“Up Close & Personal” is Ana Holguin’s debut romance.
Thank you Forever for an ARC. Opinions from this review are completely my own.

Silas is a journalist and Jo a spin instructor. He wants to write an article about her, but initially considers her work “yelling at people” and a scam.

What you can expect:
- Dual POV
- strangers to friends to lovers
- Anxiety and depression representation
- Slow burn with tension
- He takes care of her when she is hurt

I enjoy reading friends to lovers stories and this was not an exception. Silas was reluctant in the beginning about Jo and her work, but he shortly realized he is attracted to her and that her job is not as easy as it seems. The relationship developed slowly especially because Jo needed time to get to know him and trust him. Also, they had a working relationship as he wrote an article about her. There is a bit of spice, but it is close to the end and it makes sense.

I could relate to Jo’s anxiety, even if mine is not as severe. It is important to have mental health representation. The support from her friends was so important and I am glad that she has them. Also, I am glad that Silas had a good character development.

Overall I would recommend the book if you enjoy slow burn romances that also deal with serious issues.

I really appreciated the very obvious love that Ana Holguin has for 2000s romcoms. This was so reminiscent of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days for me and I really did like that aspect of this. However, I just wasn't invested in Jo's rational for allowing Silas to shadow her. For me, a premise like this needs equal gain from both sides of the rivalry and I just wasn't captivated by Jo's motives.

This was so good! If you love slow burn romances, this is the book for you.

The romance here was done so well. I really liked the build-up of the relationship, especially since they started out as strangers. It was nice to be able to watch the relationship grow from strangers to friends to lovers. The intimacy between the characters really shows and made me giddy when they finally crossed the line. Plus we love a man who takes care of her when she's hurt. So sweet!

I enjoyed the combo of an influencer FMC and writer MMC. I think this meshed well. The anxiety representation was well executed too.

A very enjoyable read!

When I first started this book, I didn’t expect to be so hooked. I was in the mood for some romance, and at first, Silas, the self-proclaimed "part-time hater," felt a little too cynical for me. I’m not a fan of people who focus on bashing what others love – I'm a big believer we need to spend on energy celebrating the things we love instead of being hateful for the hell of it.

But soon enough, I couldn’t put the book down. Though the initial attraction between Jo and Silas felt a bit too quick—like "love at first sight"—watching Jo confront her anxiety and take steps toward healing, with Silas’ support, was really moving. The way the book handled anxiety and depression felt respectful, realistic, and not at all preachy.

I was also worried about how Silas would recover after starting the relationship with a lie and manipulation. This was a big lie to tell and I knew when it was exposed, it would be very bad. It kept me on edge throughout the book. But this tension made everything feel real and high-stakes, especially as their connection became more real.

The chemistry between Jo and Silas was electric, and the tension between them was perfectly balanced with their individual struggles (especially Jo’s). I also loved the side characters and found myself wanting to know more about their lives. The author did a great job fleshing out the relationships between friends and coworkers.

My biggest complaint was the resolution at the end—Jo didn’t owe Silas an apology. I get that his praise in the final article helped clear things up, but the original draft she found was horrific, and he didn’t deserve an apology from her. Her reaction was totally valid.

Overall, this was a beautiful, refreshing romance—funny at times, with witty banter between the characters. It was sexy, full of tension, and perfectly layered.

This is my favorite kind of romance, one with attraction built on more than looks, a hint of trauma, and a slow burn that has you itching for them to finally take the plunge!

I am an absolute sucker for friends-to-lovers, but then add in that we start the book as strangers and I’m a goner.

Not only do we get to see these two lust after each other because they are both genuinely lust-worthy characters but we also get to see them slowly open up to each other and come to really care for one another before that sweet sweet slow burn finally erupts into a kiss.

What’s to love…
- strangers to friends to lovers
- he takes care of her when she’s hurt
- SLOW burn
- anxiety rep
- Writer MMC + public figure/influencer FMC
- dual POV
- he’s down bad for her

What not to love…
- 3rd Act conflict was a bit predictable and very avoidable
- the two POVs did not have the most distinct voices and occasionally I had to remind myself who’s head I was in

🌶️ - Ch 27, very tame and easy to skip if thats not your thing.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

What an absolute solid debut from this author! A slow burn romcom with a Latina main character and mental health representation? Immediately yes!

I don’t even know where to start because I definitely don’t want to spoil this but just know, this journey is absolutely beautifully human. Both Jo and Silas grow together (even before developing romantic feelings with each other) and seeing them both make mistakes and be able to talk about it just makes this book so relatable to me. These characters are so well developed and again, how is this a debut novel?

My only gripe about this book is I wanted more lovey dovey moments but due to the storyline, it really wouldn’t have made sense. I give the spice a 2 🌶️ out of 5!

Some of my favorite moments: Silas taking his first Haven spinning class, how Jo’s friends support her, the first conversation over mental health, the Vegas airport scene, the epilogue.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange of an honest review!

I'm a sucker for romcoms with journalist and/or celebrity main characters and this book delivered on both fronts! I'll be the first to admit that I am a Spin/SoulCycle skeptic (went once, felt like I was going to die) but this book made me want to try it again, which is really saying something! I just wish Jo could be my real life instructor.

“I'm seeing my therapist again. She's helping me to manage all of this. Something will come, I can feel it. And you know what? It's all because of you. You're the reason I pushed myself to face my fears. I love you, Silas. Even when I was pissed at you, I still loved you, and I regretted not telling you before I stormed out of your apartment like a judgmental asshole.”


Sillas is a journalist who decides that no matter how he gets Jo's information, he will get that interview done. Jo is one of the most popular spinning instructors of the moment, although she is struggling in a decade where the spotlight is very strong and even affectionate; that is when she meets the annoyingly attractive journalist who claims that his job is just to yell at people from a bicycle. But Sillas is not like she thought, he gets involved in her classes, is genuinely interested in Jo's hobbies and, most surprisingly of all, he knows what it is like to struggle with mental health. With several coffees, unlimited meals, shopping days and scorching summer nights, feelings began to fly in the air. This is a cute story that touches on mental health issues and how the main characters overcame it, it is a well-written slow burn in which we see how Jo wants to get out of her comfort zone and tell the world who she really is, that is when she asks Sillas to interview her.

What a beautiful story, I loved the interactions of the characters, but of all of them. I liked that Sillas and Jo took time to get to know each other and how they recovered from their past together. There is an excellent tension between Sillas and Jo that had me feeling bad, but in a good way. Jo is incredible, the development she gave was very necessary and fair, I really loved her personality and her relationship with her friends.

If you like a sexy, romantic and diagnosed anxiety disorder slow burn you have to read this. I am very existed on what more Ana Honguiel writes. This is Ana Honguiel's first book and it turned out spectacular. I am anxious to see what else she writes.

Thanks to Netgalley and Forever for the ARC of this incredible book in exchange for an honest opinion.

This was a tingly and moving love story, an interesting exploration of public personas and media’s influence on them, and a reminder of the importance of mental health care. I genuinely enjoyed it and was emotionally invested (laughs, swoons, frustration, tears) throughout. Recommend!

Silas is a respected journalist who is known for looking at all sides before deciding when a subject has earned one of his sharp-tongued takedown pieces. When he’s assigned to write about a super-popular spin instructor, he grumpily assumes the worst of her and the company she’s been with for a decade.

Johanna De La Cruz is known as “Jo” to her tens of thousands of fans who are willing to wait months to take her in-person spin classes in between virtual ones. Her personal world is much smaller, with only a few trusted friends and a tight reign on which truths about her see the spotlight. She’s ready for some big changes, and this article about her could be the catalyst she needed.

As these two navigate their interviewer/interviewee relationship, they must decide which of their respective secrets should come out — off and on the records — both for the piece and for themselves.

As the article morphs into something bigger than either expected, so does the connection between them and the risks to their futures.

This book had humor, charm, vulnerability, food for thought, swoons, hope, and an examination of truth, secrets, and self-advocacy that sticks with the reader.

Read if you like:
Contemporary romance
Magazine writer x his subject
Slow-burn love stories that are so worth the wait
Positive mental health rep
Open-door spice
Great examples of healthy friendships
The 27 Dresses movie
Emily Henry, Katherine Center books

I was impatient so read an ARC via NetGalley. Publishes 4/29/25.

Jo De La Cruz is celebrity fitness instructor struggling to figure out what she wants next out of life. Silas Anderson is a jaded journalist writing about her. When their paths intentionally cross, there may be more than just a story developing between them.

The focus on mental health/wellness and self care in this book was great. I wanted a little more tension or heat between Jo and Silas. This is very slow burn but i didn’t feel the yearning between the characters that I wanted.

Overall, I enjoyed the book but I didn’t find myself reaching to pick it up whenever I could. Still a good read and I’ll look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Thank you to Forever for the e-arc of this book through NetGalley!

When I read the description for this book, I thought it would be a light hearted read about a fitness instructor showing an ignorant journalist the ways of a killer workout class. While this was certainly part of the story, the book focused a lot on other topics such as mental health and at times the romance was more of a subplot. If you don’t enjoy slow burn like I do (and I mean slow), I wouldn’t recommend this, but i personally was all for it!

Thank you to NetGalley & Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC!

4.5 ⭐️

THIS BOOK !!!!
We have Jo, our gorgeous fitness (spin) instructor, who has been in the industry for over 10 years & is craving a switch up & maybe step out of the limelight of her now, very public, career. Then we have Silas, the critical writer tasked with analyzing why people are so drawn to this particular fitness community & what makes people gravitate toward certain instructors.

This story is a BEAUTIFUL depiction of what it’s like to want to change your life, but having so much fear & hesitation holding you back. Also incredible mental health representation done in such a tactful, realistic, & helpful way 🫶🏼 we love a book with therapy rep too!

The dual POV ate & left no crumbs!!!! The pining & emotional depths of these characters was so refreshing & FUN!

It is a slowwwww burn with very minimal spice. If you’re looking for spice info, I’ll have it posted to my bookstagram @thecozychapter before long.

I only deducted half a star because it started to get a little repetitive with not much movement in the storyline, but everything wrapped up perfectly.

I am going to be completely honest, I decided to read Up Close and Personal by Ana Holguin based on the super cute aesthetics alone. Is the cover cute? duh! Was the story amazing? By far the best!!! I absolutely LOVED every moment.

If you have never stepped foot in a spin class before, Up Close and Personal takes you right into the bike seat. You may have some preconceived notions in mind about spinning, but like Silas, you have to push aside those thoughts until you really try it. From the dimly lit cycle studios and the spinning acolytes who whoop with every new soundtrack, spinning is an immersive experience.
Jo De La Cruz is America’s famous and most sought after cycle instructor at Haven studio and she means business. With her bike front and center of the studio and streamed online for thousands to follow, she practices what she preaches. When you clip in on Jo’s class, be prepared to reach new RPMs and ride your cares away as you move your body to the beat. But what happens when you unclip from your bike and step out of the studio?
Holguin’s debut novel shines a light on what it means to step out of your comfort zone and that the invisible monster of anxiety and mental health does not discriminate regardless of your status in society. Both Jo and Silas have their own struggles with their invisible monsters, Holguin handles their emotional journeys with thought and care. I loved the dual POV. They worked so well together and watching the slow burn play out on the pages was perfect!
The only downside I had was how Silias handled a certain situation, it seemed brash and did not sit well with me. Overall I can’t wait to read what Ana writes next. Also I can’t wait to go to my Y’s spin class this week 🚴
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the e-ARC!

I first want to start out saying this is such a great debut novel! I loved the representation (although at times it wasn’t explicitly stated until much later. It could be that I might have missed it, which is then on me and not the author). I thought the characters were relatable and that the story did a great job at shedding light on mental health and anxiety. I definitely could relate to Jo and it felt nice reading a story where the MCs deal with the same thought processes as me. I felt so seen!

However I do have to point out that the one thing that wasn’t my cup of tea in this book was the way the MMC chose to handle some situations regarding the FMC. No spoilers but it personally didn’t sit well with me. It hurt to read especially since MMC knew about FMC’s past. Even though that part didn’t settle with me, I really did enjoy the book. It was a fun read and the group of friends?! Every time I read about their FaceTime debriefing I desperately wanted to call my girlies up and yap! 10/10 for me the friend group made the story (and of course how sweet Silas is despite his misstep).

Wow. I don’t usually like third act break ups, but I loved this story! Jo and Silas are both such relatable characters and loveable! I feel the discussions surrounding mental health were wonderful. I loved that even though Jo suffers from anxiety and depression, she was still confident.
I do feel like Jo forgave Silas really easily for how long it took to start trusting him. But at the same time, they both had things to apologize for so I feel it worked out well

A strong debut! Excited to see what Ana Holguin does next. Really enjoyed the romantic build up, friend group and mental health exploration. I just cannot read about journalists like this without being extremely stressed!!!!!! the ethics of it all!!!!!!

This book was a truly enjoyable read. The writing flows effortlessly, drawing you into the story from the very beginning. The characters are well-developed and relatable, and their experiences feel authentic and heartfelt. The plot unfolds at a steady pace, with moments of reflection that keep you engaged without feeling rushed.

This is a great book that looks at falling in love when you least expect it and figuring out who you are and where you want to be.
I loved Jo and that she is trying to figure out what she wants from her life. She's been a fitness instructor for a while now, but she's no longer enjoying it.
Along comes Silas who challenges her as he's writing an article about the appeal of fitness instructors being broadcast into your living room.
I liked the chemistry between them and how Silas really brought out who Jo is trying to be.
I liked the look at anxiety and how it can affect anyone.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

i have had my eye on this book for ages for the adorable cover alone, but getting to see these adorable people fall in love (and represent hispanics mind you 🙂‍↕️) was an absolute DELIGHT. i ate up every second of this and i already need holguin’s next romcom asap rocky 💫

This book follows Jo, a fitness instructor with a strong online following who is hiding a secret. Silas, a journalist, is determined to uncover that secret and publish it for the world to see.

Jo is starting to question whether her work as a fitness instructor truly fulfills her. She teaches classes at Haven Studios and broadcasts to thousands of people across the country, yet something feels missing.

Silas is assigned to write an article on why people love Haven over other studios. More specifically, what is it about Jo that has nearly a million people captivated on Instagram?

I loved how this book delivers a believable romance, with a slow-burn attraction between the main characters. The author also handles mental health themes with care, making the story even more compelling.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the e-ARC!