Raspados & Regret

by Izzy Ravas

Fabian Salcedo doesn’t do drama, feelings, or men who run their mouths just to see what happens.

Unfortunately, Elías “Lalo” Cárdenas is all three.

When a summer night market mix-up forces Fabian to share booth space with Lalo’s family raspado stand, their years-long neighborhood beef turns into the hottest attraction in the East Bay. Customers come for the shaved ice, but stay for the bickering, the tension, and the very real possibility that one of them might finally snap.

Fabian does snap.

He kisses Lalo behind the stand after closing.

Then immediately blames the heat.

But one bad decision turns into two. Two turns into a secret. And Fabian starts to realize regret has never looked better in slutty little glasses and five-inch inseam shorts.



Raspados & Regret is a spicy, low-angst MM rom-com novella about tough guys, soft spots, family chisme, sticky fingers, and the summer everything got complicated.

Genres: Romance, M M Romance, Contemporary

338 pages, Paperback

Published September 17, 2026

Reviews

[Tay · Rating 5 out of 5]

6⭐️


HOLY MOTHER OF EVER LOVING PEARLS.

ONE OF THE BEST S*XUAL TENSION BOOKS IVE EVER READ + THE THE ASPECT OF FUNNY COMPONENTS THIS IS PERFECTION ACROSS THE BOARD

Ohhhhh this book is everything and more I ate it up and left no crumbs

The S*XUAL TENSION HELLOOOOOO I was sweating it was THICKKKKKKK AHHHHHH I WAS LOVING EVERY SECOND

FABI AND ELIAS HAD MY HEART they stole it too, ughh I couldn’t get enough of their banter, their chemistry even if it was enemies to lovers type which I love AHHH!! And the ending OH MY GOD I LOVE THESE MEN AO MUCH

I couldn’t stop laughing in parts it caught me so off guard with the one liners and it really sold the book for me. and I love that aspect in this book, the parts I wasn’t expecting was SOBBING SO HARD. Ohh these boys hit me on the stomach ughh they broke me in so many scenes ughh it was so cute but parts had me uncontrollably ugly crying .

This needs to be a must read, it’s full of representation, full of emotions, full of s*xual tension, full of not smut, full of life, full of love, and just everything you need in life this book has it all and then some it is everything.

I really saw the culture and representation poured into this book and I really loved it for this reason too, I feel in love with all parts of this boook.

Need this book injected into my veins, I didn’t want to let these baddies goo like stoppp what am I supposed to do now that I’ve finished reading NOOOOO I wanna reread it so bad I miss them😭😭😭

[HappilyEverReader · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
This book was a BREATH OF FRESH AIR. 😍 It was unique, fun, colorful, and I had the absolute BEST time reading it!💃🏼

I’ve read other books featuring Mexican American MCs, but what really stood out to me here was how immersed I felt in the culture. It felt so authentic and genuine, and I loved getting to experience that through the characters, their families, the food, the setting, and all the little details woven throughout the story.

And the banter?! The nosy families?! The TikToks?! The romance?! The tension?! THE SPICE?! 🔥 It was all SO MUCH FUN.

And then we have Fabian and Elias. 🥵

The grumpy/sunshine dynamic between these two had me SWOONING.🫠 I am officially obsessed with the crop-top papi and the raspado boyfriend. 😂 Their push-and-pull was SO good, and the tension between them was chef’s kiss. I loved watching their relationship develop, especially as Fabian navigated having feelings for a man for the first time.

These two had such a sweet emotional connection, but they also brought the HEAT. 🔥 I loved the way they worked through Fabian’s hesitancy about coming out, and seeing him figure out what he wanted and what Elias meant to him was really sweet.

My one little complaint is that I wish we’d gotten a bit more time with Fabian’s coming-out journey. He needed time to process everything, and then suddenly it felt like we jumped from “I need time” to “I’m publicly claiming this man” 😂. I would have loved a little more development there because it felt like such an important part of his character arc.

But honestly? I was having WAY too much fun to stay mad about it.

I also loved how involved the families were. They brought so much humor and heart to the story, and the descriptions of the night market, food, and atmosphere were AMAZING. I could picture everything so clearly that I genuinely felt like I was there.

And now I desperately want a raspado and some carne asada. 😂

This book was just FUN. It made me laugh, it made me swoon, it brought the spice, and I loved getting to experience a culture that I’m not very familiar with through such a vibrant and (seemingly) authentic story.

If you’re looking for a low-angst romance with grumpy/sunshine energy, fantastic banter, delicious tension, swoony romance, and just the right amount of spice, and pierced MC's (😉)—READ THIS ONE. 💕🌵

Tropes:
🌵 Grumpy/Sunshine
🌵 Dislike to Lovers
🌵 Low Angst
🌵 First Time with a Man
🌵 Bi Awakening
🌵 Opposites Attract
🌵 Family Involvement
🌵 Forced Proximity
🌵 Banter
🌵 Found Family

[-`♡´- · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two things: Crop tops and obscenely short hoochie daddy shorts.

This was SO, SO good and so hot. The spice was immaculate. The yearning/tension between Fabían and Elías was delectable. Just as addicting as raspados with extra chamoy and Tajín. I simply ate this up, left no crumbs, and am begging for more.

I am looking forward to book two: Caguamas & Commitment Issues, which you get a sneak peek of at the end of Raspados & Regret.

Ps: Please enjoy some of my favorite quotes (highlights went cray z).

"It caught my eyes dragging over him. It caught my jaw tightening. It caught the exact second my brain left my body and went to hell wearing a slutty crop top."

"Badass crop top papi on his knees on my porch, begging with his whole chest."

"Men like Fabían can want you like you are air in a locked room and still flinch when someone opens a window."

[Thalia Ohh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5


What to expect:
Grumpy/Sunshine✔️
Latine Leads✔️
Pierced MMCs✔️
Bi-Awakening✔️


The R&R character art got me. Sorry not Sorry! 🤷🏻‍♀️. Welcome to an unhinged & ✨chaotic✨ review 💅🏽 but first…

Live Reading Updates:

2%- a slutty crop top & dickies low on the hip?! BITCHHHHH 💦

3%- nah I just got read to FILTH by Izzy 💀
“& blue raspberry for the kids with no taste.” I fxck with mango HARD but sometimes I’m a blue raspberry girl 😩💀

6%- “why does it smell like sexual tension & tamarindo over here?”
💀 bitchhh I’m SOOOOO fxckn dead & I fxckn LOVE Junior already lmfao

8%- a chivas shout out! JALISCIENSE hasta la muerte, babbyyyyyy.

8%- LEGIT having the time of my life.
“That’s between me and my illiterate man.” 💀

9%- who wears shorts shorts? Elias does 💦🫦

10%- “I breathed.”
“Like a hater.” 💀💀💀

18%- men are but SIMPLE creatures

19%- not the message request!!!!!! GIDDY, CRYING, KICKING MY FEET IN THE AIR,
I want him to ruin me like bad credit.

29% Izzzzzy!! Not the slut Brujeria! Lmfao 💀

42%- ohhhh my man is JEALLOUSSSSSss 🫦

44%- bitchhh don’t TEASE ME with a good time!

51%- Ohhhhh bitchhhhhhhhhhh🫦💦🥵

66%- 😭😭😭😭 PLEASE, stawwwwp

93%- bitchhhh STFU!!!!🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹 omfg stawwwwwp I love this! I love THEM!



Y'all... y'all fxckn NEED THIS! 336 highlights & I fxckn WITHHELD highlighting MORE. Like Adulting TRULY got in the way of reading R&R and I STG I was mad! Like how dare my day job get in the way of my true calling?! - Falling in love with fictional characters! Lol

First... let's talk about our boys.. Fabian and Elias. The TENSION leading up to them FINALLY caving in? bitchhhhh PALPABLE AF. Their CHEMISTRY? as PERFECT as a mangoneada, all sweet & spice. honestly? INSANE.

I fell in LOVE with the side characters, from Elias's mom to annoying cousin Junior. BUT it wasn't JUST the characters, it was truly EVERYTHING about R&R. It was seeing my culture represented so fxckn BEAUTIFULLY, it's understanding the vulnerability of FALLING for someone. It was the amount of actual SEROTONIN I got from reading Raspados & Regret.

Izzy... STANDING OHH-VATION👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽!! YOU DID THAT, BABES! & I cannot wait for the world to meet our Grumpy Mechanic and Our Flirty Raspado Maker. 🫶🏽

Raspados and Regrets is TRULY a feel good summer romance FILLED with WITTY BANTER, HOT AF Spanish Dirty Talk, and EVERY type of LOVE (familial, cultural, LOVERS). It's a MUST READ!

So on September 18th, get your favorite Raspado to celebrate the end of summer & beginning of you falling love with Fabian & Elias.


Thank you to Izzy Ravas and team for this ARC. As always all opinions and thoughts are my own.

[Vanessa Amelya · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

This was such a refreshing read! I really enjoyed the family dynamics and how relatable they felt. ❤️

It had me smiling, and the romance? It was HOT and had me swooning! 😍🔥

[Layy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this was an absolute GREAT TIMEEEEEE. Double Latine MC’s, banter and laughs GALORE, sexual tension that has you kicking your feet, giggling? So many references to the cultura, it makes you smile? And DONT GET MY STARTED ON THE DIRTY TALK. Listen here, Spanish dirty talk is SUPERIOR 👏🏽 I don’t make the rules, iykyk and if you don’t know, I’m just so sorry for you 💀🤣

I had SO much fun with this book. Izzy did an amazing job at mixing rom com vibes, with banter, laughter, sexual tension while still keeping the culture of the MC’s alive & still hitting you in your feels for certain parts.

Fabián, my crop top papiiiiiiiii. My grumpy, secretly scared, hot asf, dry humor having ass, mechanic 🤭🤣. His bisexual awakening was so cute. He embraced the panic but also didn’t let it deter him from what he wanted. The feels were felt when it came to his Tia and his thoughts/feelings on that.

Elias, my sunshine, chaos & chamoy, talkative asf, but secretly such a softie that wants to be loved, power bottom (💀🤣) babyyyyyyyyyy. He’s the perfect example of how so many people can hide behind humor. He was definitely problemático pero bonito 🤭🤣. My baby just wanted to be chosen and that plot point hit SO hard 😮‍💨😭.

I absolutely devoured this book! The blend of English and Spanish was done so well and 😮‍💨 it just made me realize how much I love & appreciate our language. The family dynamic was so spot on and it’s everything I never knew I needed. I loved everything about this book & I can’t WAIT for book 2 😍

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Advance Copy:

Let it be known I’m a white girl from Georgia who has less than zero knowledge about Bay Area Mexican-American culture. My google search was working overtime because apparently my Kindle clutches its pearls but it was totally worth it. I learned a lot of Mexican dirty talk. From almost the first page, this book had me cackling especially Elias’ (Lalo) sassy internal monologue. The TikTok “comments” were comedy gold. I never expected to see “yaoi” in a romance about Mexican-Americans. This sparks joy. There were so many funny moments but I’m trying to not be one massive spoiler (y’all just wait until publication day then it’s GAME ON).

There was just enough tension to make it hot when they finally snapped. These boys are down so bad and it’s perfection. Izzy *knows* how to write a kiss scene. Their first kiss had me fanning myself like a Victorian man who saw an ankle for the first time. The soft moments between them made the sexy moments even hotter. The breathplay? Oh myyyy. Fabi checking in with Lalo? We stan a considerate top in this house.

When I read a romance, I want to feel the connection between the main couple. I felt Fabi and Lalo fumble through their feelings about each other and about themselves though the latter is mostly Fabi. Their relationship felt organic and real instead of two cliches being forced together and asked to mate. I know as a reviewer I I can come down hard on genre romances but this story is proof that genre romance can be so much more. Five stars no question and this story will be a permanent resident on my Kindle.

[Michael Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun read. I was sooo excited when I got a Mexican-American mm book!! Fábian and Elias were sooo awesome. Giggled and kicked my feet at the people secretly filming them fighting at the raspados stand and posting them to tiktok then them becoming "famous" for their steamy feuds. You know what...this book was definitely comfort read level for me. 4.75🌟🌟🌟🌟 for my liking.

[Nyla Reyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★★

These two gave me SO much to love. 😭 Fabian Salcedo and Elías “Lalo” Cárdenas have the kind of dynamic where every interaction feels like they’re one comment away from either starting another argument or doing something they absolutely shouldn’t. The stubbornness, the bickering, the tension sitting underneath all of it… I was HERE for it.

Fabian is such a character. He’s guarded, stubborn, and determined to act like his feelings aren’t his problem, even when they’re becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Meanwhile, Elías knows exactly how to get under his skin. Their personalities make such a good contrast, and I loved how their conversations could be funny and frustrating while still revealing how much was going on beneath the surface.

THE YEARNING. THE CHEMISTRY. THE SPICE. HELLO??? The attraction between them is impossible to overlook, but what makes their relationship interesting is that wanting each other doesn’t automatically make everything easy. There are feelings to untangle, fears to work through, and plenty of stubbornness standing in their way. The secret relationship adds another layer to that push and pull, giving the romance both the heat and the emotional messiness that make it so entertaining.

The humor deserves its own appreciation because the story doesn’t take itself too seriously. The banter and one-liners bring so much personality to the relationship, while the family involvement adds even more chaos and warmth. I love when the people surrounding a couple actually contribute to the atmosphere of a story instead of simply existing in the background, and the family dynamics here help make the world feel full beyond just the romance.

I also loved the cultural details woven throughout the story. The night market, the raspado stand, the food, the Spanish, and the Mexican American representation give the book such a distinct atmosphere. These details make the setting feel like an actual part of the characters lives rather than somewhere the romance simply happens to take place. And honestly, the descriptions of the food alone had me thinking about raspados. 😭

What makes this couple so easy to root for is that their relationship isn’t just about attraction. There’s years of history between them, genuine affection beneath all the arguing, and the question of whether they’re willing to stop letting their fears make decisions for them. Seeing them move toward something more honest and secure makes the romance feel rewarding, especially with the softer moments balancing out all that delicious tension. ❤️

▷ Overallllll, Raspados & Regret is a fun, spicy, and heartfelt MM romance with memorable banter, complicated feelings, family chaos, and a setting that gives it its own personality. Fabian and Elías bring plenty of stubbornness to the table, but that’s part of what makes their dynamic so entertaining. And with Caguamas & Commitment Issues waiting on the horizon, I’m already curious about what’s next!

Tropes 😍:

◈ MM Romance
◈ Grumpy x Sunshine
◈ Dislike to Lovers
◈ Forced Proximity
◈ Bi Awakening
◈ First Time with a Man
◈ Family Involvement
◈ Banter
◈ Spice
◈ Emotional Growth

[Julia Toth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this book was a very fun read! I loved all of the family members and the easy banter they had between them. I loved how nosy and involved everyone was!
It was fun seeing Elías and Fabían get over their animosity and discover their attraction to each other. I loved how Elías would provoke and poke Fabían until he would snap or try to beat him at his own game. I loved their chemistry and the tension between them was really great! I loved Elías' dramatics and how serious Fabían was, but he was also down bad and would do anything for Elías.
I laughed a lot, but also swooned quite a bit at things Fabían said. It ended in such a sweet way, but it was a very them way that the book ended. I loved the little glimpse into their everyday, and I really enjoyed the quiet domesticity and family time they had.

I'm very excited for what's to come in this series, because it's guaranteed to be a fun time.

[Chasary Mendez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the honor to beta/Arc read this book!

Omg! This book is refreshing and so freaking amazing!

Fabian is a broody man a mechanic who loves to wear crop tops. He’s working until his uncle comes in and ask Fabian to go to Bahia night market Fabian is like “NO” lol 😆. Until his Tia chimes in. Let’s just say he regrets going because no other than Elias Lalo Cardona his enemy!

Elias is super happy loves working in his family business selling raspados (shaved ice) he’s also temptation with slutty shorts. The moment he sees Fabian the banter begins. So does the chemistry, chisme and TikTok post.

This book is full of great banter,chisme latinè culture and so much more.

Fabian and Elias are the funniest sweetest couple you could ever ask for. Crop tops papi and Slutty shorts will have you swooning laughing and loving the whole familia.

Izzy never ever disappoints when she writes. You get it all I can’t wait for more

[Altishh · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, I loved this book so much! 🥹💕

I’m new to this author, but I’m already obsessed. Fabian and Elias’s tension and chemistry are SO GOOD.

I genuinely could not put this book down and finished it in one sitting! The writing was beautiful, the romance had me completely hooked, and I’m already excited to read more from this author. 5/5 ⭐️

[Jennifer (sobrietyandbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easiest 5 stars I’ve given all year! A top read of 2026!

This book has everything; a little bit of yearning, a whole lot of tension, banter that had me kicking my feet, meddling family that had me cackling & swoon worthy declarations of want, need & ultimately love.

Fabián is my favorite type of character: grumpy with the biggest heart. Elías is silly & confident; a man who knows exactly who he is, what he wants & how to get it while never accepting less than he deserves.

Don’t get me started on the outfits. Not only do we have short shorts, slutty little glasses, crop tops & dickies but it’s the moment this grumpy mechanic shows up after midnight in grey sweats & slides & drops to his knees we at the doorstep to beg for a kiss that TOOK ME OUT!!

I need more. It ended too soon.

[Caroline · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

✨ARC Review✨

⭐️ 4.5/5
🌶️ 3/5

Main characters: Fabián & Elías
Side characters: Junior, Anita, Fabián’s tío & tía, Elías’s mamá
Page count: 338

First person, dual POV.

This was such a fun and sweet read! The dynamic between Fabián and Elías is the perfect example of how there is a fine line between love and hate. Both are convinced they hate each other but once they are forced to work together their longstanding “beef” quickly transforms into something intense and decidedly more friendly. Izzy’s writing here is so clever and fun. There are so many amazing lines in this book, facilitated by the sassy and playful banter constantly happening between the MCs and side characters. I loved the infusion of all the Mexican-American culture into the story. It set the scene and tone of the entire book.

The way that Fabián fell so hard for Elías once he stopped fighting his feelings was everything. The porch scene was SO good. 🫠🫠🫠 And Elías knowing his worth and making Fabián work for it when he was being an idiot was honestly inspiring. They were so perfectly and equally matched in all the ways that mattered, I loved watching them figure everything out. And oh my goodness, the epilogue! Such a wonderful and steamy way to conclude their story. I loved every bit of it. 🤍

[Book Lover · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝐑𝐀𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐒 & 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐒 // Bahía Nights 1️⃣ // ℐ𝓏𝓏𝓎 ℛ𝒶𝓋𝒶𝓈

🍧 Review 🧋

First, let me start by saying this is a new-to-me author, and Izzy’s writing had me doing more than just walking to my Kindle—I was practically running to grab every MM book she has! 🤭 I couldn’t help but message the author and let her know that I NEEDED more. And yes, I was already impatiently waiting for the next couple before I even finished this one! 🤣🤭

Now, onto the book… 🤭 Talk about a book I did not want to put down! I seriously didn’t want it to end. The banter, enemies to lovers, piercing and yearning 🫠. I absolutely loved me some Fabián & Elías (Lalo)! Fabián being “Crop Top Daddy” and Elías being “Raspado Boyfriend” was seriously the cherry on top. 🤣🤭
I was giddy for most of the book, completely swooning over these two, but I also found myself shedding a few tears during some of their more serious and heartfelt conversations. 🥹 These two had me feeling all the emotions, and I loved every minute of it!

I had no idea how much I was going to love these two until I started reading. Before I knew it, I was completely invested and didn’t want to put the book down. The way they fought for their HEA had me rooting for them every step of the way. Fabián fought his attraction to Elías so hard that I just wanted to grab that man, give him a big hug, and tell him everything was going to be okay 🥹. And Elías refusing to settle for anything less than being someone’s first choice had me cheering him on from beginning to end. These two truly deserved nothing but happiness, and I loved every minute of watching them find their way to it. 🥹💜

The fact that this story is set in a Latin environment had me feeling nostalgic in more ways than one. It brought back so many familiar feelings, traditions, and little moments that made me smile. 🥹💜 The way they would casually throw a little Spanish into their conversations had me loving them more and more. 🤭💜

Please ✔️ TRIGGER WARNINGS before jumping in. If you have none then just jump in 😉.

What to expect // Trope
🏳️‍🌈 MM Latin Romance
😈 Enemies to Lust to Oh Sh!t, FEELINGS
💜 Crop Top Papi x Raspado Boyfriend
😈 Forced Proximity
💜 Banter
😈 Piercings 👅🍆 // Yearnig
💜 Opposites Attract
😈 Family Chisme (Gossip)
💜 Dirty Talk
😈 Very Bad Decisions Worth REPEATING
💜 Mexican American Community
😈 2 Papis who absolutely refuse to act normal about eachother
🔝 Strict Top // ⬇️ Strict Bottom = Yes

Find edit 👇🏼
🦄 IG: @love.2.readallmmromance

[369Pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️
Fabian is roped into helping out his Tia at the night market. Normally that’s not a huge deal, except they have to share their market space with the Cárdenas. And Elías is there. Elías, with his tiny shorts, slutty glasses and teasing remarks. Fabian definitely doesn’t like him and definitely doesn’t notice how sexy he js. He doesn’t even NOTICE Elías, really. Except everyone else notices their chemistry, and it’s only a matter of time before Fabian accepts that he does too.

This book has:
-animosity to lovers
-quips and smack talk (they’re flirting)
-Latino MCs (done sooo well!)
-meddling family (I love them)
-self-acceptance
-begging
-dirty talk
-small town vibes
-lots of texting and secret hookups

This book was SOOOO GOODDDDD! I’ve seen a couple people rave about it, and I 100% agree that this book is worth the hype.

This is the kind of book where the relationship is 100% of the plot/focus, with no B plot. Sometimes these kinds of books have a hard time keeping my attention, but NOT this one! These characters were insanely entertaining to read about. They went from funny to sexy to emotional so well! Both MCs were very likeable in their own ways, and their banter and chemistry was amazing.

I found myself laughing aloud multiple times while reading, and it was in that warm way. Like the characters were my friends and I was laughing at something funny they said. The writing is genuinely THAT good. The emotional parts pulled at my heart strings, and the spicy parts had me sweating!

I also lovvvved how rich this book was with culture! I’m not Latinx myself, but I could just tell that this book was written with such love for the culture. Truly stunning. We NEEEED more MM books where the MCs have rich cultural backgrounds, and this was a masterclass.

If I had to give this book a critique, it would only MAYBE be that I wish the animosity / rivalry they had going on went on just a liiiiiitle longer, as it was probably my favourite part of their banter.

But omg when they got together. Their first kiss was INSANELY good. UGH! And their first time together? The lead up to it? UGHHHHHH

I love them. I’m obsessed with this book. Everyone should read it. That is all 🙌

[Sebastian Vega]

Okay so this opinion is based on what I've read so far which is 40%. I'm not trying to be rude this is just my personal opinion and if you don't agree it's fine. I respect your wrong opinions ♡♡ (jk LMAO)

Naturally I'm not rating the book.

I'm sorry but, why is everyone so hyped about this book?... at least it didn't work for me because there are so many things that were annoying and I couldn't stand them, the more I tried to read the book the more it ruined into an I have to read it and not an I want to read it. And I don't force myself to finish books.

1. Mexican Representation.
This book feels like Emilia Perez when Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez try to speak in Spanish. Well that's a good example how it felt reading this book. As a Mexican myself who lives in México (in the north) who have lived here my entire life with Mexican family and Mexican friends I just was lost when they were throughing those Mexican expresions: pendejo, güey, no mames.... no thanks. They all were threw in random situations and they just...
Nope. Like you can use regular expressions that everyone use. It's not necessary to throw a PENDEJO!!!. Sometimes it fit there but it felt forced. Like there was no really need of the expression to be there.

And well in general the book tried so hard to make it Mexican "oh this is Mexican, ok?. Don't forget it, it's Mexican. The characters are Mexican just if you forgot. IT'S MEXICAN!!!!. The author centers way too much on making the book feel Mexican that instead of feeling Mexican feels like a forced americanized representation of México and that's not good.

2. The enemies to lovers.
Why do they hate each other? Maybe that's clarified in the future but... why? Like... were they friends and something happened? Maybe a family shit that made them hate each other? What's the reason. The book starts and the crop top guy already hates the other one. If there's no base for the hate from the very start it makes it so unreal.
And this also takes me to the Second Chance part. How is this a second chance?. Again, maybe later in the book it is clarified but I feel that should be said from the very start of the story because it feels like you are making a story over... nothing. It feels like there's no base on this story.

3. The crop top.
He wears crop tops. Just if you forgot. HE LIKES TO WEAR CROP TOPS!!!!
CROP TOPS, CROP TOPS CROP TOPS!!!!!!
He wears crop tops just if you wanted to know or if you forgot.
I think that pretty much says everything.

4. Long chapters
Why the chapters are that long? It turns boring. The book feels like it's never gonna finish and the chapters keep going around and around over the same thing. Seriously in that 40%: they have to work together, they hate each other, there's tension.... and that's it. Why do you need those long chapters to say that??👀👀👀


And that's it. I'm sorry but I just couldn't enjoy this book as much as I was expecting. I'm happy lots of readers did love it, but it just simply didn't work for me and that's okay♡


***Also, for some reason it's shown to be a review about an Arc... but no, i didn't read it as an arc. It was a regular book I bought with my money.

[Amanda Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this book was SO much fun! The banter, the chisme, the family drama, and the chemistry between Elías and Fabián had me hooked from the start.

Elías is dramatic, playful, and loves pushing Fabián’s buttons, while Fabián is broody, serious, and secretly so down bad for him. Their enemies-to-lovers dynamic was everything, and I loved watching the tension turn into something more.

The family was honestly one of my favourite parts! Everyone is nosy, involved, and absolutely hilarious. It felt like listening to gossip at a family cookout, and I loved every second of it. The Latine culture, funny tías, social media chaos, and family banter made this such a refreshing read.

And Fabián in crop tops and Elías in his slutty shorts? I was SWOONING!

For a novella, this felt surprisingly complete, with well-developed characters, great chemistry, and a sweet ending that felt so perfectly them.

A fun, spicy, feel-good read, and I’m definitely excited for what’s next in this series!

Tropes:
🥤 Grumpy/Sunshine
❤️ Enemies to Lovers
🥤 Latine Leads
❤️ Bi-Awakening
🥤 Pierced MMCs
❤️ Family Involvement
🥤 Forced Proximity
❤️ Banter & Chemistry

[judith vaughan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say about Raspados & Regret by Izzy Ravas one word spectacular. I would go into battle for these two I would seriously fight anyone who is hurtful to these boys.
The banter between Fabian and Elias is off the charts and its that banter that draws in the crowds. Fabian finds out that his family has to work the same space as Elias's at the market. Fabian does not want anything to do with Elias he would rather do anything than work with him however the shorts that Elis or "Lelo" wears the looks that they share boils over and Fabian kisses "Lelo" its everything Fabian wants one problem he's not into men or at at least he wasn't before Elias.
What I loved about Raspados is that its a love story at its core it illustrates but it also shows us what Fabian is feeling.

[Perla Najera · Rating 5 out of 5]

i absolutely loved this one😭😭

fabi & lalo has my heart from the beginning!
i could proudly say that i highlighted most if not all of the book☺️

izzy had me giggling, laughing, blushing, screaming & so much more throughout this WHOLE book!

the tension & chemistry between these two was off the charts 🔥

this book will live rent free in my mind forever!
i can’t wait for the next one😭

[Hazel Urquhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, easiest 5⭐️ I’ve given in a while.

[Noelle Legault · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a lovely bi story! So much tension and heat, paired with plenty of tenderness and banter. I stayed up way too late finishing this book 🤣❤️

[Cdngurl85 · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Izzy writes it, I will read it. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Give it to me and I'm devouring it like a snack because, HELLO, what's better than Slutty Crop Tops and Hoochie Papi Shorts?? Them being together in one book that also includes slutty glasses and industrial hardware for our two MMCs Fabián Salcedo and Elías Cárdenas 😮‍💨

Fabi and Lalo are my new favourite obsession in Izzy Ravas' newest book Raspados & Regret. I seriously cannot get enough of these drool worthy men. There's so much sexual tension between them throughout the book, gahhh I can't stand it, but like, give me more lol

Their ongoing grudge, the arguing that is more like flirting type banter, is top tier! You can't help but fall in love with these two guys. This book had me laughing out loud, and kicking and screaming while swinging my feet like a 12-yr old girl, that's how amazing it is.

12/10 MUST READ!!!

[Amanda Vierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excuse me while I pick my jaw and melting heart up off the floor.
Before reading this, Izzy already had me hooked with crop tops, little shorts amd slutty little glasses. And it delivered! Add in some top tier banter and spice, perfection. I loved everything about these two and this whole book. Fabian and Elias had me swoony so hard over how much of a sap they are for each other.
I can't recommend this one enough! I'm already ready for a reread!
Thank you, Izzy, for this ARC 🖤🖤🖤

[Josephine Thornton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Izzy Ravas for the ARC — this review is my honest opinion.

I enjoyed reading this book. The way Fabi and Elias were yearning for each other was just incredible. Together, they were absolutely hilarious. I liked their relationship. I was a big fan of the crop tops and the hoochie daddy shorts. I thought this book was unique and refreshing. I really enjoyed the cultural elements included in the book.

I'd recommend this to anyone into MM romance with plenty of longing and clever banter.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved mi papi & muneco

**ARC Review**

I devoured this book. The cultural beats, the family meddling, the pride, the stubbornness—every bit of it felt so true to growing up Latino. Both MMCs were magnetic, and I swear I didn’t know whether to choose papi or muñeco because they both had me in a chokehold. Their families? Loud, loving, and absolutely spot‑on. This one resonated deeply.

[Shanice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the absolute pleasure of reading Rapados & Regret, and I was KICKING MY FEET the entire time.
Fabían and Elías have fantastic banter, and in true Izzy fashion, everything about this book was absolutely hysterical.
We follow these two during a summer night market as they work together running the family food truck, and let me tell you… the tension was TENSIONING(is that word?). Of course the family is involved; there is a social media presence that they did not sign up for and a nosy hilarious cousin. Then we have a bi-awakening, hot and steamy moments, hot and steamy moments IN A TRUCK, there’s some piercings, funny tías... it's just good damn time.
Even though this is a novella, it genuinely felt like a complete novel. The characters were so well-developed; the relationships had plenty of depth, that includes the relationships with the side characters. There was not a moment where I felt like I was missing something. Honestly reading this felt like listening to gossip at the cookout.
So yeah… FIVE STARS across the board!
I cannot WAIT to hear more stories from the family members we meet in this book because I already know that chaos is going to be GOOD. 😂

[Alejandra Mackulin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okayyyyy I fear Fabián and Elías got me. 😭

Going into Raspados & Regret, I expected something cute, funny and spicy. What I did NOT expect was to become this invested in two grown men arguing at a raspado stand while everyone around them basically watches them fall in love. 😂

The BANTER. The tension. The yearning. The family chisme. I ate every single bit of it up.

Fabián is exactly the kind of grumpy man I love because underneath all that attitude is actually just a giant softie who has absolutely no idea what to do with all the feelings he’s been trying to shove down. Meanwhile Elías is confident, funny, knows exactly who he is and most importantly, knows what he deserves. And I LOVED that about him. He can love Fabián, want Fabián and still say, essentially, I’m not going to accept scraps from you just because I’m the person you want.

YES. 👏🏼

But Fabián wanting him??? GOOD GOD.

There is something about a man fighting his feelings while simultaneously being so painfully obvious about them that gets me EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. 😂 The man could regret it, deny it, run from it, call it whatever he wanted, I was just sitting there like baby… you’re in love.

And once that yearning finally starts turning into vulnerability??? THAT’S what got me. Because underneath all the sexual tension and ridiculous banter, this really becomes a story about being brave enough to choose someone out loud. Not just wanting them behind closed doors. Not just giving them pieces of you when it’s convenient. Actually choosing them.

And y’all already know public claiming + “that’s MY man” energy will have me folding immediately. 😭

I also LOVED how much culture and family were woven throughout the story. It wasn’t just something happening in the background, the food, the language, the meddling relatives, the chisme, everybody being entirely too involved in everybody else’s business 😂 it made the whole story feel warm and alive. The family scenes were some of my favorites.

AND CAN WE DISCUSS THE CLOTHES???

Crop-top papi Fabián and Elías in his tiny little shorts and slutty glasses??? Izzy. Ma’am. You knew what you were doing. 😂

Also…the spice? 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Yeah. No notes. Carry on.

But what really made me love these two was watching Fabián finally realize that loving Elías wasn’t the scary part. Letting himself be completely seen was. And watching Elías refuse to make himself smaller while still giving Fabián the space to figure his shit out made me love him even more.

I genuinely could’ve read another 300 pages of these two being annoying, horny, domestic and ridiculously in love. 😂 I wasn’t ready to leave them.

⭐️ 5/5
🌶️ 4/5

🍧 grumpy × sunshine-ish
💘 second chance / years of unresolved tension
🤫 secret hookups
🌈 bi awakening
🗣️ bilingual banter + family chisme
🥵 crop tops & hoochie daddy shorts
❤️‍🔥 yearning + public claiming

ARC disclosure: Thank you to Izzy Ravas for providing me with an advanced copy of Raspados & Regret. All opinions are my own.

[drea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok wow, I LOVED this book. It was so easy to get swept up by these characters and their whirlwind romance. The teasing as flirting, the banter, the chemistry!! I loved how the author balanced the steam and the genuine connection between Fabián and Elias. I could not get enough of them.

First off, this book was so funny and scandalous in all of the most charming ways. Fabián and Elias were complete opposites and it was so fun how they each brought out a different side to each other. Elias softened Fabián's grumpy ways and brought whimsy and adventure into his life while Fabián grounded Elias when he needed it. They complemented each other so well and nothing brought me more joy than watching these two idiots fall in love. They each navigated their feelings in their own way but it was really endearing the way they slowly moved from something purely physical to something worthwhile. It was the best of both worlds - high steam with an emotional slowburn.

Elias, or Lalo, was such a riot lmao. He constantly challenged Fabián at every turn and was such a menace - but I know Fabián wouldn't have it any other way. Fabián had an unexpectedly filthy mouth that I was completely obsessed with. I loved all the nicknames he gave Lalo and how he was such a softie for him. There were some really tender, sweet moments between them that completely warmed my heart. (also, SO many hot ones too hehe)

I only had a couple complaints. I wish the author would have dived a little deeper into Fabián's bi-awakening - I would have loved a little more insight into how he was processing these new feelings for Lalo. We got a little bit of it, but I wanted something with a little more depth. And the other thing was how repetitive the beginning felt. It was a constant loop of jokes about Fabián's crop top, his happy trail, and Lalo's short shorts - rinse, repeat. Don't get me wrong, it was fun, but definitely got a little old seeing the same formula repeated over and over.

I can't wait to read more from this series. I loved the Mexican representation and how the author incorporated details from our culture so I am stoked to get more from these characters!!

[Anisha Choudhury | A Literary Autopsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 5/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Disclosure: I received a complimentary eARC of Raspados & Regret by Izzy Ravas in exchange for an honest review.

​ Raspados & Regret by Izzy Ravas is a spicy MM second-chance romance. The story follows Fabián Salcedo—a man who avoids drama, feelings, and loud mouths at all costs—and Elías “Lalo” Cárdenas, who happens to be all three. When a summer night market mix-up forces Fabián to share booth space with Lalo’s family raspado stand, their years-long neighborhood beef turns into the hottest attraction in the East Bay. What starts as sharp bickering quickly spirals into a heated kiss behind the stand, a cascade of bad decisions, and a secret that proves regret has never looked so good.
​
The dynamic between Fabián's grumpy exterior and Elías's golden-retriever sunshine-aura with an attitude problem is absolute perfection. Ravas masterfully blends high-tension banter with a brilliant bi-awakening arc, where Fabián’s initial attempts to blame the summer heat gives way to an overwhelming, unapologetic need for Elías. Packed with lively family & internet chisme, messy feelings, and laugh-out-loud moments, the story balances emotional accountability with swoon-worthy sweetness.

Izzy Ravas delivers a masterclass in page-turning chemistry. The pacing is effortlessly addictive, keeping readers glued to the page from start to finish. Between the razor-sharp dialogue, the organic integration of bilingual endearments (muñeco, cariño, mi amor), and a blistering spice level, every single interaction drips with intensity. The vibrant secondary cast of family members adds incredible heart and humor to the East Bay setting, rounding out an unforgettable romance.
​
Raspados & Regret is an absolute triumph and one of the finest (Mexican MCs) MM romances you will ever read. If you love grumpy/sunshine dynamics, explosive chemistry, and top-tier banter, this is an unmissable book.