POST NOVEMBER 1
This was the first book by Gabriella Margo and it was a great read! Ed and Luisa have known each other for years since Ed is Luisa’s brother’s best friend. However, Luisa has heard some gossip about Ed that affected her opinion of him and not in a good way. Then the two of them are forced to go on a work trip together which Luisa is not looking forward to.

Obviously rumors are not the most reliable source for getting to know someone so a week in Mexico for a work trip forced them to actually get to know each other. Ed was so sweet and it showed he cared for her the entire time. There were certainly times that Luisa bugged me because she felt like everything that happened in the world had to be related to her when she truly needed to take a step back and just be happy for others.

Thank you @netgalley and Escape Publishing for the ARC!
Release date: December 1, 2022
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥 Scene: Irish Pub

http://escapepublishing.com.au/

This book made me want to fly to Mexico and I wish I was reading this on the beach. I should have known by the title, but I really felt immersed in the setting of the story. This was quite a steamy story but also had some deeper mental health perspectives as well. I really enjoyed this and want to read more by this author!

FLEW through this excellent, incredible book. Tightly written, earnest, laugh-out-loud funny at several parts.

I loved their background history and their chemistry, the love and support for one another, the angst, the push and pull, the sexual tension between them, everything was so well executed by the author. The characters were not perfect, they had their own struggles and obstacles they had to overcome before they came to the realization that they are better together than apart. I’m so happy with how everything wrapped up at the end. It was such an enjoyable book.

This was a fabulous escapist novel with sweet characters, forced proximity and steamy scenes.

Luisa works hard at her job as a copywriter but she desperately needs a break, so when she's sent to an all-inclusive resort in Mexico, she can’t wait for some time to relax. That is until she discovers that the photographer tasked with assisting her is her brother’s best friend. It’s fair to say that she does not get along with Ed, she’s heard stories about how he cheated on his wife and uses women only for sex. But when they are forced into working and holidaying together, Luisa begins to discover there is another side to Ed. He cares about people and the planet and lives an interesting nomadic life, not to mention that he’s gorgeous. As they spend time at the resort, Luisa begins to feel an attraction and realises that perhaps her judgements of Ed were too harsh.

All’s Fair in Love and Tequila is the perfect beach holiday read and made me want to fly to Mexico! Luisa is a relatable character who works tirelessly at her job for little recognition so it’s completely understandable when she decides to prioritise having fun and experiencing everything the resort has to offer over sitting at her laptop all day. The week-long trip and her conversations with Ed make her start to wonder about her life. Does she want to be caught up in the rat race her whole life or is there another way she could live with more freedom?
I loved her relationship with her brother, Brandon. He suffers from mental health issues and she has her own struggles with how to look after him whilst not being smothering. One of the first things she realises about Ed is that he’s been a great support to her brother, and that helps her see Ed in a new light, forgetting what she thought she knew about him.

Ed is an interesting character. He’s had difficulties in his marriage and Luisa assumes he is a massive player. Yet, he pays for a stranger’s meal because she can’t afford it and he’s chivalrous and understanding of Luisa from the get go. He’s a passionate photographer and loves nature, taking incredible pictures of the resort and the animals there. He eats mostly plant-based foods and tries to reduce his plastic usage. I think the fact that he regularly jets around the world kind of has to be ignored to make his eco-lifestyle more believable though!

Overall a fun and easy read. The perfect steamy romance novel for a getaway or just a bit of escapism. I would definitely read more by Gabriella Margo in the future.

The book is very sweet and easy to read! I finished it very quickly, the writing was engaging and the romance was good as well. Overall, the characters could have been better developed, they felt a little underwhelming but it is not a huge issue.