Capicú Summer

by Luna K. Wicked

“And just like that… the first domino falls.”
At Altura, summer brings the heat... and the past you thought you left behind.

192 pages, Paperback

Published August 8, 2026

Reviews

[GCR | Book Realm]

ARC by BookSirens

What stood out to me the most about Capicú Summer was the Puerto Rican and Dominican representation. The Spanish felt natural, the cultural references made me smile, and little moments like the Amor Prohibido mention made the characters feel authentic instead of the culture just being mentioned in passing.

The romance itself was sweet and easy to get through, and I enjoyed spending time with the characters. While the relationship was cute, it was the cultural aspect that kept me the most invested and made this one memorable for me.

I’d recommend it to readers looking for a light contemporary romance with Latino representation, plenty of Spanish woven into the dialogue, and a couple that felt rooted in their culture.

[Sim-fully Ever After · Rating 4 out of 5]

4🌟 | 3🌶️

The Puerto Rican and Dominican representation was easily my favorite part of this read.

The Spanish, music, food, dominoes, and little cultural references all felt so naturally woven into the story, giving the whole book such a vivid sense of place. I genuinely loved how alive the community felt.

Adri and Yael were a fun second-chance pairing, especially with all their history, chemistry, and unresolved feelings. Adri’s strength and determination balanced Yael’s softer, hopelessly pining side so well, and their tension definitely delivered. Yael’s mouth was also a whole experience.

This was a quick, easy, and genuinely enjoyable read that gave me plenty of smiles, some emotional moments, and a romance I was happy to spend time with.

I loved how much warmth and personality this story packed into such a short read.

~~~~

A huge thank you to Luna K. Wicked and Luna Literary for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨

[Lauren (lololovesthings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars.

"Capicú Summer" by Luna K. Wicked is a short and spicy novella with a lot of vivid flair and summertime fun. The way Wicked is able to capture the setting and feeling of the community in this book is incredible. I felt like I was there on the block with these characters, immersed in it with them! I could smell the smells, taste the air, feel the humidity, see the dominoes, and hear the vibrant sounds of the barrio: the laughter, the gossiping, the running water, even the indecent moments. This book has incredible Puerto Rican or Dominican representation; this book is teeming with culture! I loved the back and forth between all of the characters, the joking, the name-calling, the years of friendship and more. I also enjoyed the main characters and their highly emotional love story. Adriana (FMC) is such a strong FMC! She wants better and more for her and her community, and they love her for it. She wants to save her neighborhood from incoming developers, led by her ex-boyfriend, who want to gentrify the area and push/price out older residents. She and Yael (MMC) have a very painful history, but the feelings between them are strong and fierce. They can't seem to stay away from each other after all these years despite the despair and hurt, but they do it for their community. And when they do, it's explosive! Yael has such a dirrrrrrrrty mouth, my goodness... I loved it. The build-up, the tension, the years of pining- it all comes to a head, and WOW, it works so, so well! The spice is wildly good. I loved this novella!

Thank you to Luna K. Wicked and Luna Literary for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

[Tessa Smith · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/🌶️🌶️🌶️

“I’ve been homesick for so long, blinded to the truth that my home has always been inside his heart.”

This was a short and spicy novella that was less than 200 pages. It was sweet, fun, and a little emotional. I really enjoyed both Yael and Adri. Our FMC is Dominican and our MMC is Puerto Rican. So it was fun reading and learning a little about different cultures. This had such a strong summer vibe.

It gave second chance romance, rivals to lovers, and forced proximity.

[Persephone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Luna for this ARC!

I absolutely loved this novella! For one, I love love love Luna’s dark side, but it is so refreshing when an author can be versatile with their writing. I loved seeing the sweet and side of her writing.

I may not be Puerto Rican or Dominican, but I am half Colombian and this was all still nostalgic to me. I used to be married to a Dominican and now I am married to a Puerto Rican 😂 so I died laughing when they talked about the arguments between Pegao and con con and pastelios and empanadas, because my family says empanadas. The rivalry between Puerto Ricans and Dominicans not liking eachother was so spot on. The streets and the bodegas, just brings back so many memories! PLUS, I am a badass when it comes to playing dominos 😌

This was was wholesome and sweet and even a little emotional as well. I loved both Yael and Adri. The yearning that Yael had for her 😍 and Adri was sweet and a very relatable FMC. This whole book just made me smile and laugh and just had good vibes 🤩

Everything that I have read by Luna has been amazing and had me in my feels in some way, and this book was no different! ❤️

[Yorvi Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️
*Second chance romance
*Rivals to Lovers
*Forced proximity


I really enjoyed this book so much and it was less than 200 pages. Being the FMC is Dominican and the MMC Puerto Rican I loved my culture representation and the fact that Altura Heights is based on Washington Heights I felt the familiarity and close to home as a Dominican.
We have Adri and after 5 years she decides to move back to Altura Heights where she grew up and her grandfather ends up telling her she has to work with Yael ( ex boyfriend ) to host the Dominos tournament together now while they have to work together, they have to also help the neighborhood and stop it from getting bought by developers who are trying to gentrify the area she also has to navigate her feelings for Yael her one true love.

[Kenia Coronado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being dominican and having a puerto rican husband this one felt so refreshing!! All the mentions of my culture felt close to home and this cute little story was fun! If you wanna learn a little bit about dominican culture this is great! Gives you a little bit about a community that is a family.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the perfect spicy summer romance! This was a short and sweet novella and it really had it all! It tackled romance, family, and grief. The culture is almost its own character and it’s so beautiful blended into the story! This is my first book by Luna but it won’t be my last!

Thank you so much to Luna for letting me ARC read this! It was beautiful!

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the perfect spicy summer romance! This was a short and sweet novella and it really had it all! It tackled romance, family, and grief. The culture is almost its own character and it’s so beautiful blended into the story! This is my first book by Luna but it won’t be my last!

Thank you so much to Luna for letting me ARC read this! It was beautiful!

[Michellelovesreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much. It had all of my favorite tropes.

Tropes:

What you will find inside this book:
🌸Rivals to Lovers
🌸Return to Hometown FMC
🌸Family Feud
🌸Second Chance
🌸Found Family
🌸Forced Proximity
🌸Summer Romance
🌸Dominican and Puerto Rican Rep

Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y’all need Yael and Adri in your lives right tf meow. Their story, the history between the families and the barrio, the banter and their moments were just infatuating and was all I could think about when I wasn’t reading it. Adri was such a strong minded and determined FMC, and Yael’s character development had me weak. Their way he yearned for Adri and that mouthhhhhh.😭😭

Capicú Summer was a wonderful and refreshing read from Luna - as per usual her writing was powerful and emotionally provocative in every way. This was EASILY a six star read for me, and perfectly shows why I gobble up Luna’s books every dang time.

I learned SO much through the cultural representation, and I enjoyed it immensely. I admire, appreciate, and adore Luna so much for allowing us to experience something so special to her. I swear I turned to my man every other page to tell him what I was learning and now he’s going to teach me how to play dominoes.🥹 This story was beautifully written & the vividness we were given through our senses through words was phenomenal. I truly felt like I was in Altura Heights with them.

[Denna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me want to play dominoes and download an app so I could start learning Spanish again.

I haven't read any other books by Luna K. Wicked... yet. But now that I know the author's writing style, I definitely plan to change that soon.

The vibe of Capicú Summer was incredible. There were moments when I genuinely felt like I was there with the characters, taking in the atmosphere the author created.

The book was such an easy read, and the story immediately pulled me in. It had a great balance between lighter moments and heavier topics (I cried once or twice, not gonna lie), and Yael was so sweet! And like I mentioned, the atmosphere was EVERYTHING.

I can't wait to pick up another one of the author's books!

[Emma Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

ʀɪᴠᴀʟs ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀs
ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴ ᴛᴏ ʜᴏᴍᴇᴛᴏᴡɴ ғᴍᴄ
ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ғᴇᴜᴅ
ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴀᴛ ғɪʀsᴛ sɪɢʜᴛ... ᴀɢᴀɪɴ
ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ
ғᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴘʀᴏxɪᴍɪᴛʏ
sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ

“Better?” My voice rises, fracturing at the edges. “You cheat on me, lie to me, and now you want to bulldoze our home. You don’t build, Lenny, you fucking destroy. Look at me.”

[Tia Toro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun, quick read, with so much culture to it. I also adored the second chance romance between the two MC’s

[Francis Carrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review!!
Stars 4.5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
Spice - 🌶️ 1/2

This was a hot, delicious, and fun summer read!! It moves quick, but not too quick that you feel you’re missing parts of the plot. The Spanish mixed in was probably one of my favorite things!! The food references were like stepping back to my childhood, where I lived in Santo Domingo and capicu was a weekend event!!
Yael is hot, broody and all man!! The love of community and camaraderie, even through a lifelong feud, was palpable in every page!
This will be a summer reread for me in the years to come!!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Melissa Soto · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Bookfunnel and I’m so happy! I absolutely loved the vibes of this book. I loved seeing my people and culture come alive and I love a good second chance romance! Adri and Yael were so passionate about each other and I loved every second of their story.

[Madison Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ★★★★.5
Spice Level: 🌶️.5/5
Tropes: Forced Proximity, Second Chance, Rivals to Lovers

This was such a cute, easy summer read! I quite literally blew through it in less than 4 hours, the only thing I regret is not taking it to read on a beach day, because it would be a perfect little beach book to pop open!

I loved the touches of Latin culture we got to see throughout the book, it made the connection to the characters feel even more real. Adriana and Yael find themselves in a way that will have you feeling for them just as much as I did, so much so I couldn’t put the book down until I knew how their story ended.

If you’re looking to squeeze a few last summer reads in before the “ber” months, I highly suggest giving Capicú Summer a try:)

Thank you so much Luna K. and Luna Literary for the ARC opportunity!

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

 This review isn't going to be a long review due to being in recovery from Open Heart Surgery ❤️

As soon as I started this book the vibes were there and hitting! I loved the sultry storyline and the emotions behind everything for each character!

Thank you to Luna K. Wicked & Luna Lit for the complimentary review copy! All opinions are my own, honest & voluntary. 

[ana lopes · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ ARC REVIEW — CAPICÚ SUMMER ✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

And THIS is exactly why Luna K. Wicked has become one of my absolute favorite authors. Luna, ámote con todo. ❤️ And honestly, one of the things I want most is to meet you someday, because I have this feeling that you must be every bit as wonderful as the books you write and the characters you give us.

I absolutely LOVED this novella. I love, love, LOVE Luna’s dark side, but there is something incredibly special about seeing an author I adore show me a completely different side of her writing. Capicú Summer is sweeter, warmer and softer, but it is still unmistakably Luna. The intensity is still there, the emotion is still there, the sensuality is DEFINITELY still there, but above all, there is that feeling I always get when reading her books: that she leaves a little piece of herself inside every story and every character she creates.

And this one took me somewhere incredibly special. I may not be Puerto Rican or Dominican, but I am Portuguese (Latina, from this little country right next to Spain) and I already know the streets of the Dominican Republic. I have been incredibly happy there during two very important moments of my life, and somehow Luna managed to take me straight back. I could almost feel the heat, hear the music and see people outside talking, laughing, dancing and playing dominoes. I could feel that sense of community and celebration that made me fall in love with those streets in the first place. This book feels like summer: like music playing somewhere nearby, dominoes hitting a table, people dancing simply because there is music to dance to, and memories of a place that somehow stay with you long after you've left.

And at the center of all of that are Yael and Adri. ❤️ THE YEARNING OF THIS MAN! Yael has basically perfected the art of loving a woman from across the street. He waited, he watched, he longed, and the tension between these two had me internally screaming JUST. TALK. TO. EACH. OTHER. Except... please don't, because I was also having far too much fun watching them fight. 😂 There is something so delicious about two people who clearly have so much between them — history, feelings, resentment, desire, all those things that were never said — pretending that they can somehow ignore what is right in front of them.

And then we get to THE FIRST KISS. Excuse me, but WHAT WAS THAT?! The man grabs her by the waistband, dances with her while Wiki Wiki is playing (a song that has now completely invaded my Spotify because apparently Luna also controls my playlists ) leaves that woman completely disoriented and then just KISSES HER. I mean... MEN OF THE WORLD, TAKE NOTES. This. This is what we want. Or at least what this Latina woman wants. 💃🏻🔥 The entire scene has that combination of music, movement, tension and sensuality that makes you almost feel like you're there watching them, and I have already reread it because apparently once wasn't enough.

And then... THE MOUTH ON THAT MAN. Yael talks, and Yael talks WELL. The Spanish, the teasing, the things that come out of that man's mouth?! Sir. There were moments when I genuinely had to put my Kindle down and stare into the distance for a second. 😂 And apparently Yael doesn't believe in doing anything by halves, because the man approaches certain... activities... with the dedication of someone who has discovered his true vocation in life. Between what he says and what he does with that mouth, I'm just going to say: Luna, thank you for your service. 🫡 The spice is creative, completely unhinged at times and somehow still works perfectly with the intimacy between these two ... including a certain object that I absolutely WAS NOT prepared for and will probably never look at in quite the same way again.

But Adri deserves just as much attention because I really loved her. She isn't a woman sitting around waiting for someone to come and save her; her journey is about finding her way back to herself, reclaiming her voice, her home, her choices and ultimately her own version of happiness. There is grief in this story, but I particularly loved that Luna doesn't treat it as something that love magically fixes. It remains part of Adri, as it should, but she learns to carry it differently. Watching her remember who she is and understand that she can choose what and WHO she wants made her journey so much more meaningful.

And that brings me to something I think is incredibly clever about this story: the meaning behind CAPICÚ. In dominoes, capicú is a winning play in which the final domino can be placed at either end because both ends match. Once you know that, the title suddenly becomes so much more than a reference to a game that is deeply connected to the culture and community surrounding this story. Because, in so many ways, Yael and Adri are capicú. They are two sides of the same story; two people whose lives moved in different directions and who carried years, distance, grief, mistakes, resentment and all the things they never managed to say, only to discover that, somehow, at the other end of everything, they still match. They still lead back to each other.

And THAT is what I loved most about the way Luna used the domino metaphor. It isn't simply decoration or cultural atmosphere; it feels woven into the entire architecture of their love story. The dominoes, the barrio, the community, their past and their present all connect like pieces already sitting on the table. Yael and Adri may have spent years believing they were playing from opposite ends, but eventually those ends meet. There is something incredibly beautiful about calling their story Capicú Summer when their entire relationship is ultimately about realizing that, no matter which end of their story you begin with, somehow it was always them.

And can we PLEASE talk about THE SPANISH?! If I already lost my mind when Thiago spoke Brazilian Portuguese — because being Portuguese made that ridiculously special to me — imagine what happened when Luna gave me a MAN like Yael speaking Spanish. That language already carries so much rhythm and sensuality, but coming from him, calling Adri by his own special nickname, teasing her and whispering those words to her? I WAS DONE. But it was more than the sexy Spanish, although, believe me, I appreciated that VERY MUCH. 😂 Once again, the language made me travel. It took me back to beautiful places filled with beautiful, happy people who seem to know how to turn the smallest moments into something worth celebrating through food, community, music and dance.

And I think that's one of Luna's greatest gifts as a writer: she doesn't simply tell me where her characters are; she takes me there. Capicú Summer is a love story, but it also feels like a love letter to the barrio, to culture, to community, to music, to dominoes slammed onto summer tables and to the kind of love that somehow stays, even after years, distance and everything life puts between two people. Luna didn't simply give Yael and Adri a romance; she gave them an entire world, one that smells like sazón, sounds like music spilling into the street and feels like coming home. And for those pages, she let us live there too.

And maybe that's why this little book affected me so much. It brought me back to a place where I already have some of the happiest memories of my life, while giving me new fictional memories to attach to it. My only complaint is that I WANT MORE. More Yael, more Adri, more of these characters, more nights in the barrio, more dominoes, more music, more Wiki Wiki. MORE EVERYTHING. I finished it wanting to stay there just a little longer.

Luna K. Wicked, you are one of my favorite authors. There is so much love for your characters, your people and your culture in the way you write that it practically pours from the pages. Thank you for Yael and Adri, thank you for this little corner of the world, and thank you for taking me back to a place that already holds some of the happiest memories of my life.

Most of all, thank you for making me feel, once again, that I wasn't simply reading a book.

I was there. ❤️

Capicú, baby.

[Isabella Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝗬 𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗮 𝗲𝗹 ú𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗰ú.”

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️ 2/5

Okay, saying I’m obsessed with Luna K. Wicked feels like a MASSIVE understatement at this point. 😩🖤

This woman keeps me FED.

Always dark.

Always intense.

Always giving me characters with enough emotional baggage to require their own checked luggage.

When Luna drops something?

I READ IT.

No questions. No synopsis required. Just hand it over. 😂🧎🏻‍♀️

So Capicú Summer being a little different—shorter, summery, culturally rich, funny, emotional, but still having that unmistakable Luna edge???

I ATE IT UP.

And immediately…

“Porque donde hubo fuego, las cenizas siempre quedan.”

Because where there was fire, the ashes always remain.

HELLO?!?!

That’s basically the second-chance romance manifesto and Luna really just threw it down like that. 😭🔥

Adriana Santos left the barrio five years ago and swore she wasn’t coming back.

She left behind her home.

Her family.

Her grief.

And most importantly…

Yael Cruz.

The man she never really got over.

And apparently the man who never got over HER either.

👀

You guys know I love an obsessed man.

But a man who has been quietly carrying a torch for the same woman for FIVE YEARS???

Sir.

Come sit directly beside me. 🧎🏻‍♀️😂

Because Yael is DOWN BAD for Adriana.

Everyone knows it.

His friends know it.

The neighborhood probably knows it.

The domino table knows it.

I think the Hennessy knows it.

😂😂😂

And then Manny and Alex hit us with:

“There’s no Yael without his Ciela.”

EXCUSE ME WHILE I GO THROW MYSELF INTO TRAFFIC.

😭😭😭

That’s it.

Wrap it up.

I’m emotionally compromised.

And I loved their dynamic because Adriana has FIRE.

She’s strong.

She’s stubborn.

She’s sassy.

She doesn’t make things easy for Yael.

And instead of trying to extinguish that part of her, this man basically grabs a stick and pokes the flames just because he likes watching her light up.

😂🔥

MEN WHO LOVE THEIR WOMEN’S ATTITUDE INSTEAD OF TRYING TO TAME IT.

YES.

The banter between them was SO GOOD.

Even the prologue had me sitting there giggling because you immediately understand how one meeting between these two could change everything.

And Yael’s mouth???

A PROBLEM.

A very enjoyable problem.

But a problem nonetheless. 👀😂

Then we have Lenny.

😐

Sir…

I tried.

I really did.

But Lenny always felt like the safe choice Adriana convinced herself she was supposed to want.

Not the RIGHT choice.

And there’s a difference.

Especially because the more we see of him, the more obvious it becomes that he doesn’t understand the thing Adriana desperately needs someone to understand:

The barrio MATTERS to her.

The community matters.

The people matter.

Her history matters.

And watching Lenny care more about money than protecting or improving the same community they came from???

Nope.

You can go. 👋🏻

Because one of my absolute FAVORITE parts of this book was the community itself.

The Puerto Rican and Dominican representation was BEAUTIFUL. 🖤

The Spanish.

The music.

The food.

The dominoes.

The families.

The neighborhood.

Those little cultural details woven naturally through conversations and everyday moments made the barrio feel ALIVE.

It didn’t feel like someone created a generic romance setting and sprinkled some Spanish words over it.

It felt lived in.

And I loved that.

Also…

SELENA QUINTANILLA?!

Every single time a Selena song entered the chat I was like:

YESSSSSS. 😂💃🏻

The whole story just had this rhythm to it that made the setting feel like part of the romance itself.

And Don Santos absolutely got me. 🥹

There is something about him that immediately feels familiar.

That abuelo presence where even if your own grandfather was completely different, somehow the character makes you think about family and memories and all those little things you don’t realize are important until they’re gone.

Which brings me to the part that HURT.

Because underneath the romance and banter and summer heat…

There is so much grief here.

Neno’s absence hangs over these characters.

And the flashbacks showing him through Adriana AND Yael’s eyes made it hurt even more because you understand how deeply they both loved him.

He wasn’t just Adriana’s family.

He was Yael’s brother in every way that actually mattered.

😭

And Adriana’s mother???

CHAPTER 21.

Nope.

Absolutely not.

My HEART.

The grief of a mother losing her son is something you can’t simply tidy up and move past, and those scenes between Adriana and her mom really got to me.

Because grief doesn’t just affect one person.

It changes entire families.

It changes relationships.

It changes decisions.

And sometimes it makes you cling to whatever feels SAFE because you can’t survive losing anything else.

Which made me understand Adriana’s choices so much more.

Even when I wanted to shake her. 😂

And that’s also why the second-chance aspect worked so well for me.

Yael and Adriana aren’t just two people who broke up and still think each other is hot.

There is HISTORY here.

Love.

Loss.

Guilt.

Family.

A community they both care deeply about.

And a million things that were never properly dealt with.

The flashbacks gave us enough of their past that when they started finding their way back toward each other, I believed it.

Also…

“Nadie te va hacer sentir como yo. Tú eres mía, Adri.”

Yael.

CÁLMATE.

Actually…

Don’t.

Continue. 👀🧎🏻‍♀️😂

Because apparently possessiveness in two languages is still one of the quickest ways to make me lose my damn mind.

And listen…

Chapter 14.

🥵

Then Chapter 17 came along and said okay, you’ve had enough fun, let’s hurt your feelings again.

Then Chapter 19…

👀🔥

Luna was basically controlling my emotions with a remote at that point.

And I was allowing it. 😂

I even came around on Estrella.

I was side-eyeing that entire situation HARD at first because complicated romantic histories have me immediately suspicious. 👀

But ultimately, even Estrella understands the thing everybody else seems to already know:

Adriana and Yael belong together.

Sometimes everybody can see it except the two idiots actually involved.

A romance tradition as old as time. 😂

And by the ending???

My heart was HAPPY.

After everything Adriana has carried—the grief, the family pain, leaving home, trying to build something elsewhere—it felt right watching her realize that coming home doesn’t necessarily mean going backward.

Sometimes you have to leave to understand what home actually means.

🥹🖤

This was a quick read, but Luna packed SO much personality into it.

Rivalry.

Second chances.

Forced proximity.

Family.

Grief.

Community.

Culture.

Banter.

Heat.

And one man who has apparently spent five years thinking:

That’s still my girl.

😭🔥

Was it quite a 5-star read for me?

Not completely. I would have happily taken MORE—more Yael and Adriana, more of the barrio, more time sitting inside some of those emotional moments.

But let’s be serious…

Luna K. Wicked could probably publish Yael’s grocery list tomorrow and I’d be like:

“Interesting character development. 4 stars.” 😂🧎🏻‍♀️

If you love second-chance romance, rivals-to-lovers, forced proximity, love triangles, obsessed MMCs, strong FMCs, family and community-centered stories, Puerto Rican and Dominican representation, grief and healing, witty banter and men who never actually stopped loving their girl…

COME GET FED. 🔥🖤

Luna K. Wicked remains one of my instant-read authors for a reason.

She keeps me fed.

She keeps me entertained.

She keeps my fictional-man standards deeply unreasonable.

And Yael Cruz?

“Tú eres mía, Adri.”

Sir…

Unfortunately, that would’ve worked on me too. 😩🧎🏻‍♀️🔥

Porque donde hubo fuego, las cenizas siempre quedan.

And Adriana and Yael?

Those ashes never stood a f*cking chance. 🖤🔥

[Claudia June Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 ( NO Spoilers. I promise ) :)

i finished this in ONE SITTING and i am not the same person i was before i opened it. no notes. only worship.

capicú summer is a love letter to the barrio, to dominoes slammed down on summer tables, and to the kind of love that just… stays. even after years. even after everything. luna didn't just write a romance — she built an entire WORLD that smells like sazon, sounds like salsa at 2am, and feels like coming home to a place you've never been.

and okay — here's the part that got me. i don't actually KNOW what sazon smells like. i've never had it. but luna wrote her home so vividly, so full of love, that it made ME homesick — for south africa. because that's the thing about being an immigrant: we all carry a version of this. the specific foods, the smell of a certain street, the way people talk, the one little corner shop that feels like home (ours is a spaza shop, or a tuck shop — luna's is a bodega, and reading hers i felt mine). she wrote her hometown so tenderly that it transported me to HER block AND straight back to mine, all at once. i actually got teary. that is not a small thing. that is an incredible, rare talent — to make a reader feel their OWN home in the space you made for yours. that is a WRITER doing WRITER things.

now. let's talk about the man. i can't tell you much (spoiler-free girlies we protect the plot) but know this: he waited. he LONGED. this is a man who mastered the art of pining from across a literal street. the yearning in this book is a felony. i have never wanted two people to just TALK to each other so badly in my LIFE and also i never wanted them to stop fighting because the tension was feeding me.

and then there's… THE MOUTH ON THAT MAN. and i mean that in every single way it can be meant. because first of all he says things — filthy, unhinged, toe-curling things — that made me set my kindle face-down and reevaluate my entire life. at one point he growls "you come when i say you come" and SIR?? i have reactive hypoglycemia and i was about to go into a full body shutdown. nips went BOOOING. i had to eat a snack and recover. (and that's just the ENGLISH lines — when he switches to spanish it's a whole other medical event, more on that later.)

and SECOND of all — separate from the talking — this man treats a certain… activity… like it's his god-given calling. like a vocation. like a sacred duty he was put on this earth to perform. he has a LINE about THAT too that i had to stare at my wall over for a full minute. so to summarize: the mouth is a menace on every possible front. luna understood the assignment and then did extra credit.

the spice? creative. unhinged. emotionally devastating in the best way. she does a thing with a certain… household object… that i genuinely have never read before and may never recover from. i gasped. out loud. alone. in my room.

the FMC deserves her own paragraph because she does NOT sit around waiting to be saved. she reclaims her voice, her home, and her man entirely on her own terms. a queen who was always a queen — she just forgot for a minute, and watching her remember? chef's kiss.

can we talk CRAFT for one sec because i'm a writer and i was taking actual notes — the domino metaphor is not decoration, it's the entire architecture of the book. "capicú" is the perfect winning move in dominoes where both ends match, and luna threaded that through every single layer of this love story. that's not luck. that's a writer in complete control of her tools. the dual POV is balanced, the grief is handled with real nuance (it doesn't get fixed, it gets carried differently), and the community itself feels like a living breathing character. the bodega banter made me cackle.

okay so REMEMBER when i said his spanish is a whole other medical event? here's the follow-up: i'm bilingual — english and afrikaans — and spanish is NOT one of my languages. so me and my iphone translator got INTIMATE real quick. like, uncomfortably fast. we're basically dating now. she knows things about me. i was screenshot-translating at 1am going "oh. OH. that's what he just said to her IN SPANISH??" and combusting all over again, because the spiciest lines hit even HARDER once you decode them. so shoutout to luna for personally giving me a third language — i only know the filthy parts, i cannot order food or ask for directions, but i can absolutely understand a man growling something devastating in bed, and honestly? i am NOT complaining. bilingual dirty talk is an art form and luna is the whole entire museum.

luna k. wicked — you are one of my favorite authors AND favorite writers (yes those are two different things and you're both). you write like you love your characters and your people and your culture, and it POURS off every page. thank you for this world. thank you for this man. thank you for making me feel like i belonged somewhere for 160 pages. if this is your "tame" book, i will not survive the rest of your catalogue and i cannot WAIT.

one last thing, and this one's from the heart: this was my very FIRST arc. ever. and the fact that it was a luna k. wicked book made me want to do it justice so badly — i read it slow, i took notes, i translated every single line, i treated it like it mattered, because it DID. thank you for trusting me with it. thank you for the opportunity. i cannot WAIT to do more. 🖤

read it. translate the spicy parts. thank me later.

content warnings: death of a sibling (referenced), grief, parental addiction, brief violence, emotional manipulation, explicit sexual content, loss of a loved one.

🎲 donde hubo fuego, las cenizas siempre quedan. 🖤

[Novellaworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I even start… can we all take a moment to appreciate the fact that Luna K. Wicked can emotionally devastate me with one book and then completely change lanes and make me fall in love with something entirely different? If you’ve seen my reviews before, you’ll know this woman refuses to stay in one lane… and somehow she nails it every single time.

So when this ARC landed in my inbox… you already know I was smashing that download button. 📥

And then Luna did what Luna always does… she transported me. I wasn’t just reading Capicú Summer… I was in Altura.

For less than 200 pages, this novella has absolutely no business packing this much into one story. Seriously, Luna… are you hiding extra pages somewhere? Because the emotional maths isn’t mathing!

This is so much more than a second-chance romance.

It’s about home. Family. Community. The people and places that shape who we become—and what happens when you realise some things are worth fighting to get back.

Adriana returning to Altura after five years immediately brings all those unresolved feelings bubbling back to the surface. Then there’s Yael… and honestly, these two had me smiling from the very first interaction. The chemistry never disappeared; it had simply been waiting. Their teasing, their bickering, the lingering tension… every conversation carried years of history between them, making their journey back to one another feel completely earned.

But what completely stole my heart was Altura itself.

The neighbourhood isn’t just the backdrop—it’s a character. The families, the domino games, the music drifting through the streets, the food, the traditions, the sense that everyone belongs to everyone… Luna captured it so vividly that I felt like I’d been welcomed into the community myself.

The Puerto Rican and Dominican representation was absolutely beautiful. The culture wasn’t simply included—it was woven into every page. The Spanish dialogue, the traditions, the family dynamics, the playful rivalry, the pride… everything felt authentic and full of heart. It made the story richer, more immersive, and impossible not to connect with.

I also loved that the romance wasn’t the only thing at stake. Adriana and Yael aren’t just rebuilding their relationship—they’re fighting for their families, their neighbourhood, and the place that has always been home. That gave this story so much depth and made every victory feel personal.

Somehow, in under 200 pages, Luna made me laugh, ache, hope, smile and quietly sit with my feelings when I reached the final page.

Honestly… Luna K. Wicked has this annoying habit of making me forget how few pages I’m reading because every single one works overtime.

If you’re looking for a heartfelt second-chance romance wrapped in culture, community, family, and hope, Capicú Summer absolutely deserves a place on your TBR.


“Porque donde hubo fuego, las cenizas siempre quedan.” And this story leaves behind the very best kind of embers.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received the ARC from BookFunnel

♾️⭐ / 2.5🌶️

One of the things I love the most is seeing the versatile aspects of an author, and Luna shows me that, also is the one that takes me out of a little slump in reading, enjoying having that little summer novella is all I need.

The novella follows Adriana, who goes back to the barrio after the ways that go bad in her relationship, returns to the roots, the barrio, is the thing maybe she needs to calm and feels herself again, even encounters with all the things that she leaves behind. The things she didn’t expect is how the feelings hit that hard. Even Yael is there too, and the feelings return even he said gonna forget her. Porque donde hubo fuego, las cenizas siempre quedan.

I need to say when I see the novella’s blurb I’ll go straight to it, because the vibe that gives me is something I’m looking for and gives me that AND MORE! Gosh, I can’t explain how a novella makes me feel a lot of feelings. I also love to see that side of Luna too, if caught me with the dark side this one makes me fall more. Finding a Dominican FMC is one of the things that makes me happy to see myself represented in a book. Also the vibes when comes of the barrio, the bodega, domino, that feel of the community that always finds there and the family things and traditions, the rivalry between Puerto Rican and Dominican is so funny as always the many different words.

Adriana is a really nice and gorgeous FMC, with all the layers that make the best and the worst from someone, the way that needs to go to the place that she was born to find herself again, return to the things that usually does again. Find her voice again, and not be the trophy girl that only some see. She’s more than that, leading with grief and others scars on her, that need to heal like how learns of it and deals with and speaks with.

Yael in another way is just wonderful MMC, that not only Adri falls also the reader because is just someone amazing like the layers he has and who makes him battling with life to finally find his place, and grows into the man he is. Of course, he makes mistakes but he learns about it, in the bad way, but as Abuelo says people choose his path. Even though he deals with the consequences, the grief haunts him too and needs to be dealt with till he finds the right answers and the peace to also follow what he wants.

Is something like destiny and the domino is not also a game is the way how life is, using the right ficha, both Adriana and Yael are not individuals are part of the same one, how both deals with the same needs to learn that even think are not the other half, they are and brings the happiness and peace. Things happen in life that are our choices, but we need to live with the consequences even if we don't like it, finding the pace to make things right.

[Ashes And Ink · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the perfect summer read! A second chance romance packed with all the summertime vibes. The smile never left my face as I read this, and the feeling of nostalgia was present with every turn of the page. This novella is a fun and quick read that definitely brought out the warm and fuzzy feelings.

Two of my favorite things to read are great banter and a man who yearns, and this novella has both. The banter between not only the main characters but the friends and family around them is on point. Now the yearning. Yael, the way this man yearns for Adri from beginning to end had me absolutely melting. He knows how bad he wants her and fully accepts the hold she has on him and wears it with no shame.

This is not to say theirs is an easy story. Adri left the life she had for the one she thought she wanted. When life doesn’t turn out the way she hoped she decides to return home. One aspect I really liked about Adri’s character is her strength when she makes this decision. She acknowledges that she has not been herself and her confidence was diminished. I always appreciate it when a character can self-reflect like this because it is not an easy thing to do. When she returns home, she does so with her head high and facing everything that comes at her head on, even when it isn’t easy to do. Adri is a fun and lovable character who I found easy to become truly invested in and I loved watching her find herself again.

Yael may have been new to the neighborhood at one point, but he has absolutely taken charge by the time Adri returns. I love this character because his life path seems so real. He started to go down the wrong path, faced tragedy, and made the decision to do something different with his life. He became somewhat of a hero to those around him, taking care of the people he grew to love. His heart may have been broken but when he gets a second chance, he really doesn’t hesitate to go after what he wants. That is not to say he will make it easy. He has that confidence that is frustrating and delicious at the same time and he knows it.

The descriptions and references throughout this book are really one of my favorite aspects. While I cannot fully personally relate to everything, there were so many moments when
I could feel the memories of summers gone by. The nostalgia and those memories this novella brought forward really did put a smile on my face. I was laughing and commenting like I was watching a movie. This book is a short and quick read and one I can see myself reading regularly during the summers. If you like a second chance romance, spice that makes you melt, rivals to lovers and a book that will be a fun time, you should definitely give this one a chance.

[Faiza · Rating 4 out of 5]

🌴✨ Capicú Summer was such a beautiful, heartfelt novella that completely surprised me with how much it stayed with me. I expected a quick read, but what I got was a story full of warmth, culture, memories, and emotions that felt so much bigger than its length. I flew through this book, but the impact it left behind was unforgettable. 💛

Adriana and Yael’s story felt like opening the door to a place you’ve missed for years. Their journey is filled with second chances, old feelings, complicated history, and the kind of connection that proves time doesn’t always erase what matters. I loved the way their relationship slowly found its way back through playful arguments, teasing, and the undeniable chemistry between them. Their banter was one of my favorite parts because you could feel the history they shared in every interaction. 🥹💕

What made this novella truly special was the incredible sense of community. Altura felt alive—the neighborhood, the families, the music, the food, the domino games, and the everyday moments that make a place feel like home. Luna K. Wicked did an amazing job capturing the heart of the Barrio and the importance of protecting the places and people that shape us. 🌺🏡

The Puerto Rican and Dominican representation was beautifully done. The friendly rivalry, the shared traditions, the family bonds, and the pride in culture all felt so authentic. The Spanish throughout the story added another layer of connection and made the entire experience feel even more personal. As someone who appreciates stories that celebrate culture, this one truly delivered. 🇵🇷🇩🇴✨

I loved that the romance wasn’t the only thing driving the story. Adriana and Yael aren’t just fighting for their relationship—they’re fighting for Altura, their families, and the community that means everything to them. Watching them come together to protect their home while rebuilding what they lost was such a rewarding part of the story.

Adriana’s return to Altura after leaving years before brought so many emotions. After discovering the truth about Lenny and walking away from that chapter of her life, she has to face the past she left behind, including Yael. Meanwhile, Yael has never truly stopped caring about her, and seeing them navigate old wounds while rediscovering each other was incredibly sweet. 💕

At just under 200 pages, Capicú Summer proves that a short story can still carry so much emotion. It’s a beautiful second-chance romance filled with culture, community, laughter, and love.

If you’re looking for a romance that feels like a warm summer evening surrounded by family, music, and memories, Capicú Summer is absolutely worth picking up. 🌴❤️

[crisscrossreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

🅰︎🆁🅲 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆
𝑪𝒂𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒖́ 𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓

This book reads like a love letter to the barrio, to summer tables, and to love that lingers despite pain, circumstance, and years passing. Luna crafted a world that was so vivid you could step into it, so descriptive you could smell Sazon, so nostalgic you were there as the dominoes were slammed on the table.

𝐓 𝐑 𝐎 𝐏 𝐄 𝐒
❥ Rivals to Lovers
❥ Return to Hometown FMC
❥ Family Feud
❥ Second Chance
❥ Found Family
❥ Summer Romance
❥ Forced Proximity
❥ Dominican and Puerto Rican Rep

This was a story for everyone who is homesick for a place and their person. I felt transported, I wished I was home, I longed to hear my parents banter and taste my father’s food and that is what makes this story so beautiful.

The yearning in this story was so on point. Yael is a testament to a man who yearns, he waited, he pined and he did not give up. The tension in this book had me screaming but also just yelling “Kiss and make up”. Let’s also not skip the MOUTH ON THIS MAN. It is a toe curling, blush causing menace in every single way. Luna quite literally said “hold my beer” and just made it happen. The spice was not just purposeful, but creative, emotional and just hits each time. I’m a huge fan of inappropriate object use… so let’s just say keep an eye out for a certain household object.

Now let’s talk about Adriana because babe, she is not a damsel, she is a BADDIE. She marches in and reclaims her voice, her home, and her man under her terms. She was always strong, resilient and capable but she lost her way for a minute. Watching her rediscover herself and her boundaries was absolutely beautiful.

This book was a beautiful journey of two people remembering who they are and finding their way back to each other. It’s poignant and vivid and left me in awe. Thank you Luna for sharing a piece of yourself and your home in these pages. I cannot recommend this read enough. It’s a must add to your TBR and releases on August 8th.

I received an advanced copy of this book and my opinions are my own. Receiving an advanced copy did not impact my review. Thank you to Luna Literary and Luna K Wicked for giving me the chance to read early.

[Keyla Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of ARC provided by the author 🌙
This is a Latiné romance for the records!

Capicú Summer gave me Puerto Rican and Dominican families living in New York, and as someone who actively seeks out and supports Latiné romance, I can tell you there simply aren’t enough Puerto Rican characters in the genre. So getting a Bori MMC like Yael was EVERYTHING 🇵🇷

One of my favorite things about this novella was how much culture was tucked into the story without it ever feeling like a lesson. The family rivalry, for example, has a whole history behind it. Adri’s grandpa and Yael’s grandma were in love but couldn’t be together, and that forbidden love became the root of the feud between their families. It’s a subplot, but it adds another layer to the story and says so much about family, pride, love, and the things that get carried from one generation to the next.

Then you have the little things that had me smiling because YES 😂 The competitiveness between cultures, the Bori bodega vs. Domi bodega, was such a fun touch. And there’s a scene with Luna fixing her hair in that famous “mojaito con lambia de vaca” style. I was like, okayyy Luna! 😂 It’s those tiny details that make a story feel familiar in a way you can’t fake.

Adri’s story also hit a much more emotional nerve. What she goes through is heartbreaking and, in some ways, tragically relatable: an awful ex, mom going through some stuff, her brother 🥺, and her self doubt.

And Yael? Calling Adri “bellaca” had me GONE 🥵 There is something about seeing a Puerto Rican man use that word in the right context that goes straight to my smutty heart IYKYK

What really surprised me, though, is that this is a short novella because HOW did Luna fit all of this in here?! Family drama, cultural identity, generational history, family rivalry, miscommunication, second chances, romance, spice, and all these little Puerto Rican and Dominican touches. Somehow, it all made it onto the page without this feeling like a book that was trying to do too much 🇵🇷🇩🇴

[Kristen (IG: books.n.snakes) · Rating 5 out of 5]

☀️ ℂ𝕒𝕡𝕚𝕔ú 𝕊𝕦𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕣 ☀️

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧, 𝙄 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧… 𝙀𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙮𝙤𝙪.

📖 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗰ú 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿
✍🏼 𝗟𝘂𝗻𝗮 𝗞. 𝗪𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱

𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡, 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙞𝙥𝙚 𝙤𝙛𝙛. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚’𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙔𝙖𝙚𝙡 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝘾𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙖. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩'𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙂𝙤𝙙'𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝.

𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺 𝙳𝙴𝚃𝙰𝙸𝙻𝚂
📃 𝟭𝟵𝟵 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀
🔎 𝗣𝗢𝗩: 𝘔𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘗𝘖𝘝’𝘴
🗓️ 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟴, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩—𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙩. 𝙉𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙞𝙩 𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙩𝙨, 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙄 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮… 𝙈𝙮 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠. 𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧. 𝙏𝙤 𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙖 𝙛𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙥𝙪𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙣.

𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦
🇵🇷ʀɪᴠᴀʟꜱ ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀꜱ
🇩🇴ᴅᴏᴍɪɴɪᴄᴀɴ ʀᴇᴘ
🇵🇷ᴘᴜᴇʀᴛᴏ ʀɪᴄᴀɴ ʀᴇᴘ
🇩🇴ꜱᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ
🇵🇷ꜰᴍᴄ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴꜱ ʜᴏᴍᴇ
🇩🇴ꜰᴀᴍɪʟʏ ꜰᴇᴜᴅ
🇵🇷ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴀᴛ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ꜱɪɢʜᴛ…ᴀɢᴀɪɴ
🇩🇴ꜰᴏᴜɴᴅ ꜰᴀᴍɪʟʏ
🇵🇷ꜰᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴘʀᴏxɪᴍɪᴛʏ

“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙, 𝘾𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙖, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩, 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚.”

📖 𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 📖
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝗙𝗠𝗖: Adrianna
𝗠𝗠𝗖: Yael

You know what I don’t like about Luna’s writing? The fact that they’re men that I’ll never have. That’s what. She sets me up with these false expectations, I fall in love with these fictional men and THEN at the end of it all I am forced to go about my days like normal??

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗔𝗨𝗗𝗔𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗬.

I love Yael with my whole heart. THE WAY THIS MAN YEARNS. He is so gone for Adri. Ugh. I’m in love.

And Adri is such an amazing FMC. She’s strong, she does anything for her family and community. Much like Yael. They are the perfect match.

This was a short read, coming in at just under 200 pages, and this my friends, is how a novella is done. The story didn’t feel rushed. I felt immersed into the streets of Altura and its people.

It was such a great second chance romance with a little Romeo & Juliet feels but with an HEA 🤣 (rival families/forbidden romance). This story packed such a punch to be a novella.

P.S. Did I mention how much I love Yael??

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗠𝗢𝗗𝗘
📖 ᴘʜʏꜱɪᴄᴀʟ
🎧 ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏ
📱 ᴇʀᴇᴀᴅ ✔️

[Nightpetalprincess · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨💗”She spent years believing her first crush was her love story, but one dance had already introduced her soul to home.”✨💗

At 15-years-old, Adriana feels like this summer will finally be the summer to win over her crush Lenny Cruz. It all changes with one conversation and one dance.

Yael comes from La Isla Del Encanto, Puerto Rico and as soon as Adriana starts talking his ears off , he just knows she's special. He knows she's his. However, life has other ideas and the girl Yael refers to as his Ciela disappears.

💔 Five years later…

Adriana after thinking she was chasing something better… finally realizes that something “better” came at a cost… her heart and soul. Broken hearted after a relationship with someone she thought she knew but really didn’t , she comes home to help her abuelo run the bodega.

Yael who is still running the family bodega across the street, still sees Adriana as everything he's ever wanted. His light in the darkness. Even though their chemistry is still there, it's difficult because she never gave him the reason why she left.

🥹 This book stole my heart.

The banter between these two is EVERYTHING. Each conversation between them put a smile on my face and made me crave more. The vecinos all helped to keep it light hearted and had me laughing out loud.

The rivalry that existed between their Puerto Rican and Dominican families was literally so spot on LOL. Being a Puerto Rican girl who grew up in New York, this story hit different because it made me nostalgic for a place I once called home.

This book was so much more than a romance. It was about community, culture, first love, and that feeling of finding your way back home.

@luna.k.wicked , thank you for giving me a story that brought back those feelings when I used to run down the streets of my block when I was younger. It was such an amazing feel good time for me, and I will remember Adriana and Yael FOREVER. ❤️🇵🇷

[Jen Strimbeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Capicu Summer was such a fun change of pace for me, and I ended up loving how much heart Luna K. Wicked packed into this story.

This isn’t just a summer romance. It feels like coming back to a place where everybody knows everybody, has an opinion, is watching what you will do, and there is absolutely no chance of keeping your business to yourself. Mind you most of them would go to bat for you no matter what you needed.

The history between these two will get you in the feels. There is already so much tension between these two and Yael was not at all ready to let her go. Old feelings resurface alongside family rivalry when she is forced to work with him because what is happening to the place they love is bigger than their feelings. There is hurt from how things ended before but these two need to put their heads together to help everyone else.

I also really loved how much personality the world around them had. I spent a bunch of time googling foods because Luna is giving us such a vivid picture of how the main characters are turning love into food with the two bodegas. I loved how they brought social media into a tool to draw people in. This was such a fun touch.

And the found family in this one? So good.

There are funny moments with the family pushing them to see that they need to sort though their pasts and there are definitely moments where I wanted these people to just TALK TO EACH OTHER, but that is also part of what made them feel real.

Luna does a really good job of bringing some serious heat to these two. I was so here for how Yael knew the effect he had on her and was enjoying reminding her of just how he could drive her crazy.

I went into this expecting a spicy summer read and got something a lot sexier and more emotional than I expected.

Tropes: second chance romance, rivals to lovers, return to hometown, family feud, forced proximity, found family, love triangle, love at first sight again, summer romance.