Mia SosaReseñas

3.75 stars.

I think I was still running off the high of the first book which was 5 stars for me. This one felt a bit long winded. Really interesting but the first one is better

Befuddled by other reviews complaining about the Brazilian influences. Go eat some more jello salad.

Not for me

Liked the wedding planner idea but thought the “dating brother of the man who left me at the altar” to be ridiculous and nothing at all happened in the story to make me believe in this couple.

Funny, romantic, and sexy! A fake dating trope that had me laughing and sighing as the characters interacted and fell in love. I thought the characters were relatable and had great chemistry between them from the beginning.

Pepper rating:

Hmm. I read this so long ago that I struggle to rate it... but I recall that I was frustrated with the "bad guy" and his behavior. And not in a good way; rather that if it were real life, that guy would've got decked time and time again, but he came out on top in several of the interactions in the book.

Max and Dean were the highlights for me. I liked Lina but felt I never really got into her head and therefore that makes me slightly more partial to our bros. Cute book and not as bad as some reviews painted it to be.

Lina was left at the alter three years ago. When her job pairs her up with the best man who convinced her groom to leave her, sparks fly! Loved this rom-com! Devoured it in a day!

The Best Worst Man
3 Stars

Up and coming wedding planner Carolina Santos is offered the opportunity of a lifetime to audition for the position of official wedding coordinator for an up-scale hotel. Unfortunately, she is forced to work with marketing expert, Max Hartley, her former fiancé's brother, who drunkenly convinced his sibling to leave Lina at the alter. As Max and Lina battle against their mutual animosity and their unwanted attraction, they soon realize that more is at stake than their jobs. They may just be risking their hearts as well...

An ethnically diverse cast of characters, an interesting cultural context, and a potentially delightful enemies-to-lovers romance - on the surface, The Worst Best Man has the perfect ingredients for an entertaining read. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite hit the mark.

Lina is an admirable heroine with a well-developed backstory, and one cannot help but feel for her predicament, especially considering the obstacles she has had to overcome as a woman of color in the business world. That said, she comes across as rather childish and immature in her attitude and actions toward Max. Yes, he played a role in her wedding fiasco; however, the groom made his own decisions and is no great loss.

Max is charming, respectful and caring. He seems to be the perfect hero, that is until the humongous chip on his shoulder comes into play. It takes him too long to get over his feeling of inferiority when it comes to his brother, and the game of one-upmanship between them is annoying. Some of the points that he raises as to why he should not be with Lina actually make sense and that is, I'm sure, not the author's intent.

The most significant issue with the book is the lack of chemistry between Lina and Max. Their banter is supposed to be witty and snarky, but actually comes across as juvenile and ridiculous. When they eventually give in to their attraction, the situation is more awkward than intimate and the dirty talk is particularly cringeworthy.

In terms of the portrayal of Brazilian-American culture, I cannot judge as I am neither Brazilian nor Brazilian-American. There are numerous reviews here on Goodreads that can offer a much more nuanced evaluation.

Finally, the narration of the audiobook is a mixed-bag. Rebecca Mozo is excellent with a wide vocal range, but Wayne Mitchell's pronunciation is problematic as his "s's" make a distracting sibilant sound almost like a lisp.

In sum, The Best Worst Man has its moments but does not completely live up to its potential.

This book couldn’t get any better. After The Worst Best Man, I was unsure any sequel could do much justice, but oh my sweet lord, this book had me hooked by the collar every second I was reading it. Solange and Lina are badass women who run the world, and Dean and Max are strong women who support their women, but most importantly, even if they are, certainly, privileged young white men, they knew they had to get themselves and their feelings together before they continued pursuing the loves of their lives.

Solange strives not to make rash decisions, a trait that roots deeply in her parents’ experience but the way she stands up for herself is the inspiration she seeks from her mother and her tias makes me feel so proud of the amazing woman she is. As for Dean, his mother wasn’t around much, for the fourteen-year-old boy who wanted to be an Olympic swimmer, and she accepts her shortcomings, but that doesn’t make the pain in vain. His insecurities and reservations are definitely justified, but when he both puts Solange first and pursues her in Vegas, it is true love, whether or not someone can accept they fell in love in such a short while.

The book is incredible, in terms of plot, writing style, and character development, the book is so close to perfect!

The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa is a 2022 Avon publication.

The premise here is a familiar one- the fake date/ opposites attract trope/ romantic comedy. The reviews for this convinced me to add it to my TBR list, and blurb did sound promising.

The story was a mixed bag for me, though. I’ve made it to a point where some humor and some threads that are now commonplace in nearly every romance novel are getting old or missing the mark for me … or maybe I’m just getting old. But- the story was also too busy for me, with too many characters, too many fake relationships, and all that chemistry everyone was raving about was MIA for me.

That said, I did like the big Brazilian family and cute way the story wrapped up and there were one or two hilarious moments that made me laugh- but the story didn’t have the sparkle or emotional depth I prefer in my romance novels.

Overall, I’m an outlier on this one. I wish there was a way to tell which one of these ‘cartoon’ cover romances will be a good fit for me, as it is getting harder and harder to get a feel for them in advance. I took a chance on this one and it didn’t work out quite like I had hoped… but I think I’m in the minority on here- so by all means make sure you read through all the positive reviews for this one. You might have better luck with it than I did.½

Funny, flirty and a little dirty.

That’s what makes a romance novel stand out and Mia Sosa… *slow claps* you have outdone yourself with this one babe! It had that and so much more.

“The Wedding Crasher” triumphs over “The Worst Best Man” in every single way—Fake dating? Check. Friends to lovers? Check. One bed trope? Check. Steamy scenes that will get you all hot and bothered? Double check.

The chemistry between Solange and Dean was intense and the energy that they brought into this book was unfathomable. The flirty banter, side characters that helped bring the story together (side eyeing my man Brandon), maturity amongst them (leads) and the rest of the cast was refreshing to say the least. The main characters were strong and independent, and knew what they wanted.

We can't forget to mention the comedy too. The amount of times I laughed out loud was ridiculous. From Solange and Dean's witty comebacks and the crazy dynamics that come along with families (and friends that are pretty much like family)—if you're looking for something to lift up your spirits, look no further! "The Wedding Crasher" is one of the best romantic comedies of 2022!

Audiobook narrated by Rebecca Mozo and Wayne Mitchell - Wedding planner Carolina and marketing expert Max have to work together on a project for a huge client that could make or break both of their careers. What’s the catch? He’s the brother and best man of Carolina’s ex-fiance who left her at the altar, and he may have been the one who convinced the groom to leave.

Great for a book set in the DC area! A perfectly fine romance. The characters have an interesting dynamic since Carolina has very good reasons to be mad at Max and Max is not mad at Carolina at all. Overall enjoyable and the audiobook narrators were very good.

When Solange overhears a conversation between the bride-to-be and one of the best men at the wedding, she ends up speaking up during the ceremony, and the bride calls it off. The groom, Dean, later asks Solange if she will be his fake girlfriend for an important work function; he's trying to make partner at his law firm. Solange agrees, and later, she calls in Dean's IOU when her Tia Claudia arrives earlier than expected, so now Dean is Solange's fake boyfriend (Solange's mom had told Claudia that Solange was in a serious relationship; Solange had lined up her roommate and best friend, Brandon, to fill the role, but best-laid plans, etc.).

Dean is a planner who believed a marriage of convenience would be enough to meet his life goals; Solange believes in true love. They could never work out as a couple, right? (Of course they work out as a couple. They have amazing chemistry. And Lina and Max from The Worst Best Man make appearances as well.)

Quotes

I know my worth, and I'm not letting anyone diminish it. One thing's clear: Not being in a relationship is better than being in a bad one. (35)

"I could make you a virgin," Brandon [the bartender] says.
[Jaslene] grins. "Believe me, that ship has sailed, but I admire your can-do attitude." (116)

"You know, I think the more something's important to us, the more we feel we'll lose if it doesn't work out. So we convince ourselves not to want the thing." (Solange's mom, 209)

"Emotions are complicated, sweetheart. You don't always get to choose how you feel about someone. Sometimes your heart makes the decision for you." (Tia Viviane, 310)

"You're scared to make a bad decision because you think it will change the course of your life. But...making no decision can change your life too." (Solange's mom, 311)

"We're all informed by our experiences, but how we react to them is partly on us." (Dean's mom Melissa, 322)

"What the hell are you going to do with two rolls of quarters?"
"Spend within my means, is what I'm going to do." (Brandon and Solange in Vegas, 357)

"Being so afraid to make a mistake has led me to build a life that's hollow in the places that matter the most."

Mia Sosa did it again! The Wedding Crasher was a hit for me from the first line. I have been waiting for Dean's story and Sosa delivered. I loved that Solange and Dean were imperfect, total opposites and guarded because of similar life experiences. Their love story was a slow burn, from fake dating to sassy and steamy. I could not get enough of their banter and I loved how much they supported each other's goals and grew their friendship first. In true Sosa fashion, the comedic moments had me literally laughing until tears rolled down my face. I'm still thinking about the electrodes and Ginuwine's Pony. The pop culture references added cuteness to the story without making it cheesy.

If there's one thing I love about Sosa's rom-coms is the way she writes characters that you absolutely either fall for or hate instantly. I still want to fight Peter because he was the worst. The shining stars of this one for me were the tías. Everyone needs advice and unconditional support from the backbones of the family. The tías represent everything that is great about close-knit families. An added bonus was the Brazilian food and culture representation and the single mother aspect as a strength and not a defect.

Limitations was a big theme in this and I loved watching Dean and Solange transform personally and learn how to take the take leaps of faith with love and other aspects of their life. Sosa did a great job showing how parent's experiences shape their children's ideas about love. I could go on for days about how much I loved this one. This one released a few days ago, so run and grab yourself a copy. Be prepared for lots of laughter, family and the right amount of spice.

Thanks to @avonbooks @tlcbooktours for the gifted copy. A big thank you to @miasosaromance for sending me a signed copy which I will treasure forever and congratulations on a another fantastic book.

Oh wow, this book grabbed me from the first page with the snarky, fun writing. Wedding planner Lina gets dumped at the altar. Worse, her husband-to-be’s brother, Max, is the one designated to break the news. Three years later and all three of them (Max, Lina, and the loser ex-husband-to-be) are all teamed up together on a high-profile project no one wants to foul up (oh the drama!) and this gets sooooo fun and hilarious! I loved the slow burn between these two as they worked on their project together, worked through their past issues, and found activities they enjoyed doing together as a couple (all while pretending to hate each other.) And the cool bits of Brazilian culture (and food—OMG so yummy!!!) were neat to read about!

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.

I don't know if Goodreads is randomly removing books from my shelves or if I had completely forgotten to add this one.

But either way, I have absolutely loved this book, it was funny and light hearted and I really enjoyed going through it.

I loved the characters, their banter and their dynamic. I also loved learning a little about Lina's Brazilian background and culture.

Overall it was a really adorable book!

Sun of a Beach

I Picked Up This Book Because: Looking for a short listen/read.

Media Type: Audiobook
Source: AudiblePlus
Dates Read: 12/27/21 - 12/29/21
Stars: 3 Stars
Narrator(s): Valentina Ortiz and Sean Crisden

The Characters:

Naomi Reyes:
Donovan Taylor:


The Story:

Review to come.

The Random Thoughts:

Adored this book!

Full review here: www.loveinpanels.com/prose/the-worst-best-man

Three years ago, Lina was left at the alter by Andrew, who left it to his brother, Max, to tell her as well as putting the blame on him for it. Now Lina is up for a job as a wedding planner at an exclusive local hotel. She is in competition with another planner, and since the hotel has hired the advertising firm owned by Andrew's and Max's mother, each one of them has been assigned to help a candidate create a presentation. Max and Andrew have been in competition for years, so it is a no-brainer that Max will work with Lina. She agrees, but also still harbors ill feelings toward both brothers, and her family convinces her that this is an opportunity for revenge. It isn't long before Lina realizes that Max isn't who she thought he was, and working with him becomes much more personal.

Although The Worst Best Man is a fun romance, it also tackles a couple of tougher issues such as abandonment and familial competition. Also, Lina's family offers humor and an insight into Brazilian culture. While the feelings between Lina and Max happen almost too quickly, especially with the anger that Lina is still experiencing, the couple's retreat is extremely cute and provides an opportunity for Max's and Lina's affection for each other to grow. Overall, this book is a quick and enjoyable read.

"It's refreshing to speak with someone who not only relates to my experience but also doesn't think the way I respond to it is entirely flawed. Protecting yourself from hurt doesn't mean you're broken. It means you're human...Every person has to decide whether to lower their shield and when."

Romantic comedies are slowly becoming my favorite genre in between heavy reads. Worst Best Man is one of the best I've read so far. The writing was great throughout and I didn't want to put it down. Mia Sosa really knows how the keep a reader captivated. I loved that this enemies to lovers story was all about communication and how the characters learn to trust again.

Here are some of my highlights:

👰🏽 Brazilian representation
👰🏽 Afro-Latinx perspective
👰🏽 communication & patience in relationships
👰🏽 strong, close knit Latinx family
👰🏽 discussion of issues in interracial dating
👰🏽 enemies to lovers & second chance at love tropes
👰🏽 yummy food mentions
👰🏽 strong character development& well written side characters
👰🏽 behind the scenes of wedding planning
👰🏽 great balance between the storyline and the right amount of steam
👰🏽 ambitious and funny female lead

I felt the chemistry between Lina and Max from the start and watching their evolution just made my heart melt. I so glad this one is leading to a spin off. Lina and Max remind us that without honest and open dialogue a relationship is doomed to fail. No one should have to settle for anything less than they deserve out of fear. I would love to see this one as a movie. Hollywood are you listening? I am officially a Mia Sosa lifetime fan.

#WorstBestMan #MiaSosa #afrolatinx #ownvoices #boricua #Brazilian #LatinxRomance #books #LatinxBookstagram #bookreviews #ReadCaribbean #ReadPuertoRican
#AvonBooks #latinxfiction #bookish #bookphotos #skyline #bookdragon #bibliophile #bookworm #reading #paperbacks #romcom #readlatinx #weddingplanner #interracialdating
#bookrecommendation #lovestory
#enemiestolovers #secondchance

Lina is up for her dream job and she's determined she will get it, no matter what. Even if said job requires her to work with the man who destroyed her life. Sure, Max hadn't been the one who stood her up at the alter. He had been the best man who talked her fiance out of marrying her. She'd love to throat punch him. Instead she's going to be uber professional and get that job despite his presence in the project.

I thought this could have been so much funner than it actually was but it was still entertaining.

I haven't got much to add to the comments I've read below - I endorse "a cute read". The characters were strong and engaging. I wish I could remember how it ended! I've been churning through so many novels like this, similarly good reads, they are starting to overlap. 90% of my reads are taken from novels or authors recommended on best of or favorite lists - and it has paid off.½

Lighthearted and an easy read. The book flowed well, was engaging, funny and had a wonderful story. It is a great book to get back into reading as it is an excellent romcom.

4 stars

This book was exactly what I needed and expected- a cute romance, a protagonist that causes a little bit of exasperation, and a predictable ending!

Cute book. Fiesty heroine. Predictable. Only complaint was all the references to Brazilian things--and no explanation. Made some of the stuff a bit hard to follow.