I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the emphasis on culture, family, and community which align with the background of the characters.


I thoughts the sexual scenes were a little more explicit than what went with the book. It's not that I don't mind the steam they just seemed out of place for the rest of the novel.

ALL THE STARS!! I absolutely LOVED this loose Romeo & Juliet retelling featuring Ramon and Julieta who are from opposite walks of life and meet during a Day of the Dead party. The chemistry between these two is instant and sizzling and their slow burn romance is already sure to be one of my favorites of the year!

It turns out they are from rival families and Ramon and his father have just bought the block of land in the Barrio Logan Chicano neighborhood of San Diego where Julieta and her mother own a taco restaurant. Highly, highly recommend this one. The perfect amount of chemistry, tension, culture and some mouth-watering food descriptions. Full of heart and heat, this is one not to miss. Much thanks to NetGalley and Berkley romance for my advance review copy!!

Quintana Albertson
JANUARY 10, 2022
BOOKQUEENC
EDIT"RAMON AND JULIETA BY: ALANA QUINTANA ALBERTSON"

Publication Date: February 1, 2022
Description from the Publishers through Netgalley
A PopSugar and BookBub Most Anticipated Romance of 2022!

When fate and tacos bring Ramón and Julieta together on the Day of the Dead, the star-crossed pair must make a choice: accept the bitter food rivalry that drives them apart or surrender to a love that consumes them—perfect for fans of Jane the Virgin!

Ramón Montez always achieves his goals. Whether that means collecting Ivy League degrees or growing his father’s fast-food empire, nothing sets Ramón off course. So when the sexy señorita who kissed him on the Day of the Dead runs off into the night with his heart, he determines to do whatever it takes to find her again.

Celebrity chef Julieta Campos has sacrificed everything to save her sea-to-table taqueria from closing. To her horror, she discovers that her new landlord is none other than the magnetic mariachi she hooked up with on Dia de los Muertos. Even worse, it was his father who stole her mother’s taco recipe decades ago. Julieta has no choice but to work with Ramón, the man who destroyed her life’s work—and the one man who tempts and inspires her.

As San Diego’s outraged community protests against the Taco King takeover and the divide between their families grows, Ramón and Julieta struggle to balance the rising tensions. But Ramón knows that true love is priceless and despite all of his successes, this is the one battle he refuses to lose.

My Review
A foodie romance that mimics Romeo and Juliet, sign me up! I really knew nothing about this book before getting into it and it was a great read. I was a bit surprised at the mildly-smutty content but it was sprinkled throughout and not on every page.

I loved the family dynamics that were depicted in this story. Julieta’s family was a tight-knit group and could sometimes be overwhelming. Ramon’s relationships with his brothers was sweet but his parental relationships was just heartbreaking.

It is an insta-love story but you should know that from the description on the back. It was a fun read overall.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the review copy; all opinions are my own!

What a beautifully immersive story. RAMÓN AND JULIETA explored class, gentrification, heritage, community, and love, in such an effortlessly readable way. With sharp, on-point parallels to Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, RAMÓN AND JULIETA brought to life a truly high-stakes, emotional love story between two people from such disparate worlds whose hearts could not be more alike. Both hard-workers, fighters, and impassioned people, Julieta and Ramón connect swiftly in this story yet quickly realize their families are enemies, their parents once impassioned lovers, and their businesses are now at odds.

I deeply appreciated how this romance showed the real struggle Julieta and the community living in Barrio Logan faced, and how thoroughly it explored Ramón's conviction and identity as a member of the Mexican-American community to use his immense privilege to right wrongs and to fight for Barrio Logan.

If I had to pick a favorite part, it was that first Día de los Muertos, when Ramón saw straight to Julieta's heart; when he found her a candle, a light, tequila and glasses, pencil and paper, and he brought not only his guitarrón but his heart and supported her need to honor her father and his life. It was such a loving, intimate, caring gesture, and I think it did such an incredible job of foreshadowing how deeply they belonged together, how much sense they made, the happily ever after they could have.

Thankfully, one way this story departs quite drastically from its inspiration, is these star-crossed lovers get that happily ever after, after all.

Enemies to lovers is the best (and my favorite!) book trope. I will not be taking questions at this time. Naturally, I was excited when I obtained an e-ARC of this Romeo and Juliet re-telling from Berkley Books. The opening chapters, set on the Day of the Dead, were filled with such strong, natural chemistry and banter between Ramón and Julieta, I couldn't wait to see how things unfolded between them. Unfortunately, the tension quickly dissipated and never fully recovered. Their interactions/relationship were superficial, what with Ramón explaining that "Julieta wasn't like other women" who lusted after his name and money but then not blinking an eye at spending thousands of dollars on anything she had her eye on. A savvy businessman, he was also quick to change his mind about his initial plans to her block. It didn't feel plausible. On a final note, there was a loose thread that was never resolved. The descriptions about her block, the food and culture, were wonderful to read, however.

Thank you to the publisher for an e-advanced reading copy to read and review. This novel is available everywhere on February 1st.

I VERY badly wanted to love this. I mean, the story sounded amazing but the execution fell flat for me. The start was very promising and got me really into the book but there were quite a few things that were problematic for me.

WHAT I LOVED:- The Latinx representation and getting to know more Mexican culture and the community! It was my absolute favourite thing in the book! The delicious descriptions of the food had me salivating!
The other thing that I loved was Ramón’s journey of getting to know more about his culture and experiencing it. I’d not call it character development because he was good from the start but his realisation of the fact that he has a role in destroying a part of his community and then doing something to change it was really nice to read about.

WHAT I DISLIKED:- The whole rich-poor thing seemed VERY unbelievable. I usually don’t mind it in books but here, it was just so hard to get over this. He literally spends thousands of dollars and doesn’t bat an eye, it’s unbelievable.
And it constantly felt like Julieta was using him for her own purposes (not the ones Ramón had been used for previously) but still something he had power over.
There were also many repetitive lines and grammatical errors which will of course be fixed in the published book but they soured my reading and definitely affected my enjoyment of the book.
I also didn’t like the way Ramón’s parents were portrayed and treated. I mean, I understand that they were the worst but nobody showed any effort to make them understand until the last moment when Ramón attempted a very poor show of making them understand. I very much disliked both his parents and maybe it’s just me but it felt disrespectful because they didn’t have any rift between them except for that one thing. It felt like is disregarded them so easily.
This is another thing that I think can (or might already) be fixed by editors but I didn’t like how all the characters constantly kept shifting personalities. They never actually did what we expected them to do based on how they were described. It confused me to no end.
The smut also felt forced and very rushed. Because it’s kind of a Romeo-Juliette retelling so I was expecting Insta Love but I was not expecting it to be sexualised so much. After about a dozen lines describing Julieta’s ‘incredible ass’ and ‘perfect rack’, I had enough. I was expecting more of pining and love but I got two characters constantly thinking about wanting to have sex with each other.

It was still enjoyable if you don’t look at it with the critical eye. And if the editing issues had been fixed, it would have probably been a 4 star read for me.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Berkley Pub for my e-arc!

There is a single off plot point in Ramón and Julieta, but you’ll be darned to notice it while you’re nose-deep in the thick of reading it. It’s fun, light-hearted, and without the heavy strum und drang of your usual Romeo and Juliet retelling; it’s got a lot of spirit and enough spice to make the whole enterprise a romantic, giddy whirl.

The restaurateur families of lawyer Ramón Montez and celebrity chef Julieta Campos have been feuding for years, ever since her mom and his dad had a passionate romance that ended in betrayal. The Montez and Campos families are forever abrading one another as they quarrel over limited space in the tightly-knit environs of Barrio Logan, operating their competing restaurants with completely different philosophies.

The twosome won’t let that spoil Dia de los Muertos for them.  When a recently-returned-to-town Ramón spots a beautiful, mysterious woman at the celebration, he falls instantly in love with her, and she with him.  But he soon discovers that his lovely maiden is in fact Julieta, the daughter of his dad’s old squeeze – and operator of the small-town taqueria La Pescas, whose fish tacos rival those served up by his dad’s nationwide Taco King franchise.

Julieta’s not thrilled that she’s in love with a man from the thieving Montez family; her mama accuses Ramón’s father of stealing her recipe for fish tacos during their old love affair and using it to found Taco King.  Julieta has given up the national stage to keep the restaurant afloat as a gesture of love and loyalty to her dreams. Then they learn that the hated Montez family are their new landlords, which makes things even more awkward for the new couple; he plans on buying out the taquaria for his grandfather and turning it into a Taco King.  Cue neighborhood protests over this gentrification.

But Ramón and Julieta have connected through notes, clandestine meetings and secret kisses.  As the stakes get higher and their connection stronger, will they be able to end this family feud for once and for all?

You might be wondering how it is that Julieta and Ramón never figured out what the other looked like before their hook up. That’s the only real fly in the sweet, sweet ointment that is Ramón and Julieta.  It’s a fine romance and a fun one, with some great characters.

I liked serious, unshakable Ramón and dedicated Julieta.  I loved their parents, and the lively barrio in which they live.  The romance is filled with longing and is quite adorable, and the use of letters and notes and secret, brief encounters is a credible way to keep the slow burn romance going.  The use of Dia de los Muertos as an allegory for the life/death/rebirth themes in the story is a fabulous choice.  The book takes a look at themes like gentrification and classisim with aplomb.  Cultural identity is brought to the fore, and Ramón’s struggles with his are major part of his character.

Ramón and Julieta left me hungry (the food preparation and meal descriptions within are incredible), warm at the heart and curious about which Shakesperian tale Alana Quintana Albertson will rewrite in the sequel. I’ll be reading it for sure.

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Ramón and Julieta was such a let-down for me, personally. While I normally love Romeo and Juliet retellings, especially diverse ones that touch on identity, classism, and gentrification, I really couldn't get into Ramón and Julieta. I personally struggle a lot with insta-love, and found the plot rushed. I think Ramón and Julieta both were intriguing characters, but didn't really work for me as a couple. I also wish there was more showing than telling, and that classism was unpacked more. There were also some throwaway comments/lines that made me uncomfortable.

Oh let me count the ways I loved this book! It’s a modern day Romeo and Juliet retelling that thankfully has a much happier ending than it’s namesake. The book explores gentrification, cultural belonging, family ties, class struggles, and discerning one’s own voice from among a cacophony of voices. It was also super swoony and sweet, and I really loved seeing how Ramón and Julieta grew and challenged each other.

I struggled a little bit with the pacing of this book. The first half was a slower burn and developing story, but around the 60% mark the pacing increased. I almost thought I missed something because of how fast these two went from zero to sixty! I also thought some of the ways that Ramón flaunted his wealth/money were a little over the top even beyond proving the point of the class differences between the main characters.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and would look forward to reading more from this new-to-me author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

A wonderful spin on Romeo and Juliet between a millionaire businessman who wants to open a fast food restaurant and a chef who wants to preserve her neighborhood. The romance is sweet and steamy, and the setting and food descriptions are incredible.

Did I love the background and the setting of this book? Yes. Was I insanely hungry for tacos the entire time I read this book because the descriptions of food were so mouth-watering? Definitely. Do I appreciate any attempt for the ending of Romeo and Juliet to be re-written? Yeah, I read romances for a reason. Unfortunately, I found the actual relationship between Ramon and Julieta to be a bit of a bumpy ride. It was like everything had been planned out until the very end, and then it all just felt rushed and insincere. It was clear that Albertson was passionate about stopping gentrification and staying true to your community, and that was the part of the book that shone. The romance between Ramon and Julieta though? That was just okay for me.

*3.5* Comes out on Feb 1 2022! This Romeo and Juliet retelling is a delightful twist on the story we know so well. The love story is sweet, Julieta and Ramon are so lovable and you end up rooting for them despite their differences. The story is a bit lopsided, with a long front end and a rushed back end, and the 🔥 scenes were a bit off for me, but the real star of the book is Barrio Logan. Alana Albertson gives us an immersive look at the rich culture of that neighborhood and the very real threats against it. From the lush descriptions of the neighborhood to the mouthwatering foods described, it made me want to hop right on a plane to experience it for myself! You can really see the love she has for this place come through in the writing and detail shared and I am so grateful for the time spent in her world!

Thanks to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for access to this ARC!

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Ramon and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertson is a stunning, Shakespeare-inspired #ownvoices romance. The story is told from alternating 3rd person-POV's: Ramon Montez, heir to a fast food empire who others accuse of "selling out," and Julieta Campos, a celebrity chef who is trying to keep her family restaurant from closing down. The pair meet in costume on the Day of the Dead and hit it off. But soon, Julieta discovers that Ramon's father is her new landlord. Plus, he stole her mother's taco recipe years ago!

Here is an excerpt from Chapter 1, which is from Ramon's perspective:

"Papá had been accused of being a sellout, which was just plain ridiculous. His father was a proud Chicano man who always gave back to his community. So what if he catered to the taste of non-Hispanics? Sure, the restaurants served mild salsa, and the tortillas weren’t made from scratch. Still, Papá had created jobs for Latinos and given to countless charities. And that was what mattered.
But Ramón understood the sting of not always being accepted by his community. He’d grown up rich and privileged and didn’t face the struggles that many did. He felt Mexican in his soul but wasn’t always perceived as a real Latino. His cousins used to call his brothers and him coconuts—brown on the outside, white on the inside. Ramón’s heart soared when mariachi music played but sank every time he spoke in Spanish to fellow Mexicans and was answered back in English. He had to constantly prove to his company and to his culture how Mexican he was. And he hated being called not just a gentrifier, but even worse: a gentefier.
But, as painful as it was to admit, he was one."

Overall, Ramon and Julieta is an amazing retelling, full of romance and delicious food. One highlight of this book is the star-crossed romance between Ramon and Julieta. Coming from two "warring" families, it was interesting to see how the two develop a relationship and defy the odds. Another highlight of this book is the amazing #enemiestolovers romance between the two lead characters. The emails that they send each other are especially romantic. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of #ownvoices romances, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in February!

This book is delicious. The setting, the smells, the food. Everything about its depiction was wonderful and had me drooling.

This book is a Romeo and Juliet retelling (duh) and I liked this author’s take on it. I really enjoy reading about other cultures and this book brought a lot of culture to the story.

Overall, it was a quick read that I enjoyed!

I LOVED this book SO much, and am thrilled that it's just the first book in the Love & Tacos book series! The way Albertson wrote her culture and traditions into this romance was just what I hope for when reading a retelling, and this may be one of my favorites ever.

Cannot wait to share my full review closer to pub day, watch for the blog tour with Berkley! #BerkleyPartner

It is a very sweet, delicious take on Romeo and Juliet where food and Mexican-American setting become focus points and will absolutely make you drool over the tacos. Romeo aka Ramon is from the family that owns the chain Taco king and Julieta is from the family whose secret taco recipe was stolen decades ago. Now with these rivals having to work together to help the community, will the chemistry take over? When Ramon was the guy who had serenaded her with her favorite old songs before realizing who he was, will she let her feelings take over?

Ramon was absolutely perfect from the start and it was refreshing to see Julieta state right away on her expectations of their relationship without the "broken communication" becoming the central issue that plagues all plots of this genre. Fortunately that was the not the case here. I liked the love for their families' and community support that reminded how things work in similar cultures. I enjoyed glimpse into Mexican-American culture, their traditions and celebrations and mouth watering food of course.

I devoured this book like Ramón did any time he had Julieta's food. Romeo and Juliet is one of my favorite works by Shakespeare, so I'm always hesitant of retellings, but Alana Quintana Albertson put a great modern day spin on the forbidden lovers classic.

You could feel the chemistry between Julieta and Ramón, but I enjoyed that their romance was a slow burn as Julieta battled with her feelings for him, what his father did to his mother in the past, and what his family planned to do to her business. I liked the growth that happens to Ramón throughout the book as he figures out who he truly wants to be.

Ramón and Julieta is a celebration of Latin culture. The descriptions of San Diego, and the neighborhoods the characters visited was so descriptive that I felt like I was transported to California. Don't read this book on an empty stomach, because all of Julieta and her mom's dishes sounded incredible.

Alana Quintana Albertson's RAMÓN AND JULIETA is a delicious romance. He's a millionaire building an empire by cashing in on his Mexican heritage, and she's trying to save her community from gentrification. Can these star-crossed lovers find romance (and the best tacos in San Diego) without destroying the flavor of the neighborhood?

He won her over with his songs, but Julieta was devastated to learn her “Romeo” was the man whose father had betrayed her family and was set on shutting down her restaurant. Would their love be enough to overcome all the obstacles set in their path?

What a delightful spin on Romeo and Juliet! Albertson did a great job keeping the essence of the original in tact, while skipping the parts I never really liked. Below is a list of some of my favorite things about this book.

• It was about family. Ramon and Julieta had a strong sense of family, but their families weren’t perfect. Nonetheless, I loved meeting all their siblings and extended family as well. It was great going out with the Montez boys and spending a raucous night in with Julieta’s aunts.

• It was about community. The way the people of Barrios Logan supported each other was wonderful, and how willing they were to make sacrifices for one another made me all mushy. Where Julieta was an integral part of the community, Ramon was fighting to earn his place there. He was forced to confront some hard truths about his family’s role in betraying their community, but he was trying to do the right thing.

• It was a celebration of Mexican culture. Albertson wove lots of Mexican culture into this story. Starting with a Dia de los Muertos celebration and filling it with endless Mexican cuisine. Seriously, the food references had me salivating.

• It had the R & J vibes. The backstory of how their families became enemies was fabulous. I really felt the inner conflict Julieta and Ramon were struggling with, and how it trespassed into their relationship. The pain, the anguish — it was all there.

• It was about two people trying to find someone who really “saw” them. I felt Ramon’s backstory elicited a bit more sympathy from me than Julieta’s, but I genuinely wanted nothing but happiness for them both. Ramon and Julieta worked their way into my heart, and it was so important to me that they conquered all obstacles blocking their path to the HEA.

Overall: The combination of family, community, food, and romance was a winning one for me, and I greatly enjoyed this tale of star-crossed lovers.

I didn't think that I'd like this book as much as I did. Romeo and Juliet was never my cup of tea, but this was a fun interpretation. The names were slightly altered so a fan would be able to pick them out, but it didn't feel as though it hampered the story in any way. I loved the food, the familial tension, and the take on the classic Capulet and Montague feud. The book is infused with culture from the casual spanish to the way she describes Chicano Park. It's a heartfelt ode to Latino culture with a steamy romance on the side.

*Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*