He left her long ago. When she’s invited to a clandestine celebration, can she cash in on love without getting into bed with the mob? Mariana’s dreams have turned into nightmares. Abandoned without a word by the man she can’t forget, eight years and a backpack full of illicit money have done nothing to keep the stunning Latina from relying on booze to numb her pain. But when she’s given a chance to attend a secret Puerto Vallarta Day of the Dead party, she accepts and is immediately intrigued by a stranger disguised in traditional Catrin makeup. Determined to claim her alluring quarry, she gives chase through the hacienda—only to stop in her tracks when the lover she’s yearned for all this time calls her name. And as she’s drawn deeper into the mysterious games of the festival, the broken woman is torn between her desire for the intoxicating newcomer and the familiar danger of her dark delicious past. Discovering she’s entangled in a cartel scheme hidden within the revelries, will a night of criminal passion end in fatal consequences?
A. Unda-Tames is a romance author who writes across dark romance, psychological thrillers, and high-society contemporary romance. Her stories blend emotional depth, dangerous chemistry, and high-stakes tension—following heroines who fight for their power and heroes who blur the line between devotion and danger.
Her dark romance novels are known for their obsession, psychological twists, and addictive villains. In contrast, her High Society Heist Series offers fast-paced, glamorous holiday romance novellas filled with rivalry, luxe settings, and deliciously sharp chemistry.
A former theatre actor, director, producer, and playwright, she brings dramatic intensity and cinematic storytelling to every page. She is also the author of the middle-grade adventure series Risho & Kaia, inspired by her son’s journey on the autism spectrum. The Seed of Imagination was selected as a PepsiCo EnAble × Adelante Book Club Pick.
When she’s not writing, A. enjoys skiing, dancing, and spending time with her husband and their two children.
🖤 She is the creator of Dark Bloom Society, a storytelling brand and upcoming podcast exploring the stories we crave, the power we hide, and the desire that shapes us.
middle grade fantasy to promote autism awareness under Aggie Unda.
I won this ebook in a Goodreads giveaway & was asked in return for an honest review. This book was good. It was a little confusing at first and a bit all over the place, but good. It had a good story.
Is it possible to have too much detail when describing something? Because I felt like sometimes some things were described with too much detail, which made it a bit confusing to me.
Overall, though, the book as a whole was good. Mariana is a strong, beautiful woman who doesn't take crap from anyone. Especially after having her heart broken when she was a teenager. But she also has a lot going on inside her that she needs to deal with. Her past catches up with her when she goes to an island for a secret Dia de los Muertos party & she starts to discover a lot about herself.
I loved how much culture & language was put into this book. I feel like my review is all over the place, probably not a good idea to do this when I'm tired. But oh well. Like I said, good book. I can't wait to see what happens next.
First I want to thank Aggie for giving me the chance to be an ARC reader. What a thrill-ride.
I enjoyed every second of this book and couldn't put it down. The story captured me right away, I was so hooked I had to binge read this masterpiece till the end 💕. The writing style is mesmirizingly good 👌
I highly recommend reading this if you love dark romance and if you are interested in Mexican culture like me.
Be prepared to get addicted 😉
Side note: there's a love triangle and spice ❤️❤️❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Mariana -- her character and her surroundings were so alive in my mind chapter by chapter. There are so many real-life issues that this book touches on -- from spicy romances, to abandonment, to grief, to that undeniable feeling that your body gets when you can't hold back from sex or from the need of an alcoholic beverage to just take that edge off. This novel is an incredible work of art. Author A. Unda-Tames does an excellent job at describing not only the various emotions of the characters in this spicy novel, but the way that she describes the locations in the story makes you feel like you're there yourself.. watching Mariana and her lovers and friends walking around the cempazuchitl flowers and alebrijes. This book is not only for those that like to read dark spicy romance novels, but also for those readers that are interested in learning about the Day of the Dead and Mexican culture. I highly recommend this novel and cannot wait for Mariana 2.
Mariana has all the S's - Seduction, Sizzle, and Suspense! Think Survivor meets The Bachelorette meets Queen of the South! I enjoyed all the details around the Day of the Dead festival and trials. The love triangle between Mariana, her past/lost love (Dante) and a potential new love connection (Mateo) is steamy and complex. And Mariana's discovery of the cartel's activities happening on the same island as the festival brings the element of danger. The characters are easy to know and identify with, especially related to grief, addiction, finding strength within, and wanting to find true love. This book was hot hot hot!
Thank you to @aggieundatames for the gifted ARC ebook. Mariana will be available in October 2023.
Latin Lovers- Mariana is a dark romance novel set against the back drop of Puerto Vallarta, during the day of the dead festival. It includes Mexican culture, Catrina's, alebrijes and traditions. The novel has love triangle and Mafia romance troupes, which I really enjoyed. In the novel we meet Mariana, Mateo, Dante, Sofia and Camila and they are a great cast of characters. I was hooked from the very first page and I didn't stop reading until the end. I really enjoyed this book, @aggieundatames is a brilliant writer and I cannot wait to read more by her. A brilliant read that I highly recommend. 💖 Thank you to @aggieundatames for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for a honest review. 💖 Mariana is released in October 2023.
This was my first time being an ARC reader. I honestly enjoyed it so much!
I always like the books I read. But this one? Ooof I loved it! Kept me hooked till the very end! I was wanting to come home and read it after work everyday! When I put it down it’s all I would think about.
This book was written right. I don’t usually care for love triangles but this one? *chefs kiss* it was done right.
It was fast paced but not in a total rush. The spice? Perfect. The angst was blended in juuuuust right.
Thank you Aggie!! For letting me part of your arc group! 🩵🩵🩵🩵
I’m obesssed with the cover of this book!! This book had everything I love the thrill , suspense , love , spice and even has a taste of the day of the dead celebration as well. It’s a dark yet beautiful story and it had excitement I enjoyed read this
This book was such and amazing girl talk book. It peaked into the Latin culture which i really appreciate. It’s a perfect romantic, mystery, smutty, drama, that we all crave. This one is for my chismosas!! 10/10 recommend ❤️
I enjoyed this book. I did receive it as a GR giveaway, but my opinions are my own. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the author, A. Unda Tames for the copy. I don't think I would have read it on my own (its not my usual genre), but I did greatly enjoy it.
To briefly summarize, the female MC uses someone else's invitation to enter an exclusive Day of the Dead party on an island off Puerto Vallarta. She ends up in a predicament, well several, actually. It was a quick, enjoyable read.
I usually only CAWPILE rate "literary reads." However, I do want to give a comprehensive review of this book.
Characters were well developed, especially for not only how short the book was but also for how many characters actually were part of the storyline. The character arcs of at least the main characters were appropriate and showed change and growth. It is also the first in a series, so I think it was a good introduction to the characters, although I did have some lingering questions. I think that's part of the series, though.
The atmosphere was very well done. There is a lot about the atmosphere that to explain would be spoilers. But I can say the setting and the vibe were a great fit. I enjoyed the vignettes of the culture. If those glimpses were 100% accurate, I don't know.
I found the writing style straightforward and uncomplicated. You did have multi POVs and a few flashback scenes. The book utilized short chapters to increase interest and move the story along at a steady pace.
The plot was pretty well done.
I read this one in a few hours, so it kept me interested, and I will read future books in the series.
I did have a few issues with the logic. Part, if not all of those, may be addressed in future releases, but I did find a few things that just didn't seem to work for me. (Again, not going into detail because spoilers.)
I did enjoy this one. I thought it was an interesting premise, and it was done well. You cared for the characters, and what was happening was important.
Spice level is 1 to 1.5. However, the anticipation and teasing were well done. It does sizzle.
I would recommend as a light not your typical romance read.
Is it perfect? No. Is it the best piece of literature I have ever read? Also, no. Is it worth the read as an enjoyable (dare I say almost trashy in the best possible ways?) read? Absolutely.
I probably will not read this again, but I will read others in the series.
I debated between a rating of 3 or 4 stars. I have settled on a 3 star rating, but I tend to rate pretty conservatively. A 3 rating from me is still a good book. It's not a half good book. The Cawpile would actually be equivalent to 3.5 stars, but while I consider this a solid 3, it is not a 4 star read for me.
Thank you so very much to @AggieUndaTames for this ARC. This is my honest review.
Mariana by A. Unda Tames feels like stepping straight into a delicious and chaotic dark romance, danger, and seriously intense chemistry. If you like messy characters with complicated pasts and an undercurrent of real threat running through the story, this is definitely the book for you. In this installment Mariana is still trying to make sense of the heartbreak and confusion from years earlier when she was left behind with nothing but a backpack stuffed with dirty money and zero answers. The moment she slips into that secret Day of the Dead party hosted by a mysterious society, the whole vibe shifts. And then there is Mateo the man behind the Catrin mask who radiates danger in the kind of way that makes you think run and also absolutely do not run. The spark between them is instant and anything but safe.
And just when things start heating up in one direction Dante walks back into her life. The man who left to protect her but shattered her in the process. Their chemistry is still there and it immediately throws everything into a whole new level of crazy, emotional chaos. The love triangle actually works because both relationships feel rooted in something real and complicated not just two guys begging for attention.
The mafia setting keeps the stakes high with plenty of close calls, betrayals and moments where you are pretty sure someone is about to make a terrible decision for the best possible reasons. The Day of the Dead elements threaded through the story add such a unique vibe too, making everything feel richer and more immersive than your typical dark romance.
Mariana is dark, steamy, emotional and just plain addictive. I tore through it in one sitting. It is moody and dramatic in all the right ways and I was fully hooked from start to finish. If you are into danger, sexy filled romances with complicated hearts colliding this one is definitely the book for you!
Read If You Enjoy 🥀 Day of The Dead 🥀 Suspense & Dark Romance 🥀 Love Triangle
I really enjoyed this read. I was initially drawn to this read from the gorgeous cover, and it did not disappoint. It was so different than any other dark romance I have read.
This story follows Mariana, who is present with the opportunity to attend a secret day of the dead party. Upon arriving at the party, she finds herself immediately drawn to a stranger in traditional Catrin makeup. At this party, she also encounters the man she still loves who abandoned her eight years ago.
The story really kept me engaged with all the mystery and suspense from the events that took place during the party. The spice and romance were perfect; a love triangle full of angst, tension, and morally grey love interests. Mariana is feisty and yet vulnerable, and I fell in love with her character. She finds herself torn between an old all-consuming flame and a hot-and-cold newcomer while trying to decide what she wants for her future in a way that will make her late father proud.
This book has all the spooky fall vibes and is perfect if you are looking for a fast-paced dark romance steeped in beautiful Mexican culture. I can’t wait to see where Mariana’s journey takes her and her heart in the next book.
Thank you, Aggie, for providing me with an ARC copy of Mariana in exchange for an honest review 💜
This is one is even more amazing than first and the first one knocked me away. She's a talented author who knows her craft and how to captive her reader from the first sentence. She's an author I'm watching as you should.
This story is about is about Mirana, a firey hot Latina, sexy,
passionate, gorgeous, hot tempered, full of desires, pain and love. You can feel and understand all of that about her. Through her past and present experiences see what she what she chooses.
Everything is so descriptive from the way something tastes, sights, smells you're right there.
Described Dia del Muertos, Day of Dead in such depth you it rocked me to the core.
I cried, yelled, talked, screamed.
I couldn't put it down.
I highly recommend. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
“The brightest light comes from the darkest night.” This book was amazing. I loved it. At the beginning, I felt like it was kind of slow but loved the pace of it about halfway through. I like the characters & the author is very detail oriented which was really super nice. I like that I could picture the setting as I was reading it. This book broke my heart, made me laugh, made me smile. I related to Mariana so much, it was scary. I hope there will be more to this story bc I was very upset when it ended!! I WANT MORE lol
I enjoyed this book so much. I have nearly zero exposure to this culture so I may have missed some nuances. There is limited Spanish and for the most part it gets translated in text. I did make use of a digital translator for ebook. I also gleaned a tiny bit of knowledge from exposure to a couple Disney works but again not needed. There is a cliffhanger so still waiting for her HEA but I think it is going to be good! Well done!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I started out not liking the story, but as it went, I began to enjoy Mariana's journey. What really holds me back from living it is the lack of character development. Everyone was very two-dimensional, though Mariana's character finally began to develop near the end. I have hopes for the second book.
I really really enjoyed the story, especially the ETL trope. For my liking, it was a bit too toxic in some aspects that's why I gave 4/5 stars.
It's definitely worth a read, though. And just because I'm of the opinion some parts are too toxic, it doesn't have to be the opinion of other readers. You should definitely give it a go.
There was such rollercoaster of emotions but I loved it. I didn't like Mariana's character at the beginning but I definitely fell in love with her quickly. I love the dia de los muertos concept and how it was described so vividly. I could picture it all. So beautiful. I can't wait for the next part and to see what's in store for Mariana and Mateo
Mariana is such a strong and likable character, I loved getting to know her and seeing her growth. Plus the mafia story was interesting in addition to some steamy scenes!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Amazing! I loved this book, and not just because it shares my full first name. The steaminess and sexiness are the right level for me and I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.
✨ I want to start off by thanking A. Unda-Tames for giving me a chance to be an arc reader for this gorgeous book before it comes out in October 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣3️⃣ ✨
‼️This review is sincere and I am extremely excited for others to read this book too‼️
“Mariana” by A. Unda-Tames has everything a good dark romance book can possibly offer. Thrill, love, spice, and excitement. Not to mention getting a taste of the cultural celebrations of El Día de los Muertos in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Which I hope to one day experience myself in real life.
This book is a combination of romance, suspense, and twists that will have you at the edge of your seat, making it a compelling read for those who enjoy stories with said tropes. Mariana's journey to reconcile her desires with the uncertainties of her past sets the stage for what happens to be a gripping tale of love and danger💀🖤
I loved this book not only am I obsessed with the cover the artwork is exceptional but I also happen to have an intrest with the day of the dead so when I was given the opportunity to review this book before release with no obligation to write a review I jumped at the chance. This is a dark but beautiful story of a feisty girl with a troubled heart after having it broken at a young age. In this book you see her grow and become a woman who learns to understand herself, her past and what she wants from the future. I fell in love instantly with her vulnerability and her strength to keep going. This is a book you will not be able to put down so be prepared for the whirlwind you won't be disappointed.
Please note I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.