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Desert Monsoon #1
Love Over Lattes
In this sexy, contemporary debut set in the sizzling Southwest, recent college graduate gets more than she bargained for when she accepts the help of a hot as hell CEO fighting to keep his company.
Single mom Valentina wants to provide a good life for her son, starting with the perfect home. When the deal on her dream house falls through, rather than move back in with her parents and disappoint them and her son once again, she accepts the help of the intimidating-as-hell stranger she's admired from her coffee shop seat for the last six months. She's afraid to fall for the wrong guy again, so she makes Cole promise to keep their relationship strictly professional.
Following his failed marriage, Cole can't find a reason to care about anything or anyone. Saving his company from his ex-wife is the only thing that has kept him afloat for the past six months. As loneliness sets in and he begins to lose the fight over his company, Valentina becomes his lifeline. Cole wants to be more than her landlord, and he has a plan to get her to release him from his promise.
Single mom Valentina wants to provide a good life for her son, starting with the perfect home. When the deal on her dream house falls through, rather than move back in with her parents and disappoint them and her son once again, she accepts the help of the intimidating-as-hell stranger she's admired from her coffee shop seat for the last six months. She's afraid to fall for the wrong guy again, so she makes Cole promise to keep their relationship strictly professional.
Following his failed marriage, Cole can't find a reason to care about anything or anyone. Saving his company from his ex-wife is the only thing that has kept him afloat for the past six months. As loneliness sets in and he begins to lose the fight over his company, Valentina becomes his lifeline. Cole wants to be more than her landlord, and he has a plan to get her to release him from his promise.
- GenresRomanceContemporary
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2018
About the author
Diana A. Hicks
39 books661 followersDiana A. Hicks is an award-winning author of dark mafia romance and romantic suspense. Her latest release Fallen Raven is out now!
When Diana is not writing, she enjoys hot yoga, kickboxing, traveling, and indulging in the simple joys of life like wine and chocolate. She lives in Atlanta and loves spending time with her two children and husband. Connect with Diana on social media to stay up to date on her latest releases.
Follow her on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dianahicksauthor
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Follow her on Twitter: @diana_hicks
When Diana is not writing, she enjoys hot yoga, kickboxing, traveling, and indulging in the simple joys of life like wine and chocolate. She lives in Atlanta and loves spending time with her two children and husband. Connect with Diana on social media to stay up to date on her latest releases.
Follow her on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dianahicksauthor
Follow her on Amazon: amazon.com/author/dianahicksauthor
Follow her on BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/diana...
Follow her blog: https://dianahicksbooks.com/
Like her Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/DianaHicksAu...
Join her reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Diana...
Follow her on Twitter: @diana_hicks
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
January 24, 2018
Love Over Lattes is a fantastic read by a wonderful new author, Diana Hicks. She invites us into Valentina and Cole's world so we can experience their emotions with a first person perspective alternating between the two characters... so fun to "see" into their minds! This is a must read and a must follow as Ms. Hicks continues this series. I couldn't put it down!
February 27, 2018
Well...what seemed promising led me to...checks notes...
eyes blur, sighs.
This book was engaging. Valentina is a down-on-her-luck 24 year old mother trying to finish school and get her and her son into a home with stability. Woman in tech? Check. She works her ass off, starting everyday at a little coffee shop where she sees Derek (or Cole) daily. They don't acknowledge each other until Valentina clearly receives bad news, which Cole tries not to interfere. He sees her crying, melts, knowing he's - as a recent divorcee and currently unemployed day drinker - needs to stay away, but he can't help himself. The tears are just too much to ignore.
Guess what, Cole is like a gazillionaire. While I kind of loved the premise of this book, down-on-his-luck gazillionaire meets self-made almost graduate, its execution failed spectacularly for me. Below spoiler tags, I will list the reasons for this:
Look, this book had issues that were intolerable for me. I wouldn't root for this couple. I was rooting for the characters in a sense, and I thought that could be really interesting. But all the major issues and minor ones were glossed over with orgasms and lust turned love. I thought Cole was impossibly interesting as a character, but this was just a book that moved a plot along and the character magically resolved the major conflict and somehow, though we'll never know how, got over all the big issues he was facing. There was real potential here, and it was squandered by relying on the plot marching on and not having the characters face their own demons. And I don't buy the Love Conquers All. (Nor did I particularly buy their relationship development, horror of all horrors)
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me the review copy of this book.
eyes blur, sighs.
This book was engaging. Valentina is a down-on-her-luck 24 year old mother trying to finish school and get her and her son into a home with stability. Woman in tech? Check. She works her ass off, starting everyday at a little coffee shop where she sees Derek (or Cole) daily. They don't acknowledge each other until Valentina clearly receives bad news, which Cole tries not to interfere. He sees her crying, melts, knowing he's - as a recent divorcee and currently unemployed day drinker - needs to stay away, but he can't help himself. The tears are just too much to ignore.
Guess what, Cole is like a gazillionaire. While I kind of loved the premise of this book, down-on-his-luck gazillionaire meets self-made almost graduate, its execution failed spectacularly for me. Below spoiler tags, I will list the reasons for this:
Look, this book had issues that were intolerable for me. I wouldn't root for this couple. I was rooting for the characters in a sense, and I thought that could be really interesting. But all the major issues and minor ones were glossed over with orgasms and lust turned love. I thought Cole was impossibly interesting as a character, but this was just a book that moved a plot along and the character magically resolved the major conflict and somehow, though we'll never know how, got over all the big issues he was facing. There was real potential here, and it was squandered by relying on the plot marching on and not having the characters face their own demons. And I don't buy the Love Conquers All. (Nor did I particularly buy their relationship development, horror of all horrors)
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me the review copy of this book.
January 31, 2018
I absolutely loved Love Over Lattes! It was such a great story that had me swooning over Cole. Valentina and Cole were an amazingly sweet couple, add in her son Max and they all three clicked together. Love Over Lattes was incredibly sweet and had me rooting for Valentina. She's such a strong character. Single mom, working hard to finish college and get a place for her and her son. She's super independent and smart. Valentina works hard for her son and plays even harder. Their relationship was such a sweet one and Max is a doll. Cole is hot. He knows what he wants and goes after it with a single minded focus. He's been burned bad, and we see how bad it gets, but he persevered through it and came out a winner with Valentina and Max.
This is a perfect pick me up read for when you are feeling a little down. This could be a hit movie, it's so good! The writing style was perfect. The banter between Valentina and Cole was sweet. The chemistry from the get go was hot. This is a perfect romance with a few curve balls thrown in!
This is a perfect pick me up read for when you are feeling a little down. This could be a hit movie, it's so good! The writing style was perfect. The banter between Valentina and Cole was sweet. The chemistry from the get go was hot. This is a perfect romance with a few curve balls thrown in!
January 24, 2018
Amazingly sexy. Full review to come soon.
January 24, 2018
I loved this book and read it in one sitting. It was a great read that I couldn’t put down. Cole and Valentina’s incredible chemistry is hot! The story will suck you in and keep you turning the page. Get this book!!!
February 2, 2018
A single mother struggles to find a place to live and gets an offer of a cottage from a guy she has a crush on. What a great premise! But the story is so much more. Valentina has a delightful voice. She is intelligent, loves her kid, and controls her emotions well. The guy thinks of himself as a bit of a jerk with women, but he is actually really sweet and caring. I loved this couple! Sexy, sweet, intelligent contemporary story.
February 6, 2018
Love is a many splendored thing, except when it leaves you battered and bruised. Love over Lattes is a look at a crazy little thing called love. Valentina and Cole have been sucker punched by love, yet still yearn for it. Diana Hicks let's readers into the psyche of a broken heart and the wonder of a second chance, through the eyes of friendship. Hope is the beginning of faith and maybe a pathway to healing and moving on. With Love over Lattes, Ms. Hicks is on her way to cementing her mark in romantic fiction. Loved It!
February 13, 2018
The passion between Valentina and Cole is HOT! I couldn’t put this book down and I’m looking forward to reading more from this talented new author! Would have read it in one sitting if I hadn’t had to go to work the next day!
February 18, 2018
While I enjoyed this book overall, there were some characters and situations that rubbed me the wrong way. 3.5 stars.
Valentina is a single mom to a 6 year old son, and she's finally almost finished with her college degree. She has all her infamous lists, and she has a plan. She needs a home for her son, and she can't wait to live with him full time again. He's been staying with her parents during the week while she finishes school, and she's been living in the dorm. She misses him terribly, and she can't wait to get into a normal routine with him. But, first she has to find a house she can stand to live in, that's within her budget, and she has to find it fast. She's been spending her free mornings before class at a coffee shop for a while now, and she's been coming at the same time each day on purpose, ever since she first saw him: Mr. Quad Americano. She enjoys watching him each day, though they've never spoken, until the day they do.
Derek Cole, or Cole to his friends, is a hot mess right now. He's in the middle of a terrible divorce, and he's on the brink of losing his company, that he built from the ground up, to his greedy ex-wife. He's already been pushed out of the daily operations, so he spends his time loafing around feeling sorry for himself, or exercising. He was on a run when he stopped in the coffee shop the first time, and saw her. Though he's never spoken to her, somehow he feels better, lighter, in her presence. Everything in his life is going wrong, except his mornings at the coffee shop, sitting a table away from her. Then, one day she needs his help, and he can't help but insert himself into her life. He knows he's a mess, and no good for her, but she needs a place to live, and he so happens to have a place to rent...
Cole and Valentina's chemistry was hot from the start, though they were both constantly fighting against it. They each had their own reasons for staying away from each other, but they just kept getting drawn together. Cole has become quite the manwhore since his split from his wife. In fact, there's been so many women in and out of his house that his housekeeper has taken to calling them by the days of the week, since she doesn't know any of their names. That just grossed me out to be honest. I get that he was going through something, but that just seemed like overkill, and it made me not like him nearly as much. Valentina has kept to herself since her ex left her alone after finding out she was pregnant. She hasn't been with anyone since. She knows who Cole is, and what he's been up to with all the women, but she decides she wants to be with him anyway, even if it's only once. In fact, only once works out fine for her, as she has her son to worry about and doesn't have time for anyone else.
Valentina's best friend was a great side character, as was Cole's lawyer, Dom. I enjoyed the scenes with them, and their banter with their respective friends. But, it appears that the second book in the series will feature one of the antagonists from this book, and to be honest, I have no interest in her story. I was basically ticked off every time I saw her name on the page. She rubbed me the wrong way constantly, and she was a big issue between the main characters in this story. I'm just not invested in her getting an HEA at all. She wasn't redeemed enough in my eyes for me to really care what happens to her. I also felt like Cole's ex got off WAY too easy, after everything she'd done. I get that our hero and heroine are supposed to be good people, but no one can be expected to be so magnanimous as they were, in my opinion.
Overall, I just didn't feel like this story was for me. The writing was quite good, especially for a debut novel. I want to make that clear, as this style of book is plenty of people's cup of tea, but it just wasn't mine. I don't enjoy a hero who entertains the idea of other women after meeting the heroine. It's just a personal preference, and I didn't like seeing his exploits pop up all over the place, especially once Valentina was living next door. If I were Valentina, I would have been appalled, but she mostly laughed it off. The main characters had great chemistry, and I enjoyed their interactions very much, both in and out of the bedroom. But, Cole ran a bit hot and cold, and something that he does towards the end of the story really didn't sit well with me. He was supposed to be so smart, and I didn't like that he couldn't see what was right in front of him, so to speak. Valentina had her own issues in my mind, but hers were a little more understandable to me, and I didn't have as big of a problem with her choices.
Again, the writing and style were quite good, and if you don't have the same preferences as I do, this book should be quite enjoyable for you. I would definitely be willing to read more from this author, though maybe not in this series.
ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Megan from Alpha Book Club
Valentina is a single mom to a 6 year old son, and she's finally almost finished with her college degree. She has all her infamous lists, and she has a plan. She needs a home for her son, and she can't wait to live with him full time again. He's been staying with her parents during the week while she finishes school, and she's been living in the dorm. She misses him terribly, and she can't wait to get into a normal routine with him. But, first she has to find a house she can stand to live in, that's within her budget, and she has to find it fast. She's been spending her free mornings before class at a coffee shop for a while now, and she's been coming at the same time each day on purpose, ever since she first saw him: Mr. Quad Americano. She enjoys watching him each day, though they've never spoken, until the day they do.
Derek Cole, or Cole to his friends, is a hot mess right now. He's in the middle of a terrible divorce, and he's on the brink of losing his company, that he built from the ground up, to his greedy ex-wife. He's already been pushed out of the daily operations, so he spends his time loafing around feeling sorry for himself, or exercising. He was on a run when he stopped in the coffee shop the first time, and saw her. Though he's never spoken to her, somehow he feels better, lighter, in her presence. Everything in his life is going wrong, except his mornings at the coffee shop, sitting a table away from her. Then, one day she needs his help, and he can't help but insert himself into her life. He knows he's a mess, and no good for her, but she needs a place to live, and he so happens to have a place to rent...
Cole and Valentina's chemistry was hot from the start, though they were both constantly fighting against it. They each had their own reasons for staying away from each other, but they just kept getting drawn together. Cole has become quite the manwhore since his split from his wife. In fact, there's been so many women in and out of his house that his housekeeper has taken to calling them by the days of the week, since she doesn't know any of their names. That just grossed me out to be honest. I get that he was going through something, but that just seemed like overkill, and it made me not like him nearly as much. Valentina has kept to herself since her ex left her alone after finding out she was pregnant. She hasn't been with anyone since. She knows who Cole is, and what he's been up to with all the women, but she decides she wants to be with him anyway, even if it's only once. In fact, only once works out fine for her, as she has her son to worry about and doesn't have time for anyone else.
Valentina's best friend was a great side character, as was Cole's lawyer, Dom. I enjoyed the scenes with them, and their banter with their respective friends. But, it appears that the second book in the series will feature one of the antagonists from this book, and to be honest, I have no interest in her story. I was basically ticked off every time I saw her name on the page. She rubbed me the wrong way constantly, and she was a big issue between the main characters in this story. I'm just not invested in her getting an HEA at all. She wasn't redeemed enough in my eyes for me to really care what happens to her. I also felt like Cole's ex got off WAY too easy, after everything she'd done. I get that our hero and heroine are supposed to be good people, but no one can be expected to be so magnanimous as they were, in my opinion.
Overall, I just didn't feel like this story was for me. The writing was quite good, especially for a debut novel. I want to make that clear, as this style of book is plenty of people's cup of tea, but it just wasn't mine. I don't enjoy a hero who entertains the idea of other women after meeting the heroine. It's just a personal preference, and I didn't like seeing his exploits pop up all over the place, especially once Valentina was living next door. If I were Valentina, I would have been appalled, but she mostly laughed it off. The main characters had great chemistry, and I enjoyed their interactions very much, both in and out of the bedroom. But, Cole ran a bit hot and cold, and something that he does towards the end of the story really didn't sit well with me. He was supposed to be so smart, and I didn't like that he couldn't see what was right in front of him, so to speak. Valentina had her own issues in my mind, but hers were a little more understandable to me, and I didn't have as big of a problem with her choices.
Again, the writing and style were quite good, and if you don't have the same preferences as I do, this book should be quite enjoyable for you. I would definitely be willing to read more from this author, though maybe not in this series.
ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Megan from Alpha Book Club
February 10, 2018
I knew I had to read this when I read the blurb. Single parent, the elixir of life better known as coffee, and the potential of sweep me off my feet romance. Yes please! I was hooked just from the blurb, and still I was surprised by how much I truly enjoyed Love and Lattes! It’s just that good. It’s sweet, it’s deliciously steamy, and it’s packed with that make your heart melt bring a tear to your eye romance that I crave but still has just the right amount of drama to keep the story extra interesting.
Cole is the kind of hero I always love. He’s been burned, yet he can’t help the pull he has towards Valentina and goes out of his way to show her the man he really is. It was adorable watching them both fall hard and fast for each other. Valentina was fiercely independent but still kept a softness and innocence that made her real and relatable. When these two finally do come together be ready to break out then fan because they’re quickly putting out enough heat to start a fire!
Cole is the kind of hero I always love. He’s been burned, yet he can’t help the pull he has towards Valentina and goes out of his way to show her the man he really is. It was adorable watching them both fall hard and fast for each other. Valentina was fiercely independent but still kept a softness and innocence that made her real and relatable. When these two finally do come together be ready to break out then fan because they’re quickly putting out enough heat to start a fire!
February 8, 2018
Awesome!
Loved loved loved this book! Once i began to read it I couldn’t put it down!!! Would recommend this book to everyone! Can’t wait for the next book.
Loved loved loved this book! Once i began to read it I couldn’t put it down!!! Would recommend this book to everyone! Can’t wait for the next book.
November 7, 2018
This was very sweet,romantic and sexy read.
I liked this book.
The charactes were very nice.Valentina is a great single mom.She is strong and determinate to give the best of her to her son,and she is doing a great job with it.
Cole is really hurt with everything that happend between him and his ex-wife and I think that women like Valentina was just what he needed.
This was super sweet and sexy romance.The chemistry between characters was hot and real and I was rooting for theme from the beginning.
I liked this book.
The charactes were very nice.Valentina is a great single mom.She is strong and determinate to give the best of her to her son,and she is doing a great job with it.
Cole is really hurt with everything that happend between him and his ex-wife and I think that women like Valentina was just what he needed.
This was super sweet and sexy romance.The chemistry between characters was hot and real and I was rooting for theme from the beginning.
June 25, 2018
This was a really fun read and a great debut novel I really enjoyed it and I look forward to seeing what Diana writes next. I loved both Valentina and Cole they were wonderful characters both have their own baggage to get past before they can learn to trust and love again. A super storyline and a great read I just loved it
December 23, 2019
Book 1 in the Desert Monsoon series and the debut book from this author. A good read that will have you hooked from page one until the end. Cole and Valentina were a good couple and they had very good chemistry between them.
I received an ARC of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I received an ARC of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
June 18, 2018
What a great debut novel from Diana! I really enjoyed this book and would consider it an easy read, nothing too thought provoking or angsty but a fun read. Valentina and Cole are great lead characters that will make you want to keep turning the pages to find out what happens next.
February 4, 2018
Thanks to Backlit PR and NetGalley for the ARC.
You’re going to need to take a cold shower after reading this steamy contemporary romance novel by Diana A. Hicks. LOVE OVER LATTES is the first in the Desert Monsoon Series, and it is also Diana A. Hicks’ debut novel. (Published February 7, 2018 by The Wild Rose Press, Inc.)
Valentina is a single mom and a recent college graduate. She is trying to get her life back on track with a college diploma, a new job, and a fresh start for herself and her son. Cole is a self-made man who is on the verge of losing the company that he started from scratch and built into an empire to his conniving, cheating ex-wife. Neither Valentina nor Cole is looking for a romantic attachment – they’ve both got too much going on in their lives to add another complication – but when they meet the person that makes their life complete, there is nothing to do but hang on for the ride. Valentina and Cole watch each other from across the local coffee shop for six months before Cole finally approaches her. Because Valentina was turned down for the rental house that she had hoped to get so she and her son can finally have a home of their own, Cole offers her the cottage that is in the backyard of his massive compound. Valentina is reluctant to take Cole up on the offer, but she breaks down and signs the lease when she realizes that she’s not going to find a better deal. Close quarters leads to intimate encounters, and a romance quickly blossoms between Valentina and Cole. Problems also arise as Cole’s ex-wife, Valentina’s son’s absentee father, and a couple of their scheming friends try to come between the two lovebirds.
What makes LOVE OVER LATTES so great is that Valentina and Cole are such engaging characters. It’s fun to watch their relationship bloom and grow stronger as they both face their separate past heartaches and betrayals so that they can move on to their combined future. Hicks presents the novel in alternating perspectives, taking us into both Valentina’s and Cole’s heads. The reader knows what both main characters are thinking and feeling as the initially fight their feelings for each other, and then battle against the forces trying to keep them apart. The witty banter between the two characters is just as engaging as their chemistry. LOVE OVER LATTES is a well-written, enchanting romance novel that shows love can find you when you least expect it, and that it is worth fighting for.
My only complaint is that there needed to be more of Pirate the cat.
You’re going to need to take a cold shower after reading this steamy contemporary romance novel by Diana A. Hicks. LOVE OVER LATTES is the first in the Desert Monsoon Series, and it is also Diana A. Hicks’ debut novel. (Published February 7, 2018 by The Wild Rose Press, Inc.)
Valentina is a single mom and a recent college graduate. She is trying to get her life back on track with a college diploma, a new job, and a fresh start for herself and her son. Cole is a self-made man who is on the verge of losing the company that he started from scratch and built into an empire to his conniving, cheating ex-wife. Neither Valentina nor Cole is looking for a romantic attachment – they’ve both got too much going on in their lives to add another complication – but when they meet the person that makes their life complete, there is nothing to do but hang on for the ride. Valentina and Cole watch each other from across the local coffee shop for six months before Cole finally approaches her. Because Valentina was turned down for the rental house that she had hoped to get so she and her son can finally have a home of their own, Cole offers her the cottage that is in the backyard of his massive compound. Valentina is reluctant to take Cole up on the offer, but she breaks down and signs the lease when she realizes that she’s not going to find a better deal. Close quarters leads to intimate encounters, and a romance quickly blossoms between Valentina and Cole. Problems also arise as Cole’s ex-wife, Valentina’s son’s absentee father, and a couple of their scheming friends try to come between the two lovebirds.
What makes LOVE OVER LATTES so great is that Valentina and Cole are such engaging characters. It’s fun to watch their relationship bloom and grow stronger as they both face their separate past heartaches and betrayals so that they can move on to their combined future. Hicks presents the novel in alternating perspectives, taking us into both Valentina’s and Cole’s heads. The reader knows what both main characters are thinking and feeling as the initially fight their feelings for each other, and then battle against the forces trying to keep them apart. The witty banter between the two characters is just as engaging as their chemistry. LOVE OVER LATTES is a well-written, enchanting romance novel that shows love can find you when you least expect it, and that it is worth fighting for.
My only complaint is that there needed to be more of Pirate the cat.
February 13, 2018
Love over Lattes was my first book by Diana A. Hicks and the first book in her Desert Monsoon Series and Ill definitely be reading more of her book and this series for sure. Valentina and Cole have both been burned by love. As a single mom Valentina trying to buy her and son a beautiful house but when that falls through she doesn't want to move back into her parents house when a sex as sin man she been watching from her coffee shop seat offers her a place. Cole is bitger after his divorce from his ex wife and he cant find a reason to care about anything, the only keep him sane is trying to save his company from his ex. But just when hes about to give up on his company Valentina comes into his life bring in a fresh air. He wants to be more than her landlord but he promised her when she agreed to take his help that there wouldn't be anything but a professional relationship between them. But there both falling for eachother can the figure things out or will they just let love slip away.
February 8, 2018
Wow, what a wonderful, fabulous surprise! I started reading Love Over Lattes and could not put it down! This is an awesome debut (I'm assuming because I can't find anything else written by her and believe me, I looked!) I loved every. single. thing. about this book -- the visual she creates, the emotions she evokes and the depth of the characters she writes -- this was the perfect read for me in all aspects. I loved Cole and Valentina and I adored them together even more. The storyline is emotional and intense at times and funny and sweet at other times, and steamy and sexy all the time! I can't wait to see what this author has in store for us--I'm guessing it's going to be magnificent! I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC for NetGalley.
February 11, 2018
Marie's Tempting Reads ARC Review:
A splendidly sweet and steamy romance with a great set of characters, a perfect storyline and plot that just drew me in from the get go. This is Diana A. Hicks debut novel and I have to say, I am smitten with it. Its sweet, its charming, its cute and sassy. The banter and dialogue flowed smooth and had me smiling and sighing.
I loved both Cole and Valentina. They were both fascinating and wonderful and unique and cute characters that I enjoyed getting to know and watch fall in love. The sex between them left me breathless. I hope for a lot more stories just like this...the kind that draws me in from the synopsis and keeps me glued to my ereader long after I finish.
Love Over Lattes gets a SWEET AND SPICY FIVE SHOOTING STARS!
A splendidly sweet and steamy romance with a great set of characters, a perfect storyline and plot that just drew me in from the get go. This is Diana A. Hicks debut novel and I have to say, I am smitten with it. Its sweet, its charming, its cute and sassy. The banter and dialogue flowed smooth and had me smiling and sighing.
I loved both Cole and Valentina. They were both fascinating and wonderful and unique and cute characters that I enjoyed getting to know and watch fall in love. The sex between them left me breathless. I hope for a lot more stories just like this...the kind that draws me in from the synopsis and keeps me glued to my ereader long after I finish.
Love Over Lattes gets a SWEET AND SPICY FIVE SHOOTING STARS!
March 16, 2018
I received a copy of LOVE OVER LATTES on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher and author.
Five stars and here's why:
Diana Hicks had me at latte! This dual-POV story has all the feels, so I immediately got sucked right into the book with its perfect blend of fresh writing, well-developed characters, and a page-turning plot! Cole is swoon-worthy in his pursuit of Valentina, but she’s a commitment-phobe because she’s got her son Max and their future to consider. What happens next is an unpredictable story full of humor and fun, but at the same time, it tugs at your heartstrings. If you love a hella-sexy romance with a side of snarky friends plus an adorable cat and kid, this story is for you. Highly recommend.
Five stars and here's why:
Diana Hicks had me at latte! This dual-POV story has all the feels, so I immediately got sucked right into the book with its perfect blend of fresh writing, well-developed characters, and a page-turning plot! Cole is swoon-worthy in his pursuit of Valentina, but she’s a commitment-phobe because she’s got her son Max and their future to consider. What happens next is an unpredictable story full of humor and fun, but at the same time, it tugs at your heartstrings. If you love a hella-sexy romance with a side of snarky friends plus an adorable cat and kid, this story is for you. Highly recommend.
March 1, 2018
This is a sweet love story about Derek and Valentina who meet in a coffee shop after silently seeing each other (seeing, not dating) every day for the last few months. Valentina needs somewhere safe to live for her and her son after graduating college, but loses the place she has lined up due to her credit. While crying, Derek comes to her rescue by offering his cottage.
Overall, I thought it was a sweet story. I thought it seemed a little slow, but I don’t know what should have been changed.
This is the first book I have read by this author and per Goodreads, it appears to be the first in a series. I look forward to reading Dom’s book.
Overall, I thought it was a sweet story. I thought it seemed a little slow, but I don’t know what should have been changed.
This is the first book I have read by this author and per Goodreads, it appears to be the first in a series. I look forward to reading Dom’s book.
February 16, 2018
Love Over Lattés sweeps the reader away with its sizzling chemistry between recent college graduate and single mom, Valentina, and the mouth-wateringly sexy billionaire who offers her a home, Cole. In chapters alternating between each of their perspectives, a love story rife with sexual tension unfolds. As their troubles mount against them, they learn and grow and find a way to arrive at a pulse-accelerating, satisfying ending.
February 27, 2018
I fell in love with this book on the first page. The strong characters pulled me in. Love Over Lattes isn’t your typical billionaire romance novel. It has an extra layer of intrigue, an unsolved mystery, mixed into the story. The chemistry explodes, but it is also sweet and funny. It’s so easy to get lost in the pages and stay up too late reading them.
This is a beautiful debut novel. I cannot wait to be swept away by more of Diana Hicks books!
This is a beautiful debut novel. I cannot wait to be swept away by more of Diana Hicks books!
April 13, 2018
Hooked me the first page
This was a great romance that hooked me on the first page! I loved both Valentina and Cole and their struggles with trust and the stomach clenching twist of this romance. Sexy and hot, can two people who fall in love overcome the the obstacles thrown at them and find Love over Lattes? Yep and it’s worth the read!
This was a great romance that hooked me on the first page! I loved both Valentina and Cole and their struggles with trust and the stomach clenching twist of this romance. Sexy and hot, can two people who fall in love overcome the the obstacles thrown at them and find Love over Lattes? Yep and it’s worth the read!
February 12, 2018
Derek and Valentina have a lot working against them in Love Over Lattes. It was great to watch them fight for their present and future.
I read an arc
I read an arc
February 20, 2018
***I received an e-copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***
I struggled with Love Over Lattes, by Diana A. Hicks. I really liked the premise but I had trouble connecting with the characters.
Valentina is a single mom who has graduated from school and is hoping to finally be a full-time parent to her son, Max. Since she got pregnant, she’s been relying on her mom and dad. She has a job lined up but thanks to some debt, she’s having trouble finding a safe, affordable place to live. Enter Derek Cole, the enigmatic stranger who gets coffee in the same café Valentina frequents. He overhears the conversation where she loses the house she had lined up, and offers up the cottage on his property. The attraction between them is clear, but Valentina wants to focus on her son, and after being burned by Max’s father, she has no desire to open her heart again. Cole is in the same boat. In the midst of a divorce, he’s less upset about his wife’s cheating than he is about losing his company to her. He’s satisfied by the string of women going through his revolving bedroom door, not interested in anything that involves feelings. The problem is that Valentina isn’t the kind of woman you get out of your system in one night.
I struggled with the pace of this story and the relationship between Valentina and Cole, and I struggled to connect with either one of them. The first 25% of the book sets up how Valentina finds herself at Cole’s cottage and setting it up for Max. I found it a bit slow. Their interactions were a bit stilted and awkward. I didn’t feel their attraction. In fact, I felt stuck in their thoughts, all their ‘buts’ and ‘if onlys.’ Yet Cole talks about how “having Valentina so close brought me peace,” at 18% and that felt way too fast to me. He’d spent time in the same coffee shop as her, but he didn’t know her. By 22%, she’d slipped her hands under his shirt during their first kiss, and this was after both of them swearing they would keep things professional. I should have felt as though they couldn’t ignore their connection, but what I actually felt was that they were incapable of self-control and selfish for ignoring their priorities. Cole was not only Valentina’s landlord but also her boss; she worked for the company he was fighting to take back from his ex-wife. Considering Max was the whole reason for everything Valentina was doing, he was missing for a significant amount of the book. I guess it just felt unrealistic to have Valentina fight for having him full time but then spend time with Cole and at work for so much of the story. I think I connected even less with Cole. He seemed cocky and incapable of any genuine feeling. Perhaps that was because of how his marriage to Bridget was framed, and the seemingly endless stream of women parading through Cole’s bedroom.
The middle of the book was filled with Valentina’s no kissing and no sex rules. I usually love push and pull but it didn’t have the right feeling for me. Rather than push and pull, it felt like both of them couldn’t control their impulses, almost as if they weren’t in control of themselves. It didn’t read like attraction. It seemed like they were weak.
The last third of the book was the most interesting, but even it had holes for me. When Cole and Valentina broke up, he acted like a child, telling her to leave and then getting mad when she did. The fact that he couldn’t give Valentina even an ounce of credit was maddening. Also, for a smart man, he didn’t seem able to think his way out of a paper bag since he couldn’t even fathom who might have been behind the betrayal he pins on Valentina. He should have easily figured who was behind things. His lawyer was able to get his hands on records he couldn’t possibly get, yet no one thought to look for records that might clear Valentina. The guilty party pays, which was satisfying, but that person collapsed way too easily. Another case of a smart character doing something stupid.
I feel bad that I didn’t connect with the characters. I’ve seen the reviews on GoodReads from other readers and I am clearly in the minority. Don’t let my hang-ups stop you from giving this book a whirl and making up your own mind.
I struggled with Love Over Lattes, by Diana A. Hicks. I really liked the premise but I had trouble connecting with the characters.
Valentina is a single mom who has graduated from school and is hoping to finally be a full-time parent to her son, Max. Since she got pregnant, she’s been relying on her mom and dad. She has a job lined up but thanks to some debt, she’s having trouble finding a safe, affordable place to live. Enter Derek Cole, the enigmatic stranger who gets coffee in the same café Valentina frequents. He overhears the conversation where she loses the house she had lined up, and offers up the cottage on his property. The attraction between them is clear, but Valentina wants to focus on her son, and after being burned by Max’s father, she has no desire to open her heart again. Cole is in the same boat. In the midst of a divorce, he’s less upset about his wife’s cheating than he is about losing his company to her. He’s satisfied by the string of women going through his revolving bedroom door, not interested in anything that involves feelings. The problem is that Valentina isn’t the kind of woman you get out of your system in one night.
I struggled with the pace of this story and the relationship between Valentina and Cole, and I struggled to connect with either one of them. The first 25% of the book sets up how Valentina finds herself at Cole’s cottage and setting it up for Max. I found it a bit slow. Their interactions were a bit stilted and awkward. I didn’t feel their attraction. In fact, I felt stuck in their thoughts, all their ‘buts’ and ‘if onlys.’ Yet Cole talks about how “having Valentina so close brought me peace,” at 18% and that felt way too fast to me. He’d spent time in the same coffee shop as her, but he didn’t know her. By 22%, she’d slipped her hands under his shirt during their first kiss, and this was after both of them swearing they would keep things professional. I should have felt as though they couldn’t ignore their connection, but what I actually felt was that they were incapable of self-control and selfish for ignoring their priorities. Cole was not only Valentina’s landlord but also her boss; she worked for the company he was fighting to take back from his ex-wife. Considering Max was the whole reason for everything Valentina was doing, he was missing for a significant amount of the book. I guess it just felt unrealistic to have Valentina fight for having him full time but then spend time with Cole and at work for so much of the story. I think I connected even less with Cole. He seemed cocky and incapable of any genuine feeling. Perhaps that was because of how his marriage to Bridget was framed, and the seemingly endless stream of women parading through Cole’s bedroom.
The middle of the book was filled with Valentina’s no kissing and no sex rules. I usually love push and pull but it didn’t have the right feeling for me. Rather than push and pull, it felt like both of them couldn’t control their impulses, almost as if they weren’t in control of themselves. It didn’t read like attraction. It seemed like they were weak.
The last third of the book was the most interesting, but even it had holes for me. When Cole and Valentina broke up, he acted like a child, telling her to leave and then getting mad when she did. The fact that he couldn’t give Valentina even an ounce of credit was maddening. Also, for a smart man, he didn’t seem able to think his way out of a paper bag since he couldn’t even fathom who might have been behind the betrayal he pins on Valentina. He should have easily figured who was behind things. His lawyer was able to get his hands on records he couldn’t possibly get, yet no one thought to look for records that might clear Valentina. The guilty party pays, which was satisfying, but that person collapsed way too easily. Another case of a smart character doing something stupid.
I feel bad that I didn’t connect with the characters. I’ve seen the reviews on GoodReads from other readers and I am clearly in the minority. Don’t let my hang-ups stop you from giving this book a whirl and making up your own mind.
November 17, 2018
Una bella storia d'amore nella calda Arizona.
Valentina é una giovane mamma che sta cercando una casa in cui vivere con suo figlio Max.
Ogni giorno si prende un'ora per rilassarsi nel suo bar preferito. Qui ogni giorno incontra e si scambia sguardi con Cole. Che un giorno dopo averla vista piangere decide di dargli l'appartamento che ha accanto alla sua villa in affitto.
Lei accetta all'inizio un po' riluttante, perché la sua unica storia d'amore l'ha portata a non fidarsi degli uomini. Ma l'attrazione per Cole é maggiore. E dopo una notte di passione decidono di andarci piano per il bene di entrambi. Ma il divorzio di Cole, la sua ex moglie Brdget e un'amica-nemica Nikki, si metteranno nel mezzo e tenteranno di separarli.
Una bella storia che parte abbastanza veloce. I due si conoscono da poche ore ed é tutto un "vieni a vivere da me" che sfocia lui stesso in un "scappa che tanto so che mi vuoi".
Ma i due caratteri dei personaggi vengono fuori subito, e avendo il doppio punto di vista capitolo per capitolo, si capisce emglio cosa pensano, i dubbi che hanno sulle proprie vite, ma anche la loro voglia di voler far funzionare la storia d'amore che nasce a velocità massima. E il tutto con l'aiuto di due fedelissimi amici che si battono per proteggerli al meglio.
La cosa che mi é più piaciuta di questo libro é la forza, con cui, Valentina supera il suo passato con un ex violento, e si fida subito di Cole presentandogli anche suo figlio dopo qualche settimana.
Romanticismo, complotti per il divorzio, violenza, sesso (senza sfociare nel volgare). Questo libro le ha tutte! E ogni cosa a suo tempo senza mai essere frettolosi.
Consigliato a tutti quelli che vogliono passare due orette con una coppia affiatata in tutto!
Valentina é una giovane mamma che sta cercando una casa in cui vivere con suo figlio Max.
Ogni giorno si prende un'ora per rilassarsi nel suo bar preferito. Qui ogni giorno incontra e si scambia sguardi con Cole. Che un giorno dopo averla vista piangere decide di dargli l'appartamento che ha accanto alla sua villa in affitto.
Lei accetta all'inizio un po' riluttante, perché la sua unica storia d'amore l'ha portata a non fidarsi degli uomini. Ma l'attrazione per Cole é maggiore. E dopo una notte di passione decidono di andarci piano per il bene di entrambi. Ma il divorzio di Cole, la sua ex moglie Brdget e un'amica-nemica Nikki, si metteranno nel mezzo e tenteranno di separarli.
Una bella storia che parte abbastanza veloce. I due si conoscono da poche ore ed é tutto un "vieni a vivere da me" che sfocia lui stesso in un "scappa che tanto so che mi vuoi".
Ma i due caratteri dei personaggi vengono fuori subito, e avendo il doppio punto di vista capitolo per capitolo, si capisce emglio cosa pensano, i dubbi che hanno sulle proprie vite, ma anche la loro voglia di voler far funzionare la storia d'amore che nasce a velocità massima. E il tutto con l'aiuto di due fedelissimi amici che si battono per proteggerli al meglio.
La cosa che mi é più piaciuta di questo libro é la forza, con cui, Valentina supera il suo passato con un ex violento, e si fida subito di Cole presentandogli anche suo figlio dopo qualche settimana.
Romanticismo, complotti per il divorzio, violenza, sesso (senza sfociare nel volgare). Questo libro le ha tutte! E ogni cosa a suo tempo senza mai essere frettolosi.
Consigliato a tutti quelli che vogliono passare due orette con una coppia affiatata in tutto!
October 10, 2019
I’ve been in a bit of a book slump lately but reading Love Over Lattes has kicked my slump into the kerb! I devoured every word in less than a day. What a fabulous, twisting, turning, swoony, nail-biting story this is!
The beginning had my attention when Valentina (what a beautiful name!) sees Cole every day in the coffee shop. Never speaking bu oh, the wishes she had. Once these two speak... MONTHS later! The sparks just fly off the pages and whizz around the room. Neither can stop what happens but boy does Valentina try to be strong a resist. I love their characters and could feel all of their emotions as if they were my feelings; the hurt, the love and joy; as well as the confusion when things start to get mixed up. People are out to mess up their lives and this is where the plot gets really interesting. I was totally there with them.
I can’t wait to read more about these two in the next book.
The beginning had my attention when Valentina (what a beautiful name!) sees Cole every day in the coffee shop. Never speaking bu oh, the wishes she had. Once these two speak... MONTHS later! The sparks just fly off the pages and whizz around the room. Neither can stop what happens but boy does Valentina try to be strong a resist. I love their characters and could feel all of their emotions as if they were my feelings; the hurt, the love and joy; as well as the confusion when things start to get mixed up. People are out to mess up their lives and this is where the plot gets really interesting. I was totally there with them.
I can’t wait to read more about these two in the next book.
November 10, 2019
Valentina is almost ready to graduate from college and making a home for her son and herself. For the past several months she has come to the same coffee shop to watch the hot "Quad Americano" who comes in after his workout. Colt has secretly been watching Valentina when he comes to the coffee shop but has sworn not to bring her into his life until he finds her crying over her lost apartment. Without thinking he offers her his cottage to rent. Will they find love or will their pasts destroy their chance?
This was my first Diana A Hicks read and I have to say I am hooked. Valentina is a strong, determined woman who wants to make her own way. Colt is mired in his own misery but is trying to find his way back to happiness. Loved all the characters and think Annie and Dom were great too. The author did a great job of letting us into Valentina and Colt's minds. Looking forward to reading more.
This was my first Diana A Hicks read and I have to say I am hooked. Valentina is a strong, determined woman who wants to make her own way. Colt is mired in his own misery but is trying to find his way back to happiness. Loved all the characters and think Annie and Dom were great too. The author did a great job of letting us into Valentina and Colt's minds. Looking forward to reading more.
August 11, 2019
3.5, but not enough to bump to 4. Diana Hicks is a new author to me. Her writing style is good, there were more than the average dropped words within sentences, but I blame that more on editing. It wasn’t enough to interfere with the story and was only slightly annoying. That being said, the storyline was interesting and entertaining. There were no real surprises and everything was laid out a bit too neatly for me, but it was still entertaining. Cole and Valentina are two extremely distrustful people, with good reason. However, they are not over-the-top distrustful. I guess I’d describe them as optimistically pessimistic. All in all, I enjoyed Love Over Lattes but it won’t go on my Favorites or Recommend shelves. I would say it was a good read for anyone who asked me specifically about the book though.
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