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When Stars Have Teeth
Buffy Yellowbird knows exactly what she wants. She went to college, got her degree, moved to the city, and found a big girl job. Working at the San Francisco Urban Indian center is a dream come true - except that it constantly fans the flames of anger stuck in her belly. Thanks to a non-Native board, Buffy spends every day fighting for the community to have what they need. With each day at work as terrible as a Monday, Buffy doesn’t have time for relationships. She barely has time for her siblings.
Santiago Morales is an ultra-suave immigration lawyer that keeps showing up in Buffy’s life. Despite his playboy-looks, Santiago is a family man ready to settle down. Unable to resist one another, the two agree on an associates with benefits arrangement that quickly dissolves the walls between them.
Before long, Buffy finds herself craving Santiago for more than a romp in the sheets. Their associates' arrangement was evolving into something more. Faced with accepting the darkest parts of herself or leaving Santiago behind forever, Buffy must decide if she is worthy of love.
Santiago Morales is an ultra-suave immigration lawyer that keeps showing up in Buffy’s life. Despite his playboy-looks, Santiago is a family man ready to settle down. Unable to resist one another, the two agree on an associates with benefits arrangement that quickly dissolves the walls between them.
Before long, Buffy finds herself craving Santiago for more than a romp in the sheets. Their associates' arrangement was evolving into something more. Faced with accepting the darkest parts of herself or leaving Santiago behind forever, Buffy must decide if she is worthy of love.
295 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 13, 2024
7 people are currently reading
1183 people want to read
About the author
Dani Trujillo
2 books71 followersDani Trujillo is a Xicana author. The desert is her happy place and serves as inspiration for many of her works. Her work was featured in Never Whistle at Night, where snakes come alive in the dark. Dani lives in the mojave with two spooky black cats, an elder chihuahua named after jeans, and the plethora of ghosts roaming the west.
Dani writes Adult Romance under the name Dani Trujillo.
Dani writes Horror under D.H. Trujillo.
https://www.danihtrujillo.com/
Dani writes Adult Romance under the name Dani Trujillo.
Dani writes Horror under D.H. Trujillo.
https://www.danihtrujillo.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
December 9, 2024
I really enjoyed the setting, characters, and plot of this one. I'm a sucker for San Francisco, and I loved seeing the merging of Indigenous, Latino, and other SF cultures in the center in this book. This one was also more polished than Trujillo's previous book, and I'm so excited seeing her continue to grow.
January 12, 2024
ARC review
4.5/5
Great follow up to Lizards Hold The Sun. I feel like this book feels really modern in the same way that I felt LHTS felt timeless. I really felt like this book seemed like a slice of life unlike so many other contemporary romances at the moment which seem to take place exclusively in either Stars Hollow or are just fanfictions with the serial numbers filed off.
Trujillo writes some beautiful swoony prose;
"Her smile stole the breath from his chest and he watched her intently, hoping for her to do it again."
Some highlights
* childfree couple
* Very honest and accurate chronic depression representation
* Bisexual representation
* Prickly heroine. I can see people with bad taste calling Buffy unlikeable, but all those details about her made me love her more. I loved her!
* Santiago was the perfect hero for Buffy
* the reality of life as an immigrant and indigenous struggles in the modern world was woven beautifully into the narrative. I never felt like I was being lectured or talked down to when reading this. Trujillo shows rather than tells and she's great at it.
* the endless and tedious work of someone who applies for grants to keep a centre running was something I felt in my bones having done similar work myself
My only real complaint is that I felt like this line was hinting at some femdom vibes early in the book that wasn't in there.
"Her voice was firm and Santiago could tell she was a woman used to being in control. He hated to admit it but he liked being bossed around by the women he dated."
But thats a minor complaint because Buffy was a fucking boss.
4.5/5
Great follow up to Lizards Hold The Sun. I feel like this book feels really modern in the same way that I felt LHTS felt timeless. I really felt like this book seemed like a slice of life unlike so many other contemporary romances at the moment which seem to take place exclusively in either Stars Hollow or are just fanfictions with the serial numbers filed off.
Trujillo writes some beautiful swoony prose;
"Her smile stole the breath from his chest and he watched her intently, hoping for her to do it again."
Some highlights
* childfree couple
* Very honest and accurate chronic depression representation
* Bisexual representation
* Prickly heroine. I can see people with bad taste calling Buffy unlikeable, but all those details about her made me love her more. I loved her!
* Santiago was the perfect hero for Buffy
* the reality of life as an immigrant and indigenous struggles in the modern world was woven beautifully into the narrative. I never felt like I was being lectured or talked down to when reading this. Trujillo shows rather than tells and she's great at it.
* the endless and tedious work of someone who applies for grants to keep a centre running was something I felt in my bones having done similar work myself
My only real complaint is that I felt like this line was hinting at some femdom vibes early in the book that wasn't in there.
"Her voice was firm and Santiago could tell she was a woman used to being in control. He hated to admit it but he liked being bossed around by the women he dated."
But thats a minor complaint because Buffy was a fucking boss.
December 24, 2024
This contemporary romance is going to stick with me for a long time. Buffy is a grant manager at the San Francisco Urban Indian Center. Santiago brings his abuela to the Center for one of their dinners and is instantly smitten with Buffy. She's not impressed, spiky soul that she is. But this only makes Santiago fall harder for her. He sets out to woo her while also giving her the space she says she needs. This was so delicious!
Santiago does a great job of staying present, no matter how surly Buffy gets with him. It's not that he ignores her wishes or feels he knows what she wants better than her. He's just so fully gone that he can't help but want to be in her presence, even if that means settling for scraps of her attention. One of my favorite moments was when he braided her hair and the intimacy that afforded them.
The prose is sparse but some passages made me stop in my tracks. Buffy and Santiago's world felt so alive to me and I loved learning about Buffy's work at the Center, along with her and Santiago's respective cultures and traditions. The parts related to grief were incredibly meaningful and moving.
That said, I wanted there to be more specificity. I didn't read Lizards Hold the Sun first, which is apparently about Buffy's brother, so perhaps more information was revealed there. But since this isn't listed as a series, that wouldn't excuse certain omissions. Buffy isn't identified as Cree until about halfway through and, while Santiago is referred to as a "blendian", it's almost 75% before we find out he's Pueblo and Mexican. Now we know they're both Native so maybe the specifics of their identity aren't as important...except I wanted to know, especially once we started getting into their traditions and the different issues people going to the Center faced.
The biggest omission for me was
It would have also been helpful to better understand the economics of living and working in San Francisco. SF is by far the most expensive city I've ever lived in and Buffy works at a nonprofit and Santiago is an immigration lawyer...neither of these are high-paying jobs. Not to mention Santiago would have had to jump through some hoops to practice law in California since the state doesn't offer reciprocity and he lived in Colorado before his grandmother got sick. Even beyond that, I was curious to know what neighborhoods they lived in and where the Center was. SF is such a dynamic city and those details would have anchored the story even further.
This is an expansive romance, giving Buffy a lot of time to reckon with her feelings. Up until the very end when things suddenly moved at warp speed and was not at all in keeping with the previous tone. It was a misstep for me but that doesn't change how much I enjoyed the story up to the point. I want to read many more stories about Buffy's family and I'm hoping Santiago's cousins get their own books too.
Characters: Buffy is a tall bisexual Cree Canadian grant manager who is close to 30. Santiago is a 32 year old blendian (Pueblo Mexican) immigration lawyer. This is set in San Francisco.
Content notes: depression, internalized ableism, sick grandmother (), past grandparent depression, secondary character's brother on parole, immigration cases, past death of FMC's mother (suicide), suicide stigma, past death of MMC's aunt and uncle while they were incarcerated, slut-shaming, past weight gain, vomit, shooting range, past death of secondary character's fiancé and father, family pressure for marriage, family planning discussion (neither want kids), unsafe sex practices (no condom for penetrative sex without discussion of STI or pregnancy prevention; she does ask him about STDs but doesn't disclose for herself or whether she's on birth control. She goes to get tested for STIs afterward), on page sex, sex toy, alcohol, inebriation (secondary characters), gendered pejoratives, ableist language, hyperbolic language around addiction, mention of past breast cancer and train derailment accident (MMC's grandmother)
Santiago does a great job of staying present, no matter how surly Buffy gets with him. It's not that he ignores her wishes or feels he knows what she wants better than her. He's just so fully gone that he can't help but want to be in her presence, even if that means settling for scraps of her attention. One of my favorite moments was when he braided her hair and the intimacy that afforded them.
The prose is sparse but some passages made me stop in my tracks. Buffy and Santiago's world felt so alive to me and I loved learning about Buffy's work at the Center, along with her and Santiago's respective cultures and traditions. The parts related to grief were incredibly meaningful and moving.
That said, I wanted there to be more specificity. I didn't read Lizards Hold the Sun first, which is apparently about Buffy's brother, so perhaps more information was revealed there. But since this isn't listed as a series, that wouldn't excuse certain omissions. Buffy isn't identified as Cree until about halfway through and, while Santiago is referred to as a "blendian", it's almost 75% before we find out he's Pueblo and Mexican. Now we know they're both Native so maybe the specifics of their identity aren't as important...except I wanted to know, especially once we started getting into their traditions and the different issues people going to the Center faced.
The biggest omission for me was
It would have also been helpful to better understand the economics of living and working in San Francisco. SF is by far the most expensive city I've ever lived in and Buffy works at a nonprofit and Santiago is an immigration lawyer...neither of these are high-paying jobs. Not to mention Santiago would have had to jump through some hoops to practice law in California since the state doesn't offer reciprocity and he lived in Colorado before his grandmother got sick. Even beyond that, I was curious to know what neighborhoods they lived in and where the Center was. SF is such a dynamic city and those details would have anchored the story even further.
This is an expansive romance, giving Buffy a lot of time to reckon with her feelings. Up until the very end when things suddenly moved at warp speed and was not at all in keeping with the previous tone. It was a misstep for me but that doesn't change how much I enjoyed the story up to the point. I want to read many more stories about Buffy's family and I'm hoping Santiago's cousins get their own books too.
Characters: Buffy is a tall bisexual Cree Canadian grant manager who is close to 30. Santiago is a 32 year old blendian (Pueblo Mexican) immigration lawyer. This is set in San Francisco.
Content notes: depression, internalized ableism, sick grandmother (), past grandparent depression, secondary character's brother on parole, immigration cases, past death of FMC's mother (suicide), suicide stigma, past death of MMC's aunt and uncle while they were incarcerated, slut-shaming, past weight gain, vomit, shooting range, past death of secondary character's fiancé and father, family pressure for marriage, family planning discussion (neither want kids), unsafe sex practices (no condom for penetrative sex without discussion of STI or pregnancy prevention; she does ask him about STDs but doesn't disclose for herself or whether she's on birth control. She goes to get tested for STIs afterward), on page sex, sex toy, alcohol, inebriation (secondary characters), gendered pejoratives, ableist language, hyperbolic language around addiction, mention of past breast cancer and train derailment accident (MMC's grandmother)
February 6, 2024
Miigwetch (thank you) Dani Trujillo for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
'When Stars Have Teeth' is a stand out novel that is endlessly endearing and captivating with the right amount of spice. Our main characters are Buffy and Santiago, though we primarily see this novel through Buffy's POV. Speaking of, she is a stand out romance main character, flipping the script and being the "sullen" one of their dynamic. She's very guarded, and for what could be considered a good reason, though we often see her kind and golden heart. Especially with her time working with elders. Being Calehan's sister, who was centered in the first novel, we get to see another side to the loss of a mother figure and how that has shaped the family, and how they've been dealing with that grief differently. Which is a major theme of the novel. A journey for self love, and enduring grief.
Santiago is very much her opposite in personality, though he understands her in a lot of ways she doesn't yet realize. Living with his Abuela Paulina to help care for her, after grieving the loss of her own husband, brings him into Buffy's circle. He's very calm, chill, and determined to get what he wants. Within reason.
I think these two definitely have a messy dynamic for a lot of this for sure, but it did not feel brushed off, excused, or romanticized. There are side characters, like Santiago's cousin, Pear, who express their concerns. And Buffy is prone to pushing others away, like she does with Santiago, but we see how desperately she needed people in her life to keep pushing. I really enjoyed her as a main character because it shows that people who are closed off, especially women, are not unworthy of love. And if someone is willing to fight for them, and it works out, then it is possible to get to that place. It just takes time, and trust, and healing. That is a very good message and I think Dani showcased this beautifully.
This also just has a ton of interesting characters, like Abuela Paulina, Pear, and Buffy's roommate/best friend, who has her own mini journey with her brother Miguel. There is also a wide variety of representation in this novel as well within these characters. Buffy is Indigenous and Bisexual, (and I also love that she's tall because I want more tall MCs). There are also WLW SCs, and Indigenous Mexican representation. There is a beautiful array of representation and culture.
Even though there are a lot of heavy elements in this, I found the entire story to be captivating from start to finish and I never wanted to set it down. Overall, an amazing novel with incredible representation!
Rep: Bi Indigenous MC, Indigenous Mexican MC & SCs, and WLW SCs.
'When Stars Have Teeth' is a stand out novel that is endlessly endearing and captivating with the right amount of spice. Our main characters are Buffy and Santiago, though we primarily see this novel through Buffy's POV. Speaking of, she is a stand out romance main character, flipping the script and being the "sullen" one of their dynamic. She's very guarded, and for what could be considered a good reason, though we often see her kind and golden heart. Especially with her time working with elders. Being Calehan's sister, who was centered in the first novel, we get to see another side to the loss of a mother figure and how that has shaped the family, and how they've been dealing with that grief differently. Which is a major theme of the novel. A journey for self love, and enduring grief.
Santiago is very much her opposite in personality, though he understands her in a lot of ways she doesn't yet realize. Living with his Abuela Paulina to help care for her, after grieving the loss of her own husband, brings him into Buffy's circle. He's very calm, chill, and determined to get what he wants. Within reason.
I think these two definitely have a messy dynamic for a lot of this for sure, but it did not feel brushed off, excused, or romanticized. There are side characters, like Santiago's cousin, Pear, who express their concerns. And Buffy is prone to pushing others away, like she does with Santiago, but we see how desperately she needed people in her life to keep pushing. I really enjoyed her as a main character because it shows that people who are closed off, especially women, are not unworthy of love. And if someone is willing to fight for them, and it works out, then it is possible to get to that place. It just takes time, and trust, and healing. That is a very good message and I think Dani showcased this beautifully.
This also just has a ton of interesting characters, like Abuela Paulina, Pear, and Buffy's roommate/best friend, who has her own mini journey with her brother Miguel. There is also a wide variety of representation in this novel as well within these characters. Buffy is Indigenous and Bisexual, (and I also love that she's tall because I want more tall MCs). There are also WLW SCs, and Indigenous Mexican representation. There is a beautiful array of representation and culture.
Even though there are a lot of heavy elements in this, I found the entire story to be captivating from start to finish and I never wanted to set it down. Overall, an amazing novel with incredible representation!
Rep: Bi Indigenous MC, Indigenous Mexican MC & SCs, and WLW SCs.
February 17, 2024
Oh, Buffy, Buffy, Buffy. You fought this love to damn hard.
With quotes like this in the first 10% of the book I thought for sure we were going to get a quick paced love story.
Laughing, Santiago caught her eye, “Relax.” He guided both of her hands around his neck and wrapped his arms around her waist. Meeting her hips with his, his thighs pushed into her legs, moving her backwards and around.
But alas, Santiago had to fight for Buffy's heart. And he's the perfect hero. He loves his grandma, is well paid in his career (lawyer!), and knows his way around a woman's body. He's also so damn smitten on our heroine Buffy.
But Buffy has some big walls built up around her heart and has no plans on letting anyone mess with the sanctuary she's created for herself. Not even Santiago's fine @ss.
“I like how tall you are.” Spinning her under his arm, he wrapped her up against his chest and whispered in her ear. “I like being the only man you let between those long legs.”
This book was about Buffy, living in San Francisco, trying to aid the local indigenous community as much as she can. Her life is pretty copy and paste, but she needs that normalcy in her life. She's also far from home (Canada Rez) so her personal circle is small. Santiago seems to be just what she needs but she's not ready for the emotions he brings. If she doesn't let him into her heart it can't be broken.
One thing I wish we would have gotten more of us groveling at the end. Buffy knew she messed up big and we always expect a big grovel from book heros when they mess up, so why not from her?
Either way, I enjoyed this book and love how this author seemlessly weaves in indigenous culture through food, slang, prayers, and traditions.
With quotes like this in the first 10% of the book I thought for sure we were going to get a quick paced love story.
Laughing, Santiago caught her eye, “Relax.” He guided both of her hands around his neck and wrapped his arms around her waist. Meeting her hips with his, his thighs pushed into her legs, moving her backwards and around.
But alas, Santiago had to fight for Buffy's heart. And he's the perfect hero. He loves his grandma, is well paid in his career (lawyer!), and knows his way around a woman's body. He's also so damn smitten on our heroine Buffy.
But Buffy has some big walls built up around her heart and has no plans on letting anyone mess with the sanctuary she's created for herself. Not even Santiago's fine @ss.
“I like how tall you are.” Spinning her under his arm, he wrapped her up against his chest and whispered in her ear. “I like being the only man you let between those long legs.”
This book was about Buffy, living in San Francisco, trying to aid the local indigenous community as much as she can. Her life is pretty copy and paste, but she needs that normalcy in her life. She's also far from home (Canada Rez) so her personal circle is small. Santiago seems to be just what she needs but she's not ready for the emotions he brings. If she doesn't let him into her heart it can't be broken.
One thing I wish we would have gotten more of us groveling at the end. Buffy knew she messed up big and we always expect a big grovel from book heros when they mess up, so why not from her?
Either way, I enjoyed this book and love how this author seemlessly weaves in indigenous culture through food, slang, prayers, and traditions.
they-told-me-to-read-it
June 21, 2025rec via Erin
August 20, 2024
"He wanted to arrive at the bar and leave it with the same person. He wanted that same person to sleep beside him every night and join him in the quest to have a grandpa lifestyle minus all the kids. In short, he wanted a soulmate."
When Stars Have Teeth is a beautiful, heartbreaking, spicy romance from Dani Trujillo. This story follows Buffy Yellowbird, who's introduced in Trujillo's debut novel, Lizards Hold the Sun. Buffy left her family and home to work at the San Francisco Urban Indian Center to provide meals, job support, cultural activities, and community to those in need. While fighting against a non-Native board holding the purse strings and battling her own mental health difficulties, Buffy refuses to get into relationships and see anyone regularly. Until the day she meets Santiago Morales.
Friends, let's talk about your new favorite book boyfriend. Santiago Morales is EVERYTHING. He's hot, he takes care of his grandma, he's steady, he's supportive, and he's unfaltering in the face of Buffy's grief and anger. I love Santiago's relationship with Abuela Paulina. Such a loving and special family dynamic that Trujillo illustrates beautifully.
When Stars Have Teeth delves into many difficult topics. These include (but are not limited to) loss of a family member due to suicide, depression, thoughts of suicide, grief, PTSD, and loss of an elderly family member. One of things that Trujillo does so well with Buffy's character is make you understand and feel with her. Buffy has a great capacity to love, but she's convinced herself she's too much, too difficult, too angry, too broken to be worthy of love from her family, from a partner. Those feelings cause her to hide her heart, to run, to lash to out in anger, all to protect herself from being let down and cast aside. Buffy's struggles are painful to witness, but are portrayed in such a raw and real way.
There's so much emotion in this story. From Buffy, yes, but from Santiago too. Their relationship is hot and heavy from the get go, and I adored watching it grow throughout the story into emotional intimacy and love. At the heart of the story is the center, the people who rely on its services, the importance of carrying on cultural traditions, and the struggle of funding such an important operation. As Trujillo notes in the story, "It would just be nice to get funding for our successes rather than our traumas."
When Stars Have Teeth is a wonderfully emotional contemporary romance. It made me cry on public transportation. Highly recommend!!
"Maybe this was always who she was meant to be, married to the dark with a heart leaking forever from the hole ripped into it."
"I'll be anything as long as I'm yours."
When Stars Have Teeth is a beautiful, heartbreaking, spicy romance from Dani Trujillo. This story follows Buffy Yellowbird, who's introduced in Trujillo's debut novel, Lizards Hold the Sun. Buffy left her family and home to work at the San Francisco Urban Indian Center to provide meals, job support, cultural activities, and community to those in need. While fighting against a non-Native board holding the purse strings and battling her own mental health difficulties, Buffy refuses to get into relationships and see anyone regularly. Until the day she meets Santiago Morales.
Friends, let's talk about your new favorite book boyfriend. Santiago Morales is EVERYTHING. He's hot, he takes care of his grandma, he's steady, he's supportive, and he's unfaltering in the face of Buffy's grief and anger. I love Santiago's relationship with Abuela Paulina. Such a loving and special family dynamic that Trujillo illustrates beautifully.
When Stars Have Teeth delves into many difficult topics. These include (but are not limited to) loss of a family member due to suicide, depression, thoughts of suicide, grief, PTSD, and loss of an elderly family member. One of things that Trujillo does so well with Buffy's character is make you understand and feel with her. Buffy has a great capacity to love, but she's convinced herself she's too much, too difficult, too angry, too broken to be worthy of love from her family, from a partner. Those feelings cause her to hide her heart, to run, to lash to out in anger, all to protect herself from being let down and cast aside. Buffy's struggles are painful to witness, but are portrayed in such a raw and real way.
There's so much emotion in this story. From Buffy, yes, but from Santiago too. Their relationship is hot and heavy from the get go, and I adored watching it grow throughout the story into emotional intimacy and love. At the heart of the story is the center, the people who rely on its services, the importance of carrying on cultural traditions, and the struggle of funding such an important operation. As Trujillo notes in the story, "It would just be nice to get funding for our successes rather than our traumas."
When Stars Have Teeth is a wonderfully emotional contemporary romance. It made me cry on public transportation. Highly recommend!!
"Maybe this was always who she was meant to be, married to the dark with a heart leaking forever from the hole ripped into it."
"I'll be anything as long as I'm yours."
November 18, 2024
2.5⭐
I liked the cultural aspects, but the main character was unlikable. I didn't realize this was the 2nd book in a series, and it would've helped to know what happened in the first book.
I liked the cultural aspects, but the main character was unlikable. I didn't realize this was the 2nd book in a series, and it would've helped to know what happened in the first book.
January 8, 2024
Cal & Xiomara walked so Buffy & Santi could RUN 🥵🔥🌶️
February 21, 2025
This is actually a 2.5 but I'm gonna round up because I see the vision and I was here for what it could've and should've been.
Everything about this was on track to be at least a 4⭐️ based on the vibes, the culture, the depiction of the Native community...but the fmc Buffy is straight up miserable at worst and insufferable at best and you're trapped in her head for the entire story. Idk why romance authors love making the women devils in the flesh but that's what Buffy was to me. She treated Santiago like shit every chapter and he never backed down from loving her which.....stronger than me pal! The whole time I was asking why he even wanted to be with her that badly.
She was mean (self-acknowledged that was she nasty!), rude, dismissive, and a liar and it's like......pls pick a fucking struggle. She had legitimate reasons (maybe? not to me) to be ugly inside but instead of seeking therapy she emotionally abused her bf lmao. Self-sabotager in every sense of that word, and the longer the story went on the more it grated on me. You end up not even caring by the end because you don't want her to see happiness. YES IM A HATER.
Santiago was sweet and honestly was doing everything he could to placate her demands and that's all you can ask for in a mmc i suppose. The romance was supposed to be sweet and it's no fault of his that it wasn't. None of what they developed in the relationship felt earned by the end, esp on Buffy's end, but I'll forever remember how cinnamon roll he was.
Apart from that, I enjoyed the non-profit setting and the different cultures we got to see. I don't know if I'd read the first book in the series at this point, but I do feel like we need more of this type of book both in characterization and setting.
Everything about this was on track to be at least a 4⭐️ based on the vibes, the culture, the depiction of the Native community...but the fmc Buffy is straight up miserable at worst and insufferable at best and you're trapped in her head for the entire story. Idk why romance authors love making the women devils in the flesh but that's what Buffy was to me. She treated Santiago like shit every chapter and he never backed down from loving her which.....stronger than me pal! The whole time I was asking why he even wanted to be with her that badly.
She was mean (self-acknowledged that was she nasty!), rude, dismissive, and a liar and it's like......pls pick a fucking struggle. She had legitimate reasons (maybe? not to me) to be ugly inside but instead of seeking therapy she emotionally abused her bf lmao. Self-sabotager in every sense of that word, and the longer the story went on the more it grated on me. You end up not even caring by the end because you don't want her to see happiness. YES IM A HATER.
Santiago was sweet and honestly was doing everything he could to placate her demands and that's all you can ask for in a mmc i suppose. The romance was supposed to be sweet and it's no fault of his that it wasn't. None of what they developed in the relationship felt earned by the end, esp on Buffy's end, but I'll forever remember how cinnamon roll he was.
Apart from that, I enjoyed the non-profit setting and the different cultures we got to see. I don't know if I'd read the first book in the series at this point, but I do feel like we need more of this type of book both in characterization and setting.
January 7, 2025
This book had so much potential that I felt never truly got fulfilled. The preface of the book, indigenous background of the main characters, challenges associated with diversity & seeking a new life as an immigrant set the stage for so much character development and fleshing out of these struggles that never really got fulfilled. Anything that was touched on related to the struggles of immigration and starting life over from scratch was very surface level and had these been leaned into more, the book could have been that much more meaningful.
As for the main characters and romance of the book, the author spent so much time making the main character, Buffy, so unlikable, that when we finally get to the climax of the book and she has self-realization, it seems forced, ingenuine, and unnatural. Buffy spends so much time trying to convince Santiago (and the reader) of why she is such a terrible person without diving into why that is the case—making her just unlikable and at some points, intolerable, making the reader want the suffering to end for everyone’s sakes. Had we known a bit more of why she is the way she is, readers may have been able to empathize with her actions regarding Santiago a bit more. She continuously did Santiago wrong: going on dates to spite her feelings for him, ran away to another country without a trace, going back on promises etc. etc. and Santiago never reacted negatively, even for a second, making this love story seem very unrealistic.
After the realization, the end of the book seems very rushed. Buffy announces to Santiago her true feelings, she meets his Family at his Abuela’s funeral/celebrations if life, and then he proposes and all of a sudden they’re getting married in Vegas? All in the span of a couple chapters? After we spent 75% of the book listening to how horrible of a person Buffy is and how Santiago is too good for her? It makes the story unrealistic and makes for a very Hallmark-esqe of an ending. This book had so much potential to build on hidden themes and character development that was never really there, so I don’t find myself to be resolved or believing of the happy ending after reading it.
As for the main characters and romance of the book, the author spent so much time making the main character, Buffy, so unlikable, that when we finally get to the climax of the book and she has self-realization, it seems forced, ingenuine, and unnatural. Buffy spends so much time trying to convince Santiago (and the reader) of why she is such a terrible person without diving into why that is the case—making her just unlikable and at some points, intolerable, making the reader want the suffering to end for everyone’s sakes. Had we known a bit more of why she is the way she is, readers may have been able to empathize with her actions regarding Santiago a bit more. She continuously did Santiago wrong: going on dates to spite her feelings for him, ran away to another country without a trace, going back on promises etc. etc. and Santiago never reacted negatively, even for a second, making this love story seem very unrealistic.
After the realization, the end of the book seems very rushed. Buffy announces to Santiago her true feelings, she meets his Family at his Abuela’s funeral/celebrations if life, and then he proposes and all of a sudden they’re getting married in Vegas? All in the span of a couple chapters? After we spent 75% of the book listening to how horrible of a person Buffy is and how Santiago is too good for her? It makes the story unrealistic and makes for a very Hallmark-esqe of an ending. This book had so much potential to build on hidden themes and character development that was never really there, so I don’t find myself to be resolved or believing of the happy ending after reading it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2024
Dani Trujillo writes such good characters. I absolutely love Buffy and Santiago. The patience Santiago had with Buffy was so sweet. I also liked that we got a bit more of Calehan and Xiomara in this one.
There were some plotting/pacing issues, which were also present in Lizards Hold the Sun, but the characters really do make up for any shortfalls. Honestly can’t wait for more of this series.
There were some plotting/pacing issues, which were also present in Lizards Hold the Sun, but the characters really do make up for any shortfalls. Honestly can’t wait for more of this series.
January 31, 2024
This was an enjoyable book with a lot of amazing features - like childfree main characters, diversity, freedom of sexuality, and more. It took a bit for me to warm up to the plot, but once I understood the main character a bit more, I really got into it! I look forward to more from this author.
January 14, 2024
I will never be over this book 🥹
Santiago and Buffy were absolute perfection. He is so down bad for Buffy, no matter how many times she pushes him away, he just patiently says ok and shows back up again 😭 She’s in denial about loving him, meanwhile she’s thinking about him constantly and stealing his shirts to sleep in.
This book has:
-associates with benefits (their work overlaps), grumpy/sunshine, mutual pining
-the most romantic prose
-an all Indigenous cast and a bisexual FMC with depression
-a determined FMC fighting for her community and for herself
-a swoony MMC dedicated to caring for his grandmother (their relationship made me cry 😭)
-the HOTTEST bar dancing scene (!!!!)
-3/5 steam overall
-learning to love your whole self ❤️
I truly cannot recommend it enough.
This book is an interconnected standalone that takes place after the events of Lizards Hold the Sun.
Content warnings: depression, references to past death of mother, on-page illness and death of a relative
Thank you to the author for the ARC 🥰
Santiago and Buffy were absolute perfection. He is so down bad for Buffy, no matter how many times she pushes him away, he just patiently says ok and shows back up again 😭 She’s in denial about loving him, meanwhile she’s thinking about him constantly and stealing his shirts to sleep in.
This book has:
-associates with benefits (their work overlaps), grumpy/sunshine, mutual pining
-the most romantic prose
-an all Indigenous cast and a bisexual FMC with depression
-a determined FMC fighting for her community and for herself
-a swoony MMC dedicated to caring for his grandmother (their relationship made me cry 😭)
-the HOTTEST bar dancing scene (!!!!)
-3/5 steam overall
-learning to love your whole self ❤️
I truly cannot recommend it enough.
This book is an interconnected standalone that takes place after the events of Lizards Hold the Sun.
Content warnings: depression, references to past death of mother, on-page illness and death of a relative
Thank you to the author for the ARC 🥰
January 14, 2024
*ARC review*
Absolutely loved this book and can't wait to read more from this author! A big thanks to the author for the copy. I'll definitely be telling my friends about this one!
I don't even know where to start. This book had me rooting for Buffy and Santiago the whole time. The character development was on point. The spice was great, and added to the storyline. The supporting characters were chef's kiss. The romantic parts were sweet and (often, but not always, led to) spicy.
Buffy and Santiago were made for each other. I'm a sucker for a sweet guy who patiently waits for the girl to see how amazing she is, no matter how long it may take her. Santiago had me swooning throughout the entire book.
I was surprisingly pleased with the cultural references. I wasn't expecting this book to make me miss my roots so much. I loved reading about the Mexican food, traditions, and other cultural norms. This book felt like coming home.
Absolutely loved this book and can't wait to read more from this author! A big thanks to the author for the copy. I'll definitely be telling my friends about this one!
I don't even know where to start. This book had me rooting for Buffy and Santiago the whole time. The character development was on point. The spice was great, and added to the storyline. The supporting characters were chef's kiss. The romantic parts were sweet and (often, but not always, led to) spicy.
Buffy and Santiago were made for each other. I'm a sucker for a sweet guy who patiently waits for the girl to see how amazing she is, no matter how long it may take her. Santiago had me swooning throughout the entire book.
I was surprisingly pleased with the cultural references. I wasn't expecting this book to make me miss my roots so much. I loved reading about the Mexican food, traditions, and other cultural norms. This book felt like coming home.
October 14, 2024
3 sentence synopsis: The prickly Buffy isn't looking for anything more than a one night stand when she takes the handsome Santiago to bed. But Santiago persists by bringing his grandmother to the Native American center where Buffy works, offering his skills as a pro bono immigration lawyer, and accepting Buffy's barbs. As Buffy's emotions become uncomfortable, the two must deal with loss and depression while relying on each other and their families.
This book, y’all.
THIS BOOK.
I put off writing a review for this book because I was so overwhelmed with my love for it that I didn’t think it possible to write anything coherent. It would have just been “squeeeee, I love this book!” And I do love this book. In fact, it’s the best contemporary romance I’ve read in 2024.
After reading Trujillo’s debut book last year (Lizards Hold the Sun), I immediately ordered a copy of When Stars Have Teeth from my local indie bookstore, when it was released this February. And like her first book, I read this one slowly, to intentionally savor every delicious word. Trujillo is deliberate with her words in a way that moves me deeply. Her writing is magic.
Now to the characters. Buffy and Santiago are perfectly matched, and it’s a black cat + golden retriever relationship. Buffy is prickly like a cactus, and much of the book is her finally dealing with trauma and learning to be emotionally vulnerable. Santiago is patient but very much still human. Beyond the romantic relationships, I also loved how Trujillo portrayed familial relationships, particularly between Santiago and his grandmother and Buffy and her brother.
Finally, the Native American culture and respect for the elders was so tender, that it made me tear up. This is what it looks like when an author publishes an own voices romance. Wow.
Overall rating: 5 stars
Spicy rating: 2.5 chili peppers
Themes and tropes:
- Native American romance
- Grumpy/sunshine
- One night stand
- Mental health rep
This book, y’all.
THIS BOOK.
I put off writing a review for this book because I was so overwhelmed with my love for it that I didn’t think it possible to write anything coherent. It would have just been “squeeeee, I love this book!” And I do love this book. In fact, it’s the best contemporary romance I’ve read in 2024.
After reading Trujillo’s debut book last year (Lizards Hold the Sun), I immediately ordered a copy of When Stars Have Teeth from my local indie bookstore, when it was released this February. And like her first book, I read this one slowly, to intentionally savor every delicious word. Trujillo is deliberate with her words in a way that moves me deeply. Her writing is magic.
Now to the characters. Buffy and Santiago are perfectly matched, and it’s a black cat + golden retriever relationship. Buffy is prickly like a cactus, and much of the book is her finally dealing with trauma and learning to be emotionally vulnerable. Santiago is patient but very much still human. Beyond the romantic relationships, I also loved how Trujillo portrayed familial relationships, particularly between Santiago and his grandmother and Buffy and her brother.
Finally, the Native American culture and respect for the elders was so tender, that it made me tear up. This is what it looks like when an author publishes an own voices romance. Wow.
Overall rating: 5 stars
Spicy rating: 2.5 chili peppers
Themes and tropes:
- Native American romance
- Grumpy/sunshine
- One night stand
- Mental health rep
March 13, 2024
Lizards Hold The Sun was one of my top books in 2023 so I was dying for Buffy’s story as soon as Dani announced it. Even better? Buffy is a prickly FMC and yall know those are my favorite FMCs.
Buffy is far from her Canadian Rez home and family and even though her circle in San Francisco is small, she’s content. Kinda. Her work at the Urban Indian Center is fulfilling and she’s not short on men and women to hook up with if she needs her itch scratched. Know what she doesn’t need? An optimistic, sunshine immigration lawyer or his loving grandma to disturb her routine. But disturb it they do. And it sends Buffy into a tailspin of yearning + fear.
I think we’re always under this misconception that prickly FMCs need to change their personality by the end of the story. But despite Buffy yearning to be able to just…let go and accept Santiago into her life (which she wants really badly), she’s struggling. With grief. With anxiety. With the fear of being left. Santiago makes it clear with his actions that he’s not going anywhere but Buffy can’t quite wrap her head around that. So she pushes and she runs. And she swears this is just scratching an itch on a more steady basis.
Dani Trujillo infuses wonderful native food, culture, and grief practices into this story and I did get teary eyed several times watching Buffy run and turning around to find Santi still there. I think it’s comforting to see a character that is prickly and living with depression and anxiety that tends to manifest in isolation have someone that’s steady. And I LOVE the emphasis Dani puts on community and family and celebrating the life of those you love. Because they never really leave us. And I especially love having an FMC that isn’t magically cured of her prickliness at the end. Instead, she finds someone that loves and appreciates her for who she is without needing to mold her into something more palatable.
Be unpalatable, pals. And may you find your Santi out there.
Buffy is far from her Canadian Rez home and family and even though her circle in San Francisco is small, she’s content. Kinda. Her work at the Urban Indian Center is fulfilling and she’s not short on men and women to hook up with if she needs her itch scratched. Know what she doesn’t need? An optimistic, sunshine immigration lawyer or his loving grandma to disturb her routine. But disturb it they do. And it sends Buffy into a tailspin of yearning + fear.
I think we’re always under this misconception that prickly FMCs need to change their personality by the end of the story. But despite Buffy yearning to be able to just…let go and accept Santiago into her life (which she wants really badly), she’s struggling. With grief. With anxiety. With the fear of being left. Santiago makes it clear with his actions that he’s not going anywhere but Buffy can’t quite wrap her head around that. So she pushes and she runs. And she swears this is just scratching an itch on a more steady basis.
Dani Trujillo infuses wonderful native food, culture, and grief practices into this story and I did get teary eyed several times watching Buffy run and turning around to find Santi still there. I think it’s comforting to see a character that is prickly and living with depression and anxiety that tends to manifest in isolation have someone that’s steady. And I LOVE the emphasis Dani puts on community and family and celebrating the life of those you love. Because they never really leave us. And I especially love having an FMC that isn’t magically cured of her prickliness at the end. Instead, she finds someone that loves and appreciates her for who she is without needing to mold her into something more palatable.
Be unpalatable, pals. And may you find your Santi out there.
March 3, 2025
The male main character did not listen to a single no the female main character said outside of the bedroom.
She says she doesn't date and only wants a one night stand? He keeps showing up at her house unannounced and uninvited.
If he does actually call and she says no you can't come over tonight? He shows up anyway.
She says no we can't get together tonight because I'm already out with a friend? He insists on knowing where she is and comes and drags her off with him.
She says you can't come onto the office floor of my building? He enlists her assistant to sneak him into the FMC's office, where he then sits at her desk and snoops through her things.
Why are we still doing this boundary-steamrolling stalkery kind of male love interest? Why haven't we left this kind of love interest in the dustbin of problematic rom-coms of decades past? Especially because the plot insists on trying to paint him as thoughtful and considerate otherwise and that this is somehow sweet. And of course the FMC immediately caves the second he shows up, because heaven forbid a woman ever stick to her own boundaries/wants/needs.
DNF around 56% in. Bummer too, as I really liked the first book and it didn't have the same issues.
She says she doesn't date and only wants a one night stand? He keeps showing up at her house unannounced and uninvited.
If he does actually call and she says no you can't come over tonight? He shows up anyway.
She says no we can't get together tonight because I'm already out with a friend? He insists on knowing where she is and comes and drags her off with him.
She says you can't come onto the office floor of my building? He enlists her assistant to sneak him into the FMC's office, where he then sits at her desk and snoops through her things.
Why are we still doing this boundary-steamrolling stalkery kind of male love interest? Why haven't we left this kind of love interest in the dustbin of problematic rom-coms of decades past? Especially because the plot insists on trying to paint him as thoughtful and considerate otherwise and that this is somehow sweet. And of course the FMC immediately caves the second he shows up, because heaven forbid a woman ever stick to her own boundaries/wants/needs.
DNF around 56% in. Bummer too, as I really liked the first book and it didn't have the same issues.
January 5, 2024
No complaints ever. I love Buffy and Santi so much and I can’t wait until everyone gets to meet them soon. They make me so squishy inside. Dani is so talented and I just adore her novels😭
August 26, 2025
I had a harder time connecting to this book's story and characters. Similar to book one, this is not the best romance I have ever read. But the respect and presence of the cultures represented - Mexican, Pueblo,... - makes it all incredibly worthwhile. There is a lot of information that allowed me to deepen my knowledge on certain indigenous issues and connections to book 1, through the family of our FMC showing up.
This is, however, a bit of a problem - the author writes this book as if you *have* read book 1. This can be problematic for two reasons: one, I'm bound to forget certain details or names, which will make me confused; two, some people might just *start* here and have no idea who some of these people are. This is even a bit more of an issue if you consider that on Goodreads the books seem to be absolute standalones, when they are, in fact, connected by Buffy's family.
There was also a few elements I had a hard time relating to, mostly how Buffy is always so adamantly against a relationship, but then everything seems to happen very fast once she realises she's in love with him. She is clearly the black cat FMC, which is fine, I just needed a bit more insight into her feelings and her thoughts.
I also confess I had a hard time accepting . It also rubbed me a bit the wrong way that then Santiago was constantly worried about her being easily spooked - he was going through something horrible, and yet all his concern was to make sure, essentially, that she didn't feel pressured. While I respect what he was trying to do, it feels like SHE should have been doing that for him instead, you know?
I don't think this is unfixable; I just think the character development needs to be a bit more fleshed out, especially where Buffy is concerned, for us to understand her better. The fact the author is never really clear about how her mother died and why/how that affected her (although it's hinted) doesn't help.
All in all, the foundation of this book is there; it just needed some tweaking in character development and, particularly, the motivations.
This is, however, a bit of a problem - the author writes this book as if you *have* read book 1. This can be problematic for two reasons: one, I'm bound to forget certain details or names, which will make me confused; two, some people might just *start* here and have no idea who some of these people are. This is even a bit more of an issue if you consider that on Goodreads the books seem to be absolute standalones, when they are, in fact, connected by Buffy's family.
There was also a few elements I had a hard time relating to, mostly how Buffy is always so adamantly against a relationship, but then everything seems to happen very fast once she realises she's in love with him. She is clearly the black cat FMC, which is fine, I just needed a bit more insight into her feelings and her thoughts.
I also confess I had a hard time accepting . It also rubbed me a bit the wrong way that then Santiago was constantly worried about her being easily spooked - he was going through something horrible, and yet all his concern was to make sure, essentially, that she didn't feel pressured. While I respect what he was trying to do, it feels like SHE should have been doing that for him instead, you know?
I don't think this is unfixable; I just think the character development needs to be a bit more fleshed out, especially where Buffy is concerned, for us to understand her better. The fact the author is never really clear about how her mother died and why/how that affected her (although it's hinted) doesn't help.
All in all, the foundation of this book is there; it just needed some tweaking in character development and, particularly, the motivations.
December 12, 2024
November was American Indian Heritage Month, and while I attempt to read diverse all year round, I try to make a point of reading an Indigenous written book with Indigenous characters during November.
I started this second book by Indie Romance Author Dani Trujillo on Native American Heritage Day on Friday and was quickly sucked in. This follow-up to Lizards Hold the Sun takes us back to familiar characters, but introduces a new setting. Book 1 was set on a small, rural reservation in Canada. Book 2 takes us to San Francisco and shows us an urban Indigenous population. I loved that the author shifted the setting and gives us a different view of modern Indigenous communities and the strengths and challenges.
The book features Buffy, a certified 🌵, she may be the most prickly FMC I’ve encountered in a romance book thus far. She has left Bunchberry and the reservation to work at a local Native Center helping connect the community to resources, cultural events, and housing, food, and job support for the Indigenous Immigrant Community by acquiring grants.
Through her work she meets Santiago a lawyer who is a 🦮 certified golden retriever through and and through. He is a gem of a man who continues to pursue Buffy despite her hot and cold treatment and insistence that their relationship is merely physical.
As the story unfolds it becomes clear that Buffy is dealing with some serious mental health issues in the wake of her mother’s death. The main characters have to work through their relationship dynamics in such a way that all parties feel good, and I love how they fought for that. I wish we could have seen Buffy getting better support from a professional in the midst of all of this.
This book is short, only 215ish pages, and I enjoyed it, but I do actually wish it had been slightly longer because some things felt a little choppy, and I wish they could have been fleshed out a little bit more!
I’m excited to see what this author writes next and thanks to @yourbookishbff for the recommendation last year!
I started this second book by Indie Romance Author Dani Trujillo on Native American Heritage Day on Friday and was quickly sucked in. This follow-up to Lizards Hold the Sun takes us back to familiar characters, but introduces a new setting. Book 1 was set on a small, rural reservation in Canada. Book 2 takes us to San Francisco and shows us an urban Indigenous population. I loved that the author shifted the setting and gives us a different view of modern Indigenous communities and the strengths and challenges.
The book features Buffy, a certified 🌵, she may be the most prickly FMC I’ve encountered in a romance book thus far. She has left Bunchberry and the reservation to work at a local Native Center helping connect the community to resources, cultural events, and housing, food, and job support for the Indigenous Immigrant Community by acquiring grants.
Through her work she meets Santiago a lawyer who is a 🦮 certified golden retriever through and and through. He is a gem of a man who continues to pursue Buffy despite her hot and cold treatment and insistence that their relationship is merely physical.
As the story unfolds it becomes clear that Buffy is dealing with some serious mental health issues in the wake of her mother’s death. The main characters have to work through their relationship dynamics in such a way that all parties feel good, and I love how they fought for that. I wish we could have seen Buffy getting better support from a professional in the midst of all of this.
This book is short, only 215ish pages, and I enjoyed it, but I do actually wish it had been slightly longer because some things felt a little choppy, and I wish they could have been fleshed out a little bit more!
I’m excited to see what this author writes next and thanks to @yourbookishbff for the recommendation last year!
December 9, 2024
We ended the year with romance, which is not usually my genre. I do read it occasionally when I’m stressed and just want something light with a probable happy ending, and tropes that keep me wrapped up like a warm blanket, and this book delivers on these elements.
I’m not well enough versed with tropes to name them properly… Is it a black cat/ golden retriever? Maybe. Santi has definite cinnamon roll vibes and Buffy refers to herself as a bitch repeatedly. There is a decent amount of spice, and a lot of feel good moments to balance it out, with most of the conflict internal to each character. I like that this is a non-profit immigration lawyer and a grant writer for an urban indigenous center, and that both are in the 30ish age range, keeping this an ick free reading experience.
I really feel like Trujillo wanted to go deeper with this story than she did. There are hints of depth that would make this narrative rich on multiple levels, but she holds back. Choosing exposition to glide over the more painful memories and interactions. I wish she had just let us stew. Their are themes of mental illness, grief and loss that we explore on the healing side, but it feels unbalanced without the willingness to show the reader the context on the other end.
I enjoyed the play into each character's culture, especially food, with Trujillo writing to make the reader drool.
I’m not well enough versed with tropes to name them properly… Is it a black cat/ golden retriever? Maybe. Santi has definite cinnamon roll vibes and Buffy refers to herself as a bitch repeatedly. There is a decent amount of spice, and a lot of feel good moments to balance it out, with most of the conflict internal to each character. I like that this is a non-profit immigration lawyer and a grant writer for an urban indigenous center, and that both are in the 30ish age range, keeping this an ick free reading experience.
I really feel like Trujillo wanted to go deeper with this story than she did. There are hints of depth that would make this narrative rich on multiple levels, but she holds back. Choosing exposition to glide over the more painful memories and interactions. I wish she had just let us stew. Their are themes of mental illness, grief and loss that we explore on the healing side, but it feels unbalanced without the willingness to show the reader the context on the other end.
I enjoyed the play into each character's culture, especially food, with Trujillo writing to make the reader drool.
July 10, 2025
‘"How about you let me do what I want?" Santiago tapped the inside of her foot, waiting until she faced him. "And you do what you want? …”
Buffy stared at him… Santiago was nothing like other men. His actions matched his words and Buffy believed him when he said he wanted to pay for her, take her to dinner, and hold her hand.
That was the whole problem.
She didn't want the same from him. A time would come when Santiago would tire of their arrangement and of giving more than she returned. At some point, he was going to realize she wasn't worth his effort.’
I was so moved by how hard Buffy fought for & loved everyone around her & yet how much she thought she herself was undeserving of that same kind of love & support. Depression is horrible & there’s no “reason” for it. The fact that Santiago (& Buffy’s family) were there for her anyway no matter how hard she tried to “protect” them “from herself” by pushing them away really resonated with me. Everyone suffering from mental illness, trauma, displacement, & loneliness deserves that kind of love & compassion.
Click here to read my full review of WHEN STARS HAVE TEETH complete with my full thoughts, further reading suggestions, & more of my favorite quotes, notes, & annotations!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
CW // medical emergency with elderly relatives, severe depression & anxiety, death of a relative
December 17, 2024
(#Gifted via the author)
Another great Native romance! Excellent bi representation, chemistry between our main characters, and character growth. Something I really like about romance is the way it allows us to explore our humanity - opening up questions about mental health, self esteem, how we grow, and more. And this book was no different. It was so sad to see how Buffy perceived her self worth, and I loved seeing her flourish as the book progressed. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that this was very steamy and fun! Santiago was definitely very suave and I loved how supportive he was of her. Anyways, add this to your reading list if you’re looking for a new romance!
Another great Native romance! Excellent bi representation, chemistry between our main characters, and character growth. Something I really like about romance is the way it allows us to explore our humanity - opening up questions about mental health, self esteem, how we grow, and more. And this book was no different. It was so sad to see how Buffy perceived her self worth, and I loved seeing her flourish as the book progressed. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that this was very steamy and fun! Santiago was definitely very suave and I loved how supportive he was of her. Anyways, add this to your reading list if you’re looking for a new romance!
January 11, 2025
This was one of my last reads of 2024, and I enjoyed it so much! Buffy and Santiago had an instant connection, but I love that it didn’t feel like insta-love. Santiago is smitten with Buffy from day one, but she holds herself at a distance. She works at the San Francisco indigenous center where she works to secure funding they need year round to make a positive change in their community. Santiago is an immigration lawyer, who happens to have one of his clients and his grandmother that visit the center, which gives him perfect opportunities to see Buffy more.
Santiago really doesn’t allow Buffy to hide herself behind a curtain. She asks him to come, and he tells her how long until he’ll be there. He brings her food. He doesn’t let her push him away. I was ~giggling~ every time that Buffy told him they couldn’t do their arrangement anymore, and he simply answered, “I’ll see you Monday.” 🤗 He sees through her facade, but he also allows her to take her time to reveal more about herself and who she is throughout their “associates with benefits” arrangement. He continues to show up for her and the people in his life. They both have their own issues, but honestly I loved every moment they were together.
The one critique I have is that I wish when they do confess how they feel that it wasn’t an immediate 180 from the prickliness Buffy gives throughout the rest of the book. I really enjoy how she is and I was a bit sad when it felt like part of that went away. However, I love that both Buffy and Santiago got to find their person and choose each other. 🫶🏻
Read via: Hoopla app
CW: sexual content, mental illness, death, death of parent, suicidal thoughts, dementia, racism
Santiago really doesn’t allow Buffy to hide herself behind a curtain. She asks him to come, and he tells her how long until he’ll be there. He brings her food. He doesn’t let her push him away. I was ~giggling~ every time that Buffy told him they couldn’t do their arrangement anymore, and he simply answered, “I’ll see you Monday.” 🤗 He sees through her facade, but he also allows her to take her time to reveal more about herself and who she is throughout their “associates with benefits” arrangement. He continues to show up for her and the people in his life. They both have their own issues, but honestly I loved every moment they were together.
The one critique I have is that I wish when they do confess how they feel that it wasn’t an immediate 180 from the prickliness Buffy gives throughout the rest of the book. I really enjoy how she is and I was a bit sad when it felt like part of that went away. However, I love that both Buffy and Santiago got to find their person and choose each other. 🫶🏻
Read via: Hoopla app
CW: sexual content, mental illness, death, death of parent, suicidal thoughts, dementia, racism
March 30, 2025
I loved this book! I flew through it and couldn't put it down. The characters were well fleshed out and easy to connect with. This book had great mental health rep! I would recommend reading the Lizards Hold the Sun before this book to get the full experience because this book contains characters and references to events that happened in Lizards Hold the Sun.
Did Not Finish
November 20, 2024Meh. I gave it the old college try, but this book is not working for me, I do not like the writing, I do not like the characters, so now I'm giving it the old heave-ho.
I don't feel like I read enough to give it a star rating, so I'll leave it unrated. But really I should give it one star.
I don't feel like I read enough to give it a star rating, so I'll leave it unrated. But really I should give it one star.
January 4, 2025
DNFing at page 70 (don’t know what percentage that is). I only liked the cultural aspect of this book however both the FMC and MMC were infuriating to me. I couldn’t connect to them and I just didn’t like them, which made it rough to get through.
March 21, 2025
I honestly didn’t think this was going to be a five-star read, but I enjoyed it too much for it not to be. I absolutely loved it ❤️ , I cried during one part of this story.
🌟 Librarian recommendation to me🌟
🌟 Librarian recommendation to me🌟
March 8, 2024
Good read I love how detail she can be with certain things!
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