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Center Stage
He’s a bachelor by choice. She’s running from her past mistakes. When their worlds collide, can they find love—or will their secrets and off-stage drama destroy everything they’ve built?
My marriage was a joke, but now that it’s over, I’m free to chase my dream of becoming an actress in Puerto Vallarta. On stage, I’m confident, but off stage? Not so much. Falling for Alejandro, my co-star and the town's most eligible bachelor, started as a fun fling. But one kiss turned into more, and before I knew it, my heart was tangled up in him. Alejandro doesn’t do love, and I know that. But with his commitment issues, my past secrets and a baby on the way, can our love survive the drama and open his heart?
I never needed love. I was fine with my freedom—kissing who I wanted, living without attachments. Then Emmie walked through the theater doors, and everything changed. She stole my heart when I least expected it. But when a secret from her past is revealed, it threatens everything we’ve built. Can I face the truth about her? Or will my fears tear us apart, leaving Emmie—and our baby—behind?If you love spicy small-town romance, a friends-to-benefits twist, and a later-in-life accidental pregnancy, you'll fall head over heels for the hottest bachelor in town. A heartwarming, sizzling contemporary novel that proves love and second chances can happen when you least expect them.
My marriage was a joke, but now that it’s over, I’m free to chase my dream of becoming an actress in Puerto Vallarta. On stage, I’m confident, but off stage? Not so much. Falling for Alejandro, my co-star and the town's most eligible bachelor, started as a fun fling. But one kiss turned into more, and before I knew it, my heart was tangled up in him. Alejandro doesn’t do love, and I know that. But with his commitment issues, my past secrets and a baby on the way, can our love survive the drama and open his heart?
I never needed love. I was fine with my freedom—kissing who I wanted, living without attachments. Then Emmie walked through the theater doors, and everything changed. She stole my heart when I least expected it. But when a secret from her past is revealed, it threatens everything we’ve built. Can I face the truth about her? Or will my fears tear us apart, leaving Emmie—and our baby—behind?If you love spicy small-town romance, a friends-to-benefits twist, and a later-in-life accidental pregnancy, you'll fall head over heels for the hottest bachelor in town. A heartwarming, sizzling contemporary novel that proves love and second chances can happen when you least expect them.
446 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 11, 2025
3 people are currently reading
1835 people want to read
About the author
A. Unda-Tames
7 books173 followersA. Unda-Tames is a romance author who writes across dark romance, psychological thrillers, 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.
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 reading, watching movies, 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.
Her dark romance novels are known for their obsession, psychological twists, and addictive villains.
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 reading, watching movies, 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.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 16, 2025
What an exciting, emotional and suspenseful love story. Main characters Emme and Alejandro were attractive and both great at acting, with Alejandro’s singing winning audience’s admiration and Emme’s dancing made them the perfect couple. There was rivalry from 2 women who wanted Alejandro for themselves and their cruel behavior to Emme gave concern to this reader. Great intrigue, family and love were on this fun rollercoaster of love.
I received an early free copy and am giving my honest, voluntary and free review.
I received an early free copy and am giving my honest, voluntary and free review.
April 8, 2025
Emmie's bad marriage is over, and she's free to pursue her passion: becoming an actress. Soon, a simple kiss with her co-star, Alejandro, turns into more. Emmie's falling head over heels for him, but she knows the coupled life isn't for him. With her past secrets and a baby on the way, what can Emmie possibly do? Will Alejandro give up his bachelor status and settle down?
Alejandro is single by choice and has no plans of changing any time soon. That all ends as soon as he meets Emmie, and she steals his heart. Emmie's past secrets are brought to light, and they threaten the budding relationship. Can Alejandro handle the truth?
I loved this novel. It was entertaining, spicy, and fun. The chemistry between Emmie and Alejandro was palpable, and I enjoyed the way they interacted with each other. Center Stage is full of heart, hope, and swoonworthy moments.
Alejandro is single by choice and has no plans of changing any time soon. That all ends as soon as he meets Emmie, and she steals his heart. Emmie's past secrets are brought to light, and they threaten the budding relationship. Can Alejandro handle the truth?
I loved this novel. It was entertaining, spicy, and fun. The chemistry between Emmie and Alejandro was palpable, and I enjoyed the way they interacted with each other. Center Stage is full of heart, hope, and swoonworthy moments.
April 11, 2025
❤️ Blurb -
He’s a bachelor by choice. She’s running from her past mistakes. When their worlds collide, can they find love—or will their secrets and off-stage drama destroy everything they’ve built?
My marriage was a joke, but now that it’s over, I’m free to chase my dream of becoming an actress in Puerto Vallarta. On stage, I’m confident, but off stage? Not so much. Falling for Alejandro, my co-star and the town's most eligible bachelor, started as a fun fling. But one kiss turned into more, and before I knew it, my heart was tangled up in him. Alejandro doesn’t do love, and I know that. But with his commitment issues, my past secrets and a baby on the way, can our love survive the drama and open his heart?
I never needed love. I was fine with my freedom—kissing who I wanted, living without attachments. Then Emmie walked through the theater doors, and everything changed. She stole my heart when I least expected it. But when a secret from her past is revealed, it threatens everything we’ve built. Can I face the truth about her? Or will my fears tear us apart, leaving Emmie—and our baby—behind?If you love spicy small-town romance, a friends-to-benefits twist, and a later-in-life accidental pregnancy, you'll fall head over heels for the hottest bachelor in town. A heartwarming, sizzling contemporary novel that proves love and second chances can happen when you least expect them.
💜 Review -
I can't say enough how much I love A. Unda-Tames books, I always look forward to a new release. Her writing is just beautiful. I loved the easy to follow story, the place settings and the chemistry between the main characters is always spicy 🥵🌶️. Also the pacing was just right. If you are looking for spicy romance novels then A. Unda-Tames books are for you. I can't recommend them enough. I look forward to reading more by the author.
💖Centre Stage is released on 11th April.
💝 Thank you to A. Unda-Tames for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
He’s a bachelor by choice. She’s running from her past mistakes. When their worlds collide, can they find love—or will their secrets and off-stage drama destroy everything they’ve built?
My marriage was a joke, but now that it’s over, I’m free to chase my dream of becoming an actress in Puerto Vallarta. On stage, I’m confident, but off stage? Not so much. Falling for Alejandro, my co-star and the town's most eligible bachelor, started as a fun fling. But one kiss turned into more, and before I knew it, my heart was tangled up in him. Alejandro doesn’t do love, and I know that. But with his commitment issues, my past secrets and a baby on the way, can our love survive the drama and open his heart?
I never needed love. I was fine with my freedom—kissing who I wanted, living without attachments. Then Emmie walked through the theater doors, and everything changed. She stole my heart when I least expected it. But when a secret from her past is revealed, it threatens everything we’ve built. Can I face the truth about her? Or will my fears tear us apart, leaving Emmie—and our baby—behind?If you love spicy small-town romance, a friends-to-benefits twist, and a later-in-life accidental pregnancy, you'll fall head over heels for the hottest bachelor in town. A heartwarming, sizzling contemporary novel that proves love and second chances can happen when you least expect them.
💜 Review -
I can't say enough how much I love A. Unda-Tames books, I always look forward to a new release. Her writing is just beautiful. I loved the easy to follow story, the place settings and the chemistry between the main characters is always spicy 🥵🌶️. Also the pacing was just right. If you are looking for spicy romance novels then A. Unda-Tames books are for you. I can't recommend them enough. I look forward to reading more by the author.
💖Centre Stage is released on 11th April.
💝 Thank you to A. Unda-Tames for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
April 7, 2025
After years living a loveless safe marriage of convenience, Emmie is set free to pursue what has been missing in her life all these years. A good read.
April 19, 2025
Emmie is finally free from a loveless marriage of 8 years and is trying to find herself again. She used to have a fire within her but over time that fire slowly dulled. Now she is determined to find passion in her life again.
Alejandro is the eternal bachelor he’s here just for a good time and doesn’t want to find love again. He’s been hurt before and he NEVER wants to give someone the power to do it again.
That ended the moment Emmie walked in the door. He hadn’t even fully seen her and he felt this magnetic pull towards her. They made a deal to be only friends with benefits but their hearts had other plans.
I truly did enjoy this book. I feel like we saw Emmie fall back in love with life. She was able to bring passion back into her life with acting and in her love life. It took Alejandro longer to learn to open up and to realize she wasn’t like his ex. 4 ⭐️
Alejandro is the eternal bachelor he’s here just for a good time and doesn’t want to find love again. He’s been hurt before and he NEVER wants to give someone the power to do it again.
That ended the moment Emmie walked in the door. He hadn’t even fully seen her and he felt this magnetic pull towards her. They made a deal to be only friends with benefits but their hearts had other plans.
I truly did enjoy this book. I feel like we saw Emmie fall back in love with life. She was able to bring passion back into her life with acting and in her love life. It took Alejandro longer to learn to open up and to realize she wasn’t like his ex. 4 ⭐️
April 10, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ I thought Emmie and Alejandro were adorable together! I loved that I was pulled into this world and story it was an exciting read and entertaining as well. I had a fun time read this and it was a fun and good read
April 4, 2025
I loved this book so much the ending where he gets so excited about the baby love it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2025
I have enjoyed the Latin Lovers series by this author and will continue to read any new novels written for this series. That being said — the Center Stage story was slower and less exciting than the other stories.
The story revolved around “theater” and the characters’ constant rehearsals and performances. If you’re into that then I think you’ll really enjoy the story.
The read was easy and enjoyable, but it also felt predictable at times and the constant reminding us of the “magnetic pull” and the “electricity” between the characters kept me wanting more action. There were some spicy scenes though and other scenes where a couple of “haters” made my blood boil.
What I enjoyed most was the age gap between the characters and the fact that it’s a story about second chances. It reminds us that love just has a way of finding you. Even when you try to be discreet — people know a connection exists when they see one so clearly.
Overall — it’s a quick and easy read and there’s definitely some steamy moments (pun intended) that made the reading worthwhile. If you’re looking for a feel good story, this is it.
The story revolved around “theater” and the characters’ constant rehearsals and performances. If you’re into that then I think you’ll really enjoy the story.
The read was easy and enjoyable, but it also felt predictable at times and the constant reminding us of the “magnetic pull” and the “electricity” between the characters kept me wanting more action. There were some spicy scenes though and other scenes where a couple of “haters” made my blood boil.
What I enjoyed most was the age gap between the characters and the fact that it’s a story about second chances. It reminds us that love just has a way of finding you. Even when you try to be discreet — people know a connection exists when they see one so clearly.
Overall — it’s a quick and easy read and there’s definitely some steamy moments (pun intended) that made the reading worthwhile. If you’re looking for a feel good story, this is it.
May 4, 2025
3.5 stars for this bad boy… I won this book in a giveaway and I was so grateful to get any free book, especially a romance.
I really struggled with the beginning of this book and almost DNF’ed. But I’m so glad I finished because I really enjoyed these characters and the setting. I also really enjoyed the lily and Katie villain arch. I thought this added a nice touch and drama to the book. The writing at the beginning felt a little YA for my taste. Especially with the FMC being almost in her 40’s, the writing style felt odd to me. However, as the book went on the writing matured, I actually really enjoyed the story. It did feel a little long, but again, I did enjoy the story and I did really love the characters. I thought Emmie was a little cringe, but it was nice to see a woman of her age have a little fun.
As for the smut, I wanted a little more… there were some great scenes in there but they were short and left me wanting more. You can obviously feel Emmie and Alejandro’s connection, but there was a lack of scenes showcasing their intimacy. I don’t know. It felt rushed or a little out of character a lot of the time.
There were also quite a few writing errors in the book, but I can always get passed those. Also the emojis in the text messages didn’t show up on my Kindle which I was a little bummed about.
This wouldn’t be a book I would normally have chosen to read, but I’m so glad that I won this book and got to dive into a really fun story. I felt like I was in Puerto Valletta and I really enjoyed the cast of characters.
I really struggled with the beginning of this book and almost DNF’ed. But I’m so glad I finished because I really enjoyed these characters and the setting. I also really enjoyed the lily and Katie villain arch. I thought this added a nice touch and drama to the book. The writing at the beginning felt a little YA for my taste. Especially with the FMC being almost in her 40’s, the writing style felt odd to me. However, as the book went on the writing matured, I actually really enjoyed the story. It did feel a little long, but again, I did enjoy the story and I did really love the characters. I thought Emmie was a little cringe, but it was nice to see a woman of her age have a little fun.
As for the smut, I wanted a little more… there were some great scenes in there but they were short and left me wanting more. You can obviously feel Emmie and Alejandro’s connection, but there was a lack of scenes showcasing their intimacy. I don’t know. It felt rushed or a little out of character a lot of the time.
There were also quite a few writing errors in the book, but I can always get passed those. Also the emojis in the text messages didn’t show up on my Kindle which I was a little bummed about.
This wouldn’t be a book I would normally have chosen to read, but I’m so glad that I won this book and got to dive into a really fun story. I felt like I was in Puerto Valletta and I really enjoyed the cast of characters.
April 18, 2025
Thank you so much to the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Oh how I loved and enjoyed this book!!! Emmie’s finally out of a toxic marriage and chasing what she wants for once—her dream of acting. But things heat up fast when a kiss with her co-star, Alejandro, turns into something way more complicated (and way more delicious). She’s catching real feelings, but Alejandro? He’s the type who keeps relationships at arm’s length. Cue the slow-burn chaos—with a few big secrets and a surprise twist that ups the stakes in a major way.
Alejandro might be a self-declared bachelor, but Emmie flips his world upside down. Suddenly, he’s not so sure about staying single… if he can handle what she’s been hiding.
Centerstage is packed with charm, tension, and just the right amount of spice. Emmie and Alejandro’s connection jumps off the page—it’s flirty, messy, tender, and real. If you’re into stories with emotional depth, irresistible chemistry, and characters you can root for, this one’s absolutely worth your time.
4.5 Stars!!!
Oh how I loved and enjoyed this book!!! Emmie’s finally out of a toxic marriage and chasing what she wants for once—her dream of acting. But things heat up fast when a kiss with her co-star, Alejandro, turns into something way more complicated (and way more delicious). She’s catching real feelings, but Alejandro? He’s the type who keeps relationships at arm’s length. Cue the slow-burn chaos—with a few big secrets and a surprise twist that ups the stakes in a major way.
Alejandro might be a self-declared bachelor, but Emmie flips his world upside down. Suddenly, he’s not so sure about staying single… if he can handle what she’s been hiding.
Centerstage is packed with charm, tension, and just the right amount of spice. Emmie and Alejandro’s connection jumps off the page—it’s flirty, messy, tender, and real. If you’re into stories with emotional depth, irresistible chemistry, and characters you can root for, this one’s absolutely worth your time.
4.5 Stars!!!
April 19, 2025
If you love a good book about second chances in life and two people who go and follow there dreams on the big stage and find each other and so much more in the process then this book is definitely for you it’s sweet with a little just the right amount of heat, and such a good read thank you so much for this arc read and opportunity I definitely recommend this to any romance book lover!
April 11, 2025
He does not want to be with anyone and she is trying to find her way. They will meet and life may take them on an interesting journey of discovery. They may just be looking for the other so see just where they will go
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and a very good read
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and a very good read
April 18, 2025
Love Aggies books! The chemistry between characters was amazing. She never disappoints. I’ve read all her books!
April 18, 2025
This was really good I liked it a lot. I was given an arc and I chose to give a honest review.
July 26, 2025
I didn't connect with the main characters and I didn't think the chemistry was that explosive. It was a good storyline overall with a few twists thrown in.
April 18, 2025
This was a cute, fun, spicy read! I loved it start to finish. Emmie and Alejandro are so adorable together. I love the setting of this is Mexico and a representation of our culture! It’s great to see characters that are working on stage and loving it. Their passion is great to see! 10/10 ✨
*honest review in exchange for a copy*
*honest review in exchange for a copy*
April 11, 2025
This was a cute, fun, spicy read! I loved it start to finish. Emmie and Alejandro are so adorable together. I love the setting of this is Mexico and a representation of our culture! It’s great to see characters that are working on stage and loving it. Their passion is great to see! 10/10 ✨
*honest review in exchange for a copy*
*honest review in exchange for a copy*
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews