Wanting You

by Kaila A. Stovall

Sometimes the person you need has always been right there in front of you...

It’s been six months since Sophie lost her dad. She’s created a routine that keeps her grounded and present so nothing gets in the way of getting everything she wants. But when Dylan comes back into her life like a whirlwind, she isn’t sure she can handle being loved so fully. She isn’t even sure if she deserves it.

Dylan’s wildest dream just came true, and when he finds out Sophie will be working with him, he’s ecstatic because even after all these years, he’s still in love with her. But trying to prove to Sophie just how much she deserves to be loved just might prove to be impossible.

ebook

Published September 13, 2026

Reviews

[Dilsa]

Thank you to Kaila Stovall for the a copy of the e-ARC for this story.

Rating: 4.5/5 (rounded up )
Spice: Spicyyyyyy

How to even begin!? What a story; Dylan & Sophie have my heart! This was sexy and funny while also heartbreaking and healing. I was laughing in chapter then crying in the next. The Latine rep in this story and within the story was, and always is, so nice to see. Just reiterating that representation matters - there's always something so beautiful in seeing your culture represented so perfectly. From big family gatherings, to the strong bonds within the family. Even the small things like how our rooms at our parents' houses stay the same even when move out (ME!).

The Mental Health rep - wooo - was raw and honest, which makes the story and characters all the more relatable. My girl Sophie was going through it & seeing how she really fought those internal battles and sought help was admirable. Sometimes she would come out on top and sometimes it would best her but that's real. That's honest.

There was a bit of a third act break up but trust me when I say that this one, as sad and as nauseous as the events made me, made sense. But even in the time apart it wasn't in vain. There was growth that needed to happen. I was rooting for these two the ENTIRE. TIME.

Also, Dylan is my boo! He is perfect and no I will not be discussing it further. Love that he's a romance author writing latine stories (LOVED the publishing insight Kaila provided on that) & obviously LOVE that he's down bad for our girl Sophie!!

[Nicole Marie]

I already knew I was excited to be back in this series, but Dylan and Sophie completely pulled me into their story. Wanting You was sweet, emotional, messy, HOT, and filled with the kind of yearning that gets me every single time.
Dylan has loved Sophie for years, and there was something so good about watching a man who already knew exactly what he wanted try to show her that she deserved to be loved just as fully. This man cooks for her, sends ridiculous booty call texts, and is completely gone for her. A certified yearner through and through, which is exactly my weakness.
Sophie’s journey gave the romance so much heart. She’s grieving her dad, dealing with depression, going to therapy, and trying to figure out how to move forward while still carrying everything she’s been through. I really appreciated that falling in love wasn’t treated as a magical fix. She still had to do the work for herself and learn that accepting love didn’t mean losing herself.
And THE CHEMISTRY. The hookups-to-a-relationship progression was so much fun, the Spanish dirty talk was doing what needed to be done, and the surprise piercings certainly made themselves memorable. Kaila knew exactly what she was doing with these two.
That third act definitely had me stressed, but I was so invested in Dylan and Sophie that I just needed them to get it together. Their story was sexy and fun while still having a really tender emotional core underneath it all.
Dylan and Sophie gave me yearning, healing, grief, spice, laughter, and two people learning how to choose each other while still choosing themselves. Such a good second book in the series, and I’m already ready for more.

[Mel]

✨Book Review✨

Wanting You
By: Kaila Stovall
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

💚 Mexican Leads
🪴 Romance Author MMC
💚 Social Media Marketer FMC
🪴 Friends to lovers
💚 Corny Booty Call Texts
🪴 He Cooks For Her
💚 Mental Health Representation

⚠️Trigger/Content Warnings: graphic sexual content, depression, parental death (off page), verbal/emotional abuse on page (not by MC)

🪴I haven’t stopped thinking about this story since I finished it. It was such a relatable representation of mental health and the complexities of healing from different types of grief. This story touched really sensitive topics with grace all while weaving a positive representation of the culture. It was so healing to see characters that supported Sophie through such hard times. Dylan was so gentle with her and uplifted her when she was at her lowest.

💚I really enjoyed the representation of a tight knit family unit. Carne asada on Sunday and abuelos that feel like a warm hug. Ahh, it made me think of my own family and all the traditions that we still uphold.

🪴 Dylan was in love with Sophie through so many stages of her life and while it was frustrating to see him give his all and receive crumbs, I also felt for Sophie. She went through so much with her ex that she really did need to heal from before going all in with Dylan. Third act break-ups are always hit or miss for me, but this one wasn’t terrible because Dylan really pulled through 👌🏼

💚This was book two of the interconnected series, but it definitely could be read as a stand alone. I felt like there was enough of the side characters in this that things never really felt out of context.

🪴I wanted to make it a goal of mine to bring more of my Latin roots to this page and I was so excited to receive an ARC featuring two Mexican leads written by a Latine author! A huge thanks to Kaila A. Stovall and Amor En Paginas for this opportunity! Wanting You is set to release September 13th, so don’t hesitate to add this to your TBR!

[drea]

Ahh what a beautiful story about mental health, personal growth, and being loved for exactly who you are - scars and all. This was a painful yet honest look into depression that was handled with so much care. This also had great Latine representation. I love the way the author incorporated the Mexican culture all throughout the book and uplifted the Latine characters in the story.

I have to start this off saying how much I loved Dylan!!! He was the most compassionate, patient, and inherently GOOD man. His love for Sophie knew no bounds and his patience was limitless. The way he gave Sophie space and time when she asked for it, oftentimes at his own detriment, spoke volumes to the way he felt about her - above all else, he wanted her to be okay, whether that meant being with him or not.

Sophie made my heart ache so much and I think she deserved all of the grace in the world. I know firsthand the kind of damage a relationship like the one she had with her ex can do to your self-confidence and how you view your self-worth, so I never faulted her for the way she handled things. She was working so hard to get past her demons and I appreciated that she was always honest with Dylan through it all. Again, it was a real representation of what mental health struggles look like and how progress is not linear. I'm glad she had such a great support system and the best man to help share the load.

I loved all the crumbs we got for some of the side characters and I cannot wait for more from this series!!

[Laudable Lily]

Dylan has been down BAD for Sophie for basically forever, and honestly that was one of my favorite parts of this book. 😭

Wanting You is a romance, but Sophie’s story also focuses a lot on grief, depression, anxiety, and healing after an emotionally abusive relationship. I really appreciated that falling in love wasn’t treated like the thing that magically fixed everything. Her healing still belonged to her.

And Dylan? 🥹 He is so patient and intentional with Sophie. It’s all the little things with him, from making sure she eats to noticing what she needs when she’s overwhelmed and sending her songs because they make him think of her. You can really feel how long this man has loved her.

I also loved the Latine representation and the whole publishing storyline. Sophie working on Dylan’s book at Con Amor while trying to navigate everything happening between them was such a fun setup, and I loved getting to see more of them together during the book tour.

This one gives childhood history, he falls first, friends-with-benefits-to-lovers, yearningggg, mental health representation, Latine culture, a romance-author MMC, and plenty of spice. 👀

At its heart, though, this felt like a story about learning that needing support does not make you a burden and allowing yourself to believe you are worthy of being loved.

And now apparently I need to go back and read book one because I’m already invested in this world. 😂

Thank you to Kaila A. Stovall for providing me with an ARC💕

[thestarcrossedlibrary]

Sophie was having a hard time after her father's passing. She also sort of has this skewed view of herself that stems from a past toxic relationship. Enter Dylan, he's a friend yet more than a friend and he's been in love with her for years. Dylan is so gone for Sophie, and she's just thrown in a loop over it.

My favorite thing about Dylan is that he’s so patient and understanding of Sophie. I love that he calls her sunshine! It's also great to see a positive Latine representation of an MMC or even see that both leads are Latine (Mexican). Another thing I liked was how their relationship progressed from casual hookups to something deeper. From their super spicy hookups to them enjoying the silence at the lake, I loved seeing their relationship evolve.

I also loved the mental health representation in this book. Please check your trigger warnings before reading this book. It was done so well, and I think Sophie's journey is a very relatable journey for many. Sophie had my heart and her ability to seek help and bounce back had me rooting for her. Death, especially if it's your parent, brings clarity into your life and you start to see that life's too short to be miserable.

Overall, I’d recommend this book to readers who love a spicy romance filled with great mental health representation and an MMC who's down bad for his girl.

[Talya]

I read an early copy of Wanting You by Kaila A. Stovall and really enjoyed it. At times, it was a hard read because it is just so honest about how depression and mental health struggles can affect every aspect of a person's life. There were moments when I had to put the book down and I cried because it's not often that I come across a story that feels so real when it comes to these topics.
Like Sophie, the main character, my own father passed away far too soon, and it sent me into a difficult period of my life. Sophie is a successful professional who is desperately trying to manage the ups and downs of depression while also dealing with the aftermath of an abusive relationship.
Dylan, the male main character, was absolutely amazing. I loved how deeply he understood and loved Sophie and how he always showed up for her. Sophie believes she is too broken for anyone, but Dylan never gives up on her and supports her through every part of her healing journey.
This book is filled with Latine representation, grief, heartbreak, a golden retriever MMC, and plenty of spice. Thank you so much to Amor en Páginas and Kaila A. Stovall for the ARC.

[Cici T]

⭐️ ARC REVIEW ⭐️
Wanting You by Kaila Stovall

I’ve really been enjoying reading stories centered around Latino characters and discovering more Latino authors, and Wanting You was such a cute romance. 🤎

Sophie and Dylan have known each other their entire lives, always fighting that pull between them and never quite giving in. Sophie is dealing with the loss of her dad while also trying to find herself after being in a toxic relationship. Meanwhile, Dylan has been on the sidelines, waiting for the moment when he might finally get his chance with her.

I love when romance books incorporate real-life struggles because grief and depression are SO real and still aren’t talked about enough. Kaila Stovall did a beautiful job capturing Sophie’s struggles—the messy emotions, the healing, and what it can feel like to have someone beside you while you’re trying to put yourself back together.

I especially loved watching Sophie and Dylan’s relationship develop and seeing how sometimes it can take that one special person to remind you what it feels like to be whole and full again. 🥹🤎

And seriously… who doesn’t love a man who writes romance books?! 📚😍

A sweet, emotional friends-to-lovers story filled with grief, healing, love, and finally giving in to the person who has been there all along.

Thank you to Kaila Stovall for the ARC copy! 🤎📖

[Yeri (wildflowerreader)]

This was such a beautifully done story. Honest too. It deals with very real and sometimes heavy topics: depression, intimate partner abuse (verbal, mental, and emotional), grief, loss, love, self love. The author did a gorgeous job handling those.

I felt so very connected with Sophie. Her experience navigating all that she did. I felt so seen. Heard.

And Dylan, Dylan was amazing.

The way that healthy love was shown. How acceptance was brought to life. Understanding. I loved how the very common narrative of "if you're depressed just think happy thoughts" was not in sight from those who mattered. I loved how "she fell in love and now she's cured" was not in existence. This story was realistic. It could be loved by me, by you. It is someone's life. And this was beautiful, raw and real. I will never forget this story.

Also, my favorite house plant is a golden pothos. I've had one for over 7years now, if you read the book this PSA is relevant, I promise. And you should, read the book that is.

[savyreads]

I was lucky enough to be both a Beta & Arc reader for this lovely book where we get to meet Sophie & Dylan! I love that they have such a long history with each other and their families because everything is always so familiar with the characters that everything settles in and feels like home. The author does such a great job at making the characters truly feel like as a reader you’re a friend reading in on your friend’s recollection of their life or something it’s amazing. This book had me on an emotional rollercoaster! There were times I wanted to shake both Sophie and Dylan! (You’ll see why🤭) But man this book is nothing short of heart warming and sweet, it brought tears to my eyes, made my heart ache, had me rooting for all characters, I was on the edge of my seat! I loved the representation in this book for all tropes in it. Especially the way depression is described and talked about, it really hit home in some scenes on page.

[Crista]

Those days you can’t get out of bed? I will sit next to you the entire day writing my books while you rest. Those days you need someone to hold you? I will hold you. Those days you can barely eat? I will get all of your favorite comfort foods, and have them for when you’re ready. Those days you can’t shower? I’ll sit you in the bath and bathe you myself if it’s what you wanted. There is nothing I would not do for you.
Who would  not want a love like this. I loved the transparency  on being an abuse survivor. This book really represents  mental health well and some of the daily struggles  people face. This book digs into the healing  from emotional  abuse and it is such a long road it takes years  and years to fully heal the emotional  wounds. I really enjoyed  that this book focused  on that.  The characters were very  interesting.  It was definitely  a unique book which was refreshing. 

[Kiki ✨]

Tackling mental health is already such a difficult journey on its own. Everyone’s path to healing is unique. what works for one person might not for another. But this story? It completely changed how I see things. Amidst abuse and trauma, it reminded me that healing isn’t about blame. it’s about recognizing that the abuse was never my fault. Through it all, I learned that I am worthy of love and to be seen.

The way the story unfolds is both beautiful and complicated. You’ll find yourself riding a wave of emotions with every turn. I won’t lie to you….you’ll likely feel anger toward Sophie so many points of the book. But that anger won’t last. Understanding will be there to replace the anger.

We all secretly crave a sweetheart like Dylan. A true golden retriever vibe 💛

[ Thank you for the ARC! I couldn’t wait for book two! Book one was good! And book two did not disappoint!! ]

[Jessica Massa]

Wanting You was such a fun, emotional read! I really enjoyed the chemistry between the characters and the way the relationship developed.There were definitely moments that had me kicking my feet and moments when I teared up 🥹! Overall, though, I was invested in the story and genuinely wanted to see how everything played out. This is a story that displayed mental health rep so accurately. I was rooting for our FMC. Ugh and our MMC is the biggest green flag I've ever read. Having a partner who takes the time to learn your mental health and help you through it is ?! Dylan said hold my beer ?! 🥰🥹

A cute, angsty romance with plenty of feelings, tension, and moments that made me smile. Definitely worth picking up for Hispanic Heritage Month if you love a romance that keeps you emotionally invested! 💕📖

[Karla]

4.75/5 stars
2.5/5 spice

Tropes:
Childhood friends to lovers
Mental health rep
Forced proximity
Mexican MCs
Author x Publicist
420 friendly
Dual POV

I really enjoy how this author creates characters that you root for from the very start. So much of what is holding Sophie back is rooted in her fear and grief, it was great to see her work through all that. And Dylan is so patient and completely gone for her. You'll go through an emotional roller coaster with this one but the reward is great.

Thank you to the author and Amor en Paginas for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered voluntarily.

[Yadira]

💚ARC REVIEW💚
I have never had a book that resonated with me so much. I went through all the emotions reading it. I could relate to Sophie because I too was in relationship where I was made to feel/ believe that I was too much or that no one would love me. This book was like my own healing process. I loved that this not only was about love but patience with one self and also patience from the people that love you. It was also about understanding what someone may be feeling and not about blaming or shaming them for what they are going through. Dylan was un amor!! I loved him and the way he showed Sophie that she was worth being loved.

[Smoke]

I had the pleasure of reading wanting you in advance. First read from this author & next on my tbr is craving you !!! 😂

Hand clap, snap snap! This story was sexy, engaging, entertaining and emotional!!! The mental health representation was handled so well ! Everything you want in a romance 🥹. A girl who doesn't believe she deserves love & a boy that's on his knees ready to give her the world. I still haven't got these two off my mind. I'm very supportive of Black and brown communities! I enjoyed being front row to some Mexican culture ! Thankyou again Amor En paginas & Kaila ❤️❤️

[StylesPlenty]

This was my first book by this author. Centered on the story of Sophie and Dylan, it beautifully represents mental health and the daily struggles people face. The book explores the reality of emotional abuse and the long road to healing those deep emotional wounds. It is a sweet, heartwarming story that brought tears to my eyes and made my heart ache as I rooted for the characters. I absolutely loved the representation and the thoughtful way depression was described and discussed.

[thriftlibreads]

“I knew I was playing with fire here, but I was starting to realize I loved the heat, even when it burned”

Thank you for the eARC copy! Sophie and Dylan rekindle their relationship after having distanced themselves. I really enjoyed the mental health rep as well as the attention her story brings to abusive relationships. While the story does touch on these heavy topics, it also explores their intimacy together and Dylan is the epitome of having someone in your corner 24/7.

[Bre]

I received an Advance Copy of this book.

I really love so many of the topics in this books. The therapy and them of learning to love yourself. I also love how relatable so much that was said in the book about Latine books and Latine culture in general. Omg and you can’t forget the spice! Girl!!!!!!

[Frommailenesbookshelf]

Thank you so much for this ARC!

I thought book one was amazing, but I read this one and I just KNOW Kaila plans to outdo herself everytime because this book was incredible 😫🖤 Sophie and David have me OBSESSED. I finished reading it and I needed a day to think about what to read next because they refused to leave my brain! I can't wait to see what Kaila writes next!

[Krystalli G]

Such a great story with Latin representation and it brought awareness to mental health struggles. I loved this book so much and it felt relatable as well. Great work!

[Genoveva]

Did I cry at times reading this one? Yes, I did. Did I love it? Yes, I did! Sophie was such a multifaceted character that you could feel what she was feeling. Kaila A. Stovall did such an amazing job at having the reader feel the emotions of the characters! I was drawn into Sophie and Dylan's story. Letting people in can be hard to do so to get Sophie who is learning to do this was refreshing.