5 Latinx Romances to Diversify Your Bookshelves
Latinx visibility is having a moment. We have a long way to go, but we’re heading in the right direction. From Shakira and Jennifer Lopez headlining the Superbowl, to Selena the series getting a second season on Netflix, to the release of Luis Manuel Miranda’s musical In the Heights, media is slowly starting to shift the spotlight on the beauty of Latinx culture. When we have representation, we can finally exist and demand the dignity we deserve.
The romance genre is no different. Publishers are slowly starting to wake up to amazing Latinx romance authors, and I am here for it. Here are my top five Latinx romances you probably haven’t heard about but are worth your time and attention.
Disclaimer: Not responsible for e-readers melting from the steamy scenes.
5. Acting on Impulse by Mia Sosa
You’ve probably heard of The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa. Oprah Magazine hailed it on release, and the praise is much deserved. But . . . I have a special place in my heart for Acting on Impulse by Sosa. Maybe it’s the sexy vacation to Aruba . . . or the heartthrob celebrity Carter Stone falling for the oh-so-relatable Tori Alvarez. She is the type of character that embodies the meaning of strength, both emotionally and physically. Escape to Aruba AND an ambitious, strong heroine? Sign me up!
4. Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras
You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria would be hard to miss from a rocket in space with all the publicity it’s gotten (and do check out the sexy telenovela romance—it is fantastic and deserves an honorable mention), but have you heard about Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras? If you’re sensing a theme, you’re not wrong. I long to travel. So much. This one takes place in Key West, though. But listen, it’s the hunky Luis Navarro I’m here for. Sexy fire-fighter, anyone? I do love a man in uniform.
3. Remission by Ofelia Martinez
Yes. This one is mine! And you haven’t heard about it because it just released on June 30, 2021. While I love reading work by all my Dominican, Puerto Rican, and other Latinx Queens, I also want to see more Chicanas represented on the page. There’s room for all of us to take up space, so I wrote Remission. It is an age-gap, hate-to-lovers romance with a Mexican-American main character. Carolina is ambitious and high achieving, and it takes a rather spectacular Dr. Hector Medina to deserve some of her precious time. Come here for all the angst and the slow burn with big pay-off at the steamy end.
2. Wait for It by Mariana Zapata
The Queen of the slow-burn is best known for The Wall of Winnipeg and Me—one of my favorite books of all time—but it’s Wait for It that I die for. Diana is the first openly Mexican-American main character in romance that I ever read, and it unlocked a new world of possibility to me. She is the type of loyal that would do anything for her loved ones, even if it puts herself in danger—and she sometimes does it for strangers and acquaintances as well. There’s no way to dislike Diana. She is a self-made woman who ends up with a prince among men who knows how to worship her as she deserves to be worshiped.
1. Lush Money by Angelina M. Lopez
I’m ashamed to admit how long I slept on Angelina M. Lopez. I only recently discovered her and can’t fathom where she’s been all my life. Where do I start with this one (my new favorite author)? How about an Alpha billionaire who takes what her heart desires? You read that right. She is the Alpha billionaire, who when she sees a prince and decides she wants him as the father of her child, he has no recourse but to fall at her feet. Roxanne Medina is the ultimate boss, so you know it takes someone extraordinary to deserve her and all her strength.
Strong heroine: check.
Marriage of convenience: check.
One of the best romances you’ll ever read: check.
What books am I missing? Please let me know if you have found any hidden Latinx romance gems. I’m especially looking for more Mexican-American main characters and authors.
[Notice of non-affiliation]
Neither Ofelia Martinez nor Reading Cactus Press are affiliated or sponsored by any of the links included in this entry.
