Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC!


4.25/5 ⭐️

Gabriela Luna is prepared to return to Mexico to contribute to the fight for her homelands freedom, especially after a near miss at being trapped in marriage. But she doesn’t expect to make the journey home in the company of the Duke of Whitfield, a man she has despised for four years. But as her father fails to see her value, still, the Duke becomes her unlikely champion.

Sebastian Brooks is still trying to piece back together his broken dukedom thanks to the cruelties of his late father. So when he’s offered the chance to invest in a mine in Mexico, he takes it. But he isn’t prepared to make the voyage to see it with Miss Luna at his side. And he’s even less prepared for the feelings she evokes in him.


Wow!! What a beautiful conclusion to this trilogy of interconnected stand alones. Seeing Isabel and Ana María happy was lovely! But Sebastian and Gabriela’s story just really stole the show of the sisters.
The way these characters understood each other when they were surrounded by people who constantly misunderstood them was so special. I loved the banter and the insults (read: endearments) but just… the way they could see each other clearly was the best part of their dynamic.

Not to mention, I love a forced marriage due to scandal— especially when the man is like “it’s not even a chore to marry you, I would’ve done it anyway”
I truly didn’t have many issues with this one, though I didn’t quite follow the politics as easily as the previous installments. (Could be cause it’s been a year since I read the last two and couldn’t follow)


But overall, this was an exciting read and the romance was superb. I could read 100 more pages of Sebastian being an absolute simp for his wife.

I can’t believe this is the last book of the series and we need to leave the Luna sisters behind. I am super glad that Gabby finally meets her match in Sebastian, the duke who we knew would be trouble for her on their very first meeting. Gabby’s on her way to Mexico, fleeing a bad situation in England, and Sebastian is on the ship right along with her. Even though they start the journey as somewhat enemies, she definitely softens towards him when she realizes that he isn’t exactly the rake he seemed to be in the past. And of course, Sebastian is just trying to keep his sanity around him since it’s clear he’s totally besotted by Gabby. Loved seeing the flirtatious banter between them and the undeniable attraction here that they’re trying so hard to fight. Loved seeing it all wrap up and all our Luna sisters so happily wed.

What a fabulous ending to such a phenomenal story. I have loved getting to know the Luna sisters. Their love for each other and their genuine affection were a joy to read. The story itself is filled with picturesque imagery of the landscape, not only of Mexico, but also of the ocean voyage and the countryside in England. The book was engaging and entertaining in equal measure. Gabby and Sebastian were intriguing, plus they had fantastic chemistry. I enjoyed their banter, which was a driving force in their relationship. I had such a good time reading this story, in fact, the whole series. I highly recommend this book. Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley for an honest review.

This is a charming, light, bickery sort of enemies-to-lovers romance set in England and Mexico. Per her usual with this series, Liana De la Rosa does an excellent job in portraying Anglo-Mexican relations during the waning days of the French occupation of Mexico, and the unique role the Luna sisters play as, basically, cultural ambassadors during the war.

Sebastian and Gabriela have been locking horns since Ana María and the Fox, and it was pretty funny to realize the root cause of this enmity: Gabby thought Sebastian was attracted to her, but then she stumbled across him getting blown in a library. Whoops. But by the time you get to this book, you get the sense it's really more of a one-sided dislike; Gabby antagonizes Sebastian, and Sebastian just enjoys their banter but doesn't act on his attraction towards her... yet.

So, this book goes HARD on the daddy issues— Sebastian has em in spades, and Gabby's visit to Mexico is anything but idyllic since her parents only value her proximity to whiteness in looks, therefore her marriageability, so she's shoved at suitors even as she's berated for her "attitude". It's rough, especially since so much of what's thrown at her is rooted in racism and sexism both within and outside Latin American communities.

This is where Sebastian really begins to step in as a confidence booster for Gabby (and basically, the perfect intersectional feminist ally). Gabby sees this tender, caring side of him and realizes he's more "charming rogue" than insufferable cad, and at that point, all they need is a "there was only one ship cabin" situation and all bets are off.

There is a third-act breakup; it was spurred by miscommunication and easily resolved, although I do wish we'd seen a little more of the people (no spoilers!) who prompted the breakup rather than a few opaque references sprinkled throughout the book.

The sex:

It's been great to see that as this series progresses, the sex scenes have gotten more confident and explicit. The sex scenes in this book are thorough with a daaaash of desperation, and have some pretty great dirty talk ("you'll never again hear the name Sebastian without growing wet"?? IT WORKS), and trust that there is plenty of praise, because god knows this girl needs it.

Oh, and there is a full-circle moment with the aforementioned bj :D

Overall:

I think Liana De la Rosa did something very special with this series not just in terms of representation, but also writing about a facet of Europe's long colonial history that I don't think many of us know about. I also think that while Gabriela and His Grace can be read as a standalone, you'll get the most payoff reading from Ana María, and following as each Luna sister gets their hard-won, decolonized HEA.

Thank you to Liana De la Rosa and Berkley for the advanced copy.

Rating: 4/5
Heat Level: 3.5/5
Pub Date: August 26th

Gabriela and His Grace by Liana De la Rosa was a beautifully written story that pulled me in from the first page. I loved the chemistry between the characters and the way their relationship developed with both passion and tenderness. The historical setting added a rich layer to the romance, making it feel timeless. This book left me feeling both satisfied and eager for more from the author.

My review of this title appears in the August 2025 edition of the Historical Novels Review. Thanks for sharing this title with our reviewing staff!

Liana De la Rosa doesn't miss, and she definitely didn't with this book! I'm in love with Sebastian, for real.

(I want to say right off the bat that while this novel can be read as a stand-alone, I feel that to truly understand and appreciate the romance, you need to read the first two books in this series to see the history of Gabby and Sebastian's contentious relationship develop. However, that's just my opinion.)

So this is the 3rd book in the Luna Sisters series and it is, hands down, my favorite of the bunch (and I loved the other books too!). The dynamic between Gabby and the Duke of Whitfield was sexy AF and the book takes place in a number of places--Mexico, London, a boat on the Atlantic Ocean, the British countryside, for example. And I am HERE for it. If you love the forced proximity trope, you'll love this HR. Sebastian is tasked with escorting Gabby back to Mexico from London because he is also traveling there to check on his investment in a business venture. I loved their enemies-to-lovers banter and the sexual tension that De la Rosa is so good at. Here's a few other things to expect from this gem of a novel:

--"hold the headboard"
--she doesn't realize that he actually speaks Spanish
--strong sisterly bonds
--forced proximity/road trip
--THE SPICE
--crappy parents
--activist/heiress FMC
--stuffy duke MMC
--he's so freaking proud of her

If this sounds like your jam (and you liked her previous books), you won't be disappointed, trust me.

I really enjoyed Gabriela and His Grace! Gabriela is such a strong, fun character — I loved watching her stand up for herself and grow throughout the story. The chemistry between her and Sebastian is seriously hot,with some great witty banter and sweet moments that felt totally real.

The historical setting added a cool layer to the story without feeling heavy, and I appreciated how the author wove in the culture and politics naturally. Plus, seeing the Luna sisters again was such a nice touch — their bond feels so genuine and made the story even better.

Overall, this was a super satisfying read. If you’re into historical romance with strong characters and a slow-burn love story, I’d definitely recommend it!

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Gabriela Luna ha vivido los últimos años en Londres junto a sus hermanas, alejadas de su tierra natal, México. Decidida a recuperar el rumbo de su vida y demostrar su valía más allá de un apellido o una dote, Gabby emprende el regreso a México con la esperanza de encontrar su propósito. Lo que no espera es compartir el viaje transatlántico y mucho menos con Sebastian Brooks, el duque de Whitfield, un hombre a quien desprecia... y que en realidad podría ser su mayor aliado.

Entre pullas, malentendidos y un vínculo que se intensifica con cada página, Gabriela and His Grace es un romance histórico que explora la identidad, el deseo y la lucha por un lugar propio en un mundo lleno de prejuicios.


____

Me gustó mucho la dinámica entre ambos al principio; sus interacciones estaban llenas de tensión, ironía y un juego constante de poder emocional. Sin embargo, hacia el final el ritmo decae. Una vez que se vuelven pareja, pierden gran parte de la chispa que los hacía interesantes: sus escenas se vuelven monótonas, centradas casi exclusivamente en comer, tener sexo y dormir. No hay evolución real en su relación, ni tampoco proyectos o metas compartidas que los unan más allá de lo físico.

Además, el tema del secreto que se revela al final se sintió excesivo, como un recurso innecesario que terminó empañando el cierre de la historia. En resumen: un libro con buen inicio y gran promesa, pero que pierde impacto hacia el desenlace.

Wow, wow, wow! This book felt like coming home. The story, the setting, the love, the spice, the history all of it=WOW! I’ve said this before in my previous reviews of Liana de la Rosa, but she does a beautiful job of weaving in history and romance, holding the reader captive throughout the story. This is the final book in the Luna sisters series it was the perfect way to end. While definitely bittersweet to say goodbye, this book was the loveliest closure that any fan of the series was hoping to get. The relationship between the main characters develops in a way that makes it believable that they went from enemies to lovers, while also watching them grow as individuals. Like I said, the perfect goodbye 💜 Thank you x10000 to #NetGalley for my #arc of #GabrielaandHisGrace!

I'd been waiting for Gabby and Whitfield's story since the first book in this series, and it did not disappoint. The banter was top tier, and I loved that we got to spend time in Mexico as well as England. Liana De al Rosa does a fantastic job infusing these books with history. This was a perfect ending for a fantastic historical romance series!

I hate to say goodbye to the Luna sisters but De la Rosa sends them out on a high note with Gabby's and Sebastian's story. Gave me all my favorite road romance (but on the water)/forced proximity/only one bed/enemies to lovers vibes. Read it in one day. These characters refused to let me set them aside until they reached their hard-won happily ever after.

Full review to come.

ARC received from publisher via NetGalley
Fair and unbiased opinions.

having a hard time writing this review bc this book just didn’t hit the way i hoped it would 😔

the first 60-70% is written more like historical fiction than romance which is perfectly fine !!! i just don’t particularly enjoy historical fiction so i struggled to read the first part of this book.

i will say the last 20% of the book is much heavier on the romance side & i was really enjoying it. but at that point i was so over the book lol

nothing against the writing at all!! it was a very well written book with well developed characters. it just was not the right book for me at this time.

thank you berkley romance for the arc! this is my honest review.

"A scandalous arrangement between a hellion heiress and destitute duke reveals truths that neither can outrun....

As the youngest and most rebellious daughter of the overly protective Luna family, Gabriela Luna Valdés claws after her freedom in any way she can. This time, her hunger for adventure has led her aboard a windswept ship bearing for her homeland, away from a mob of fumbling British suitors. But Gabby can't escape her father's expectation that she settle down to find a proper husband - a compromise she's unwilling to make.

For Sebastian Brooks, Duke of Whitfield, the trip to Mexico is his last chance. His last chance to rectify his family's estate and refill their dwindling coffers. And his last chance to match wits with the sharp-tongued but deliciously tempting Gabriela.

When Gabby finds herself in need of a hasty escape, Sebastian agrees to assist her...but their close proximity sparks a red-hot passion that could ruin all their plans. With scandal looming, can Sebastian convince Gabby his regard is sincere or will she sail away with his heart?"

It's nice when expectations and love collide. HEA for all!

I'm so sad this series is over, but what a great book to end on!! I really enjoyed this and loved this series as a whole!!!

The tension in this book is immediately so good, and I love that their banter continued until the end. I love how outspoken and fierce Gabby is, and how Sebastian never tries to temper her or dull her shine. He appreciates her for all that she is, and it was a joy to read. Their progression from dislike to friends to lovers didn't feel rushed, and I loved the slowburn of it all.

I loved reading about Gabby's growth and hearing her thoughts, especially after having only glimpses of her in other books. It was so interesting reading her struggles and how they differ from her sisters. and oh my god the sisters!! I love these 3 and their relationships with eachother.

It's so cool how Liana De la Rosa always includes historical events in her books, and also historically appropriate talks about contraceptives and health care. I always find these details so interesting and find myself in a google rabbit hole often from something I read in her books.

I do wish we got to find out more about why Sebastian had stayed away from her since he met her and why he did what he did on the night of their initial meeting!!! Also, I did think the third act conflict was kind of weak but overall I enjoyed this!!

A brilliant ending to the Luna Sisters series!

Gabriela Luna and Sebastian Brooks, Duke of Whitfield, find themselves in close quarters as they share a transatlantic steamer bound for Mexico. It's the perfect opportunity for these long time antagonists to let us in on why they've pushed and pulled at each other for the duration of their acquaintance.

And, yes! Gabby is heading home! Granted, it's to escape the fortune hunter suitors of London, but with French occupational forces retreating, it is safe for Gabby to return and offer her support in service of Mexico's freedom. But while the political climate has changed, family hierarchy has not. It has only ever been her father's approval she's craved, yet he remains her harshest critic. Irregardless of Gabby's accomplishments he has reduced her usefulness to her beauty and ability to marry well.

The Duke of Whitfield proves to be her strongest ally in the face of such judgement. For all their time in London tiptoeing around each other (but never dancing), and exchanging witty and often cutting (see: Gabby) repartee, Sebastian is a bit of an expert when it comes to Gabriela Luna. He knows her to be beautiful of course, but he is witness to Gabby's passion for her culture, dedication to just causes, and loyalty to her family.

It is delicious to read these two adversaries play with their volatile chemistry that has been apparent since their debut in the first Luna Sister novel. Gabby and Sebastian serve the best "don't threaten me with a good time" flirty animosity.

It is a joy to read their quiet moments when they allow the more vulnerable sides of themselves to be perceived. Gabby uses ferocity as her armor to the point her tears are a gift. The Duke of Whitfield is in need of funds maintain his estate, but Sebastian's greatest want is belonging and companionship.

Appreciation also to author Liana De La Rosa for the Luna Sisters — champions for their Mexican heritage! Latine women at the heart of change, resistance, and advocacy. Ana María is a policy maker. Isabel an intelligence correspondent. And Gabby an ambassador and community activist. They not only represent their besieged homeland in their own time, they are the voice of marginalized Latine readers and storytellers.

Highly recommend GABRIELA AND HIS GRACE for the sweeping epic romance that spans continents. For the exploration of purpose and self-worth. The love for a home that is more than one's family, but is a people, a culture, the community. For the completion found in a partner that sees the most authentic raw version of you and cherishs it. You will love this book and series.

Thank you Netgalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Liana De La Rosa for the advance copy to read and review.

After four years in England, Gabriela Luna is returning to Mexico. The French occupation, which Gabby and her sisters fled, is coming to a close, and she hopes returning home will help her escape aggressive and unwanted fortune-hunting suitors in London. Yet Gabby's happiness at returning home is ruined somewhat by two things: her father's disapproval, and that she'll be stuck in proximity to the annoying and rakish Sebastian Brooks, Duke of Whitfield, for the whole journey. But as Sebastian and Gabby get to know one another, a grudging respect emerges, and maybe something more.

The plot and pacing were a bit bizarre (small spoiler: the novel traverses the Atlantic twice) and some of Gabby and Sebastian's early interactions felt forced, but the characters grew on me as we got to know them. Gabby's character development and the novel's exploration of her relationships with her parents were particular highlights. Sebastian is an unfortunately rather underdeveloped, though promising, character. There was a lot of telling rather than showing, why Gabby disliked him so much at the beginning of the book; maybe if I had read the other two in the series more recently (I've only read the first, and that was a while ago now) I would have better understood their history and dynamic.

I did really enjoy that this installment in the series is set partly in Mexico, and the amount of historical research De la Rosa deployed. It's a real joy getting to see historical romances set outside the confines of the British Isles.

If you know me, then you already know that I am a bit picky when it comes to historical romance books. It needs to capture my attention from the beginning, or else I will get bored. I am sorry, but that’s just how I feel whenever I read historical romance books. Good thing that I always love whatever Liana De La Rosa writes. She just knows how to write perfect historical romance books that capture my attention and heart. I always swoon whenever I read her books. And I always love the slow-burn tension in Liana historical romance novels.

Gabriela and Sebastian are the definition of slow-burn romance because their story may not have started first, but their tension always lingers from the start of the series. I am beyond happy to read about Gabriela and Sebastian finally falling in love. They were always endgame. Gabriela and Sebastian were just in denial about their feelings for each other. It’s time that they both need because Sebastian never wants Gabriela to ever change herself. Gabriela is strong and determined that no one should ignore her or try to change her. That’s something Sebastian always knew and always admired her for.

Many thanks to Berkley for the e-ARC. I appreciate the Hub for Underrepresented Voices as a way to get these books in the hands of the right readers.

The end of an era for the Luna Sisters. This conclusion was fitting for both Sebastian and Gabi. After two books worth of banter and tension, these two had a fair amount of preconceived notions and assumptions to overcome when it came to their eventual coupling. And because of this couple’s relationship arc, that slow burn is just a little bit more agonizing as you work your way through book 3. This book moves slowly but carefully.

I will admit, however, that this installment has much lower political stakes or intrigue. If you’re hoping for more action in line with Isabel and The Rogue, you won’t find that here. The stakes here are all personal. For Gabi, it’s learning to assert and advocate for herself as an overlooked youngest daughter consistently told that her value is only in what she can do as a wife in a political marriage. Indeed, Gabi has the much stronger development through line in the story. She is inspired by the passion, intellect, and independence of her older sisters, and her inner turmoil and opportunities for growth make themselves known throughout the book. For Sebastian, it’s achieving financial solvency and providing a safe and loving home for his much younger half brothers. While the pace moves slowly, the story is filled with lush descriptions of place settings—the story mostly takes place in Mexico—and so much history. De la Rosa also brings in timely and relevant challenges resulting from the multiple waves of colonialism in Mexico: colorism, the caste system, anti-indigenous sentiment, patriarchy, and of course white supremacy. There is a lot of travel in GAHG: the couple travels from England to Mexico and back again, from the coast to San Luis Potosí, from London to the north of England to the ducal seat. For such a slowly moving narrative…this felt a touch odd.

A dark moment in the third act showed that there was still room for these characters to grow. Though I did find myself groaning aloud at every missed opportunity for Sebastian to reveal his big secret. (C’MON MAN! 🙄🫣) Gabi’s response though? Definitely made sense for her character arc. And I liked that she’s called out for it by her sister Ana and former chaperone Lady Yardley.

Did I enjoy this finale and sense of resolution to the series? Yes. Was it my favorite of the three? No, and that’s ok!

I loved this series, and I'm sad to see it end! I loved Gabi and Sebastian's slow burn love story finally getting the chance to, well, burn, while never losing sight of what makes them the characters we've come to love in the background of the first two books — and of course, loved seeing the other Luna sisters pop up as well!