WOW! First of all, a big thank you to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this one before its release in September. I absolutely LOVED the first book in this series, and was really excited for the sequel. I’m not really sure what I expected, since the glimpses at Gillian weren’t exactly…kind in the first book.
However, one of the things Angelina M. Lopez does incredibly well is point of view. We had problems with Gillian because Alex had problems with Gillian. Similarly, in this book, there are several times where Alex comes off as a real B-I-T-C-H, because we are seeing things through Gillian’s eyes. Although that’s how it SHOULD be, often I’ve seen authors in a series try to maintain characters likability, and it just ends up being muddled.

Anyway! This book was a longer read for me than usual, largely because I wanted to savor the feeling of living in this world for as long as possible. The magic system we are invited in to is beautiful and terrible, and very real. We are effortlessly brought to understand the pain Nicky feels and the disconnectedness Gillian is dealing with, both of which lead them to make pretty questionable decisions.
Finally, this is a “Good for Her” book. We are meeting a woman who is absolutely wracked by divorce and feeling like she has no good options. The feeling of her finally getting her moment…well, that was nothing short of bliss!

What a great second in series book! Lopez does a great job threading in familiar characters and yet building plot twists. The character development of Gillian and Nicky and their second chance romance kept me turning pages and rooting for their happily ever after. I love falling for this big Mexican American family…readers can feel the pride that heritage and hard work bring to each member.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

I loved seeing/reading about a small town in America that had culture. America is such a melting pot of communities and cultures but I feel all I read about in small town romances is all white. I loved the authors writing style. I loved how she showed the history and culture of the area she was writing about. The tension and longing between the mcs was palpable.

I was not prepared for this book to start off with a bang (pun very much intended)! This story was much more than I expected, in the best way. While a second chance romance, this story is about family, forgiveness and community. Gillian and Nicky’s drive to breathe life into their town and champion new businesses was so inspiring. I greatly admired Gillian’s work to be an incredible hype person for these women, while assisting them in pursuing their dreams and rewriting their stories.

My only qualm was the cheating. It’s one of the few tropes that I strongly dislike. The passion and tension between Gillian and Nick were super spicy, BUT the lying and cheating soured my reading experience… even though Nick wasn’t actually engaged, but Gillian didn’t know that he made he think it would be alright… cheating is a no go for me.

Full of magic, ghosts, passion and second chances, Full Moon Over Freedom left me in a puddle of feels and with a full heart.

This is the second book in a series, and just as good as the first book. Enjoyed learning more about the Mexican culture in small town Kansas.

A very beautiful book about self discovery and loving yourself for who you truly are!

After a nasty divorce Gillian finds herself back home. It’s the last place she wants to be but as she figures out her next steps this is where she has to be! Only she finds herself face to face with a man from her past and the desire she felt for nick back then comes back with a vengeance!

I love Angelina’s book and just how much they hit close to home! I can see myself and my family in her characters and that means so much to be!

This book holds so much inside of it! The healing of our spirits, our roots and becoming who you are meant to be! Gillian didn’t think she could find her path on Millagro street but that’s where life had her. Her and Nick had so much to learn from one another and their community! Witnessing it all in the pages of this book brought a smile to my face, tears to my eyes but healing in my heart!

“She'd meant being bad like being a failure. Like being cursed instead of blessed. Like being incompetent at successfully steering the course of her life and, instead, crashing it into her two innocent children.”
“Nicky couldn't touch her. He had a debt. And this summer was going to make him pay and pay and pay.”
I don’t think it is healthy to be obsessed with a standalones series as much I actually am with this one !!!!
First we have badass Alex and Jeremiah in their very unwillingly arrangement of roommates and enemies to lovers dynamic. Now we have Gillian and Nicky, friends to strangers to lovers with a tension that was so freaking insane and she is a single mom !!!!
I just … I don’t even know what to say. I can’t tell you if there even was one part of it that I loved more because in truth … there wasn’t. I loved everything about this book. The Latino representation. The children Naomi and Ben were absolutely amazing and wonderful and so sweet and perfect. The family dynamics, especially the sister drama with Alex. The badassness of Gillian trying to get her life and freedom and love back. And the AMAZING Nicky with his undying love for his gorgeous best friend, whom he never got over with time and with such a filthy mouth … that he DEFINITELY knows how to use !!!!!
This book had me in such a chokehold I couldn’t simply let it go !!! I needed to figure out what was happening at the moment it was happening without any sort of delay !!!! I felt so enthralled by the plot, the characters and the spicy scenes … I actually had the time of my life reading it !!!! I so can’t wait for the next instalment in this series !!!!
“I was hurt when you left. I would have liked to have been something more.
Now he knew that she had”
"You better clear your calendar. Because until you leave, I'm gonna be the bad man that rides your golden cunt until I end your curse."

When I read the first book in this series ("After Hours on Milagro Street) I knew Angelina M. Lopez had for me joined the ranks with Penny Reid, Talia Hibbert, Nisha Sharma, Olivia Dade, Helen Hoang, Kennedy Ryan and Evie Dunmore. Where once I was introduced to this author's work I went through and consumed their back catalog and know I'll be reading all their future books.
I was elated to read "Full Moon Over Freedom", and this book did not disappoint. I absolutely adored it and coudn't put it down. I NEEDED to know how they get their HEA.
This book follows Gillian (Juliana). The perfect older sister, with the perfect husband, and the perfect life.
What this once powerful bruja hasn't told her family is not only is her life not perfect, she's cursed.
After ten years in an abusive marriage she has been left drained of all her power. Left second guessing everything, everyone, and most of all herself. Her family only knows she is divorced (not why) and that she'll be in town for the summer with her kids while she looked for a powerful finance position to return her to her perfect life.
While blowing off some steam driving down a quiet country road she almost hits a man walking along side the road, she is shocked to discover the man is Nicky, the boy who once taught her... everything. Now he's heading out of town and he becomes the one person she can confess how messed up her life is. And maybe, perhaps, get another lesson from him, ya know. To break the curse.
I think this is one of the best books I have come across for exploring how difficult and painful it is to regain your power after surviving intimate partner violence.
I really enjoyed Gillian's growth in this book.
This will definitely be a book I re-read. It was magical.

4.5/5

Summary:
Gillian Armstead-Bancroft returns to her hometown Freedom, Kansas divorced with two small children, jobless, and feeling like her bruja powers no longer work. She runs into Nicky Mendoza, her childhood friend and former lover. Their renewed friendship may be tenuous, but they have to work together if they want to contribute to the ongoing renewal of the bar Gillian owns with her sisters, as well as Milagro Street as a whole.

My review:
Gillian and Nicky have history— they were friends on and off between elementary school and college. She asked him to divest her of her virginity after her freshman year of college. I got the sense he was her, to use historical romance terminology, "bit o' rough". On his end, he definitely saw her as some unattainable princess. It's revealed later that he was really cut up about her leaving, so based on this, I expected a little more of a Persuasion vibe where he's resentful towards her when she returns, but Angelina subverted those expectations straight away in the first couple chapters when they meet again. Really, the only thing keeping them apart for most of the book is their intention to leave Freedom at the end of the summer. Oh, and also, there's Gillian's shitty ex-husband :/

Listen, Nicky is a smooth operator. Always was, based on the flashbacks, and always will be. So he and Gillian, who is a little uptight and a perfectionist, work really well together even after picking up where they left off 13 years ago. It's one of those cases where the only things holding them back are themselves (their respective ambitions and realistically, GIllian has two children to think about as well). Like, I never had a doubt that had it not been for timing, they would have been together a lot sooner.

I'd say setting is a huge part of what made this book stand out. It's a small-town setting but in the best way, particularly because Angelina M. Lopez continues with the same theme from After Hours on Milagro Street, which is just how interwoven Mexican-American culture is in Freedom, Kansas, and how much the Mexican-American community contributed to the town. it's unlikely, as many characters in the books point out, because when you think of small town America, you think of, well, white people. But pocket communities like this exist all over the country, and it was established really well here, complete with an intricate fictional history. Revitalizing the town, specifically Milagro Street is a large part of the overarching plot, and both Nicky and Gillian are involved in different ways: Nicky with his mural in the historic train station, and Gillian with her financial planning skills that would directly benefit Loretta's and other minority-owned businesses in the area.

There is also a magical and supernatural aspect to this story, one deeply ingrained in the culture. The community at large simply accepts this idea that ghosts and La Llorona exists, that some people can be haunted, and some people are brujas (witches) who can use their powers and milagros for the betterment of individuals or even a building or community. At first I was surprised by this casual acceptance in the modern era, but then I realized there are cultural equivalents of this all over the world. I mean, I come from a culture where astrologers are regularly consulted, horoscopes still matter, and folk rituals like bhoota kola are performed. It's just a part of the culture (dating back to a pre-Christian America), and I loved how Angelina incorporated it into the story. Specifically, Gillian is a bruja (she learnt the art from her mom) but she's "lost" her magic and is now convinced she is a curse of sorts. She's also haunted Nicky is haunted by a cadejo, a spirit that appears as a black dog.

The sex:
It felt like there were less overall sex scenes compared to After Hours on Milagro Street, and I would say the tension between Gillian and Nicky is more of a simmering variety compared to Alex and Jeremiah in the first book. The sexual dynamic between them was a little teacher/student, a little "I'm the eldest daughter who feels responsible for everything and would like to be taken care of during sex", with interesting sides of a mild exhibitionist kink and "hot mom".

Here's what I appreciated most, sex-wise:

a) Listen if there's one thing Angelina loves to write it's an immediate sexual scene, let it be the heroine pretty much mounting the hero in the first 3 chapters (see: Lush Money), or in this case, immediately propositioning him upon meeting him again after 13 years. And it's great. It's like instant gratification for me 😂

b) I personally loved the tidbits she gave us of Nicky/Gillian's initial sexual relationships 13 years ago (similar to how Angelina did it in Hate Crush). It's an awesome way to get insight into their characters and the hints you get are pretty damn sexy.

c) Even the slightly weird stuff during her sex scenes like the groping and some of the dirty talk (see: any use of the word "mommy" lol) works because it feels real. Angelina writes the weird quirks of sex really well while still making it hot.

Overall:
Small-town romances can sometimes get real trite fast, but this book is definitely not one of them. It has the romance, a lot of family dynamics, a mystery based on town history, along with supernatural elements. The love and care in the way Angelina described Mexican-American culture really comes across. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone in need of a good contemporary romance that's sexy and emotional in equal measure.

Full Moon Over Freedom by Angelina M. Lopez is book two in the Milagro Street series.

I loved book 1 After Hours on Milagro Street and after reading the second one it was just as amazing as the first.

FMO was utterly sweet! I adored this delightful swoony romance.
This book has a whole lot of heart and the characters quickly come to life.
Gillian and Nicky are realistic, adorable and had me wanting more.
These two bring the story to life.
I thoroughly enjoyed learning some of the history of Mexican American people in the Midwest.
I loved the way culture and family was writing into this book, honestly my heart is filled with so much warmth from this book I can go on for days.
If you enjoy small-town romance, a lighthearted rom-com with heart…. Then this is the book!
It was everything I look for in a contemporary romance - sweet, funny, swoony, and beautifully written.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Harlequin for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This was so good, it was absolutely spectacular. I loved this book! I couldn't read it fast enough.
I just reviewed Full Moon Over Freedom by Angelina M. Lopez. #FullMoonOverFreedom #NetGalley
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4.5 ⭐️

2 🌶️

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an advanced copy in exchange for a review.


Angelina has a way of making you just want more immediately. I love her writing style and vivid ways I feel like I’m there and watching it play out.

Small town America has been whitewashed so much through our media and I love seeing Angelina showcase that there is so much of small town America that was build and surrounding around other cultures. I would love for us to honor the history and culture of an area and bring it back and honor that like Angelina shows vs pushing it out.

I loved the couple and build to them. The tension and longing was strong. I think what would have made this a 5 ⭐️ is more from Nicky. I think his character backstory and ARC needed a little more flushing out and it would have been perfect.

Overall though still such an amazing story and one that i will definitely add to my shelves when it comes out and I cannot wait for book 3!


CW: sexual content, addiction/ alcoholism, death of a family member, grief, attack by an animal, toxic relationship, ableism, gaslighting and narcissistic abuse

This book started off with the longest, run-on sentence, and when I continued reading, I just found the writing much too dense for a romance novel. I was trying to get into it despite that, but when the main characters reunited for the first time, the love interest cheated on his fiancée with the MC. They did stop before they had sex, but it was still too far for me, and I'm not interested in reading a story like that. Because of these things combined, I decided to DNF.

4.5 Stars

The imagery is just as phenomenal in this book as it is in the first. I am astounded by how real the Torres family, Milagro Street and the entire town of Freedom feel to me.

Gillian and Nicky have history. She thinks he might be the answer to her curse after circumstances put them back in Freedom at the same time. Nicky has been in love with Gillian for years, but is wary of entering into a physical relationship with her. He vows to be her friend and help her with the loss of her magic as long as it doesn't involve touching her. He perpetuates a deception to keep his heart in tact and it goes on a little too long for me, which is what kept me from giving this a full five stars.

Gillian has a lot to work through and the author does a great job of showing her character growth. I loved how she reconnected with her family and magic after being forced into a life that didn't fit her for so long. She is a fierce protector for her children and it's wonderful to watch her realize that she deserves the same kind of fierceness for herself.

The author tells us in her acknowledgments at the end of the book that Nicky Mendoza is her first Mexican American hero. He was such a great character that I wanted more of him. Nicky has suffered trauma and loss in his life. There is character growth for him in this story, but it takes a backseat to Gillian’s until the end of the story.

Everything eventually comes together in a beautiful blend of magic and history. I love how intricately the past connects to the present. I am very excited to read more in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As always, Angelina M. Lopez brings the heat in her latest. She takes you on a transformation with Gillian, who is so closed off and broken down at the beginning that it's almost hard to get on her side, but once she's willing to open herself up, she finds freedom and her magic again. I loved that Gillian is a bruja, and that her magic, once found, helped her tap into her powerful feminine side and contradict the toxic masculinity that had torpedoed her life, and that she finds connection with other women in countering it.

This was very much Gillian's book, and I felt that Nicky's arc got sidelined somewhat and tacked on at the end. For that reason, why he throws up the initial obstacle of a fake engagement was unclear to me. Nicky is a wonderful hero, but I just wanted more balance between the two character arcs.

Full Moon Over Freedom by Angelina M. Lopez

This is the second book in the Milagro Street series. You can read it as a standalone, but the series is so wonderful!

The Milagro Street series is full of culture, emotions, feelings, magic, and wonderful complexity.

Gillian and Nicky's connection is so intense. You can feel the thread connecting them through the whole story. They sizzle!

I loved watching Gillian find herself, find the Virgin de Guadalupe, and come back into her power.

This review is based on an ARC, so I can't quote it, but look for the crossroads and not controlling all traffic.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I loved this — so tender and heartfelt and sexy. Angelina Lopez is definitely a must-read author for me. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I enjoyed Moon Over Freedom. It was emotional at times as the characters worked through their trauma, and how Gillian and Nicky had to work together to get rid of Gillian’s curse. The character development was incredible and the story just laced with some paranormal activity and Mexican-American cultural things like brujeria and the cadejos (ghost dogs).

What I loved?

♥️ Gillian Armenstead-Bancroft - initially this FMC was not likeable, at least not to me. As the story progresses my opinion of her starts to shift until I felt like I understood her. She was not afraid to ask for what she wanted and I loved that about her.
♥️ Nicky Mendoza - This artsy bad boy painter, was so not a bad boy LOL but he was great in all the best ways, he was such a good friend to her and “teacher” 😉 😉 if you know what I mean. I am glad that he realized that Gillian didn’t really need someone to take care of her, she needed someone to support her.
♥️ The cameos - Seeing Alex and Jeremiah again warms my heart because Jeremiah is just such a simp and Alex is such a baddie.
♥️ The family dynamics - Latin American families are a riot, this one is no different.
♥️ The historical elements found in the story - I loved how part of this series is sort of reconstructing the history of this town and what the influences of Mexican immigrants and their families had on the area.
♥️ The paranormal elements - Gillian with her magic and curse as well as being haunted by La Llorona (Gillian would hear her cries) and Nicky and his cadejo (ghost dog)

Once again, Angelina M. Lopez never fails to write a steamy romance filled with so much history and vibrant Mexican culture! In Full Moon Over Freedom, we return back to Freedom, Kansas to follow Gillian and Nicky, who were teen lovers and have reunited for one summer 13 years later. There was so much fun tension and angst between the two of them. I loved their slowburn and how they kept trying to fight their feelings for each other in order to prevent getting hurt again. I also adored how Nicky bonded with Ben and Naomi and so easily stepped in to take care of them when Gillian would get swamped with juggling work and her legal proceedings for her divorce.

Just as After Hours on Milagro Street contained so much history about the Mexican community in Freedom, Full Moon Over Freedom also continues this, with an added touch of the supernatural. I loved the added subplot of Gillian's curse and the legend of La Llorona, a spirit that I grew up learning about in school. The spiritual aspect of the story was a welcome surprise and it definitely added a layer to the story that I didn't realize was needed. I also loved the shoutout to Roxanne and Mateo in Lush Money, which was a delightful easter egg to catch!

I'm not sure if Angelina M. Lopez has more stories planned in Freedom, but I would love to see a story following Sissy! Definitely pick up Full Moon Over Freedom if you loved After Hours on Milagro Street.

This was a refreshing, spicy story. I really enjoyed reading about the romance between Gillian and Nicky. It was nice to see a FMC who is imperfect and trying to get it together. It felt more realistic that she wasn't perfect and was able to find love anyway. This was a highly anticipated read for me and Im so glad I was able to dive in!