Starting off this Wednesday by sharing 2 recent romance reads of mine! I usually try to wait & share my mini reviews until I have at least 3 books to share, but I want to be a little bit more proactive about making my mini reviews, you know, recent by sharing them somewhat close to when I’ve read them. I unexpectedly took a week long break from blogging last week (I  shared some thoughts about burnout 2 weeks), mostly because I worked all throughout last weekend and had a really busy week that left no time for blog writing at night, but I feel more rejuvenated coming into blogging this week. Today, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on two popular romance sequels: A Lot Like Adiòs and The Legacy.

A Lot Like Adiòs by Alexis Daria

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

I really liked Alexis Daria’s 2020 releases, You Had Me at Hola, so I looked forward to continuing the Primas of Power companion series with A Lot Like Adiòs. This best friends-to-lovers contemporary romance follows Jasmine’s cousin, Michelle, and her (former) best friend, Gabe, who is back in the Bronx for the first time in nearly ten years to oversee the expansion of his gym. Gabe’s partner hired Michelle, a freelance graphic designed, to help them work on the project without Gabe’s knowledge and the two are forced to reconcile the past & their feelings for one another. 

I think I actually liked A Lot Like Adiòs a little bit more than You Had Me at Hola, mostly because we definitely don’t have as many best friends-to-lovers romances as we do like other popular tropes such as fake dating & enemies-to-lovers (which don’t get me wrong, are two of my favorite tropes). A Lot Like Adiòs was a really refreshing read and things get steamy pretty early on the book.. meaning that we don’t wait for Gabe & Michelle to jump back into their feelings for one another. Just like You Had Me at Hola, the book also tackles family issues, mental health, and career aspirations. Overall, I recommend reading this one if you want more friends-to-lovers reads and want to revisit the world of You Had Me at Hola. Looking forward to seeing what the third prima’s, Ava, will be about! 

The Legacy (Off-Campus #5) by Elle Kennedy

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

I binge-read The Legacy, the 4 novella bind-up in Elle Kennedy’s Off-Campus series last Friday afternoon into Saturday morning. I might’ve mentioned this in another blog post, but I kind’ve feel like a book hipster for reading this series 3 years ago before it completely took over Book Tok. While I’ve enjoyed the Off-Campus spinoff series, Briar U, I totally admit that I enjoy the original series following the love lives of members on the fictional Briar U hockey team more. The Legacy is composed of four novellas followed each of the lead couples from the Off-Campus series: Hannah & Garrett (The Deal ), Logan & Grace (The Mistake), Allie & Dean (The Score), and Tucker & Sabrina (The Goal). 

I’m giving The Legacy 4 stars for pure enjoyment. There’s just something so addicting about Elle Kennedy’s writing. I did notice though that the tone of each story kind’ve blends into another, especially since the novella are obviously back-to-back, meaning that it was sometimes difficult to distinguish between characters. My biggest criticism that seems to be shared by other reviews I’ve read on Goodreads is that the novellas mostly serve as fluff with unnecessary problems/drama and not quite as epilogues, especially Hannah and Garrett’s story. The novellas mostly revolve around each couple taking a big step in their relationship, whether thats engagements, marriages, moves, or babies. Logan & Grace’s story was somewhat surprisingly my favorite, since to be honest, I have the least amount of memory of their book, but I liked how it provided a snapshot of their relationship since their book and had a cute happy end. I feel so bad admitting it because I LOVE their book, The Goal, but Tucker and Sabrina’s novella about their vacation gone wrong felt unnecessary. Hannah and Garrett’s novella was quite intense and not exactly the happy story I think we were all expecting. Dean & Allie’s novella was cute, but likely the least memorable of the collection. 

Overall, I recommend reading The Legacy if you’re really invested in the Off-Campus series and love Elle Kennedy’s writing, but I don’t necessarily think it’s a must read. I am excited though for Elle Kennedy’s upcoming books, including her first traditionally published romance, Good Girl Complex. 

Have you read A Lot Like Adiòs or The Legacy? Have you read the Off-Campus series or You Had Me at Hola? What romances have you been reading lately? Share in the comments!