BIPOC Author Spotlight Sunday: Alexis Daria

Author: Alexis Daria Title: You Had Me at Hola Publisher: Avon Date Published:08/04/2020 

Read Dates: 09/11/2026- 09/12/2026
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

You Had Me at Hola is a dual POV workplace romance. After a recent breakup lands her in the tabloids, soap actress Jasmine is determined to take control of the narrative of her life and career. When offered the lead role on a new show produced by a popular streaming service, she sees this as an opportunity to right the ship and keep the focus on her performance, not on perspective partners. When Ashton, a popular but intensely private telenovela actor, joins the show, she’s torn: she’s hurt by the distance he puts between them, but also knows it’s best to avoid any entanglement, real or perceived. Ashton is thrilled to take a step towards more serious roles, but he has secrets he’s determined to keep, and if that means keeping his distance from his charming and talented costar who attracts paparazzi at every turn, then that’s what he’ll try to do!

This was such a good book! I loved the story of two actors who wanted to be taken seriously, and who both had reasons to avoid a relationship being drawn to each other anyway. I thought Ashton’s anxiety and PTSD were portrayed really well, and Jasmine’s big heart, looking for love and wanting to share love, was beautiful. Their chemistry was fantastic, and the supporting characters were wonderful. I can’t wait to read the rest of this series!

Leading Ladies do not end up on tabloid covers. 

After a messy public breakup, soap opera darling Jasmine Lin Rodriguez finds her face splashed across the tabloids. When she returns to her hometown of New York City to film the starring role in a bilingual romantic comedy for the number one streaming service in the country, Jasmine figures her new “Leading Lady Plan” should be easy enough to follow—until a casting shake-up pairs her with telenovela hunk Ashton Suárez. 

Leading Ladies don’t need a man to be happy. 

After his last telenovela character was killed off, Ashton is worried his career is dead as well. Joining this new cast as a last-minute addition will give him the chance to show off his acting chops to American audiences and ping the radar of Hollywood casting agents. To make it work, he’ll need to generate smoking-hot on-screen chemistry with Jasmine. Easier said than done, especially when a disastrous first impression smothers the embers of whatever sexual heat they might have had. 

Leading Ladies do not rebound with their new costars. 

With their careers on the line, Jasmine and Ashton agree to rehearse in private. But rehearsal leads to kissing, and kissing leads to a behind-the-scenes romance worthy of a soap opera. While their on-screen performance improves, the media spotlight on Jasmine soon threatens to destroy her new image and expose Ashton’s most closely guarded secret.