Alana Quintana Albertson has written over thirty romance novels, rescued five hundred death-row shelter dogs, and danced one thousand rumbas. She lives in sunny San Diego with her husband, two sons, and too many pets. Most days, she can be found writing her next heart book in a beachfront café while sipping an oat-milk Mexican mocha or gardening with her children in their backyard orchard and snacking on a juicy blood orange. You can find her online at AuthorAlanaAlbertson.com or on Instagram @AuthorAlanaAlbertson. You can find more of my reviews of her work here.
Enrique Montez, smooth-talking heir to the Taco King empire, is man enough to admit that he made a critical error when he underestimated Carolina Flores. The agricultural hotshot should have been an easy conquest—who would turn down the chance to partner with California's largest fast-food chain? But instead of signing her name on the dotted line, Carolina has Enrique eating out of the palm of her hand. When fate then steps in with an unexpected opportunity, Enrique is willing to do whatever it takes to capture her heart. The daughter of farmworkers, Carolina spent her youth picking strawberries in the fields of Santa Maria, vowing to improve the lives of people like her parents. Now, as one of only a handful of Latina farm owners, she has no time for romance, and she's certainly not about to let the notorious Montez brother anywhere near her business—even if just being near Enrique makes her skin tingle. But she is willing to let him help get her over-involved family off her back. When Carolina's father and her lovelorn sisters mistake Enrique for her (nonexistent) boyfriend, she reluctantly agrees to a series of pretend dates to their town's traditional Mexican-American holiday celebrations. Soon the fake feelings turn real, and Carolina and Enrique must convince each other to take a chance on love before their fiesta romance is over.
I haven't read or seen Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, but I am familiar with the concept and structure based on other retellings, like 10 Things I Hate About You. Kiss Me, Mi Amor provides a more modern retelling of this Shakespeare classic, highlighting the traditional rules Carolina's father imposes on her, versus Enrique's vision of what the world is currently. I enjoyed how much of the tension of the plot came from these retelling beats—Carolina being forbidden from seeing Enrique in a modern sense, Enrique's reckoning with traditional Mexican families versus his own more progressive one. There's even the element of Carolina's sister, Blanca, being forbidden to date until Carolina has a suitor. Albertson makes this Shakespeare retelling fresh, incorporating elements of Mexican culture into the retelling structure, allowing for the tension to be modern within the antiquated structure.
The tension doesn't just occur from the forbidden relationship and fake dating, though. One of my favorite elements of the story was how Enrique and Carolina struggle to reconcile their differences with one another. Enrique is a surfer boy who doesn't know Spanish and prefers the spirituality he finds in a yoga studio over any religious activities. In contrast, Carolina comes from a very traditional family that values the patriarch's decision in all choices, and she is a Catholic trying to reconcile her desire for a modern woman's independence with her religious beliefs. A lot of each characters' worries is how they'll ever have any type of long term relationship when they feel so different from one another. Despite the obvious chemistry and interest in one another, they have to figure out how they would fit into one another's lives with their differences. I thought this a very realistic look at relationships in the modern world. Despite the rather unrealistic insta-love that Carolina and Enrique feel, the struggles they encounter in getting to know one another were authentic, believable, and relatable.
I have to give a special shout out to the fact that Carolina, in being traditional, has never had a relationship before Enrique. I felt like the depiction of her wanting to a modern, independent woman versus her beliefs about love and marriage were well-balanced, and relatable. I feel like a lot of romance doesn't address how intimate sex is, past the chemistry that exists between characters. Carolina experiencing that intimacy and recognizing sex as nothing to be ashamed of, was a great addition to the novel.
Overall, Kiss Me, Mi Amor is a great study in the traditional versus the progressive. Enrique and Carolina both fall into different camps, but they find a way to reconcile their differences to be with one another. Carolina's search for independence leads her to understanding more about herself. Enrique's pursuit of Carolina teaches him the importance of sustainable farming and farmworkers' rights, giving him the confidence and vision to make a change in his community. While sometimes the romance felt too fast (which is something often recognized by the characters themselves), I believe this is a great addition to the romance genre and a lovely sequel in the Love & Tacos series.
I just love the Love & Tacos series, and based on how Kiss Me, Mi Amor ended, I believe there may be some more stories told in this world (Jaime, anyone?). Until then, you can find Alana online at AuthorAlanaAlbertson.com or on Instagram @AuthorAlanaAlbertson. You can find more of my reviews of her work here.
*This review can also be found on Goodreads page*
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