Trashed

Eastside Brewery #2

by Mia Hopkins

He burns for her. Lucky for him, she likes to play with fire. . .

My name is Eddie Rosas, but everyone calls me Trouble. Since I got out of prison six months ago, I've had one goal: find my father, whatever the cost. My older brother says I need to move on. He also wants me to leave our gang, East Side Hollenbeck, and go straight, but I can't--not until I uncover the truth about our family and its missing piece.

One problem? I'm distracted. My distraction's name is Carmen Centeno. Smart, passionate, and tough as hell, Carmen is a woman from the neighborhood who's built her career as one of the city's top chefs. She's a master of creating pleasure both in and out of bed. But when our connection deepens, how can I show her I'm not the trash everyone says I am?

The pressure's rising. Carmen deserves a man she can depend on. And when the ghosts of my past rise up, I'll have to outsmart them--or lose my shot at a future with the only woman who believes in me.

The Rosas brothers will return in Tanked!

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Audiobook, Fiction, Latinx, M F Romance

324 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 5, 2019

About the author

Mia Hopkins writes lush romances starring fun, sexy characters who love to get down and dirty. Her award-winning books have been featured by many publications including The Washington Post, USA Today and Entertainment Weekly. She lives in Los Angeles with her family.

Reviews

[Talia Hibbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know when a book is SO GOOD that you just can't articulate HOW good, because you are a mere mortal and the task requires a god? I am in that position right now.

I fell in love with book one of this series, THIRSTY from the moment I saw the cover. I don't just mean that I loved the cover - I mean I had, like, a moment of DIVINE KNOWING and realised that this series was about to be everything I'd never known I wanted. And I was CORRECT. THIRSTY remains one of my all-time faves, but you know what? I love TRASHED even more.

The book starts with Eddie on his first day out of prison, having hot and anonymous sex with a woman he found crying in a garden. If that sounds kinda wild, it's even more wild to actually experience (um, through the book I mean) because Mia somehow managed the impossible and made me care about a sex scene between two people I don't know. I COULD FEEL THEM FALLING SPIRITUALLY IN LOVE YOU GUYS. IN BETWEEN THE HOT TONGUE STUFF, I MEAN. ALSO, I FELL IN LOVE WITH BOTH OF THEM AT THE SAME TIME. THIS IS IN LIKE, THE FIRST TEN PAGES. HELP.

So then the woman dips, and Eddie can't find her, doesn't know her name, and pines after her for months even as he tries to put his life back together while on probation. I should add that these books are all first person present from the heroes POV, which works because Eddie and his brother Sal are so charming and sweet and real and vulnerable, and also because their heroines are so dynamic and bold and unapologetic that you still get to know them. Eddie is so invested in Carmen (yes, he discovers her name eventually) that sometimes looking at her through his eyes actually felt like being in HER head. He noticed so much because he cared so much. Also, his sexy thoughts are incredibly overwhelming and I might be slightly in love with him.

So, post-mystery boink this book becomes a boss/employee romance when Eddie finds himself working for Carmen, then it becomes a mystery romance as Eddie tries to figure out what happened to his father and Carmen tries to figure out what the hell Eddie's up to. Also, there's some angsty forbidden love action because Carmen is a good girl with a career, Eddie is an ex-gang member, and she is possibly the only person in the universe who recognises that he is indeed good enough for her. ANGST GALORE!

Also, did I mention - EDDIE READS ROMANCE NOVELS.

I don't think I can explain the perfection of this book any better than the above, so I will leave you with the following quotes:

- I turn her name around and around in my mind like a warm coin between my fingers. Carmen. Carmen. Carmen. -

- I'm so angry at my heart—for what, exactly? For wanting closeness with her that I haven't earned. -

- Even my right hand knows this is not healthy. "Obsessed," I whisper to myself. "You're obsessed with her, you f*cking creeper." -

- "I'm poor but I'm sexy. No-one can put a price on that." -

- "Why can't you act normal, just for a few minutes?"
"I don't know. Because I'm a gangbanger?" -

- "The white folks are coming, Salvador." -

- "Do you even know how sexy you are? Use me, Carmen." -

- "...she snores like a hibernating bear, but it doesn't bother me. I think it's kinda cute."

AND THE BEST QUOTE OF ALL:

- I want to go back in time and visit myself, stuck in a prison cell, reading romance novels and convinced that happy ever afters don't happen in real life—at least not for people like me. I would say to myself, "Just you wait, fucker. Just you wait." -

[Sam I AMNreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carmen traces her fingertip over the glass the way she touched the tattoos on my chest, as if she's trying to learn something she can't see with her eyes alone.

Coming off my previous read where it seemed like an outsider tried to write an insider life, this is refreshing. I said in the first of this series that I thought Hopkins showed her research by creating complex ex-con and gang members in respectful and not miraculous light. I think she did the same here, but Eddie 'Trouble' Rosas wasn't as immediately committed to going straight as his elder brother Sal. He's a little more at peace, still has shit to make a character interesting, yet you never think this is a bad human. He's just multi-dimensional.

And he's a romantic. He doesn't mind admitting it, he adorably puts his heart right out there. In fact there's a line about 'shoving it behind his ribcage' again. He's still tough and hard and all the things you'd imagine coming from someone with a bit of damage, someone who's done hard time, and has issues in their past. But he's not beyond hope or help.

"Do you know," I say slowly, "what it feels like when everyone has given up on you?"

Hopkins style matches this first person POV-with wonderfully observant and straightforward narrative from Eddie's POV. It works on many levels, but particularly for someone taking it day-by-day and doing his best while trying to figure out his next move.

One step forward, then another. The pavement seems to pound me back, letting me know I'm still alive, that I still have the ability to do something about this fucking mess.

It's extraordinarily sexy, a bit gritty, and once again--as a heroine-centric reader--I felt lacking the depth that I typically get from identifying with the heroine. Carmen doesn't stand out, though we have a sense of who she is, I feel this is really a book about Eddie's journey and not centered on the romance in a way that invested me in anything but Eddie deserving his happy ending. IT's not bad, it's just not my favorite type of romance. It's worth a read if the premise appeals-because if you take anything from this review-take that I love Hopkins's respect for what she's writing about (pride in neighborhood, one's path through going straight and getting out, and-after my last book-people who aren't nearly middle class and not in the least maligned for it) and how she breathes life into her characters through these happy endings.

And good lord, he brought her herbs.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mia Hopkins has done it again.

Thirsty, the first book in this series, was hands down one of the best romances I read in 2018. I was so thankful to have the opportunity to read Eddie’s story, but I admit I had some trepidation. Would it measure up? The answer is: absolutely. Some of the things that made Thirsty so great are here as well: the setting, the world-building, the complicated relationships between family members and friends. This is also told from the male protagonist’s POV and Hopkins is one of the few authors who can really pull this off. I loved Eddie. He’s not just a cartoonish ex-con. He has so many layers. And he’s a true blue collar hero.

What I loved so much about both of these books is that these are not the kinds of characters who normally find love. They’re background characters or stereotypes if they appear in romances at all. They’re the bad guys. We know how many books feature stereotypes with Latinx characters involved in some kind of gang-related activities, but I felt like this book and the previous book took that on and made them fully realized people with hopes and aspirations, histories, feelings, conflicts. The Rosas brothers deserve love, too. Not to take away from Carmen because she was a great character as well and if I have any complaints it’s that her character wasn’t as well developed. But I expected it because I went into this knowing it was Eddie’s story. I can’t wait now for Tanked.

(Note: I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

[Ivy Deluca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Mia Hopkins book, but I can guarantee it won’t be my last. I had gotten this ARC without reading the first book in the series, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Quick side note - I love the ONS (one night stand) that becomes more as a trope, so I was hooked from jump.

The story is told from the hero, Eddie’s, POV which is something that I had to get used to (usually I prefer dual POV), but I think Ms. Hopkins did a great job really developing his worldview. First person stories can be entertaining but a bit narrow in scope, but Eddie’s view of the world, and his heroine Carmen, in particular, was fantastic. Their Firsts are top notch, and their individual journeys are well done.

First and foremost, I adored the way Eddie adored Carmen. He’s Latino, a former gangbanger and his struggle to find his way after what he’s gone through is compelling to read and helped keep me turning pages well into the night. My only quibble, is because it is first person, that I longed for time in Carmen’s head, to experience her side of the journey. I’m just a romance junkie at heart and wanted more of both of them. But overall, I was very, very impressed with this story and want to read more from Ms. Hopkins. Well done.

**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**

For more reviews, visit

[Tracy DeNeal · Rating 5 out of 5]

First they called him Trouble. He feels like and they treat him like Trash. But for her, and in her eyes, he is a Treasure.

Eduardo “Trouble” Rosas is third generation East Side Hollenbeck (ESHB) and proud of it. Daddy’s boy, homeboy, ex-con, parolee—all adjectives that fail to encapsulate the complex, fully actualized human being, man, that he is.

Mia Hopkins has brought this glorious young man to the forefront literally plucking him from the dish room in a swanky restaurant in Downtown LA and making him a romantic hero. You know those guys who you barely glimpse in restaurants? Yeah, him! I’m totally here for it.

I’m in awe of this series. I seldom find first person narratives written from a single POV where I can get a clear view of the romantic partner. This was not the case for me in this story. Although we don’t get into Carmen’s head, her actions project her feelings. I loved her.

This book reminds me of why I love reading on my Kindle. Hopkins interspersed her writing with colloquialisms that I could readily translate. It added to my enjoyment of the text and provided an immersive experience at the same time.

I couldn’t help but squee all over this author and her darling baby, Cheeks, when I ran into her at the LA Times Festival of Books this past spring. I was over the moon when she shared the release date of this book. I couldn’t wait to read it. Now, I’m in alt and anticipation for TANKED.

I recommend this series wholeheartedly!

[T. Rosado · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

While I enjoyed this book just fine, I felt a greater emotional connection to the first book in the Eastside Brewery Series, Thirsty. Like the first book, Trashed portrayed the same realism of an ex-con trying to figure out his life after incarceration and gang affiliations. The author did a wonderful job creating two completely different personalities in brothers Eddie and Sal. Eddie was the flirtatious and outgoing brother to Sal's brooding and moody one, but I still felt Eddie's complex emotions when it came to his past and what was potentially available for his future. Most pointedly, finding his father, potentially committing to a clean life, and Carmen.

The romance was more central to the plot in this book compared to the first, but I still didn’t feel as connected to it as I did Eddie’s individual story. For that reason, I found the drawn out sex scenes excessive. As a whole, I enjoyed Eddie's story, but I didn't find it as strong or evocative as Sal's in Thirsty.

[Luna Joya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Thirsty. Like I loooooved Thirsty. But this second book in the series? The one I read with such high expectations and an inflated need because of Thirsty? It's even better.

I zoomed through this is a day. I kept stopping to savor passages because I was frustrated I was reading it too quickly.

Eddie is amazing. I mean I crushed on him in the last book. His POV is in depth and rich. All of which made me worry about finding him a worthy match.

Carmen is a heroine who not only keeps up with him, but often outshines his long shadow. The family dynamics are beautifully complicated. There are secrets and steam. And it's great to find a heroine who reflects real-life examples. She is powerful and complex in her own right.

Sexy. Dirty in all the best ways. With a couple stronger than their secrets. Trashed is a must read.

[Pam Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahh Eddie Rosas we get a glimpse of him in the first book but you have to be wondering about him just as much as I was. He was intriguing the other Rosas brother.

I didn’t think I would like him he is a little more brassier then Sal. I kinda dig that if he likes you he doesn’t keep that to himself you know. And if he doesn’t well you know that too. Lol

Ahh Carmen throws a wrench into it and he intern throws one back into her life. Their back and forth are kinda amazing I love that she doesn’t take his sh….t and vice versa.

Eddie’s downfall is his father. They take a ride these two father and son and it isn’t always greener and we see just how broken someone can become.

Great story great characters and even better narration.

[b.andherbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been eagerly awaiting Trashed, as Thirsty is a absolute and utter steamy delight. Like whoa, my face is red reading this in the break room and I need to take a moment.

Trashed does not disappoint.

After being released from his five year prison sentence, Eddie Rosas hooks up with a beautiful stranger in a public garden a few days after finally being released from prison. While Eddie wants to blame his forced celibacy for the fire between him and the woman he cannot forget, he knows there is more. Something about her twitches Eddie's memory.

When Eddie gets a dish washing job at a fancy Italian restaurant six months later, he is stunned to find out the beautiful woman he still dreams about is running the kitchen. Their chemistry is impossible to deny and when he and Carmen get caught making out in the cooler and they both lose their jobs.

Trying to be more for Carmen, to be more for his family, to be more for himself, Eddie must navigate his budding relationship and his fear of falling back into old habits, falling back in with the East Side Hallenbeck gang.

What follows is a story of working hard, of taking your chances, of trying to do what is best, even if it isn't quite right. Eddie's story is important, as Hopkins deftly shows how the Rosas brothers deserve their happily ever afters.

Gritty, angsty, and so utterly delicious, I love this series!

Also, I have to say I really enjoyed how Hopkins portrayed Eddie and Carmen's struggle to be alone. Eddie lives with a family friend in a trailer in the same public garden he and Carmen first met in. Carmen lives with her parents, despite being in her mid-twenties. Carmen could live on her own, but feels both obligated by her family to stay and the pressure to save money for a rainy day. Watching these two try to find a place to be together, alone, was super frustrating and SO hot because of it.

I feel like we barely see financial struggle in romance novels as usually the characters all have wonderful jobs, wonderful careers. Of course your small cupcake business is just fine, makes all the money.

This series banks on these struggles and feels all the more realistic for it. While I have huge hopes for Eddie and Sal's brewery business, I also feel their concerns, their difficulties, the realities of starting up a small business, especially for POC. The discussion of trying to keep their new business in "their neighborhood" before the white gentrify-ers show up was especially on point (Jackie Lau's newest series, Baldwin Village, also deftly deals with these small business worries).

Content warning for discussions of gun violence, gang violence, physical violence (fighting but never between the main couple), drug use.

I received a free copy in exchange for a fair review.

[Maida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ladies, read Trashed with your A/C at freezing point because it's HOT! HOT! HOT! 🔥🔥🔥 It's raw and dirty and, I'll say it again, hot.

Eddie is not your usual romance novel hero (ex-con, gang member, inadequately educated, poor, etc.), but like his brother Sal before him, he is worthy of loving and being loved. Kudos to Mia for writing about men like him. Not many authors do that and I love her for it.

I really appreciate witnessing Eddie's growth throughout the book. His was a fascinating journey from the directionless newly-released inmate to a man with a purpose in the end. Mia's male voice is so strong that I believed that transformation wholeheartedly. Which is kind of a double-edged sword because, like in the first book with Vanessa, my main nitpick is that we don't get to see what goes on in Carmen's head. While I understand how she could fall for him in the end, I still can't believe how strong her emotions had been from the start.

Compelling writing has me going back for more and I'm absolutely looking forward to the next book in the series.

[E-Reader Addict · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!

Oh, those Rosas men have stolen my heart.

Oh, how my heart has ached for them.

Like his older brother Sal, Eddie “Trouble” Rosas is struggling to make a life for himself as an ex convict, away from the life of a gangster, which is the only life he knows. He’s a man whose machismo has been knocked down several pegs by a five year stint in prison. He’s still haunted by his past, and struggles to let go of finding out what happened with his father, which occasionally makes him do stupid things. But six months after being released, he’s doing his best to live a clean life, working any job he can for money.

His latest job is as a dishwasher, where he finds chef Carmen Centeno, the woman he had an encounter with the day he was released from prison and hasn’t stopped thinking about ever since. While he didn’t recognize who she was at the time, she knew him from the neighborhood growing up, and knows his story. Knows his heart. As they spend time together, Eddie finds a way to help both his brother Sal with his new brewery business, and Carmen’s family with their abandoned bakery. But Eddie has some things to learn.

“To be honest, I don’t really plan things out,” I say. “The words—they just kind of rush out sometimes. I don’t even know what I’m saying half the time.”
She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, well. You need to work on that. You’re a grown-ass man.”

You gotta love a woman who isn’t afraid to call a man on his crap! And Carmen does, so many times. But she’s also the only one who makes him feel alive. Like he’s worth something. Not trash. The thing I loved about this story is that Carmen really is out of Eddie’s league. He has very little to offer her outside their bedroom chemistry (and WHOA NELLY there's A LOT, but you can't base a whole relationship about how good things are in bed), and knows it. But she never makes him feel that way.

I want her to feel about me the way I feel about her—amazed.

There’s something so endearing about a hero who is so earnest in his desire to have a better life, but makes decisions that colossally miss the mark. There’s nothing better than a heroine who holds a hero accountable for his actions, but has his back no matter how far off the rails he goes because she knows his heart.

Thirsty (Eastside Brewery #1) was one of my top ten favorite books for 2018, so I was anxiously awaiting Trashed. Once again, Mia Hopkins has given us another heartbreaking, compelling, unique story that touched me deeply. The writing is beautiful, the characters are charming, and you can’t help but root for Eddie and Carmen as a couple. I have such a warm spot in my heart for Sal and Eddie, and have loved watching them find love, make mistakes, be forgiven, and find a new way to live. These are characters I’m sad to say goodbye to at the end of their story. Thankfully there’s another book coming about the youngest brother, and I can’t wait for it!

* thank you to NetGalley and Little Stone Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Adele Buck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a little surprised at how much I liked the first novel in this series (Thirsty). First-person, single point-of-view only from his side? That’s unusual and I wasn’t sure I’d like it.

I loved it. Sal’s story was intense and scary and heartfelt and tender.

But we’re here to talk about Eddie’s story. If anything, Eddie’s a bigger marshmallow under his prison tattoos, muscles, and history as a car thief and gangster. He falls for Carmen from almost the minute he sees her and his adoration is so pure and radiant it almost hurts. Likewise, his search for his and Sal’s father Dreamer has a purity (and even naïveté) that is truly sweet.

This book isn’t as tense as the first book, but it is definitely a romance with grit and bite. I loved it.

I was given an Advance Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Maria11 · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great read. I read till it was complete. I wish I read the first book, but when I requested it I had no idea it was a second book. You can read it without the first one but I would have liked to have read Sal’s story.

Eddie is a complex interesting character. He has little faith in himself and makes instant choices without thinking. Carmen well I wish there was more info on her. We didn’t get much about her motives and why she searched out for Eddie except she had a crush on him. She is definitely a good girl gone rebel. Eddie’s journey to good guy keeps you reading and the chemistry between him and Carmen is hot to say the least.

I want to read the next one for sure!

I received an ARC From the publisher for an honest review.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gritty, gorgeous, and it absolutely gutted me. Ok, enough alliteration and back to gushing (I gotta stop with the "g" words) about this beautiful story about Eddie "Trouble" Rosas' very un-beautiful life. Eddie is fresh out of prison, on the verge of being dragged back in with his old gang, and totally unprepared to fall for the mysterious Carmen. Slapped down by prison, gang violence, a deadbeat dad, and a lack of opportunities, Eddie thinks he is everything his nickname signifies.

“Being with you,” I say slowly, “would require me to be a good person. I’m not a good person, Carmen.”

At only 23, Eddie thinks he has nothing to offer the world but fake bravado and swagger, but luckily, Carmen and Eddie's brother Sal (I loved his story in Thirsty) know that Eddie is more than just bad choices and bad luck. Carmen may be one of the most quietly strong heroines ever, as she accepts the challenge of loving Eddie.

“You haven’t given up on me yet. Why not?”

She’s quiet for so long I’m afraid she’s fallen asleep. But she lifts her head and looks at me in the dark.

“Because you’re much more—so much more—than the bad things you’ve done, Eddie. They don’t define you.”

I like my romances fluffy and totally untethered to reality (after all, how many hot billionaires and dukes actually exist?). Yet I completely fell into this all too real world of second chances and fighting tooth and nail for survival. I found myself wanting to believe that people like Eddie, Carmen, Sal, and Vanessa not only exist but have found their true happily ever afters. In short, and to use a "g" word, this was just plain good.

4.5 stars

Note: I voluntarily read and reviewed this eARC generously provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

[LianaReads blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I choose this book because I've heard a lot of great things about the first in the series and let's be honest, i was so intrigued by the cover and to see if the male character resemble the cover and i wasn't disappointed at all. Also, i haven't read the first book in the series but this one can very easily read as a stand-alone although the couple has a few big appearances in this book.

I haven't read many books told only in male pov and was so pleasantly surprised because i really enjoyed this book so much.
The writing is great as well and i couldn't stop reading til i found out how everything will wrap up.
I just love Eddie so much, he's quite the character, he was a bad boy and still is but have a heart bigger than anything else, and his determination to find his father and found out what happened with him has no limits. He's so caring and loving towards his family, as for his relationship with Carmen i have no words to say how much i love him for everything he did for and with her. He was willing to give her up because he knows he's a bad influence and not worthy of her and OMG the intimate moments between them are so hot and diverse and i was flushed so many times ,the chemistry and desire and all their feelings could be felt through the pages because the author has done such a great job in describing everything so well and beautiful.

There are a few twists and turns, moments that kept my heart race with n unexpected speed but also heartbreak and hopefully at the same time.

i will definitely recommend this book to all my friend and looking forward to more books by the author.


Arc received by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Huh. Everyone loves this one and I don't. *sings* Story of my liiiiiiife.
The writing left me cold, just kind of .... frank and to the point. It all felt so muted, even the explicit sex scenes.
I really wish there had been a flashback to when Carmen and Eddie first met. I would've loved to know why he notices her NOW and why now she's all he sees. He didn't notice her before. When she asks him why her and he gives her an answer I actually made a dismissive wanking gesture. Did not believe. And there's, like, no build up to the attraction or the physical contact. He just kisses her hella inappropriately in a garden when she's crying. I kept reading for some kind of emotional payoff but there was none.
Read an excerpt for the next one where the guy just immediately kisses the girl after telling her she's pretty and she's like "come home with me". MAN, can I get some simmering tension up in here?
Bummer.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes hi I am trash for Trashed. This book was possibly even better than the first in the series. The writing really grabbed me. Eddie is flawed and doing his best. I loved the way we see him make decisions and respond to various circumstances in the book, how he shifts, and how he balances acceptance of certain things, while actively rejecting others. The romance was incredibly hot. Yowza does Mia Hopkins know how to write intimacy. Recommended!

[Leigh Kramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thirsty was one of my favorite romances of 2018 and I’ve been quite eager to read Sal’s brother’s story. Trashed exceeded my expectations! I know male POV can be hit or miss for people but Mia Hopkins absolutely nails it.

Eddie is newly out of prison after serving 5 years when he encounters Carmen crying in the garden. They have a hot encounter before she takes off and while he can’t stop thinking about her, he doesn’t expect to see her again until they have a disastrous encounter at Eddie’s new job. He’s had a tough time finding his feet again and he’s trying to figure out who he is, as well as who he wants to be. Plus, the specter of his gang East Side Hollenbeck still looms. He has scars from being shot the night that sent him to prison and got tattoos in prison to disguise them. This became his armor and now he wears it whether he wants to or not, which has implications for his future and for his ability to separate himself from the gang.

Eddie is a romantic, even if he doesn’t admit it, and this made me fall for him. He was a player before he went away to prison but that’s not really who he is anymore at age 23. He worries he’s awkward and deep down he wants a relationship like what Sal and Vanessa have. But he’s also not sure what he has to offer someone like Carmen, who is practical at her core.

Eddie is reckless and impulsive and he can still live up to his old nickname Trouble. But he’s a good man, no matter how he’s struggled post-prison. He’s so hopeful and naive concerning his father. Dreamer Rosas is presumed dead but Eddie refused to believe it and much of the plot involves him trying to track down his father and what ensues. This broke my heart and I was quite worried about what would happen whether or not he found his dad but the way this played out was excellent.

Chef Carmen was a perfect foil for Eddie. She had a big crush on him growing up but he never noticed her. Well, he certainly notices her now! Carmen is stuck between her parents’ overly high (and inherently sexist) expectations and her own dreams. No one thinks Eddie is good for her but she believes in him and this kind of belief is transformative.

We also get some great glimpses of Sal and Vanessa, as well as see the next moves for Eastside Beer. If that’s not enough, this story explores class and gentrification in some nuanced ways. Plus, the continued insights into prison life and parole are much appreciated. I love when authors are able to explore these issues and do it well. Hopkins has done her research and it shows. I cannot wait for the next book in this series!

CW: gang culture, shooting, violence, alcoholism, casual drug use, addiction and recovery, grief, reference to death of loved ones by car accident, reference to past domestic violence

Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Jessica Alcazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars is an inadequate amount of stars for not only what is happening on these pages but what is happening with this series. It deserves so much more ......

Sometimes, I read a book and I am so stunned stupid that I don’t know even where to begin my review or what to even say. This book, no slash that, these brothers have stunned me stupid. Both of them. I honestly did not think the power behind Salvador’s journey (book 1 for those of you starting here) could be rivaled, but it was. I’m not going to say I favor one brother over the other because honestly, I don’t. The minute this book landed on my kindle I re-read Thirsty before I began and when the time comes for Tanked, I’ll do it all again because I love this world the author has created. It’s real and relatable and touchable by any one of us.

I know I keep bringing up Thirsty when I should be concentrating on telling you specifically about Trashed but I honestly cannot talk about one without the other. In my head they’re one. And I think you might get that if you read this book (which I hope everyone is doing right now LOL), because as much as this book is about Eddie and Carmen and their journey, it’s also a journey of family , blood and otherwise. And it is powerful.

[Taryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Thirsty, the first book in the Eastside Brewery series, and Trashed was a worthy follow-up. I really recommend the audio versions of both books because the narrators each do a fabulous job with the different accents and Spanish pronunciations. This book is about Eddie, the brother of Sal from the first book. Eddie has recently been released from prison and gets a job as a dishwasher in a fancy restaurant, where he meets Carmen, the chef. Except they already know each other from a steamy one night stand they had back when Eddie was first released. Dun dun DUN! How will they handle their new boss/subordinate relationship, and how will they resist the simmering tension between them? And beyond all those complications, Eddie is trying to find his father, who they thought was dead but now he believes is alive. What?! It’s more drama than you can shake a stick at, and it’s so good! And Chancla the evil wiener dog makes an appearance!

[el · Rating 3 out of 5]

more carmen was needed. better than thirsty though. 3/5.

[Sarah Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredible! It's gritty and raw but also heartwarming and steamy. It's the story of Trouble aka Eddie, a 23-year-old former gang member who has endured loads of hardship and pain in his life (he grew up in a rough part of LA surrounded by gang culture, lost his mom and sister, has a drug addict for a dad who may be dead, and just released from prison after serving 5 years for stealing cars with his brother). On the surface he definitely sounds like bad news...but I totally fell for him from the first page. Even with his rough history and the many mistakes he made, it's clear post-release that he wants to lead a better life. He's kind, thoughtful, hardworking, and cares for the people close to him. He's the epitome of "don't judge a book by its cover--he's tall, jacked, tatted up and scarred to hell (intimidating but also YUM!), but on the inside he's a sweetheart.

The book kicks off with some major steam: while at a community garden, he sees an attractive young woman distraught, so he helps her. She comes onto him and they share a passionate hookup. He doesn't see her again, which is a total bummer for Eddie because he's totally into her...until he gets a job assignment as a dishwasher at an upscale restaurant. The beautiful woman he hooked up with happens to be the chef at the restaurant (his boss, I love it!). Their feelings for each other reignite in an instant.

What follows is the story of Eddie trying to navigate life as a reformed criminal while also attempting to develop a relationship with Carmen. I love how Mia didn't shy away from exploring how difficult it is to live life as a former criminal, specifically someone with a gang-related past. Don't worry though because the HEA was satisfying and hopeful! As serious as this book was, it was also incredibly steamy, which I of course loved. Eddie and Carmen had so many steamy times together that were also filled with emotion and meaning, which I loved. Highly recommend this book to anyone who prefers substance and grit in their romances!

[Ga Books LoverX · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok first of all, do you see how freaking hot this cover is and then the blurb just draws you in. Please and thank you that that the book was just as good (or better) than what the blurb made it out to be! I did not read the first book in the series and I did not feel as if I was missing out on any vital information which is always nice!

This book is about Eddie (Trouble) who has been out of prison for a short 6 months and about him trying to get back on his feet after having a big complication fall in his lap. Carmen is a conundrum, she is beautiful, smart, from the neighborhood and a freaking great chef. These two seem to be on two completely different tracks, but that is what is beautiful about love- it does not matter at all.

You definitely need to dive in this book and see about what Eddie and Carmen go through. The author did a great job of creating passion, an amazing story, likeable characters (Eddie is a freaking sweetheart underneath it all), and a powerful connection. I absolutely recommend you check out this book!

Thank you to Netgalley, Give Me Books PR, and Mia Hopkins for allowing me an advanced copy of the book in return for my honest feedback!

[Delaney Diamond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner. Just like Thirsty, Trashed kept my interest with a storyline that seamlessly incorporates the gang culture and Mexican-American culture. Eddie, aka Trouble, wants out of the gang life just like his older brother. Can he do it? As he works on getting his life together, he takes a journey to discover the truth about his dad and finds a woman who loves him and has his back. This one is also written from first person, hero's POV only. But once again, I didn't feel like I missed anything by not having the heroine's POV included. BTW, this one is STEAMY, too!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

File this one under the "bad decisions book club" because I stayed up late to read it the night it dropped. Some rambly, disjointed thoughts: I loved Carmen for pushing back on Eddie and calling him on his impulsive BS: volunteering her for things, speaking before thinking, etc. It's strange to call a book tender but filthy but that's what it was.

[Karla C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update: I lied a bit and said I finished it when I hadn’t read the Epilogue. And upgrading to 5 stars after the epilogue. The special beers Sal made and the one for Eddie 🥹🥹🥹 like 100% Eddie/Trouble is an IPA.


So this is more of an Eddie story rather than an Eddie+Carmen story but I still really enjoyed it. It was such a sensory delight. I love how the two brothers processed being out of prison so differently, possibly because we see Sal 6 months after his release in his book, while Eddie was much more recent. The details around the sounds Eddie was hearing for the first time in a long time(his “Shhh” to Carmen and the women’s laughter 🥹), the smell and taste of the herbs, and the feel of the soil on his bare feet, just absolutely gorgeous details.

[GigiReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Single male POV can be very hit or miss for me. It's so limiting. I didn't mind it in Thirsty but here it bugged me that I had no idea why Carmen did the things she did. Aside from this I just love these brothers. Eddie was just as sexy and vulnerable as Sal. Being in his head was a roller coaster. I'm half asleep and I think these books must be experienced. Also it's awesome to see a book with Mexican American MC's. It made me homesick for my Latin community.

TL;DR So ex gang members try to go straight and fall in love along the way.

Tropes:
One Night Stand
Second chance

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫/5
🔥🔥🔥/5

[Maria Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this story did a great job of advancing the overall series worldbuilding with the brothers and their relationship with their father. I liked Eddie a lot too. I wasn't as sold on Carmen (her decisions didn't always make a lot of sense to me) but the two of them together certainly heated things up (like whoa!) This series so far has really surprised me, in the best way. I'm excited that we are going to get the youngest brother's story soon!

[Jess Palacios · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️:5 of 5 📚: 352 pages 🌶️: 4.5 of 5

Read it if you like:
✔️ Contemporary romance
✔️ Ex-con MMC X Kitchen Chef FMC
✔️ Mexican American community
✔️ One night stand, insta lust
✔️ Vanished father, gang members
✔️ Family brewery business

Blurb: ''My name is Eddie Rosas, but everyone calls me Trouble. Since I got out of prison six months ago, I’ve had one goal: find my father, whatever the cost. My older brother says I need to move on and to leave our gang, East Side Hollenbeck but I can’t—not until I uncover the truth about our family and its missing piece. One problem? I’m distracted. My distraction’s name is Carmen Centeno. Smart, passionate, and tough as hell, Carmen is a woman from the neighborhood who’s built her career as one of the city’s top chefs. But when our connection deepens, how can I show her I’m not the trash everyone says I am?''

My thoughts: This was my first time reading Mia's books and I loved it from the first pages! This story is so rich and filled with so many interesting elements like: LA east side communities, ex convict trying to get not only answers but back on his feet, there's action, love, spicy scenes, a Bear tv show ref that I LOVED, family bonds and above all, an enormous need to feel loved by both main characters! I loved Carmen's (FMC) characters development, she matures so much and grows into this badass woman. I love how we get a glimpse on the other book's characters (I desperately need to read the other 2 books)! Amazing book and I can't wait for more!

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hopkins is an excellent storyteller. This was a bit more sexy than I was prepared for. However, I enjoyed the ride. It is good to have my limits stretched.