Thirsty is my first read from Mia Hopkins and overall I enjoyed the storyline and look forward for more not only in this series but more from the author.

I will start off by admitting that it started off extremely slow for me and it took well into the second half of the book for the storyline to pick up and capture my full attention. I say this not to deter people away from the book but to encourage anyone who might feel the same way at first to keep going.

Salvador Rosas fell into a gang as a young boy . When he was nineteen, his criminal activity put him in prison. Five years later, he's out and trying to make an honest living. He's working two part time jobs and trying to lay low but it's known that you can't ever escape that life, right? When the gang finally does come back into his life, he ends up risking the one good thing he has going for him. The beautiful woman who is stealing his heart.

Vanessa Velasco's been around the neighbor and the gang scene. She knows how it works and she's already got a past with one man who was in it. When Sal shows up in her Grandmother's garage, she wants nothing to do with him but he slowly starts to break down her defenses and she starts to see what a good man he really is. But the past always catches up to you.

My absolute favorite thing about Thirsty isn't the two main characters. It's the Grandmother. Oh my god, I couldn't get enough of her. She's blunt with zero filter. She's not afraid to talk about anything, including her or her granddaughter's sex life. Her direct dialogue had me laughing so hard.

Thirsty is ultimately about the possibility of getting a second chance to better your life. Love comes along with that but what had me rooting the most was for Sal to end up with a straight, narrow and happy life. Free from the gang. Free from violence. The beauty in the story is not only about the person working to change their life but allowing others that believe in them love and guide them along the way. If you are looking for a story that will lift your spirits by the end of it, then Thirsty is the book for you.

Sal has been out of prison for six months and is trying to go straight, when he gets kicked off his friends sofa one of the neighborhood grandmothers take him in. There is quickly falls in love with Vanessa, the granddaughter. Vanessa is tough. She's a single mom trying to make a better life for herself and her daughter. I really loved her strength. Sal is a good guy, he's trying his hardest to make enough money for a new place and wants out of the gang life but doesn't think that is possible.

Thirsty has its draws as well as its drawbacks. The tempo of the book was fast in some places and slow in others. It did take a little away from the story. I liked the gang storyline, it's new to me as I haven't read many of them. I fell in love with Sal and Vanessa, it was easy to do. Both have overcome a lot in their life and both still fight for where they want to go. Thirsty will suck you into the world of gangs and give you a peek at those few soldiers who change and want more, something better for themselves and those they love.

Alan was my favorite though. The way he took Sal in and helped him. He saw something in Sal that was more than a gang member and more than someone who just spent 5 years in prison. Alan gave Sal hope and purpose.

Thirsty held me captivated from the first page to the last with its heartbreaking, bittersweet and raw tale of a man who remakes himself against seemingly insurmountable odds. It’s an achingly frank depiction of gangs, and their overwhelming influence on entire communities. Told exclusively through Salvador’s point of view, it’s evocative storytelling that immerses the reader into his fight to transform his life when he falls in love with a woman, who is the tipping point to harness his strength and desire to make extremely difficult changes. Mia Hopkins sublimely blends frank realism with sharp-eyed social observation and romantic fantasy, and delivers a happy-ever-after that is much more than the neat conclusion to a love story. Thirsty is an inspiring, complex character-driven romance that will linger in the heart and mind long after reading it, and it is a singular reading experience.

I have to say right off the bat that Mia Hopkins is a great writer, I enjoyed her writing style and Thirsty: An Eastside Brewery Novel drew me in from page one. This is one of those books you can read in one sitting, I read it in two. The story is told first person POV by Salvador Rosas a.k.a. Ghost. I requested this one from NetGalley because I saw it revolved around Latinos. Being Puerto Rican myself this book intrigued me straight away because the main characters are Latin and I enjoy good romance. I haven’t read a full on romance novel featuring Hispanics before.

Ghost needs a place to stay while he saves up money to get an apartment for himself and his brother who will be out of jail soon. Gang-banging has been his lifestyle since forever, his dad was in a gang, his granddad was in a gang, his brother is in it too. He is working two cleaning jobs at night now and Chinita, an elderly woman from his neighborhood rents him her garage for two months. Enter Vanessa, Chinita’s granddaughter. Vanessa is a single mom. Her son’s father overdosed on heroine. She was always a good girl, got good grades but got pregnant by a gang banger and now she is raising her daughter alone. Ghost has been infatuated with Vanessa for years since they were in school together. Vanessa went to a local college and works as a bookkeeper, she is trying to become a certified accountant. These two fall in love pretty quickly and Ghost swears he will give up the lifestyle for her but the lifestyle comes calling and it isn’t easy to just quit a gang.

The chemistry between these two was sweet and the story is very romantic. I liked how Ghost thought of Vanessa, he respects her. He was a sweet character, he’s hard-working and he wants to do the right thing even though the odds are stacked against him. The writing is also very insightful which I enjoyed. Ghost suffers from anxiety attacks he has a rough upbringing and Vanessa has a tough past as well and is trying to better herself. The two naturally gravitate towards each other. It was a sweet romance in that aspect.

Hopkins does a great job at writing from a guy’s POV as well as writing about the gangster lifestyle. She includes a note at the end of the book saying that she volunteered at a gang intervention program and people shared their stories with her that inspired the characters in Thirsty. I appreciated that it all felt legit in regards to the gang lifestyle. The ending wraps it up nicely but also leaves it wide open for the second installment.

So while I enjoyed Thirsty: An Eastside Brewery Novel, I am disappointed that my first time reading contemporary romance featuring a Latin couple centered around thug life.
I didn’t like that the hero was a gang-banger. I read on and I actually enjoyed the story. I will say, it is a story about getting your life together so the plot was full of hope and redemption.

Thirsty by Mia Hopkins
Eastside Brewery #1

Join a gang and you commit for life – Salvador “Sal” Rosas knows this when he gets out of jail. To his homies he is Ghost for a number of reasons. When he gets out of jail after five years he spends six months working hard and strictly keeps the rules of his parole. He knows the gang can call him back at any moment but he hopes against hope that they won’t.

Vanessa Velasco is the woman Ghost used to dream about when in high school then later when in prison. He has wanted her for a long time so when the opportunity arises to live in her garage…he snaps it up. Vanessa is a contradiction in some ways…bright girl that fell for a bad boy, got pregnant, was widowed, became a bookkeeper and is studying to be a CPA. She wants nothing to do with gang members but is attracted to Sal.

Sal is offered opportunities that might lead him away from the gang…maybe. He might end up with Vanessa…if he plays his cards right. He might make something of himself…eventually. But, can he? He has brothers getting out of prison to worry about and plan for but…can he steer them away from the gang his family has been immersed in for decades? Perhaps more will be learned as future books are written.

This is a book about family, values, commitments, change, becoming the person you are meant to be, growth, community and being true to self. It is a book of gangs, is violent, is steamy and it is intriguing.

Did I enjoy it? Yes
Will I read more books in the series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley, Loveswept and Barclay Publicity for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

This is my first book by Mia Hopkins and I'm now a fan. I love Chinita and her evil wiener dog. Sal is an ex con with gang ties and Vanessa is his soul mate. I love how the book is told in Sal's point of view. You get a a great feel for who he really is. This book is a great read.

Favorite quote: Vanessa to Sal ~ "It's like you woke me up after I'd been asleep for five years. Every part of me, awake and alive. But now, without you, I'm twice as lonely as I was before. As if being happy for a short time only magnified my loneliness instead of weakening it."

Thirsty is my first Mia Hopkins book. I found I liked the "real" bad boy hero. Ghost is a mess though. His life is upside down since being released from prison. He's trying to get by...and live the dream. Vanessa is a dream he's had for a long time. But his life and hers are not on the same path.

Thirsty has a real edge to it. It's got a gritty feel to it. It's a got a blend of English and Spanish but I love the reality that they bust into Spanglish too. No worries though, it's translated or easy to figure out for those that would be lost. But I could really go for some puerquitos and beer right about now.

This was my 1st read by Ms. Hopkins. I requested a copy from NetGalley cause it looked/sounded interesting. Well it was very slow. Yes you felt like you were in the "hood" ESHB, because of all the slang in the book plus there was a lot of Spanish that of course was translated. It's basically about how to turn your life around after getting out of prison, getting out of the hood, making better choices, getting out of the gang that you were raised in.

Mia Hopkins is a new author for me and I must say I really enjoyed her work and she's gained a new fan. She has a nice writing style that took me out of my world in the burbs and brought the barrio to life for me. I loved her characters and I was intrigued by the struggles they face on a daily basis.

As a member of the neighborhood gang, Sal was caught and convicted for auto theft. He's served his time and has been released on parole but being back in the barrio has him facing everything that pushed him into that life before. When he finds himself homeless, a kind old woman in the barrio offers him a place to stay. She knows he's working hard to stay straight, keep his head down, and save enough money for a place of his own. Her kindness is what brings Vanessa into his life. She's faced her own hard times but she's fighting hard to make a better life. To Sal Vanessa is everything good in life. She's everything he ever wanted but knew he didn't deserve. Now though if he can stay out of the clutches of his old gang maybe he can have the life he's always dreamed of.

This was a fantastic read and one I highly recommend.

Sal “Ghost” has been out of prison for a few months after a 5-year stint and he doesn’t want to go back. Sal wants to get out of the gang life that he was born into. He’s trying to save money so he can get an apartment for him and his younger brother (for when he gets out of prison), so he rents a garage from an old lady in the neighbourhood. Vanessa was the girl that was gonna get out of the neighbourhood ... until she fell for a gangbanger and got pregnant. When he was killed, a pregnant Vanessa moved back in with her grandmother. Now she has another gangbanger living in her garage and she’s falling for him. Sal and Vanessa start a hot and heavy relationship, but just for the 2 months he’ll be living in her garage.

The book title and series title are very deceiving from the actual story ... don’t get me wrong, the story was very good, just not what I was expecting. I was expecting it to be more about a brewery. This is a raw and gritty story about gang life and it’s expectations. My heart went out to Sal for trying to be a better man and not get caught up in what was expected of him from a life that was decided the generation before him. And Vanessa trying to make a better life for her daughter, but finding it very hard to get away from the past. The twist at the end was a shocker and I can’t wait for the next book.

I received an ARC courtesy of Random House - Loveswept through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

This was my first experience reading this author's work and I'm sure I'll be reading more. Thirsty grabbed me right away because it's so different from the usual contemporary romances out there right now. These are real people; real characters -- I felt their emotions and their fears . Sal and Vanessa's relationship is steamy, hot and sexy but make no mistake, the storyline will keep you on the edge of your seat with suspense as well. Interesting and informative, sexy and suspenseful -- I loved everything about this book! I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC for NetGalley.

Slow start but with one hell of a finish.

This was a bitterly fought for love story, but not so much Vanessa and Sal/Ghost's. The true story for me was seeing the bruised and broken Sal drag himself out of a gritty nightmare and grapple his way back to a new life. Vanessa's love was a hard won prize for Sal, but it didn't define him as much as his desperate victory over past demons.

Recently released from prison, Salvador is every bit a ghost as his street name suggests. Sal is a ghost, a shell of a man haunted by past mistakes and armed only with the desperate will to survive. Trying to save enough money to help his brother in jail while trying to stay out of the clutches of his old gang, Sal has no sweetness or hope in his life. Until Vanessa.

"Whatever you want in a man," I whisper in her ear. "Whatever you need. I want to become him."

At first, the introduction of Alan and the brewery made no sense to me. But as Sal slowly ventured out of his treacherous neighborhood, I finally understood that it is Sal who is the ultimate brew needing the right patience, time, and alchemy.

And again, that was one heck of an ending. Up to the final page, I was at peace with Sal's new lease on life but with one paragraph, I am now hooked and waiting eagerly for answers.

Note: I received an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

This wasn't what I had expected. I'm not sure if many readers will find it relatable.

This is the first book of the Eastside Brewery series. I had a really hard time getting into this book, there are a lot of Spanish words that I could not figure out the meaning of from the text. It was different in that it was entirely from the view point of the male character who has just gotten out of jail and is trying to turn his life around but keeps getting pulled back into gang life. I liked Vanessa, she’s a very strong individual. Interesting twist at the end and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

This review is based on a galley copy from netgalley, courtesy of the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Thirsty is the book I had been looking to read! I didn't expect how raw and emotional I would feel from beginning to end. The characters were real, honest, and relatable (especially for those of us who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks and felt like the odds of attaining happiness were stacked against us). The love story between Vanessa and Salvador might start out a little slow for some readers but the character development is worth the wait. The chemistry between Sal and Vanessa is incredibly sexy and the hot sex scenes will leave sweating for more! This books gets 5 chili peppers from me.

Hmmmm, this was an "Okay" read for me. It starts off really slow, picks up a little bit, but for the most part, left me feeling...blah

Ghost has been out of jail for six months. After living with a homie that cheated on his woman, he finds himself homeless. But only for like, five minutes. Because he's propositioned by a neighbor he kind of grew up knowing. So now he's living in her garage, helping clean through the mess, for only two hundred dollars for two months. He works two part time jobs and is saving money so that he can get an apartment he and his brother can live in once his little brother is released from jail. The twist? The granddaughter of the neighbor is an old crush from school. And although he never dated her, he thought about her a lot while locked up.

Vanessa has been trying not to be like the other cholas. Although she had a little slip a few years back which ended in a daughter. Now with her sights set on being a CPA, she's more focused than ever. But seeing a former school friend starts bringing back old memories and feelings.

Although building the characters is always a good thing while reading, I felt like I spend pretty much the entire first half of this book in blah land. We learn a lot about Ghost and some of his gang affiliations and events. We even get to watch him step outside his comfort zone, learning something new and experiencing different things. But the "pull" of the story was hard for me to stay connected to. I REALLY enjoyed the relationship between Ghost and Alan (father/son type of feel) the most though. Unfortunately, that's probably the only thing that kept me interested.

Reviewed by Chris

Salvador comes out of jail and tries to take his life back. Vanessa is a single mother who don’t want the trouble of another relationship with a gang member.

I liked this book although I thought it was a little slow in the beginning.

But this is what I liked:
* The storyline is good
* The characters are written with a lot of emotions and I sympathise so much with Sal’s struggles to get away from his old life. And I also understand Vanessa and her reluctance to get to involved with Salvador.
* The little mystery plot that pops up at the end was clever, now I have to read the next book
* No unnecessary descriptions of surroundings
* Lots of dialogues
* Hot and emotional love scenes, not the best I’ve read but good enough

A good 4 star read and I will probably read the next in this series. I recommend it if you like bad boy turned good theme.

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would. For me the romance in this book was secondary. The real story was Ghost's reintegration after jail, and his struggle to find who he really is and wants to be. Both the characters and the story were thoughtful, and I was drawn into the world. I'm really glad I got the chance to read Thirsty, and will definitely look for the next in the series.

Thirsty was an okay read for me. I enjoyed the beginning of the book with a few laughs but as the story went on I was losing interest in the story. Maybe because the story seemed to move at a slower pace than what I expected. I liked the characters: Salvador, Chinita, Vanessa, Brianna, Regina, Alan, Barry and even Eddie, although he showed up closer to the end of the book. I didn't believe in the beginning that Sal thought of Vanessa constantly when they barely knew each other as teenagers. However, I did feel the chemistry between them as adults and there were definitely some steamy moments between the two. This book ends with a huge cliffhanger and although I liked the characters, the story itself was just an okay read for me so I'm unsure if I will read the next book in this series.