When one thinks of romance novels, the exploration of the impact of generational trauma and the theme of self love and acceptance don’t generally come to mind. Yet, in Alexis Daria’s latest novel, Along Came Amor, these themes are front and center as she weaves a steamy, yet gripping tale of the heartbreak following a divorce, the feelings of personal failure that follow, the pressure and familial responsibilities Latinas often face and the importance of self-love and acceptance, with of course an epic romance at the center of the tale. It is a lot of ground to cover in a singular novel, but Daria shines in her ability to convey the weight of which the story’s protagonist, Ava, is crushed by her people-pleasing tendencies and the expectations of her family to be perfect.
Along Came Amor does a wonderful job of bringing the familial dynamics Latinas are all too familiar with alive on the page. From the chismosa relatives who always have something to say about everybody to the expectations and pressures to get married and have children and the way it is culturally ingrained from childhood for Latinas to be helpful and serve others and to always behave. Each and every single one of these characters and scenarios are experiences that most Latinas will be able to recognize and relate to. It’s the offhand remarks from abuela, the chismes from a tia and the brutal teasing from the familia that often cuts the deepest and with the character of Ava, Daria explores just how damaging it can be to internalize all of this behavior.
Boundaries do not exist in Ava’s family, therefore she has zero boundaries with her family. It’s a slippery slope which often results in Ava being taken advantage of as everyone comes to rely on her too much for everything. From babysitting, to helping abuela cook, to trauma dumping their problems onto Ava, Ava is always available to her family, which results in her being unavailable to live a life of her own.
Enter Roman Vázquez, the rich and handsome hotelier Ava meets by chance during a teacher’s conference. A self-made millionaire, Roman has built an empire and is by all accounts a success. However, every aspect of his life is scheduled. From meetings to public dates planned by his publicist, Roman lives and dies by his schedule. Which results in him not really having much time to live at all. Sound familiar?
Upon meeting Roman, Ava decides to give up overthinking for the night and gives in to the idea of having a one night stand with Roman. One night isn’t enough for either of them and what began as a fling, slowly develops into something more. The entire time it is Ava who sets the boundaries of their relationship. A fascinating twist considering how it is Ava who lacks any boundaries in all of her familial relationships. Roman allows Ava the space to state her needs and meets them at her pace. It’s a gift which allows Ava the opportunity to explore who she is and her desires outside of any expectation and pressures set upon her by her family.
Unfortunately Roman turns out to be the best man in her cousin Jasmine’s wedding and Ava’s desire to set boundaries between Roman and her family results in her trying to hide their relationship from her family.
Hiding a relationship is never okay and Daria never excuses Ava’s actions, but rather does a beautiful job of demonstrating why Ava’s fears of inviting family into her relationship are valid to her. Through Ava opening up about past experiences and the offhand comments made by members of her own family, it becomes clear the trauma that Ava holds onto from her past and the impact it could have on her future. Family is the tie that binds but in some cases, that tie can be a noose.
The exploration of the impact family can have on one’s psyche is honestly the most fascinating part of the entire story. Yes, the romance between Ava and Roman is gripping and their steamy love affair is a page turner that will leave readers wanting more. Avid romance readers will be familiar with the fling to love troupe, but the characters in Daria’s tale are written in a way that is refreshing, with their proud Puerto Rican heritage portrayed in earnest ways. While some authors feel like they are checking off a diversity box or perpetuating stereotypes when exploring Latino characters, Daria excels at creating rich, complex characters who are proud of their heritage but who also feel like people you know or can recognize in your own life.
Family dynamics can be complex for anyone, but the novel highlights just how much that applies in family-centric Latino culture. Along Came Amor explores these complexities in a raw and real way through rich characters and deep family bonds where primas are more like sisters and abuelas can be judge, jury and executioner.
Along Came Amor is the third and final book in Daria’s Primas of Power series where each book highlights a different romantic story of a member of the Rodriguez family. It is important to note that though the series covers the love lives of the Rodriguez cousins, each novel serves as a standalone tale. While they say that no one will love you like family and there is much love between the primas of power, it also remains true that no one can hurt you quite like family can.
Alexis Daria has not only won over hearts with this beautiful love story, but broken the chains of family trauma. Readers not only fall in love with Ava and Roman, but join Ava on her journey towards self-love and acceptance. We can’t wait to see what story Alexis Daria elects to tell next.
Along Came Amor will be released on May 27, 2025.
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