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Caliente y respetuosa

Cover of You Had Me at Hola
A review of You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria

Soap opera actress Jasmine Lin Rodriguez has landed a starring role alongside telenovela star Ashton Suarez in a bilingual Netflix-like series called Carmen in Charge. The show is important to Jasmine and Ashton for different reasons and they both desperately want it to be a success. For Jasmine, this is her first starring role. For Ashton, this is his chance to show that he's leading man material in a different entertainment market.

Of course Jasmine and Ashton are a perfect match in the studio and out. But they've got a lot of baggage to overcome. Jasmine jumps into relationships too quickly and turns into a doormat. Ashton has some secrets that he's not willing to share. But their chemistry is undeniable and their shared love of salsa dancing makes for some steamy reading.

Smart, sexy and sweet, I loved the way this book incorporated the romance of the two main characters into the episodes of Carmen. Very clever. I also learned a lot about filming a show in the current media climate. Have you ever heard of an intimacy coordinator? When film stars are required to act out sex scenes there's a high risk of blurred lines and abuse. To help, studios are hiring intimacy coordinators to map out how the scenes should go touch by touch. Like I said earlier, I learned a lot! This makes so much sense. Without spilling any of the plot, I will also reveal that the ending of the book wrapped up in a socially and emotionally responsible way. What I'm looking for in romance novels has changed over the years and this is a direction that I am totally on board with.  

Oct 12, 2020