So hear me out: Spanish Romeo and Juliet, but nobody dies. Replace impending doom with another form of travesty, add music, a beach, and tacos, and we have Ramon and Julieta!

This quick and light story gave me heavy reminders of the show Gentefied on Netflix. The romance was solid yet cheesy at the same time. In moments it worked, and other times it didn't seem natural. I wasn't too fond of the pet names, and Ramon's dirty talk needed some work. But overall, I liked how the relationship played out. The spice level is pretty minor, but the progression of the story makes up for it all.

I wish I had seen more of the relationship between Ramon and Julieta's parents. Technically their start and woes started with them and a stolen taco recipe. I sure thought we would have seen revenge or redemption on the elder's part.

4.5 for the cute, yet rushed cookie-cutter ending

Whenever I see a book that has a lot of Nikki buzz words, I don’t think twice. I add it to my TBR without checking reviews, without really reading the synopsis, without really doing anything. And that’s exactly what happened to this book. I wish now I had read some of the reviews before I got SO EXCITED about this one….


Ramón and Julieta meet on the Day of the Dead, not knowing who the other is. As it turns out, their parents were once lovers, turned enemies at the hands of a food rivalry. They fall for each other and as things start to be revealed, they realize the feud was so much more than they thought it was.


Ok, let’s start with the things I did like about this. I LOVED that this was a celebration of LatinX culture. Seeing all the Mexican customs and traditions was wonderful. And learning about the Mexican history in San Diego was even better. This is why I LOVE Diverse Reads. I learned about the Brown Berets movement and then went and did some more research on my own. Being from Texas, this isn’t something I would have ever learned about. (In world or US history because my Tx government likes to erase certain parts of history.) I was glad to look more into the historical aspects of this book. And of course, there’s the cover. My God, I remember when it dropped, I literally was sitting at my computer with my mouth open. The colors, the couple, just everything about it was wonderful!


I also liked the re-telling aspect of it. The quotes included from the Shakespeare tragedy was a nice touch. But I loved to see all the little touches from the book that showed the original, like her cousin’s name and their families’ feud. (Of course I was glad that no one dies in this one tho lol) But I thought it was cool to see a contemporary book re-telling a classic. So much so I even let the insta-love pass in this one. Because I mean it IS R&J.


Unfortunately, that was about the extent of what I liked. Maybe it was because I built this up in my head to be the best re-telling ever done since it was done with some color, but it just didn’t work for me. The writing style was very telly, not showy and that annoyed me. Especially since there was food involved. She gave this whole meaningful passage about “experiencing the restaurant,” to Ramón, but we didn’t get to do any of that with the book. Like mostly when she talked about food, she stated what it was and then went on to the next. I just feel like that was a missed opportunity to tell how the food sizzled, how it smelled, the colors involved, SOMETHING. It made the writing very jerky and stiff to me. And Lawd, the author used “incredible” SO. MUCH. When I was writing down my notes for my review, I went to the thesaurus for her to find some. It was that annoying after a while.


And then there was the characters. I adored Julieta, but I wasn’t a fan of Ramón. And the two of them together was worse. I didn’t feel like their interactions were real. He was always throwing his money around (despite her saying it made her feel uncomfortable) and it took some of the romantic feeling away from it. The “steamy parts” were also cringey because of this. I didn’t feel like it was any love or romance involved if that makes sense. Now the side characters, I LOVED the other people in the Barrio and I loved Julieta’s mom and family. (The Lotería scene? LOVEEEEE) I would have loved to experience more at the different shops on the Barrio and see more of the culture instead of being just told about it. Now Ramón’s family? I have never wanted to throat punch someone so much in my life. And I’ll just leave it at that. If you read it, you will know EXACTLY who I’m talking about.


As soon as I got an open spot in my January TBR this rushed to the top of my To Read list. I wish this had been like the re-telling I had built up in my head. Unfortunately it didn’t work for me, but I know it will be perfect for someone out there. If you have this on your TBR pile, give it a shot and let me know what you think about it instead!

Happy Pub Day to this beauty! Ramon and Julieta are rival restaurant owners who have a chance meeting. Sparks fly until they realize they are arch enemies. You see where this is going.

Y’all do not read this on an empty stomach! The food descriptions will have you drooling. I loved the chemistry between these two (🔥🔥 it’s steamy) and the Romeo & Juliet references were cute. This book was totally relatable to me from the music, the food to the loteria (Mexican Bingo). It felt like my own family gatherings. Highly recommend this book!

Thanks to @netgalley and @berkleyromance for the ARC!

After a chance (or was it fate?) meeting at the Day of the Dead festival, Ramón and Julieta meet again under different circumstances—circumstances that involve Ramón’s business and Julieta’s community, and an incredibly hard decision to stand by love versus family.

A soft retelling of Romeo and Juliet minus the tragedy, RAMÓN AND JULIETA was a well-written, transformative novel about family, community, Mexican food and cultural identity, and gentrification. I adored Albertson’s narration, the delicious details of all the food, and the vibrancy of Barrio Logan… and of course, the sizzling romance between the two main characters.

A must-binge this year! Feel completely immersed in this Mexican community, their culture, and devour a plate of tacos while reading. Trust me, you’ll need them.

I love modern retellings of classics.
This a loosely based retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (I realize I’m stating the obvious.)
I love the little nods to the original story the author wrote into this.
The main characters meet at a Dia des Los Muertes celebration, they are having fun and have an instant attraction, they don’t realize at first that they are flirting with the “enemy”.

This couple faces their blockade to romance in their rivalry in their competing restaurants.
It’s not exactly competition as he has a big advantage. He has the mega restaurants and she has one built with love.
Ramón is the wealthy, successful heir apparent to a huge Mexican restaurant empire.
Julieta has the small, community Mexican restaurant with her mother’s secret recipe as the foundation.

Julieta believes his family stole her mothers fish taco recipe, it heightens her anger and their rivalry.

Gentrification is central to the plot and it’s a current and interesting subject.
It shows both sides, I was team Julieta and rooting for her and the community.

Mexican-American culture is at the forefront of this story, I think it was portrayed really well.
The vibrancy of the neighborhood, the food and the people was my favorite part of the book.

The couple is much more modern than Shakespeare’s couple so this is a much spicier and heated romance. I am on board with that ;)

The couple have to navigate loyalty and figure out how two very different people with opposing opinions can make a relationship work.

It wasn’t a deep, emotional romance or story. It was light, easy and fun. It had just enough serious and relevant issues to raise it up.

Okay, I've been thinking about this review for a while by writing it because I just wasn't sure what I wanted to give it, but!!! I'm giving it four stars! Although the ending felt a tad rushed to me, I was always trying to get back to my copy of it so I could just see what was going to happen next!

This is honestly a great retelling of Romeo and Juliet that had me SCREAMING in the first chapters. Everything about their first meeting and how it all went down was so deliciously tense and exciting as a reader since we knew everything we didn't.

I really liked Julieta as our FMC! She was fierce and independent and I can't think of the last female chef I've read about. All her food sounded...DELICIOUS. I was constantly snacking while reading this because everything was just described to sound amazing. Her internal dialogue had a really nice and easy flow to it and I felt like it was so easy to just fall into her emotions with her as everything went down. And I was conflicted alongside her! I genuinely didn't know the right thing to do either, to follow love, career, or her community? It SEEMS simple but it really isn't!!

I also LOVED Ramon!! Okay okay I thought he was going to be this big alpha dude but he is...the most respectful...kind...soft man ever. EVER. I feel like some people don't believe this but consent is so sexy!!! When he was constantly asking her if she was comfortable and careful not to cross any boundaries, I DIED. I swooned! He was never a bad guy, either, which I enjoyed. I think it would've been easy for him to be painted as the villain, but he genuinely didn't know the circumstances or the consequences of opening a restaurant on the block. And he was really trying with his company to do the right thing always so it was near impossible for me to dislike or hate this man.

One of the things I appreciated most (maybe even over the romance?!?!?!?!) were the discussions and the overall representation. As a mixed race Latina, I identified so much with Ramon! In my community, there have been times when I felt like I needed to prove I was Peruvian or Latina enough even though I AM. It was so nice to have this discussion and inner turmoil of this character and watch how he worked through it because it's something I've always dealt with. And Julieta's big, noisey family reminded me so much of mine! I swear our tias are exactly the same because they really do not know what is appropriate and inappropriate to say sometimes. It was just such a heartwarming read that made me miss being around my family so so much!

I do want to acknowledge a few lines that I found inappropriate or even a little off-putting. There were casual mentions of deportation or ICE that seemed a little insensitive or even unnecessary? They came out of nowhere in a scene and were just off-putting to me. There's also like two times when Julieta refers to Ramon as her "Aztec God" and while I'm not Mexican so I can't speak for if that's inappropriate, it felt off to me and I felt like I should recognize it.

BUT! All in all, this was a delightful read that will make you want fish tacos like crazy and to find a rich boyfriend to fly you to Cabo on a whim :)

Thank you so much Berkley for sending me an advanced copy of Ramon and Julieta in exchange for my honest review! I don't know what has been going on but I feel like there has been so many books in the past 2 years about chefs and baking shows! I am here for it and am actually loving that trope! This book was so cute and fun and I love the chemistry! I can see this being a huge hit for romance readers!

Ramon Montez is a career-focused businessman, currently running his father’s Taco King empire. His latest project brings him to the Barrio Logan neighborhood of San Diego, where he and his father plan to buy the block and build a new flagship restaurant. Celebrity chef Julieta Campos is struggling to keep her restaurant in Barrio Logan when she finds out her landlord is selling the building. Fearful for her business and her community, she is furious when she finds out the new owner plans to close her restaurant to turn the location into a Taco King. A Day of the Dead celebration brings Ramon and Julieta, but can they stay together when their goals are so at odds?

Ramon & Julieta is a vibrant novel that alternates perspectives in the third person between Ramon and Julieta. It draws inspiration from Romeo and Juliet, while also having a refreshingly new take on the story. Ramon and Julieta have palpable chemistry right from their first meeting at the Dia de Los Muertos celebration. Ramon plays the guitar for Julieta, helps her honor her dead father, and sweeps her off her feet in the process.

A major theme of this story is gentrification and its impact on the communities. Barrio Logan is a predominantly Mexican-American community filled with small businesses owned by members of the community. When Taco King buys the block and raises the rent, it threatens the culture of the community and the livelihood of the people who live there.

One of my favorite things about Ramon and Julieta is the vivid descriptions. I loved all the scenery of the various neighborhoods of San Diego and the surrounding areas! It’s somewhere I’ve always wanted to visit, and the descriptions make it easy to imagine. The only thing better than the settings is the descriptions of the amazing food Julieta creates. The tacos alone sound fabulous!

Thank you to BookSparks, Netgalley, and Berkley Romance for the review copy! All opinions are my own.

Ramon and Julieta is a beautiful re-telling of Romeo and Juliet! This novel is a charming and heart warming love story that grabbed my attention from first page itself. I enjoyed the hot and cold chemistry between Ramon and Julieta a lot.

This modern retelling of Shakespeare’s romance depicts forbidden love, strangers to friends to lover trope with a adorable and happy ending. The Mexican American culture and history, the story set around culinary skills and food, the chemistry between Ramon and Julieta made this book very mesmerizing and fun to read.

Thank you BerkleyPub and NetGalley for the gifted galley which will be available in your nearest bookstores starting from Feb 1, 2022

Be prepared to want ALL the fish tacos when reading this one.

I really enjoyed this book - watching Ramón and Julieta’s relationship develop, and seeing how they influenced each other in their professional lives.

I liked seeing how Ramón worked to turn things around and do good by the community. It was lovely to get a glimpse of Mexican culture and especially this specific neighborhood. I loved all the references that were given with little explanation.

There were some moments where the writing seemed a little silly. But overall it was a great story. I would say medium on the steam (at least for me).

CWs: some discussions of divorce, infidelity, and parental estrangement; references to parental death and grief; brief mention of ICE/deportation; and some explicit sexual content

Ramón and Julieta is a fun, enjoyable take on a classic. It's like Romeo & Juliet meets Gentefied. You get those star-crossed lovers vibes but with a healthy dash of Mexican-American culture, history, and food. The story also attempts to address the all-too-real issue of gentrification and how historic communities and spaces are not only being systemically white-washed but also stripped away from the very communities that have shaped them, which is just the modern day evolution and continuation of colonization.

What I enjoy about this story is that it takes the basis of Romeo & Juliet with these two rival Mexican restaurants, but it's not a beat-for-beat retelling of the classic tragedy. It's more inspired by that dynamic of generational animosity, and what I appreciate is that it actually provides a reason as to why these two families are enemies. It's not just the fact that they're competitors in a capitalist market, but because Ramón's father stole the family recipe for fish tacos from Julieta's mother when they met in Mexico and used that to establish his own successful business in the States.

I also appreciate how the story celebrates Mexican-American culture while also showing how Latine experiences, even for those who share the same heritage, are not monolithic. There is a vast cultural difference between Ramón and Julieta even though they're both Mexican-American. Not only is there a stark contrast in their business ethos, but there's also a significant gap when it comes to their wealth, where and how they were raised, how they engage with their own culture, and even in their values. I think it's admirable how the story doesn't try to force either one of them to assimilate to their partner's experience of Mexican-American culture, but rather allows them to grow from those differences.

But by far what I enjoyed the most about this romance is how it centers Chicane history, food, and culture. The story is set in Barrio Logan in San Diego, and I love how everything about the story is firmly grounded in that specific neighborhood. There's a profound sense of place that the story is able to capture, and I appreciate that the setting is essential to the narrative as opposed a throw-away detail. Throughout their courting, Ramón and Julieta explore the beauty and richness of Barrio Logan and they comes to understand its unique history. The story is truly a celebration of this historic place and how it is intrinsically tied to Mexican history and culture, and I think the book really respects that.

With that said, you might be wondering why this is a three-star book for me. I enjoyed pieces of it, I enjoyed the message and I respect what it's trying to do, but at the end of the day, the romance itself and the characters feel a little superficial to me.

Ramón, as a gajillionaire, never really feels like a grounded, empathetic romantic hero to me. I connect with his fear of never being seen as "Mexican-American enough," feeling estranged from his own culture, wanting to reconnect with his roots and his happiness, but at the same time, he never checks his extreme privilege enough for my taste. I also wasn't convinced by how he confronts his toxic parents. They're very much portrayed as the stereotypical, one-dimensional, irredeemable villains who are just cruel for the sake of being cruel, and I don't think they're written with the kind of depth that would allow them to grow in the future. Not only that, but the way Ramón "handles" them doesn't leave for those relationship to evolve either.

Julieta was a much more grounded character, in my opinion. I like how strong and decisive she is and how she goes for exactly what she wants. But I also found her character to be a little inconsistent, because she doesn't really bat an eye when Ramón drops lavish amounts of money on their dates, but then she turns around and says that they can never be together because they come from two completely different worlds. She also knows from day one that Ramón is taking over her business, and not only does she willingly agree to work for him, but she continuously frames it as a positive for her long-term career. But then, towards the end of the story, she claims that she can't be seen "siding" with the gentrifier. To be clear: I don't disagree with how conflicted she feels, but I do take issue with how it seems that she only tries to hold Ramón accountable when it's convenient.

On top of that, the chemistry and the steamy scenes feel a bit perfunctory to me at times. The romantic dialogue can be a little cheesy and over-the-top, which isn't necessarily a "bad" thing, but then I was also slightly put off by the frequency at which these characters quote Shakespeare to each other, unironically. Intellectually, I get it. It's fun to nod towards the source material at times, but for my taste it was a little bit excessive. There were also times when I felt the research regarding Chicane history in San Diego could have been better integrated into the story as opposed to just dropped in wholesale.

So that's kind of how it shakes out for me. I appreciate the vision and the message, I can see how much research and heart when into shaping this story, and of course I have a soft spot for the cultural relevance of this particular romance. But in terms of the character and the romance itself, I found myself wanting a little bit more. I can already see how this story might branch off into future companion books, which I'm sure will be equally entertaining and enjoyable, so that's definitely something to look forward to if you happen to enjoy this romance. While I can't say for sure whether I would read on, I definitely do not regret the time I spent with this story at all. It's fun, it's sweet, it's ambitious in its commentary, and overall I enjoyed it.

Ramón and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertson is a modern take on Shakesphere's Romeo and Juliet. I'm not a huge fan of Romeo and Juliet, there are so many other works by Shakespeare I absolutely love. This retelling of Romeo and Juliet is very loosely adapted with a lot of interesting elements built into it. Ramón runs his father's fast food empire and he meets Julieta, an authentic chef from Barrio Logan on the Day of the Dead party. They instantly connect, but by the end of the day Julieta realizes that she is in enemy terriory and takes off. Ramón happens to run the fast-food chain Taco King, that was founded by his father who stole the original fish taco recipe from her mother. To make matters worse Ramón and his father are buying the entire block at Barrio Logan and is looking at gentrifying the entire area and convert Julieta's authentic restaurant in a flagship Taco King. Despite being at odds with each other regarding the future of Barrio Logan, Ramón and Julieta fall for each other and how they navigate through the gentrification and taking a closer look at their culture forms the premise of this story.

This book make me salivate and want to eat all the yummy food mentioned!! Absolutely loved the way the author has woven the Mexican culture into this story. Just brilliant, it felt totally authentic! I went ahead and did some research on Barrio Logan, an artistic, industrial area in San Diego with Mexican roots. I will absolutely check this area out when I visit San Diego. This book also made me want to plan a vacation to San Diego that is long overdue!! This book was fast paced and loved all the characters in the book without diluting the plot or romance the book. I really enjoyed this one!

Thank you Berkley Romance for sending me the ARC of Ramón and Julieta.

So if you love insta-love, enemies to lovers, workplace romance, forced proximity, meddling family members, and modern retellings with some hot latinx characters and lots of food + some serious steam on top, then this is for you.

As a Latinx reader I was in love with the book from the moment I read the title, then I dug deeper and am happy to report that the book was totally worthy. This book did not get too heavy or dig deeply into the negative aspects of the family history and instead allowed the reader to enjoy the upbeat nuances of falling in love when the odds are stacked against you. This was not mega angsty but there were complications that had to be solved and the characters took a pretty direct route to solving them which was refreshing. The book gave lots of page space to showcasing the Latinx community in San Diego and the surrounding communities as well as the vast gulf of privilege that separates many in the Latinx community from each other and from other groups.

DNF at 20%
I really wanted to love this book. The cover is gorgeous and the premise is delightful. Romeo and Juliet with tacos? Sign me up. But in reality, it just fell short for me. I didn't love the characters and the steam was uncomfortably written for my taste.

Thank you, NetGalley, for my e-arc of this book. All opinions here are my own.

I was really hoping to like this one and am so disappointed to be putting it on my DNF shelf. The cover is absolutely gorgeous and I'm a fan of modernized retellings of classics. The story started out fine but unfortunately, the writing just did not feel polished and developed enough for me. It still felt green and at times forced, the characters too surface-level. I tried to push through but at the end of the day, I didn't want to force myself to read a book that I wasn't enjoying.
As always though, just because I don't hit it off with a book doesn't mean you won't like it! If it sounds like something that's up your alley, give it a try.

What an adorable read!
Ramon and Julieta was filled such a great Latinx re-telling of Romeo and Juliet.
From the get go of the book, we are educated on the state of gentrification in the San Diego city. Ramon being part of the big companies taking over, his slight guilt but also determination to succeed at constant battle in his character development.
Julieta a chef, with a fearless determination to make it despite the gentrification happening in her barrio.
They meet and there is instant attraction, even though they don't initially act on it.
Their individual journeys and as a couple make for an entertaining read. The cultural details are lush and vivid, I could really see myself there on The Day of The Dead festival.
I do wish that when it came to the intimacy scenes there was more pay-out. As I read their first reactions to observing each other and their attraction, it felt like an over promised later on when the scenes came up.
Other than that tiny tid bit. I appreciate this read so much, and recommend to all, especially if you are needing a Latinx romance!

Ramón and Julieta was the first book in the new Love and Tacos series by Alana Albertson, who was a new author for me. The storyline was parallel to Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet with the enemy to love troupe, but it ended with a happy ever after instead of death. It was a heartbreaking story and a lovely tribute to Mexican-American culture, community, and the struggles with gentrification.

Chef Julieta Campos was struggling to keep open Las Pescas, her family’s sea-to-table taqueria. Several years back her family’s fish taco recipe had been stolen by the man who started the Taco King chains. Their restaurant served authentic Mexican cuisine and recipes Julieta came up with. The restaurant was on the block of buildings that were being sold so Las Pescas future was uncertain. She decided to stop stressing over the future of the restaurant and to enjoy the Day of the Dead celebration along with the company of the handsome stranger who serenaded her. But the night does not proceed like she thought it would when she realized the handsome man was the son of Arturo Montez, the man who had stolen their family fish taco recipe. Then the next day she is devastated to learn the property was sold to the Montez family and they planned on shutting down all the independent shops on the block.

Ramon Montez’s father, Arturo, had started Taco King and now they had restaurants throughout the United States. As CEO of the company Ramon handled the purchases of properties where they would open new Taco Kings. There was one block of property for sale in Barrio Logan that was in the center of the community and opening one of their chain restaurants there was his father’s long-time dream. Unfortunately, the Montez family were known as gentrifiers and were not wanted in Barro because the community felt they had sacrificed their Mexican culture to accommodate the non-Hispanics. Ramon looked at the property as a prize to win and had not given any thought to the actual community or small independent shops until it was too late. Although he knew they would get resistance from the community, he hadn’t taken the time to understand the importance of the community’s culture. He struggled between the community’s desires and his father’s plans.

Ramón and Julieta by Alana Albertson was a heartbreaking story of the struggles between small communities and gentrification. I loved learning about Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, and its relevance. The connection between Julieta and Ramon was instantaneous and watching them grow in their relationship was great. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it if you like the enemy to lover trope.

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

CW: death of loved ones (past, off-page), grief, parental abandonment (past), family tensions, gentrification, excessive drinking

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f insta attraction
-loose Romeo and Juliet retelling
-rival families
-work place romance
-millionaire romance
-insta love

I truly enjoyed the premise of this one. Rome and Juliet modern retelling with food and Latinx. This book was light and frothy. If you can walk away not needing a taco you are a stronger person than me. Unfortunately I couldn't fully fall in love with it. It was almost too light? The MCs never really talked to each other, got to know the other, it was more a connection of attraction, and they were very much in their heads rather than communicating with each other. I also was a bit disappointed it didn't go deeper into some of the issues it presented, resolving them quickly or just moving on. That they MCs were employer/employee was also never really addressed.

Fans of insta love millionaire romances are going to eat this one up, I think a lot of my separation from it was personal preference, but the book was so readable and I was thrown into the story and location.

Steam: 3.5 (multiple sex scenes, but they're very brief)

I received a gifted galley of RAMÓN AND JULIETA by Alana Quintana Albertson for an honest review. Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the opportunity!

RAMÓN AND JULIETA shifts between the two titular characters. Ramón is the son of the Taco King empire, a chain of fast food restaurants built on the back of a fish taco recipe. They make decent food for an affordable price, but they take shortcuts to do so and the Mexican community considers them sell outs. They’ve decided to purchase a block in one of San Diego’s Barrio Logan neighborhood, but it will mean pricing out the local small businesses and the community is understandably upset. On top of that, Ramón learns that his father actually stole the original fish taco recipe.

Julieta is a chef and the daughter of the woman that Ramón’s father stole the recipe from. Julieta has built up a thriving restaurant business making traditional foods with fresh ingredients without the shortcuts that Taco King makes. Problem is, her restaurnt is on the block that Ramón’s family company just bought. The two meet and form an instant connection before they learn how star-crossed they really are and must try to find a way to make things work.

This book brings a lot of interesting twists to the Romeo and Juliet retelling. I enjoyed the way the author managed to pepper in moments and quotes from the Shakespeare original, all while giving it a unique twist. I really enjoyed the depiction of this neighborhood in San Diego and its culture and traditions as well.

The romance between Ramón and Juliet has some definite insta-love qualities which isn’t always my preference, but given that the original R&J were the very definition of insta-love, that was to be expected. The hangups in the relationship bring in a lot of issues of cultural identity, classism, and loyalty that raise a lot of important issues as well. I think the author did well building the conflict between families, while eliminating the need for a double suicide to bring resolution.

For a fresh take on Romeo and Juliet, look no further!

Romeo and Juliet but make it modern with a Chicano twist + happier ending! A fresh + fun love story with plenty of nods to Shakespeare’s classic story as well as infusions of Mexican American history, culture, food and Latinx joy. With vivid descriptions of the food as well as San Diego, it was easy to get immersed in this story. I would have preferred more development in Ramon’s and Julieta’s love story- they made a very quick turn around from enemies to insta love. The level of steam felt a little off from the rest of the story as well. Otherwise I truly enjoyed this book.

Thank you to Berkley publishing and Netgalley for this advanced copy.