This is my first read from Alexis Daria and I’ll be back for more! Along Came Amor is the third in her Primas of Power series. It kicks off with Ava Rodriquez alone in a Jersey bar on the night her divorce comes through. She’s tried to be the perfect sister/ daughter/ friend/ wife so she is devastated by this loss and what she perceives as failure. She’s thirty-three and working hard as a school teacher, and her family, which is extended and extensive, is hyper-present in her life. The older generations of matriarchs are critical and insensitive and relentless, and everyone takes advantage of Ava.

Back in the bar, she is tempted by Roman Vásquez who is confident, older and gorgeous, and who, it turns out, owns the bar, the hotel they are in, a rum distillery, and much more. In other words, he’s in a different financial – and social – league to Ava. After a fantastic one night stand – a revelation for both of them – they fall into a series of regular hookups every few months. In the third person dual PoV, we see Roman falling fast, and soon he wants much more than casual from Ava.

In the background are the lives of the two other Primas of Power, Jasmine and Michelle. This book covers the twelve-month lead up to Jasmine’s wedding and complications ratchet up when, unbeknownst to Ava, Roman is going to be best man at the wedding. Unfortunately, Ava is desperate to keep her budding relationship with Roman secret from her meddling and judgmental family. As she puts it, she just wants something for herself.

Ronan is a caretaker. He looks after his mother and his younger sister, and although he is very wealthy, he never forgets that all his success could disappear tomorrow. He wants to throw his money – and himself – at Ava, but it’s not that simple. The plot doesn’t go the way I had expected (no third act breakup – yay!) and there is a delicious inevitability about the way their friends find out that Ava and Ronan are a thing, even as Ava tries to hide it.

Puerto Rican and Latina culture is celebrated and Spanish language is used throughout (with no translations needed); food is discussed and created, music and cultural elements are integrated and I felt as if I’d been to Puerto Rico.

I loved that these two are genuinely good people and it’s a relatively low-angst read. Ava takes too long to realise she’s worthy of Roman, and there’s too much introspection from both Roman and Ava – Ava definitely could have done with a better therapist! While Ava’s hesitation is overworked, it’s also justified – her relatives really are awful to her. Roman is a bit too good to be true, his character could have had more shade and he’d still be a top-tier book boyfriend.

I enjoyed Along Came Amor and I was totally invested in their story – barracking for Roman and commiserating with Ava.