Three very different Latina sisters. Three dazzling talents with ambition—and passion—to burn. And in this warm-hearted, sexy new series, three chances to figure out if the path to success can also lead to lasting love . . . Ad executive Tomás Garcia shouldn’t even be thinking about his daughter’s alluring dance teacher, Yazmine Fernandez. Burned by a shattering divorce, he’s … divorce, he’s laser-focused on his career—and giving his young daughter, Maria, the secure home she deserves. Plus, he’s certain that with her talent, Yaz will be leaving Chicago and heading back to Broadway as soon as she can. But Yaz’s generous spirit and caring concern are sparking a desire Tomás can’t resist—and doesn’t want to let go . . .
For Yaz, good-looking workaholics like Tomás simply can’t be part of her life ever again. She owes it to herself to get back her confidence and fulfill the dreams her papá could not. She’s glad to spend time with Maria—and taste the family life she feels she can never have. And she’s sure that she and Tomás can keep their attraction under control because there’s so much at stake. But each unexpected intimacy, each self-revelation, makes the fire between them grow hotter with every step—and every risk to their hearts . . .
“Page-turning plot, great characters, a sparkling debut!” —Lori Wilde, New York Times bestselling author
“Warm and witty, this wonderful debut novel from Priscilla Oliveras celebrates the best of love and family. Looking forward to more from this fabulous author!” —Shirley Jump, New York Times bestselling author
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I loved this debut by Priscilla Oliveras. A single dad falls for his daughter’s beautiful dance teacher, only she’s not planning to stick around. The family dynamics in this book add so much depth to the story and to the characters–you feel like you have met them in real life!
One of the few books I’ve ever read that has a five-year-old character that actually acts like a real five-year-old!
The other thing I loved about this story (other than the characters and the great romance) was the glimpse into the lives/world of Latino Americans.
OMG this book was so good. Made me cry. Highly recommend it!!
Yazmine’s conflict in book one has to do with reconciling her father’s desires for success with those of her own. This perception of what she thinks she should want for herself and her career informs her relationship with Tomas, a single father whose ex-wife chooses her professional ambition over her family. Maria, his daughter, is a truly enchanting creation, As one of Yaz’s dance students, she is the reason Yaz and Tomás enter each other’s sphere. Tomás is an ambitious advertising executive in his own right, struggling to play a meaningful role in his daughter’s life. The resolution of this disparity of ambitions on the part of both Yaz and Tomás forms the primary conflict which of the novel.
Romantic, full of rich characters and cultural details, this series provides the joy of full immersion. Pair it with a warm blanket, a glass of wine and and a bowl of asopao for the perfect book weekend.
3.5 stars
Priscilla Oliveras is a somewhat new-to-me author. I first ran across her work in A Season to Celebrate and wanted to read more. She doesn’t have a very big library of work (yet) and this seems to be her first published novel. For all of that, it was very good.
This story is, on a basic level, the story of Yaz and Tomas finding each other and falling in love. They both have things in their past and present that keep them from admitting that love or going all in with each other. On a deeper level, at this books core, is the story of family. It’s a story of love and loss and how to deal with that loss.
The connection between Tomas and Yaz is obvious from the start. The even sweeter connection, though, is between Yaz and Tomas’ daughter Maria. They have such a touching relationship that extends to the rest of Yaz’s family. While Yaz and Tomas have undeniable chemistry, Maria and Yaz have an unbreakable and adorable bond.
I will admit that I was getting a bit frustrated with this story for a bit, wanting Yaz to talk to someone – anyone- about her feelings about New York and Broadway. While I understand why she kept that close to the vest because of the way this story plays out, it seemed to drag a bit too long. Even with that being an annoyance to me, I also appreciated the way Rey’s story played out. Being as I was glad for the length of time the author took to tell Yaz’s father’s story, I can’t truly complain about the length of time it took Yaz to open up and realize what needed to be done.
I’ve quite impressed with this author and I’m looking forward to reading more from her, especially more about these sisters.
Note: This has nothing to do with the story and I’m sure it wasn’t the author’s decision, but it upset me that this cover was “white washed”. They left a bit of the Latin flair of the characters, but really it doesn’t seem to fit the look of the characters as described.
This review can also be found at https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.com/2018/12/20/his-perfect-partner-book-review/
I won His Perfect Partner written by Priscilla Oliveras from my book club in celebration for the Rita’s. In exchange for the win, it was asked (but not required) to write a review. I fell in love with ambitious Tomas and Yazmine! Both are driven and looking for their big win; Tomas with a new Ad campion and Yazmine with dancing on Broadway again. And yet, both are willing to place family first. I especially liked how Priscilla captured the difficulty of being a single working parent balancing work and family and failing from time to time. Maria (Tomas daughter) was a wonderful delight as well as Yazmine’s father and sisters. The joys and sorrows, triumph and heartache, dreams, wishes, and desires are felt throughout the whole book not just for Yaz and Tomas but for every character in the book. There is Spanish in the conversations but Priscilla does a wonderful job at translating for us language challenge persons that fits right into the story. I still enjoyed using Google translation however just because.
It was delightful to read such a well-rounded story that centered around family. But, fair warning, the sexual tension between Tomas and Yaz jump from the page and escalated but there aren’t any steamy scenes beyond kissing and groping. I still bought Rosa’s story and am waiting for Lili’s story later this year.
His Perfect Partner is a sweetheart of a tale with a twist of salsa to flavor it up. Tomas and Yaz are temptation at it’s best. Oliveras has written an alluring romace that brings readers into the dance. Heart’s are broken, hope is lost, but it’s the healing power of love that casts a spell on readers and tangoed it’s way into my heart.