The third in what continues to be a top favorite series, the author brings us a completely different sort of romance from the others in the series. Set in Ithaca, New York, home of Cornell University, this time it’s Patrice’s turn in the spotlight, and he certainly shines. Oh my, does he shine! A quick word about the cover: it’s to die for! The stunning black man, his locs tied back, the smile on his face, the dimples… Oh my gosh, he’s gorgeous and should definitely attract attention to this book. I know he attracted my eye. And throughout this story we learn he’s as beautiful inside as he is outside.

This series features four young men who grew up together in New York City. All sons of Caribbean immigrants, the men are of an age to strike out on their own. In American Dreamer, Nesto pursued his dream by taking his food catering business to Ithaca, where he met the man of his dreams. In book two, Camilo Santiago Briggs, or Milo to friends and family, is a social worker and project manager in a nonprofit that serves victims of domestic abuse. He meets his dream man in the City in the least likely location—his workplace. Their story is told in American Fairytale.

Now it’s time for Patrice, who has been hired as a professor at Cornell University—the greatest achievement of his life. He wants to make his momma proud since she worked two jobs to raise him after they fled from Haiti on their own when he was a child. Patrice is not only a professor, however. He’s also an activist and his Black Twitter feeds have thousands of followers. Now, shortly after arriving in Ithaca, he learns about the narrow-minded cops who pull over young men for “driving while black.” And Patrice is full on board with bringing that to an end.

Last summer, Patrice showed up in Ithaca to help Nesto set up his business and at the same time met Easton Archer, the tall, gorgeous, intelligent assistant district attorney. Now he’s back and he’s not sure he and Easton stand a chance, because Easton’s job puts him in conflict with Patrice’s activism, and though they are sizzling in the bedroom, their personal and professional lives continue to collide until a single traffic stop sends them into disaster.

Just like with the previous books, there’s so much to like about this story—the writing, the pace, the Haitian cultural information, the relationship-building, the secondary characters, and the core message of drawing strength from family and friends. When Patrice finally lets his guard down, he and Easton face a very nice happy ever after.

I’m definitely looking forward to more from this author in future and I very highly recommend this book to all lovers of MM romance, and especially to those who enjoy stories so rich in cultural heritage that readers are inspired to learn more.

I liked the glimpse I saw of Easton and Patrice on “American Dreamer” that I jumped at the chance of early copy for this third installment to Herrera’s “Dreamers” series. Which is why it’s a bummer that I found it wearying to say the least. Easton and Patrice were such an opposites-attract match in heaven, but it was really exhausting following the push/pull, hot/cold dynamics and mixed signals from the get go. I guess I was just not patient enough to deal with the drama.

AMERICAN LOVE STORY took place close to two years after Jude/Nesto’s book. It’s implied on the early pages that Easton and Patrice had a rather torrid affair during Patrice’s earlier visit to Ithaca (on “American Dreamer” to help Nesto with his food truck business). So don’t expect to encounter first impressions, date or whatever - those happened off page in the first book. Instead, readers (along with Easton) are directly treated with Patrice’s mixed signals. And for all both men’s POVs inferred, to me theirs are abundance and unquenchable lust that manifested into frequent sex scenes.

This book also took on the crucial issue of latent bias and racism toward POC that complicated the relationship between our heroes. I was actually quite intrigued on how this would affect their budding romance. Yet again, what unveiled was rather predictable and the incident that followed practically had me losing patience with the judgey, sanctimonious professor and way too lenient and tolerant ADA. To summarize: Patrice basically treated Easton like shit and Easton just kept forgiving him because ...he thirst after Patrice and the sex (between them) was great. 🙄

I just can’t...


Copy of this book is kindly given by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It's so great to have a book where the main characters are full-on adults! Patrice and Easton are both established in their careers, have a good sense of who they are as people, and aren't into any relationship shenanigans. There is no made-up misunderstanding or juvenile conflict between them. They have backstory that makes them interesting characters. Patrice is a university professor who emigrated from Haiti as a child, Easton is an attorney from a wealthy family who became an assistant DA instead of the family business. The way they come together is both emotional and hot.

<b>*I received an ARC copy of this book on <i>NetGalley</i> in exchange for an honest review*</b>

AMERICAN LOVE STORY hit me right in the feels. For multiple reasons:
It is set in Upstate New York, which means <i>my absolute favorite place on Earth</i> (I cried every time Rochester was mentioned, ok?)
One of the MCs is an early career academic. I so get Patrice’s struggle, SO MUCH.
Competent people with their hearts in the right place, who make mistakes and make amends are HOT.

Patrice and Easton are two awfully competent men in their early/mid 30s. They had a brief no-strings-attached physical relationship a year prior to the start of this story and neither of them stopped thinking about the other. Only Patrice had returned to New York City and he admittedly is not good at proper relationships. They had exchanged some texts in the meantime (No, not that kind of texts). They meet again when Patrice accepts a job at Cornell and moves to town. The spark is still very much there, BUT. There is conflict: they can be no more different for the kind of upbringing they had (old family money on one side, an experience as a refugee for the other); one’s an activist, the other works as an assistant DA. Patrice has never committed to anyone in his life, focused as he was on his career goals; Easton is very much a fan of relationships. There is also conflict caused from external circumstances of their respective jobs and sets of values.

AMERICAN LOVE STORY is the story of a relationship between two mature adults who meet, are extremely attracted to each other; at the same time, they don’t want to accept compromises (Patrice, I am looking at you). The chemistry between the MCs is pretty powerful, the sexy times pretty creative and HOT, but I am a sucker for the kind of personal growth both of them go through. When a commitment-phobe meets the love of their life and actually comes to acknowledge it, I am a goner.

It was also kind of an eye-opening story, at least for me. I do not share the same background as most readers (I am Italian, born and raised; I am white), so while I was aware of the awful kind of discrimination and harrassment Black people sometimes have to suffer in America, I had never read it in the context of a story. <spoiler>The car scene, OMG. I had to put down the book and take a few deep breaths. It made me so angry.</spoiler> I appreciated the realism. I did not expect to find this in a romance novel, but the romance genre is full of welcome surprises.

Adriana Herrera was a completely new-to-me author. The book came recommended by a friend (@alextweetsbooks on Twitter), and I am so glad I got accepted for an ARC. I loved AH’s writing style, if only she could get a little <i>less</i> real about academia, jeez woman, <i>way to make me uncomfortable</i> . <spoiler>”Coffee break already, it must be nice to work in a field where the pressure to publish isn't as rigorous”. Jesus Christ. I think everybody in academia knows AT LEAST one Brad. What a meanie. As I always say to my friends, “<i>Non praevalebunt</i>” (They will NOT win).</spoiler>

Adriana Herrera’s Dreamers, a series about a group of four Afro-Latinx friends who live and work in and around New York, seems to get better and better with each book.  American Love Story is the third instalment and I loved it.  It’s complex and romantic while remaining grounded in reality; the two leads are principled men who come from completely different worlds and their HEA is hard work and hard won; the secondary characters are well-rounded and the relationships between them well-written, and I loved the romance, which is intense, sexy, angsty, tender and superbly developed.  On top of all that, the author tackles some difficult topics – institutionalised racism among them – and takes a long, hard look at the immigrant experience in the US, and does it so skilfully that the reader is completely drawn into the world she has created. There are no info-dumps or soapboxes here, just a damn good story that isn’t afraid of telling some unpleasant truths while also telling a tale of love, friendship, shared experience and shared ideals.

Around a year before this story begins, Haitian born Patrice Denis, a Black economics professor and activist, met Assistant District Attorney Easton Archer, and the insanely hot chemistry between them led to some insanely hot hook-ups.  At the end of his visit to Ithaca (to help his friend Nesto (American Dreamer) set up his business) Patrice went back home and that was that – except now, he’s accepted a tenure-track position at Columbia University, and even though he strenuously denies it when his friends tease him about his having moved to Ithaca because he wants to reconnect with Easton, deep down, Patrice can’t help but admit – to himself - that there is perhaps just a tiny kernel of truth to their teasing.  But anyway, it doesn’t matter. Even though Patrice is completely captivated by Easton all over again the moment he sets eyes on him once more, there’s no possibility of anything long-term happening between them. They’re too different; he a black immigrant who has worked doubly hard for everything he has, Easton from a background of wealth and white privilege; he a long-time activist for racial justice, Easton part of the system which is failing people of colour so badly. No, being with Easton would mean compromises Patrice just isn’t prepared to make.

Easton is still desperately attracted to Patrice, and senses the reverse is true, but he remembers Patrice’s tendency to keep him slightly at a distance and to close himself off when things get too heavy, so Easton doesn’t push.  He makes his interest clear and waits for Patrice to come to him – which Patrice eventually does, and they resume their physical relationship, but this time, they start to spend time together out of bed as well as in it, and to Easton’s delight (and Patrice’s confusion) start to get to know each other properly, talk about some of the issues that have arisen between them and are building a real relationship.  The connection between them is as strong as it ever was, and they take care to communicate with each other, but even so, it’s not easy or simple. Patrice can be very judgmental, and holds everyone –including himself – to an incredibly high standard, not taking time for himself, feeling he doesn’t deserve to be happy while there is still so much of the good fight to be fought.  He’s passionate in his beliefs, and he’s right to be angry about the injustice faced by Black and Brown people on a daily basis – but he’s also exhausting to be around, and his desire for perfection takes a serious toll on his relationship with Easton, who feels like he’s constantly treading on eggshells around him:

 "I can't be in a relationship where I'm constantly one mistake from being iced out."

The big external conflict in the story comes when the local police in start performing more traffic stops than usual on young men of colour.  Easton is every bit as furious about what’s going on as Patrice is, but is in a tricky situation.  He wants to talk to the sheriff and make it clear the situation is unacceptable and must stop, but he’s ordered to take a softly-softly approach by his boss, who doesn’t want to rock the boat and lose the support of local law enforcement.  Easton is a good man and a highly respected lawyer who cares passionately about justice and has built a reputation for aggressively prosecuting cases of sexual assault and domestic violence; he wants to see the officers responsible for the stops receive more than a slap on the wrist and to suggest that the department should have some anti-racism training.  But his hands are tied and he’s forced to sit back and wait.  Patrice recognises Easton’s frustration and appreciates his desire to do more, but he doesn’t have the luxury of being able to wait and see, a fact that’s brought home to Easton in a forceful and scary way.

Patrice and Easton are two complex, flawed and very well-realised characters, and while there’s no question they care for each other deeply, the author doesn’t gloss over the difficulties inherent in their relationship.  In spite of their intense and powerful mutual attraction, Patrice feels, deep down, that being with Easton will mean having to compromise his beliefs, while Easton struggles under the weight of expectation placed upon him by those around him, including his incredibly judgmental father and his boss, who is trying to persuade him to run for DA.  Much as he wants to be with Patrice, he slowly comes to the realisation that he can never live up to his expectations and that he can’t be in a relationship with someone who won’t meet him half-way.

“I can’t keep getting pushed away every time things go awry.  My parents have made me feel like I wasn’t enough, my whole life.  I can’t do that with you too…”

Both men learn new things about themselves, each other and the world around them as a result of their association.  Easton, who has worked hard against injustice, comes to see there’s even more he can do, while Patrice has to learn that his insistence on perfection isn’t having a good effect on those around him and that he needs to achieve a better balance in his life if he’s not to run himself into the ground. When the novel ends, it’s clear that Patrice and Easton are in it for the long haul, and committed to making things work between them – and work it is; American Love Story is quite possibly the only romance I’ve ever read that ends with the central couple acknowledging that that work is just beginning.

As with the other novels in the series, there’s much to enjoy in addition to the complex, well-written romance.  The supporting cast is strongly characterised and the relationships between them are brilliantly drawn; these guys would do anything for one another and know they have each other’s backs, no matter what.  Ms. Herrera has created a group of relatable, engaging individuals and continues to portray their experiences as immigrants to the US with incredible insight, showing clearly what they bring to the table and their passion for what they do.

If you’re already following this series, then you’ll need no encouragement from me to pick up American Love Story as soon as it’s released; if you haven’t, then it can be read as a standalone (all the books in the series can), or you could just hop back to American Dreamer and start there.  I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

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I absolutely LOVED this book. I'm a huge fan of this whole series, because the author somehow manages to tell authentic, romantic, HOT stories while also balancing more serious issues of mental health, social justice, and institutional racism (among others). American Love Story is a standalone but I definitely recommend the other two books in the series (American Dreamer and American Fairytale) just to get a better view of the world and the friendships among these characters. Still, those books are certainly not required before diving right into American Love Story.

The romantic leads in this book are wonderfully written and fully fleshed out. Easton is a literal dreamboat cinnamon roll of a guy. Seriously, he was amazing. And Patrice -- oh Patrice. He was a bit more complicated and moody, which means that watching his growth was super satisfying.

The book deals with serious issues, specifically regarding overpolicing of brown and black bodies and the criminal justice system, but it still strikes a great balance between real-world issues and swoon-worthy romance. I definitely recommend this and the rest of the series to any fans of hot contemporary romance!

To simply say that I loved this book does not begin to do justice to the story Herrera created. In this contemporary romance, she not only delivered touching and relatable characters, she presents issues that are in demand of attention in our world today. The romance and the need for change are perfectly balanced in a way that one highlights the others. It was truly an impactful and moving reading experience.

I am so looking forward to the next book in the wonderfully written series.

I received a complimentary advance copy of this title via NetGalley. All comments and opinions are my own.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and I am happy to give my honest review.

I have read all of this series and I am in love with this author's writing. I was so happy to be given this advanced copy and it did not disappoint.

Patrice is an immigrant from Haiti and a recent PhD grad. He accepts a position in Ithaca at Cornell University, the same town that his best friend Nesto (from the first book) lives and works. The summer before this book Patrice has a short affair with assistant district attorney Easton but doesn't really pursue more when he moves back full time.

Easton wants to continue a relationship with Patrice and struggles with the guilt of feeling entitled. He is white and his family has money but all he wants to do is to fairly represent the judicial branch as an ADA. He is under major stress covering for his DA boss who is on medical leave but still meddling.

Patrice is very involved on Black Twitter and as an advocate in his community. Tensions come to a head as young men of color are being pulled over by law enforcement at an alarming rate in Ithaca. Patrice and Easton know that something needs to be done but they are at odds because of their beliefs and jobs. The angst was realistic and I was rooting for them to work together to find a solution.

I identified a lot with Easton as someone who wants to do good work at the expense of my energy levels. He worked long hours and hard to fight for his underrepresented clients. He owned his mistakes and tried never to take advantage of the money/status his family afforded him. I really liked him with Patrice who was grumpy, closed in, and passionate for his community. I'm glad they got through their differences and made leaning on each other a priority. That epilogue was great too.

3.5 stars!

Adriana Herrera's American Love Story is a powerful romance novel that's timely and should be something we all read and acknowledge. It doesn't hide behind platitudes. It's a real, raw look into America right now and the systemic racism that exists in towns and cities and law enforcement. I really enjoyed these characters.

So, why 3.5 stars? I got frustrated with the constant back and forth, and never felt like the romance was moving forward.

Patrice is Haitian-born, having sought refuge in the U.S. He's also an activist and isn't afraid to make the local law enforcement aware of its own racism. So Patrice is thrown for a loop when he starts falling for an up-and-coming white assistant district attorney, Easton. They had a hot-and-heavy sexual chemistry previously, and having a second chance to start something new, together.

Easton is very aware of what's NOT being done in his city when racially motivated traffic stops are on the rise. He's very aware of his privilege in being able to do something about it, as well. But with a supervisor not motivated to take action and rock the boat with the police department, and the police department having their own way to "handle it," Easton finds himself in a tight spot. Made all the more when a relationship with Patrice seems more and more impossible.

There's a lot of chemistry between these two and they sit down and have conversations that need to be had. I loved that about these two. But it's also something I didn't like about these two where their relationship was concerned. It seemed like they had an epiphany and were ready to move forward, but every interaction and every conversation led them right back to where they started. All forward momentum was lost, and it got so frustrating.

I knew where both were coming from and I understood it, but I really wanted them to move a step forward every once in a while. By 50%, that hadn't really happened.

Overall, I did enjoy this book, and I am excited to read more from this author. This book shines the light on something that can't be solved overnight, but it opens the gateway to conversations we all need to have--an awareness of self and community that we all need to have--and the path to the journey forward to change. It makes this a novel I won't soon forget.

Wow! This book is timely, thought-provoking, complex, emotional, with a hot m/m couple and a superb diverse support cast!
The social, emotional, interpersonal, historical, political aspects are all spot on and beautifully woven into a romance with characters who are perfect for each other as they fight (seemingly on different ends) for their love, values, justice, and so much more.

This was my first book by Adriana and it won't be the last. It can be read as a standalone. However, why limit yourself to just one book when you can indulge in the entire series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for granting me the opportunity to read this book before official publication. This review is based on my own thoughts and opinions.

P.S. I've left a review on Goodreads already and will publish more as the book goes live.

Okay, so the first thing I will say about this book is that if there were more than five stars to give, I would give them. Second, just buy it and read it. It’s amazing. Seriously amazing. I adored the first two books in the series but this one is my favorite, and honestly one of my favorite books of the year, hands down. So, so, so, good.
Patrice and Easton’s story was beautiful and well balanced and perfect. I felt every emotion, every bit of their arcs, how hard Easton tried and how much fear of failure, of not being enough and how brilliant, and driven and sensitive Patrice was, of how much he’d seen and how terrified he was of getting hurt and how guilty he felt at grasping at happiness. There are parts I’m still gasping about because I felt every single emotion with them.
And the way the book addressed racism in law enforcement, how there are not only plenty of people who do terrible things intentionally, there are also plenty of people with the best intentions, doing an important, serious job, who care, who still fail, who don’t do enough out of fear or misguided practically, and, who, end up injuring, endangering, and terrorizing the exact people they are supposed to protect, is just done so well, and in such a realistic way. The story is important and necessary to read, for everyone, but especially for everyone in law enforcement and in the justice system.
Now yes, the emotions and feels are going to last forever and are so intense and wonderful, but don’t think that the book is all gloom and doom and tears and serious political issues. There’s still lovely romance and hot love scenes and adorable banter. All the balance is there and well-crafted and just wonderful.
In summation: read the book. Seriously. Read it over and over and over.

Activist college professor falls in love with a rich ADA. This story is everything. The characters' voices remind me of my friends from the heights while addressing current issues of systemic racism, queer problems, and how do you help everyone with out losing yourself in the process. Well written with a well paced and well developed plot and excellent character writing. Seriously worth dropping your current read to pick this one up.

This was an incredibly deep and lovely story about two men finding a way to bridge realistic differences. All too often, the issues keeping the protagonists apart are shallow or easily solved but the differences here were extremely complex. I loved the style of the writing and the way the author kept both characters true their basic personalities while giving them the ability to bend. Their relationship was both passionate and meaningful on an emotional level and resulted in a completely satisfying happy ending.

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2019/09/whatcha-reading-september-2019-part-one/

Mentioned book in SBTB’s bimonthly Whatcha Reading Post:

“In romance, I’m reading Adriana Herrera’s American Love Story (out in October) ( A | BN | K | G | AB ). I’m enjoying it so far, and here are two things I appreciate outside the angsty romance: 1) the book is set in Ithaca, and it’s a throughly weird and thrilling feeling to read about your former home and have the details be right; and 2) the book does not shy away from tackling issues like racial injustice, and it feels so right and true to life. It’s not a breezy read, but it’s worthwhile and thoughtful in a way that I’ve rarely encountered. I haven’t finished yet, so I’m hopeful the book stays strong.”

This is the best Dreamers book yet!! And that cover? I cannot get over the beauty and that wonderful smile!!

Patrice is a new professor at Cornell in Ithaca and he came to America from Haiti when he was six with his mother. He has strong activist roots as a Black man and focuses his research on things like implicit bias and being an immigrant. Almost two years ago when his best friend, Nesto, set up his food truck in Ithaca Patrice came to help and met Easton, a white assistant district attorney whose family runs a local winery. They’ve had a relationship strong on the sexual chemistry and weak on communication, but now that Patrice is in Ithaca to stay, they start getting to know one another outside the bedroom.

One of the strongest things about this series has been the friendships between Juan Pablo, Nesto, Camilo, and Patrice, a group of young Afro-Latinx Caribbean immigrants who have built a strong familial bond between themselves. They are each other’s support network and the people they know have their back no matter what happens. This series is also a love letter to mothers who give their all to their children. Patrice’s mother was the mistress of an influential man in Haiti, which was a big part of how they were able to get out of Haiti when political changes were happening, but she also worked her hardest to ensure her son would get the best education possible and that she’d be able to support herself and him in achieving their goals.

I really liked how much this book in particular looked at how inaction from people in positions of power when communities, especially Black and Brown communities, are being harmed can seem like ignoring the situation or even encouraging that harm to continue. A central part of the story is how the local cops have started “”routine stops”” that are mainly targeting Black and Brown young men, and the sheriff is afraid to do much more than slap some wrists and the district attorney, Easton’s boss, is afraid to say anything because she doesn’t want to lose the support of local law enforcement with their cases, and Easton feels conflicted as he wants to speak up, but isn’t sure what to say and isn’t allowed to because of the local politics. This book, I feel, really looked at the complexity of those situations, but also pulled no punches with how those kinds of situations affect Black and Brown communities especially and negatively impact the local community as a whole.

At it’s center, though, this is a romance. I loved seeing Easton and Patrice slowly and gradually lower their walls around each other and work on communicating feelings and experiences, rather than just letting their bodies do their talking.

Overall, definitely my favorite of the Dreamers series and a book that really makes me think about the casual racism and implicit biases that turn “routine traffic stops” into “life or death.”

3.5* A good read, but also one that made me feel uncomfortable with the racial undertones.

I'm a 50yo British Asian and I'm coming at this book after DNF'ing book 1 and appreciating book 2, and without personally experiencing, thankfully, any of what apparently goes on (as seen in the media) in the US with regards race and racial incidents. Cop-stops do have their uses, but there needs to be reasonable cause; my family and I witnessed one in broad daylight on a Sunday, which was justified, produced a huge machete, and in which the driver and his 2/3yo child were treated well. In this tale, it felt as if the cop-stops were being carried out by a series of cops with nothing but delusions of grandeur and privilege and racist motives, and that young Latino and black men were being victimised on purpose. It upset me, and like the kids (they were all young teens/men, other than one character) I think I'd have been scared in their positions, not knowing what might go down. Is this (mirroring?) RL America in 2019? The author's note seems to suggest so, and I think it's brave of her to feature a tale with this, but it also got tiring that it happened time and time again in what seemed like a small town. Surely if the cop/s in question were racist or unconsciously racist (I think it's the former), they'd be put through appropriate training by their superiors? Surely when the DA's office was involved and urging some action, the local law enforcement top guy should have intervened? Are politics and popularity and the vote more important than racial unrest and victimisation and injustices? What about having a conscience and doing the right thing? Has the country learned nothing? It was mind boggling the way racism seemed to be portrayed and not acknowledged by those elected to protect and serve, and worse, perpetrated by some of the same.

I do think the author speaks with a voice of experience, being from the Caribbean herself and living in the US, but... it made me think twice about how I view the US. And, the issue was kind of bigged up and then allowed to fade into the background, which tbh, was more than a small irritant for me. The subject of much of the book, that got about 5 instances of page-time, just faded away without any resolution, which was unsatisfying.

Turning to the characters: I'm not the only one who thought Patrice was prejudiced to a (justified? justifiable?) degree; his friend Priscilla (the upcoming lead of book 4, out in 2020) told him so and told him what he needed to do to repair his relationship with Easton, echoing my thoughts. He was stubborn, quick to anger, prideful (his childhood and relationship with his father have their part to play), judgemental, prejudiced in his own way and hotheaded - are these characteristics of a professor? Yes, I knew that Patrice was an activist but goodness, he was all social justice warrior and not much of anything else. I didn't like how he treated Easton, blowing (no pun intended) hot and cold and how Easton kept coming back for more. I think this tale tried a bit too hard to be too much, and it all felt a little unbalanced. I did get that Easton didn't have a great relationship with his parents, but was his confidence and sense of worth that eroded that he'd put up with Patrice's treatment of him time and time again? Was this a deliberate reversal? A weaker, in some ways, white guy, with a black guy being the more dominant character?

The tale itself wasn't about the leads' romance; it was all about Patrice and his issues and causes, some of which, yes, were to be admired. The epilogue, 6 months after the issue with the cops fades away, was unsatisfying on a differing level. The guys, yes, were making inroads into a more equal relationship, but things were progressing really, really slowly. There wasn't hearts and roses here, but realism. A realism that I appreciated but that made me think that this wasn't yet a HFN, despite mention from one guy (I forget who) that the other was it for him. They seemed to be trying too hard to accommodate each other, and I wasn't convinced that their issues, the imbalance wouldn't recur and Easton wouldn't get hurt again.

I do admire the author's stance in her books about things she clearly feels passionate about, and that do need to be eradicated, and hers is an impressive debut.

ARC courtesy of Carina Press and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.

I’ve been a huge fan of this series, exploring the US immigrant experience, since reading book #1 – American Dreamer. I think Herrera is writing some of the most complex, realistic romance out there right now and American Love Story kicks it up yet another notch.

Patrice, a Haitian-born activist, moves to Ithaca, NY to become an Ivy League professor & possibly to see where things go if he just so happens to run into his former hookup, DA – Easton Archer. Which, because of mutual friends, he does. But things don’t go smoothly despite their intense chemistry.

Easton comes from money and privilege and is considering a run for ADA. Although he’s a good man and aggressively prosecutes cases of domestic violence and sexual assault – he feels fairly helpless and when it comes to a string of racially profiled traffic stops in his town. It’s not that he doesn’t care or that he doesn’t see what’s happening - but he’s able to take a wait and see attitude (in deference to his superiors) because it doesn’t affect him. Until it does. Being with Patrice, opens his eyes to a system that he believes in but now sees that he can and must to do better.

But man, is it a struggle to get to. Patrice, as a Black Lives Matters activist, struggles in a way that I think is very common for most people involved in social justice or other causes. He’s angry and fighting the good fight but at a personal cost to himself. It’s hard to balance that activism and let yourself be happy when there’s so much work to do. Especially, if you feel like the person you love, is in position to help, could do more - faster. He has so much on his plate and constantly feels like he has to be on top of everything, be better than his white counterparts and never let anyone down. There’s also a fair amount of, not shame, but in letting Easton learn how he and his mom escaped the Haitian Revolution to come to the US, that he might be deemed not good enough or judge his mom - who Patrice loves more than anything.

Patrice tends try to get ahead of being let down or rejected by having high standards. In doing so, he judges others too harshly for not meeting them and, instead lets <i>them</i> down. As he does with Easton over and over again. Easton has always been judged and deemed lacking by his father and Patrice’s constant judgement both awakens Easton to the big picture but also cuts deep at an already exposed wound.

I’ve always mentioned, in my previous reviews for the series, how fast this author gets the relationship going and then throws in the obstacles and makes them earn the HEA. Well, these two are almost doomed from the start but Herrera deftly unpacks all the issues one by one and builds this beautiful and solid relationship.

Yes, they hurt each other but both men are willing to take advice (from the wonderful supporting characters – a BIG feature in this series) and grow, say they’re sorry and do the work. They even go to couples counseling – something rare in romance where great sexual chemistry seems to solve all ills.

A few other things I want to touch on quick because there are so many things this book does well….

Privilege – some people take this word as an insult or get defensive but American Love Story shows that it doesn’t mean you haven’t or can’t experience pain or that it’s less than just because you have privilege. Patrice learns that Easton’s privilege certainly didn’t protect him from his father or mean that he can’t understand or learn empathy for others. And Easton learns that his privilege allows him faster access to certain situations and solutions that Patrice and PoC just don’t have in their fight against injustice. It’s not about hurling it as an insult or judgement but leveraging it to help uplift others.

Activism – I was very involved in animal welfare (shelter work) years ago, and it was so completely draining that I didn’t even want to look at an animal for years & it made me hate people. Social justice and activism – even if it’s done casually - can be exhausting if you don’t protect yourself. Everyone wants problems solved and they’ll let you do ALL the work if you let them so they can say they did something to ease their conscience yet walk away. But letting others help, letting some things go, learning to trust was hard but necessary lesson Patrice learned. You are also allowed to take time off to recharge and be happy. Or else what kind of future are you fighting for?

Layers of diversity/privilege – This was a super fascinating and relevant plot point. The ADA, DA (Easton) and Mayor are all part of the LGBQT+ community and when the racial profiling accusations are first reported – the first impulse is to lay low and see how it plays out because they don’t want to rile the police or community any more because it was difficult to get to their positions as openly gay/lesbian. They didn’t want to lose the hard fought for acceptance or funding for their (important) programs. You can't just fight for your own cause then stop - the I got mine mentality. You need to keep using your voice to lift others.

And oh yeah – American Love Story was hot as hell and super romantic! *wink*

I think Adriana Herrera is a brilliant writer of complicated but real romances that are compelling and uplifting and I can’t wait to read what she writes next!

A wonderful third installment in this m/m romance trilogy about Caribbean immigrants in New York. This wasn't the type of romance I usually read where it's all swooning and pining in fantasyland. Instead the author gives us a romance that confronts the really hard stuff of relationships - differing backgrounds, values, expectations and tough defensive walls around the characters, plus the very real conflict of being a black activist in a relationship with a white District Attorney while the local police force are harassing local men of colour. At times I wasn't even sure that the main characters should be together, but that made it all the more satisfying when they worked through their issues to get their happy ending.

American Love Story is so good. It's the story of a social justice activist-professor-Haitian immigrant and an assistant district attorney from a privileged background. It clear from the second chapter that they're both very into each other, but Patrice (the professor) has trouble compromising his ideals and Easton (the ADA) represents the system into which systematic bias is built. Their struggle to grow for each other is set against a backdrop of racist traffic stops in Ithaca, NY.

What I loved about this book was the way their angst was understandable. At no point did I think that one of them needed to just get over himself, because the internal conflict was so completely valid. I also loved that both characters really worked to deserve the other.

While I was reading, I was appreciating the story, but not feeling totally drawn in. Then, at about 80% through the book, something happens. And the depth of my emotional reaction to it startled me, demonstrating to me how much the characters had gotten their claws in me.

This is not a fluffy book. For me, it was not a fast read. But it is so good and a truly American Love Story for our world today.

This was a great third installment in the series. Patrice and Easton were great characters, both were engaging and likable. I enjoyed seeing them come together despite their different backgrounds, all a very enjoyable read.