3.5 stars — I will admit, this one did not start off with a bang for me. I was kind of disappointed in the writing (felt a bit simplistic), and I wasn’t getting captured by our characters. I pushed through because it was an older NetGalley, and I’m really glad I did, b/c about 1/3 of the way through things started settling in and felt more natural. For me this felt very much like the Harlequins I used to read a lot of…which is not a bad thing, I was just hoping for a bit more I guess.

Our heroes were pretty solid, though I won’t say I completely fell in love with either of them. They each had some great moments though that helped keep me invested, and helped balance each of their flaws.

I wasn’t expecting Nesto to be quite such a workaholic and so singleminded. He definitely let his emotions get the better of him and had some dickish moments, and while I was bummed when it would take him awhile to acknowledge he was in the wrong and needed to make it right, it also felt kind of realistic. I know I can take awhile to go from knowing I’m wrong to letting go of whatever set me off in the first place, and it was like that for Nesto. Luckily when he got there he was eminently sincere in trying to make it right. I loved his passion for the cultures of him and his “family” of friends, and how it came through in his passion for his business.

Jude was packing a lot of hurt from his past wrt his family that I hadn’t seen coming. I almost wished we, as the readers, had learned it from him earlier so it would make his walls make more sense. He could be so caring and supportive, but he was also very afraid and protective of his heart. Understandable, but I still really wanted him to get there…and he did. I loved that he had his own passion for his job, and helping make books more accessible to kids.

They definitely had ups and downs as a couple, but I did enjoy the connection between them and the way they supported one another.

There was a background “villain” in this book that I wasn’t a fan of. She felt…cartoonish. I’m sure there are legitimately people out there like this, and that POC encounter them, but it just…I don’t know. I guess I just would have appreciated more subtlety in that area. I understood her purpose, but it was kind of hard to take it as seriously as I might have wanted to.

So yeah. Definitely a rough start, but given it’s the author’s debut I can imagine those things will smooth out in subsequent books. I can definitely see checking out more in this series, those “brothers” of Nesto definitely had me intrigued.

Loved this book! The audio is great and the characters are authentic and ways to root for. I cannot wait to read ore in this series!

Herrera is an excellent author that brings life to whatever story she decides to write. American Dreamer was no exception. It's a great book.

Did not get the chance to read it for health reasons and The epub expired.

I was very excited when I first knew about this story and it’s very probable that I will buy the epub to read it anyway.

All of the books in Adriana Herrera's Dreamer series are *masterful* in how they combine the gooey, personal, romantic stuff with an abundance of inconvenient truth and harsh social realities. I'm a little obsessed with that. The journey starts here, in American Dreamer, with Nesto, a hard-driving food truck owner of Dominican descent, and Jude, a sexy sweet librarian raised in a conservative white evangelical religious family. Their path to love is believably rocky, the happy ending well earned. They are simply beautiful together.

For example, take this moment. Nesto is focused. He has to be. Growing up he hasn’t had the luxury of a lot of room for error. So he sets goals. He makes a plan. He works all the time. But when he’s around Jude, hard edges give way to softness.
<blockquote>Jude’s shy little smiles were going to be hell on that master plan.
We stood there in silence for a second and I wondered if he was as affected as I was. I wanted to ask him, are you feeling this too? </blockquote>

Another highlight. Part of the beauty of Adriana Herrera’s writing is in its thoughtful authenticity, with both the culture and the individuality of her characters revealed in a thousand original details like this:
<Blockquote>I stepped away from the vehicle, taking a long look at it. Emblazoned on the back was the logo for my business, OuNYe, Afro-Caribbean Food in huge bold black font on a red background. The black and red contrasted with the flags of the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica painted over the entire truck. To name my business, I used a word from the Yoruba language. Which had been spoken all over the Caribbean by our ancestors, the West Africans who were brought there as slaves. Ounje is the Yoruba word for nourishment, and I’d decided to play a bit with things and put the NY right at the center. </Blockquote>

CUTE! I think Herrera doesn't *quite* write a convincing LOVE story (the lust story she is a-okay with), because I didn't quite buy the love story.

But Jude and Nesto are super cute together, and I appreciate the food storyline for sure.

*~~*ARC kindly provided to me for an honest review *~~*

From the moment I heard about the book on Twitter, when I saw glimpses of this over the span of weeks until the release day I was hooked by the premise of this book and the unique romance between Jude and Nesto.

Food-truck romances are always a soft spot for me and this combined with the fact that Jude is working in a library was the extra cherry on top of the brim-full, extravagant, delicious sundea I already got with this book - metaphorically speaking. <3

The moment I met Jude and Nesto I was bewitched. I loved the amazing, unique, sweet and sexy characters. In fact they are the most amazing and artistically fleshed out characters I've ever had the pleasure to meet.

Jude and Nesto are so awesome, yet they aren't flawless - and that's what makes them outstanding. They felt alive the whole time during the book. Never like carbon copies of clichéd, stereotype chracters.

Sure, Nesto is a fullblood Dominican, who's proud of his heritage, his family and friends and has a boisterous manner and is (l)out[sic!] and proud about his sexuality - never hides what he thinks. With a heart of gold he is devoted and family is one of the most important things in life, next to his work. He's truly a workaholic in the most positive way, a born salesman who knows how to present and deliver his food to the people. In ways he's a crowd puller. He has to be as the owner of a successful foodtruck he takes with him to Ithaca, his new home, away from his former domain, the Bronx.

Similar in achieving his hopes and dreams Jude is working tireless on making a library truck into reality and his efforts to bring disadvantaged, poor(er) children the needed literature to educate themselves and experience the same joy he feels whenever he opens a book.

With every of their actions the characters felt palpable on every page and they were so vivid and lovely. <3 True, in order to have a counterbalance to it, we have side characters like Misty, who's the personificated hate againt people of color, shows exactly all the hurtful behaviour of those vile people, but without doubt, even if she's almost unbearable, she's a characters who's necessary for the book and well put into the story.

Another group of unlikable characters we have with Jude's family, especially Jude's brother but also his sister is emotionally abusing him in my opinion and it's hurtful to watch to see him so suffer but also doing certain things out of (still feeling) love for them as well as obligation. At this point I want to stress out to check out my CW/TW below and be cautious while reading. The episodes with Jude's family were especially heartbreaking.

The book wouldn't be so fantastic if there weren't people in Nesto's and Jude's corner who show that with friends (who are a found family) and loving family members the world can be a better place, they make it for them to a special corner.

Adriana Herrera is believable in her portrait of the characters, including the side and suporting characters. You're curious to learn more about them, want to read more about them - and in the case of Nesto's three friends we are blessed with their own stories. Prepare to read more stories full of HEAs. I am beyond excited.

This book is real, it's authentic and the food descriptions are making you craving for it that's almost unbearable. Of course the best books are those who hook you emotionally, though it might be that some parts are too heavy for some readers. So, again, please be cautious and read the CW/TW listed below.

CW/TW for:
- the death of a side/minor character due to cancer
- homophobia/homophobic, violent actions of one of the MC's family members based on religious beliefs
- rascism and (attempted) blackmail


This book deserves the full 5 out of 5 stars and it's one of my top reads in 2019. <3
OuNYE for everyone!
Review originally posted on my blog with added content on Mikku-chan / A world full of words

It starts off slow and kind of dense, but once the action begins, it's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. It reads as a true epic, one that makes you feel the world really has been reshaped as you read it. Would recommend.

This was such a great read. Between the food descriptions that make you want to go find the nearest food truck to the powerful emotions, it’s a book you don’t want to stop reading. I loved how strong and driven Nesto and Jude are. Definitely a great read.

For a debut, Adriana Herrera has absolutely smashed it out of the park with American Dreamer. She builds up a community of friends around Nesto for whom orientation isn't an issue, and it's that support network that we first fall in love with. As for Nesto himself, I really enjoyed seeing him following his dreams, no matter how many roadblocks were thrown up in his path. Plus, I'm a sucker for a foodie romance, so getting to see his passion for his food was refreshing and made me pretty darn hungry!

I'm also a sucker for a librarian romance, so was delighted to get a two-for-one with Nesto's love interest Jude. Jude is quieter than Nesto, but watching him flirt and get to know the other man was really sweet.

What I was really impressed with though, was the depth of emotion from both characters. It's not always easy to engage with characters' issues or fears without it becoming a heavier read - even in romance - but Herrera manages this skilfully, making me laugh and cry by turns.

A wonderful debut, and I can't wait to read the sequel in May!

American Dreamer is fantastic. In its depth, it's a story of finding family, of allowing oneself to admit they need others. I adored every bit of this book and let me tell you why.

Let's start off by mentioning that this book needs content warnings for Jude's arc. Jude has and deals with homophobic family members trying to make him "repent" but in every moment of this happening, Jude rejects that and tells them he has nothing to "repent" from that he is who he is and will not change that for anyone. I was heartbroken at the times his family members tried to hurt him with words and physical violence but his determination to live his truth and lead a successful life inspired me. He's the definition of strong. I adored him. I suggest caution because there is also a minor character with cancer who passes away in the book.

Now let's move on to Nesto, our brilliant chef. Nesto is intense and focused on his career. It charmed me so much because I found some bits of myself in it. The way he'd forget something or dedicate a lot of time for his passion. I felt that. Nesto is also extremely darling and loving. From the first chapter of knowing him, I knew that his family (made up of blood and friends) is the world to him and when he meets Jude, he kind of adds him to the bunch. His careful ways of giving Jude the space he needs while still pursuing a relationship as subtly as Jude needs were perfect. I loved their nightly dinners, their conversations, the way they interacted. They were a mixture of adorable and sexy.

American Dreamer is a blessing of a book, delivering such a heart-searing romance without the anxiety. I trusted Herrera to never make me terrified for the HEA, and she delivered. She gave me fluff, charm, so much culture that I hungered for, and she gave me that sweet happily ever after wrapped up in books and food. What else could I have asked for?

4.5 Stars!

This book has all the buzz. And it should.

Adriana Herrera pens a stellar romance between Nesto and Jude as well a love story of chosen family with between Nesto and his friends.

I love a good flirt. We don't get enough of that in romance books. The like you so much, I can't help myself, I have to lean in, charm, entice. So great!

All the building blocks to set the stage, food truck chef, librarian, new city, a dream, close friends, the sizzle of chemistry for a troupey good romance.

And then perfectly drawn heroes: workaholic Nesto and Jude whose devout family disowned him. Watching them fall in love is a delight and seeing the how they each have to risk and adjust and grow to become a couple we believe is lovely.

We have villain in this story. The pinch of white privilege, xenophobia, and class ache through the plot in the outside conflict as a local cell phone white lady tries to ruin Nesto business.

Of course, the joy of representation and the Afro-Latino crew is everything set in this excellently crafted world that I can't wait to visit again.

Pick it up!

First time with this author and I was pleasantly surprised. I adored this book and I learned so much about the latinx culture. I loved the core group of friends. These friends have had similar upbringings causing all them to be loyal and love each other.

Nesto Vasquez with his Afro-Caribean heritage and food truck meets Jude Fuller the passionate librarian with a sad past making him not trust too easily. Each man has their own issues but bring the best out of each other once they get over their own issues.

The dynamics of the friendship is what hooks you in to wanting to find out more about this group of friends.

Solid book.

Stevie‘s review of American Dreamer (Dreamers, Book 1) by Adriana Herrera
Contemporary Multicultural Gay Romance published by Carina Press 04 Mar 19

Food and romance are generally a good combination for book themes, in my opinion, particularly when I get to read about recipes and cuisines that are new to me. Stories where one or more of the protagonists is working hard to bring the thing they love, be that food or another shared experience, to the notice of more people are also a good thing, so this story of a new food business and a new library project and the interaction between their initiators was just my sort of thing.


Nesto Vasquez takes a chance on moving his mobile food business from New York City to rural Upstate New York where his mother and younger sister have already settled, as did his aunt and uncle some years previously. Nesto’s food van has been earning fans since he started up the business, but in the city he’s just one vendor amongst many, whereas where he’s headed Afro-Caribbean food outlets are practically non-existent. Nesto’s mother has been researching places he can park and his long-time best buddies are on hand to help him move, but he’s still apprehensive as to the welcome he’s likely to get. The first local he meets doesn’t get the best first impression of Nesto, but he seems to have salvaged the situation by the time he heads onward to meet up with his family.

Jude Fuller is slightly taken aback by the man at the gas station who seems to find him amusing, but when they bump into each other again over lunchtime burritos – Nesto serving, Jude buying – they get along a lot better. Jude is impressed by Nesto’s looks, his food, and his ambitions for the business, while Nesto is pleased that his error of the night before seems to have been forgotten and is impressed by Jude’s attempts to flirt with him in Spanish. The two are soon getting along very well and start seeing each other as much as they can in between Nesto’s efforts to build up his business and Jude’s plans to set up a library van to serve kids who live too far out to easily come into the library he works at in town.

Of course, not everyone is happy with our heroes. The pair gain a common nemesis in the form of a library volunteer who is opposed to both Jude’s mobile library, because it is competing for the funding she wants for her project, and to Nesto’s food truck, because it’s proving far more popular than her son’s vastly inferior mobile eatery. Jude also faces issues from his estranged family. His older sister is terminally ill, but attempts at reconciliation prove difficult when the whole family remain more attached to their ultra-conservative church than to Jude.

Because of his family’s refusal to accept him, and his previous boyfriend’s inability to be there for him when he was rejected by them, Jude finds it tough to believe that Nesto will always be there for him. Meanwhile, Nesto’s determination to make a success out of his business before the end of the summer means that he isn’t always as attentive to what Jude needs and his insecurities as he might be. Fortunately the pair of them have supportive friends – and in Nesto’s case family as well – to force some sense into them when it’s most needed.

This was an utterly delightful book that left me craving samples of the food Nesto serves up, and hoping that we get to see more of him and his friends very soon.

Grade: A

My initial reaction when I finished American Dreamer was “Another great read from a new to me author… I’m on a roll!” And, for the record, that opinion still stands. I have been on a roll lately with finding new to me authors and finding myself loving their characters and stories. I love it when that happens 😉

Nesto was a very driven character. He had goals, dreams and a very clear idea of where he wanted to be professionally and when. Jude was not the distraction he needed… or was he? Sometimes what you “need” isn’t necessarily and what you “want” can be the same thing, if you don’t have tunnel vision.

I loved Nesto and Jude together and as individuals, but what really made this book for me were the supporting characters. Both Jude and Nesto’s friends, and Nesto’s family were amazing. They didn’t hold back on their opinions or let poor decisions slide. I loved that about all of them. I got just as aggravated at Nesto as his friends and family did. He came very close to blowing the best thing that had ever happened to him… *sigh*

Just a little warning, you are going to walk away from this book seriously craving some ethnic food. I live in a very rural area that has food trucks in pretty much every small town and I’m ashamed to say, I’ve never stopped at one. Shame on me! I need to fix that pronto.

There’s more to come in the Dreamers series and I’ve already started a countdown until American Fairytale. This is definitely a series that I’m going to enjoy continuing.

I enjoyed this so much that I'm angry at myself for waiting to read it. It's a lovely story with great characters who spoke to me. This felt very authentic and relateable for many people who have come to the US and worked hard to try and balance where they're from and where're they're at.

I sometimes got frustrated with Nesto's attitude and lack of awareness when it came to him and Jude, as it was repetative, but in the end, everything ends up great and I was happy. I'm looking forward to the next book, which I have, and I'll be reading very soon.

Fabulous debut.
I was fully invested in this love story from the very start.
Nesto and Jude are seemingly not an ideal match, Nesto is driven and can come across as insensitive. Jude, is quiet and non confrontational, almost a pushover. I loved how they managed to navigate through some fundamental differences in order to be together as a strong couple.

The language used to describe the sights and sounds of Nesto's food truck are vivid and honestly mouth watering at times. I really appreciated the descriptive plot points that didn't directly relate to the romance as it allowed for a fuller reading experience.

The religious themes were handled well. Points were made very clearly and I loved the author's unequivocal message here.

A fantastic debut novel. A really talented author who I can't wait to see develop their skill further.

I was honestly blown away with this book. I couldn't get enough of either main character because both brought so much to this romance. Nesto has so many dreams but has to balance them with the reality that comes with being Afro-Caribbean and the author brought so much beauty to his story. She managed to weave the every-day micro aggression and weariness that brings but also the joy of the community he has and combine that with Jude. Jude has such a sense of sadness to him because of his background but combined with Nesto they form like a super couple because I was just overjoyed at them together. Watching him come to realize everything Nesto and his friends have to deal with on a daily basis was a gut punch but a needed one. Their romance was perfect, they each had their own journey but their journey together was beautiful, and I cannot wait for book two.

I'm so late in the game for this book! This is just as good as everyone has been saying that it is. It's actually so good it gave me anxiety and I had to put it aside for a couple of days. (One of the major plots involves interpersonal assholery involving funding for a library program and the whole thing hit very close to home). Overall, I think the relationship could have had a little bit more time on the page. The resolution was a little to fast for me to fully believe the HEA, but it wasn't a deal breaker at all. The book will make you hungry when you read it, full warning!

I totally loved this #ownvoices, interracial, m/m romance. It was perfect and had all the feels.

Jude and Nesto were a sweet and sexy couple, who definitely earned and deserved their HEA. Their relationship problems were believable. Nesto was a driven workaholic, who often put his business projects ahead of his relationships, while Jude was afraid to trust someone after his family had let him down. They also had a common nemesis who sought to derail both their professional goals and put a wedge in their relationship.

Luckily, they had good people in their lives who supported them but also gave them the reality check they needed at times. I loved Nesto’s family and friends. They were so funny and affectionate and real. I approve of how Nesto’s culture and community were represented in this novel, and how Jude got it. Jude didn’t make Nesto feel like an “other” and didn’t see Nesto as an “other.”

I also liked how their physical relationship developed over time. Though they were instantly attracted to each other, they took their time getting to know each other as friends and lovers and didn’t go “all the way” until they had strong feelings for each other.

I liked how they didn’t feel like they were less of a man when they cried and that they didn’t compare their overwhelming emotions to that of a teenage girl’s. I loved how they resolved the conflict in their relationship. The grand gesture in the end was so heartwarming.

I love this author already and look forward to reading the next book in this series.

(I also enjoyed the audiobook, which I borrowed on hoopladigital. Sean Crisden did a wonderful job narrating Jude’s and Nesto’s distinct voices.)