Cover Image: The Trouble with Exes

The Trouble with Exes

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Member Reviews

I really enjoyed this book. I think over the course of the trilogy, Taíno really hit her stride once we got to this one.

The series started with an M/F relationship, then an M/M, and now we’re back to M/F, though it felt queer. There were several references to the FMC, Nati, being bisexual, plus one of her best friends is trans, and it’s just not a thing. I thought that was well done. And well done in an HQN SE title.

Overall I liked both MCs, I liked the second chance romance, though it also felt a bit drawn out. It was a solid book and I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by Taíno.

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This is the 3rd book in “The Navarros Series”. This is the 2nd book that I have had the pleasure of reading of by Sera Taino and I must say that I have enjoyed both books and I am looking forward to reading more of her work. Nati is an ER doctor, constant workaholic who just so happens to work at a free clinic along with her two best friends. Nati is the sister of Rafael who we met in “The Best Man’s Problem”. Leo is Nati’s ex-boyfriend who also worked at the free clinic. Leo is back home caring for his father who recently suffered from a cardiac arrest. Nati broke it off with Leo but she never explained her reason for the breakup with Leo. Leo married someone else trying to get over his heart break but it didn’t work as he was still very much in love with Nati. The marriage ended in divorce. When the two come face to face the attraction, chemistry and love they once shared is there full force. I so love the chemistry, attraction and love that Nati and Leo have for each other. This was a great second chance at romance for the couple.

When Leo learns of the reason for the breakup between he and Nati will he understand and forgive her, is there a second chance at romance for Nati and Leo?

I received an ARC via book NetGalley and Harlequin – Romance Special Edition and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

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✨New Release✨

There is NOTHING better than a second chance, Latinx romance on the weekend! Especially an insanely rainy weekend where we had no sports and I allowed myself the time to sit on the couch and binge read.

I loved this book so much! Short and super sweet! I laughed out loud a few times and swooned THE ENTIRE time.

Thanks to @netgalley for the ARC copy!

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Five years ago, Natalia realized the best thing she could do for boyfriend Leo's career was to let him go. Now, he's back to care for his ailing father—and her feelings for Leo are as strong as ever. Can they get over past hurts to find love again?

This is an intensely emotional, character-driven book. For me, there wasn't enough conflict in the romantic plot. I'm sure others will enjoy it, but it just wasn't for me.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

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Good second chance love story. Natalia has worked hard against formidable odds to achieve her dream of being an ER doctor in her beloved community. She is quite the workaholic, dividing her time between the hospital and the free clinic she established with her two best friends. She's never forgotten the fourth member of their group, her ex-boyfriend Leo. Six years earlier, she had broken off their relationship, telling herself it was the only way he'd follow his dreams. She hasn't seen or heard from him since then.

The story opens when Leo's father arrives in her ER due to a cardiac event. Leo has returned to town to help care for his father, who also has cancer. Nati is shocked when she comes face-to-face with Leo; it is immediately evident that the sparks between them are still there.

Leo was devastated when Nati broke off their relationship, and he was a mess for months and made it worse by marrying on the rebound. Now he's divorced and floored by his reaction to seeing Nati again.

I enjoyed watching the rekindling of the relationship between Nati and Leo. It is a slow, painful process as each tries to protect their heart. Nati tries to keep Leo at a distance knowing it would be too easy to fall for him again. Leo begins by wanting to clear the air in hopes of finally being able to move on. The sparks between them are too strong to deny, but they must put the past to rest before looking to the future. I ached for Leo when he found out why Nati broke things off and understood his anger and sense of betrayal. It takes some straight talk from a friend for Nati to realize her motivations for her actions and admit to her mistake. She does a decent job of groveling at the end to show Leo how she feels.

I liked Leo a lot. He is a good and caring man who is close to his family, and he freely admits his mistake in cutting himself off from his friends after his breakup. I also loved watching him jump in and help at Nati's sister's restaurant grand opening and offer to help Nati with the grant proposal for her clinic.

I had a harder time liking Nati. She is a bit of a control freak and thinks far too highly of her abilities. She is good, but believing she never makes mistakes is asking for trouble. I did like how close she is to her family, but even there, she doesn't seem to trust them enough to be completely herself. I liked the epilogue and how she seems no longer wrapped so tight.

The one character I did NOT like was Leo's mother. She is a snob and a *itch who constantly says terrible things about Nati. I liked the scene in the hospital room when Nati stood up to her condescending attitude. I also liked seeing Leo blast her for her attitude later in the book. I would have liked to get a real sense of what her problem was.
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4.5 stars!
This is my fav Navarro book!
I truly enjoyed these two reigniting their flame. I do LOVE second chance romance, and this book is the perfect story for the trope.
Natalia is such a relatable FMC but so is Leo! Both their emotional journeys felt real yet had that magical spark that romance books give us.
I appreciated the depiction of the many colors of the Caribbean spectrum, no one character here is one dimensional.
IF you like Greys Anatomy then you will love this. It has all the medical lingo and drama but mixed with lots of longing looks between these formal lovers.
I just adored this book so much!

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I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
This is the third of the Navarros series, and it’s as sweet as the previous two! Nati is an intriguing character, being a workaholic ER doctor, and I liked seeing a bit more dimensions to her. She and Leo have a great dynamic, and I rooted for them to find their way back to each other. And while it’s very much a stand-alone, I liked seeing bits of the rest of the family and how they interact with one another. Definitely a great read for anyone who loves contemporary category romance!

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4 1/2 STARS!

A sweet and sentimental reunion of first loves! The third book in The Navarros series from Sera Taíno and Harlequin Special Edition brings little sis Natalia to the forefront when her former love comes back to town and sparks they thought had died flare right back up. The characters are endearing, their back story is a little sweet, a little angsty and their connection still beneath the surface makes for an intriguing read. I enjoyed this family very much!

Nati is an accomplished workaholic, but she's never forgotten the one that got away and seeing her reconnect and admit she's always pined for him is heartwarming.

Leo is a sweetheart and I enjoyed getting to know him and watching their love begin to shine again.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a bit of family saga rich with cultural heritage and affectionate family members all up in your business along with your romance.

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The Trouble with Exes is a well written and entertaining romance. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

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a good second chance book that had me rooting for a happy ending. I like these kind of stories and it was a good one. home run for me.

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A wonderful second-chance romance. I enjoyed the previous story about Rafael and Etienne, and was happy to see this next book in the series matched the same level of enjoyment. Natalia and Leo were both interesting characters, and seemed to me to be opposite sides of the same coin. They balance each other well. However, I agreed with Leo: it was wrong of Natalia to make a decision on her own that ultimately impacted both of them. I get why she reacted that way, but it was still wrong. Thank goodness they worked through that and had their HEA. Only one character that I disliked: Leo's mother. Too snotty for her own good.
Overall, a great book! Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for this advanced copy, which I voluntarily read and reviewed.

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Taino knocks it out of the park with heart and family that make her stories so engaging. I still can't believe this is like her third or fourth book. She's a seasoned writer.

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Four and a half stars

The Trouble with Exes by Sera Taino is the third in her series about the Navarro siblings. Natalia Navarro has worked her tail off to achieve her dream of being an ER doctor in the hospital serving her diverse community. One of the sacrifices she made was her relationship with Leo Espinoza, who pursued his own doctoral dreams on the West coast when she’d broken things off.

Sera Taino’s story begins when Leo returns to East Ward when his father suffers cardiac trouble, and runs right back into Nati. Their feelings surge back en force, and they struggle to find footing and find a way to a future.

Beautifully written, with lovely portrayals of Leo and Nati as well as their sometimes complicated relationships with their families. Looking forward to reading more by the talented Ms Taino.

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This is a Second Chance Romance. I had a lot of trouble with this book, and I tried to get into this book I just could not. I ended up DNFing. This book was just too slow moving for me, and I found the characters were boring. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.

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