Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Mistletango

AUTHOR:  Alexandra Caluen

PUBLISHER:  JMS Books

LENGTH:  253 pages

RELEASE DATE:  February 25, 2023

BLURB:

A between-jobs vacation was all Angelo expected from Buenos Aires. When it turned into a holiday fling, he wasn’t about to say no.

Ramon’s impulsive trip to Argentina started off as a disaster. The cute dance teacher offering a room share? An early Christmas present. The night dancing tango? A revelation.

The next week turns into a series of great dates, the kind that would take months to set up in real life. By day two, they both wish they’d met long ago, in California, where they both grew up. But while Ramon’s heading back there, Angie’s bound for North Carolina.

Angie leaves Argentina with a head full of plans and wishes, but no regrets. Ramon goes home with a plan of his own, determined to turn some wishes into reality. On New Year’s Day, Angie finds Ramon on his doorstep. Will they find a way to dance into the future together?

REVIEW:

Angelo Viveros Belmann is a competitive dancer and dance instructor.  He’s taken a job in North Carolina, leaving his LA home for the first time.  But on his way, he’s taking a couple weeks in Buenos Aries.  Then there is a problem with the last room in the hotel and he offers to share with the poor guy who ended up without a room, 4 days before Christmas.  He’s never had trouble making friends and Ramon Torres is beyond grateful as he’s dead on his feet.  After a nap and some food, Angie discovers that Ramon has taken a spur of the moment vacation because he’s just broken up with his long term girlfriend – and the reason is kind of a doozy.  Angie feels like he needs to share that he is indeed gay and a ballroom dancer – latin styles mostly – but he’s proficient at all 28 styles.  Ramon is intrigued. He likes to dance but hasn’t really done latin dance.

Turns out that Ramon is bi – or maybe pan?  He’s not 100% sure, but he’s had relationships with both men and women.  It’s cause a bit of an issue with his family but he’s taken his own path. He’s an accountant of all things, but he doesn’t love his job.  He’s intrigued with the milonga that Angie suggests and is fascinated watching the dancers.  Leading and following.  He dances with Angie and with others and he really loves it. As they spend more time together, it’s clear there is a real attraction.  They end up sort of having a holiday fling, but can it be more?  You’ll have to read to find out because I don’t want to spoil the really lovely unfolding of this story.

Wow!  This is a new author to me and I’m really looking forward to more from her.  I had no idea really what to expect, but I really really enjoyed this fairly low angst holiday fling to soul mates HEA love story.  The atmospheric story really put me in the time and place of the Holidays in Buenos Aries – a bucket list destination for me, especially since I missed on on a trip there in 2009 🙁  I loved all the descriptions of the city itself as well as the beautiful dance scenes.  Angie and Ramon were just such compelling characters.  They were so different and yet they complimented each other so well.  Another really great quality of this book was how naturally we learn about the backstories of these characters as they get to know each other.  The pace and storytelling really flowed and because we get the dual POV, there is no question about how much these two really enjoy each other’s company – not just for sex, but for everything they do together.  Dancing – the milonga and Argentine tango, leading and following.  Visiting museums.  Taking walks in the parks and people watching and eating and going to Christmas eve service.  While both are pretty open books with each other, they are also trying to protect their hearts a little bit at the beginning.  But it doesn’t take long for them to realize that this relationship that they seem to be building is different than anything either of them has every felt before.  Their families are so different and yet, they are able to work that out as well.  I’m not sure how this story could have been made better.  It’s a fast and intense connection but I was not at all put off by that.  I understood where they were coming from and how they somehow met at the right time and the right place with the right person and it was beautiful to watch.  I’m a real fan of this book and I highly recommend it.  I can’t wait for this author’s next book 🙂  She’s set a high bar here.

RATING: 

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