Romeo and Juliet, but make it mariachi!

     We all love a good retelling, so when I heard about Priscilla Oliveras’s newest romance being a Romeo and Juliet retelling it’s safe to say I was VERY excited! West Side Love Story, which comes out on June 1st, is a celebration of music, culture and love that any romcom lover will enjoy!
     Having grown up in the nurturing household of Casa Capuleta, Mariana will do anything for familia. To solve her adoptive parents’ financial problems amid their rapidly changing San Antonio comunidad, Mariana and her younger sisters are determined to win the Battle of the Mariachi Bands. That means competing against Hugo Montero, their father’s archnemesis, and his band and escalating a decades-old feud. It also raises the stakes of Mariana’s forbidden attraction for a certain dark-eyed mariachi who sets her heart racing. To Angelo Montero’s familia, Mariana is also strictly off-limits. But that doesn’t stop him from pursuing her. As their secret affair intensifies and the competition grows fierce, they’re swept up in a brewing storm of betrayals, rivalries, and broken ties. Against the odds, they vow to bring peace. But sacrifices must be made and consequences weighed for two star-crossed lovers to make beautiful music together.
     This may be my favorite Priscilla Oliveras book so far! I loved this Romeo and Juliet retelling and really appreciated learning more about mariachi music and Latin culture.
    As with all of her romance novels, Oliveras deftly weaves an engaging romance with Latin culture and phrasing that really engrossed a reader in the story. Reading this story made me want to hop on a flight to San Antonio and visit Casa Capuleta myself!
     Alongside the themes of familial loss and gain, the foster system, and what it means to follow your heart, Mariana and Angelo’s story was so wonderfully written and I cannot wait to read more about the Capuleta Sisters in future books!
     This is a must-read romance for your summer TBR that is sure to tug on your heartstrings! I cannot wait for the sequel to be released next year!

     *I received an ARC from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

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