, including meddling family members, mouth-watering descriptions of food, beautiful island scenery, and most importantly, sizzling chemistry between the hero and heroine. Needless to say, I devoured this book in one sitting and cannot wait to read whatever Oliveras writes next (please let it be a story about Enrique!).
Anchored Hearts follows Anamaria, paramedic for the Key West Fire Department and fitness blogger as she reunites with her ex-boyfriend from high school, Ale. Ale is a world famous photographer now and he has no roots to speak of. Estranged from his father and constantly moving from shoot to shoot, Ale’s lifestyle cannot be more different from Anamaria’s. And yet, they cannot deny their attraction for each other. It is clear these two are meant to be, yet the universe keeps throwing challenges their way. Will they be able to make up for good, or is this just an island fling?

So last year was a year of many new to us authors thanks in massive part to joining bookstagram. One of those very authors was @prisoliveras. When I saw Island Affair - the first in her Anchored Hearts series - I knew right away I wanted to read it. I mean the cover alone! I listened to it on @audible_uk and loved it so I was really looking forward to the next book in the series and I’m so excited to have an ARC via @netgalley.

We return to Key West for the second part in this series following Anamaria and Alejandro, high school sweethearts separated by ambition and hurt feelings. The pair are thrust back together by their interfering Cuban mamis when Alejandro’s unfortunate injury sends him back to the island city to recuperate.

I love the setting of this series. I’ve been lucky enough to visit Key West twice and it has such a unique atmosphere. There’s definitely something for everyone and I could practically feel the humidity and here the jubilation of a sunset celebration at Mallory Square. Another thing I really love about this series is the Cuban culture that’s so important to the story and woven throughout.

As far as endings go it’s pretty predictable where this might end up but add in the tension inherent in a second chance lovers trope and the expectations of both Anamaria and Alejandro’s mamis the tension between the two characters is so heightened. Both characters have their own ambitions, in their own businesses and to travel but it’s led them on different paths in their lives. They’re careers are so key to this story and I loved the development and inclusion in the island culture.

This can absolutely be read as a standalone but why would you do that to yourself! Pick up the first in the series if you haven’t already - you won’t regret reading both of these slow burn romances.

#anchoredhearts #netgalley #keywest #islandliving #smalltown #secondchanceromance #cubanculture

A fun second-chance romance. Anamaría and Alejandro have steamy chemistry and are easy to root for. Their strong inclusion of their families to the story add depth.

I really enjoyed this steamy romance. It's very family oriented, and it was nice to read two adult characters who had a past, and learn to work to improve on past mistakes. The female lead is strong, both emotionally and physically, and that is nice to see. No damsels in distress. I also really enjoyed reading all the Spanish in the book. The author doesn't over-explain, it's all very natural, and feels real for how immigrants move in and out of native language and English. Ale is an artist who has injured himself, and he returns home to heal. Anamaria is a firefighter and a fitness trainer. Both characters read as very interesting and authentic, and their chemistry is evident on every page. Highly recommend.

Priscilla Oliveras has followed up her wonderful Island Affair with the equally wonderful Anchored Hearts. In this second-chance romance Anamaría, a paramedic and fitness guru, is forced by her meddling family to care for her childhood sweetheart, ex-love-of-her-life, and super hottie Alejandro.
Injured photographing wildlife, Alejandro has returned home to Key West to recuperate after a decade away. A decade apart wasn’t long enough to squelch the fireworks between these two. Their chemistry is off the charts. At first that heat is sprinkled with heartache on both sides—as each has reasons to blame the other for the breakup. The angry rift between them seems too big to repair. But as they rekindle their friendship—which is based on real support of the other’s truest desires and goals—they slowly rebuild what was broken. An absolutely enchanting read with fully realized characters that you will root for the entire novel and cheer for when they find their HEA.

A second chance romance!
I really loved the inclusion of Cuban culture. A lot of romances I read don’t have Latinx representation, so it’s always nice to see that inclusion. It also seemed like a lot of the culture she wrote about was from personal experience, so it was done well and with care.
I also liked the secondary characters and the big families. For me personally, that is super relatable.
I think as characters Anamaría and Alejandro were well done... but I couldn’t feel their chemistry.
It took forever to get to a romance, and when they did I thought they were better as friends.
I’m really not a fan of adult romances that have breakups because of miscommunications. I feel like it’s usually the only reason a couple breaks up, and I need a better reason.
How can 10 years go by without you ever figuring out that you were both “wronged”?Especially when you’re families are so close knit.
I just don’t find it realistic that you wouldn’t get over someone after 10 years and that you would still be holding onto anger. For those reasons it didn’t feel real to me, and I couldn’t connect. And I love second chance romances, so I was surprised I couldn’t get into this one.
I think the ending was great and made up for a lot of what I wasn’t enjoying, so overall I am feeling good, not great about this romance.

I enjoyed reading the continuation of the Navarro family. Anamaria is a likable character and pushes herself to do the best and be the best as much as she can. I could tell that eventually there would be a happy ending for them all, but it was still lovely to read. I can't wait for the next book about Enrique!

Oliveras is back for the second installment of her Keys to Love series, and it’s even better than the first. This book weaves first love, family strife, and history together for a book that is equal parts sexy, funny, and heartwarming. You can’t help but root for every character Oliveras writes.

The chemistry between Anamaría and Alejandro was so good! I have yet to read the first book in this series and I’m already guessing who the next book would center around! 4.25

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an Advanced Readers Copy!

This story is fun and fresh with a setting that sizzles. The main characters are complex and have great chemistry. The family drama adds humor and is relatable. Hoping the series continues and explores the brothers’ lives and love stories. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a modern, flirty, second-chance romance.

"He lifted a hand to cup her shoulder, but his gaze slide to the front window where his mami and abuela sat in plain view. Furtively watching as if Anamaría and Alejandro were their telenovela come to life."

After taking a bad fall on a hike during his work as a world travelling photographer, Alejandro is forced to return home to recover much to the delight of his enthusiastic mami and abuela. Less enthused are his father who told him not to bother coming back when he left home and the ex-girlfriend he left behind in Key West. Anamaría is the one who stayed home post-highschool-sweetheart breakup. Her duty to her family and Alejandro's kept her in Key West, where she finally has her life on track as a firefighter and building her fitness empire online. When her mami and Alejandro's conspire to bring the two exes together again, Alejandro and Anamaría find their hands full juggling their family's assumptions for their future, and their own assumptions about their past.

This was a fun read because of the romance but also because it captured Latinx family life so well. I loved Alejandro and Anamaría's relationship, but more so their relationships with their siblings, parents, and grandparents which were so lovable and relatable. Intergenerational involvement and commitment to happiness and familia is incredibly important, and it was nice seeing how this played a part within a romance. There were a few spelling errors along the way, but honestly I liked the chemistry between Anamaría and Alejandro and the overall concept of this book so much it didn't bother me. I loved the characters and seeing how their personalities and interests functioned within their family and comunidad.

This was an absolute yes for me, I will be hunting down the first book in the series and keeping my eye out for the next.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After reading this book, I realize I need to go back and read the first one because this one was so good! It also makes me want to go back to Key West and explore. The only negative comment I have is that AM came off as too perfect and it made her character feel less "real".

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Anchored Hearts was a great follow-up to the first book in this series by Priscilla Olivras, Island Affair. Anchored Hearts follows the story of Anamaria, first introduced in Island Affair, and Alejandro. When Ale severely breaks his leg on a photography trip, he is forced to return home to Key West to recuperate at his parent's house. Anamaria, his teenage love and family friend, is recruited to help monitor is recovery process. As Anamaria builds her growing business and Alejandro prepares for an exhibition of his photographs in one of the island's art galleries, they rekindle their friendship and look towards the future.

I received an ARC via NetGalley.

The thing I really love about this series (this is book 2 and reading book 1 is worth it here) is how beautifully Oliveras draws you into Key West. You really feel like you're there, feeling sand between your toes with a humid sea breeze blowing. I really like Anamaria - we catch her in the process of fully committing to her goals and growing into the woman she wants to be. However, she's still stuck on the dashing Alejandro, her high school sweetheart that broke her heart. When he comes home to recover from a nasty accident, their interfering mamis shove the two together in hopes of reconnecting them. A lot of the tension in the book comes from both of them figuring out how to manage family, connection, and their dreams at the same time - and they've chosen opposite approaches. While Ale and AM are good characters, the real selling point is the rich tapestry of their families/community. The supporting cast is super deep and feels fully formed. This is a transporting romance with a moderate heat level that'll make you feel like you're on an island getaway.

I can't wait for travel again so that I can go roam Key West with this novel in hand. Shout out to the author for writing a small-town tropical romance.