This is an easy 5 of 5 for me.

Natalie Caña has done it again for me. A Dish Best Served Hot will be in my list of comfort reads.

This is a slow burn second chance romance between Saint Vega (Kamilah’s older sibling) and Lola Leon. Saint is quite with a lot of unprocessed trauma including his time in the military. He has been mourning his late wife for 5 years being on single dad duty to Rosie ever since. Lola on the other hand is this fiery, assertive woman who comes from a line of political activist and social warriors, some of which veer of path and end up in the criminal world. Her passionate activism and desire for the underrepresented LGBTQIA+ to have a place when their parents kick them out of their house is what brings Saint and Lola together, also Lola is Rosie’s teacher. There is a good amount of emotional issues, a lot of internal struggle, and some meddling old folks.

I loved both of these characters because I felt connected to some part of their struggle. Their dynamic felt fresh, but also seasoned in a way. They talked through the resentment they had for each other from their youth which I applaud. I also loved how much effort Lola put in her dynamic with Rosie, there is a moment between the two of them that made me cry because I was so happy.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It has many things I enjoy like crazy Latine family dynamics, lovable characters, a sweet slow burn that has a sizzling payoff. Topping it off with the fact that “he falls first, and harder” with a side of “it has always been you”. Overall another fun rom-com, with good tension and emotional moments.

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

Natalie Cana does it again! Her sophomore album is absolute perfection! Every time I read her books I feel as if I'm watching a movie. But I gotta say this one was better than the last. I definitely fell in love with Saint and Rosie. Lola is so relatable. I fell for their love story as second chance love stories are my favorite tropes. There's plenty of suspense and drama there. So much character representation. I love the therapy on page and the mention of anxiety and the actual panic attacks and the reality of them. The books are so realistic especially to marginalized communities without victimizing them, we need so much more of this in our community.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review as always, all words are my own.

definitely such an improvement from her last book! i thoroughly enjoyed A Dish Best Served Hot and have already added the next book to my TBR. there was so much growth in the writing, plot, and character development of this book. the only area that was cringe for me was some of the dialogue.

An action packed, family filled, second chance journey! The amount of times I yelled author Natalies name was comical. It happened at every tear, laugh, and angst filled moment!
Lola & Saint brought all the feels. We got to see how it all began, and all that occurred in between. There was a bit of angst, humor, cariño, and much more! I felt like we could have been given a bit more info in certain areas, but thats just me as a reader who loves & doesn’t mind every/any little detail.
Also have to acknowledge that the diverse characters throughout the story felt authentic and liberating to read in a Latinx/e novel.
Honestly love this series, and secretly hope every Vega/Cruz member gets a HEA. Selfishly speaking.
But thats how great this series has been so far. Im glad we’ll get the chance to see Papo Vega work his magic, and hopefully get some answers about a certain relationship.

So, I didn’t initially realize that “A Dish Best Served Hot” was a sequel, which I really think would have helped me connect more to the characters and the story. I still enjoyed my time with this book, but I think there was a lot to gain with reading them in order, especially since the side characters are such a highlight! I also personally wish there had been more spice, tho I know that’s not everyone’s preference.
Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read this book before it comes out!

Abuelo Vega is back and up to his same old antics, and I was so ready to see it. I fell for the Vega family in the first book and was highly anticipating this next installment in the series.

This one follows the oldest of the Vega siblings, "Saint" who is a single dad to a sweet little girl (and boy, do we get some swoon-worthy moments of him doing daddy things). Saint goes to the school to meet his daughter's new teacher, and finds Lola there, the one that got away when he committed his young adult life to serving in the military. The beginning sets up their story, during which Saint is sworn to secrecy in helping a family member on a project that sells out their community to a developer with money. For the sake of his own morals, he offers to help Lola find new locations for the community centers which have been displaced as a result of this project.

I loved both of these main characters - they are both fiercely loyal to their values, even though those values have them fighting against one another at times. Unfortunately, I struggled with the execution of this story. There was a lot more telling than showing here. Weeks would go by between chapters and it often felt as if the plot and relationship development was happening in those time gaps. Additionally, there was minimal dialogue which left me wanting in terms of the romance and character development. Overall, the premise of the story was interesting, but I didn't get the romance or plot details I was hoping for.

3.5⭐️ This was a fun second chance, single dad romance and I would definitely recommend that others pick up the Vega family series. Community is a really big aspect of this series which I enjoy. However, I found the cast of characters to be a little too big. Sometimes people would get brought up and I would have no idea who they were.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for this Advanced Readers Copy of A Dish Best Served Hot by Natalie Cana!

This book is EPIC!

I wasn't sure what to expect especially since I loved book 1 so much. But this story is so different in such a wonderful way. This sibling is completely different so his voice and his story is as well.
The depth of feelings, family, and being so completely human is still a common thing in Cañas writing.

This is a high school friends, turned to slight crush, turned to strangers, turned to enemies, turned to lovers. Also single DADDDDDDDY. Also great plus size rep.

And swooony moments to fill my dreams for life.

I loved this book and will be a pick for our Fall Steam Box! The characters, the found family, the grandparents it was all so so good!

The Vegas family is back, and Natalie Cana’s writing was perfect as the first book! This book focuses on Saint, Kamilah’s brother and the oldest of the Vega family. The book also focuses on Lola, whom Saint knew from high school and secretly dated and who just returned to town after suddenly disappearing. This book is the second installment of the Vega Family Love Stories series but can be read as a standalone. There is not much background information that can confuse you, but I highly recommend reading both books if you’re looking for a good feel series.

The writing of this book was so perfect. The dual perspectives were done well, and Cana gave Saint and Lola some depth and a good backstory that many people will resonate with. They are very loyal to family, and both are passionate people. I loved how both communicated well with each other and with respect. Saint’s daughter Rosie gave the book some lighthearted moments. I also loved that this book had mischievous grandparents who helped Saint and Lola see how perfect they were for each other. I am a sucker for a second-chance romance, and this book delivered!

Thank you to NetGallery and to Harlequin Trade Publishing for giving me a copy of the book.

This was such an enjoyable read! While I didn’t love it as much as the first, it still kept me captivated and interested the whole time I was reading.

This was a second chance romance for Saint and Lola and it was fun watching it all unfold. Especially when you have the mildly meddling benefit of Papo and Benny and their ridiculous pranks. My heart broke that we lost Killian in book 1 so I’m glad he found someone even if that person is a frenemy haha.

Lola and Saint were flawed and far from perfect but they worked well together as a couple imo. Lola helped Saint work through ways to help his and Rosie’s anxiety and Saint was there to support her as family. Im thankful the third act breakup didn’t last long and they got the HEA they deserved.

Special shout-out has to go to Rosie. That kid is an absolute trip and I love her audacity 😂

Overall this was a fun and exciting read despite featuring heavier topics around racism, homophobia, gentrification, etc. Natalia Caña has a powerful way with words that transports you into the story and culture and this book was no exception.

This review is already posted to my goodreads page and will be on Amazon come release day.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AHUMQGVPEPDOPCMZTD5D27H5R2DQ?preview=true

Social justice advocate Lola Leon has returned to her hometown of Chicago to be near her grandfather, Benny and give back to her community by working for the local community center. An incident at her grandfather’s retirement home brings Lola’s high school sweetheart, Saint Vega back into her life. 17 years ago, Saint left for basic training and Lola disappeared to hide from her father’s enemies. After not seeing or speaking to each other for almost two decades, Lola and Saint find their lives colliding and intertwining in multiple ways. Their grandfathers are frenemies, Lola becomes Saint’s daughter Rosie’s preschool teacher, and then Saint takes over the renovation of the community center’s teen shelter into condos. The renovation has displaced the unhoused teens and drawn the ire of Lola and her coworkers. Saint’s uncle needs the money from the project to pay for expensive RA treatments and Saint hates the position he’s been placed in, but family is everything. Saint offers his expertise to help Lola find and renovate a new shelter building. Spending so much time together revives old feelings between Saint and Lola, but time and experiences have changed them from the young kids they used to be. Can these two hard headed people learn to compromise and find their happily ever after?

Natalie Cana’s A Dish Best Served Hot is full of richly detailed settings, characters, culture, and community. The Hispanic community, especially the Puerto Rican community, is a fully realized character in this book. It gives the reader a glimpse into the trials and triumphs of the cultures represented. Lola is a fiery, balls to the wall advocate for those needing help. A body positive megaphone for LGBTQ+ youth, the unhoused, and the underserved members of her community. Saint is a strong, stoic, and responsible man whose family is the foundation of his life and character. The main characters and the supporting characters are solidly developed, realistic, and fluid. The second chance romance highlighted the beauty of a human’s ability to change, grow and compromise to become stronger and happier. A beautiful and emotionally resonant book.

I read the first Vega Family Love Story earlier this year and felt like it was a hidden gem of bookstagram. The audio is phenomenal!

This one I read as an e-ARC, so I can’t comment on the audio, but the story is just as compelling and the characters as loveable. I can’t help but adore the story of a strong as hell woman finding strength in the vulnerability of falling in love and trusting someone. And I’m a sucker for a well-written kid - Rosie is a perfectly written four year old! The chaotic full Vega family returns for hijinks and drama and I love them all.

I don’t usually love second chance romances, but this one I loved! I definitely recommend A Dish Best Served Hot!

A Dish Best Served Hot returns to Humboldt Park and the Vega family for the second in a series of interconnected standalones. This time, our MMC is the eldest brother, Saint Vega, a widower former Green Beret who has returned home to raise his daughter and work for the extended family's construction company. After a disagreement gets his daughter's preschool teacher fired, recently returned Lola León is hired as a long-term substitute. It turns out she and Saint have a history, they were high school sweethearts who broke up when Saint went to basic training and Lola had to flee with her mother to avoid becoming a pawn in her father's gang wars.

The two get a second chance at love, but there's a lot of individual and collective baggage they have to work through before they can be good partners with each other. Caña does an excellent job grappling with serious issues without the topics weighing the story down too heavily, though I think working through both Saint and Lola's backstories slows the front half of the book down a bit.

Despite that, the book doesn't suffer from a sophomore slump. There's a badass, plus-size FMC, a doting single-dad MMC, and two hilarious elders who continue the string of comic relief paired with wise advice. The extended Vega family is also well-represented and we gain a picture of where the series will go moving forward.

* Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! *

I was very excited to revisit the Vega family once again, glimpse former characters, as well as see the unfolding of a whole new love story.

In this case, the central characters were Saint and Lola. Saint is the oldest of the Vega siblings, a single father to a four year old, and a veteran. Lola is a fierce, passionate, social justice warrior and the one who got away. The two haven’t crossed paths since a not so fond parting at the end of high school.

They’re thrown back together when the two have to deal with an ongoing feud between their respective grandfathers who live in the same senior center and are engaged in an ongoing prank war. Now both are back in their hometown and seemingly crossing paths at every turn - feuding grandpas, preschool classrooms, etc…

Overall I really enjoyed this second chance romance featuring another Vega sibling (and a scheming Abuelo Papp of course). This book had a nice balance of serious topics / issues touched upon and levity. I enjoyed both our MCs and of course once again the grandpa antics had me laughing and stole a bit of the show.

I thought both Lola and Saint had interesting journeys forward and I liked them as a pairing. No spoilers, but in a typical romance read fashion there is a third act breakup - not my favorite but but it was resolved fairly quickly.

In the end, I really enjoyed it and I loved the note it left off on - Papp cracks me up and I can’t wait to see what will come next 😊

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early read! All thoughts and opinions are my own and freely offered.

I enjoyed the hell out of myself reading this book. I giggled, I cried both happy & sad tears, and i found myself several times chewing over some of the words and narratives in between reading sessions, which I cant say happens often when Im reading romance. I didnt anticipate some of the tenser moments towards the end, but in hindsight, I probably should have.
I fell instantly in love with Saint and Rosie. The Vega Family has my whole heart.

I didnt give it 5 stars because there were several spelling & grammatical errors that probably shouldn't have made it through editing. There were a couple times the story moved forward in a way that felt abrupt, almost like a whole chapter was missing and I had to go back & make sure I didnt miss something. And there was at least one storyline i was anticipating seeing through, and that was left unresolved. (though, this is a series so maybe the next book will show that resolution).


Despite all that, I loved this book and will without a doubt read every other book the author gives us about this family of characters.

I was waiting for this book and really enjoyed this book. Again Papo, Saint's grandpa, was the best. And in this book, Lola's grandpa is now in the mix too. They were hilarious together and I loved it. Lola is a kick-butt character and I really liked her. Rosie is the cutest! Overall, it was a very swoon worthy book and had a cute ending. I can't wait for the next story because I know it'll be a good one.

The Vega family will always have my heart.

I could not stop reading this book. Once I started, I kept wanting to go back and see Saint and Lola on the page being their stubborn selves as they fell deeper into their love. And of course to read more about Little Rosie (she was such a cutie). The entire family was incredible, as per usual. I adored reading A Proposal They Can't Refuse, so you can imagine how excited I was that I got an ARC for the second book! And the characters definitely did not disappoint. I loved watching them all interact, and meet new additions like Lola come and make me adore them in one fell swoop.

Of course, I can't write this review without mentioning Abuelo Papo because that old man truly is the heart of these books, and he's the most hilarious character in my opinion. His expressions are hysterical. Whenever he was on the scene, I knew I was gonna be laughing. (I also appreciated when he spread wisdom to his grandkids, and loving them all so abundantly).

My only critique of this book is how disconnected these scenes felt. Jumping from one chapter to the other, the times skips were quite big sometimes, and they weren't seamless either. A lot of chapters built up an event—whether an actual event like that protest, or perhaps a character needed to have a serious talk with someone. And then the next chapter would jump right after the event had happened! Instead of putting us on the scene, the next chapter would open with a summary of the events. Because of that, I felt like there was constant build up without a pay-off. The story was there, but it could've had more shaping.

I also understand that I read an incomplete book as this is an ARC, so I'm sure the completed version will be much better. Despite the disconnect I felt, the story came to life because of these incredible characters, so I have faith in these books and their universe.

3.25 stars!