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Queens of Mariachi #1
West Side Love Story
A heart-stirring romance of star-crossed love, feuding familias, and the bonds of sisterhood by USA Today bestselling author Priscilla Oliveras.
Two familias in Texas, both alike in dignity, rivalries, and passion…
Having grown up in the nurturing household of Casa Capuleta, Mariana will do anything for familia. To solve her adoptive parents’ financial problems amid their rapidly changing San Antonio comunidad, Mariana and her younger sisters are determined to win the Battle of the Mariachi Bands. That means competing against Hugo Montero, their father’s archnemesis, and his band and escalating a decades-old feud. It also raises the stakes of Mariana’s forbidden attraction for a certain dark-eyed mariachi who sets her heart racing.
To Angelo Montero’s familia, Mariana is also strictly off-limits. But that doesn’t stop him from pursuing her. As their secret affair intensifies and the competition grows fierce, they’re swept up in a brewing storm of betrayals, rivalries, and broken ties. Against the odds, they vow to bring peace. But sacrifices must be made and consequences weighed for two star-crossed lovers to make beautiful music together.
Two familias in Texas, both alike in dignity, rivalries, and passion…
Having grown up in the nurturing household of Casa Capuleta, Mariana will do anything for familia. To solve her adoptive parents’ financial problems amid their rapidly changing San Antonio comunidad, Mariana and her younger sisters are determined to win the Battle of the Mariachi Bands. That means competing against Hugo Montero, their father’s archnemesis, and his band and escalating a decades-old feud. It also raises the stakes of Mariana’s forbidden attraction for a certain dark-eyed mariachi who sets her heart racing.
To Angelo Montero’s familia, Mariana is also strictly off-limits. But that doesn’t stop him from pursuing her. As their secret affair intensifies and the competition grows fierce, they’re swept up in a brewing storm of betrayals, rivalries, and broken ties. Against the odds, they vow to bring peace. But sacrifices must be made and consequences weighed for two star-crossed lovers to make beautiful music together.
Audio CD
First published June 1, 2022
About the author
Priscilla Oliveras
18 books1,406 followersPRISCILLA OLIVERAS is a USA Today bestselling author and 2018 RWA® RITA® double finalist who writes contemporary romance with a Latinx flavor. Proud of her Puerto Rican-Mexican heritage, she strives to bring authenticity to her novels by sharing her Latinx culture with readers. She and her work have earned praise from the Washington Post, New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, Redbook, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist, among others. Priscilla earned her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University and currently serves as adjunct faculty in the program and teaches the online class “Romance Writing” for ed2go. While she’s a romance genre junkie, Priscilla also considers herself a sports fan, beach lover, and Zumba aficionado, who often practices the art of napping in her backyard hammock.
To follow along on her fun-filled and hectic life, visit her on the web at https://prisoliveras.com/books/, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/prisoliveras, or on Twitter and Instagram via @prisoliveras.
To follow along on her fun-filled and hectic life, visit her on the web at https://prisoliveras.com/books/, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/prisoliveras, or on Twitter and Instagram via @prisoliveras.
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June 26, 2022
This is the story of the Capuletas and the Monteros. 😉 More specifically, it’s about Mariana and Angelo. The Capuletas are having financial issues, and Mariana knows just how to fix it. She and her sisters will compete (and win!) against Hugo Montero’s family in the Battle of the Mariachi Bands. Hugo is Mariana’s father’s biggest rival, and Angelo, her crush, is in that same band and off-limits because of the fathers’ rivalry.
Likewise, Angelo is not allowed to date Mariana, but that doesn’t stop young love. As you can imagine this doesn’t go over well with the families.
West Side Love Story is so much fun. I loved all the family dynamics both within and between the families. The Capuletas adopt children in need and give them a loving home. This is a warm and inviting story with a side of drama and fun antics from the families. It’s my second recent Romeo and Juliet retelling with culturally diverse representation, and I absolutely cherished my time spent with these loving and lovable families.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Likewise, Angelo is not allowed to date Mariana, but that doesn’t stop young love. As you can imagine this doesn’t go over well with the families.
West Side Love Story is so much fun. I loved all the family dynamics both within and between the families. The Capuletas adopt children in need and give them a loving home. This is a warm and inviting story with a side of drama and fun antics from the families. It’s my second recent Romeo and Juliet retelling with culturally diverse representation, and I absolutely cherished my time spent with these loving and lovable families.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
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September 21, 2021a romeo and juliet retelling about rival mariachi families written by an actual latina author? SIGN ME TF UP
May 28, 2022
I really wanted to love West Side Love Story for numerous reasons. I've had a special connection to the original West Side Story for the past 50 years, I love reading about different cultures (and this book was wonderful in that respect), and I love the warring factions trope.
Oliveras has written a beautiful book about the mariachi scene and Hispanic culture in San Antonio, a place I considered moving to many years ago (a friend had lived there and loved it). Mariana's family in particular was one that I just adored; the parents ran a community center and were troubled by gentrification challenges (an issue I care about), but took in multiple foster children and built a loving family. Mariana is practical and capable, but also self-sacrificing and highly intelligent. My kinda chica.*
And Angelo was nice, smart, and everything you'd want in a guy (although he was almost too perfect, but is there such a thing in romance novels?). Their values make my heart sing, and even though in terms of time, they "got busy" fairly quickly, I felt they truly knew the other by the time they made love, so I can use the term "made love" instead of "had sex" (or "got busy").
So what was the problem, you ask. Oliveras telegraphs and overwrites everything, especially feelings that can be easily implied by the words and actions the characters take. The characters are wonderfully consistent, but not as consistent as Oliveras' heavy-handed explanations of every single thing. And everything is a freaking simile. To mimic Oliveras' style, it's like she dumps an entire case of Morton Salt into a small soup pot. :)
A little goes a long way, and I'm sensitive to salt. I found myself so distracted (and irate) about the telegraphing and obviousness of the writing that I couldn't get into the story despite the good things about it. So while there are many things to celebrate about this book, and I want to support this author (she seems so nice in her afterword and I love so much about West Side Love Story, I feel like the soup could have been SO much better. (The family and characters were so well drawn. Such a wonderful sense of warmth and community! And I especially adored some of the allusions to the movie West Side Story.) If the book and author had less potential, I might have given West Side Love Story another star, which seems unjust.
But the author's crime of writing in such a way that I couldn't just lose myself in the story also seems unjust. She can do something about this easily and be a great writer, because the potential is there in abundance. I'm hoping she learns some restraint (or demands a better editor).
* That's another thing that I found distracting--Oliveras throws in a Spanish word or phrase or even sentence in ways that didn't always seem logical or authentic. But I could be wrong about that. Still, another distraction.
Oliveras has written a beautiful book about the mariachi scene and Hispanic culture in San Antonio, a place I considered moving to many years ago (a friend had lived there and loved it). Mariana's family in particular was one that I just adored; the parents ran a community center and were troubled by gentrification challenges (an issue I care about), but took in multiple foster children and built a loving family. Mariana is practical and capable, but also self-sacrificing and highly intelligent. My kinda chica.*
And Angelo was nice, smart, and everything you'd want in a guy (although he was almost too perfect, but is there such a thing in romance novels?). Their values make my heart sing, and even though in terms of time, they "got busy" fairly quickly, I felt they truly knew the other by the time they made love, so I can use the term "made love" instead of "had sex" (or "got busy").
So what was the problem, you ask. Oliveras telegraphs and overwrites everything, especially feelings that can be easily implied by the words and actions the characters take. The characters are wonderfully consistent, but not as consistent as Oliveras' heavy-handed explanations of every single thing. And everything is a freaking simile. To mimic Oliveras' style, it's like she dumps an entire case of Morton Salt into a small soup pot. :)
A little goes a long way, and I'm sensitive to salt. I found myself so distracted (and irate) about the telegraphing and obviousness of the writing that I couldn't get into the story despite the good things about it. So while there are many things to celebrate about this book, and I want to support this author (she seems so nice in her afterword and I love so much about West Side Love Story, I feel like the soup could have been SO much better. (The family and characters were so well drawn. Such a wonderful sense of warmth and community! And I especially adored some of the allusions to the movie West Side Story.) If the book and author had less potential, I might have given West Side Love Story another star, which seems unjust.
But the author's crime of writing in such a way that I couldn't just lose myself in the story also seems unjust. She can do something about this easily and be a great writer, because the potential is there in abundance. I'm hoping she learns some restraint (or demands a better editor).
* That's another thing that I found distracting--Oliveras throws in a Spanish word or phrase or even sentence in ways that didn't always seem logical or authentic. But I could be wrong about that. Still, another distraction.
June 22, 2023
That drive to do or be what others expected. Sacrificing self for what was supposed to be the greater good. It didn't come without a price. Between her family and her job, Mariana seemed to take care of everyone else. But who looked after her? 32%
A perfectly serviceable romance novel. Mariana Capuleta is 29. She was adopted by her mom and dad, meaning she has many, many younger sisters and her mom and dad are still fostering more girls. Everyone plays an instrument and she is part of the family's (all-women) Mariachi Las Nubes. She is an ER nurse, and she is the rock the family leans on.
Angelo is also a rock. When his parents are killed by a drunk driver he takes responsibility for raising his (then-four-year-old) little sister. He gets help from his uncle and ends up working for him. Now his little sister is fourteen.
When Mariana agrees to go out dancing for New Year's Eve with her impulsive and hot-blooded sister Catalina, she only does it to keep an eye on her. Drunken parties aren't really her thing. Some guy takes in interest in her and gets pushy and Angelo steps in. They share an unexpected New Year kiss. Then they go their separate ways.
It's not until Angelo crashes a quinceañera that Mariana is performing at with Las Nubes when he realizes what she is: a Capuleta. His uncle and the rest of the Monteros have been raised in a blood feud with Arturo Capuleta. Both families are taught to hate each other after, in their youth, Hugo and Arturo fought over a woman. Arturo won and married the woman - Mariana's mother. Ever since then the two families have been locked in a bitter rivalry, mainly expressed in battling mariachi - Las Nubes on the Capuleta side and Los Reyes on the Montero side. But this is undercut with more sinister things like the threat of Capuleta Community Center being shut down by aggressive debt collectors.
Can Angelo and Mariana make it work, even though their love is forbidden? Can they keep it a secret from their respective families, and what happens with the truth comes out?
She gasped, the revelation of her handsome stranger's identity shocking her system like a jolt from a pair of defibrillator paddles. This had to be a joke. 16%
...
Obviously playing on Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story. But definitely not as serious, this is a lighthearted take on the concept. There are mariachi battles. There are secret dates. There is a lot of Spanglish. Please don't shy away from this if you are not a Spanish-speaker, I assure you that anyone can read this book, the Spanish is very simple and Oliveras takes care to translate everything in context.
The book also deals with crushing family expectations. Because Angelo and Mariana are the rocks of their family, the pressures on them emotionally and psychologically can weigh heavily. Part of the reason they bond is over this shared burden.
The 'fight' or conflict of the book (almost every romance novel has one) was in my opinion kind of strained. It was a reach. I didn't feel like it was as serious as the book made it out to be.
The author is very fond of similes. If you don't like similes, I'd avoid this book.
Dread dripped over Angelo like butter melting on a toasted pan dulce right after the sweet bread had been pulled from the toaster oven. 13%
There is A LOT of writing like this in the book.
Angelo gets props for being such an understanding, patient, respectful man. It's admirable how he never gets pissy with Mariana and he is always respectful. I think she was used to men being pushier. It's a relief for her when Angelo isn't like that at all.
HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN?
It's off-page. There are a few on-page described make-out sessions, but any sexy stuff is fade-to-black. So don't read this for sexual titillation. I like described sex, so this was disappointing to me, but if you like your sex off-page, you might be thrilled. I was beginning to really worry the MCs wouldn't have sex, but luckily they finally do.
TL;DR Read this if you want a Latino romance. Pretty much every character in this book is Latino. Read if you like romance mixed with strong family dynamics - family is important and plays a huge role here. Read if you like heroes and heroines who are strong rocks for their families, even if sometimes they struggle with the emotional stress of having to perform this role. Read if you like forbidden romance (although it's very light here. This book isn't serious nor heartwrenching). If the idea of two people from battling families and battling mariachi falling in love makes you smile, this might be fore you. Look at the cover! Look at them embracing. Think it's cute? You might like this.
"They need me to be strong."
"You always are. I respect that. I also don't mind being the one you lean on. So, if you need anything. ANYTHING. Hell, even a Whataburger delivery if that would perk you up. I'm your guy. Always." 83%
NAMES IN THIS BOOK
A perfectly serviceable romance novel. Mariana Capuleta is 29. She was adopted by her mom and dad, meaning she has many, many younger sisters and her mom and dad are still fostering more girls. Everyone plays an instrument and she is part of the family's (all-women) Mariachi Las Nubes. She is an ER nurse, and she is the rock the family leans on.
Angelo is also a rock. When his parents are killed by a drunk driver he takes responsibility for raising his (then-four-year-old) little sister. He gets help from his uncle and ends up working for him. Now his little sister is fourteen.
When Mariana agrees to go out dancing for New Year's Eve with her impulsive and hot-blooded sister Catalina, she only does it to keep an eye on her. Drunken parties aren't really her thing. Some guy takes in interest in her and gets pushy and Angelo steps in. They share an unexpected New Year kiss. Then they go their separate ways.
It's not until Angelo crashes a quinceañera that Mariana is performing at with Las Nubes when he realizes what she is: a Capuleta. His uncle and the rest of the Monteros have been raised in a blood feud with Arturo Capuleta. Both families are taught to hate each other after, in their youth, Hugo and Arturo fought over a woman. Arturo won and married the woman - Mariana's mother. Ever since then the two families have been locked in a bitter rivalry, mainly expressed in battling mariachi - Las Nubes on the Capuleta side and Los Reyes on the Montero side. But this is undercut with more sinister things like the threat of Capuleta Community Center being shut down by aggressive debt collectors.
Can Angelo and Mariana make it work, even though their love is forbidden? Can they keep it a secret from their respective families, and what happens with the truth comes out?
She gasped, the revelation of her handsome stranger's identity shocking her system like a jolt from a pair of defibrillator paddles. This had to be a joke. 16%
...
Obviously playing on Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story. But definitely not as serious, this is a lighthearted take on the concept. There are mariachi battles. There are secret dates. There is a lot of Spanglish. Please don't shy away from this if you are not a Spanish-speaker, I assure you that anyone can read this book, the Spanish is very simple and Oliveras takes care to translate everything in context.
The book also deals with crushing family expectations. Because Angelo and Mariana are the rocks of their family, the pressures on them emotionally and psychologically can weigh heavily. Part of the reason they bond is over this shared burden.
The 'fight' or conflict of the book (almost every romance novel has one) was in my opinion kind of strained. It was a reach. I didn't feel like it was as serious as the book made it out to be.
The author is very fond of similes. If you don't like similes, I'd avoid this book.
Dread dripped over Angelo like butter melting on a toasted pan dulce right after the sweet bread had been pulled from the toaster oven. 13%
There is A LOT of writing like this in the book.
Angelo gets props for being such an understanding, patient, respectful man. It's admirable how he never gets pissy with Mariana and he is always respectful. I think she was used to men being pushier. It's a relief for her when Angelo isn't like that at all.
HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN?
It's off-page. There are a few on-page described make-out sessions, but any sexy stuff is fade-to-black. So don't read this for sexual titillation. I like described sex, so this was disappointing to me, but if you like your sex off-page, you might be thrilled. I was beginning to really worry the MCs wouldn't have sex, but luckily they finally do.
TL;DR Read this if you want a Latino romance. Pretty much every character in this book is Latino. Read if you like romance mixed with strong family dynamics - family is important and plays a huge role here. Read if you like heroes and heroines who are strong rocks for their families, even if sometimes they struggle with the emotional stress of having to perform this role. Read if you like forbidden romance (although it's very light here. This book isn't serious nor heartwrenching). If the idea of two people from battling families and battling mariachi falling in love makes you smile, this might be fore you. Look at the cover! Look at them embracing. Think it's cute? You might like this.
"They need me to be strong."
"You always are. I respect that. I also don't mind being the one you lean on. So, if you need anything. ANYTHING. Hell, even a Whataburger delivery if that would perk you up. I'm your guy. Always." 83%
NAMES IN THIS BOOK
January 9, 2022
A terrific vacation read!
Priscilla Oliveras always writes with warmth and heart, and WEST SIDE LOVE STORY is no exception. If you love a dreamy romance that is rooted in reality, put this book at the top of your to-be-read list. Not only will you enjoy a swoon-worthy star-crossed love story, but you will also experience the world of mariachi music, the real cost of gentrification, and the true meaning of family and loyalty. Can’t wait for the next in the series!
Priscilla Oliveras always writes with warmth and heart, and WEST SIDE LOVE STORY is no exception. If you love a dreamy romance that is rooted in reality, put this book at the top of your to-be-read list. Not only will you enjoy a swoon-worthy star-crossed love story, but you will also experience the world of mariachi music, the real cost of gentrification, and the true meaning of family and loyalty. Can’t wait for the next in the series!
May 26, 2022
STATS:
OVERALL RATING - 4 / 5
CHARACTERS - 5 / 5
WRITING - 4 / 5
PLOT - 4 / 5
SPICE - 🌶️
GENRE - Contemporary Romance
"But I hope you remember, you don't have to fight every battle alone. Talk to me."
- Angelo Montero, West Side Love Story by Priscilla Oliveras
I love retellings, Shakespeare and representation and when you put all of those together, this book is what you get. It's a modern day retelling of the classic play, Romeo and Juliet filled with deep-rooted underlying themes that have been so beautifully brought out. Priscilla creates emphasis on familial obligation, feminism, burden placed upon the eldest sibling as well as the feeling of finding a place to belong. I especially admired the female MC in this book as she's a representation of a woman we all strive to be—independent, loving and absolutely selfless. I'm so glad she has someone like Angelo to share the burden with and has someone where she can freely express her worries to.
In addition to this, the side characters deserve more recognition!! I loved Nina and Brenda's camaraderie but especially enjoyed their character development more. Nina finally finding it in herself to let go and trust was such a brave move on her part and I couldn't help but feel immense love for her.
Representation is clearly evident in this book and I loved every second of it. Representation always feels like a warm hug and I'm so glad we're getting more books like this. If you're looking for a book that features prominent topics in todays time mixed with romance then this is the book for you. It's insta-love and forbidden love all at once ;)
Thank you to Montlake and to the author, Priscilla Oliveras, for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
OVERALL RATING - 4 / 5
CHARACTERS - 5 / 5
WRITING - 4 / 5
PLOT - 4 / 5
SPICE - 🌶️
GENRE - Contemporary Romance
"But I hope you remember, you don't have to fight every battle alone. Talk to me."
- Angelo Montero, West Side Love Story by Priscilla Oliveras
I love retellings, Shakespeare and representation and when you put all of those together, this book is what you get. It's a modern day retelling of the classic play, Romeo and Juliet filled with deep-rooted underlying themes that have been so beautifully brought out. Priscilla creates emphasis on familial obligation, feminism, burden placed upon the eldest sibling as well as the feeling of finding a place to belong. I especially admired the female MC in this book as she's a representation of a woman we all strive to be—independent, loving and absolutely selfless. I'm so glad she has someone like Angelo to share the burden with and has someone where she can freely express her worries to.
In addition to this, the side characters deserve more recognition!! I loved Nina and Brenda's camaraderie but especially enjoyed their character development more. Nina finally finding it in herself to let go and trust was such a brave move on her part and I couldn't help but feel immense love for her.
Representation is clearly evident in this book and I loved every second of it. Representation always feels like a warm hug and I'm so glad we're getting more books like this. If you're looking for a book that features prominent topics in todays time mixed with romance then this is the book for you. It's insta-love and forbidden love all at once ;)
Thank you to Montlake and to the author, Priscilla Oliveras, for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
February 7, 2022
Totally enchanted by the San Antonio setting and the musical prose that Oliveras sets the mariachi scene with in this series debut. I hope it will be a series anyway! The huge cast of secondary leaves many opportunities for exploration in future books, and all of the adopted sisters of the Capuleta family deserve to have an HEA!
I also love how the author captures the heat and pining between her love interests and gently fades them to black.
Full review to come in Library Journal; thank you to LJ for the advanced review copy.
I also love how the author captures the heat and pining between her love interests and gently fades them to black.
Full review to come in Library Journal; thank you to LJ for the advanced review copy.
October 13, 2022
This was just SO MUCH FUN!! I loved this Romeo and Juliet retelling featuring two rival Mariachi bands competing in San Antonio, Texas.
Mariana and Angelo meet one New Year's Eve night and have the perfect kiss only to discover a year later that their families are fierce rivals and they are each fighting to win the Battle of the Mariachi Bands competition.
The focus on family (both found and blood) and the way Mariana and her foster sisters are fighting both to represent women Mariachis and save their adoptive parents' business completely stole my heart.
I can't recommend this slow burn, forbidden/secret romance that was full of sizzling chemistry and a few open door scenes enough. Perfect for fans of Ramon and Julieta by Alana Albertson and great on audio narrated by Karla Serrato.
I cannot wait for the next book in this series coming November 1st!!
Mariana and Angelo meet one New Year's Eve night and have the perfect kiss only to discover a year later that their families are fierce rivals and they are each fighting to win the Battle of the Mariachi Bands competition.
The focus on family (both found and blood) and the way Mariana and her foster sisters are fighting both to represent women Mariachis and save their adoptive parents' business completely stole my heart.
I can't recommend this slow burn, forbidden/secret romance that was full of sizzling chemistry and a few open door scenes enough. Perfect for fans of Ramon and Julieta by Alana Albertson and great on audio narrated by Karla Serrato.
I cannot wait for the next book in this series coming November 1st!!
May 25, 2022
The second I saw this cover for the cover reveal, I nearly swooned! It’s so pretty and I absolutely love the colors—plus the pose was absolutely eye catching. I couldn’t WAIT to start reading it! I was never a fan of West Side Story, I think I watched the film once in high school and just never felt invested in the story, even though it was a Romeo and Juliet retelling.
However, I could totally get excited for this book even if it was a retelling of Romeo and Juliet/West Side Story. I couldn’t wait to see the story come to life in the pages of this book. Plus mariachi and margaritas? It’s literally the perfect book to read this spring on a beach somewhere! I am so excited to finally share a bit about this book with you guys and of course share my thoughts.
This is my first book by Priscilla Oliveras but it won’t be my last! I have seen a number of other books by Oliveras pop up on my radar off and on over the years but it was this book that finally made me want to read her books! I am so thrilled to discover this amazing new to me author! I loved this book and I cannot wait for the next one! Also today is Cinco de Mayo so I thought this would be the perfect book to review in celebration of Latinx heritage!
In Texas where this book is set, mariachi music is a massive part of the Mexican culture. Frankly everywhere in the South West. I lived in Arizona for 10 years and the mariachi scene is a big deal there too. I am not Latinx, but I enjoyed getting to explore the rich culture and music in this book. The culture and music are their own characters in this one and I loved that! While the music was so fun to explore, the star of the show here is the romance between Mariana and Angelo.
I felt that Mariana and Angelo had fantastic chemistry right away. There was a bit of enemies to lovers in the story which evolved into star crossed lovers and I just loved how it all came together. There was enough heat to keep romance fans interested and excited without crossing over into ‘too much’ territory. I loved how well they worked together as a couple and I was invested in their story and rooting for them.
While there was a lot to enjoy in this one for me, I did think that the author needed to explore the Montero family dynamics a little more. Throughout the book the Capuleta family was the family taking center stage. I loved their family and the dynamics but I also felt like I knew them better than I knew the Montero family. I think it might have made their story stronger especially as a family rivalry. I felt like I sided with the Capuleta family more since I felt more of a connection with them if that makes sense. This story clearly had deep roots in the classic Romeo and Juliet play, I loved the little twist on the names and the family feud but I just think it could have been a little stronger. Overall I rated this one 4 stars I really loved it and thought it was a fun read. I can’t wait for the upcoming books in this series!
However, I could totally get excited for this book even if it was a retelling of Romeo and Juliet/West Side Story. I couldn’t wait to see the story come to life in the pages of this book. Plus mariachi and margaritas? It’s literally the perfect book to read this spring on a beach somewhere! I am so excited to finally share a bit about this book with you guys and of course share my thoughts.
This is my first book by Priscilla Oliveras but it won’t be my last! I have seen a number of other books by Oliveras pop up on my radar off and on over the years but it was this book that finally made me want to read her books! I am so thrilled to discover this amazing new to me author! I loved this book and I cannot wait for the next one! Also today is Cinco de Mayo so I thought this would be the perfect book to review in celebration of Latinx heritage!
In Texas where this book is set, mariachi music is a massive part of the Mexican culture. Frankly everywhere in the South West. I lived in Arizona for 10 years and the mariachi scene is a big deal there too. I am not Latinx, but I enjoyed getting to explore the rich culture and music in this book. The culture and music are their own characters in this one and I loved that! While the music was so fun to explore, the star of the show here is the romance between Mariana and Angelo.
I felt that Mariana and Angelo had fantastic chemistry right away. There was a bit of enemies to lovers in the story which evolved into star crossed lovers and I just loved how it all came together. There was enough heat to keep romance fans interested and excited without crossing over into ‘too much’ territory. I loved how well they worked together as a couple and I was invested in their story and rooting for them.
While there was a lot to enjoy in this one for me, I did think that the author needed to explore the Montero family dynamics a little more. Throughout the book the Capuleta family was the family taking center stage. I loved their family and the dynamics but I also felt like I knew them better than I knew the Montero family. I think it might have made their story stronger especially as a family rivalry. I felt like I sided with the Capuleta family more since I felt more of a connection with them if that makes sense. This story clearly had deep roots in the classic Romeo and Juliet play, I loved the little twist on the names and the family feud but I just think it could have been a little stronger. Overall I rated this one 4 stars I really loved it and thought it was a fun read. I can’t wait for the upcoming books in this series!
September 13, 2022
Full Review on The Candid Cover
West Side Love Story by Priscilla Oliveras is a touching Romeo and Juliet retelling that is centred around rival mariachi bands. I found the idea of the Battle of the Mariachi Bands so compelling, and I enjoyed reading about the main character’s kindness and loyalty to her family. These family dynamics are especially well-written, making this a great read for those looking for something to fill them with love.
For Mariana, family means everything, which is why she is determined to win the Battle of the Mariachi Bands to support them financially. In order to win, however, she must defeat her family’s greatest enemies, the Monteneros. This proves to be much more difficult than Mariana had anticipated, as one of the members of this rival mariachi band turns out to be the man she shared a moment with on New Year’s Eve. As Mariana and Angelo grow closer and the competition heats up, they must balance loyalty to their families while fighting to move forward from the past.
❀ CARING MAIN CHARACTER
Mariana is a caring main character, and I enjoyed following her throughout the book. She has a lot on her plate as an ER nurse, and she also feels responsible for her sisters as she is the oldest in the family. Mariana’s determination to win the prize as a way to thank her family for all they have given her is so admirable, and she proves herself as a selfless character in every chapter. While Mariana is kind and hardworking, she sometimes struggle with this heavy weight on her shoulders, and I enjoyed the way Angelo balances this and teaches her to enjoy herself.
❀ FOCUS ON FAMILY
One of my favourite parts about this book is the focus on family. Mariana’s family, the Capuletas, open their home to children in need, including Mariana, and the environment in this home is so uplifting. Reading about Mariana’s relationship with her sisters and the love they have for one another is so heartwarming, and I loved this theme of unwavering love for one’s family.
❀ A HEARTWARMING STORY
West Side Love Story by Priscilla Oliveras is a heartwarming story about family rivalry, forbidden romance, and the love between sisters. I enjoyed the concept of a Battle of the Mariachi Bands competition, and the main character’s selflessness won me over. I was especially touched by the dynamics in Mariana’s adoptive family, making this a heartfelt story that overflows with love.
West Side Love Story by Priscilla Oliveras is a touching Romeo and Juliet retelling that is centred around rival mariachi bands. I found the idea of the Battle of the Mariachi Bands so compelling, and I enjoyed reading about the main character’s kindness and loyalty to her family. These family dynamics are especially well-written, making this a great read for those looking for something to fill them with love.
For Mariana, family means everything, which is why she is determined to win the Battle of the Mariachi Bands to support them financially. In order to win, however, she must defeat her family’s greatest enemies, the Monteneros. This proves to be much more difficult than Mariana had anticipated, as one of the members of this rival mariachi band turns out to be the man she shared a moment with on New Year’s Eve. As Mariana and Angelo grow closer and the competition heats up, they must balance loyalty to their families while fighting to move forward from the past.
❀ CARING MAIN CHARACTER
Mariana is a caring main character, and I enjoyed following her throughout the book. She has a lot on her plate as an ER nurse, and she also feels responsible for her sisters as she is the oldest in the family. Mariana’s determination to win the prize as a way to thank her family for all they have given her is so admirable, and she proves herself as a selfless character in every chapter. While Mariana is kind and hardworking, she sometimes struggle with this heavy weight on her shoulders, and I enjoyed the way Angelo balances this and teaches her to enjoy herself.
❀ FOCUS ON FAMILY
One of my favourite parts about this book is the focus on family. Mariana’s family, the Capuletas, open their home to children in need, including Mariana, and the environment in this home is so uplifting. Reading about Mariana’s relationship with her sisters and the love they have for one another is so heartwarming, and I loved this theme of unwavering love for one’s family.
❀ A HEARTWARMING STORY
West Side Love Story by Priscilla Oliveras is a heartwarming story about family rivalry, forbidden romance, and the love between sisters. I enjoyed the concept of a Battle of the Mariachi Bands competition, and the main character’s selflessness won me over. I was especially touched by the dynamics in Mariana’s adoptive family, making this a heartfelt story that overflows with love.
June 2, 2022
I'm kind of iffy about Romeo and Juliet retellings. Sometimes they put a cool spin on it and sometimes it's too cliché for me. This one had a nice spin with having Latinx characters and a modern setting. It's also more light than the source material, not quite a rom-com but definitely cute moments and a HEA. I really enjoyed the mariachi aspects and think an all woman group is awesome!
The plot was kind of predictable and some of the drama seemed overblown, but Mariana and Angelo had a sweet romance and I definitely rooted for them. I also liked the bond among the sisters, especially Mariana and Nina. Having the sisters all be adopted was a great detail and made me like the Capuleta's even more.
The plot was kind of predictable and some of the drama seemed overblown, but Mariana and Angelo had a sweet romance and I definitely rooted for them. I also liked the bond among the sisters, especially Mariana and Nina. Having the sisters all be adopted was a great detail and made me like the Capuleta's even more.
May 27, 2022
I love it.
September 20, 2022
I really enjoyed how West Side Love Story highlighted Latin culture, the impact of gentrification, and found family. The Capuleta's familial bond was heartwarming to read. Honestly could've lived without the romance.
This is great for those who also love insta-love/forbidden romance tropes.
This is great for those who also love insta-love/forbidden romance tropes.
June 20, 2022
4.5 Stars
Priscilla is the Jane Austin of current times. She evokes the deepest feelings in me with just light touches of the hand, held stares across the room. I am clenching my heart over the smallest of moments.
I don't know what magic she possess when she writes romance, but I am under her spell and I love it.
The loose Romeo and Juliet slash West Side Story retelling with a full Latinx cast is so heartfelt!
The flair of forbidden romance and the clandestine meetings are my actual catnip and it had me on the loveliest chokehold.
The book also addresses the prevalent topic of gentrification as well, all this proves that the romance genre can teach so much (socially) and emotionally!
The full family of the sisters are also so near and dear to my heart. Their connections both the life long ones and the newer ones (some sisters are more recently adopted/fostered) are so special and add such depth to the story.
I love this book so much. It's light, yet deep with emotions. Just like the queen Priscilla can muster up with every book!
Priscilla is the Jane Austin of current times. She evokes the deepest feelings in me with just light touches of the hand, held stares across the room. I am clenching my heart over the smallest of moments.
I don't know what magic she possess when she writes romance, but I am under her spell and I love it.
The loose Romeo and Juliet slash West Side Story retelling with a full Latinx cast is so heartfelt!
The flair of forbidden romance and the clandestine meetings are my actual catnip and it had me on the loveliest chokehold.
The book also addresses the prevalent topic of gentrification as well, all this proves that the romance genre can teach so much (socially) and emotionally!
The full family of the sisters are also so near and dear to my heart. Their connections both the life long ones and the newer ones (some sisters are more recently adopted/fostered) are so special and add such depth to the story.
I love this book so much. It's light, yet deep with emotions. Just like the queen Priscilla can muster up with every book!
June 18, 2022
Huge thanks to Amazon, and Priscilla Oliveras for my E-ARC in exchange for the honest review.
West Side Love Story is a modern-day version of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The story follows the Capuletas and the Monteros. Mariana and Angelo belong to rival families but fall in love. Mariana knows just how to solve the Capuletas' financial problems. The sisters enter a competition against elite mariachi bands from all around Texas, hoping to win a monetary award to aid their foster parents with their financial issues. Mariana had unintentionally met Angelo, who was connected to her father's biggest rival and a member of the defending mariachi band champion. Hugo is Mariana's father's most potent rival, and Angelo, her crush, is in the same band and quite off due to the dads' feud. During the tournament, Mariana and Angelo resolve to keep their blossoming love hidden.
West Side Love Story is a mariachi competition surrounded by forbidden love and stolen moments. The prologue was flawless. Mariana and Angelo's romance was beautifully written and never seemed hurried. I liked how they met and how their love grew. In comparison to previous retellings, it's a slow burn! I particularly appreciated the book's finale and the lessons it can teach. Aside from being a romance, this novel was also about family bonds and culture, which was great. I enjoyed the book's wonderful interweaving of culture and language. Congratulations to the author for neatly including Spanish and translations. The book's cover is stunning, and it immediately piqued my interest. What I didn't like is sometimes, the author's characters' thoughts were a touch redundant, so there would be paragraphs expressing the same topic between two lines of discussion.
Overall, it was a fun and cute read. If you're looking for a cute Latinx love story, you'll enjoy this one!
West Side Love Story is a modern-day version of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The story follows the Capuletas and the Monteros. Mariana and Angelo belong to rival families but fall in love. Mariana knows just how to solve the Capuletas' financial problems. The sisters enter a competition against elite mariachi bands from all around Texas, hoping to win a monetary award to aid their foster parents with their financial issues. Mariana had unintentionally met Angelo, who was connected to her father's biggest rival and a member of the defending mariachi band champion. Hugo is Mariana's father's most potent rival, and Angelo, her crush, is in the same band and quite off due to the dads' feud. During the tournament, Mariana and Angelo resolve to keep their blossoming love hidden.
West Side Love Story is a mariachi competition surrounded by forbidden love and stolen moments. The prologue was flawless. Mariana and Angelo's romance was beautifully written and never seemed hurried. I liked how they met and how their love grew. In comparison to previous retellings, it's a slow burn! I particularly appreciated the book's finale and the lessons it can teach. Aside from being a romance, this novel was also about family bonds and culture, which was great. I enjoyed the book's wonderful interweaving of culture and language. Congratulations to the author for neatly including Spanish and translations. The book's cover is stunning, and it immediately piqued my interest. What I didn't like is sometimes, the author's characters' thoughts were a touch redundant, so there would be paragraphs expressing the same topic between two lines of discussion.
Overall, it was a fun and cute read. If you're looking for a cute Latinx love story, you'll enjoy this one!
July 18, 2022
Fans of West Side Story will adore this feminist West Side Story/Romeo and Juliet retelling about Mariana, an ER nurse and member of an all-female mariachi band, who is falling for her father’s enemy’s nephew Angelo. Angelo’s uncle and Mariana’s dad had a falling out decades ago over a woman, and their mariachi band had to split up. Flash forward to the modern-day and Mariana and Angelo are in competition for a grand prize that Mariana needs to win to prove the greatness of all-female bands and save her family’s home and shelter. This book is filled with drama-- there are so many layers you will be completely engrossed waiting to see what happens next. I found myself quite literally on the edge of my seat at several points throughout the story and I know you will too. The beginning was a bit of exposition, but once you get into the heart of the story you won’t be able to put it down! I cannot wait for the next book in the series, Kiss Me, Catalina, which comes out in November. This book is perfect for fans of forbidden love, and feminist retellings of stories-- there is no helpless Maria or Juliet in this story! Thank you to Priscilla Oliveras and her team for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
August 2, 2022
I had been meaning to pick up West Side Love Story for a couple of months now but never got around to it.
Lo and behold, today was the day I was just in the right mood to read a short contemporary romance with substance and this book came to my rescue.
The beginning of the book was a bit slow paced for me because truly I couldn’t figure out wth was happening. Although I am familiar with the tragic Romeo and Juliet, I drew up a complete blank when it came to West Side Story. I am judging this book without ever finding out what retelling it’s supposed to be.
I really liked the Mariachi component and the competition between the main characters. I especially liked the sibling bonding in this one and since they weren’t blood related, it was all the more special to see how supportive and loving they all were towards each other. I was expecting a bit more angst tbh and it’s my fault for assuming it to be a enemies to lovers romance so I enjoyed it lesser than I had hoped to.
But it was indeed a cute story to dive into if you want to read a light hearted romance with a HEA and a diverse cast!
Lo and behold, today was the day I was just in the right mood to read a short contemporary romance with substance and this book came to my rescue.
The beginning of the book was a bit slow paced for me because truly I couldn’t figure out wth was happening. Although I am familiar with the tragic Romeo and Juliet, I drew up a complete blank when it came to West Side Story. I am judging this book without ever finding out what retelling it’s supposed to be.
I really liked the Mariachi component and the competition between the main characters. I especially liked the sibling bonding in this one and since they weren’t blood related, it was all the more special to see how supportive and loving they all were towards each other. I was expecting a bit more angst tbh and it’s my fault for assuming it to be a enemies to lovers romance so I enjoyed it lesser than I had hoped to.
But it was indeed a cute story to dive into if you want to read a light hearted romance with a HEA and a diverse cast!
May 1, 2022
I unique modern day retelling of Romeo and Juliet. I was enthralled with this story!
Mariana Capuleta and Angelo Montero are star-crossed lovers. Their families have a decades old feud that is still leaving heartache in its wake.
There is so much in this book that was well done. It's just slow enough to build up the tension between the characters. The author does a great job of creating chemistry and heat on the page, there is also so much pining between her love interests, which I adore. These scenes do fade to black.
This was a really well done re-telling and is a great step from genre fiction to romance. There is so much in this story that there is something for everyone. You should absolutely add this to your TBR.
Full review at https://Bookcaseandcoffee.com
Mariana Capuleta and Angelo Montero are star-crossed lovers. Their families have a decades old feud that is still leaving heartache in its wake.
There is so much in this book that was well done. It's just slow enough to build up the tension between the characters. The author does a great job of creating chemistry and heat on the page, there is also so much pining between her love interests, which I adore. These scenes do fade to black.
This was a really well done re-telling and is a great step from genre fiction to romance. There is so much in this story that there is something for everyone. You should absolutely add this to your TBR.
Full review at https://Bookcaseandcoffee.com
May 20, 2022
Priscilla Oliveras is a romance queen and everything she writes fills my heart with hope and happiness. West Side Love Story had everything that I love: a forbidden romance, two languages mixed seamlessly, culture, and a battle of the bands.
Do not wait to read this!!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Do not wait to read this!!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
May 7, 2022
This was sweet, and the mariachi competition was a unique setting. Mariana and Angelo both had some good character depth, and I loved how supportive he was
July 26, 2022
This is the Romeo and Juliet retelling I had no idea I needed!! I absolutely loved Mariana and her family, and how hard she works for them, the love just shines through. And I love Angelo who knows he should stay away from Mariana but just….can’t. And I freaking LOVED the culture woven throughout every aspect of the book, it was beautiful and engaging and invites the reader in rather than making you feel like you’re on the outside. I hope this is the start to a new series because I can’t wait to read more of the Capuleta sisters stories!!!
July 20, 2022
I am always so grateful to read an own voices romance that centers around Latinx characters. I love seeing how Mexican culture varies based on the region that people live in, and especially enjoyed seeing a Romeo and Juliet retelling that showed Latinos in a starring role. However, there were a lot of times where I felt pretty meh while reading, and I really couldn’t get behind Angelo and Mariana as a couple. I’m glad I read it, but it is also kind of lackluster.
July 9, 2022
not my cup of tea
I’m sorry I really wanted to like this book. Although there were some good spots, especially descriptions, the plot felt tired and draggy most of the time. I kinda liked the characters and wanted them to succeed but they didn’t feel very real to me. I gave this book two stars because of the colorful background and culture of the mariachi band battle. The Spanish language inserts felt just like that, inserted and forced. They pulled me out instead of drawing me in. Sigh…I feel like this could’ve been a great book, but, I just wasn’t feeling it.
I’m sorry I really wanted to like this book. Although there were some good spots, especially descriptions, the plot felt tired and draggy most of the time. I kinda liked the characters and wanted them to succeed but they didn’t feel very real to me. I gave this book two stars because of the colorful background and culture of the mariachi band battle. The Spanish language inserts felt just like that, inserted and forced. They pulled me out instead of drawing me in. Sigh…I feel like this could’ve been a great book, but, I just wasn’t feeling it.
May 2, 2022
I was utterly enchanted by this heartwarming story. In this modern-day retelling of Romeo and Juliet, Mariana Capuleta and Angelo Montero are the star-crossed lovers, dealing with the ramifications of a decades-old feud, but unable to resist their deepening feelings. I loved so many things about this book! I loved Mariana and Angelo, our extremely charming and devoted couple, whose loyalty for their families are commendable. Their scenes together are complicated, but always brimming with warmth, tenderness, concern and caring. I loved that this book featured battling mariachis, especially the all-female band featuring the Capuleta sisters! I loved that the Capuleta family embraced foster children who become their daughters, and that their focus is always on each other and their community. I loved that this story takes place in San Antonio, my hometown; the author does a brilliant job of portraying the spirit of San Antonio, so that I never once doubted where I was! I love that this is the first book of a series, and I can’t wait to read more about this wonderful familia—I’ll miss spending time with them until the next book!
May 9, 2023
BLEH.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I wanted to love this so badly y’all. SO BADLY.
The culture and setting? Absolutely loved those. The reason I gave it even 2 stars to begin with. Everything else made me wish I just hadn’t finished.
I think my biggest issue was the writing style. It was intensely focused on over explanation factors. The main plot points were repeated almost every chapter and it needed more substance than that. And anything to do with the characters was mapped out or shown many yards before the character actually did something.
The romance had some cute moments. I didn’t totally find it at fault. The love scenes (even including the kissing scenes) made me straight up cringe. Not smooth or engaging. Poor word choices that I was not a fan of.
Anyways, I’ll stop. This didn’t work for me. But that doesn’t mean it couldn’t for you.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: some strong
- Romance: open door
- Trigger/Content Warnings: gentrification, a sibling who runs away, physical altercations
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I wanted to love this so badly y’all. SO BADLY.
The culture and setting? Absolutely loved those. The reason I gave it even 2 stars to begin with. Everything else made me wish I just hadn’t finished.
I think my biggest issue was the writing style. It was intensely focused on over explanation factors. The main plot points were repeated almost every chapter and it needed more substance than that. And anything to do with the characters was mapped out or shown many yards before the character actually did something.
The romance had some cute moments. I didn’t totally find it at fault. The love scenes (even including the kissing scenes) made me straight up cringe. Not smooth or engaging. Poor word choices that I was not a fan of.
Anyways, I’ll stop. This didn’t work for me. But that doesn’t mean it couldn’t for you.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: some strong
- Romance: open door
- Trigger/Content Warnings: gentrification, a sibling who runs away, physical altercations
June 24, 2022
To start off, I went in knowing this was a forbidden love scenario but this one just dragged a little too much for my liking. I would kinda consider this a slow burn. And I understand and this is just my personal opinion and I completely that I fall into the naive eneas of the problem but the whole “gentrification” talk literally the whole book annoyed me. As a Mexican I’m glad it’s bringing awareness to the topic but at one point for me it was just too much for me. One of the main reasons I wanted to read this was because I love my Mexican culture and I feel like there isn’t enough representation in contemporary books for us. So of course I had to give it a try. Honestly I got kinda bored with the plot but I was okay with the romance between Angelo and Mariana. The spice was alright nothing too crazy
June 18, 2022
This book, on paper, should have been a 5 star read. I LOVED the meet cute prologue which was sweet and sexy and got the book started off on a great foot. However, the rest of the book wasn't nearly as successful. I found it to be padded to the hilt with tons of unnecessary descriptions and flowery language and it felt like I was getting hit over the head with the same few ideas over and over again without making much forward progress in the story. Disappointing because I love the idea of this spin on the Romeo/Juliet story, but the execution just wasn't for me in the end.
July 18, 2022
I had been waiting for a long time for this book to be out. I first stumbled upon it in one of those GoodReads future releases a few months ago and I was super curious to read this modern take on West Side Story.
Synopsis:
The story begins with a rivalry between two families, the Capuleta and the Montero. A long feud which origin began between the patriarchal and matriarchal elements of each family and an unrequited love.
The story follows Mariana Capuleta, the oldest of the Capuleta family, a nurse whose only focus is her family, mainly known as the problem solver of the family; and it follows Angelo Montero, the oldest of the Montero family, whose parents tragically died in an accident and he got left in charge of his younger sister.
Although they are both off-limits for each other, fate has the last word and it decided to put them in each other’s path long before they knew of each other’s existence. However, with the competition of the mariachi bands and the pressure of the feud, the couple will have to face challenges they have never faced before and they have to decide what beats stronger: their loyalty to their family or their love for each other.
Review:
Very rarely do I let myself get high expectations for books, especially those I do not know a lot about. But the intriguing synopsis let me hooked and I was counting down the days to get my hands in that book.
It exceeded those expectations.
I really liked how Priscilla Oliveras incorporated so many Latin American (I believe she got her inspiration on Mexican culture but the author is Puerto Rican-Mexican so I cannot be sure) and it fit perfectly well in the story. It felt like I was part of that community with so many words, sentences and expressions mixed together with English to create the perfect tribute to a beautiful culture(s).
I really liked how there was more time of them falling in love and getting to know each other and then together than there was of them separated.
The reason it didn’t got 5 stars is because I really hoped there wasn’t a “break-up” in the third act; I really expected them to pull through, even though with hard times, it hurt to read how little faith Mariana had in Angelo about *a certain issue*.
HOWEVER, that can change in the future. Maybe a 5 stars rating is reserved after times passes by.
But I really liked how the ending wasn’t happily ever after for all sides. It let an opening in regards with Angelo’s and Mariana’s relationship with other people and how they’d fit into their lives from that moment on.
It was such a beautiful, passionate and alluring love story inspired in one of the Hollywood classics, giving it a modern and Latin American take. I believe this book should have more hype than it currently does. I'll definitely look up more books from this author and I'm very excited to follow her through her career from here on now.
Synopsis:
The story begins with a rivalry between two families, the Capuleta and the Montero. A long feud which origin began between the patriarchal and matriarchal elements of each family and an unrequited love.
The story follows Mariana Capuleta, the oldest of the Capuleta family, a nurse whose only focus is her family, mainly known as the problem solver of the family; and it follows Angelo Montero, the oldest of the Montero family, whose parents tragically died in an accident and he got left in charge of his younger sister.
Although they are both off-limits for each other, fate has the last word and it decided to put them in each other’s path long before they knew of each other’s existence. However, with the competition of the mariachi bands and the pressure of the feud, the couple will have to face challenges they have never faced before and they have to decide what beats stronger: their loyalty to their family or their love for each other.
Review:
Very rarely do I let myself get high expectations for books, especially those I do not know a lot about. But the intriguing synopsis let me hooked and I was counting down the days to get my hands in that book.
It exceeded those expectations.
I really liked how Priscilla Oliveras incorporated so many Latin American (I believe she got her inspiration on Mexican culture but the author is Puerto Rican-Mexican so I cannot be sure) and it fit perfectly well in the story. It felt like I was part of that community with so many words, sentences and expressions mixed together with English to create the perfect tribute to a beautiful culture(s).
I really liked how there was more time of them falling in love and getting to know each other and then together than there was of them separated.
The reason it didn’t got 5 stars is because I really hoped there wasn’t a “break-up” in the third act; I really expected them to pull through, even though with hard times, it hurt to read how little faith Mariana had in Angelo about *a certain issue*.
HOWEVER, that can change in the future. Maybe a 5 stars rating is reserved after times passes by.
But I really liked how the ending wasn’t happily ever after for all sides. It let an opening in regards with Angelo’s and Mariana’s relationship with other people and how they’d fit into their lives from that moment on.
It was such a beautiful, passionate and alluring love story inspired in one of the Hollywood classics, giving it a modern and Latin American take. I believe this book should have more hype than it currently does. I'll definitely look up more books from this author and I'm very excited to follow her through her career from here on now.
June 6, 2022
A vibrant and interesting romance
4 stars
I always enjoy reading what Priscilla Oliveras writes. She manages to weave her romances with such a vibrant sense of the Latinx community and family - I never fail to become engrossed in the world she creates for her books.
In this tale we get a modern re-telling of Romeo and Juliet. Just take out the death and destruction - and add in mariachi music! Hell yeah! Why have we not had other books set around a battle of the bands, mariachi style? Well, since this is the start of a new series, I guess we do now!
Our heroine is Mariana - the eldest Capuleta daughter and leader of Mariachi Las Nubes. After her younger sister enters the group into a battle of the bands, Mariana is determined to win and give back to the parents who gave so much to her and her adopted sisters. She’s more of a sensible sort but I liked her from the first. Especially since she found herself throwing her sensible-ness out the window when she meets - and kisses - a delicious stranger on New Year’s Eve. I saw a lot of myself in her and liked that she was the person in our couple who needed a little more convincing to take a chance on love.
Angelo is one of my favourite types of heroes in that he’s the one that’s more of a smitten kitten and so wants Mariana to give them a chance. I liked that he was loyal to his family but not ignorant to their faults. He was a sweetheart - but a deliciously hot one. He was fab.
While there was a chemistry between our couple, and some nice smooching, the steamy scenes with this story are very much behind closed doors. That seems to suit the feel of the book but I do tend to prefer a bit more sex in the book.
I loved the parallels to Romeo and Juliet in the story - but only the non-tragic bits, obviously! Making the animosity come to a head with the battle of the bands was a stroke of genius and I loved hearing all about that - as well as the importance and history of it.
I was slightly overwhelmed by the number of characters, names and the setting of the scene that went on with the story. Understandable in the first of a series but it was the main reason that I dropped a star. I fully expect that not to be a problem in the next book in the series, Kiss Me, Catalina which features Mariana’s sister, Cat, and Patricio Galán. I can’t wait to go back and meet this rowdy rabble once again for another happily ever after.
June 1, 2022
This was a fun West Side Story/Romeo and Juliet retelling - I really enjoyed the little nods to both, like the two houses being Capuleta and Montero! The setting is between two families as expected, but the battles are replaced by a mariarchi band competition! I haven't come across mariarchi before and it was so great to be introduced to it be an actual Latina author :)
This is my first book by Priscilla Oliveras, and it was really good fun, whilst also managing to have some serious bits - I love how the gentrification of the area and the attitude to male/female mariarchi bands are such important parts. I would have liked to see even more of those bits in fact!
There are some really lovable characters waiting to be found here, including great side characters which is something I will always appreciate; it feels like the author is more immersed in their own writing. The lead characters are Mariana Capuleta and Angelo Montero, who are very well portrayed (particularly Mariana), but there are some fab secondary characters - Mariana's sisters mostly - Cat was a joy and made me laugh; the newest member of the Capuleta household, Nina, felt so realistically drawn; and I also enjoyed the local mariarchi star, and snippets of the leaders of the households.
This isn't enemies-to-lovers, definitely star-crossed lovers; Angelo and Mariana don't waste time hating each other! ;)
It's made me want to find about more about this part of culture I don't know about! I've listened to a bit of music, but it seems to be a huge part of Mexican/Mexican-American culture - really interesting.
If I'm being a bit stingy with stars, it's because romance really isn't my genre and I found it a little cheesy, but that's just taste. If this is your genre - go for it!
This is my first book by Priscilla Oliveras, and it was really good fun, whilst also managing to have some serious bits - I love how the gentrification of the area and the attitude to male/female mariarchi bands are such important parts. I would have liked to see even more of those bits in fact!
There are some really lovable characters waiting to be found here, including great side characters which is something I will always appreciate; it feels like the author is more immersed in their own writing. The lead characters are Mariana Capuleta and Angelo Montero, who are very well portrayed (particularly Mariana), but there are some fab secondary characters - Mariana's sisters mostly - Cat was a joy and made me laugh; the newest member of the Capuleta household, Nina, felt so realistically drawn; and I also enjoyed the local mariarchi star, and snippets of the leaders of the households.
This isn't enemies-to-lovers, definitely star-crossed lovers; Angelo and Mariana don't waste time hating each other! ;)
It's made me want to find about more about this part of culture I don't know about! I've listened to a bit of music, but it seems to be a huge part of Mexican/Mexican-American culture - really interesting.
If I'm being a bit stingy with stars, it's because romance really isn't my genre and I found it a little cheesy, but that's just taste. If this is your genre - go for it!
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