Magical. Absolutely magical.

It was a joy to watch Gillian come back to her hometown, herself, and her magic. I loved watching her and Nicky overcome their past to create something magical together. It was a struggle and wasn’t without hardships, but wow, it was worth it.

While I think I liked the first book, “After Hours on Milagro Street” more, I still loved this book and it’s absolutely worthy of my 5 stars. This book included waaaay more magic and paranormal elements, which I really enjoyed. This was such a wonderful and tender love story, with a lot of spice: “good mommy” was uttered more than once. *fans face*

Tropes: second chance romance, small town, single mom, good girl/bad boy, bruja magic, high heat

Thoughts

Like the first I really loved the community and all the back stories of people in the community. I really liked the added brujería stuff added as well.

Some things did feel off. Their kind of romance just isn’t for me. I don't want to give details and spoil it for anyone but it is definitely a personal thing.

I feel like a lot of people will really enjoy it and it will find its home.

*Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!*
Posted to: NetGalley, Goodreads, and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 21 July 2023

4 out of 5 stars.

I requested this after I read the free 1-5 chapter preview on NetGalley and realized I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. I just didn’t take into account that I’m certainly not a romance first type of reader! That’s the only reason it took me so long to get through this read as I realized that the storyline was interesting, but the romance taking the front seat wasn’t really a writing style I, personally, enjoyed.

Putting my personal preferences aside- this was a good read! Angelina Lopez mixes some magic with the modern and it had me hooked to figure out what was happening and how it would play out.
Even the romance side was painted in a way that I could enjoy as somebody who doesn’t regularly read books that don’t fade to black. I loved the powerful main lead, loved the sister bonding, and, as a latina, loved the all-to-known family support even despite some differences we may have. I think that’s a large reason why I stuck it through despite it not being my typical read- because I love a good story with strong female characters and pairing it with a sort of tense yet supportive sisterhood relationship that mirrors my own siblings was a nice touch. Not to mention, we love a good romantic partner who knows what their significant other needs. This book genuinely made me want to go back and read the first in this (correct me if I’m wrong) interconnected series!

‘Full Moon Over Freedom’ was a delectable read that blended romance and a dramatic story wonderfully- and I’m kind of glad that this was my introduction into romance-focused reads as it’s truly made me interested to find a few more I may vibe with.

I adore anything with folk tales and spiritual type magic. La Llorna is a scary children's story and I didn't hear it as a child but it was familiar so maybe I had. Did I do a deep dive when I heard Mamá Imelda singing about her in Coco. I loved how you honored a real woman who was put in an impossibly tragic situation and that history was hidden.
Loved how the story wrapped up at the end. It gave me all the happy feels. But it was hard won. These two were coming back to each other from a long time apart broken by the world. They didn’t necessarily fix each other but they were there to witness their healing and stand by them as they processed and realized their worth.
Gillian moved away to have a better life and to the outside she was beautiful, successful and had it all. But her ex is a piece of work and everyone gives her ish for not being more present.
Nicky is an accomplished painter and has held a torch for Gillian for years but since she didn’t put her heart out there he followed her lead. Also, when she came back and the feelings were still there he kept her at arm's length.
This is a right person, wrong time, situation for both time periods until everything just clicks into place. Her family is so supportive of her and her children. Loved the representation in this book!

Thank you harlequinbooks and harlequinpublicityteam for the gifted copy for my honest and voluntary review.

Fun—loved the history aspects! Ghosts and bruja vibes! 👏🏽Lopez always writes romance so so well.

Overall really enjoyed this second book. It can be read as a stand-alone but you might as well read After Hours on Milagro Street first.

I thought this one was more of a slow burn compared to the first book in the series but it still worked and made the story, and love, between Gillian and Nicky seem deeper and more substantial.

The romance components of the book were great but I really found myself continuing to read because I wanted to see Gillian really step into the light and totally free herself from the control of her ex husband.

The magical elements in the book were confusing at times but added a unique element.

Overall this was probably one of the more unique romance books I've read this year and I'm excited to see where the 3rd book goes.

First let me say Thank-you to the author Angelina M.Lopez, Net Galley, and Harlequin.
This book is the perfect book for the Fall so when it's being published is a great date. (Beginning of September)
This book features "Gillian" (Juliana) moving back to her hometown after catching her husband having an affair. Her two children come with her. We open up to her driving a classic car down a road and almost running over a man. That man happens to be her first love/childhood friend/first lover. Nicky Mendoza is home to settle his brother's affairs and to check in on a man who was like a father to him. Nicky is a renowned artist. The sparks or magic fly just by the first encounter. They end up working together on a project for the town. By the end of the book, she figures out what she was meant to do and isn't running from her past. Nicky was able to settle his past and is able to see a bright future.
Do not let this cover fool you. It's a spicy J book which I enjoy throughly. The chemistry between the two characters is well written. Thank-you for this story.

Loved this one even better than the first! Learning about the culture and struggle without being a cliché or history textbook was incredible. I just wanted more of everything .. the love, the struggle, the family... everything!!!

Just as good as if not better than the first in the series! Older sister Gillian left Freedom to live a "better" life. Years later she is back, divorced and with two young children, and unable to find a job. Enter Nicky, the sexy man she hasn't seen in 13 years when he went from her childhood best friend to the young man who taught her all about pleasure. I loved the tension between them, the forces proximity (thank you busy body family and townsfolk), and their individual stories as well. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley! It comes out Sept 5/23.

This book was good but there was something that I can’t put my finger on. I don’t think I felt extremely to the characters. It was just hard to connect to the story overall. It’s a cute romance that hits all the marks but it was overall lackluster.

“His perfect girl had always had a kink about breaking the rules.”

Reading the first book in this world is NOT necessary but I highly recommend it, just because it’s that good 😉 After Hours on Milagro Street

I loved that Angelina continued to bring in the enriched cultural ties that this little town has for the characters and brings to life the relatives and friends and neighbors and how we thrive off of literally “it taking a village.” This book particularly emphasized that with the issues that Gillian was going through and how difficult it was for her to ask for help. It was similar to Alex’s character from Milagro Street but .. not? I don’t know how to explain it without sounding redundant LOL. I was honestly left wanting more from Nicky’s character but understandable that this was meant to highlight Gillian’s life and growth. I love a good story with a strong FMC who goes after what they want!

Lopez has reinvigorated the small town romance series - hell, she’s blown it all up and started again the right way. No one does steamy better than Lopez, but in addition, Full Moon Over Freedom delivers history we have either whitewashed or willingly forgotten, a meditation on the meaning of success, and what happens when second chances become new beginnings. This book is everything you want in a contemporary romance —the sexiest cinnamon roll of a hero, a heroine willing to take a good hard look at herself, and a little bit of magic.

*ARC Review*

2.5 Stars

I really wanted to like this book as I loved the cover, but just could not get into it. When I received this arc on Netgalley I was not aware it was a second book in a series. While I do not think it necessarily was needed for me to read the first book, it definitely would have helped my comprehension of the characters because there are so many. I consistently had trouble figuring out who was who and how they were related to the main character.

There was a lot of different plots all going on in this story from abusive relationships, small town rebuilding, second chance romances, and even spiritual magic. I came for the romance and that was the least interesting part of the book. Gillian and Nicky just did not pair well together and their relationship was not satisfying to me. I did like seeing Gillian get honest and working through her past traumas as well as taking down her abusive ex-husband (the climax with him felt like knock off Matilda though). She also kept calling herself the Pride of the East Side and never explained why.

There was just far too much going on in this story for me to keep up, and when I did I could not stay engaged. Kinda bummed about this one.

I did not read the first book in the series, as I wast aware there was a previous one. Still, I did not feel lost!

I enjoyed the latin culture and representation. Loved the fact that Gillian is a single mom, strong, sexy, powerful hard working woman willing to do it all for her and her kids.

Nicky was a part of her past such significant ways, and after many years, they found a way back to each other. Will this encounter be good for them both, or will they be ruined?

Looking forward to reading the first book and the next!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC!

Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Books for the advanced readers copy.

This is the second in a series, but I didn't read the first and I wasn't lost. Slight trigger warning this book does deal with emotional abuse, drug addiction, and the loss of a loved one.

In all my years of reading, this is somehow my first Harlequin romance and I can say I wasn't disappointed. Gillian and Nicky were characters I wanted to repeatedly lock in a room together and shout now kiss! This book gave me so many secondhand feelings and I loved every second of it.

Gillian is recently divorced and trying to pick up the pieces of her life. She has spent the better part of the last decade being emotionally controlled and belittled by her ex-husband and now she's trying to find a way forward with her two kids. The most beautiful part of this story for me was how she interacted with her children and fought for them. Her oldest child is on the autism spectrum and the interactions depicted with him are realistic and heartwarming. Gillian was willing to sacrifice so much of herself and what she wanted to secure a good childhood for her kids.

Nicky is her old lover her taught her the ways of the bedroom and is back in Freedom to paint a mural in the old train station. But really he can't stay away from Gillian. They are both at a crossroads in their lives and they both have this cloud of loss over them. Nicky is so much to Gillian and vice versa, but the biggest romance trope of all (miscommunication) keeps them a part.

This book was 4 out of 5 stars for me. The only thing that stopped it from being 5 stars was I felt like Nicky was a halfway character. I didn't really understand a lot of the relationship between him and his brother. There were a few flashbacks to when they were kids, but none when they were older. We are supposed to have this sense of obligation when it comes to Luke, but that whole storyline was a little half baked to me. Also why did the spelling of Gillian keep changing?

I will definitely read the third sister's book and I may have just bought the first book After Hours on Milagro.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

Based on the description, I really expected to love this book, but I ultimately had a hard time with it. In short, there were too many things that gave me the ick, and there were times when the writing was unclear. A longer review is below.

I almost DNFed the first time Nicky referred to Gillian as a "mommy" because it really grossed me out, but I kept going because I wanted to give the book a fair, full review. By the time I got to Gillian telling Nicky to <spoiler> put his "mean dick" in her "mommy cunt" </spoiler>, I knew I wouldn't be able to get past the ick.

I also found myself needing to reread different sentences because they were too convoluted.

I wish I could rate this higher because I loved the idea of it, but I just couldn't get past these hangups

This book gives the Brown sisters a run for their money! The romance is yet again steamy and captivating. The chemistry burns the pages and the story line is stunning. We support strong female characters and supportive men leads and this book delivers both.

I also love how thoughtfully the culture and setting is woven into the book. Gillian’s magic was such an interesting element to the plot. And this book doesn’t rely on the cheap miscommunication trope that many other books use, which I always love.

The characters were a little confusing for me to keep straight but I think that was more because so much time had lapsed from when I read the first book. I still loved this book, but I think I could have appreciated it more had I read it closer to the previous book.

Will I ever tire of following three sisters in a trilogy of books? NEVER. I don’t doubt that there will be a third following the last sister and I am here for it and impatiently waiting on it.

This was so much fun! I didn't read the first book (I wasn't aware there was one) but this can be read as a complete standalone. It has some of the best tropes!

While Angelina M. Lopez is a talented writer, and this book has many redeeming scenes, I just could not connect with the female main character. She didn't feel as fleshed out as other characters the author has written, and in effect it made it difficult to become attached to this novel. I'm sure it will resonate with someone else, it simply wasn't for me.
Thank you to Harlequin for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book had me from page one. The first scene between Gillian and Nicky is an absolute winner. I could picture it my head as clearly if it were a movie. (Also, this book would make a great movie!) Gillian's life is falling apart when she heads back home, so she decides the only way to set things right and regain her lost abilities is to throw out her usual caution and be wild. She enlists Nicky's help in this endeavor, and it turns out he's very good at helping her be "bad." The chemistry between them is off the charts. This sexy romance is a sequel to After Hours on Milagro Street, but can absolutely be read as a stand alone. There are unexpected obstacles that work well with Gillian and Nicky's character arcs and weave seamlessly in with a story that's filled with culture, family, complications, and mystery. I highly recommend this fun and flirty second-chance romance!