Perfectly steamy. Mia does a wonderful job of creating an interesting story, swoon worthy characters and a wonderful romance arc

This was my first book from this author and received it for a honest review. The storyline was okay Salvadore just got out of prison and he doesn't want to go back. Trying to avoid being dragged back into his father's gang he does everything he can to stay clean He meets Vanessa. Vanessa provides him with a place to stay.

What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. The word building was phenomenal in this book. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

The cover is great to look, the premise held promise. But in the end, this book was just meh for me. The opening scene had me laughing a bit, and the cliffhanger ending was good, but everything in between really didn't do much for me and meandered a bit so that I struggled for about the first 40% of the book. I hope the next book in the series is better.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

This is one of those times where I loved the book so much I really have a hard time putting it into words but I loved this book. I loved Sal and his vulnerabilities. I loved his love for his family. I loved how he loved Vanessa and her family. As I said, I have a hard time putting it into words but this book is amazing and I would recommend it to everyone.

Thirsty is the first book in the Eastside Brewery series by Mia Hopkins.

Thirsty takes place in East Los Angeles in a very poor neighborhood plagued by gangs, drugs and shootings. Thirsty is a bit dirty and a bit dark but above all it was hopeful. Salvador Rosas is our main character and the story is told in his point of view. He has just been released from prison after being in there for five years. He is trying to be a better man, he is trying to stay out of trouble away from the gang that landed him in prison. He is trying to leave “Ghost” behind and become Salvador or Sal.

Salvador aka Ghost is an ex felon, a gangster (or in my neighborhood we call them cholos). He is the oldest child of Dreamer Rosas and being jumped into the gang was part of his legacy, his grandfather was part of the gang, his father and now Sal and his brother Eddie aka Trouble. He is very hard working, he works two jobs and saves every penny. He is also a bit detached. He’s use to keep things inside and not having anyone to turn too. But underneath the tattoos, the hard exterior, there is a man who is extremely caring and has a huge heart. He also struggles with anxiety after being out of jail.

Vanessa is a single mom and a widower. She is hard working but also a bit closed off. She doesn’t have a whole lot of time for anything other than work and her kid. She’s also extremely independent and has been used to handling things on her own that it takes a bit for her accept help from Sal.

I LOVED Sal and Vanessa together. I felt like she was very upfront about what she expected from Sal and what she wanted. She wasn’t afraid to make him talk to her, make him share things with her. I especially loved how Sal was a bit of an alpha but also such a softie when it came to both Vanessa and Muneca (Vanessa’s daughter). I really loved how their relationship developed. How Vanessa saw more to Sal then he saw in himself.

I loved the idea of craft beers, I have a friend who is really into craft beers so it was one of the reasons I wanted to read this. I loved how Sal was able to make something and find joy in it because lets face it he didn’t have the best childhood. I also love the idea of cholos (or gangsters as this novel refers them as) creating craft beers. I feel like for many, they don’t think they can do something other than the gang life.

I also loved that the majority of the characters are Mexican American. Although they were a bit stereotypical, I still enjoyed them.

I’ve read a Mia Hopkins novel before and loved her writing style and I knew I would probably love Thirsty but I didn’t expect to absolutely love it the way that I did. I loved the fact that the story also featured the idea of anxiety and therapy. For me, therapy isn’t something we were taught to believe in. We were just suppose to internalize everything so I loved how the story features this. I will definitely be picking up Trashed.

He was once a man people feared and went to prison for his crimes. Now he is out trying to make something of himself not only for him but his younger brother. Vanessa is from the neighborhood but she has pulled herself up by going to college and getting a good job. She lost her husband because of the gang and is raising her daughter on her own. When Salvador finds himself with no place to stay she takes a chance on him by allowing him to stay with her. When the gang comes calling will he revert to his old ways or make a commitment to Vanessa? I voluntarily agreed to receive an ARC of this book for an honest review.

felt kinda stereotypical, latinx man should have been sexy for me(im afro-latinx) but it just left a bad taste in my mouth and made me feel uncomfortable that mostly white people would be reading this thinking all latinx men are like this.

Thirsty is a wonderful book, and for me drew me in from the beginning and I was sad that it actually had to end. Salvador Rosas is on parole and is also working at staying away from the gang that his father started. Now being kicked out of the house he is staying at because one of his homeboys messed up with his woman. He is looking for a place. It is this beginning and the way Mia Hopkins draws you into the story with her words that you feel like you are one of the neighbors watching the scene of clothes and yelling that is going on, yet like someone that has been through this before Salvador is yes getting dressed out on the sidewalk, and yes this actually happens in real life, not just the movies. The difference here is you don’t lite his things on fire because you don’t know when the fire is going to arrive and there is a greater chance you will be charged with a crime, not the case in other neighborhoods or in the movies. Now Salvador walking and is called by a woman that has lived in the neighborhood forever and is given the chance to stay, rent out the small garage. He, of course, must clean it, and he asks about the granddaughter Vanessa who he remembers, but the grandmother says she will handle it. Well, it is not handled until after Salvador is watered down with the garden hose by Vanessa because she knows who he is and does not want him there. Grandmother over rules and he stays. Now begins there working out things from the past. Salvador also meets a man who does not judge him and they build on his budding interest into making craft beer. This man who makes beer and begins to show him how it is done is really the first person other than Vanessa to actually help him. Everything is going well until one night when it all goes sideways with some of his old gang, and then the next morning trouble is brought to her house, and now he has more trouble. The author takes you on a ride that is fantastic with this story. The characters are very lifelike along with how they speak, and with the gang life, she even has parts of that down as well. There is enough action to keep the story moving along, and I think she even sets up for the next book. I don’t want to give away the ending but this is a very good book. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave 5 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

An amazing read, I'm kicking myself for not starting it sooner. Ex-con who truly wants to start over and be a better person falls for a single mom who doesn't back down or take shit from anyone? Tons of hot sex? Um, yes, please! I cannot wait for the rest of this series, especially after that ending!

I really liked this story. It was definitely steamy/hot. I also really liked that it was told from the hero's point of view, rather than the heroine's. It helped me connect with him more.

I had some hesitation due to the fact that we don’t see many Latinx heroes in romance and I didn’t know if this would be a harmful depiction of an ex-con gang member. It didn’t appear to be harmful and I felt that Sal was nuanced and complex, all the things I was hoping for.

The book is told solely from his POV. Although I would have liked to have seen Vanessa’s POV at least a few times. Sal is fresh out of jail and trying to be a better person, although he doesn’t really have a lot of examples on how to do that. Through work and Vanessa he is learning to strive for more. I did enjoy the story and his journey. My biggest gripe is that the blurb makes it seem like the brewery aspect is a bigger part of the story. It comes in late and some of it develops off page. I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.

Sal is out of prison working two jobs trying to stay out of trouble. Vanessa is a widow and single parent trying to make a better life for her child. There’s lots of chemistry between the two. There are challenges from Sal’s past that impacts their relationship. They both have to make decisions that would affect their future. Engaging recommended read

1.5 Stars - Too Dull and Dry for My Taste

Thirsty by Mia Hopkins left me feeling bored and unsated. I had such high hopes for this book. The premise sounded really amazing, but the storyline just did not hold my interest.

The blurb for this book seemed very promising, but the story dragged and there were too many descriptions of this and that. Sal's POV wasn't horrible– he had some genuinely affecting moments sprinkled throughout the book, but sadly, his voice did nothing for me and was just too dry for my taste. The writing was okay-ish and easy to read, but didn’t pull any emotion out of me. I honestly couldn’t connect with the story or the characters... I really wanted to though. The romance was subpar and I didn’t swoon or root for Sal and Vanessa. I hate to admit this, but in the end, the plot was too tedious and dull for me.

I really DO NOT LIKE TO DNF books, and I almost did that on two other books before this, but for some reason, I didn’t. Maybe reading two forgettable stories and then this... made me reach my limit…I don't know... but mannnn, I just didn't feel any sparks. I had to DNF and just let this go.

The book’s premise immediately intrigued me, but as I found out, the storyline was lackluster and too bland for me. Thirsty could have been really amazing though, it just wasn't executed that well for me. That being said, I unfortunately will not be continuing with the series.

If you happen to pick up this book, I hope you have a better reading experience than me. It really did have potential... so sad that it just didn't meet my expectations.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Oh boy... What can I say about Thirsty? To be honest, we had a bit of a rocky start. Mostly for 2 reasons... The book is in 1st person, which can be a hit or miss for me. The hero is (or was) a gang member. I've read some troubled heroes in the past, but holy cow, Sal takes the cake. He's definitely a hero that took me a couple chapters before I could stand behind him. Once I was and the book started to pick up, I was all-in. By the end of the book, I was in love with Salvador, Vanessa, and the rest of the group.

Turns out I flipping loved that Thirsty was in Salvador's perspective. That gave me the opportunity to really get to know him as a character. He tells readers about his darkest moments and his biggest fears. We also get to watch him transform and grow as a character. And it felt as if he was telling me his story rather than just watching it through his eyes, which is something I don't see very often in a first person. I loved that Sal was able to fully explain his past and his hope for the future. He won me over. Plus the sex scenes? In Sal's perspective? Holy shit! They were beyond hot.

I've been a fan of Mia's for a couple years and I'm super excited for the journey she's about to take her readers on. I loved Thirsty. There were so many scenes that had me laughing so hard, especially between Vanessa and her grandmother. Holy cow, that woman was a riot! I hope we get more of her in the series. Mia took risks and they certainly paid off for me. Writing a book in 1st people is difficult enough, but doing so with a character that can be difficult to love took guts and I applaud Mia for that. That ending! My jaw dropped... I can't wait for the next book.

I enjoyed this story and am looking forward to the series going forward. I thought the progression of Sal's relationship with Vanessa and even her grandmother was endearing. A hot and sassy story.

I have written about and talked about this book on Book Riot and on the Book Riot When In Romance podcast. In a nutshell, it is great.

3 Stars!

Another book where the blurb sucked me in but the story fell flat. I've been picking up quite a few of these unfortunately.

If I had the choice to be in the females head or the males I would choose the male. Why? Because females like to go over everything a gazillion times inside their heads. I am no different. My mind never shuts off. So color me shocked with how much Sal kept us locked up inside his head. It's a PP of mine. I can't handle having hardly no kind of interaction with other characters. I can only handle so much and he crossed the limit of that.

The writing needs a bit tweaking. I felt lost at times and it took me out of the story.

The relationship and romance was just OK. I didn't really feel the connection with Sal and Vanessa.

In the end it just wasn't for me.

Happy reading dolls! xx

Great story about how looks don't determine some ones heart. Drama, romance, danger, intrigue all rolled into one story about a guy trying to find his path after prison.

Thirsty was ok.

Salvadore just got out of prison and he doesn't want to go back. Trying to avoid being dragged back into his father's gang he does everything he can to stay clean.

He meets Vanessa. Vanessa provides him with a place to stay and they become close.

There wasn't really anything special about this story. It wasn't very rememberable. The story dragged in all areas and the characters weren't very interesting.

Honestly, my favorite aspect of this book is the cover.

Rating: 2.5