A Lot Like Adios

Starred review from June 28, 2021
Daria’s sultry, standalone second Primas of Power rom-com (after You Had Me at Hola) offers a delightful take on the friends-to-lovers trope. Childhood best friends Michelle Amato and Gabe Aguilar fell out of touch at age 18 when Gabe fled the Bronx for college in California to escape his overbearing parents. Thirteen years later, Michelle is a freelance graphic designer while Gabe is a physical therapist and co-owner of L.A.’s “5th hottest celebrity gym.” With another gym set to open in New York City, the former friends are reunited when Michelle is hired to lead the new location’s marketing campaign. One of Michelle’s conditions for working with Gabe is that he stay with her while location scouting, bringing him back to his old neighborhood for the first time. In such close proximity, feelings from the past threaten to bubble over and the pair find it increasingly difficult to deny their palpable chemistry—all while fending off their overly invested families, who believe they’re dating. Daria keeps the emphasis on the protagonists’ personal growth, capturing the intimacy between Michelle and Gabe as they come to better understand who they are as individuals—and who they could be together. The steamy love scenes, vibrant cast, deeply felt emotions, and sense of fun make this a surefire hit. Agent: Sarah Younger, Nancy Yost Literary.

Starred review from July 30, 2021

Burned out from her career in corporate marketing, Michelle Amato is shocked when Gabriel Aguilar, her former neighbor, best friend, and crush, reaches out for help revamping the branding for his up-and-coming celebrity gym in Los Angeles. Mich reluctantly agrees, but only if Gabe comes home to the Bronx. Gabe is terrified to return since he hasn't spoken to Mich, or his parents, since he abruptly left 13 years ago to get out from under the weight of his parents' expectations. Sparks immediately reignite between the two, who agree to have a fling while working together on Gabe's marketing campaign. But then Gabe and Mich's overbearing families discover them together, and their fake relationship begins to feel increasingly real, which means that both Mich and Gabe will need to figure out who they are and how they can belong, together. VERDICT This sparkling and steamy follow-up to Daria's You Had Me at Hola is a delicious second-chance romance featuring two bisexual leads. A must-read for those who love contemporary queer, family-focused romances like Adriana Herrera's American Sweethearts and Alexandria Bellefleur's Hang the Moon. Recommended for all public library collections.--Elizabeth Gabriel, Milwaukee P.L.

Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 1, 2021
Childhood best friends have a second chance at love. Oppressed by the weight of family expectations after his high school graduation, Gabriel Aguilar left the Bronx for Los Angeles and never looked back. Thirteen years later, he co-owns a successful gym; he used to love working one-on-one with clients, but he's bored and unhappy now that his job is nothing but calendar alerts and endless meetings. Gabe's partner has hired Michelle Amato, a marketing expert, to help them with the gym's New York expansion, unaware that she was Gabe's childhood best friend and next-door neighbor. Michelle is excited for the chance to rebrand Agility Gyms but also hopes to finally find out why Gabe abandoned their friendship. Daria excels at writing strong, interesting conflict for her characters. Michelle is determined to protect herself after too many heartbreaks: She was devastated when Gabe moved to LA and was personally and professionally burned in corporate America. Gabe learns that his inability to stand up for himself in business is related to his penchant for running away. Gabe and Michelle know they should be careful with their hearts, but they cannot resist their powerful attraction or shared history, which is detailed on the page through instant messages from their teenage years. Michelle and Gabe battle their inner demons and take a chance on each other, and the result will delight romance readers. Not only is it a satisfying and steamy romance, but the novel also explores how family and friends can be an essential part of a happy, fulfilling life. A sexy, satisfying romance about people who finally grow into being right for each other.

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Starred review from July 1, 2021
Gabriel Aguilar has had little contact with his parents in the Bronx since a rift with his dad several years before. Now he owns a thriving, high-profile gym in L.A., and an investor wants to open a branch in New York. They end up hiring Michelle, Gabe's best friend from high school, another person who pushed him away after learning that he wanted to leave the neighborhood. Michelle ran a famously successful branding campaign for a similar business, and now works as a freelancer, after the firm she worked for gave the promotion she deserved to her colleague and ex-boyfriend. She wants to show Gabe how much it hurt her when he disappeared and never responded to her emails, but instead they soon realize how much they love each other. When Gabe is confronted by his family, and has to make a career decision, he is forced to decide what he really wants. Sizzling chemistry, realistic family dynamics, humorous fan-fiction flashbacks, and two strong leads make this outstanding second-chance romance one of the best yet by rising romance star Daria (You Had Me at Hola, 2020).

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