This was a sweet, romance!
I loved the plus size representation in with Lola, I love the way she owned the shape of her body and was comfortable flaunting it. As a plus size women myself that was meaningful to me.

Saint was a great MMC.

But I have to say. Man those grandpas are hilarious.

Loved their shenanigans in A proposal they can’t refuse and loved them in this book too!

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC

This series has me hooked. I love the big family dynamic the Vegas bring, and I adore how each sibling and cousin has their own personality to showcase. Plus, the feisty grandpas will always make me laugh.

Saint and Lola’s story is a very cute second chance romance. I loved their high school romance back story and how each of them grew from their time apart. I also enjoyed the development of their romance as adults, as well as their individual character growth.

Also, this has an amazing single dad trope. Rosie is the cutest little girl, and I loved seeing Lola’s mama bear come out.

I’m so excited for Leo and Sofi’s book, I cannot wait!

<i>I was granted an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.</i>

There's a lot going on in this book and they're all generally things I find interesting!
-- meddlesome grandpas getting into a petty feud
-- social justice activism with conversations about colonialism/war/etc sprinkled throughout
-- a kind-hearted approach to helping people suffering trauma

<b>More Contemporary Than Romance:</b>
Buuuuut none of those are the romance. They're all different ways that the leads intersect in their lives and get further tangled together and pushed toward their second-chance romance, but they're all Contemporary trappings-- and fairly show-stealing from any possible romance!

<b>The Writing:</b>
Oh! I also love all the Spanish sprinkled throughout, but be aware that very little of it is translated to English.

<b>What I Didn't Like:</b>
In addition to the above mentioned elements, there's a lot of background drama being built up so the MCs can work through their incompatibility (but still have a third act break-up). Ganglords and death threats and PTSD anxiety attacks from serving in Afghanistan. All of the drama felt a bit silly and OTT to me, but also much more serious than the kind of romance I'm interested in personally.

I also wish there was more resolution or updates to the storyline with Rosie. I hope it's mentioned in the background of future novels.

<b>Spice:</b>
There is only one spicy scene. Didn't do anything for me, but I think it just wasn't my vibe and was executed well for someone who's into that.

<b>Overall:</b>
Overall I think it was really well done, but for my personal enjoyment (and what I'm looking for in a book) it was just okay. I much preferred the first novel.

A Dish Best Served Hot, the connected standalone for A Proposal They Can't Refuse, was a really fun read and not entirely what I expected it to be. I assumed after the first book that this one would also be a little more light-hearted and witty, which it absolutely had it's moments but this story had a bit of a more serious tone, and for good reason given the topics dealt with in this story. It's not just a rom com "dramedy" spanning across families and cultures- which is definitely a HUGE part of its charm- but it also landed a bit on the side of romantic suspense.

For all of these reasons, this book is definitely a five star read for me. The book has a slow start, building on the characters and their pasts and especially fleshing out the side characters from the previous story as well; giving them even more of a backstory AND setting up the perfect scenarios for future books. :)

There's fantastic representation of diverse characters including Latinx families from different backgrounds, a bi-sexual female main character who is also plus-size, and a variety of different family dynamics (single dad, grandparents raising grandkids, etc.)

Book Tropes: slow burn, childhood friends, friends to lovers, second chance romance, forced proximity (related to business)

Possible TW/CW: fat shaming, negative self talk, PTSD, anxiety, death of a parent, death of a spouse, gun violence, gang violence, homelessness, neglect, absent parents, war

I am such a fan of this series! Being Latine myself it brings me so much joy to see my culture so beautifully celebrated and shared.

You can totally read this as a standalone but I highly, highly recommend reading A Proposal They Can’t Refuse first because it gives a really good intro to some of the other Vega family members!

I loved reading about Saint and Lola. I love the communication and connection they had as well as all of the chemistry they had since they were high school sweethearts. And of course, the meddling grandpa aspect is my favorite part of this entire series!

The only thing that fell through for me was the third act breakup. The way the conflict came about and how it affected the characters felt a little out of pace with the rest of the story.

Overall, I would absolutely recommend this book if you are a fan of second chance romances, curvy main characters or just want a dose of Puerto Rican culture with your next read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun follow up to A Proposal They Can’t Refuse! It’s a second chance romance with a single dad hero, Saint, who’s surprised when his daughter’s new teacher is his old flame who ghosted him years ago.

I loved Saint and Lola’s clear chemistry, and Saint’s daughter Rose provided a natural reason for him to be cautious about reuniting. Both of them had grown and matured a lot as people since they were teenagers, and I liked seeing them discover the new ways they fit together now. There was a subplot focused on further neighborhood gentrification that I enjoyed as well, although it got a little murky in the middle.

The book lost a star for me due to the dramatic plot twist at the end. I understand what the author was going for, but I felt like the events were too much danger for my taste and also resolved themselves very quickly.

Excellent follow up to the first book, I’m looking forward to the third (which was set up so well!)

A Dish Best Served Hot was such a cute romance! I really enjoyed A Proposal They Can't Refuse by Natalie Caña when I read it last year, and this book was such a great follow up! Once again, the themes of family, identity, love vs. duty are the main themes of this novel. So many of these themes were extremely relatable as the daughter of immigrant parents. I also loved the added themes of social justice, PTSD, anxiety, and how the military poaches on brown and Black communities. This latter theme especially rarely happen in romance books with military heroes by white authors, so I really appreciate Natalie Caña for discussing it in this novel.

My favorite aspect of this novel is probably the single dad trope and seeing Lola, Saint, and Rosie bond together as a family. The portrayal of Rosie's selective mutism was very thoughtful and all the scenes the three of them shared together were so freaking cute! I loved seeing Rosie open up to Lola over time and become obsessed with her style and presence as a mother figure in her life.

I'm excited to read Leo and Sofi's story next!

A single parent trope + second chance romance? SIGN ME UP. I absolutely enjoyed this read. Finally a book that meets all my needs to get me out of my reading slump. While I do feel like at some point there was a lot more going on than necessary, it was at least all tied together. Santiago and Lola were such stronger characters. I do wish I saw more growth through the book than it all happening at the end. Rosie was also such an adorable child, the moment where she opened up just warmed my heart. Definitely recommend.

Natalie Cana does not miss. I am so in love with the family and friend group she created in her books and this follow up to her debut didn't disappoint.

I loved this second installment of the Vega family even more than the first book. Lola is a bada** plus size FMC that regularly does krav maga and yoga, and isn't afraid to take up space. Saint as the MMC is a great representation of the responsibilities first born children often take on in Latine families. I loved his relationship with his daughter as a single dad as well as his mental health journey. The secondary characters in these stories, especially the grandfather, add so much heart and light to the book. The tension between Lola and Saint was delicious. It was cute, funny and a little spicy while also highlighting some real world issues Latine communities face. I can't wait to read more from the Vega family.

Chicagoans will love this book that captures the character of and the "characters" in Humboldt Park. This is a lovely family series and I look forward to seeing which characters will be next!

Review has been posted to StoryGraph and Goodreads as of 8/5/2023. Review will be posted to Amazon on 10/31/2023 (publication date)


Saint Vega and Lola Léon didn’t imagine that when they said goodbye as teenagers that they’d ever see each other again. But fate has a strange way of intervening in the Vega children’s lives. After being called into the office of his grandfather’s assisted living facility due to a prank gone wrong on another resident, Saint is brought face-to-face with Lola who is just as fierce and alluring to him as she was as a teenager. During her time away from the neighborhood, Lola has dedicated her life to fighting for justice and equity for those around her. And as fate would have it, Lola ends up being Saint’s daughter’s teacher.

I loved how fierce and yet tender Lola was throughout this book. She and Saint are both extremely stubborn and a lot of the time frustrating characters. You just want to shake them and ask them both why they have to save everyone. I’m normally not big on second chance love or single parent tropes but these were both done so well. It is very believable that these two characters would not only fall apart as headstrong idealistic teenagers but that as adults those qualities could bring them back together and that their maturity could help them work better together as partners. Saint’s daughter feels like a truly authentic part of the story and not just a character that’s supposed to make us like this stubborn man. There’s something extremely sweet about their relationship and you can feel the anxiety he has as a parent wanting the best for his daughter. The Vega family was entertaining as always and I’ll be interested to see what Papo drags us all into in the next book.

Such an enjoyable read! I was so happy to be back with this family again. Readers who enjoyed her first title will find a lot to love here. I was engaged quickly and enjoyed the chemistry between Saint and Lola. Can't wait for the next one :)

Fun amazing gorgeous


Thank you soooooo much netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced review copy if this book💗
"I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

I'm such a fan of this series — really love the element of the meddling grandpas who have to get involved in the current generation's love lives, as well as which characters are getting paired together. And there was just something so irresistible about Lola and Saint as a pairing, the ways in which they truly complemented each other and were primed to inevitably clash just based on their different backstories. Plus: shoutout to all that wonderful chemistry that came built-in thanks to their second chance romance! The only element to this that felt like a bit of a tonal 180 was around the third act breakup point, when a plot is unexpectedly introduced to put certain characters in a perilous position and then the lingering danger resulting from it is written away as conveniently needed for the book and the main pairing to get to its HEA. I'm sure there'll be bigger ramifications that carry on, especially for who I'm guessing is the MMC of the next book, but it was an intense swerve that felt a little out of pace with the rest of the story.

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

Heartwarming Second Chance Romance

"A Dish Best Served Hot" offers a heartwarming and emotional journey of second chances and single fatherhood, but it does suffer from a few pacing hiccups. The plot and character-driven aspects are a mixed bag, with strong character development, yet a slightly complicated connection to the lovable characters.

The sweet and endearing second chance romance between Saint and Lola was a highlight, portraying the timeless nature of true chemistry. However, the overall story felt a bit slow-paced, as there was a lot going on, including a grandpa feud, community center construction, and gang-related conflicts. While this contributed to well-rounded character development, it could have benefited from some editing and refinement to maintain a smoother flow.

One aspect that proved slightly frustrating was the abundance of internal dialogue. Both main characters seemed to spend a lot of time in their heads, over-explaining their feelings and motivations instead of communicating directly with each other. This approach might have been an attempt to add depth, but it didn't quite work well in this context.

Rosie, a delightful character, added a sweet touch to the story, and the way Saint and Lola found each other again was beautifully portrayed. However, some of their encounters felt a bit forced and could have been handled more naturally.

A Dish Best Served Hot delivers a touching second chance/single dad romance, but its slow-paced plot and excessive internal dialogue may not resonate with all readers. Despite this, the charming characters and heartfelt narrative make it an enjoyable read. I personally preferred the first book in the series, but I wouldn't mind exploring more stories featuring this endearing family and neighborhood.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Vega Family is back, and this time readers experience Chicago alongside Saint and Lola.

Lola has returned to Chicago after being away for quite some years, and she is back stronger than before as she continues to her social justice advocacy for homeless LGBTQIA+ folks. Only this time, Lola is fighting to find a new location for their shelter and community center, El Hogar, once the building is taken over by a construction company determined to replace it with high-rise condominiums. And surprise - who else is contracted to do these renovations? None other than Saint himself, and that is just the start of this story for these two former high school sweethearts since both realize that maybe those flames didn't completely fizzle out.

The second book by Natalie Caña delivered even more than the first, and the characters resonated with me on multiple fronts -- fat, strong female main character; family loyalty; social justice; sense of duty and responsibility; growth and redemption. I also appreciated the ongoing banter between all characters, even four-year-old Rosie who definitely stole my heart time and again. I appreciated the way that Caña provided the dual perspective and flushed out both Lola and Saint's backstories without excusing their behaviors and reactions to one another. The vibrancy that Caña brings to her stories and characters always draw me in, and I found myself often wondering what would happen next.

Overall, this was a wonderful, fun sophomore novel, and I am looking forward to reading more about how Papo Vega meddles and schemes to ensure his grandchildren and family wind up with their HEAs. Natalie Caña has become an auto-buy author for me, and I look forward to reading her future works.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an eARC in exchange for my opinions and thoughts on A Dish Best Served Hot.

**I would especially like to say thank you to Natalie Caña for bringing to the forefront ways fat individuals are discriminated against and how she beautifully wrote Lola to confront those issues, but also overcome them and be unapologetically a badass female lead. Thank you so much for this representation AND showing that people are more than just their bodies. It meant a lot. **

Absolutely loved this second book by Natalie Caña in this series! I like that it could be a stand alone book, but still kept the characters sprinkled throughout the book. I’m excited for the next one! I

A Dish Best Served Hot is another great addition to the Vega Family Love Stories. I am completely in love with Saint and Rosie. I love father/daughter relationships like this. I will admit that Lola took a bit for me to get used to as I don't identify with militant female characters. But upon hearing her story, I came to love her and saw her as a perfect match for Saint especially since she is quite the Mama Bear (a title I can identify with) not only with Rosie but with the children in her classroom and those at the Shelter. You can read this as a stand alone but I highly recommend this series and suggest you pick up A Proposal They Can't Refuse as well. Natalie Cana is definitely and autobuy author for me and I can't wait for the rest of the series!!

When I say this book is amazing!!!!! I do not say that about many books. Natalie managed to take this story and transport me. Saint and Lola is my story growing up. She used my home, Chicago and my neighborhood Humboldt Park💕💕💕💕. And my people-my beautiful Puerto Rican people. Her words in English and Spanish. The food and the love. This is a story about love and family.

🖤Enemies to lovers🖤
🖤Strong female lead🖤
🖤Family🖤
❤️‍🔥Just right spice❤️‍🔥