Inolvidable

This review is for the series as a whole. Although I rated the books individually, I'd give the series as a whole a higher rating - a full 4.5 - the whole is indeed greater than the sum of its parts.

How incredibly refreshing to read a whole romance series of interconnected stand-alones where each of the books has a distinct feel and somewhat unique trajectory (especially the last one which had me laughing at the meta moment near the end).

Even more refreshing was to have the stories centered around a family so like my own - fun, loving, raucous, super-close, all mixed up in each other's lives, and incredibly supportive. I wanted more of the Alba parents on the page!

Also refreshing was that every one of these books is sex-positive. No angst about bodies or acts, no recalcitrant virgins, nobody convincing or coaxing, no shame/shaming... Just wholly enthusiastic consent and a whole lot of joy.

The overall tone is light and leans towards the comedic and the scenic. There are some dark moments (especially in the 2nd book) which are taken seriously and overcome without languishing. The challenges faced by each couple are very different, as are their ways of resolving them. I appreciate the compassion with which the author approaches them all.

The characters are really well fleshed out and all the protagonists are very loveable and fallible humans. Each book focuses tightly on the couples, with the family as a whole and the protagonists from the other books featuring in beautiful ways that make sense within the story of each couple. The banter is fantastic, too.

The author's love of the city of Benidorm comes through in every page, and even if it sometimes reads a little like a tourist guide, it grounds the stories in a really cool way. The place itself is a huge influence on the plots, the characters, and obviously the ambiance.

I would've liked to write the review in Spanish, especially since there are currently no English translations of the book, but sadly that's beyond me at the moment.