What do you think?
Rate this book
Amor Actually
Nochebuena. One party. Nine Happily Ever Afters.
It’s Christmas Eve in New York City, when anything is possible. For these couples, it’s the season to find true love. From second-chances, big leaps, missed connections, and reconnections, this charming collection celebrates the spirit of the holidays and delivers nine perfect HEAs.
From seven acclaimed and bestselling Latina authors—Zoey Castile, Alexis Daria, Adriana Herrera, Diana Muñoz Stewart, Priscilla Oliveras, Sabrina Sol, and Mia Sosa—comes a holiday romance collection like never before.
Make the Yuletide Gay • Adriana Herrera
After a string of broken engagements, an international Latin Pop Star finds love in her sexy and constant manager. Days before her big live holiday special, Vivi wonders if the woman of her dreams could finally be hers.
Only Yours • Sabrina Sol
The Mayor of New York embarks on a Christmas Eve search to find the woman he loves before she gets away.
Meet Me Under the Mistletoe • by Priscilla Oliveras
Challenged by his friends to find a plus one to Nochebuena dinner or else, widower Hector Gutierrez isn’t sure he’s still got any good moves left. That is until he strikes the right chord with his son’s music teacher, Cristina.
All I Want for Nochebuena • Alexis Daria
When sparks fly between adult film stars Honey and Julie, Honey must work up the courage to invite Julie to her family’s holiday party or risk losing what she really wants for Nochebuena—a chance at true love.
Santa’s Eager Little Helper • by Mia Sosa
Sarita’s plan to confess her crush on a coworker goes awry when she’s tasked with playing the Sexy Elf to his grumpy Santa. Will she seize the opportunity to make Carlos’s naughty list, or will she spend another Nochebuena alone?
The Nochebuena Dating Dare • by Diana Muñoz Stewart
Eneida Lucero takes a second chance on love with the handsome musical director at her school—even if it means causing some Nochebuena drama with her ex-husband and familia.
Love in Spanglish • Zoey Castile
A heartbroken romance writer gets snowed in with a novel-worthy hero who may just make her believe in love again.
To Us, You Are Perfect • Alexis Daria & Adriana Herrera
Newlyweds Pasquale and Yamilette’s Christmas is just short of perfect. The missing piece is their best friend Marcelo, who has loved them from afar for years. This Nochebuena, they’ll finally complete their happily ever after.
The Great Holiday Escape • Zoey Castile
Gigi is always on the hustle, making sure her little sister has everything she needs including a big Christmas Eve fiesta with all their friends and family. That night, Gigi receives an all-expenses paid trip to a luxe South Beach weekend where not one, but two beautiful strangers steal her heart.
It’s Christmas Eve in New York City, when anything is possible. For these couples, it’s the season to find true love. From second-chances, big leaps, missed connections, and reconnections, this charming collection celebrates the spirit of the holidays and delivers nine perfect HEAs.
From seven acclaimed and bestselling Latina authors—Zoey Castile, Alexis Daria, Adriana Herrera, Diana Muñoz Stewart, Priscilla Oliveras, Sabrina Sol, and Mia Sosa—comes a holiday romance collection like never before.
Make the Yuletide Gay • Adriana Herrera
After a string of broken engagements, an international Latin Pop Star finds love in her sexy and constant manager. Days before her big live holiday special, Vivi wonders if the woman of her dreams could finally be hers.
Only Yours • Sabrina Sol
The Mayor of New York embarks on a Christmas Eve search to find the woman he loves before she gets away.
Meet Me Under the Mistletoe • by Priscilla Oliveras
Challenged by his friends to find a plus one to Nochebuena dinner or else, widower Hector Gutierrez isn’t sure he’s still got any good moves left. That is until he strikes the right chord with his son’s music teacher, Cristina.
All I Want for Nochebuena • Alexis Daria
When sparks fly between adult film stars Honey and Julie, Honey must work up the courage to invite Julie to her family’s holiday party or risk losing what she really wants for Nochebuena—a chance at true love.
Santa’s Eager Little Helper • by Mia Sosa
Sarita’s plan to confess her crush on a coworker goes awry when she’s tasked with playing the Sexy Elf to his grumpy Santa. Will she seize the opportunity to make Carlos’s naughty list, or will she spend another Nochebuena alone?
The Nochebuena Dating Dare • by Diana Muñoz Stewart
Eneida Lucero takes a second chance on love with the handsome musical director at her school—even if it means causing some Nochebuena drama with her ex-husband and familia.
Love in Spanglish • Zoey Castile
A heartbroken romance writer gets snowed in with a novel-worthy hero who may just make her believe in love again.
To Us, You Are Perfect • Alexis Daria & Adriana Herrera
Newlyweds Pasquale and Yamilette’s Christmas is just short of perfect. The missing piece is their best friend Marcelo, who has loved them from afar for years. This Nochebuena, they’ll finally complete their happily ever after.
The Great Holiday Escape • Zoey Castile
Gigi is always on the hustle, making sure her little sister has everything she needs including a big Christmas Eve fiesta with all their friends and family. That night, Gigi receives an all-expenses paid trip to a luxe South Beach weekend where not one, but two beautiful strangers steal her heart.
436 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 7, 2021
About the author
Adriana Herrera
44 books1,369 followersUSA Today bestselling author ADRIANA HERRERA was born and raised in the Caribbean, but for the last 15 years has let her job (and her spouse) take her all over the world. She loves writing stories about people who look and sound like her people, getting unapologetic happy endings.
Her debut Dreamers, has been featured on Entertainment Weekly, NPR, the TODAY Show on NBC, The New York Times, The Washington Post and Oprah Magazine.
When she's not dreaming up love stories, planning logistically complex vacations with her family or hunting for discount Broadway tickets, she’s a social worker in New York City, working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
Her debut Dreamers, has been featured on Entertainment Weekly, NPR, the TODAY Show on NBC, The New York Times, The Washington Post and Oprah Magazine.
When she's not dreaming up love stories, planning logistically complex vacations with her family or hunting for discount Broadway tickets, she’s a social worker in New York City, working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 327 reviews
July 11, 2024
$3.99 audiobook sale @ Libro.fm
12 Challenge
Recommended by Bea
1. Make the Yuletide Gay by Adriana Herrera ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
We started off strong. Pop culture, but make it Latinx and LGBTQIA+. And an open door romance? Say less. I don't even like short stories, and yet I have a feeling I will love all of these. So again, perhaps it's not the format, but the delivery.
2. Only Yours by Sabrina Sol ⭐⭐⭐
I feel like I have to keep explaining myself, but three stars isn't a bad rating. This just didn't hit after that first short. Is it because it's straight? Is it because I dislike government figures? Is it because the lack of spice? Yeah, it may be that one.
3. Meet Me Under the Mistletoe by Priscilla Oliveras ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I am all about a single dad romance. Hit me up. I mean, don't. Or do. You know? Anyway, dad is cute. Teacher is cute. Even the kid is cute, and I'm not really into those.
4. All I Want for Nochebuena by Alexis Daria ⭐⭐⭐
Sex positivity. Sex work positivity. And while this had all the makings of a very spicy story, to me, nothing (yet) beats the first story in this anthology. Only time will tell.
5. Santa's Eager Little Helper by Mia Sosa ⭐⭐⭐
The Wedding Crasher, this is not. I'm ambivalent about brother's best friend stories. I do like that Mia brings her Afro-Brazilian rep into the mix. Brother was a little bit of a dick. We don't like that.
6. The Nochebuena Dating Dare by Diana Muñoz Stewart ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Hell yeah. Divorced parents deserve sexy times, too. Well, maybe not the one that cheated. So I can pick up just enough Spanish to understand bits and pieces, but my dumbass just googled coño and my face is on fire right now. See you never.
7. Love in Spanglish by Zoey Castile ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lo siento to story one. This one is my favorite by far. While I don't condone cheating, and hate reading about it, the whole disappearing to a budget Airbnb and being stuck in a cabin with a man you don't quite understand is exactly up my alley. I will be reading more of Zoraida Córdova's romances.
8. To Us, You are Perfect by Alexis Daria and Adriana Herrera ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m sure some of you are offended by the throuple. The same people that are offended by Latinx/Latiné. I don’t care. I liked this up to that stupid poster scene. You know which one. You can literally tell from the title.
9. The Great Holiday Escape by Zoey Castile ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Aww, Zoey. I just endorsed you. While this was seemingly everything I ever wanted, instalove is always too much to handle.
📱 Libby
12 Challenge
Recommended by Bea
1. Make the Yuletide Gay by Adriana Herrera ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
We started off strong. Pop culture, but make it Latinx and LGBTQIA+. And an open door romance? Say less. I don't even like short stories, and yet I have a feeling I will love all of these. So again, perhaps it's not the format, but the delivery.
2. Only Yours by Sabrina Sol ⭐⭐⭐
I feel like I have to keep explaining myself, but three stars isn't a bad rating. This just didn't hit after that first short. Is it because it's straight? Is it because I dislike government figures? Is it because the lack of spice? Yeah, it may be that one.
3. Meet Me Under the Mistletoe by Priscilla Oliveras ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I am all about a single dad romance. Hit me up. I mean, don't. Or do. You know? Anyway, dad is cute. Teacher is cute. Even the kid is cute, and I'm not really into those.
4. All I Want for Nochebuena by Alexis Daria ⭐⭐⭐
Sex positivity. Sex work positivity. And while this had all the makings of a very spicy story, to me, nothing (yet) beats the first story in this anthology. Only time will tell.
5. Santa's Eager Little Helper by Mia Sosa ⭐⭐⭐
The Wedding Crasher, this is not. I'm ambivalent about brother's best friend stories. I do like that Mia brings her Afro-Brazilian rep into the mix. Brother was a little bit of a dick. We don't like that.
6. The Nochebuena Dating Dare by Diana Muñoz Stewart ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Hell yeah. Divorced parents deserve sexy times, too. Well, maybe not the one that cheated. So I can pick up just enough Spanish to understand bits and pieces, but my dumbass just googled coño and my face is on fire right now. See you never.
7. Love in Spanglish by Zoey Castile ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lo siento to story one. This one is my favorite by far. While I don't condone cheating, and hate reading about it, the whole disappearing to a budget Airbnb and being stuck in a cabin with a man you don't quite understand is exactly up my alley. I will be reading more of Zoraida Córdova's romances.
8. To Us, You are Perfect by Alexis Daria and Adriana Herrera ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m sure some of you are offended by the throuple. The same people that are offended by Latinx/Latiné. I don’t care. I liked this up to that stupid poster scene. You know which one. You can literally tell from the title.
9. The Great Holiday Escape by Zoey Castile ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Aww, Zoey. I just endorsed you. While this was seemingly everything I ever wanted, instalove is always too much to handle.
📱 Libby
December 7, 2021
My alter ego, Zoey Castile, is in this so I am *super* biased ;)
December 21, 2023
3.5 Stars
Wow, didn't expect some of them to be so steamy!
Short story collections can be a hit or miss, and this one was no different. While some stories were captivating and left me wanting more, there were a few that needed a little more depth and development. A few felt rushed and left me wishing for a deeper dive into the plot. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the collection overall.
***Thank you to NetGalley, Helen Scheuerer, Adriana Herrera, Zoey Castile, Alexis Daria, Diana Muñoz Stewart, Priscilla Oliveras, Sabrina Sol, Mia Sosa, and Dreamscape Media for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
Wow, didn't expect some of them to be so steamy!
Short story collections can be a hit or miss, and this one was no different. While some stories were captivating and left me wanting more, there were a few that needed a little more depth and development. A few felt rushed and left me wishing for a deeper dive into the plot. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the collection overall.
***Thank you to NetGalley, Helen Scheuerer, Adriana Herrera, Zoey Castile, Alexis Daria, Diana Muñoz Stewart, Priscilla Oliveras, Sabrina Sol, Mia Sosa, and Dreamscape Media for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
December 13, 2021
This was just... the perfect anthology. It takes all of the storylines from Love Actually and gives them a fresh new interpretation, making them what they should have been all along. Had an absolute blast reading this!
December 22, 2023
✨To me, this anthology is perfect (unlike the crusty movie)🫶✨
Why did I not think this would be an anthology of the various different storylines in Love, Actually??? Because that’s absolutely what it was, only a thousand times better than the movie. It was fast-paced, festive, and full of love stories that didn’t make me want to beat my TV screen with a hockey stick. The narrators were FANTASTIC. This is cinema.
Love in Spanglish by Zoey Castile was my favorite, followed closely by Only Yours by Sabrina Sol, All I Want for Nochebuena by Alexis Daria, Santa’s Eager Little Helper by Mia Sosa, and To Us, You Are Perfect by Alexis Daria and Adriana Herrera. But truly, I enjoyed every romance in this anthology; they each varied in steam, some with full scenes and some with just a kiss. I wanted full books of just about every story here.
The writing was lush and it felt incredibly cohesive, which was very impressive for so many different writers. Since the stories all intertwine and end together at the Nochebuena celebration, the authors did a wonderful job bringing a different style to each story, but the same energy and direction.
If you’ve had this on your TBR or read the ebook last year, I definitely recommend that you pick up the audiobook. It’s an incredible bang for your buck and an incredible listen!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️.5/5
I received an ALC via NetGalley and I preordered the audiobook. All opinions are honest and my own.
Why did I not think this would be an anthology of the various different storylines in Love, Actually??? Because that’s absolutely what it was, only a thousand times better than the movie. It was fast-paced, festive, and full of love stories that didn’t make me want to beat my TV screen with a hockey stick. The narrators were FANTASTIC. This is cinema.
Love in Spanglish by Zoey Castile was my favorite, followed closely by Only Yours by Sabrina Sol, All I Want for Nochebuena by Alexis Daria, Santa’s Eager Little Helper by Mia Sosa, and To Us, You Are Perfect by Alexis Daria and Adriana Herrera. But truly, I enjoyed every romance in this anthology; they each varied in steam, some with full scenes and some with just a kiss. I wanted full books of just about every story here.
The writing was lush and it felt incredibly cohesive, which was very impressive for so many different writers. Since the stories all intertwine and end together at the Nochebuena celebration, the authors did a wonderful job bringing a different style to each story, but the same energy and direction.
If you’ve had this on your TBR or read the ebook last year, I definitely recommend that you pick up the audiobook. It’s an incredible bang for your buck and an incredible listen!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️.5/5
I received an ALC via NetGalley and I preordered the audiobook. All opinions are honest and my own.
December 14, 2022
I like the concept of these interconnected stories and there were definitely some hits, but overall I hoped to like this better than I actually did. That said, I'm picky about my romance and more sensitive than a lot of readers to things like power dynamics and ethics. There were a few stories here where I couldn't get past the setup (i.e. employees, child's teacher, etc.).
I also think several of these were too "instalove" for my taste. Which can be a problem with novellas and short stories, depending on how they are done. I prefer more buildup, or some kind of already existing history between the characters. There are exceptions to this, but overall that tends to be my preference. And while some stories deftly navigated power dynamics and the need for relational depth, others didn't.
It's worth noting that this collection includes a range of steam levels. The first story is a pretty steamy f/f and I did like it. I also appreciate the various versions of Latinx representations throughout the collection! There are definitely things to like here even if it wasn't a total hit for me the way I wanted it to be. We also get two stories that are polyamorous which is cool. Overall I liked, but didn't love it.
I also think several of these were too "instalove" for my taste. Which can be a problem with novellas and short stories, depending on how they are done. I prefer more buildup, or some kind of already existing history between the characters. There are exceptions to this, but overall that tends to be my preference. And while some stories deftly navigated power dynamics and the need for relational depth, others didn't.
It's worth noting that this collection includes a range of steam levels. The first story is a pretty steamy f/f and I did like it. I also appreciate the various versions of Latinx representations throughout the collection! There are definitely things to like here even if it wasn't a total hit for me the way I wanted it to be. We also get two stories that are polyamorous which is cool. Overall I liked, but didn't love it.
Read
January 5, 2023i loved this sooooo much!!! i'm not usually a huge anthology girlie but this just worked for me! i think it was the way the stories were all slightly interlinked and getting one final chapter of everyone happy and together for nochebuena that really sold it! as well as, of course, gorgeoussss writing, compelling characters and just overall incredible stories!
my favourites were
• make the yuletide gay by adriana herrera
• all i want for nochebuena by alexis daria
• santa's eager little helper by mia sosa
• to us, you are perfect by alexis daria & adriana herrera
but i truly loved them all!!! i have some books from the above authors on my tbr too and now i need to read them asap!
my favourites were
• make the yuletide gay by adriana herrera
• all i want for nochebuena by alexis daria
• santa's eager little helper by mia sosa
• to us, you are perfect by alexis daria & adriana herrera
but i truly loved them all!!! i have some books from the above authors on my tbr too and now i need to read them asap!
Want to read
December 4, 2021I've been told some of you like my check-list reviews, so here is another one for you:
- 9 short stories, check!
- A Christmas theme, check!
- Written by 7 Latina authors, check!
- LGBTQ+ content because one of those short stories is quite literally named: "Make The Yuletide Gay", check!
- Love in it's different and beautiful forms, check!
- The promise of 9 HEAs!, check!
I dunno about you, but I'm so going to read this when it comes out! ;-P
- 9 short stories, check!
- A Christmas theme, check!
- Written by 7 Latina authors, check!
- LGBTQ+ content because one of those short stories is quite literally named: "Make The Yuletide Gay", check!
- Love in it's different and beautiful forms, check!
- The promise of 9 HEAs!, check!
I dunno about you, but I'm so going to read this when it comes out! ;-P
December 30, 2022
what a cute collection of christmasy romance stories. so many couples (and some triads) finding each other just in time for one big nochebuena party. i love interwoven stories, and this collection is fun because the connections between the stories become more apparent as the book goes on.
and i was surprised by the diversity of stories here. they are all written by latinx authors, and all contain some lovely spanish. but there are f/f relationships, m/f relationships, and two f/m/m relationships. there is also a wide range of steam levels, from solely sexual tension to straight up smut. and some stories are definitely more memorable than others.
while reading, i realized that short story isn't usually the best medium for a romance for me because what i love about romances is the slow burn, getting to know the characters, getting personally invested in their relationship. there's often not time for those emotions to develop in a short story. maybe i'm just too demi-leaning for all the instalove!
MAKE THE YULETIDE GAY by adriana herrera starts off the collection, and this one moves way too fast for me to connect with the characters. but it's still cute, sweet, and pleasantly cheesy. very smutty (to the point where the sex feels like the only reason the story exists). last year i read her night with santa, and i can tell both are written by herrera. also, i love that this collection starts off with a sapphic story!
ONLY YOURS by sabrina sol is a hero's journey of misadventures through closed doors behind the scenes at a christmas party. it's short and entertaining, and in this case the story's brevity is not a disadvantage. very cute and christmasy!
MEET ME UNDER THE MISTLETOE by priscilla oliveras has effective dual narratives, which is nice because we can see the attraction building from both sides. it's also a nice spicy level: no smut, but very clear sexual tension. it's perhaps questionable for someone to romance their kid's teacher, but there are cute family bonding moments too, which is nice to fit into a short story.
ALL I WANT FOR NOCHEBUENA by alexis daria is the reason i found this collection! i am really enjoying daria's primas of power series and wanted to check out her other work. this story is about two porn stars falling for each other, which is interesting. their world is totally foreign to me, so it was cool to read about the logistics of a sex worker perspective. the story is surprisingly charming, wholesome, and snuggly.
SANTA'S EAGER LITTLE HELPER by mia sosa has a good mix of family tension and romantic tension, and it's refreshing that our protagonist stands up to her brother and makes personal accomplishments in addition to finding some romance. i was also super happy that this story incorporates brazilian holiday traditions and portuguese language, since every other character up until this story is some combination of mexican, dominican, and puerto rican. very good to see other latin american cultures represented.
THE NOCHEBUANA DATING DARE by diane muñoz stewart is a miss for me. the writing is rather weak and simplistic, and the instalove is particularly unbelievable. the family themes are nice, as this story has a single mom navigating her first date since her divorce, but it all feels more contrived than any of the other stories.
LOVE IN SPANGLISH by zoey castile is my favorite story in the book. we have a language barrier relationship, snowed-in forced proximity, and soft snuggly winter coziness, which are all so damn cute. i would love to read a whole novel with the same language barrier theme. spanglish is beautiful itself, and it's beautiful to see the characters learn to communicate in different ways (through gestures, expressions, food, favors, and eventually physical touch). the main characters are chilean and ecuadorian, which i really appreciate for the diversity. and the final sections of the story are a flurry of sweetness in the cold; different snapshots of their cozy time together. love the theme of love languages. this story is five stars, thank you zoey castile!
TO US, YOU ARE PERFECT by alexis daria & adriana herrera is super interesting because it's about a poly triad! and i was not expecting this collection to go there! there's a lot of pining and yearning and it's very sweet. the story also uses the same grand gesture made famous in love, actually, and it feels fresh since it has the poly twist. i love that their triad is normalized. we have come a long way.
THE GREAT HOLIDAY ESCAPE by zoey castile is another poly love story! so interesting for it to be right after the previous poly story, and to be the grand finale. it's also interesting that both of these ones are f/m/m. but anyway, this has fun vacation vibes. i'm not blown away by the romance itself, which feels entirely based on sex. but every prior story has mentioned gigi and her upcoming nochebuena party, so it feels good to finally meet gigi as the main character in this one.
in the end there is a brief scene at the nochebuena party, also written by zoey castile. i'm glad she handled it, but it's not as satisfying as i'd expected. by the time i reached this part, i'd forgotten some of the characters' names, and while there is a heartfelt final speech, it feels like they need a more powerful unifying moment. it's all hazy and sweet.
overall, definitely recommended for your cozy holiday reading!
and i was surprised by the diversity of stories here. they are all written by latinx authors, and all contain some lovely spanish. but there are f/f relationships, m/f relationships, and two f/m/m relationships. there is also a wide range of steam levels, from solely sexual tension to straight up smut. and some stories are definitely more memorable than others.
while reading, i realized that short story isn't usually the best medium for a romance for me because what i love about romances is the slow burn, getting to know the characters, getting personally invested in their relationship. there's often not time for those emotions to develop in a short story. maybe i'm just too demi-leaning for all the instalove!
MAKE THE YULETIDE GAY by adriana herrera starts off the collection, and this one moves way too fast for me to connect with the characters. but it's still cute, sweet, and pleasantly cheesy. very smutty (to the point where the sex feels like the only reason the story exists). last year i read her night with santa, and i can tell both are written by herrera. also, i love that this collection starts off with a sapphic story!
ONLY YOURS by sabrina sol is a hero's journey of misadventures through closed doors behind the scenes at a christmas party. it's short and entertaining, and in this case the story's brevity is not a disadvantage. very cute and christmasy!
MEET ME UNDER THE MISTLETOE by priscilla oliveras has effective dual narratives, which is nice because we can see the attraction building from both sides. it's also a nice spicy level: no smut, but very clear sexual tension. it's perhaps questionable for someone to romance their kid's teacher, but there are cute family bonding moments too, which is nice to fit into a short story.
ALL I WANT FOR NOCHEBUENA by alexis daria is the reason i found this collection! i am really enjoying daria's primas of power series and wanted to check out her other work. this story is about two porn stars falling for each other, which is interesting. their world is totally foreign to me, so it was cool to read about the logistics of a sex worker perspective. the story is surprisingly charming, wholesome, and snuggly.
SANTA'S EAGER LITTLE HELPER by mia sosa has a good mix of family tension and romantic tension, and it's refreshing that our protagonist stands up to her brother and makes personal accomplishments in addition to finding some romance. i was also super happy that this story incorporates brazilian holiday traditions and portuguese language, since every other character up until this story is some combination of mexican, dominican, and puerto rican. very good to see other latin american cultures represented.
THE NOCHEBUANA DATING DARE by diane muñoz stewart is a miss for me. the writing is rather weak and simplistic, and the instalove is particularly unbelievable. the family themes are nice, as this story has a single mom navigating her first date since her divorce, but it all feels more contrived than any of the other stories.
LOVE IN SPANGLISH by zoey castile is my favorite story in the book. we have a language barrier relationship, snowed-in forced proximity, and soft snuggly winter coziness, which are all so damn cute. i would love to read a whole novel with the same language barrier theme. spanglish is beautiful itself, and it's beautiful to see the characters learn to communicate in different ways (through gestures, expressions, food, favors, and eventually physical touch). the main characters are chilean and ecuadorian, which i really appreciate for the diversity. and the final sections of the story are a flurry of sweetness in the cold; different snapshots of their cozy time together. love the theme of love languages. this story is five stars, thank you zoey castile!
TO US, YOU ARE PERFECT by alexis daria & adriana herrera is super interesting because it's about a poly triad! and i was not expecting this collection to go there! there's a lot of pining and yearning and it's very sweet. the story also uses the same grand gesture made famous in love, actually, and it feels fresh since it has the poly twist. i love that their triad is normalized. we have come a long way.
THE GREAT HOLIDAY ESCAPE by zoey castile is another poly love story! so interesting for it to be right after the previous poly story, and to be the grand finale. it's also interesting that both of these ones are f/m/m. but anyway, this has fun vacation vibes. i'm not blown away by the romance itself, which feels entirely based on sex. but every prior story has mentioned gigi and her upcoming nochebuena party, so it feels good to finally meet gigi as the main character in this one.
in the end there is a brief scene at the nochebuena party, also written by zoey castile. i'm glad she handled it, but it's not as satisfying as i'd expected. by the time i reached this part, i'd forgotten some of the characters' names, and while there is a heartfelt final speech, it feels like they need a more powerful unifying moment. it's all hazy and sweet.
overall, definitely recommended for your cozy holiday reading!
December 18, 2023
yes, i watched 'love, actually' (...for the first time... yeah, shocking, i hadn't watched it before) while reading this one, and the parallels were amazing.
I read this 9-story Latine Christmas anthology in 9 days because every single story here sounded good enough for me to need some time to process them, and it was the right thing to do. I'm not an anthology girlie, but the premises of these stories had me super excited, and, as a Latina, I'm always eager for more romances with Latine characters (and just look at that cover!!!).
I tried updating my thoughts daily, but I didn't have much to say about some of these stories, so I'll do it about the ones I do have thoughts about.
From the first half: 'Make the Yuletide gay' by Adriana Herrera was my second story in a row about a sapphic spending years yearning for a close friend to, in the end, date her after she realizes she likes women too... love that for them. And it was HOT; and 'Only yours' by Sabrina Sol was basically that one moment in a romcom where the male lead runs to get the girl before she leaves. It was super short (I'm pretty sure it was the shortest one), but it warmed my heart and I spent the whole time smiling.
And from the second half: 'Love in Spanglish' by Zoey Castile was adorable. Its first chapter was super long and took me a little bit to get into but once I did, the rest of the story was super sweet (it also helps that the equivalent to this one in the movie is my favorite out of all the stories); 'To us, you are perfect' by Alexis Daria & Adriana Herrera was a dream come true, everything I was expecting from the newlyweds and their best friend yearning for each other; and 'The great holiday escape' by Zoey Castile had such insane sexual tension that I felt like fanning myself. Two super hot men finding you and giving you the night of your life the first time you decide to go on a vacation? Sign me up.
I adored seeing, in the last chapter, the rest of the characters coming together for the Nochebuena party. It was the perfect way to end the anthology and I loved getting little glimpses of them and the teasing and gossiping that was yet to come. This was incredible and maybe I should reconsider my reluctance to anthologies if they're as good as this one.
So, ratings:
1. Make the Yuletide gay - 4 stars
2. Only yours - 5 stars
3. Meet me under the mistletoe - 4 stars
4. All I want for Nochebuena - 3½ stars
5. Santa's eager little helper - 3½ stars
6. The Nochebuena dating dare - 2 stars
7. Love in Spanglish - 4 stars
8. To us, you are perfect - 5 stars
9. The great holiday escape - 5 stars
Overall: 4 stars
I read this 9-story Latine Christmas anthology in 9 days because every single story here sounded good enough for me to need some time to process them, and it was the right thing to do. I'm not an anthology girlie, but the premises of these stories had me super excited, and, as a Latina, I'm always eager for more romances with Latine characters (and just look at that cover!!!).
I tried updating my thoughts daily, but I didn't have much to say about some of these stories, so I'll do it about the ones I do have thoughts about.
From the first half: 'Make the Yuletide gay' by Adriana Herrera was my second story in a row about a sapphic spending years yearning for a close friend to, in the end, date her after she realizes she likes women too... love that for them. And it was HOT; and 'Only yours' by Sabrina Sol was basically that one moment in a romcom where the male lead runs to get the girl before she leaves. It was super short (I'm pretty sure it was the shortest one), but it warmed my heart and I spent the whole time smiling.
And from the second half: 'Love in Spanglish' by Zoey Castile was adorable. Its first chapter was super long and took me a little bit to get into but once I did, the rest of the story was super sweet (it also helps that the equivalent to this one in the movie is my favorite out of all the stories); 'To us, you are perfect' by Alexis Daria & Adriana Herrera was a dream come true, everything I was expecting from the newlyweds and their best friend yearning for each other; and 'The great holiday escape' by Zoey Castile had such insane sexual tension that I felt like fanning myself. Two super hot men finding you and giving you the night of your life the first time you decide to go on a vacation? Sign me up.
I adored seeing, in the last chapter, the rest of the characters coming together for the Nochebuena party. It was the perfect way to end the anthology and I loved getting little glimpses of them and the teasing and gossiping that was yet to come. This was incredible and maybe I should reconsider my reluctance to anthologies if they're as good as this one.
So, ratings:
1. Make the Yuletide gay - 4 stars
2. Only yours - 5 stars
3. Meet me under the mistletoe - 4 stars
4. All I want for Nochebuena - 3½ stars
5. Santa's eager little helper - 3½ stars
6. The Nochebuena dating dare - 2 stars
7. Love in Spanglish - 4 stars
8. To us, you are perfect - 5 stars
9. The great holiday escape - 5 stars
Overall: 4 stars
December 14, 2023
Make the Yuletide Gay • Adriana Herrera
sapphic really fun good steam 4/5
Only Yours • Sabrina Sol
fun quick sweeter romance 3/5
Meet Me Under the Mistletoe • by Priscilla Oliveras
really loved this ones set up fun time 4/5
All I Want for Nochebuena • Alexis Daria
Great sapphic steamy steamy one 5/5
Santa’s Eager Little Helper • by Mia Sosa
So fun loved the set up for this on 4/5
The Nochebuena Dating Dare • by Diana Muñoz Stewart
VERY STEAMY 4/5
Love in Spanglish • Zoey Castile
fun snowed in time 4/5
To Us, You Are Perfect • Alexis Daria & Adriana Herrera
MMF and delightful 5/5
The Great Holiday Escape • Zoey Castile
Love zoey so much this was so fun 5/5
I really enjoyed the narration on this and can't recommend it enough.
Audiobook ARC provided through Netgalley for review.
sapphic really fun good steam 4/5
Only Yours • Sabrina Sol
fun quick sweeter romance 3/5
Meet Me Under the Mistletoe • by Priscilla Oliveras
really loved this ones set up fun time 4/5
All I Want for Nochebuena • Alexis Daria
Great sapphic steamy steamy one 5/5
Santa’s Eager Little Helper • by Mia Sosa
So fun loved the set up for this on 4/5
The Nochebuena Dating Dare • by Diana Muñoz Stewart
VERY STEAMY 4/5
Love in Spanglish • Zoey Castile
fun snowed in time 4/5
To Us, You Are Perfect • Alexis Daria & Adriana Herrera
MMF and delightful 5/5
The Great Holiday Escape • Zoey Castile
Love zoey so much this was so fun 5/5
I really enjoyed the narration on this and can't recommend it enough.
Audiobook ARC provided through Netgalley for review.
December 11, 2023
This holiday anthology featuring some of my favorite Latina authors was FIRE!! I was excited it came out last year but never got a chance to read it and now that it's finally available on audio I gobbled it up!!
Full of spicy age gap, second chance, only one bed, polyamorous Nochebuena fun. This collection has something for everyone - lots of queer love stories, lots of heart, TONS of spice and all kinds of charm with LOTS of odes to the movie Love, actually.
Favorites for me included Make the yuletide gay by Adriana Herrera (an age gap celebrity Sapphic romance), Love in Spanglish by Zoraida Cordova (a snowed in, forced proximity MF romance) and To us, you are perfect by Alexis Daria and Adriana Herrera (a perfect MMF romance). Plus all the stories come together at the end as the characters unite for a final shared holiday meal.
Absolute perfection on audio narrated by the very talented Ramona Master and Gomez Pugh. If you're looking for some great holiday short stories this one does not disappoint!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!!
Full of spicy age gap, second chance, only one bed, polyamorous Nochebuena fun. This collection has something for everyone - lots of queer love stories, lots of heart, TONS of spice and all kinds of charm with LOTS of odes to the movie Love, actually.
Favorites for me included Make the yuletide gay by Adriana Herrera (an age gap celebrity Sapphic romance), Love in Spanglish by Zoraida Cordova (a snowed in, forced proximity MF romance) and To us, you are perfect by Alexis Daria and Adriana Herrera (a perfect MMF romance). Plus all the stories come together at the end as the characters unite for a final shared holiday meal.
Absolute perfection on audio narrated by the very talented Ramona Master and Gomez Pugh. If you're looking for some great holiday short stories this one does not disappoint!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!!
May 31, 2022
Born from a quarantine writer's retreat via zoom, a group of 7 Latina romance authors created a collection of romantic short stories all centered around the same Christmas party. These 9 stories each feature different characters/family members/friends but have the overarching theme. It doesn't hide its homage to Love, Actually, but sets the stories of similar feel firmly within Latin culture. I love the concept and enjoyed the window into food, culture, and family traditions. The stories themselves, however, feel flat for me.
December 20, 2021
Ok, grab this antho, your coquito and cozy blanket, sit by your tree while playing your fave Latinx Christmas album (I’m old school, so it’s Gloria Estefan’s Abriendo Puertas for me), and I guarantee you, you’ll be feeling that holiday spirit...with a bit of spice, to boot.
This anthology really manages to give me all the feels, with seeing Latinx love in different forms, and little glimpses of Christmas traditions that are familiar and make me smile. The stories tie together in an organic way and it gave the individual stories a little extra touch that made me wish I was in Puerto Rico para el Año Nuevo.
Now, I’m usually a Grinch when it comes to Christmas, so getting into the holiday mood is a process for me, but I’ll tell you, it felt like going home reading this antho and I couldn’t be prouder to be Latina. Each tale is a pretty good representation of each other’s writing style, and there’s a little something for everyone, exactly as it should be during the holidays. I also adored seeing the f/f and triad love getting their holiday groove on, so to speak.
If you’re in the mood for holiday cheer with a Latinx perspective, I definitely recommend this.
**ARC provided in exchange for honest review**
This anthology really manages to give me all the feels, with seeing Latinx love in different forms, and little glimpses of Christmas traditions that are familiar and make me smile. The stories tie together in an organic way and it gave the individual stories a little extra touch that made me wish I was in Puerto Rico para el Año Nuevo.
Now, I’m usually a Grinch when it comes to Christmas, so getting into the holiday mood is a process for me, but I’ll tell you, it felt like going home reading this antho and I couldn’t be prouder to be Latina. Each tale is a pretty good representation of each other’s writing style, and there’s a little something for everyone, exactly as it should be during the holidays. I also adored seeing the f/f and triad love getting their holiday groove on, so to speak.
If you’re in the mood for holiday cheer with a Latinx perspective, I definitely recommend this.
**ARC provided in exchange for honest review**
December 18, 2021
Ya’ll… I have no words to describe how amazing it felt to read a holiday romance book and feel seen 🥲!!! The amount of Puerto Rican characters 🥺, seeing our foods and traditions mentioned 😭 and then all the amazing romances that blossomed in this book 😩❤️ my heart could barely take it!!!
When I started reading I had the idea of ranking my favorite stories, but that would simply be impossible!! They were ALL amazing! 🥰 I also thought about writing mini reviews, but I decided to not put a lot of thought and simply enjoy them. This collection of stories just turned my lack of Chrismas cheer around.
I’m SO glad I preordered this book, but now I’m wishing I had gotten myself a physical copy! 🎄🎁
When I started reading I had the idea of ranking my favorite stories, but that would simply be impossible!! They were ALL amazing! 🥰 I also thought about writing mini reviews, but I decided to not put a lot of thought and simply enjoy them. This collection of stories just turned my lack of Chrismas cheer around.
I’m SO glad I preordered this book, but now I’m wishing I had gotten myself a physical copy! 🎄🎁
December 27, 2021
This met my expectations perfectly! I am a big fan of the movie Love Actually so having a short story romance collection inspired by those arcs with their own twists and with Latinx characters in NYC was amazing (also loved how they all overlapped just like the movie!). Not all of them were hits for me, which is to be expected but I did walk away with a few whose romance novels I want to try out. I also loved some of the solutions to the messier plot arcs in the movie and in general this collection brought me so much joy. Just as a heads up for people who don't like sex on the page, there are some scenes that I would consider steamy and explicit. Take that from someone who rarely reads romance but if you don't like sex scenes on page I would pass on this collection.
December 28, 2021
I read the two Zoey Castile stories because I love her; the rest I'm going to save for the next holiday season. So glad I purchased this antho.
December 24, 2022
WHY DIDNT THIS BOOK GET MORE HYPE THO
Obsessed with the concept and with every single story.
Obsessed with the concept and with every single story.
December 7, 2021
THEEEE Christmas book to read. An anthology which is a great way to get a feel of each authors writing voice. It features a Queer love, Poly amorous couples, and lots of swoon moments. You MUST pick this up. You MUST. Each story is the perfect length, so you wont feel like anything drags an unnecessary amount of time. Like with any anthology, they can be so intimidating. (So many stories) But I can assure you each story is concise and precious in it's own way, as to not exacerbate your attention. And each writing style is so wonderful and their own.
I can see each version of this story that pertains to the movie Love, Actually which is pretty cool. Get you some LATINX ROM
Also Zoey's last story is a fan fic of her and Oscar Isaac and Pedro Pascal and no one can tell me different! (Which I am here for btw) THIS IS the MMF stories I am here for people!
I can see each version of this story that pertains to the movie Love, Actually which is pretty cool. Get you some LATINX ROM
Also Zoey's last story is a fan fic of her and Oscar Isaac and Pedro Pascal and no one can tell me different! (Which I am here for btw) THIS IS the MMF stories I am here for people!
December 12, 2023
I have long been of the mind that the mainstream holiday book selection lacks diversity (even more so than the book world in general, which is also lacking). So I was ecstatic to find this holiday romance anthology by seven beloved Latine authors, with a diverse cast of characters and relationships! 😍 Thank you Dreamscape for my gifted ALC!
𝗔𝗺𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆: 𝗔 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
📖 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁: It’s Christmas Eve in New York City, when anything is possible. For these couples, it’s the season to find true love. From second chances, big leaps, missed connections, and reconnections, this charming collection celebrates the spirit of the holidays and delivers nine perfect HEAs.
𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗱:
Make the Yuletide Gay • Adriana Herrera
Only Yours • Sabrina Sol
Meet Me Under the Mistletoe • Priscilla Oliveras
All I Want for Nochebuena • Alexis Daria
Santa’s Eager Little Helper • Mia Sosa
The Nochebuena Dating Dare • Diana Muñoz Stewart
Love in Spanglish • Zoey Castile
To Us, You Are Perfect • Alexis Daria & Adriana Herrera
The Great Holiday Escape • Zoey Castile
💭 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: I loved this bitesized collection of steamy love stories, including romance between a father and his child's teacher, Santa and his sexy elf, two adult film stars, a polyamourus throuple, a romance novelist snowed in with a handsome stranger, and more!
The stories are all different but share similar themes. They're all novellas, but some are shorter / longer than others. I started this one in ebook and finished in audio, and wish I'd done audio the entire time. I loved the narration! Just perfection!
Check this one out if steamy romance is your jam!
📌 Out today!
𝗔𝗺𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆: 𝗔 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
📖 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁: It’s Christmas Eve in New York City, when anything is possible. For these couples, it’s the season to find true love. From second chances, big leaps, missed connections, and reconnections, this charming collection celebrates the spirit of the holidays and delivers nine perfect HEAs.
𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗱:
Make the Yuletide Gay • Adriana Herrera
Only Yours • Sabrina Sol
Meet Me Under the Mistletoe • Priscilla Oliveras
All I Want for Nochebuena • Alexis Daria
Santa’s Eager Little Helper • Mia Sosa
The Nochebuena Dating Dare • Diana Muñoz Stewart
Love in Spanglish • Zoey Castile
To Us, You Are Perfect • Alexis Daria & Adriana Herrera
The Great Holiday Escape • Zoey Castile
💭 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: I loved this bitesized collection of steamy love stories, including romance between a father and his child's teacher, Santa and his sexy elf, two adult film stars, a polyamourus throuple, a romance novelist snowed in with a handsome stranger, and more!
The stories are all different but share similar themes. They're all novellas, but some are shorter / longer than others. I started this one in ebook and finished in audio, and wish I'd done audio the entire time. I loved the narration! Just perfection!
Check this one out if steamy romance is your jam!
📌 Out today!
December 24, 2023
4 1/2 "Love Actually Latin Style"
This one has a little something for everyone. Especially if you like the movie Love Actually. Happy reading.
This one has a little something for everyone. Especially if you like the movie Love Actually. Happy reading.
December 7, 2023
Trigger Warnings: cursing, sex, internalized biphobia, homophobia, past death of a wife, terminal illness/cancer, alcohol, sex toys/porn
Representation: Latine, Gay, Bisexual, Black-Dominican, Polyamory, Mexican-Puerto Rican, Puerto Rican, immigrant, Dominican, sex positivity, polyamory
Amor Actually is a holiday romance collection like never before. Nochebuena. One party. Nine Happily Ever Afters. It’s Christmas Eve in New York City, when anything is possible. For these couples, it’s the season to find true love. From second-chances, big leaps, missed connections, and reconnections, this charming collection celebrates the spirit of the holidays and delivers nine perfect HEAs.
This ALC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was so excited to see this book come out on audio! This was the perfect anthology on my journey of holiday romances! The stories provide a new spin on the characters from Love Actually, and I had a blast reading this! I do want to say that similarly to many anthologies, I think several of these were too "instalove" for me. It's worth noting that this collection includes a range of steam levels, perfect for all romance readers. I also always appreciate the various representations throughout the collection! There’s even two stories that are polyamorous, which is so rare to see. Overall I thought this was a good read and a perfect story if you’re in the mood for holiday cheer from a Latinx perspective.
Representation: Latine, Gay, Bisexual, Black-Dominican, Polyamory, Mexican-Puerto Rican, Puerto Rican, immigrant, Dominican, sex positivity, polyamory
Amor Actually is a holiday romance collection like never before. Nochebuena. One party. Nine Happily Ever Afters. It’s Christmas Eve in New York City, when anything is possible. For these couples, it’s the season to find true love. From second-chances, big leaps, missed connections, and reconnections, this charming collection celebrates the spirit of the holidays and delivers nine perfect HEAs.
This ALC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was so excited to see this book come out on audio! This was the perfect anthology on my journey of holiday romances! The stories provide a new spin on the characters from Love Actually, and I had a blast reading this! I do want to say that similarly to many anthologies, I think several of these were too "instalove" for me. It's worth noting that this collection includes a range of steam levels, perfect for all romance readers. I also always appreciate the various representations throughout the collection! There’s even two stories that are polyamorous, which is so rare to see. Overall I thought this was a good read and a perfect story if you’re in the mood for holiday cheer from a Latinx perspective.
December 27, 2023
This was a delightful collection of Christmas stories inspired by Love Actually. I’ll be checking out books by a few new-to-me authors!
January 3, 2024
4.25/5
January 11, 2022
I feel like this book tricked me. The forward said that this was a book of sweet Christmas love stories ranging in steaminess. These were not sweet Christmas love stories. They were more than just steamy. This was a collection of straight up erotica.
I don't know the movie Love Actually well enough to say which stories go together.
Make the Yuletide Gay • Adriana Herrera
I liked everything in this story except for the sexy time.
3 stars
Only Yours • Sabrina SoSo
Pretty Boring. Some sexy time in this story, but not as explicit as the first one, so I liked that.
1 star
Meet Me Under the Mistletoe • by Priscilla Oliveras
I wasn't a fan of this story. There's no sexy time here, but there is some talk.
1 star
All I Want for Nochebuena • Alexis Daria
Literally porn. I skipped a lot of it.
1 star
Santa’s Eager Little Helper • by Mia Sosa
I wasn't a fan of the family dinamics of this. And I didn't like the whole sexy Christmas costume thing. Once again I skipped the sex scene.
1 star
The Nochebuena Dating Dare • by Diana Muñoz Stewart
I feel like this could have been a sweet Christmas romance if it weren't for the sex scene.
3 stars
Love in Spanglish • Zoey Castile
Not feeling this one. At all. Two people trapped in the same house during a storm, it's a great trope IMO, but the language barrier pushed it to a bit of a creep level for me.
1 star
To Us, You Are Perfect • Alexis Daria & Adriana Herrera
This was my favorite one and the cleanest one. Coincidence?
3 stars
The Great Holiday Escape • Zoey Castile
Didn't feel the romance.
1 star
I don't know the movie Love Actually well enough to say which stories go together.
Make the Yuletide Gay • Adriana Herrera
I liked everything in this story except for the sexy time.
3 stars
Only Yours • Sabrina SoSo
Pretty Boring. Some sexy time in this story, but not as explicit as the first one, so I liked that.
1 star
Meet Me Under the Mistletoe • by Priscilla Oliveras
I wasn't a fan of this story. There's no sexy time here, but there is some talk.
1 star
All I Want for Nochebuena • Alexis Daria
Literally porn. I skipped a lot of it.
1 star
Santa’s Eager Little Helper • by Mia Sosa
I wasn't a fan of the family dinamics of this. And I didn't like the whole sexy Christmas costume thing. Once again I skipped the sex scene.
1 star
The Nochebuena Dating Dare • by Diana Muñoz Stewart
I feel like this could have been a sweet Christmas romance if it weren't for the sex scene.
3 stars
Love in Spanglish • Zoey Castile
Not feeling this one. At all. Two people trapped in the same house during a storm, it's a great trope IMO, but the language barrier pushed it to a bit of a creep level for me.
1 star
To Us, You Are Perfect • Alexis Daria & Adriana Herrera
This was my favorite one and the cleanest one. Coincidence?
3 stars
The Great Holiday Escape • Zoey Castile
Didn't feel the romance.
1 star
December 24, 2021
A must read for romance lovers!
September 13, 2023
Rate: 3.5/5 stars
This was overall an adorable collection! Some stories were definitely better than others, but I loved how they all tied together in the end.
This was overall an adorable collection! Some stories were definitely better than others, but I loved how they all tied together in the end.
November 23, 2023
An anthology inspired by Love Actually centered on Latinx characters. There’s a range of heat levels and various gender pairings and even polyamory. Many of the stories try to address the power imbalances and ethical issues from the film but not all and the ones who didn’t wound up not working well for me. Luckily, there were some standouts in this collection. By far my favorite contributions were All I Want for Nochebuena by Alexis Daria and Love in Spanglish by Zoey Castile. When I stop to think about it, those are probably my favorite parts of the source material too but I really loved how both authors made the stories their own.
In the case of Daria’s story, Honey and Julie are two adult film stars “playing with sex toys and trying to have orgasms”, as Julie says. They’ve had mutual crushes on each other online but this their first time meeting in person and the chemistry is explosive. But good orgasms doesn’t necessarily mean there could or should be something more between them. Thanks to their friendship and interactions (the socks! buying decorations!), I really, really believed in these two. It was such a sweet story.
Zoey Castile took on the “writer going away to write and not being able to communicate with the housekeeper” story. We have a romance author but then the rest gets turned on its head as Angel is there to take her to the cabin but only stays once they get snowed in by a blizzard. Callie lost most of her Spanish after her family immigrated when she was a kid so they can piece together some conversation between what she understands and his English. She rushed to the cabin after walking in on her boyfriend cheating on her—normally I’d want someone to take some time before starting a new relationship and probably go to therapy but there was enough there that I really believed that these two would have staying power beyond their sexy cabin interlude. Callie definitely deserved a guy as kind as Angel! I also really enjoyed Castile’s other story The Great Holiday Escape.
Most of the rest trended toward instalove and the stories felt too rushed for a short story/novella. That may in part be due to the source material, which had a very unrealistic time frame for its love stories. On the whole, this was worth picking up.
Make the Yuletide Gay • Adriana Herrera (2.5 stars)
Characters: Vivi is a 45 year old bisexual Dominican pop superstar. Leila is a 32 year old Panamanian manager.
Content notes: bi awakening, societal/industry homophobia, employer-employee relationship (worked together 10 years), past breast reduction, on page sex, sex toys, ableist language
Only Yours • Sabrina Sol (3.5 stars)
Characters: David is the Puerto Rican-Mexican American Mayor of NYC. Natalia is the MLWS community liaison.
Content notes: body commentary, ableist language
Meet Me Under the Mistletoe • by Priscilla Oliveras (2 stars)
Characters: Héctor is a Puerto Rican American VP of Distress Trading and a widower. His son Luisito is 11 year old and an aspiring guitarist. Cristina is a Puerto Rican music teacher.
Content notes: past death of MMC’s wife (ovarian cancer), past infidelity by FMC’s ex, school has unofficial policy that teachers aren’t allowed to date parents of students, off-page musician has to go on early bed rest for pregnancy, casual acephobia, ableist language
All I Want for Nochebuena • Alexis Daria (5 stars)
Characters: Honey is a 29 year old bisexual Puerto Rican American adult film star. Julie is a 24 year old Dominican American adult film star with multiple piercings (dimple, lip, eyebrow, septum, navel, nipples).
Content notes: filming porn, on page sex, DP (fingers + vibe), sex toys, gendered pejorative
Santa’s Eager Little Helper • by Mia Sosa (3 stars)
Characters: Sarita is a 28 year old Afro-Brazilian-Puerto Rican American meal prep company employee. Carlos is a Brazilian American (of Indigenous and African descent) test kitchen chef.
Content notes: codependency, past death of FMC’s parents (car crash; brother became guardian), past divorce, on page sex, office sex, gendered pejoratives
The Nochebuena Dating Dare • by Diana Muñoz Stewart (DNF)
Characters: Eneida is a Latina librarian and people pleaser. She has a son named Lorenzo, daughter named Adelaida, and a chihuahua named Pikachu. Antonio is a Latino Broadway producer.
Content notes: recent divorce (ex-husband cheated), toxic family
Love in Spanglish • Zoey Castile (5 stars)
Characters: Callie is a 31 year old Ecuadorian romance author. Angel is a 39 year old Chilean designer and former architect.
Content notes: infidelity (FMC’s boyfriend cheated with their roommate), blizzard, FMC immigrated to the US at 3 years old and MMC has been here about a year, on page sex, alcohol, STD stigma, ableist language
To Us, You Are Perfect • Alexis Daria & Adriana Herrera (3.5 stars)
Characters: Pasquale (Dominican) and Yami are newlyweds. Marcelo is a Brazilian photographer. He and Pasquale have been friends for 10 years since college.
Content notes: past death of Pasquale’s dad, past menage, alcohol, ableist language
The Great Holiday Escape • Zoey Castile (4 stars)
Characters: Gigi is a 27 year old Panamanian-Ecuadorian jack of all trades. Pedro is a Latino nonprofit fundraiser. Isaac (aka Cabana Daddy) is a Latino investor and former actor. Pedro and Isaac have been together 4 years.
Content notes: past death of FMC’s parents (she became guardian of teen sister), on page sex, menage, alcohol, ableist language
*Love it or Leighve it* (aka cleaning out my Kindle)
Purchased: 2021
Why did I buy it? I’ve read almost all of the authors involved and love them.
In the case of Daria’s story, Honey and Julie are two adult film stars “playing with sex toys and trying to have orgasms”, as Julie says. They’ve had mutual crushes on each other online but this their first time meeting in person and the chemistry is explosive. But good orgasms doesn’t necessarily mean there could or should be something more between them. Thanks to their friendship and interactions (the socks! buying decorations!), I really, really believed in these two. It was such a sweet story.
Zoey Castile took on the “writer going away to write and not being able to communicate with the housekeeper” story. We have a romance author but then the rest gets turned on its head as Angel is there to take her to the cabin but only stays once they get snowed in by a blizzard. Callie lost most of her Spanish after her family immigrated when she was a kid so they can piece together some conversation between what she understands and his English. She rushed to the cabin after walking in on her boyfriend cheating on her—normally I’d want someone to take some time before starting a new relationship and probably go to therapy but there was enough there that I really believed that these two would have staying power beyond their sexy cabin interlude. Callie definitely deserved a guy as kind as Angel! I also really enjoyed Castile’s other story The Great Holiday Escape.
Most of the rest trended toward instalove and the stories felt too rushed for a short story/novella. That may in part be due to the source material, which had a very unrealistic time frame for its love stories. On the whole, this was worth picking up.
Make the Yuletide Gay • Adriana Herrera (2.5 stars)
Characters: Vivi is a 45 year old bisexual Dominican pop superstar. Leila is a 32 year old Panamanian manager.
Content notes: bi awakening, societal/industry homophobia, employer-employee relationship (worked together 10 years), past breast reduction, on page sex, sex toys, ableist language
Only Yours • Sabrina Sol (3.5 stars)
Characters: David is the Puerto Rican-Mexican American Mayor of NYC. Natalia is the MLWS community liaison.
Content notes: body commentary, ableist language
Meet Me Under the Mistletoe • by Priscilla Oliveras (2 stars)
Characters: Héctor is a Puerto Rican American VP of Distress Trading and a widower. His son Luisito is 11 year old and an aspiring guitarist. Cristina is a Puerto Rican music teacher.
Content notes: past death of MMC’s wife (ovarian cancer), past infidelity by FMC’s ex, school has unofficial policy that teachers aren’t allowed to date parents of students, off-page musician has to go on early bed rest for pregnancy, casual acephobia, ableist language
All I Want for Nochebuena • Alexis Daria (5 stars)
Characters: Honey is a 29 year old bisexual Puerto Rican American adult film star. Julie is a 24 year old Dominican American adult film star with multiple piercings (dimple, lip, eyebrow, septum, navel, nipples).
Content notes: filming porn, on page sex, DP (fingers + vibe), sex toys, gendered pejorative
Santa’s Eager Little Helper • by Mia Sosa (3 stars)
Characters: Sarita is a 28 year old Afro-Brazilian-Puerto Rican American meal prep company employee. Carlos is a Brazilian American (of Indigenous and African descent) test kitchen chef.
Content notes: codependency, past death of FMC’s parents (car crash; brother became guardian), past divorce, on page sex, office sex, gendered pejoratives
The Nochebuena Dating Dare • by Diana Muñoz Stewart (DNF)
Characters: Eneida is a Latina librarian and people pleaser. She has a son named Lorenzo, daughter named Adelaida, and a chihuahua named Pikachu. Antonio is a Latino Broadway producer.
Content notes: recent divorce (ex-husband cheated), toxic family
Love in Spanglish • Zoey Castile (5 stars)
Characters: Callie is a 31 year old Ecuadorian romance author. Angel is a 39 year old Chilean designer and former architect.
Content notes: infidelity (FMC’s boyfriend cheated with their roommate), blizzard, FMC immigrated to the US at 3 years old and MMC has been here about a year, on page sex, alcohol, STD stigma, ableist language
To Us, You Are Perfect • Alexis Daria & Adriana Herrera (3.5 stars)
Characters: Pasquale (Dominican) and Yami are newlyweds. Marcelo is a Brazilian photographer. He and Pasquale have been friends for 10 years since college.
Content notes: past death of Pasquale’s dad, past menage, alcohol, ableist language
The Great Holiday Escape • Zoey Castile (4 stars)
Characters: Gigi is a 27 year old Panamanian-Ecuadorian jack of all trades. Pedro is a Latino nonprofit fundraiser. Isaac (aka Cabana Daddy) is a Latino investor and former actor. Pedro and Isaac have been together 4 years.
Content notes: past death of FMC’s parents (she became guardian of teen sister), on page sex, menage, alcohol, ableist language
*Love it or Leighve it* (aka cleaning out my Kindle)
Purchased: 2021
Why did I buy it? I’ve read almost all of the authors involved and love them.
December 13, 2023
This was such a delightful holiday read! I’ve never personally seen Love Actually, so I couldn’t recognize which parts of this book were references to the movie. But I don’t think that hindered my enjoyment at all, it would probably just be a fun bonus for those in the know. I enjoyed getting to see the start of all these different relationships leading up to a Nochebuena party. Some were lighter and spicier while others dealt with more serious emotions, but I was sold on all of them. That doesn’t always happen for me in collections of short stories.
I’ve read from some of these authors before, but it was also great to be introduced to other writers for the first time. I’m definitely planning on seeking out some full length romances from them. I really enjoyed getting to see a wide variety of characters in the stories. They’re all focused around Latinx characters with unique backgrounds and complex lives. I’ve been meaning to read this book since it came out a couple of years ago. So I’m happy that I finally did through the newly released audiobook. It was so easy to get sucked into all these romances. Definitely give this one a shot if you’re in the mood for some swoony, spicy Christmas romance short stories.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve read from some of these authors before, but it was also great to be introduced to other writers for the first time. I’m definitely planning on seeking out some full length romances from them. I really enjoyed getting to see a wide variety of characters in the stories. They’re all focused around Latinx characters with unique backgrounds and complex lives. I’ve been meaning to read this book since it came out a couple of years ago. So I’m happy that I finally did through the newly released audiobook. It was so easy to get sucked into all these romances. Definitely give this one a shot if you’re in the mood for some swoony, spicy Christmas romance short stories.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 327 reviews