In Twice a Quinceaña, a jilted bride decides to throw herself a party, a quince.

The venue has already been paid for and family is already expected to attend the festivities so she changes the theme and decides a party for her is the solution. Then she discovers that the man in charge of the venue is none other than her college fling that became far more than a fling. And he looks even more delicious than a three-tiered cake.

A fun read!

Refreshing. Fun. Loving. Relatable. 4/5 Stars.

I will start off by saying that I will never get tired of reading books with Latinx characters. This book is a double whammy as it has an Argentinian female lead and an Uruguayan male lead...who both come from immigrant families. The best part?...The story doesn't REVOLVE around their immigrant status or background. I'm so here for it!

We often see immigrants and children of immigrants portrayed in very specific ways in literature. Sometimes it seems like the only place for Latinx characters is in the midst of stories regarding suffering and immigrant journeys. It was refreshing to see these characters be portrayed as just...people...with lives, careers, interests and struggles beyond the ones that too often we are stereotyped for. Lately, authors like Yamile Saied Méndez have given us a whole new kind of representation. I love it so much.

"She'd walked out of the fight with a heart smashed to smithereens and her confidence the size of the dust motes dancing in the sunbeams that slashed through the windshield of her car."

Twice a Quinceañera is a story about Nadia, a 29 year old lawyer who breaks up with her fiancé and cancels her wedding a month before it's set to occur. With the entire wedding paid for and guests set to arrive, Nadia decides to use the wedding resources to throw herself a grand party for her 30th birthday. Frankly...I'm salty I didn't throw myself a double quince...It sounds like a marvelous idea. I must pitch this idea to all of my 29 yo friends!

"He wanted to be loved for who he was, not replace someone else. Which was really what was stopping him from giving in to what he felt for Nadia."

In the midst of the party plans, Nadia is reunited with a long-lost flame from college, Marcos. I thought Marcos was a very well developed character. I appreciated his sincerity and loved his willingness to be vulnerable. While sometimes I felt like their love was too heavily dependent on their past experiences, I found that I was rooting for both of them to heal as individuals so they could be together. I think I enjoyed that both characters, Nadia and Marcos, were given such relatable stories. I found myself realizing that I had experienced many of the feelings and situations that Marcos and Nadia experienced. It was heartwarming to feel seen and understood, even if it was through fake characters and made-up stories.

"Life had given them this second chance, and he could never live long enough to say how grateful he was."

Overall, this is a fun and heartwarming read that I would recommend for all fans of the solid Rom-Com. That being said, this book is full of emotion and the maturing of two main characters so it's not all fun and games. Expect a rollercoaster and some pleasant surprises.

Pure joy. Absolutely adored this book - it made me feel so happy and positive. I loved that Nadia decided to celebrate everything she has achieved in life and turning 30! It was nice to read a book with a main character that was so relatable and made you feel confident about yourself too. I loved the family events leading up to the quinceañera and would have loved to read more of these ! The fact that the family weren’t ‘perfect’ made it a joy to read because it seemed more realistic.

Can’t wait to read more books about the other members of Nadias’ family or the wedding venues fiery assistant. I would definitely recommend this book to friends.

This book is the definition of wholesome! Here, Nadia is standing up for herself and becoming THAT woman irrespective of her career achievements and what people my think. And then there’s Marcos (I’m in loveeeee) wants a second chance with his family.

I love so many things about Nadia’s story. I love her support relatives, and her courage. And Marcos is just the sweetest person! This is such a relaxing and inspiring read.

This book follows Nadia who is set to marry Brandon that is before discovering he’s cheated. She kicks him out and cancels the wedding but there’s one problem her family from different parts of the world are flying in for the big event. Having already paid for the venue she decides to throw herself a double quinces, a treintañera. When she goes to update venue owner it turns out to be none other than, Marcos, someone from her past. Are second chances possible?

I loved the Latinx representation in this book. We have Argentines, Uruguayans, and Puerto Ricans. This story was a story that as a Latina was very relatable to me. I think we all understand the pressure put on us to be accomplished (professionally) but also to marry and have children. As first gen children there is this need to repay the sacrifices made by our parents and sometimes our dreams, wants, and needs get life behind or on the sidelines. This story is about Nadia finding herself, loving herself, and sharing her individual accomplishments with her loved ones. We have all these milestones that society tells us we need to hit (extra points if it’s done by a certain age) but this book is a reminder that all of our journeys are different and it’s okay. The romance in the book was sweet and it was beautiful to have a male character like Marcos who understands that this journey is Nadia’s and he’s there to support her and help her get there. The way Marcos admires and roots for her is beautiful and very sweet. He also has things he’s working through and I love that it is Nadia who inspires him to make those hard decisions and changes for himself. This is my first Yamile Saied Mendez book but it will not be my last.

I really enjoyed the book , I was able to finish it in 2 days I was really invested in the characters and it was able to feel a part of her and what she was feeling and going through.

When Nadia dumps her cheating fiance and it's too late to cancel the wedding deposits, she decides to keep the date and throw herself the quinceañera she never had. Her family reluctantly gets on board. And guess who runs the charming, rustic wedding venue? Why, it's her college fling, Marco, who disappeared after a few intense weeks and was never heard from again.

This was a very cute premise and had a lot of promise, but it just didn't come together. Plot threads didn't get resolved. Characters were introduced but not given much to do. I have a lot of questions (for example: was the fiance really a serial cheater? it's not super clear what Nadia knew and when, and the confrontation scene in the book is kind of ambiguous). This book could've used more ruthless editing. It was slightly too long and still didn't wrap everything up.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars- Thank you, NetGalley for this arc! I was immediately drawn to this book for its beautiful cover and when I read the synopsis I was sold! I really enjoyed this book, it was a fun read and unlike anything, I read before. I related to Nadia and her extended family so much and loved the scenes where we got to see their interactions.

I thought the book started off really strong but towards the end I found myself wanting a little bit more especially in the last few chapters.

However, I do recommend this book for someone that is looking to read a second chance romance, a unique storyline and easy fun read!

This was a cute story about finding yourself and really realizing what you want in life. Nadia was a strong woman and I enjoyed watching her fight for her happiness. I also really enjoyed Marcos’s journey to self forgiveness! A unique story that was overall very sweet and fun.

This is such a wholesome read. We really need more contemporary novels where women choose themselves more. I enjoyed the pace in this, also loved the way the MC interacted with her family members. So realatable

This was a good read. I like the premise of it, it was original. Although some parts was hard to follow because of some Spanish dialogue. I also felt a lot of chapters could have done without, felt like a lot of filling. Loved the ending! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book has lots of stuff going for it. It had an adorable cover, a great premise, and a fun family, but it ultimately just didn't come together for me.

This book was both slow and rambling and too action packed for me. It felt like we were just jumping from scene to scene with a lack of character development. One example of this for me was Marcos's sister and dad, and Nadia's friends. They feel like props instead of fully developed characters that added to the story line. Nadia and Marcos's relationship also suffered. By the time they are declaring their love for each other, I think they had been on page together about 4 times. It just made this second chance love story feel very insta love for me.

The part of this book that did work well for me was Nadia's extended family. Once they finally all arrived and party planning commenced, it was so great to get to know this big, fun family. I truly wish we could have skipped the first 50% of this book and built up the second half when the extended family enters the scene.

I really wanted to love this book, but in the end, it just wasn't a good fit for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the free ebook in exchange for my honest review.

3.25/5 stars

TW/CWs: racism, sexual harassment (workplace), sexism, parental death (off page), family conflict (communicative, no physical altercations)

Nadia is a jilted bride who instead of her wedding plans for her treintañera (double quinces) and the readers follow along her journey of self-love and growth.

This book made me feel so many things that it was hard to give it a review and I had to let it sit. The book started off interesting but lost it’s way around the 30% mark. I stuck with it and I was so glad I did. While I was expecting more romance, this book focused much more on character development. The characterization and representation of several different cultures/backgrounds was such a wonderful addition. It was nice to see diversity even within the Latin cultures. I enjoyed the family scenes quite a bit. The chemistry between Nadia and Marco was missing in the beginning and felt a bit rushed at the end but the flashbacks definitely added to the angst and draw between them.

There were some instances where things were resolved too quickly or situations weren’t handled or brought up again that should’ve been handled.

Overall, I would definitely recommend to those who enjoy reading light-hearted late coming-of-age, familial relationships/dynamics, and light romance stories.

Many thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks NetGalley for this Arc !
The first thing that attracted me to this book is the title ! Me being 30, Twice a quinceañera equals 30 😂 and I never had a quinceñera. Poor Nadia having to cancel her wedding a month before. I would hate that but instead she turns it into something positive. Loved this book !

Cute, cheesy, and lighthearted read. Overall enjoyable with like able characters as well. I found myself skimming and skipping some pages because I felt some parts were dragging and not feeling completely invested either. The romance between main character Nadia and Marcos was cute- the trope, their pasts, and few moments they share but didn’t completely feel the chemistry. I also really liked the cultural ties to Argentina and Puerto Rico (where the families of the mc’s were from).

Thanks NetGalley and Kensington Books for letting me view this book for honest feedback

Voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of Twice a Quinceanera by Yamile Saied Mendez. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When I started this book, I was looking forward to reading a novel where a woman finds herself beyond being part of a couple. I'm not sure if that is what I got. I enjoyed the characters and how well the families and the emotions leaped off the page. But the almost insta-attraction amid everything distracted me from the character growth. Overall it was well written and enjoyable. But I was left feeling just a bit dissatisfied.

When I first saw the cover of this book, I was instantly intrigued. The blurb and the storyline were unique and the book was such a light, fun and engaging read that got me through a monotonous day. There was so much representation of characters from different cultures (the main character Nadia's friends were from mixed backgrounds and she herself was Argentinian). It was really nice to learn about the culture and the family interactions were really relatable. Nadia's family gathering made me miss my own and I devoured this book in just a few hours! Though Nadia & Marco's chemistry was a bit off in the first few chapters. There should have been some more build up between them. Regardless, the last few chapters made up for the lack of romance. This book was more about how Nadia takes a chance and finally does something for herself amidst the chaos in her life. Overall, this was a pretty light-hearted and entertaining read with familial feels, self-love and some good representation.

Thank you Netgalley & Kensington Books for the ARC

Twice a Quinceañera is a very special story. I absolutely loved it! There are so many important themes. Nadia is a child of immigrants feeling the pressure to succeed, a woman needing to be married for all of her accomplishments to be valid, and we see her break out of these pressures. Success is in being happy, in loving yourself. Nadia learns so much about her family, she feels their love and support, and she finds herself, she loves herself, and she finds happiness, in herself, in her career, and with a partner.

I highly recommend this story!!!!!

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Big thanks to Kensington Books for the e-ARC of this book via NetGalley. This review is being given honestly and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

CWs: racism, sexual harassment at work, sexism at work, parental death (off page), family conflict (nothing physical)

Twice a Quince is kind of like a mix of wens fiction, romance, and even coming of age. I’ll start off by saying that this was marketed perfectly and I really appreciated that. I’ve seen a lot of books be marketed as straight up romance when in fact, it is women’s fiction with a romance sub-plot. The synopsis hints at the story of Nadia Palacio’s journey to loving herself the way she deserves and getting her life back on track after her fiancé’s latest and final betrayal, with a dash of blast in the past in the form of Marcos Hawkins, a summer fling from college.

Note that I went in fully expecting this to be heavy on the women’s fiction and a side dish of romance but I was pleasantly surprised when there was a really even mix of the two because we were treated to DUAL POV from our main characters. This gave us a front row view into BOTH MCs journeys to getting their shit together after some shitty events. We, of course, are right away introduced to Nadia and her predicament of having a big family from all over the globe, heading to Utah for a wedding that is no longer taking place. She is suddenly inspired by a magazine article to have a treintañera, a doble quiñce! This is where she runs into Marcos, a ‘what if’ fling from college who now helps run the wedding venue. We are introduced to Marcos’s life and issues with equal measures, along with the development of their romance.

I really appreciated the way Méndez wrote Nadia and Marcos’s individual stories and the way they come together throughout the book. Honestly, the depiction of Nadia’s Argentinian family felt SO relatable to me and also so different. As a Mexican American I can definitely relate to the big family, the need to surpass your parents goals, the subtle posturing/competition that goes on within the family, and the amazing support system a family can be. I thought this was a lovely glimpse into Argentinian culture as there were references and instances that showcased it from beginning to end. On Marcos’s side, we get a hint of his struggle with his identity as he is a white hispanic who lost touch with his Uruguayan family and thus, feels disconnected from his culture.

This book mostly had me head empty, heart full except for a few instances, such as Kenzie (a horrible character), some of the family conflict, and the way some of the issues were so quickly resolved in this book. Like, the last 2/3 chapters had a lot of fast resolution that didn’t quite fit, including Kenzie suddenly being nice after being racist, rude, and borderline sexually harassing Marcos.

Overall, I really loved this book and really recommend it even for those who prefer pure romance novels!

Thanks Netgalley for a arc copy of this book for a honest review
Twice a Quinceañera is a 5 star read. Thus is the kubd of booking needed in my life. It was a fun and enjoyable read can't wait for the book to cone out physically I'm going to pre-ordered.


Happy Reading

Lisa