I’m in love and this really isn’t a joke. This is a book 3 in the series but you don’t technically have to read the others first. I’m sure it would be 1,000 times better if you do but I didn’t get a chance to read the others before this one.

The relationship between Angel and Deanna and how they had to maneuver around the pandemic was so real and raw. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about reading a book that included covid but it was so well written and only added to the characters and their story. And let’s not forget that it was extra spicy so if that’s your thing, you won’t be disappointed!

Seriously, this book gives me chills and just everything that I can’t even describe it fully. Now it’s time for me to go back and read the others and maybe swoon just as much.

ARC provided by Victory Editing. Thank you NetGalley and Little Stone Press for Tanked by Mia Hopkins. Thanked is a stand alone book though it is book 3 in the Eastside Brewery Series. This book was so well written and it brought the characters to life so much that I’m going to read 1 and 2 on my own.
The book Tanked is a hot and steamy contemporary romance. Deanna and Angels paths cross three years after they had a one night stand together. Angel is the youngest brother who has survived a tough childhood. His hands may have calluses from work and fights, but his heart is soft and genuine. Family is important to him and he has dreams. He’s sincere. He’s HOT.
Deanna is down to earth. She works and gets by without the money or influence her families name carries. She is the black sheep of the family.
Together Angel and Deanna are driven and steamy. The scene takes place in LA during our recent pandemic times. This book is real. They wear mask. Get tested. Remain 6’ apart. WITHOUT POLITICS!
I recommend this book for romance, tough guy finds nice girl. TBH, I read this book in 3 days. I didn’t want to put it down. Preview mentions toughly subjects.

(This review includes a spoiler at the end)
This book was worth the wait. I enjoyed the first two books in this series but this last one was the strongest of the trilogy. The writing is sharp and funny, right from the start. Angel's voice is more mature than his brothers in the previous books and I appreciate the addition of the second point of view. The author also did a great job of integrating the pandemic without it being a distraction or a gimmick. This is a lovely story of two good people finding each other. The sexual tension and connection between the main characters is palpable throughout. Finally, I really appreciate that the author did not include {SPOILER} a silly fight or breakup at 80% and I think Angel's fighting was an excellent device to add just the right amount of tension.

Tanked was a really delightful read and I'm so glad that I picked it up. Reading about Angel and Deanna and their relationship and the realistic life struggles that they go through while navigating a relationship (and a pandemic) felt raw and real and relatable. Angel was an absolute sweetheart and Deanna was a badass, and they had chemistry for days! Absolutely loved it.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. I loved Angel and Deanna. I have a soft spot for Salvador, but I think Angel is my favorite of the Rosas brothers. He is sweet, gentle, smart, caring, and filthy. This couple felt real and had amazing chemistry. The sex scenes in this book were amazing, but no matter how spicy they were, there were always a sweetness to them. I’m glad we got dual POV on this book. It really helped understand where both the character were at in their lives and how they came together, and it helped me see how much they made sense together.

I’m sad to be done with these characters because I really came to love this family. Reading the three books in a row also helped me see the improvements in the author’s writing. This book was perfect and I can’t wait to read more books by this author.

Tanked is the third and final book in the Rosas brothers series.

It's been a while since the last one was published, but this also means we get to read a more complex story.

Angel is the younger brother of three and while he's an adult, he's still trying to find his foot within the family business and life.

He doesn't see himself as a hero. Just because he avoided the past mistakes of his brother or because he's trying to help as much as possible now.

Deanna is a social worker that comes from a very dysfunctional family. She’s seven years older than him and it's really interesting to see how her mind works against her desires.

The story tackled many hot topics, and I loved how the author is adding so much more substance to the characters’ development through their actions and reflections on these matters.

Their interaction and up and downs moments are so well balanced with the steamy scenes. And I mean, that cover alone is a big hint of it.

The pandemic is a big setting part of the story and while it's still a hard time for many, it's done very realistic and raw.

Overall, I really loved this series and the tight relationship between all these characters that had so much to overcome throughout life.

Very grateful to the publisher/author for my review copy.

Oh my goodness what amazingness did I just read? I’m in love and this really isn’t a joke. And look, it’s book 3 in the series but you don’t technically have to read the others first. I’m sure it would be 1,000 times better if you do but I didn’t get a chance. I was about to start the series so I could get ready for release when I received notification the book was on my kindle and I got WAY too excited to start it. So that’s where I’m at.

I need to know where I can find my very own Angel because he was perfectly imperfect and I honestly wouldn’t want him any other way. He basically wore his heart on his sleeve without it being too overwhelming or creepy. He was honest with Deanna from the start that he wanted to get to know her and wanted more with her. And the admission that he would send her awkward texts then followed through on that promise made my awkward heart squee. He spent time to show her that she was important to him and that he was worth the chance despite being so young. And he did it all without being demanding or possessive.

If you can’t tell, I have so many feels for Angel and this book.

The relationship between Angel and Deanna and how they had to maneuver around the pandemic was so real and raw. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about reading a book that included covid but it was so well written and only added to the characters and their story. And let’s not forget that it was extra spicy so if that’s your thing, you won’t be disappointed!

Seriously, this book gives me chills and just everything that I can’t even describe it fully. Now it’s time for me to go back and read the others and maybe swoon just as much.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am new to this series and was not familiar with the stories of the brothers. This is an ambitious book that touches on multiple topics, such as racism, social class differences, gentrification, age differences and more. Additionally, it takes place during the pandemic. The brothers and spouses work together in their microbrewery and the sense of community is inspiring. Deanna and Angel are very different but seem to complement each other. I read this book on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the first two books when I read them over 3 years ago but this one was not working for me at all. It is set during the pandemic and all the details felt too raw for me to enjoy the story. I was not sold on the romance either. It was little details here and there that added up and made me annoyed and frustrated.
I can't say how different or similar it is to the previous books. It is hitting differently for me at present and it's definitely not the book for me but it might work better for other fans of the series.

Wow! Talk about scorching hot sexy times! But I also liked the characters and the diversity of characters. Deanna is a caring (despite a dysfunctional family), independent social worker in the lower income area of LA. Angel is a younger, slightly lost individual who is working with his ex-convict brothers in their Eastside Brewery. I liked that even though Angel was younger, he showed great maturity in thought and action. While Deanna and Angel’s romantic interactions were fiery hot, I would have liked more emotional connection. I also found it puzzling the lack of interaction between Angel and his brothers. Given theirs is a family business and with their gang history, I would have thought the Rosas family would be more in each other’s business. I found it interesting how this author incorporated current pandemic protocols.

I enjoyed this book. It felt so real with all the covid tests, vaccines, vaccine passport... I loved both of the main characters, I feel like a longer prologue would have been better. To explain more what happened after the first hookup. I also loved how Deanna was a little bit stressed at first with the age difference, but she then realized that it didn't matter.
I also loved the evolution of the relationship and the length of the book.
Overall, it was a really good read.

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75 ⭐

This was such a heartfelt story. My heart is full of all the emotions this book left me with.
This was a perfect romance, giving us the best chemistry a couple can have right from the get go.
Deanna is in her late twenties when she meets the sinfully beautiful and much younger Angel and they end up having, you know. But then Deanna ghosts him for three years until one day, they finally meet again when they are both getting their booster shot for the covid vaccine. This is one of the things I loved about this book. It does not pretend that everything is fine and the last 2 years didn’t happen. But instead deals with the reality of all the problems this pandemic has brought on upon us.
The eastside brewery is struggling due to obvious reasons and Deanna has been laid off from where she works. Angel and Deanna both actively work together to make each other better and to be better themselves. Not once did I feel bored or annoyed with the characters because they handled all the problems and conflicts with such grace and maturity, they have quickly climbed up to my list of favorite couples of all times.
Angle took such good care of Deanna despite her being older (which is a really great thing by the way; We need more age gap romances with the female lead being the older one.) like charging her phone while she’s sleeping. Plus the sexy scenes are soo steamy, i had to remind myself to breath
Moreover there was no unnecessary conflict or break up which seems to be the norm for romance novels that I have read lately which I really enjoyed. Their relationship progressed naturally and beautifully and you really feel yourself getting emotional at the epilogue when you see how far these characters have come and are finally happy and thriving.
I am most definitely curious about the first two rosas brothers now and i want to read their books ASAP so i am gonna go and look for the first two books of this series. Trust me after reading this, you would want to read them too if you haven’t already.

To say that I was waiting with great anticipation for the third and final installment of Mia Hopkins’ Eastside Brewery series would be a bit of an understatement. It had been 3 years since book 2 had come out and after having read the final book, I can honestly say it was more than worth the wait.

Tanked is the story of the youngest Rosas brother, Angel Rosas. We only get the barest sighting of Angel at the end of the second book. He is an enigma, sent off to live with relatives when his family life falls apart and his two older brothers are sent off to prison.

When Tanked opens, Angel has reunited with his two older brothers, working for them in their brewery by day and boxing at night. The prologue introduces him to Deanna Delgado, who, if you’re familiar with the series, is a side character from the previous book, popping up as the caseworker for Eddie, the middle Rosas brother. I was so excited to learn that Deanna would be the FMC in this book. When she and Angel first meet in the prologue, Angel is 21 years old, struggling to find his place in the world and in his family’s business. They hook up and have a very hot one-night stand after which Deanna basically ghosts him.

Cut to the present day, 3 years later, when the world has ground to a screeching halt due to a global pandemic (yes this is a book where the pandemic exists, masks and vaccines are mentioned and familiar characters in the series have died from covid) and Angel and Deanna cross paths again while getting their boosters.

First of all, let’s address the pandemic – the book is realistic about it. Families are hurting, businesses, including the family owned brewery started by Sal and Eddie, and Vanessa, are struggling. One of the things I loved about the book is how real the struggle was. I’m not sure everyone wants to read a romance novel that includes the pandemic but for me, the story works because the series and these characters have always been about surviving and persevering even in the most trying of times.

Younger brother Angel, still struggling to find his place in his family’s business is immediately drawn to Deanna and when he finally sees her again after being ghosted 3 years prior, he wastes no time in making his move. Deanna, who is older than Angel by 7 years, is a little bit hesitant but finally gives in, unable to resist the lure he presents.

Let me just say, this entire series has some top-tier sex scenes and this one is no different. Those Rosas brothers are not playing around in the bedroom (or the bathroom or the car or Deanna’s father’s furniture store or even via an extremely steamy bout of phone sex). But beyond the steam, there is a real emotional connection between Angel and Deanna, one that takes root because both of them are trying to find their place in this world.

Deanna, newly unemployed and dealing with toxic family relationships finds safety and comfort in Angel as well as incredibly hot sex. And Angel, forever overlooked as the youngest Rosas brother, the one who escaped the gang life and the prison stint, finds in Deanna a person who actually sees him and believes in him.

And the heart of the story is not just the romance blooming between Angel and Deanna but the community they live in, the one they serve, and their family. I don’t often cry at books but I found myself tearing up at the end because it was so hopeful and healing, even while dealing with topics that we all need an escape from.

If Sal’s story in Thirsty was about redemption and Eddie’s story in Trashed was about rebirth, then Angel’s story in Tanked is about revival. A moving, poignant look at the struggles we all face as human beings and the way we survive and persevere. Tanked doesn’t take the easy way out – there is darkness and death, grief and healing, and ultimately, love and hope to sustain them through all the bad.

Towards the end of the book, Angel summarizes that he’s not the hero in his family’s story, that particular label is reserved for his brothers.

I’m not your hero.

A hero is my brother Sal, who brought our family into the light. A hero is my brother Eddie, who broke our ties with the past so that we could move forward.

But it’s really Deanna who sees him for exactly who he is, who helps him find his place, both with her and within his family.

And all at once, I see him, the survivor and the fighter. The lover and the storyteller.

The guardian.

Finally here – finally home.

Needless to say, I absolutely adored this book (and this whole series). I can’t recommend it enough.

Content notes: pandemic world, side character death (some due to covid), on page covid diagnosis, off page abusive ex-boyfriend in the past, abusive family, violence;

Tanked picks up with the 3rd Rosas brother, Angel, who’s trying to figure out where he fits with his two older brothers after years apart. Deanna is a woman in transition trying to forge a new path after some unexpected turns. The two of them reconnect 3 years after an explosive one-night stand and in the midst of a pandemic. The book centers on their journey to trusting themselves and loving each other.

This was a fantastic series with a great closing book. Tanked tackled so many issues- gentrification, postpartum depression, recidivism, the pandemic, I could go on! All of these issues were woven into a storyline of two people navigating life’s ups and downs while falling in love.

I loved reading Angel's story! Angel and Deanna's chemistry was off the charts and they might be my favorite couple in the Eastside Brewery series. I absolutely love Angel; actually, I love all the three brothers and that's all because of Mia Hopkins' writing.

Both Deanna and Angel are not only sexiness personified but they communicated with each other pretty well too. With the pandemic, the stakes are higher than in both the previous books with Angel and the Brewery struggling and Deanna getting laid off. It's not all doom and gloom as Deanna and Angel have each other's love as well as their community.

Overall, if you're looking for a steamy contemporary romance that will leave you feeling happy and content then I would highly recommend Tanked!

cw: Past abuse, postpartum depression(secondary character), mention of deaths, pandemic

Hopkins returns to her Eastside Brewery series, and it's safe to say that Tanked was ultimately worth the wait. This was the first romance I've read that's actively set in our own pandemic times, and I was surprised by how little I minded that aspect of it, mostly because it was handled naturally and pretty seamlessly rather than anything that overshadowed the story. Angel and Deanna are off-the-charts hot, with the kind of tension you could cook something on that culminates in an equally scorching collision. Also, less of a dark moment than expected, so that was also really refreshing! I would've enjoyed a little more time overall with the Rosas brothers, but I think that's mostly proof of how ready I'd been to get back to this world and I would happily read 10 more books in this series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Tanked by Mia Hopkins
Eastside Brewery #3

Loved sliding back seamlessly into this series! Stayed up after the electricity cut to start it because…I could not put it down!

What I liked:
* Angel Rosas: fighter, survivor, brother, hard worker, reads people well, story teller, empathetic, caring, community and family oriented, HOT, caring, great for and with Deanna
* Deanna Delgado: social worker, community and people oriented, believes in what she does, strong, independent, caring, sees needs of others, great for and with Angel
* Seeing how Angel’s brothers and their families are doing
* The Pandemic aspect of the story and how it impacts the characters in the story
* The setting – I grew up in Los Angeles County and all the places were familiar
* Watching the relationship develop between Angel and Deanna
* The family presence and importance in the story
* The supporting characters that added flavor and substance
* The cultural aspects
* The diversity of characters
* Getting to know a bit more about fighting and underground fight clubs
* The way the age gap was dealt with in the story
* The fortuitous meeting of both Jules Carlos and how it impacted the outcome of the story
* That potential triggers were mentioned in the beginning to readers would be aware
* Wondering if there might be another book in the series – it is the Eastside Brewery and not the Rosas series so???

What I didn’t like:
* Thinking about the all too real backstories of some of the characters and how much they had to contend with
* Having to say goodbye to the characters

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Definitely!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

The first two books in the Eastside Brewery series followed two brothers navigating their way after incarceration and all the difficulties of re-entry. But Tanked follows their little brother Angel’s quite different, but no less difficult journey. He hasn’t been to prison like his brothers, but he was a juvenile delinquent, he’s experienced homelessness, he’s involved in illegal fight clubs, and he’s been fleeing a warrant out for his arrest while trying to re-establish his relationship with his brothers and work at their brewery. Angel is…just the best? Literally such a warm, kind person who has so much compassion for others because he’s known such hardship, but manages to still be such a positive light in the world?

Unlike Trashed which was 1st person POV through Eddie only, Tanked switches between Angel and Deanna’s POVs, and I’m so happy it does because I absolutely loved Deanna. Obsessed with her. She is a social worker for a re-entry program (love love love), and her experiences, especially in our on-going covid world, were so authentic and real. I am not a social worker, but I have to act like (a very much untrained and unqualified) one at times as a public defender, and we work with similar or the same populations. So much of what Deanna felt about her work and the challenges of that work, I have felt. The wanting to make a difference, taking a job you love even when the pay isn’t good, struggling with the bureaucracy, her lack of self-care. I was literally highlighting basically every page. Hopkins absolutely captured it in a way I’ve never seen so accurately portrayed on the page before.

This is the first book that I have read that is set during covid, and I think Hopkins managed to have it be a part of the story in such a realistic, thoughtful, and authentic way. This may be a niche reference, but I thought the final season of the tv series Shameless did a great job showing the realities of our new covid world, in a very nuanced and thoughtfully character-driven way, and I thought Tanked handled covid very similarly. How was Eastside Brewery impacted by covid? How does Deanna as a social worker deal with burnout, budget cuts, and the Great Resignation? How has their neighborhood been changed by gentrification, rising property prices, and the corresponding rise in homelessness? Such fascinating issues to explore, and Hopkins does so with such care and nuance. I was a little hesitant about the inclusion of covid in a romance novel - romance has been my escape these past two years. But Hopkins’ writing was so beautiful and emotionally impactful, the inclusion of covid did not bother me at all. It just made the world feel real. I was completely gripped, because Angel and Deanna felt just so real. I could literally write on and on about how beautiful and accurate this book is, and the one million passages I highlighted, but I’ll leave it with this: “but not everything illegal is bad. And not everything legal is good. Life is more complicated than that.”

Oh, and also - Tanked is just unbelievably, incredibly HOT.

Tanked by Mia Hopkins comes out tomorrow! I pounded this ARC like a delicious glass of Eastside Brewery beer. Hopkins writes the softest characters who often come from rough backgrounds. They love fiercely while also setting beds aflame. A+ ending to this series about 2nd chances & family.

Mia Hopkins has done it again. She's so good at writing romances featuring flawed, realistic characters who are often discounted, yet who live their lives with joy and don't give up their dreams. She also shines at showing the challenges facing marginalized communities in a matter-of-fact, unpreachy manner while also highlighting their strengths. All this is wrapped up in a hot, steamy romance, between characters who are often opposites on the surface, yet have plenty in common and turn out to be the perfect match for each other.

Angel, the youngest of the Rosas brothers, barely graduated HS, and works as a general assistant and jack-of-all-trades at his brothers' brewery. He has dreams and ambitions, but he feels like he's barely on the margins of his close-knit family and not respected by his older brothers. When he runs into Deanna, a driven and dedicated social worker from their Eastside neighborhood who is 8 yrs older, a college grad from a successful local family and whom he shared an unforgettable night with 3 yrs ago, he's determined to get her to give him another chance, unlike their previous hookup when she ghosted him the morning after. Angel is respectful and sweet, a cinnamon roll in spite of his tough outward appearance, and Deanna quickly falls into a hot, steamy, yet also supportive relationship with him in spite of her initial caution. These two were made for each other in spite of their outward differences. Now they just need to figure that out and get on with it!

In addition to a great story and great characters, I was blown away at how well the author integrated Covid into the storyline, showing its devastating effect on the community, the local businesses (including the brothers' brewery), the struggles to hold on and get through it, as well as the new normal that we are all navigating. All this was done without ever bogging down the story in despair or getting too heavy, just treating it matter of factly and showing the resilience of a community that has faced plenty of challenges in the past and will continue to face others in the future. I'm happy the author was able to conclude this series, and looking forward to her next one. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.