I’m going to need everyone to take a minute and just look at this stunning cover before you read any further. Drink in that gorgeous illustration. Done? Alright, let’s get into it.
You Had Me at Hola follows two actors about to star in the same telenovela, Carmen in Charge, which, for very different reasons, is supposed to be their saving grace. Jasmine wants to finally prove to her family that acting is her dream and just as valuable a goal as getting married and having children. Ashton, nearing forty, hopes that this show will finally be the stepping stone to going off to bigger and better movies.
Jasmine has had a tough couple of months. After a very public break-up during which the tabloids ripped her a new one, she’s been staying off social media and vows to be a Leading Lady from now on. A Leading Lady does not end up on tabloid covers. A Leading Lady does not need a man to be happy. And above all, a Leading Lady does not rebound with her new co-star Ashton Suárez no matter how hot and bothered their romantic on-screen scenes leave her.
Or at least, that’s the initial plan. But when sparks fly after an awkwardly adorable meet cute in which Ashton drenches Jasmine in iced coffee and the romance between their telenovela characters takes off, the both of them find themselves faced with the question whether it’s not only on screen that the both of them could light up the world with their chemistry…but secrets linger and when the media gets wind of what Ashton has been hiding for almost a decade, tension brews and drama ensues…you know, telenovela-style.
What a read, you guys! Alexis Daria has such an enchanting way of writing that keeps you engaged at all times and makes you flip those pages with a smile on your face. Quite like the feeling you get when watching Jane the Virgin, this book knew how to infuse the story with tension and drama that made you want to hold on to your seat.
One thing I really enjoyed about this book was that the show they’re shooting, Carmen in Charge, was included as scripts so we got to see both Ashton and Jasmine as the roles they were playing. It basically juxtaposed two love stories – those of their characters and the one they as actors begin together. I loved the little glimpses when they were close to breaking character while shooting because they were growing fonder of the other and had trouble keeping their hands to himself. Still, there was something left to be desired because the scripts had nothing of the shocking twists and turns you expect from telenovelas (until the very last script where we get a trope that has long been one of the best ones in telenovelas and soap operas if you ask me) and focused more on the relationship between Carmen and her ex-husband and them finding their way back to each other.
I also wished for more development on the characters in general. The secondary characters fell a bit flat and though I loved the included diversity and sex-positivity, I would have liked to have more information on some of the secondary characters, especially Jasmine’s cousins and Ashton’s family.
I also really wasn’t a fan of Jasmine “falling” for Ashton despite them not having spoken so much as ten words off the studio set in the beginning. There’s nothing wrong with having a crush, but I was just a bit confounded by the fact that she thought about love when the two of them had said virtually nothing to each other. Once they actually started to talk beyond pleasantries, the chemistry definitely made more sense and developed in a way that I was rooting for them to work through their personal issues. Both Ashton and Jasmine have a lot on their plates and I thought that they made a good match, supporting the other one especially when their more vulnerable sides showed.
The obstacles that keep them apart, like Ashton hiding his son or Jasmine’s fear of not being the leading lady she wants to be, were a bit flimsy at times. You could tell that the angst was a bit over the top even for telenovela standards considering the stakes weren’t actually that high once Ashton and Jasmine took the time to speak to each other about their problems.
While the book definitely held up its promise to bring on a swoonworthy romance and all the drama, I think there was a lot more potential for more twists and a bit more development of the world outside of the romance. I’m holding out hope that Daria may give some of the secondary characters from this novel like Jasmine’s cousins Ava or Michelle a chance to shine in a spin-off novel. Daria’s writing style was beautiful and engaging and intrigued me to pick up more of hers soon!
Sexy, dramatic and filled with will-they-won’t they vibes, this is a must read for any soap opera or telenovela lovers – or really, anyone who misses Rita Moreno (to whom this book is dedicated!) on their screens!
You Had Me At Hola is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of August 4th 2020.
Will you be picking up You Had Me At Hola? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
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.
