You Had Me at Hola
Ratings35
Average rating3.6
15
Ratings35
Average rating3.6
"Soapy, smart and so sexy... with vibrant characters and electric chemistry comparable to the telenovelas that inspired it, you'll be thrilled You Had Me At Hola doesn't come with commercials!"--Sarah MacLean, New York Times bestselling author RITA® Award Winning author Alexis Daria brings readers an unforgettable, hilarious rom-com set in the drama-filled world of telenovelas--perfect for fans of Jane the Virgin and The Kiss Quotient. Leading Ladies do not end up on tabloid covers. After a messy public breakup, soap opera darling Jasmine Lin Rodriguez finds her face splashed across the tabloids. When she returns to her hometown of New York City to film the starring role in a bilingual romantic comedy for the number one streaming service in the country, Jasmine figures her new "Leading Lady Plan" should be easy enough to follow--until a casting shake-up pairs her with telenovela hunk Ashton Suárez. Leading Ladies don't need a man to be happy. After his last telenovela character was killed off, Ashton is worried his career is dead as well. Joining this new cast as a last-minute addition will give him the chance to show off his acting chops to American audiences and ping the radar of Hollywood casting agents. To make it work, he'll need to generate smoking-hot on-screen chemistry with Jasmine. Easier said than done, especially when a disastrous first impression smothers the embers of whatever sexual heat they might have had. Leading Ladies do not rebound with their new costars. With their careers on the line, Jasmine and Ashton agree to rehearse in private. But rehearsal leads to kissing, and kissing leads to a behind-the-scenes romance worthy of a soap opera. While their on-screen performance improves, the media spotlight on Jasmine soon threatens to destroy her new image and expose Ashton's most closely guarded secret.
Featured Series
2 primary booksPrimas of Power is a 2-book series with 2 primary works first released in 2020 with contributions by Alexis Daria. The next book is scheduled for release on 5/27/2025.
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3.5 stars, I think, rounding up. I liked Jasmine a lot and loved her cousins (I hope they get their own books, even though I don't think anything has been announced). The little excerpts from the Carmen scripts were cute as well. I would've liked to see some more development from Ashton - even though this is alternating POV, I didn't feel that I got as much insight into his motivations/character, and I was really annoyed with him for a large part of the book because of the secret he was keeping from Jasmine (which he then had the gall to blame her for, wtf?). I wish the clear anxiety/PTSD issues were addressed more extensively than in a little aside in the epilogue. Loved the setting of this one and it's definitely a high-heat romance if that's what you're looking for, but I really thought Ashton's secret went on way too long and Jasmine seemed to basically talk herself into justifying his decision to keep that from her for however many months it takes to shoot a TV season, which was disappointing to see in a character who'd been so excellent at standing up for herself.
I enjoyed Daria's previous two books immensely, and You Had Me at Hola did not disappoint. Jasmine and Ashton are not only likable, they're flawed, which makes for a romcom where people are fallible and human in relatable ways. It's a book full of diversity that feels authentic and prescient; it unpacks the glamour of fame while also showing its dark side too. The romance was believable with a great arc throughout, complementing the TV show scripts as part of the plot line.
I received a digital ARC from NetGalley.
The hero did not work for me. I didn't fully agree with the reason for his big secret or his weird thing with commitment.
However, although the central romance really really did not work for me I really liked both families. I also liked the very honest discussion of looking to men for validation and value and therapy for both the hero and the heroine.
Also normalizing that the other person doesn't “complete you”. Hope to see more of that with less exhausting heroes
Let's TELENOVELA! But not really. If you liked Jane the Virgin and other telenovela shows that break the fourth wall, this is for you.
