--- title: "Review: American Fairytale, by Adriana Herrera" description: Ana and Alex review American Fairytale, Adriana Herrera's second Dreamer novel. image: https://www.loveinpanels.com/hubfs/american-fairytale.jpg --- [![LoveinPanelswhite.png](https://www.loveinpanels.com/hs-fs/hubfs/LoveinPanelswhite.png?width=640&height=225&name=LoveinPanelswhite.png "LoveinPanelswhite.png")](http://loveinpanels.com/) Search ![American Fairytale Cover](https://www.loveinpanels.com/hs-fs/hubfs/american-fairytale.jpg?height=500&name=american-fairytale.jpg) **Title**: [American Fairytale](https://www.loveinpanels.com/books?id=9298348596) **Author**: - [Adriana Herrera](https://www.loveinpanels.com/booksearch?author=Adriana+Herrera) **Heat**: Re **Genre(s)**: [Romance](https://www.loveinpanels.com/booksearch?genres=Romance) [Contemporary](https://www.loveinpanels.com/booksearch?genres=Contemporary) **Tropes**: [One Night Stand](https://www.loveinpanels.com/booksearch?tropes=One+Night+Stand) **Tags**: [Billionaire](https://www.loveinpanels.com/booksearch?tags=Billionaire) [Chosen Family](https://www.loveinpanels.com/booksearch?tags=Chosen%20Family) [Class Differences](https://www.loveinpanels.com/booksearch?tags=Class%20Differences) [Divorced Hero](https://www.loveinpanels.com/booksearch?tags=Divorced%20Hero) [POC](https://www.loveinpanels.com/booksearch?tags=POC) [Latinx](https://www.loveinpanels.com/booksearch?tags=Latinx) [Just One Night](https://www.loveinpanels.com/booksearch?tags=Just%20One%20Night) [Grumpy Hero](https://www.loveinpanels.com/booksearch?tags=Grumpy%20Hero) [gay](https://www.loveinpanels.com/booksearch?tags=gay) [queer](https://www.loveinpanels.com/booksearch?tags=queer) [m-m](https://www.loveinpanels.com/booksearch?tags=m-m) **Where to Buy or Read**: [Amazon](https://amzn.to/2Har4t4) [Kobo](https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=2J8ZNsFdbgk&mid=37217&murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kobo.com%2Fus%2Fen%2Febook%2Famerican-fairytale-1) **Synopsis from the Creator**: *Fairy-tale endings don’t just happen; they have to be fought for.* New York City social worker Camilo Santiago Briggs grew up surrounded by survivors who taught him to never rely on anything you didn’t earn yourself. He’s always dreamed of his own happily-ever-after, but he lives in the real world. Men who seem too good to be true…usually are. And Milo never *ever* mixes business with pleasure…until the mysterious man he had an unforgettable hookup with turns out to be the wealthy donor behind his agency’s new, next-level funding. Thomas Hughes built a billion-dollar business from nothing: he knows what he wants and isn’t shy about going after it. When the enthralling stranger who blew his mind at a black-tie gala reappears, Tom’s more than ready to be his Prince Charming. Showering Milo with the very best of everything is how Tom shows his affection. Trouble is, Milo’s not interested in any of it. The only thing Milo wants is Tom. Fairy-tale endings take work as well as love. For Milo, that means learning to let someone take care of him, for a change. And for Tom, it’s figuring out that real love is the one thing you can’t buy. # [Review: American Fairytale, by Adriana Herrera](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/american-fairytale) [fa icon="calendar"] May 15, 2019 9:45:00 AM / by [Ana Coqui](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/author/ana-coqui) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) Boundaries, agency and trust are central themes in Adrianna Herrera’s second Dreamer novel, *American Fairytale*, where a dashing divorced Dominican millionaire philanthropist attempts to sweep a wary and overworked Cuban-Jamaican American social worker off his feet when they are awkwardly reunited after their impulsive hook-up at a boozy gala. The novel is supremely sexy and with high emotional stakes, as they can’t resist kicking off a secret affair, complicating their lives while making them reexamine their past choices. Like in [*American Dreamer*](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/american-dreamer), Herrera’s representation of modern Latinx culture is rich and nuanced, aware of how wealth, skin-color and immigration status greatly affect a person’s life as Latinx in the US. Herrera continues to fills her novels with engaging secondary characters, who feel solidly real, from Tom’s business partners and neighbors, Sanjay & Priya to Camilo’s fragile mother, Dinorah and his irrepressible co-worker Ayako. While I really enjoyed *American Dreamer*, I adored *American Fairytale*. I loved the angst, and the sources of conflict between Tom and Milo. I particularly appreciated how Herrera contrasted the various complicated caretaking relationships in the book. Dinorah’s mental health struggles were compassionately depicted, Herrera is able to skillfully present the worry, guilt and occasional resentment Milo carries, while still presenting Dinorah as sympathetic and frankly fascinating character in her own right. Her history, choices and reactions are her own, and not simply something Milo has to respond or is able to solve for her. Likewise Tom has to learn how not swoop in and try to throw money at problems and instead learn to listen and do the harder work of being present in order to have Milo feel like a partner to a problem to be solved. *American Fairytale* complicates the cinderella/millionaire caretaker fantasy and enchants with its nuanced and utterly romantic resolution.   *Ana received a copy of this book from the publisher for review via NetGalley.* Topics: [review](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/topic/review) ![right.png](https://www.loveinpanels.com/hs-fs/hubfs/right.png?width=640&name=right.png "right.png") ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Support Love in Panels [![Buy an eBook From Kobo Today](https://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=2J8ZNsFdbgk&bids=551651.109&subid=0&type=4&gridnum=0)](https://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=2J8ZNsFdbgk&offerid=551651.109&subid=0&type=4) [- Recent - Popular - Categories ### Lists by Topic - [review (401)](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/tag/review) - [new releases (83)](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/tag/new-releases) - [best bets (52)](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/tag/best-bets) - [interview (34)](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/tag/interview) - [guest post (27)](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/tag/guest-post) - [cover reveal (17)](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/tag/cover-reveal) - [excerpt (14)](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/tag/excerpt) - [bingo (6)](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/tag/bingo) - [announcement (5)](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/tag/announcement) ](http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-8814288-11820649) ### Posts by Topic - [review (401)](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/tag/review) - [new releases (83)](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/tag/new-releases) - [best bets (52)](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/tag/best-bets) - [interview (34)](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/tag/interview) - [guest post (27)](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/tag/guest-post) - [cover reveal (17)](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/tag/cover-reveal) - [excerpt (14)](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/tag/excerpt) - [bingo (6)](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/tag/bingo) - [announcement (5)](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/tag/announcement) [see all](https://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/american-fairytale#) ### Recent Posts #### About Us Love in Panels is two blogs, each with their own searchable database. 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