I enjoyed reading Kiss Me, Catalina. I fell in love with Patricio and loved Catalina's fearless attitude. They both show passion to their music and to each other. They did not give up and rose above. Thank you so much for this arc and I can not wait for more in the series.

Kiss Me, Catalina, book 2 In the Queens of Mariachi series, takes place in San Antonio, Texas, after the Capuletas win the Battle of the Mariachi Bands
Through a fresh retelling of A Taming of the Shrew, we follow Cat during the contentious period of song writing and touring with THE Patricio Galán, one of mariachi’s superstars. Despite his hesitance to grow close to Catalina, for reasons she knows not, they find themselves drawn together. Both have a no-dating-musicians rule (that seems meant to be broken) and are constantly butting heads. Cat is focused on her family’s future while Patricio tries to find his inspiration again. The more they play together though, the more their mutual passions show and we see the characters for who they hope to grow into…
I loved West Side Story and now, I’m happy to say that, book #2 was just as fascinating! The culture, the familial angles, and the strong women; que divertida!

Thank you Priscilla Ontiveras and Montlake for the copy in exchange for my honest review 💕

“Kiss Me, Catalina” is a great follow-up to the first book of the series, “West Side Love Story.” Instead of watching the mariachi bands compete in a Battle of the Bands concert, readers get taken on a mariachi tour through the southwest.

I was so thrilled when I found out the next book was about Catalina. She was a standout character to me in the first book (which is about her older sister Mariana). Her spunk and confidence were contagious then, and that didn’t change when the story transitioned to focus on her. Her backstory is heartbreaking, but it’s amazing to see the strength she has despite knowing going down the same career path as her father could result in the same outcome.

Patricio was the perfect counterpart. He could match her toe for toe while also recognizing when she had to be vulnerable or when her strength waivered. The two of them having similar family issues worked well, since both fuel them in their careers. Though, at times, it did feel a bit spiteful. Can’t they want the same thing as their parents without trying to prove something?

My only hang-up with “Kiss Me, Catalina” was I felt the third-act fallout came too late. I felt like as a reader I didn’t have time to marinate in why there was an issue before it was just suddenly fixed.

Another awesome novel by Priscilla Oliveras. I can’t wait to see who the third book is about (I’m hoping it’s Blanca).

I enjoyed the tension between Patricio and Cat smooch. This was a bit of a modern spin of “The Taming of the Shrew”, but with a lot more breaking down of patriarchal views and the tackling of machismo.

I don’t think that Patricio was really clear about what he wanted to do song writing wise with Cat until the end, which was frustrating as a reader to not be part of the knowledge.

I don’t know if I felt true resolution on the subject of Cat’s dad, which was a little annoying because his lack of involvement in her life was a big motivator in her succeeding as a mariachi.

Overall I really enjoyed this book by Priscilla Oliveras and cannot wait to read another book by her.

4/5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review. All views are my own.

The romance between the established star and the feisty songwriter was a bit predictable, but what really made this book worthwhile for me was a glimpse into a world I was not at all familiar with - the world of mariachi music. As Patricio tours around the southwestern U.S. with Cat along to sing and help write songs, we get to see how popular their concerts are and what a celebrity a mariachi superstar can be. I really enjoy visiting a different community and learning a bit about their culture and Oliveras does a great job introducing us to the Hispanic community in San Antonio and beyond.

This is the second book in the series and I hadn’t read the first one so I felt that I was missing a lot about Cat’s backstory with her family. I could gather a bit from what the author revealed, but I would have liked for her to fill us in a little more.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

I love how fiery and dedicated Catalina is to her craft! Patricio is also amazing at his craft. Both of them are both trying to get out from under different types of pressures, Patricio with a maddening father and Catalina with her desire to not become like her mother trusting a mariachi that could leave her behind.

I really like the banter that these two share back and forth. They are amazing on stage together and they know how to help push each other forward to be the best that they can be.

I enjoyed reading this. I’m a big fan of romance novels featuring musicians and I thought this was a really lovely version of that story. The writing in this book is very strong; parts of it felt really effortless, there were some lovely descriptions, a nice sense of humour. Being someone who isn’t very familiar with mariachi, Priscilla Oliveras really pulled me into their world.

The romance between Catalina and Patricio was really strong; there was great sexual tension between them from the first chapter. Their banter was entertaining and their chemistry really shone through. I was just aching for them to act on their feelings throughout the book. Patricio was a great character; I liked that he was grumpy and sharp at points but that he ultimately did respect Catalina and her talents, and made sure to show that.

Catalina was a little harder for me to pin down as a character. I enjoyed her interactions with Patricio and the stage persona she had - her sassiness, her boldness, her confidence, her determination, it was really entertaining and I really rooted for her, especially in regards to her fledgling career. However, I found some of her interactions with her sister, Blanca, a little trickier to understand. Whilst I understood the trauma she had been through, her initial reaction to Blanca’s decisions regarding her own romantic life were very frustrating. I’m glad Blanca called her out on how unfair it was to hold a fully-grown woman to a 6-year-old girl’s promise, because it did seem really childish. I actually thought the conflict introduced involving their father would have made more sense; I completely understood Catalina’s fury and devastation at that stage. The other stuff just felt a bit flat in comparison.

I will say that whilst I enjoyed this book a lot, I did find some of the dramatic elements a little bit muddled and I’m not sure I found any of them resolved in a way I found satisfactory. The ending itself also felt a little bit blunt and unfinished; an epilogue to round things off might have been nice.

That said - the romance in this is really lovely; it’s sexy and sweet at the same time, and there’s a mutual respect between Patricio and Catalina that I really enjoyed. This is also a really solidly-written book - the actual writing is very evocative and lovely in parts. I just felt like some of the dramatic, external plot points could have been worked in a bit better. Overall, though, this is a very good book, one that I really enjoyed reading, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a hate-to-love, forced proximity romance. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.

Content Notes: Death of a parent (in past), traffic collision (in past), deportation of a family member (in past), absent parent, difficult relationship with parents, sexism / misogyny, on-page sexual contact, off-page sex.

I dnf’d this book. I struggled through the first one and admittedly didn’t enjoy it. I could tell this was going to have the same annoyingly hokey writing style, and I just couldn’t continue.

Kiss Me Catalina is the second book following the Capuleta sisters and their Mariachi band.

After the success of the sisters in The Battle of the Mariachi Bands, Cat is offered the opportunity to travel with superstar Patricio on his tour. Will these two musicians find more than just friendship on the road?

I love Priscilla Oliveras books and she has created such wonderful characters in her books. The Capuleta sisters are so fun and I am enjoying reading about Mariachi music and both sisters stories so far. This was a slow slow burn but they each had their reasons for not wanting to be in a relationship. I'm hoping there is a third book in this series!

Thanks to Montlake Publishing for my copy of Kiss Me Catalina. It comes out next Tuesday - November 1st!

I was approved to read this ARC and I sat down to start reading before bed and wound up staying up till almost 2am to finish it. This is certainly an absolutely beautiful story full of family and love! Catalina, our female MC is a strong character that makes me want to do better for myself. The love story was impeccably written. I loved it so much, that I might get a physical copy of it. I received this ARC from NetGalley and reviewed it voluntarily. All opinions are my own.

"Blood, sweat, and tears. And a long-lasting rep lip stain."

To read Priscilla Oliveras' books is to know her. Oliveras has such a distinct voice and each time I read her books I am thrown into a vivid Latinx world filled with family, music, and lots of love. Kiss Me, Catalina, is the second book in the Queens of Mariachi series, but can be read as a standalone.

My favorite part of the book was Catalina. A confident spitfire, Catalina has a sharp tongue, but is an extremely hard worker with loads of dedication. Dying to prove herself in the music industry, she has a lot of responsibility on her shoulders, yet finds ways to stand up for women in the business and inspire others along the way. I loved how she wasn't a damsel in distress in need of saving, but a strong, independent woman ready to take on the world.

Patricio was Catalina's perfect match in every way. While Catalina is fighting her struggles, Patricio is silently fighting his own. The feeling of discontent with the music business has been slowing chipping away at him, giving him writer's block. But his relationship with Catalina allows Patricio to relax on stage and enjoy himself for the first time in awhile. I loved how he sees the true Catalina, not the facade she puts on for the public, and encourages her to stay true to herself.

The pair's flirty banter on point as they develop their romance through music. The sexual tension built quickly with the forced proximity and the pair's individual tough upbringings bond them quickly. I loved the positive light shed on mental health, especially Patricio championing therapy to help Catalina cope with coming to terms with her birth father.

Kiss Me, Catalina is a fade to black forbidden romance where he falls first. A special thanks to NetGalley and the author for the advanced copy.

The synopsis for this one was really promising but unfortunately, I felt the story and characters were a little flat. The story was predictable with not much conflict. There was also a lot of Spanish which for a non Spanish speaker was hard to understand. I have heard great things about this author though, so I am definitely keen to try other books by her.

Another one I absolutely love and adore! I just pictured Alejandro Fernandez as Patricio and YES, YES, YES!

I loved how sweet and tender Patricio was. How fiery Catalina was. The banter, the chemistry, the music! The family dynamics and the foster care representation was wonderful!

Thank you for the ARC of this beautifully swoony book!

Now to listen to some of my favorites! 💃🏻
Alexa play:
🎵 Yo No Se Olvidar by Alejandro Fernandez
🎵 Nací Para Amarte by Alejandro Fernández
🎵 Si Tu Supieras by Alejandro Fernández
🎵 No Lo Beses by Alejandro Fernández
🎵 Hoy Tengo Ganas De Ti by Alejandro Fernández and Christina Aguilera
🎵 Tú Solo Tú by Selena

Thanks to Montlake and Netgalley for this advanced copy!

I am really loving this Mariachi/Shakespeare series from Oliveras. Kiss Me, Catalina was even better than the first novel in the series, as a retelling (Taming of the Shrew), it is far more faithful to the original Shakespeare play. What I think I loved the most about this retelling is how Oliveras sides with Catalina (Kate) in this story, AS YOU SHOULD, making her not so much as a "shrew", but as a passionate woman with a strong opinion who isn't putting up with what the patriarchy is putting down. I'm here for it.

Cat and Patricio are so lovely as a couple and their story was a great slow burn of two people who can't help but be drawn together but have their own rules based on their own trauma. Each of them is respectful of the other's boundaries without ever realizing that the other is breaking down their walls one song at a time. I love how they worked around and with each other through the tour, getting to a place of mutual artistic respect as well as love.

I always love Oliveras's books and the worst thing is getting two books in a series and not knowing when/if we'll get a third. I love this series because of how it dives into mariachi, a beautiful music genre, and how it weaves music into this wonderful found family of sisters and their foster parents. Their love and support are incredible to read and I hope she keeps this series going through the rest of the sisters.

It was so much fun to return to the Queens of Mariachi world! I enjoyed the first installment so much; I was so excited to read Catalina’s story! We met Patricio Galan in the first book, but seeing him fall in love with Catalina was the sweetest thing! Let’s be real, she didn’t make it too easy for him. I loved the romance and the banter between Catalina and Patricio. I also loved the theme of family that played a huge part throughout the whole book. I can’t recommend this enough!

I listened to the audiobook of West Side Love Story and adored it. This one I enjoyed just as much. I love the sister dynamic and being the eldest daughter of an immigrant family I highly related,

Catalina and Patricio are simply amazing, their chemistry being such a sweet and swoon worthy romance to read about!

I loved reading about Catalina and her heart breaking but beautiful journey. The passion she has within herself is one which I strive to have in my own life. She was truly an awesome FMC to read about.

One of my favorite things about The Queen of the Mariachis series is how the author is able to incorporate Latinx culture without making it seemed forced or random. Such as using common Spanish phrases and talking about the food and music within our culture. It simply makes the experience of reading the book much better.

I loved the development and song writing journey within Catalina and Patricios relationship. My only main conflict with this book was that I wish the main conflict of the book hadn't largely been focused on soley miscommunication. The conflict within the couple could've been avoided if an explanation was given before walking out. But I understand why the author potentially chose to go down this route, which I assume largely revolves around Catalinas quick and fiery personality.

Overall this was a cute book and definitely worth the read!

Priscilla Oliveras continues her lovely West Side Love Story series about a family of female mariachis finding love and romance in Kiss Me, Catalina. This is a consistently wonderful book, with an enthusiastically glorious heroine and a sweet hero.

Ambitious singer/songwriter Catalina – Cat - Capuleta (adopted sister of West Side Love Story heroine Mariana) is offered a recording contract with Padua Records on the strength of her songwriting and singing talent. Her label sets her up on a seven-month national concert tour with famous (and famously arrogant) fellow mariachi Patricio Galán, Cat’s songwriting skills – and professionalism – come in handy, as they get on like oil and water. At least at first.

Both Cat and Patricio are too stubborn and strong-willed to fully give in to their desire. Cat just wants to make her family proud and is determined to keep things professional, while there’s a whole host of reasons Patricio shouldn’t end up in bed with his opening act, no matter how much of a following they’ve managed to attain with their passionate duets or how truly lonely he is. Even when they finally succumb to passion, their baggage and the music world at large threaten to pull them apart, leaving them wondering if the magic they’re able to make both on stage and off is just a romantic mirage.

This is the right way to do a slow burn. Bit by bit, Cat and Patricio fall for one another, going from onstage rivals to duet partners to confidants to lovers to romantic partners. It’s all good, and no one does it better than Oliveras, who manages to make her characters beautifully well-rounded without sacrificing a single note. Both Cat and Patricio are easy to love and easy to root for, and the romance between them soars.

As always, it’s fun to learn about music through Oliveras’ work – it takes an excellent author to make the musical world ring so true to life, but you can hear every single note that’s played in this story without hearing the actual music. Setting, romance and character work (as both leads try to deal with difficult family expectations) make the book itself sing.

This is a perfect romance, and it’s wonderfully swoony. Kiss Me Catalina makes you wonder what Oliveras has in store for the rest of the Capuleta family singers.

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I loved Priscilla's other book, Island Affair. I was a little let down with this one. It had a lot of spanish dialogue which is fine for me since I speak spanish. But for those who do not, I can tell they will struggle with understanding the story. The story felt a bit predictable.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

Kiss Me, Catalina is the second book following the Capuleta sisters (although it’s not billed by the publisher as a formal series). Unlike the first, it’s not as centered on the family dynamics, but it’s still present in more subtle ways. It can stand alone, but you do get more understanding of the Capuleta family if you read the first book.

I loved seeing more of mariachi, especially from a professional perspective, with Cat being a bright-eyed newcomer and Patricio the big star. It’s fun to see the industry from both sides, especially since Cat is more than able to hold her own.

I love how Cat and Pedro challenge and excite each other, even as there are high stakes that serve as roadblocks to their being together. And their respective family dramas and baggage only serve as an additional factor for them to bond over.

This is another fabulous read from Priscilla Oliveras, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a culturally rich contemporary romance with Latinx characters.