Much Ado About Nothing is my favorite Shakespeare play so this book had big shoes to fill and I just didn't vibe with it. I didn't like any of the characters, and I truly didn't want Ben and Beatriz to end up together. I really wanted to like this book, but I just didn't. I couldn't understand why any of these people hung out with each other. I could see the potentianl of a book that I would really like, but it was too much of everything. I'm intrested in the Social Justice aspects of the book. I loved seeing queerness and disablities on the page, it just didn't work well for me personally.

I didn't vibe with this writing and I'm just not interested in humanizing rich conservative white men in 2016-2018. I liked Beatriz and the representation of her learning disability and queerness, and I thought a lot of the retelling aspects were smart, but the sexual relationship didn't track for me and by the end, I did not want these two to get together.

Thanks to Graydon and NetGalley for this ARC.

Really incredible, thoughtful, literary, political retelling of Much Ado About Nothing. It would make a fantastic read for our romance book club, and can’t wait to recommend this new adult title to our patrons. Roll on August!

There is nothing better than a Much Ado About Nothing retelling!

Retellings in general can sometimes be clunky because the author tries to stick too close or not close enough to the original story. 'Ben and Beatriz' perfectly rides the line of faithful retelling with modern adaptation and sensibilities. It's also one of the first romance novels I've read that deals directly with the 2016 election and aftermath, instead of making up a similar but fictional scenario. It worked very well and made the issues Beatriz and Ben face (particularly the racism and colorism in regards to Beatriz) that much more real. You really understand how her experiences have shaped her and how intensely she's guarded her heart. The romance is all the more wonderful for it. Excited to read more from Katalina Gamarra!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have so many thoughts about this book because this book is packed. First things first, I felt like I was reading a mix of the newest Gossip Girl remake with less rumor spreading and more political commentary. In the novel, Beatriz and Hero spend their spring break at the Montgomerys' house, with Claudio, Hero's boyfriend, Ben, the boy Beatriz loathes, John, the boy I loathe, Meg, the Montgomerys' housekeeper's daughter, and Peter, Meg's older brother. The high-stakes lifestyle that Ben's family and friends lead was really overwhelming for me to read at times, and I definitely want to give a major TW for addiction (graphic), drug abuse (graphic), alcohol abuse (graphic), and sexual harassment.

Second, going into Ben and Beatriz's relationship, I was really hesitant of their relationships at times, but I'll admit, the two of them grew on me. I usually can't stand books that feature one conservative MC and one liberal MC (because it usually feels really dehumanizing and white savior-y), but it's apparent at the beginning of the novel that Ben doesn't share the same conservative views as his family, and that he is more apolitical than anything. Another reason why I wasn't always the biggest fan of Ben and Beatriz together is the fact that both of them turn to new sexual partners after the third-act breakup. While they were not explicitly cheating on each other, as they had broken up at the time, I typically loathe romance books that feature the MC's getting with new partners :( At all of Ben's POVs, however, it's obvious how deeply and passionately he loves Beatriz and I think that's what redeemed them for me.

Moving onto the political commentary in this book, I feel like I really enjoyed some of the discussions included, but I also found some of the commentary to be a little outdated. For example, I admired the thoughtfulness of Beatriz and Hero's conflict about how "Latina" each of them feel/are and how the white folks around them react to their physical appearances, as well Meg's commentary of not wanting to feel like "an Asian stereotype." The timeline of this novel, however, felt a little out-of-touch. I'd be reading dialogue between Beatriz and another character, for example, and Beatriz would causally drop in "when Hillary lost" in her inner monologue. It would always throw me off and honestly felt a little jarring because, here's the thing, the struggles that Beatriz and other BIPOC face in the novel is applicable today, even with Biden as President. Like, racism, colorism, and classism didn't magically go away when Trump was elected out of office, and I feel like that's a little what these types of commentary implied.

Additionally, because this book is set in 2017, there are numerous references to 2017 pop culture. I generally hate when authors inject their books with so many pop culture references, but this book was next level. There's a part of the book where Ben notices that Hero is reading The Hate U Give, which he dismisses as a book that's been "taking over the internet." And yes, it's true that this book was really popular in 2017, but it's also a book that also been critiqued for being playing into trauma porn for Black folks. Also, Ben and Beatriz prides themselves on being educated as reader and literature lovers, but literally every single book they discuss and reference in the book is by a white author. And for someone who is apparently super liberal and critical of white supremacy, I found it incredibly hypocritical for Beatriz to be praising books like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. J.K. Rowling is a horrible person and I'm appalled that the series was referenced so many times. Percy Jackson also has several harmful stereotypes of POC in the series. This is what I mean when I say that some parts of the novel felt really outdated, and I think I would have enjoyed this story so much more if it were updated to be told in 2022 instead of 2017.

As for the aspect of this novel being a Much Ado About Nothing retelling, I really enjoyed it as a retelling. Much Ado About Nothing is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, and I love how Katalina Gamarra spun some of the original plot points on its head. I was so so happy that (view spoiler) in this book because I remember thinking how awful Claudio was to Hero when I read the play for the first time.

Overall, I think I'd give this book 4 stars for the reasons I mentioned above. It was highly entertaining, but I really wish the commentary had been updated to reflect the ideals and values we have in 2022 today.

This is on my top 5 for 2022! Absolutely fantastic! Diverse characters, Queer, Love, HEA, drama, Harvard and so much more.
Beautifully written, raw, fun and spicy.

I really enjoyed Ben and Beatriz, the debut novel by Katalina Gamarra. The book takes place in the not-so-distant past, pre-Covid, but with the world, now we realize, forever tainted by the divisive rhetoric of our previous administration. On the surface, Ben and Beatriz have NOTHING in common. They both attend the same Ivy League college but their journey to that destination was totally different. Beatriz comes from a dysfunctional family; she is a Latinx woman of color and attends school by way of scholarships and hard work. Ben is just as intelligent as Beatriz but comes from a place of privilege and entitlement that Beatriz can only imagine. During their freshman year, they had a fiery sexual encounter and have been sworn enemies ever since. They continue to be in each other orbits as his roommate and her cousin are in a relationship. During a school holiday, Beatriz travels with her cousin to Ben’s palatial home. Even with the many barriers they face (Ben’s horrific brother, her feelings of alienation, Ben’s family-induced anxiety) Ben and Beatriz finally give in to the simmering attraction they can no longer fight. Katalina Gamarra gives us a truly luminous book in this first novel. She explores relevant issues of sexuality, division, privilege and the power needed to love in the face of societal differences. In addition, Ms. Gamarra doesn’t tie her story up in a neat little bow but at the end we are educated, hopeful and uplifted.
Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House Publishing for letting me read the ARC of Ben and Beatriz!

Reviewed on Bookbub, Google Play

This was the book my inner teen needed to read! Once I started I couldn't put it down. I was immediately drawn to Beatriz, her feelings over the 2016 election and the general feeling that this was the end of the world. I immensely enjoyed following her journey as she discovered herself and what she wanted for her future. Katalina Gamarra was able to put a little bit of everything into a book that discusses bi-erasure, capitalism, racism and misogyny while still keeping it light.

This…was not my favorite. I found myself not really liking any of the characters for the first part of the book. It seemed like Ben was only decent to Beatriz because he thought she was hot and it seemed like Beatriz put up with his crap and hung around him because she thought he was hot. And I couldn’t really connect with them until they got more vulnerable with each other which just didn’t happen soon enough for me. So in that in between time, there was a lot of things happening with the side characters regarding race and identity and microaggressions which would be really informative and helpful for white readers to read, but as a non-white reader, was just a bit exhausting since it made me dislike a majority of the characters. I know we’re supposed to grow with them, but some of the things said by many of the characters were just inexcusable.

I don’t know. I think what I didn’t like about it some people might enjoy about it. One thing that bugged me was that this didn’t feel entirely like a Much Ado About Nothing retelling. The names were there and I guess some allusions as well, but this largely fell flat as a retelling in my opinion. That’s a small gripe, though. This isn’t a bad book, it just really wasn’t for me.

There is absolutely nothing better than a well written enemies to lovers, Much Ado About Nothing adaptation. Katalina Gamarra did not disappoint, the second I started this book I was hooked.

First of all, the big topics were handled with such care. Classism, racism, biphobia, childhood trauma, and so much more was fit into this story without it seeming preachy or taking away from the overall rom-com tone. Gamarra is a talented writer, the dialogue of these sorts of conversations can be difficult to write realistically but I felt like it was really well done. All the characters in this book have their flaws, but they are so undeniably, and at times painfully, human that you can not help but root for them. (Except Ben's brother he sucks).

Now, Ben and Beatriz themselves. Call me a sucker all you want, but is there anything hotter than a rich, daddy's money, Harvard graduate man who is obsessed with Jane Austen and is open to having conversations about experiences that differ from his own, and then actually learning from them? I say no. Ben is an infuriating character for sure, but I love him anyway. Beatriz is good for him, bringing him down to Earth. Beatriz is the new love of my life, she is so confident and smart and fun and I could honestly ramble about her character for an hour. Pansexual queen.

The sex scenes. Condom discussions, safe sex, STI testing, oh my. Loving the safe sex positive attitude that the author created in this world, I wish is was as destigmatized and common in everyone's life. I have never read more realistic discussions about sex and the involved risks and I didn't realize how much I wanted that in romance novels until now.

I could go on and on. I loved this book with my whole soul, and everyone should pre-order it right now.

Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House Publishing for letting me read the ARC of Ben and Beatriz!

I immediately fell for the premise of Ben and Beatriz not because of the Shakespeare retelling, but because I am, alas, a sucker for a "bougie white boys with a heart of gold in large Cape houses with messed up WASP families" trope (a side effect of growing up in Kennedy lore in New England, I think). And for at least half of the book, Ben and Beatriz is exactly that. Snobby, rich Ben Montgomery has his pick of women at Harvard, and he chooses and uses them liberally to satisfy himself, all the while avoiding getting involved with any of them in any meaningful way. Beatriz, a first-generation queer Latinx college student and Ben's Harvard classmate, is the total opposite, but on her, the sex-positivity is played up as fierce and independent, whereas Ben just comes off looking like a jerk.

But sometimes there's just something about another person, an indescribable magnetism, that despite all your reservations about each other, the teasing and sniping, and complete and utter mismatch of ideals (or so it is assumed), two people are just drawn together. Ben and Beatriz struggle with the image they have of both each other and themselves as they find each drawn to the other in a steamy showdown that makes them rearrange what they thought they knew about who—and what—they want in a relationship.

Even though it's overplayed, I really did love Ben playing the part of the "poor rich kid"—mostly because of how much better of a human being he was compared to some of his cruel family members. And it is satisfying to see Beatriz's anger, while justified, have to take a backseat to and be tempered by some of her desires. Both characters grow, change, and adapt in this novel. And the big topics—class, racism, homophobia, addiction—are important characters in and of themselves.

The one thing I would've liked to see is actually more interplay between Ben and his family. I also think that Ben and Beatriz's relationship would have benefitted from some development on the front-end—we come into the novel just being told they hate each other, but there isn't quite enough zing in their alleged hatred, nor enough heat in their arguments to make the passionate relationship they eventually fall into completely believable.

All told, this is definitely a novel for the new adult crowd. There is pretty explicit sexual content‚—this was way steamier than I was expecting!

One last highlight of the book for me was the Author's Note, where Gamarra encourages anyone with even a little bit of an idea and a story to tell to just sit down and do it. It was honestly inspiring, and I'm glad Gamarra had the chance to tell her type of story in her own way.

4.5 This was a bit of a slow start for me, but once I got into it, I could not stop thinking about it. I think that the best part of this book are the characters: they are so well written and developed. You get to know them so well that you almost forget for a moment that they are simply characters in a story. Gamarra does a great job of making their personalities come through in the dialogue, both verbally and through text, and you truly do connect with them.

I also loved the arguments in this story. They were so authentic, and such important issues were showcased through these conversations. I felt that I could, at times, relate to what was being said, and at other times, I was brought to notice the fallacies in my own logic or opinions. The characters reacted in ways that were extremely realistic, even if they were not necessarily rational, which made you connect with them that much more.

And I cannot talk about this book without mentioning the amazing sex scenes: body positivity, safe sex, STD testing, consent, listening to one another, mutual attention... all mixed in with an enemies-to-lovers tension? A+

When it comes to the bad, I thought that the writing sometimes did feel a little awkward or rushed. I also had a slight issue with the MC taking on everyone else's problems, while not receiving quite as much emotional support. It also felt that everyone was given such great character development, while the MC did not change all that much from the beginning to the end. This does not necessarily make it unrealistic—a character does not have to change a ton within a book for them to be well-written—but it did bother me a little.

Overall this was an amazing novel and I would highly recommend it to those who want a romance story with a ton of depth and emotional connection alongside some very satisfying sexual tension.

Ben and Beatriz by Katalina Gamarra
Rating: 8/10 ✨
An advanced reading copy from NETGalley! This book hit all the topics. All the sensitive stuff, the funny stuff, the uncomfortable conversations and intelligent banter. Queerness, neurodiversity, racism, addiction, suicide, abuse, all in context of 2017 Trump America. This was a love story, but it wasn’t about the love story, it was coming of age and learning to love and friendship. Don’t be scared of the heavy topics, this book was FUNNY and it felt light even when it wasn’t. I am so impressed when an author can create such a safe space that these topics don’t weigh down a book but emphasize the story.

I really have no idea where to start. I guess surface level is a good place. I was drawn to this book because of the synopsis and cover. I'd forgotten when I picked up the book it was a retelling of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. It really felt like Katalina Gamarra put their own spin to it and made it feel fresh and completely novel. I didn't realize it was a retelling until after I'd finished the book and read the acknowledgements.

Delving deeper, I think this is the first romance novel that's directly included the election of 2016 and in a romance. This isn't the typical politically left and right leaning people meet and fall in love while trying to reconcile their feelings and morals for the other and somehow finding a way. Ben is really apolitical and Beatriz is not.

I have to applaud Katalina Gamarra for how racism and colorism is discussed in Ben and Beatriz. There are so many micro and macro aggressions Beatriz experiences, both as an adult and a child. They're heartbreaking and infuriating because it's not always from strangers, but also those who are supposed to love and protect you. It really helped me understand how formative it all was for her, and why she's now so guarded with her heart and trust.

Ben too is a revelation. Outwardly he has everything one would think he would desire- money, prestige, wealth, looks, personality. However he too is a product of his upbringing and circumstances. It was fascinating to peel back his external persona and get to see the real him. I loved seeing him grow as a person, realizing what it was he needed and how to handle situations he wasn't comfortable handling before.

Beatriz and Ben really have this strong attraction to each other, and I loved the tension between them, one that had been building for years. While it's hot and steamy, I really loved how realistically their attraction to each other was coupled with human needs and behaviors. Also how they tried to reconcile their feelings with the challenges they knew they would face.

There's really so much to unpack in this retelling. I loved Beatriz and Hero's relationship, flaws and all. I love how every character is multi-faceted. No one is likable 100% of the time, and I even found myself empathizing with characters I loathed at moments. There are so many other very important themes discussed, like masculine toxicity, privilege, biphobia, bi-erasure, and colorism. Ben & Beatriz is powerful, and truly a romance of today. I loved it, and yet was left wanting more. The story ends in a decent place, but I really hope Katalina Gamrra doesn't stop here. There is so much more potential for Ben and Beatriz and as well for Hero. I wouldn't mind reading another book about any of them. I'm impressed with Katalina Gamarra and I think you will be too!

You know when you see a book, and based on the cover and synopsis alone, you decide you're going to love it? That was me with Ben and Beatriz. I was so excited for this book that I read my ARC copy in February even though it releases in early August. And that excitement sure paid off, because I'm happy to introduce you all to the review of my first 5 star read of 2022!

I normally dread writing reviews, but with this book, I had so many thoughts while reading it that I can't wait to share that I'm so excited that I get to review it. So get yourself some snacks, because I'm about to break down all the things I loved about this book and why I thought each element was done so well!

To start, you need a synopsis. This book is a Much Ado About Nothing retelling where the main male character, Ben, comes from a rich, privileged, white family, and Beatriz is everything Ben's family hates as a bold, mixed race supporter of equality in all forms. The two have hated each other practically since they met, but now Beatriz and her cousin Hero are accompanying Ben and his roommate, Claudio, to Ben's house in Cape Cod for spring break. While the four of them are there, Ben and Beatriz's relationship starts to evolve, but there are many obstacles thrown in the path of any chance of a happily ever after for the two of them.

So you might have already guessed by the fact that this was a 5 star read that I adored absolutely everything about this book. But I just feel the need to list out everything I loved. The characters? Perfection. The pacing? Impeccable. The steaminess? Top notch. This book was everything I could ever want in a romance wrapped up in the perfect package of that stunning cover. But now, on to the details!

One of the things that makes this such a strong book was how complex the characters were. You see the stories from both characters' perspectives and they're flawed, multifaceted individuals that slowly reveal all their many sides to each other over the course of the novel. What's amazing is that it all feels so natural. The evolution of their relationship was messy and complicated in a way that felt so real. Even though I'm not quite like either character, I related to both of them so hard because of how they were dealing with everything that went on.

Even the side characters were real, complicated people. You saw a lot of how dimensionalized every character was by how intricate their emotions were. In one scene each character would express a range of emotions as a conversation or situation progressed, that just felt so real. I find that many stories try highlighting one central emotion per scene, but in this book that definitely was not the case. A steamy scene could also have the two arguing, a happy scene could have characters processing difficult, harsh emotions. Nothing was just surface level, and because of that you really got to know each of these characters in quite an intense manner.

I also loved how class and race and privilege was intertwined throughout this book. There were no easy fixes in sight, but the characters in this book had hard conversations, made important realizations, and made the changes they needed to based on what they learned. This book was hopeful, but in a realistic way. The societal issues at the beginning of the book were the same societal issues that were being dealt with at the end of the book, but what had changed was how the characters now approached these issues. The change wasn't linear, and it was different for each character, but it did convey this sense of hope and reminded me that everyone has growing that they need to do, and it may not be easy, but it can be done.

As for the romantic elements, be prepared, because this book is quite steamy. These two take a more enemies with benefits approach before any real romance kicks in. And once they get started, they do not stop tearing off each other's clothes the entire book. You have been warned. That being said, I feel like the author did a great job of only putting scenes on page when there was a reason to. Whenever there was some aspect of an emotional breakthrough, or some sort of change in Ben and Beatriz's relationship, did you also see the physical intimacy that these two constantly sought. One of the things I also loved was how respectful and communicative these two were to one another when they slept together even when they were the fiercest of enemies. They could be bickering and arguing all day, but when things got heated, they always made sure they were on the same page.

I could write a detailed thesis on this book with quotes, a full blown analysis of each chapter, and an appendix referencing how this book is one of the best retellings I've read in a long time, but I'll hold myself back so that this is a non-spoiler filled review instead. But what I'm really hoping is that you understand the depth of my love for this book and go pick it up to see for yourself how great it is.

As I've already mentioned, I gave this book 5 stars. I loved it so very much, and I think there's a good chance that many others will love it too once they give it a chance once it comes out! And if I have to reread the book come August so that I can discuss all the little details with everyone once the general public has read it, so be it!

I have loved Much Ado About Nothing since I was thirteen years old. I was therefore excited but also cautious about reading this modern retelling. I sped through it in 24 hours. I didn't love the way that all the plotlines were left at the end, but it was just as heartbreaking, unresolved, and wonderful as life can be. It definitely has lots of adult content, so do not think that this is a good YA retelling for a teen struggling with Shakespeare, but it captures all the tension that a lot of young people felt in 2017 and 2018. It has great representation and great explanations of a lot of racial and sexual and societal tensions without feeling very preachy or academic. Overall, it was gripping and real and deeply emotionally engaging and I highly recommend it (even if I like both Branagh/Thompson AND Tennant/Tate Much Ados. Sorry, Katalina!).

An engaging, emotional, exciting new adult contemporary romance! Beyond opposites attract or enemies to lovers, this book is about putting down prejudice and preconceived notions and opening up to get to know people at a deeper level. I was initially put off by how almost cliched these characters came across, but as they were exposed layer by layer, I was absolutely enchanted. I completely agree with the excitement surrounding the anticipation of this title, and I will be recommending it far and wide.

Ben is the definition of privelige, white, wealthy, and about to graduate from Harvard and move directly into a job at his father's firm. Beatriz is disadvantaged in almost every way, about to finish her time at Harvard without knowing where to go next. They hooked up once Freshman year and have been trying to ignore the lingering attraction ever since. When their two best friends push them into spending Spring Break together they start to see past each other's surfaces to the common ground they share beneath.

I received an advanced copy of this title as a librarian. This review is my honest personal opinion and I have not been compensated.

Debut author Katalina Gamarra is definitely one to watch. While this book blew me away with the intensity and believability between the main love interests, Ben and Beatriz, part of what made it such an enjoyable read was the relationships that the narrators have with their friends and family; not one character in this book feels like a prop just there to support the hero's journey. The novel's pacing is spot-on and even though you can feel the story coming to a close, it still leaves you wanting more. I could read 10,000 more pages of Ben and Beatriz.

I loved this book so much. I don’t really have the proper words to describe it. The letter Ben wrote to Beatriz at the end made me cry.

I received an arc through netgalley

2.5

This book had so much potential but it really didn't follow through on any of it for me. It was so heavy with none of the levity and comedy of errors of the source text

Read if you like:
-Enemies to lovers with no real clarity on why they are enemies
-Much Ado About Nothing with none of the fun, silly meddling/matchmaking
-Jane Austen-loving heroes
-Cape Cod
-Pansexual, learning disabled heroines

In general, I really just didn't like these two together. Beatriz deserved so much better than Ben and this story. It was confusing to me that this book was fade to black when it seemed like the only thing that brought these two together was their sexual chemistry.

All in all, this one had good bones, it just really didn't work for me.

CW: Fat shaming, child neglect, alcohol misuse, colorism, heroine use, biphobia, panic attacks, unprotected sex