Ramón and Julieta is (surprise!) a play on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, with a Chicano twist. Ramón’s father is this fast-food restaurant conglomerate that grew after bringing the Mexican fish taco to the masses, and Ramón has spent his life making deals and working for Taco King. He lets loose one night and serenades the beautiful Julieta at the Day of the Dead celebration, but he doesn’t expect to see her again after she leaves him in a rush.

Well, Julieta left because she found out who Ramón is: the son of the man who stole her mother’s family fish taco recipe. Side note: can we not agree that tacos are sacred? But I digress.

After Ramón and his family’s corporation buys the building Julieta’s restaurant is renting, they are thrown back together. The good part here is that their connection is so strong, that despite the original animosity between them, Ramón and Julieta can’t resist the spark. Ramón was a great character. I can understand the pressure he was under in trying to make his parents’ proud (despite their issues) and I think Julieta didn’t give him enough credit.

But what I loved most in this story was the story of the community. How it came together to support each other and how integral family and culture is.

Overall, I enjoyed Ramón and Julieta, but I felt like their romance was lacking a bit. The side characters and plot seemed to overtake their story at times. And sometimes the outer wrappings or appearances were more prominent than needed. Did I really need to know all those details about Ramón’s multiple cars? It just felt like a blatant and overreaching way to show their class disparity. I also was left with some questions: what really happened between Ramón’s father and Julieta’s mother?

Despite my slight off topic rant there, I thoroughly enjoyed Ramón and Julieta and would happily read more from Alana Albertson.

I loved this book so much! Seriously it has everything, stubborn characters who are so passionate and caring, delicious sounding food, a beautiful and hard look at Mexican-American culture in San Diego (specifically Barrio Logan), and lots of steam.  Learning about the history of the Barrio Logan community was so interesting and it breaks my heart that the people were pushed under the bridge, but warms my heart that they have such a warm and thieving community. This book takes a look at the diverging socioeconomic systems in San Diego and also shows how these groups can come together to save their heritage and communities. I loved all the Mexican-American culture and oh my goodness all the food had my mouth watering. I love how feisty and strong Julieta is and how she will give up anything to stick with her family and friends, even if it's her own success and happiness. Ramón is stubborn and driven and has lost his way a bit, but I loved that he was not too stubborn or rich to open his eyes to the community around him and how he can help instead of harm. He is also so sweet and caring. The steam was amazing and I love them as a couple. The ending had tears in my eyes!! Also please tell me we will get books about the Montez brothers!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! The story “Ramón and Julieta” (with main characters of the same name) is inspired by Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” but with Mexican cultural twists and parallels. Instead of the Montagues & Capulets, the families were the Montez & Campos, rivals over a stolen fish taco recipe that spawned an Americanized restaurant empire. This instant-connection romance mixes with themes of LantinX heritage, familial loss, and gentrification. The tension was really about Ramón and Julieta being on different sides of wealth, community, and privilege; in the end, they both learn from each other in terms of how to best help their community and love their families and work with boundaries. Alana Quintana Albertson showcases LatinX life through vivid descriptions of the community and neighborhood, and the chemistry between Ramón and Julieta was steamy and realistic. Though the romance was well done, what made this book stand out is the vibrant descriptions of family and life in Barrio Logan in San Diego, the neighborhood where Julieta is from and lives. The food descriptions from Julieta’s restaurant are also great! I recommend this book for anyone who likes contemporary romance, stories of Mexican and LatinX community and heritage, and Shakespeare retelling.

Thanks to Berkley for an advanced copy of Ramon and Julieta.

I absolutely loved this modern Romeo and Juliet re-telling where there was a long standing family feud over a taco recipe!

Ramon & Julieta meet at a Dia de los Muertos celebration in Barrio Logan and hit it off, but they don't know who each other is. Ramon's father founded the Taco King restaurant chain and he's helping to grow the empire. When they set their sights on a building in Barrio Logan in San Diego, the heart of the Mexican-American community they find opposition from chef Julieta who will do anything to keep her taqueria especially after she finds out it was his father who stole her mom's taco recipe decades ago.

This was such a fun book to read and I'm excited there will be more in this series! The descriptions of the food, the chemistry between Ramon & Julieta, the Mexican-American culture, especially the history in Barrio Logan and the impact of gentrification on a community. I appreciated the authors note at the end too.

I'm not usually a huge re-telling fan but loved this take on Romeo & Juliet!

I really, truly loved this book. I read most of it on a flight and was sucked in so much it flew by. ⁠
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As a latine, I always want to read romances and stories that are based on my culture and see them come alive. The representation was beautiful and authentic. I saw myself in the neighborhood of Barrio Loga, my family as vibrant as Julieta's. And the gente/gentrifier storyline rings true to what happens in almost every neighborhood--even my own. It's so easy for low-income neighborhoods filled with minorities to be taken over and destroyed of their uniqueness. ⁠
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The story itself is a wonderful retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, although it was more of an inside joke than a guideline. The distinctions between the lives and upbringing of Ramon and Julieta were very explicit, but it didn't take away from the excellent communication and fantastic spice between the characters.⁠
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If you love the brightness and beauty of Dia de los Muertos, Latine romance, and a Hispanic neighborhood--you have to read this book!⁠
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⁠⁠Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review and the opportunity to read this work of art.⁠⁠
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⁠
🌈🌈🌈⁠
🌶️🌶️🌶️

This is such a fresh-feeling romance, centered around Mexican/Chicano culture and beginning with a Dia de los Muertos festival. The instant chemistry is totally believable, and I really valued the gentefication/gentrification plot here -- obviously you're rooting for all of the local businesses to remain open and the community to stay intact, but if you squint you can almost see the argument Ramon is making that it's better for the block to be bought by a member of the community.

A lot of the characters and plot stay surface level, though. I'd be interested to learn more about literally everyone here, and I know that it's the first in a series but I don't think that's the issue. I also think the gentrification plot could have been deepened a little more. It's a relatively short/quick read, and I definitely could have done with 50 or 80 pages more, particularly since the end felt a little rushed.

Overall, though, I loved this new addition to the "fall holiday romance" canon, I will definitely grab the next in this series, and I am absolutely craving fresh fish tacos now. Too bad I live in Missouri...

First things first, I should note that I adore the story of Romeo and Juliet. While it may be tragic, it just goes to show that love is important in life. So when I was able to review a copy of Ramón and Julieta I jumped at the chance. I was interested to see how the author took this classic story and made it their own.

The story had the required family rivalry, but with the twist of it being unknown to one of the families. That was a twist that I actually enjoyed. I think it added a new layer since the hatred was one-sided for the most part. The infusion of the Mexican culture throughout the book was also something I loved. I learned a lot about about some of the traditions from that alone.

The character development was amazing. Both Ramón and Julieta were both of the characters were easy to relate to. I saw so much of myself in both of them, and I saw how they how they worked to resolve the commonalities that I saw and took notes for myself. Julieta was the person that I focused on since I could relate to her the most but Ramón was also helpful as well..

The only complaint I have about this book, is that I was left wanting more at the end. I love the resolution, but I felt like it was a bit rushed just to make it a clean ending. The ending itself made me feel good about everything that had transpired throughout the book, it just felt like it happened in the span of 5 pages, which is very quick in my opinion. But all in all this is a book that I highly recommend.

A Romeo and Juliet retelling. But make it Mexican-American. And the family feud is over tacos. Sold.

Ugh everything about this book made my life so happy. From a mariachi themed meet cute, to incredible sounding food, and so many other beautiful aspects of Mexican-American culture, this book was EVERYTHING. I am so thankful this appears to be the first in a series (a series called Love and Tacos which is also perfect) because I need more already.

Also, when you read this, be sure to read the author’s note because it somehow made me love the book even more. Not only is this the most fun Romeo and Juliet retelling I have ever read, but the author is so intentional with sharing struggles of gentrification and class issues within the Mexican American community as well as cultural identity.

All I can say is I adored this book and cannot wait for more.

Thank you to Berkley for the advanced copy.

RAMON AND JULIETA – Alana Quintana Albertson

Love & Tacos, Book 1

Jove

ISBN: 9780593336229

February 1, 2022

Romantic Comedy



San Diego, California – Present Day



Chef Julieta Campos was raised in a traditional Mexican family by her mother and works in their sea-to-table taqueria serving the best food in the Barrio Logan area of San Diego. But their quiet life in that neighborhood is being threatened by the anticipated buyout by the Montez family, who run a successful restaurant chain of bland Mexican food. Julieta’s mother hates the family because the father stole her fish taco recipe years ago in Mexico.



On the Night of the Living Dead, Julieta goes out to enjoy the festivities and encounters a good-looking Hispanic male named Ramon. She even feeds him some of her mother’s delicious fish tacos. They hit it off and are soon in his apartment. But it is shortly after arriving there that Julieta learns via pictures in his home that he is Ramon Montez, the son of the man her family hates. She takes off, pushing him away, without telling him the truth. However, Ramon soon learns the truth when he pays a visit to the property they are in the process of acquiring. It's Julieta’s livelihood and buying and evicting them will put a big crimp in his plans to woo her.



If you didn’t already figure out, the title of RAMON AND JULIETA, it is a play on Romeo and Juliet. For this couple, it seems like they are a lot like the ill-fated couple due to the longstanding feud between Julieta’s mother and Ramon’s father. While visiting Mexico years ago, the man had met her mother and after wooing her, had stolen her fish taco recipe and returned to the United States, where he built an empire around it. However, due to so much cutting of corners, it is no longer the same recipe. Does Julieta’s mother have a claim for theft?



Meanwhile, Ramon resumes his pursuit of Julieta. She is a hard nut to crack because she is protective of her family. Ramon offers her a job in the new restaurant that would replace hers—with a generous salary—and she accepts. Of course, this gives him an excuse to work closely with her to plan the new menu. It isn’t long before their attraction deepens into something more. But the recipe theft claims still stand between them, as does the fact that the Montez family buyout of the property will force the neighborhood to shut down. His father freely admits it but refuses to pay any compensation for the recipe or cares about how it will end up shutting down the neighborhood. In fact, it only deepens his conviction to evict the Campos family. Ramon’s mother is a snob and thinks Julieta is beneath her son’s class. They do live in different worlds. Is there any way to bring it all together—and find love? But it still causes the tensions to rise between them as each tries to do right with their respective families.



A romance with a blend of hot sauce and spicy banter, RAMON AND JULIETA is an enjoyable tale from the first page right until the end. If you love a story that is a blend of Mexican cultural and American modernness, then don’t miss RAMON AND JULIETA.



Patti Fischer

This was a cute play on Romeo and Juliet that is loaded with Mexican culture and food and family struggles. Ramon and Julieta meet in costume and have an instant connection without knowing their true identity. When they discover that he is in the process of gentrifying her home and buying her family's restaurant, their conflict has to come before their connection. As their love grows, complications get worse and only makes the story more engaging.

Rounded up from 3.5

I feel like this might be an unpopular opinion but I have never been a fan or Romeo and Juliet, even the movies but the premise of this one sounded really cute to me! Ramon is part of a huge corporation that is known for its restaurants called Taco King, his father started it years ago and now he is set to take over when his father retires. Ramon ends up buying a block of businesses in an area of San Diego when Julieta is the head chef of her families traditional restaurant. Ramon and Julieta have a chance meeting without realizing who the other is. The two decide to try and make their relationship work even knowing the difficulties ahead. I really enjoyed reading this one. I love Julieta and her family and all of the food descriptions! Highly recommend this one if you are a fan of Romeo and Juliet or cooking or even if you are not. Thank you Berkley for my gifted copy for review!

This is a Romeo and Juliet inspired story, following Ramon and Julieta, two Mexican Americans each with big dreams. Ramon and his father end up buying out the block of businesses where Julieta’s restaurant is located, and Ramon plans to replace her restaurant with his own fast casual Mexican eatery. Tensions are high as they both try to fight their attraction to each other while also trying to get the outcome they desire for their respective businesses.

Going into this book, I was extremely excited about the premise. It’s set in San Diego, my
hometown, and I loved that aspect of it. There were also really great conversations about gentrification throughout the story. I just personally felt like I wasn’t gripped enough and the characters were not very fleshed out. I also wish that this was more of a true Romeo and Juliet inspired story/retelling, and that the two protagonists weren’t constantly bringing up how their story was similar to that of the star-crossed lovers.

Overall, I think this was a solid debut, but it was just unfortunately not for me.

The stage is set from the beginning in Ramon and Julieta. Star crossed for generations, Ramon and Julieta's love has some serious hurdles to overcome. Can their love survive the challenges, the resentment and hurt that has been simmering and their differences in class? At the heart of Ramon and Julieta is a story about dreams and love. About feeling that we are trapped by our life - when we think we know what we want. But how it's just an illusion we are trapped in, a comfortable denial.

While Julieta was my favorite character - no doubt - Ramon's internal struggle is a huge part of Ramon and Julieta. He has to figure out what he will sacrifice and what the right decision is.Torn between feeling part of his community and his life, Ramon isn't sure how to reconcile the parts of his identity. Not only that, but also how he has been shaped, for better or for worse, by his own family. All while Julieta has to decide if their worlds can truly combine.

Here comes a fresh and spicy romance for your winter reading!

Thank you Berkley Publishing and Netgalley for a copy of this novel.

We all know the awful fate of Romeo and Juliet. Remember how you felt reading it in middle school? Well, this retelling adds a much more hopeful twist with Ramon and Julieta (spoiler alert: no one dies in the end of this one). This novel offered up such a vibrant story with characters to match. I enjoyed being immersed in the San Diego scenery and the Mexican heritage of the main characters. It was thrilling to follow the characters on a steamy journey of two rival families. There were a few things I had issues with, including the lack of chemistry and depth of Ramon and Julieta's romance. While it was steamy (not complaining), I never believed there was real love between the two. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a cultural diverse and immersive story.

Cute. I definitely loved the cultural history and themes throughout. Being latinx myself I really related to the family drama and the food!!!!!
Loved the teaching of the real meaning of dia de Muertos and how it's supposed to be a happy day.

The writing was a bit immature at times. This might have worked better as a young adult or new adult novel because the characters seemed a bit young to me although they were in their 30s.

The epilogue seemed to wrap up way too fast for me, otherwise this story was beautiful. I loved getting to know more about the latinx culture. I even looked many things up while I was reading. It felt very immersive and like was there watching it all unfold. The love story was the perfect balance of communication and steam.

3.5/5 stars

Ramón Montez and Julieta Campos meet one night during the Día de los Muertos celebration in Old Town San Diego and sparks instantly fly. Suddenly, Julieta realizes that Ramón works for and is the son of the owner of the fast-food empire Taco King that is threatening to take over her small sea-to-table restaurant nestled in Barrio Logan. To make matters worse, his father is the one who stole her mother’s original taco recipe on which they made millions and gave no credit to Julieta’s mother. When Ramón and his empire officially become Julieta’s landlords, tensions rise in the barrio sparking outrage of the placement of the fast-food chain. Julieta must put her romantic feelings aside and work out a solution to save not only her restaurant, but the barrio itself.

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This was heart warming retelling of Romeo and Juliet with a Latinx twist, and I was here for it! I absolutely LOVED the detail of Mexican culture: the food (which made my mouth water), the music, and the beautiful traditions of Día de los Muertos. While this is a romance, it focused on the very important topic of gentrification, and you could feel the author’s passion come through the pages as you read of the people of Barrio Logan’s despair and urgency to protect their small businesses. I used to live in San Diego so it was nice to recognize all of these familiar locations such as Old Town, Coronado and Barrio Logan. This book hit home for me as my mom was born and raised in Mexico City and she has always made it a priority for me grow up experiencing our Mexican culture which I will forever be grateful for her in doing so. Now for the romance, unfortunately it did fall a little flat for me, at times Ramón and Julieta’s connection seemed a little forced and not really authentic, the sex scenes were a little choppy and I wish they flowed a little more naturally. However, I really enjoyed reading about these characters and the Mexican culture, I also really enjoyed the author’s note at the end!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. This title will be released on February 1st, 2022.

Reviewed for Shelf Awareness - Review will be posted around publication date.
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Alana Quintana Albertson brings Romeo and Juliet to San Diego's Barrio Logan in Ramón and Julieta, a star-crossed lovers romance that tackles issues of class and gentrification. Ramón Montez grew up wealthy, thanks to the success of his father's Taco King fast-food chain, but he has reservations about his father's purchase of a strip of commercial property in Barrio Logan, a Mexican-American neighborhood known for its vibrant community and deep cultural roots. Julieta Campos is a talented chef and runs a family restaurant with her mother in the Barrio, but she wasn't able to raise the money to buy the buildings before the Taco King empire made an offer. In full costume and makeup, Ramón and Julieta meet at a Day of the Dead celebration and their instant connection launches a romance complicated by a decades-old theft.
Ramón's father and Julieta's mother fell in love one summer in Mexico, but they were separated when the elder Montez returned to the United States--and stole Julieta's family's fish taco recipe to start his business. Already uneasy in his role at Taco King, Ramón is horrified to learn of the theft and reconnects to his culture as Julieta struggles to find a way to preserve her community in the face of seemingly inevitable gentrification.
Ramón and Julieta is a timeless but modern take on a Shakespeare classic, told with a big heart, love of culture and plenty of heat.

This book was really enjoyable. All the best parts of Romeo and Juliet without the death and destruction. Ramon and Julieta meet at the Day of the Dead block party and the connection is instant. But what either of them know, they are already sworn enemies. Ramon is the wealthy family taco chain owner buying the block to fulfill his dads wishes. Julieta is a local restaurant owner in the block bought by Ramons company. When she finds out who Ramon actually is she swears she can never betray her block and fall for Ramon and work for him. But can they stick to their guns? Or will the chemistry between them win over?

This book had so many great side characters and side plots that I loved. The parents past history was such a fun plot twist and I liked how that storyline played out. There was a big emphasis on culture and family and remembering where you came from which without it being overkill. You definitely want to pick this one up! And don't read while hungry!

As this love story shaped by the complexities of Latinx communities unfolds, Albertson insightfully dramatizes the contrasts between Julieta and Ramón as he becomes increasingly conflicted about his identity as a Mexican American and his business plans for the neighborhood and its impact on the culture.

Reviewed for Booklist. Jan 1, 2022