I didn’t finish this one…
It was going good.. great even and then it became way too long and it felt like it was dragging.
I might come back in the future and finish it but as off today I’m stopping at 60%.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
I was so excited to get this ARC, because I have loved this series so much. I love the Prima’s of Power. This may be my favorite of the series. I loved watching our FMC grow throughout and set boundaries and figure out who “New Ava” was going to be.

Alexis Daria brings a sexy and satisfying conclusion to the Primas of Power trilogy with Ava and Roman. She’s a recent divorcee and he’s a workaholic millionaire hotelier. A chance meeting over a poorly chosen cocktail leads to an unforgettable one night stand. Which turns into an every few weeks booty call. He falls first but she keeps him her secret. Her favorite thing about their secret romance is that he is completely unknown to her busy body judgmental overbearing family. Until….they find out in a very public way that they are the maid of honor and best man in the same wedding. She tries to stay away but cannot resist his charms. He loves her out loud. He’s also a panty thief.

Funny, heartwarming and very spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️


Typos I found in my ARC:
Page 65- manage should be manager
Page 114 - turning all decisions over the planner (missing the word to before the planner)
Page 167 - “and but now” (and or but needs to be taken out)
Page 202 - “not used it yet” should be “not used to it yet”
Page 267 - spacing before the period after pan
Page 382 - “had a remained” the a should be removed

Along Came Amor is last in the Primas of Power trilogy. They can be read as standalone books, but it’s sweet to see how the couples progress in each book, if you read them in order. I enjoyed the first two books, so I was looking forward to this one as well.

When Ava’s ex-husband ends things out of the blue, she’s left wondering why and constantly reminded of what happened by her family. Looking for escape, she has instant chemistry with hotel-owner, Roman. Then what starts as a one night stand gets more complicated as feelings get involved and her family comes into the picture in an unexpected way.

Ava is such a relatable character, as a recovering people-pleaser myself and someone who was also raised to be a “good” and polite girl. Roman was also relatable, as there’s often been men in my life who think they need to fix/solve every problem. This felt like a book that did a really good job at character growth and showing ways that both the love interests needed to develop, versus some books where it seems like only one main character has most of the issues.

I felt like it did drag a bit in the middle and the story could’ve progressed quicker. Reading in the synopsis that Roman is surprisingly part of the bridal party for Ava’s cousin’s wedding, I really thought it would come up sooner. Also, due to the plot, we don’t see as much of the strong female friendships between Ava and her cousins as I was used to seeing in the first two books. But you do get there in the end and it really is a sweet ending and comes full circle.

Overall, still an enjoyable read with some sweetness and spice. I think this book does a good job of showing the tenderness and safety that relationships can hold too, in addition to the passion.

Rating: 3.75 stars
CW/TW: criticism by family members, talk about a parent leaving
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️ (a few sex scenes and foreplay)
Good for readers who: Movies/books where the main characters have strong inner dialogues
Romance tropes: one night stand, age gap romance, dual POV

*Thanks to NetGalley & Avon Books for providing this ARC! All opinions are my own.

Along Came Amor

"To you, Ava. To imperfection. To dreaming. To welcoming whatever comes next, with or without a plan."

Oh my heart, Ava + Roman have it. I adoredddddd this story and the final book in the Primas of Power series. I related so much to Ava - the people pleasing, the need to write everything down in her planner, and the woes of curly hair. Roman was exactly what she needed and I loved witnessing them work it out.

Ava is now officially divorced and looking for absolutely no strings. Roman is the perfect man to fit the bill - and not only that but he actually listens to her. Only hiccup is he's the best man in her cousin's wedding that those family ties get complicated quickly. What ensues is a journey to figure out what they need, ad how to be there for each other.

The banter. The spice. The spreadsheets. This one has it all, y'all! Highlight recommend if you're looking for a sweet and spicy adventure about being true to yourself, asking for what you what and finding the right person who hears and sees you.

Check this one out if you're looking for:
- A curly haired Latinx FMC
- Dual POV romance
- "No strings" situation
- Forearms (#iykyk)

Thank you to Avon for this ARC! My opinions are my own.

I absolutely adore how Alexis Darias writes stories, and I believe this is my current favorite. I like how it went from Ava being curious to slowly opening up. This is a wonderful book and an amazing development of what I can confidently call my favorite romance story to date. I love everything Alexis has written, and I will support her wholeheartedly. 💕

What an amazing ending to the primas of power stories!! Ava’s romance is so steamy and sexy!! The spice starts right after a couple of chapters. What started as a one night stand continues into friends with benefits territory. Of course there’s always drama, being in a huge Puerto Rican family with the trauma dumping and guilt tripping. Poor Ava thinks she has to be the perfect one all of the time, and after her divorce her family acts like it was the worst thing for her to do. She keeps Roman a secret, even from her cousins.
I also love how her grandmother is described in one scene, “With her diminutive stature and red lipstick, Esperanza Rodriguez looked like a Boricua fairy godmother, one who could turn overripe platanos into stretch limos and chancletas into high heels-but instead of glass, the shoes were made of ceramic and had the date of someone's cousin's Sweet Sixteen scrawled along the side in metallic gold marker.”

This was a great ending to the Primas of Power series. The character of Ava resonated strongly with me. That feeling that your family only loves and cares for you if you do what they want and don't complain or make any waves is one that I'm quite familiar with and I think Alexis Daria did a great job getting inside of Ava's head. I think some readers will wonder why she didn't tell them off sooner, but it really is a journey to get to the point where you feel confident enough in yourself, or just sick and tired of always hiding your feelings, to take that chance.

Beyond that, the romance between Roman and Ava was so sweet. Roman was a great example of one of my favorite tropes where it's the guy who falls first, falls hard, and wants nothing more than to pamper and spoil his partner. Even though it was clear he wanted more from Ava than she was initially willing to give, he was smart enough and mature enough to realize that he had to give her time and not pressure her (too much). When he made mistakes, he owned up to them right away. He was just an all around great guy. Alexis Daria has definitely ended this series on a high note! My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Along Came Amor is the third book in the Primas of Power trilogy. This is my first book and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy. I literally have them sitting on my bookshelf.

The spice factor for this book starts off hot from the beginning. With a one-night stand with Roman, a business mogel, newly divorced Ava Rodriguez is doing things she never thought she'd do before, like have a one-night stand. The problem is Raman can't stop thinking about Ava and well vice versa. Maybe a no strings attached arrangement would be better? She has enough on her plate after all helping to plan her cousin's wedding. A secret no strings arrangement won't be too complicated right.

With a romance book you get resolution by the end of it, which I liked with this one. Not only are you getting resolution with Ava and Roman, but you're also seeing what's been happening with the other two couples from the previous two books. The wedding of one of them is a secondary subplot of this novel. Having not read the previous two books, I loved the friendship of the cousins shown, which I imagine is highlighted in the other two novels as well. I've read some other books by Daria in the past and have always enjoyed them. She's become an auto-buy author for me, even if the books have to sit a minute to be read.

Thank you to Avon Books and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for review consideration.

Always a bittersweet moment when a series comes to an end. This was the final installment of the 3 book series with Ava and Roman who both was not looking for love.
What started as a one night stand, slow became more and I really like how Roman got Ava to break down her walls. They become friends with benefits and Ava felt it had to stop when she finds out that he is the best man of her cousins wedding.
Roman was totally swoon worthy with his desire to take care of people he loves. He is so good with communication which is so opposite of Ava.
I appreciated the family dynamics and Ava's growth in the story. I really love seeing Michelle and Jasmine and having a big role in this.

Thank you @avonbooks for a copy of the book.

Sometimes it can be hard to find a series where later books are just as good as the first, but that's absolutely not a problem for Along Came Amor.

Along Came Amor is the third book in the Primas of Power series by Alexis Daria and it's my favorite of the bunch. All three books in the series follow a different female cousin in a large, multi-cultural extended family. You Had Me at Hola has Jasmine, an actress falling in love with her costar. A Lot Like Adios has Michelle, the free spirit falling for the childhood BFF. And Along Came Amor follows Ava, a recent divorcee who has a steamy one-night stand with a hotelier.

I really appreciated how Ava's story tied into those of her cousins, continuing their stories, while also giving her a chance to shine in her own space. I think Ms. Daria did a great job portraying what it can be like being part of a big family, highlighting how experiences can overlap and vary The backstories of both Ava and the MMC, Roman, were nicely fleshed out and lended an air of reality to the story. They felt as if they could easily be real people, even if one just happens to be a millionaire. Plus, the spice was spicing!

While you could read Along Came Amor on its own, I highly recommend you read the first two books first. They're all great and well worth your time. Plus, the history makes this story shine even more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for review consideration. As always, all opinions are my own.

Ava & Roman. I’m so sorry Gabe & Mich, a new favorite couple has entered the villa. These two? Incredibly sexy to start but just so full of heart and understanding. Roman’s patience with Ava’s healing and her journey? Ava not only not letting the voices in her head win but letting Roman be the one to quiet them? I’ve seen myself in all these books but I’ve never been so healed as I was with Ava and Roman. These two have the biggest part of my heart and I’m so grateful they exist. Not only was their chemistry scorching and bouncing off the page from their first encounter, everything they did they did for themselves and each other. I was apprehensive at first with how long this book was but now I don't think it could have been any shorter. I love them your honor and I'm so sad to be saying goodbye to my primas.

Thanks to Avon for an advanced copy of Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria.

This is book three in the Primas of Power series, and I've enjoyed all three books about these 3 cousins in You Had Me At Hola, A Lot Like Adiós and now Along Came Amor.

Ava is a teacher whose divorce has just been finalized and now she's questioning everything. When at a conference, a handsome man flirts with her and she decides to embrace this opportunity. Roman owns a hotel empire he built from the ground up, and they agree to a no-strings arrangement until they realize he's the best man at her cousin's wedding, where she is the maid of honor. She doesn't want her overbearing family to know and she's even keeping her relationship with Roman a secret from her cousins.

I really liked this book and while it drove me crazy Ava wanted to keep Roman a secret, I can see why with her people-pleasing ways, especially for her family. Roman was such a great guy!

I highly recommend this book and series!

Along Came Amor comes out on May 27th.

Unpopular opinion, but this just didn’t do it for me. I enjoyed the other books in the Primas of Power series, but this one fell kind of flat for me. I’m happy to see that most of the other reviews are great, but it wasn’t my favorite.

I thought Roman was too good to be true. This was the first of Alexis’s books where the MC seemed like a typical “romance hero” and not a real, flawed human. Maybe I’m just in my cynical era. *shrugs* I also couldn’t get over how meddlesome Ava’s family was and how she always cowed to them, at the expense of her own happiness. Ugh, so frustrating!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the complimentary ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

One of the best stories I’ve read! This book has become one of my favorites! The writing was exceptional. There was a fluidity to the writing and storytelling that was lyrical in that it pulled you into a vivid world of emotion . The characters were so rich, full of life and full of substance. Every word and detail in this story had purpose and meaning that led to the beautiful development of growth, healing, self-awareness and love. I just loved the way their relationship unfolded bit by bit even though it was incredibly frustrating they didn’t accept their connection right away. I would say their HEA was slow burn but their insta lust was explosive and soo 🔥🔥🔥. The portrayal of Latine characters and culture was done affirmingthe strength, value, power, diversity, and richness of culture and Latinidad. There was no fetishizing, exoticizing, or villainizing of any character or cultural values. Despite portraying very real family conflict and painfully family dynamics. Although I am not of Puerto Rican heritage, I felt the nostalgia of home country and the beauty of maintaining the connection to your roots. I had so many feelings reading this story. I felt represented in a way that I haven’t felt before. It spoke to me on so many levels! In addition, Anxiety was so accurately represented in the story in a way I haven’t seen often (I’m a mental health professional) It depicted the often hidden, internal, and isolating manifestation of anxiety. It normalized therapy so beautifully and that made so happy. In addition, it was culturally congruent!

What to Expect:
A Must Read!!
Emotional
Explosive 🌶️🔥
Accurate Mental Health Rep
MCs are in their 30s & 40s
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
🔥🔥🔥🔥

I had read and loved Alexis Daria's Take the Lead after seeing it on the display shelf at my public library. So when I saw Along Came Amor on NetGalley, I knew I had to read it and it didn't disappoint! This destination wedding secret romance novel has a beautiful love story, two main characters that I adored and I rooted hard for their HEA. Expect spice, a strong cousin friend group and a large Puerto Rican family that works through some issues. Now, I need to go back and read the first two books in this series. Thank you to Alexis Daria and Avon Books for the chance to read this book early.

I have loved Alexis Daria's other books, and this one includes some of the same characters in her previous two books in the series. You don't have to read the other two books to read this one, but I think this one is slightly less fun than the other two books. Ava's divorce has just gone through when she sits at a bar hoping to usher in a "new Ava." In walks Ramon, who turns out to be the owner of the hotel (and many more hotels) where Ava is staying. Ava decides on a no-strings attached one-night stand with Ramon.

What's great about Daria's books is that she writes the steam very well. This couple have a lot of chemistry. What makes this book a bit of a slow read for me is that it takes place over many months because Ava is just so slow to get invested in Ramon. She's still harboring a lot of feelings about her ex Hector, and she also is letting her family run over here. Ramon is super patient (and I don't even know why), and allows Ava to treat him like a booty call even though he's been nothing but gracious and generous to her.

I really want to be on Ava's side because I typically love a strong heroine, but Ava does not give strong heroine vibes to me. If you want a really great MMC with some mild Pretty Woman vibes (he has all the money and wants to spoil Ave) this might be the book for you.

Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been a fan of Alexis Daria’s Primas of Power series, with each instalment wrapping me up more fully in the titular primas and their world. The third and final book in the series, Along Came Amor is no exception, putting a button on the primas extended family, while also giving Ava — an Eldest Daughter in every sense of the word — the happy ever after she so richly deserves.

As mentioned, the story follows Ava, recently divorced, and stuck in a holding pattern with her extended family, who rely on her far more than is reasonable, while buckling under the pressure to be “perfect” at all times. While at a conference, she meets Roman, the kind and charming owner of the hotel she’s staying in, and the two begin a no-strings-attached affair, which suddenly gets attached to some unexpected strings when they learn they’re the maid of honor and best man at the same wedding.

The book is sexy, and fun, and oh so lush and romantic (also hello, we love a tall romance heroine). Both Ava and Roman have enough personal baggage to fill a cargo hold, but the way they are consistently patient with one another, especially as said baggage becomes more and more apparent, is incredibly sweet as well, and what relationship goals are made of.

Along Came Amor hits shelves on May 27. Special thank you to Avon for the advance copy for review purposes.

He falls first, and he falls HARD! Along Came Amor is the third and final installment in the Primas of Power trilogy and is Ava’s journey from people-pleaser to standing up for herself.

Ava and Roman’s meet-cute was very cute. Ava, out for a drink the night her divorce was finalized, decides to have a no-strings fling with the handsome hotelier she meets in the bar. Roman shows her a really good time and then passes her his business card and says “call me if you want a repeat.” She does, and does again, and no strings becomes all the strings.

I enjoyed the story, loved Roman, but had to dock a star for Ava running hot and cold. It’s also nice to have main characters in their late 30s, early 40s.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for an eARC Opinions are my own.

Along Came Amor is a charming read with an interesting focus on anxiety. That’s the problem that Ava suffers from, along with a serious case of imposter syndrome. She wanted to be perfect for everyone: her family, her friends, her spouse—and when her marriage failed, she doubled down on being the best in every other area of her life. When she finally decides that she needs to change herself (or become “New Ava”), she doesn’t expect more from her unexpected one-night stand than some great memories. Too bad that guy turns out to be the best man in the upcoming wedding where she’s the maid of honor!

I loved that Daria addresses how Ava’s pursuit of perfection is ultimately harmful to her and to her relationships. And Roman is every romance reader’s dream, a self-made man who is devoted to his heroine. I also liked that Roman suffered from the same desire to manage everything in his life perfectly just as Ava did, and how he had to make changes just like Ava to address that.

Daria also nails life with a large, nosy family—in this case, Ava’s giant Puerto Rican clan. I loved the way that the same family that supports Ava also drains her with demands around marriage, children, and career that somehow don’t all line up.

There were a couple of drawbacks to Along Came Amor. Ava clings to keeping something secret way, way too long—even when literally everyone around her is telling her to reveal it. It made her seem obtuse. And Roman is a bit too perfect. It’s hard to understand his incredible patience with Ava and why she deserves that.

But Along Came Amor is such an enjoyable read. It’s both a romp and a serious examination of stressors in our lives, and it’s a fine finale to Daria’s Primas of Power trilogy.