4.3 starts

Awwww. I enjoyed this romance VERY MUCH!

If you enjoy reading about Latin American culture and star-crossed lovers stories like "Like Water for Chocolate" and "The House of the Spirits" you would enjoy this "Romeo and Juliet" retelling!

I’m not a romance reader but when looking for diverse reads I’ve been fortunate to stumble upon love stories with relevant themes and engaging story arcs like "Ramon and Julieta", with steamy insta-attraction, but no insta-love, since these star-crossed lovers have to face many challenges.

This is a Romeo and Juliette retelling after all with a LOT MORE conflict besides just the families just being enemies. Ramon and Julieta belong to different socioeconomic circles and their worldviews are different in many ways BUT, as Chicanos, they have so much more in common! So I was really rooting for them!

I loved learning more about La Comunidad y Cultura Chicana and the "Mexican vs Mexican-American" tension and conflict the community experience and how it was used to add some good social commentary about gentrification, cultural appropriation, race, and classism.

“Ay, Julieta. De tal palo tal astilla. He is just like his father—he does not care to be honorable. He only wants money. He’s greedy. He doesn’t care about his people, his culture. They are not like us.”

At the end, Ramon y Julieta had the same goal so I enjoyed seeing them negotiate their differences and discover how their biases and preconceptions weren't fully accurate.

I'm not of Mexican descend but have Mexican relatives and many Mexican friends and the representation seemed pretty good, which often happens with own-voice stories. The descriptions of urban art by local Chicano artists portraying important members of the community. the references to old Mexican music, and all the food and the cooking were my favorites! A sensory feast!

"Neither of those felt right. Julieta wanted to wow him, make him believe that keeping her was the right thing to do. And then it hit her. A Day of the Dead–themed tasting menu. Pan de Muertos Empanadas de Calabaza y Chorizo Huitlacoche Soup Pan-seared Dorado with Mole and Nopales Chocolate Tamales The course list made her salivate. The perfect blend of tradition and innovation. Just like her restaurant. After the pumpkin was pureed, the spices were toasted, and the dough was kneaded, Julieta immersed herself in her work. She was in the zone. Her feet tapped to the music Mamá played. Time flew by when she cooked. The freedom to create experiences from fresh ingredients made her spirit soar. She had been born to be a chef."

"Ramón examined the plate carefully and even lifted it to smell the tacos. There was no fishy scent at all—just a heavenly aroma of ocean mixed with heat. A crispy, yet not greasy, corn tortilla enveloped the fried and battered fish, garnished with lime, avocado, crema, cabbage, and pico de gallo, which was as fresh as his beloved abuela’s salsa. Ramón squeezed lime on the taco, raised it to his mouth, and took the first bite. The crunch of the cabbage contrasted with the soft avocado. But the real star was the fish. Crispy, spicy, and delicious. The buttery flesh melted in his mouth."
"

Ramón Montez is an Ivy League educated, devastatingly handsome millionaire. He manages his father’s fast-food empire. Plus, he sings and knows how to play the guitar. On Día de los Muertos, he meets a beautiful girl who gives him the most amazing fish tacos. They have a great time but then she runs away without even telling him her real name.

Julieta Campos is a talented chef at her own taquería. Since she was a young girl, her mom has been known for making the most delicious tacos and Julieta decided to follow her steps. On the Day of the Dead, she meets a charming and mysterious man and she’s very attracted to him, but then she discovers that he’s the son of her mother’s nemesis and even though she likes him, she can’t betray her family. So she decides to leave and never see him again. What she doesn’t know is that Ramón is their new landlord and that she’s about to lose everything they have ever worked for.

Despite their families’ feud, they really like each other but like Romeo and Juliet, a relationship between them is impossible because their families have hated each other for many years, long before they were even born. But can love really conquer all?

I really enjoyed the story of this forbidden love, set in a picturesque neighborhood in a Mexican community in San Diego, CA. The cover of the book is beautiful and the story is full of mouth-watering food, music, culture and traditions. The only problem is that you are going to end up craving tacos after reading it! But really, any excuse is a good excuse to eat tacos!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the digital review copy of this amazing book.

Am I Hispanic? No. But do I love Hispanic culture and traditions YES! My husband is Hispanic and I love combining our traditions and making something uniquely us so when I saw this retelling of Romeo and Juliet but with tacos, I was absolutely dying to read it! As a teenager, I loved Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet plus the Leonardo DiCaprio film was THE movie of my youth. As an adult, Romeo and Juliet is probably the least favorite of the Shakespeare plays (still love the DiCaprio film though!) but when I saw this book I couldn’t pass on it!

I was so eager to see how this author spun a classic tale and made it not only relevant but feel like something entirely new all at the same time. Needless to say that’s a tall order. This author has written a few other contemporary romance novels, none of which I have read, but this book seems to take on an entirely different tone than some of her other books that she has written previously.

This author has won quite a few awards and currently serves as the president for a couple of respected romance writer guilds. So in my mind that translates into solid writing and storytelling. With some successful romances under her belt and experience, I figured that she this would put her in a solid position to write a retelling of a popular classic and help it to find relevance in the modern age. I wasn’t wrong and I really enjoyed this colorful novel.

Summary

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.

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 take-over 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. (summary from Goodreads)

Review

I love how Day of the Dead is the catalyst for this romance. Day of the Dead is such a wonderful and unique tradition and I think it added so much color and fun to this book as the start of a romance between Ramon and Julieta. Plus the chemistry between them is spicy so there’s that! Ramon’s family owns a big chain restaurant, Taco King, and is basically taking over smaller businesses in the neighborhood where Julieta is a small business owner trying to hold on but Taco King is going to buy her restaurant. Once they realize the connection and the implications they become enemies and this classic retelling takes on a new direction. I would say that the book loosely follows the Romeo and Juliet story meaning there are some family rivalries and ‘forbidden love’ between the two characters but I felt that this book really was more of an enemies to lovers rather than a tragic romance if that makes sense. I was actually ok wit this, I know some readers wanted more of the classic story in the new contemporary version but I think it worked better as an enemies to lovers story rather than ‘star crossed lovers’.

I really loved the cultural references, especially the history of the San Diego area and the Chicano influences. It was a unique book in that regard. I thought it did a great job being culturally relevant and appealing to Latinx readers as well readers of other races. This book also made me hungry and I literally wanted tacos every single time I put a bookmark in! I wish we had a rich taco culture here in Oregon but sadly we do not. This book also included some other bigger topics that shaped the story in unexpected ways that may or may not be for everyone. Generational identity and wealth played big parts in this book as well as cultural identity. I appreciated what this book was trying to do and highlighting some of the gentrification that was happening in the neighborhood but at the same time I felt like it only scratch the surface. The characters each interact wit their culture in different ways and I loved that about the book but at the same time it felt like there was a big message that was getting condensed to a short book if that makes sense.

This book is really hard for me to rate. On one hand I loved the colorful use of culture and the characters not to mention all the food but I also felt like the message didn’t get enough space to really be looked at in the way that it was intended. So I have to ask myself why. Ultimately this book is a romance novel, that’s the heart of this story. So if the cultural and socioeconomics raised in this book felt contrite or limited I think that was the point. If we wanted a profound piece on culture and gentrification, I don’t think we are going to find it between pages of love and tacos. I think the author was trying to call attention to some of the Chicano issues and culture in a fun romance based on a classic story, I don’t think she was intending to rewrite the book on gentrification or cultural identity in this one. Overall I enjoyed my time with Ramon and Julieta and I think it’s a fun read with culture and love but I would have liked to have seen maybe a little less focus on culture and more focus on the romance between the characters.

Book Info and Rating

Format: 304 pages paperback

Published: February 1st 2022 by Berkley Books

ISBN: 9780593336229

Free review copy provided by publisher, Berkley Books, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: contempo romance

If you have not read Ramon and Julieta then you need to pick this book up.

There’s complicated family drama, enemies to lovers, romance and feuding families.

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.

This retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet was refreshing to read as the story branched out into topics of the issues and struggles of gentrification , tradition, history, Mexican/Chicano culture and food.
The chemistry between the characters was there I would have loved for more relationship/romance development. Again it touched on thought provoking issues, a well rounded supporting cast and let’s not forget about the food.

***I received an advanced copy of this book (thank you NetGalley & Berkley) but all thoughts/opinions are my own honest views

3.75/5 ⭐️
🌶🌶/ 5

INCLUDES SOME SPOILERS

…In Old Town San Diego where we lay our scene 😉

A chance encounter at the Day of the Dead celebration is only the start of this love affair for our star-crossed lovers. Julieta is a celebrity chef, working & living in the heart of the Chicano community. Ramon is the CEO of his family’s company, Taco King, widely considered a ‘sellout’ and happens to be the new landlord of a cornerstone in Barrio Logan that includes Julieta’s restaurant. And if that wasn’t enough, their parents have a love affair and resulting feud dating back 40 years! Even with the deck stacked against them, neither can deny the pull feel to each other.

The best thing about this relationship is that is grows at an organic pace. There’s insta-attraction but not insta-love. Even the spicy scenes build up in intensity and action. It makes the whole story more relatable and real. The only over the top part is how almost every chance they get, Ramon and Julieta both jump to a future with kids. It’s sweet but feels like a lot for a handful of dates.

Along with the love story, this book touches on many other issues. First, it goes into great detail showcasing the effects of gentrification on communities. It also touches on socioeconomic differences and the ‘Mexican vs. Mexican-American’ identity crisis. And both characters deal with familial issues, whether its supporting an aging parent or dealing with the neglect of a hands off one. And there is such nuance to the way the author incudes cultural representation. From food to music to traditions and family, the

My main issue was that some plot points are left unresolved. For example, Julieta’s father’s drinking is mentioned a few times but the impact on their lives in not divulged. Also, we don’t come back to Ramon warning Jaime about Rosa. And at the end, Ramona and Julieta reconcile without any discussion into the issues that drove them apart. Considering they are both older characters (late 20s/early 30s) and the rest of the story, I excepted their communication to be clearer in the resolution. How do they deal with their socioeconomic differences? How and when did Ramon get over the doubt Jaime brought up after the break-up?

But can we just take a moment to appreciate Ramon?! Like a man who’s gone to therapy and it willing to admit it 😍; I think that might just be a universal dream. And I like how he may be business savvy but he’s an artist at heart. I do think Ramon is more self-aware than Julieta. She talented and bold but struggles with her self-worth (questions multiple times why Ramon would be interested in her). Her loyalty to her family and community are admirable but seems to overtake her life. I think out of the two of them, Ramon went through a bigger character development.

Overall, I really liked this book. It’s sweet & fun but also heartwarming. There may be one too many references to the original R&J story but this is certainly a fresh take on the classic. It’s easy to fall in love with Ramon and Julieta. And one of the best things about this book is how well the author immerses the reader into LatinX culture. It has potential to be great but there’s just something missing in the details. And this might just matter to me but the epilogue is a satisfying look into their future. I’d say this book is perfect for the month of love 😄 and I will definitely be reading the rest of the Love and Tacos series!

Honorable mention: The cover is STUNNING 🤩

Tropes: enemies to lovers, retelling story

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙚𝙧𝙠𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙋𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚-𝙖𝙧𝙘｡



Another day, another episode of disappointing reads.


Upon finding out about this book, 𝐑𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐚, I was definitely excited to start this book because I have yet to read a Rome and Juliet retelling and been wanting to read one ever since so you could say, I did have a high expectations.



𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭:

Although I did like the Romeo and Juliet take on this book and the food/ restaurant themed plot, I would say this premise felt short because of the poor writing of the author.

Aside from that, the pace and execution felt really dull and unmotivated most of the time and come along the cringe and awkward dialogues of the characters that did them dirty.

I would say that this is a happy Romeo and Juliet retelling if you’re looking for one but of course, this retelling isn’t recommendable if you’re looking for a good one.


𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:

Another thing that were poorly written were the characters.

As much as I love a hard working/ characters dedicated in their passion or whatsoever, I did find the characters way too awkward especially their dialogues

It also felt that the author didn’t really went through harder to make them much more likeable and with presence but just put them there for the sake of having characters for a Romeo and Juliet retelling because of the unmotivated writing. Let alone a cringe, awkward and in dire need of good read and thorough editing of the whole story.


𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞:

As for the romance, I’d say it’s nonexistent. The lack of chemistry of the characters along with the awkward and poorly written dialogues, pacing and execution, I’d say the characters really didn’t have any romance in their bones.

To be honest, I did see the potential for a good story if the author just did well and use their plot take of Romeo and Juliet, the conflict with the parents seriously as well as fixing their writing and of course the romance between these two characters. So it was definitely a missed.


𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥:

This is probably one of the worst book I’ve read this year and a very disappointing one. 1⭐️ added for the food/ restaurant theme and the rep.

Thank you Berkley, Netgalley, and Let’s Talk Books promo for my arc in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this one, but didn’t love it. It made me want to visit Julieta’s restaurant and have a delicious taco: I loved learning about their neighborhood and their culture.

Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Ramón and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertson

Julieta has sacrificed everything for her sea-to-table taqueria, but to her horror and the one of the entire block, new owners are coming in and will most likely evict them all. When Ramón, the new owner steps into her restaurant, the first thing she notices is that it's him; the magnetic mariachi she met on Dia de los Muertos. The one and only man she ran off his apartment only days ago because he was the son of the man who destroyed her mother's legacy and stole her tacos recipe, made it an empire throughout the US with Tacos King.

CW: Gentrification, grief, parental abandonment (past), family tensions, power imbalance.

This premise and story had so much potential. I thought the take the author had on Romeo and Juliet was creative and original. I loved how much the Mexican culture was woven into the story, I'm not latinx myself, so I don't know about representation, but I loved how much the language was integrated, it felt very true to the bilingual in me. However, there was elements that just made me pause and not enjoy the story as much as I wanted. First, there was the money, the power imbalance it created (and never talked about), how much Ramón was flaunting it, buying expensive gifts, taking her on over-the-top vacation after knowing her a week, and offering her a job with an astronomical paycheck, that was meant to literally buy her out of her convictions. Everything just felt so excessive. My a little weird other complaint is that the book was also strangely light hearted? Even with the heavier subjects or the need for some more serious conversations, everything was all about "let's talk about it later", which never gets talk about. The ending was truly well-done however, and tied-up in a neat little bow that I really enjoyed.

THE 411...

╰☆☆ 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. ☆☆╮

I’ve been waiting what seems all my life for a taco lovers romance so it was without a doubt a must read when I saw this title make its rounds. We have our modern day Latinx Romeo and Juliet who are literally from opposite sides of the bridge in San Diego, specifically Barrio Logan. A community that has for a very long time been home to many Mexican-Americans who try to preserve the rich culture. There’s so much to appreciate and love in this book, from the respect given to Dia De Los Muertos to the emphasis placed on discussing Gentefication (not to be confused with Gentrification) and its trickle down effects. The neighborhood comes to life with mom and pop shop owners who take great pride in their Cultura and watching over one another. Ramon comes from the other side, born and raised wealthy he is a business man who works alongside his dad for a large chain of taco shops. Julieta owns a small fish taco shop alongside her mom where she is the chef and prides herself In authentic Mexican cuisine. This is a predominantly plot driven Contemporary Romance that delivers thought provoking social commentary from a Latinx perspective. Readers who enjoy their romance storylines with some external layers as contributing factors in the romance would enjoy this. What's to love? taco wars, cheesy over the top declarations of love that in turn induce cheesy smiling, Latinx small business owners protecting their turf, BIG families with lots of siblings, aunties, and cousins and a backdrop filled with so much culture that you feel like you're walking down Barrio Logan. 

WRITING & FINAL THOUGHTS...

I'll preface this by saying that I'm not the biggest fan of insta-love so it was rather early on that I started to struggle a bit with the romance aspect of this book. That being said, there's SO much to love that made this a book I wanted to finish. I got invested in Barrio Logan so deeply that I was rooting for the shop owners to rally up and find a way to stay where they've worked so hard to grow roots. Gentefication, a term that was new to me up until I read this book, is the gentrification of neighborhoods by the very same people who live in it. Our love interest Ramón would be considered a Gentefier as a Mexican-American from across the bridge who has interest in Barrio Logan. Our characters are from two very different socioeconomic classes and it does prove challenging in their story arc. I kind of hoped to see more gradual character development but overall the pacing for this and the romance was what I struggled with. If the romance had been a bit better developed, I wouldn't have minded what felt like over the top cheesy moments heaped with terms of endearment too early on. What I loved about their romance? the scenes we got with Ramon genuinely taking interest in the community and Julieta's life. I loved seeing two MC’s who are very passionate and invested in what they do. Scenes at the taco shop where they're both cooking were some of my favorite. Latinx stories with large families are my bread & butter, Julieta’s mom and many aunts were fun to meet on the page. I was actually hoping that we'd get more from Julieta's mom and Ramón's father since there is a back story there. We also got some page time with Ramón's brothers who I see potentially getting their own story arcs. I'm very curious to see if there are more stories with these characters and if so, who the next couple would be! So, count me in for this author's next book ;)

A beautiful latin romance placed in San Diegos's Barrio Logan.

As a retelling lover, and a Romeo and Juliet fan, I was so lucky to run over this book. My favorite thing was that even when is a full romance story, it has so many others plots that makes visible some society issues as the hard road of a mexican to be able to succeed on the US, the heart-aching sadness of losing the culture because of the capitalism and big bussiness chains, the bad parenting and how it affects the adultness, the problem with the prejudges, and, of course, the family feud that makes everything harder.

Julieta has a small, good restaurant in Barrio Logan with her mother Linda; their lifes are modest, but happy. Until the Montez group buys the entire block where the local is placed and threat to increasse the rent in order to get all the small bussiness out and rent for big chains like Starbucks or Taco King.

Ramón Montez is the CEO of Montez groups and the things get complicated when he founds out that one of the bussiness he has to close is the one owns by Julieta, that beautiful girl he met a few days ago that got him truly dazzle. The worst part? Ramón discovered that his father, fourty years ago, stole the taco recipe that made them rich and famous, from Julieta's mom.

Romance, drama, spicy, tacos, mexican food and a never-ending sexual tension.

I've loved Julieta as a main character. She's bold, and fierce and loyal to her own values. She's a family woman, she loves and cares for her mother, she gives so much to her community for the only pleasure of self-happiness. She's passioned, kind and so strong. She has never had more that she needs, but she doesn't crave for more either; she just want a peaceful, happy and family life.

However, Ramón was the one who had the bigger change, the one that evolved and grew the most. The Ramón that I met on chapter one is a world away of the one who lives on the epilogue, but never lossing his esence. He's a rich men, he is one of the privileged mexicans coming from a very welthy and succesful family, but during this journey, he had to see the life from another perspective, a humble and warm one, in order to find his place in the world, his happinnes.

They both work well as a individuals, but as a couple they're great, because none of them wants to change the other, they know it's hard, but also know that they like each other for what they were the moment they met. Their struggle feels very real, very close. As a reader you can see both's points of view and understood them. Julieta and Ramón belong to a very opposite worlds and though it's very evident all the way long, the way they try to make it possible is beautiful, and at te same time, hard.

It's not a 5 stars read to me just because the way the main problem gets revolved it's very convinient and "easy". You get to think like "you could have done that 200 pages ago, silly". Don't give me wrong, it was a very good happy ending and I felt everything fell into place the best way it could possibly be, but maybe I was expecting a little more.

The retelling part, awesome! The cousin Rosa for Rosalinda, the cousin Tiburón for Teobaldo, Pablo for Paris, Mateo for Mercutio... Ramón and Julieta also quote some of the Romeo and Juliet lines and is just SO pretty to read, so well acomplished.

Anyway, highly recommended for spicy, cute, drama and happy ending romance lovers. And besides, it's written with a lot of spanish words, several mexican traditions and expretions, latin music and food. It's very cool.

Albertson pays homage to her Mexican-American heritage in this immersive novel that kept me reading way past my bedtime. Inspired by Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet - but with a happy ending this time around - she explores themes of class, cultural representation, familial pressures. and gentrification in modern-day San Diego. Her experiences bring an authenticity to both the setting as well as the characters. In many ways, this book is a love letter to San Diego's Barrio Logan, celebrating its rich, colorful history without discounting the challenges the residents, and their community, face.

I loved the traditions, music, culture, and food (word of advice: do not read this book on an empty stomach) spotlighted in the novel. The characters convey the deep appreciation Chicanos hold for their heritage while also acknowledging the separation within the communities that arise between the "locals" (Julieta) and those viewed as "sellouts" (Ramón), the ones who have left the ethnic communities behind to seek greener pastures in rich enclaves and country club communities. It's an additional layer of complication that Ramón and Julieta must overcome to achieve their happily ever after and one that causes significant introspection for Ramón.

Ramón and Julieta are both relatable, likeable characters with layers that made them - and their journey - interesting. I had no trouble connecting with them, loved their chemistry, and cheered them on in the face of the parental and community opposition they faced. I hope Albertson will continue to follow the progression of their relationship in the next two books, which I'm hoping will star Ramón's brothers. They each showed intriguing layers in the second half of this book that have me eager to read their stories. And if there's more food, music, and cultural richness in their books too, all the better.

ARC received for fair and unbiased review

While I didn’t love this story, there were some things I really enjoyed. I loved the culture that oozed from every page. The celebrations were described so vividly it felt like I was right there celebrating with them. Ramon and Julieta connect when he serenades her, and I am a sucker for romantic musical connections. I also loved literally any mention of the food. There is SO MUCH food in this story (duh!) and it all sounded absolutely drool-worthy. You can tell how passionate Julieta is when she’s in the kitchen. You’re going to want to have some snacks on hand when reading this book. The pacing was good and kept me interested until the end.

I really, really wanted to love this one. The cover held so much promise and the premise was intriguing. Unfortunately, it missed the mark for me. Though it didn’t work for me, I’m sure lots of people will love this one. For me, this was just an average read.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me an e-book copy of RAMON AND JULIETA by Alana Quintana Albertson.

This story is rich in culture, history and showcases a block of small businesses steeped in it's citizens love and tradition.

A modern spin on Romeo and Juliet, RAMON AND JULIETA features a female protagonist who is a chef in her mother's restaurant and is stuck in a rut. While living with her mother, Julieta works herself far more than she should. Who's got time for love when her community (and mother) depend on her to provide the best fish tacos they've ever tasted?

Ramon is also in a rut - but a superficial one. His playground of luxurious cars, one-night stands have bored him. His father is on him about buying the beloved block where Julieta's community stands strong.

There's also a tie between their parents which has left both families at odds with each other.

While the story's focus on the attempts to change AND stop changes to the block is important, at times, the romance fell to the wayside.

Nonetheless, RAMON AND JULIETA provided lots of sizzle while at the same time make you incredibly hungry for one of Julieta's fish tacos.

I rate RAMON AND JULIETA four out of five stars.

This first book in the Love & Tacos series is a thoroughly engaging retelling of Romeo and Juliet. Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite romance tropes. I just love the fire and chemistry between two people who walk that fine line between love and hate. And this one is so much more than just another romance. The author brings together so many elements, including community and heritage, and it all comes together in one wonderfully told story. I will warn that if you aren't hungry when you start this book, it won't take long. This is a completely fun read from start to finish with just the right amount of angst and characters you genuinely want to root for. This is my first time reading this author, but it won't be my last. I'll be anxiously waiting to see what's next in this entertaining series.

I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS & FEELINGS FOR THIS BOOK. Ramón and Julieta by @authoralanaalbertson is a romance novel that tries to accomplish a LOT, and she totally nails it!!!!

▪️It's a super cute and clever Romeo and Juliet retelling, soooo clever.
▪️Celebration of Mexican American culture and food especially.
▪️Essay on gentrification: she does not gloss over this issue, but fairly shows the pros and cons of gentrification. She represents both sides fairly which is so tricky.
▪️The struggle of cultural identity, particularly for second and third generation immigrants
▪️And obviously, it's a super sweet romance!!!!!!

I grew up very close to the setting of this story, so much of the book was familiar! She set the beachy San Diego atmosphere so well! The writing is great, the characters are all excellent and distinct from each other, the romance and the plot are woven beautifully together without overshadowing each other. This book is worth the hype! Thank you @netgalley and @berkleyromance for a copy to read and review.

thank you PRH International and Netgalley for the gifted e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

romeo and juliet retelling about love, food, culture, and the love for both food and culture. a love letter to our friends from the latinx community, their rich heritage and colorful culture.

the romance in this book is just a bonus, a cherry on top of the reality that our latinx friends face daily, since the moment they moved from their homeland to the states.

there’s the vivid storytelling of tight kinship in families and friendships, a barrio where everyone knows everyone else and of course, the extremely rich people who won’t stop at anything to drain the life of their heritage.

it’s interesting to also read phrases from romeo and juliet as they navigate the romance in the story. character development was also on point, and the ending was justified too.

there’s more to life than money, we all know that. but there’s also more to love than the romantic type, it is everywhere - your dog waiting for you at home, the delicious hum people make when they ate your food, the smiles from strangers that reaches their eyes, helping someone, accepting people for who they are, the beautiful sunsets and sunrises, forgiveness, laughters, flowers, hands holding hands, hugs, a pat in the back, buckets of thank yous, foods cooked with someone in mind.

it only takes a moment to appreciate that, to listen and watch closely as the world shows you that there is still love left it can offer.

and…you’re not prohibited to share yours too.

Ramon is a successful Mexican-American businessman, who’s obviously filthy rich, and is the head of his father’s empire. Little does he know his latest business deal will rock him to his core, and remind him of who he really is. Julieta is a hard working chef, who’s given up quite a bit of things for family, except one. She loves her restaurant and will do what she can to fight for what’s her, and what is right for her community.

I loved, loved, loved this book ❤️. There isn’t a character that is not memorable—even Julieta’s extended family is hilarious. The author did an amazing job of representing the Mexican family dynamics so well—though I have to say, this would be the same for other Latin (non Mexican) families, but I digress.

Ramon and Julieta’s chemistry is off the charts. Although, I’m a bit disappointed in Julieta that she doesn't really have Ramon’s back when he most needs it, but it all works out at the end. I'm not one to celebrate El Dia De Los Muertos, but it was just fitting that their HEA ends where it starts. (Not a spoiler!)it had me aww. I loved it so much, that the want this to be a movie.

Thank you @berkleyromnace for a copy of Ramon and Julieta. This was a fun retelling of Romeo and Juliette which lots of tacos!! I loved that it was set in San Diego and mentions of places that I have visited.

I appreciate that the story touched on gentrification and wrestling with keeping culture alive. Now I want to go and get a great fish taco.

Uneven writing, slightly juvenile, and repetitive at times. The author started to delve in to class issues but scratched the surface and then kind of abandoned them.

The external conflict is somewhat solved off page and it was weird.

I was not very invested in this couple. And although I was really excited to read more Latinx characters this felt like it really missed the mark.

I loved that it’s centered on Latinx love, and Mexican/Mexican American culture and community. I also love that while it’s a love story, it also centers on real issues in the Latinx community, i.e. identity, belonging, gentrification, class. Really loved that the two main characters were exploring what community/belonging meant to them, with both identifying as Latinx but coming from different socioeconomic backgrounds. I feel like this isn’t talked about nearly as much in our Latinx community.

There were a few things that I didn’t vibe with as much, ie the constant reference to Ramón’s fancy car, ya I got it. Also, Ramón in general, I wasn’t 100% sold on him and kept flip flopping on whether I liked him or not. I was leaning towards yes by the end, but I do feel like the way he handled things felt a tad bit rushed. I did like Julieta, she seemed more fleshed out compared to the other characters, and I think the author does a great job of conveying how difficult it was for Julieta to feel like she was doing right by her community, while she tried to figure out what was best for her. I'd like to add that there were some storylines that felt like they were just thrown in to check a box, and never referenced again, which felt a bit suspicious.