~**~ ARC Review: Thirsty (Eastside Brewery #1) by Mia Hopkins ~**~

***4 Stars***

So it went like this “Ohhhh the cover” then “Oooohhhh, beer?” then “Oh, gangsters?”
Mmmm, Yes. Please *hit request*
And I thoroughly enjoyed it. It took a different direction than what I had expected, but I really liked it. It’s got all the goodness of a romance, the heat, the connection that goes soul deep, but there is so much more going on than just that. It’s about getting back on your feet and believing that there is more to you than where you come from, if only you let yourself believe it.

I loved Sal. He’s working really hard to do the right thing and stay on the right side of the law for more reasons than the simple desire to NOT go back to prison. But along with that determination, there was also an honesty that made it easy to connect with him and see just how golden his heart was, even if he couldn’t see it. Vanessa was a little spitfire. Hardworking, sassy, stubborn, but also compassionate, caring and honest. She was a lot of fun and I loved how she didn’t mince words. She let you know what was what and was more than capable of standing her ground when needed.

Sal and Vanessa’s journey was interesting one with how everything started between them, but it actually worked in their favor because they were probably more open and honest about who they were than if things had started differently. The smexy was off the charts! But the way they connected and how they saw each other simply made the chemistry between them burn brighter. Some issues arise, which come as no surprise, but how everything worked out in the end for them was perfect!

This is my first read by Mia Hopkins and I really enjoyed it. The writing was engaging and I really enjoyed the solo 1st person POV. I loved how gang life was shown in the book and how it affected everyone who lived around it. The secondary characters brought a lot of depth to the story and definitely kept things interesting. Alan was fun, but Chinita stole the show for me. That woman has moxie. And with that little mystery popping up at the end...all I can say is I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book in the series!

~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~

My name is Salvador Rosas. Back in the barrio, my past is written on the walls: ESHB. Short for East Side Hollenbeck, my father’s gang—my gang. Hell, it’s a family tradition, one that sent both my brothers away. They used to call me “Ghost” because I haunted people’s dreams. Now I’ve got nothing going for me except a hipster gringo mentoring me in a new career. An ex-con making craft beer? No mames.

Still, people in this neighborhood look out for one another. That’s how I became Vanessa Velasco’s unwelcome tenant. Chiquita pero picosa. She’s little, but with curves so sweet they’re dangerous. I remember Vanessa from the old days, the straight-A student with big plans. Plans that were derailed by another kid stupid enough to think he was bulletproof. Now Vanessa knows better than to believe in empty promises. There’s fire in her . . . and if I touch her, I might get burned.

I’m trying everything I can to go straight. But when East Side Hollenbeck comes calling, I might have to risk it all to find out if there’s a future for Vanessa and me. Because she’s the only one who can quench my thirst for something real.

Release Date: March 13th, 2018

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Mia Hopkins writes lush romances starring fun, sexy characters who love to get down and dirty. She’s a sucker for working class heroes, brainy heroines and wisecracking best friends. She lives in Los Angeles with her roguish husband and waggish dog.

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