Thirsty: An Eastside Brewery Novel

This book is raw and real with a ton of heat. This book doesn't sugar coat when it comes to Sal's life. It's honest on the life he has lived and the struggle he has to keep himself on the path to being clean. While reading this I could feel the emotions pouring off these characters. Mia Hopkins did such a great job of creating such a vivid picture in this book. I had images in my head of what the book would look like. I was rooting for Sal the whole time because I so wanted him to get a new start because life has knocked him down so much. When he made a accomplishments I felt like a proud parent reading them. I can't wait for the next book because it's going to be good.

***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 ~

Mia Hopkins is a new author for me and I must say I really enjoyed her work and she's gained a new fan. She has a nice writing style that took me out of my world in the burbs and brought the barrio to life for me. I loved her characters and I was intrigued by the struggles they face on a daily basis. As a member of the neighborhood gang, Sal was caught and convicted for auto theft. He's served his time and has been released on parole but being back in the barrio has him facing everything that pushed him into that life before. When he finds himself homeless, a kind old woman in the barrio offers him a place to stay. She knows he's working hard to stay straight, keep his head down, and save enough money for a place of his own. Her kindness is what brings Vanessa into his life. She's faced her own hard times but she's fighting hard to make a better life. To Sal Vanessa is everything good in life. She's everything he ever wanted but knew he didn't deserve. Now though if he can stay out of the clutches of his old gang maybe he can have the life he's always dreamed of. This was a fantastic read and one I highly recommend.