West Side Love Story - Review

West Side Love Story (Queens of Mariachi, # 1)

By: Priscilla Oliveras

Publication: June 1st 2022 by Montlake

331 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Retelling

Source: Amazon Kindle First

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Goodreads description--A heart-stirring romance of star-crossed love, feuding familias, and the bonds of sisterhood by USA Today bestselling author Priscilla Oliveras.

Two familias in Texas, both alike in dignity, rivalries, and passion…

Having grown up in the nurturing household of Casa Capuleta, Mariana will do anything for familia. To solve her adoptive parents’ financial problems amid their rapidly changing San Antonio comunidad, Mariana and her younger sisters are determined to win the Battle of the Mariachi Bands. That means competing against Hugo Montero, their father’s archnemesis, and his band and escalating a decades-old feud. It also raises the stakes of Mariana’s forbidden attraction for a certain dark-eyed mariachi who sets her heart racing.

To Angelo Montero’s familia, Mariana is also strictly off-limits. But that doesn’t stop him from pursuing her. As their secret affair intensifies and the competition grows fierce, they’re swept up in a brewing storm of betrayals, rivalries, and broken ties. Against the odds, they vow to bring peace. But sacrifices must be made and consequences weighed for two star-crossed lovers to make beautiful music together.

I got this years ago as an Amazon Kindle First book. I put it off because it wasn't a priority at the time. Books I get for review from publishers take first priority, and then I have such a backlog of books that I want to read on my own that it took a long time to get around to this one. I finally decided to pick it up.

Obviously, West Side Love Story is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet. I was worried about this book following too closely to the source material. Certain pieces from the original need to be done, but not all. And Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy after all. I don't so much enjoy reading tragedies. I don't mind a book making me cry, but I want the ending to be filled with hope and not so much death and finality.

I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but I ended up hooked pretty early with West Side Love Story. Mariana and Angelo meet one night randomly but don't learn who each other is at that meeting. They have chemistry and share a moment that neither one of them can easily forget. Angelo first finds out who Mariana is and has to talk her into being friends with him. A shaky friendship turns into an alliance and then into more.

Angelo's parents are both dead and he is the sole guardian of his younger sister who is fourteen years old now. His uncle offered him a place to live and a job when his parents died, and he's been very thankful for that. Only he's never understood his uncle's feud with the Capuleta family. Working for his uncle, he's never seen any illegal or underhanded business dealings that his uncle is rumored to participate in, but Angelo now has a reason not to turn a blind eye to such things.

Mariana is adopted. All of her siblings are. Her parents have taken in many girls who needed a home and a family. And they run a community center that helps many other families and members of their community. Mariana is used to keeping her family together by being the one that most of the others turn to. Her pride in her family and their love for each other was heartwarming. It made them all so easy to root for. Each of the sisters had personalities to jump off the page, especially Cat and Nina (the youngest and newest member of the family, currently just fostering).

The physical scenes are mostly mild. Any actual acts are mostly skipped. I will say there was more description leading up to events or imagining them than what actually happened.

West Side Love Story was better than I expected. Some of the retelling pieces from Romeo and Juliet was a bit "on the nose", but I also appreciated where Priscilla Oliveras decided to detour from the source material. I liked the side characters. Cat was a little bossy and pushy for my taste, but I will say that I'm interested in her story which is book 2. Ultimately, I give West Side Love Story 4 Stars. Have you read West Side Love Story? What did you think? Let me know!