I absolutely loved the first book in this series and was so excited to read this next installment. And it’s not that the writing or world building were bad. They were great. But the main characters really turned me off when they decided to get together despite one being in a relationship. Yes, it was a fake one, but it bothered me that the other one pursed them when they thought it was real.

DNF at 54%. This didn't work for me at all. I have strong feelings about cheating and she fully believed he was happily engaged and messed around with him anyway. I found the main female character to be very irritating. I understand abuse is a gradual process that messes with your mind, but how the hell did a prenup with so many red flags not make her pause before signing? I felt really frustrated by the way she'd wallow in self-pity, refuse to communicate, and blame herself for everything in a way that took away everybody else's agency. But shoutout to artist Alex Cabal because at least the cover is beautiful

There were parts of Full Moon Over Freedom that enjoyed and some parts that left me wanting more.

The writing is great and clear, however, sometimes I didn't love the main characters.

I did particularly loved how the story intertwines elements of magic and realism, creating a sense of wonder that kept me turning the pages. The pacing was spot-on, with a perfect mix of tension and uplifting moments that made me feel every emotion alongside the characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.
The beautiful cover drew me in. I'm glad I read this one!

DNF @ 20%

He keeps referring to here as 'girl", like "woah girl" in the way a man would slow down a horse and I'm just not here for that. Maybe I'll revisit but it's not happening right now.

This was such a quick read for me! I have been handselling it to those who are looking for a really cute, quick romance read.

4.5 stars
There is something about a girl coming back into her witchy-ness

After years of conforming and assimilating, being a trophy housewife and stay at home mom Gillian is now divorced and broke. She is also back in her hometown picking up the pieces and running into old friends like Nicky. (He's high key, low key the love of her life, he taught her lots of things right before she went off to college.) Nicky is engaged and a successful artist visiting the hometown as well. Their run in is so charged and electric, but sobering once Gillian finds out about his love life.

Not too long after that first run in they both soon find out they have to work side by side for the town's mural. In that forced proximity is where the couples magic resides.

This book was so beautifully different from book 1, as it should be. Gillian is a whole different sister with her own trials and personality. She has a very common story many Latine women go through when they awaken out of this assimilation and step into their true identity. That in itself is such a powerful story.

But yeah the chemistry is delicious too. So are the lessons. Gah. This book is the perfect combo of what some might call "womens fic" with a romance genre type of merging. Where both the personal development AND the romance is important to the plot.

I loved the family relationships in this book and in this little town. The relationship between Gillian and Nicky was dynamic, even if at times a little confusing.

Absolutely stunning cover! This is my first encounter with this author and I'm keen to read her other works. Unfortunately, this read wasn't for me. The characters didn't engage me the way I expected them to and that took a subsequent hit on my interest of the plot. I will try to revisit it and perhaps the second time around it will work better!

I loved After Hours on Milagro Street so much, so I think I’ve just been edging this because I wanted the hype to be real. And the hype is real, the Milagro Street series is so so so good. I’m so glad there’s one more sister, because I don’t want my time in Freedom, Kansas to end.

Unfortunately, I was not a fan. Had to stop reading. It needed more character development, a better story, some plot lines didn’t make sense.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

THE 411...

Full Moon Over Freedom is the second book in the Milagro Street series following a Mexican-American family trying to breathe life back into a Kansas city street, home to many hard working class immigrants. This time we're following Gillian Armstead-Bancroft, one of the Torres sisters who is returning to Freedom Kansas with her two children and in the middle of an ugly divorce/custody battle. To friends and family, Gillian has always been a do-gooder who did everything "right" and more than ever, wants to be good at being bad. Running into her childhood bestfriend Nicky Mendoza poses an opportunity to let go and go with the flow. Nicky was the one she entrusted to help her lose her virginity the summer before leaving for college, he represents home and safety. For Nicky, the return of the girl he loves comes with a ton of mixed emotions including abandonment. Nevertheless, they throw caution to the wind and ignite what they've never been able to forget. 

What I didn't love? I struggled warming up to Gillian, but that may just be my preference for lead characters who go against the grain and are a bit more bold in life choices. Gillian is trying to find her footing after having her idea of success and happiness completely changed and her life turned upside down. We get a healthy dose both Gillian and Nicky independently however, their romance in present time felt a bit unbalanced. As in, Nicky was definitely pouring into Gillian's cup but she was wrapped up in a lot of unresolved issues. The friends to lovers trope set the foundation for this connection but its also what carried this story arc. 

What I loved? returning to Freedom Kansas, seeing familiar faces, and the progress being made to open business in this long forgotten street. There's discussion of opportunities and business plans being drawn up to help women of color gain financial independence through ownership. We also see our MC's dig through historical documents that paint a better picture of how women of color contributed to this street in decades past. One a more personal level, Gillian is navigating being a new single mom to her kids. One of which has autism; Gillian's very real concerns and fears of being in a toxic co-parenting situation and how it affects her child. There are heavy themes explored such as drug addiction, emotional abuse, and death of a loved one. This series also has a touch of magical realism, we come across La Llorona who is a ghost from Mexican Folklore as well as a wolf entity that follow our main characters down their paths independently. I love when my romance books are meaty and complex like the Milagro Street books are, my interest in reading about the youngest Torres sister next is definitely piqued!

a great book. i love angelina's heroines, these are some strong powerful women and I love everything about these books. great characters. i wrote about this book for Kirkus in Feb 2024.

It's #2 in a series and it's rated high on Goodreads, but I didn't like the bruja stuff or all the characters thrown at me in the first few chapters that were introduced in the first book.

I've said it once and I'll say it again: Angelina Lopez is one of the brightest stars of the romance genre. She writes books that are so sexy, feminist, and intelligent, with gorgeous diversity and thorny issues to chew on. She continues to be one of my favorite writers in the genre!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I posted a review on Goodreads months ago, and weirdly, it disappeared from my reviews section, so I'm doing a new one.

This story centers around Gillian, who comes back to her hometown in the midst of an ugly divorce. But once there, she encounters a person from her past. Nicky Mendoza, her long-time crush, with whom she had an amorous relationship with.

I enjoyed the story and was happy to come back to the Milagro Street series. My favorite part of the book wasn't necessarily the romance, but Gillian's family. It was great following Gillian's path to finding her own happiness and breaking away from a bad marriage. It's definitely worth a read, especially if you're the type of reader who enjoys a bit of magical realism in your stories.

Full Moon over Freedom is the fantastic second entry in Angelina M. Lopez’s Milagro Street series. Lopez is excellent at world-building, creating a fully realized small-town setting with dynamic, memorable characters and environments. The heroine, Gillian, was introduced in the first book but comes fully to life and realistic complexity here. The second-chance romance with artist Nicky Mendoza is also compelling and well-drawn. I look forward to the next entry in this series!

I read Full Moon Over Freedom by Angelina M. Lopez in October and just like the first Milagro Street book you can expect a haunting, a fierce Latina FMC, a MMC who will do anything for her and complicated family dynamics.

Eldest daughter Gillian Armstead-Bancroft was the perfect D.C. housewife but a messy divorce and a return to her hometown have humbled her pride. Plus she can’t get rid of a curse that’s plaguing her. Then she almost runs over her former flame Nicky Mendoza, a reminder of the ambitious person she used to be, and the man who gave her sex lessons in high school. They’re both planning to leave Freedom once the summer is over, so a rekindled romance with an end date won’t reopen any wounds, right?

As the oldest daughter, I identified with Gillian’s reluctance to ask for help and not wanting to seem weak for needing it. Her burden, especially in a Mexican-American family of three sisters is heavy, and while I kept yelling at her to just talk to someone about what was going on, I understood it was necessary for her character growth. For Nicky’s part, he’s also carrying the burden of guilt surrounding his brother’s death. Nicky and Gillian have a lot of unsaid feelings to work through, and some groveling on Gillian’s part (which I loved!) before they can get out of their own way and be together. What makes a good second-chance romance for me is the pining. Nicky’s yearning for Gillian and the devastation he felt when she left their hometown was so good! I don’t want characters to be miserable but I do like when they suffer just a little bit before that HEA.

I received this as a ARC & it got lost on my TBR🫣

This is the second book in this series about the oldest sister Gillian. Second chance romance with her childhood sweetheart Nicky. She returns home while going through a nasty divorce from her rich white husband. I have to be honest, I wanted to love this like I did the first book but sadly I didn’t.

Gillian got on my nerves so bad like girl how could you be so dumb and sign a prenup like that. Her & Nicky’s lack of communication was crazy.

A few spicy scenes but I would not call this Steamy like I’ve seen other reviews say. Overall this was a quick read with a ok ending.

Thank you NetGalley