RAMON AND JULIETA Love & Tacos, Book 1

Alexander Amado and Vanessa Vasquez narrate a romance set on the Day of the Dead and loosely inspired by ROMEO AND JULIET. Julieta Campos is a chef at a restaurant in a vibrant San Diego neighborhood. Ramón Montez is CEO of the company that has purchased the block where the restaurant is located. Amado captures the brash swagger of the rich and privileged businessman but is less successful in his portrayal of female characters, tending to make them shrill. Vasquez captures Julieta's confusion with respect to her feelings about Ramón. When it comes to the other characters, however, Vasquez delivers one-note performances. While both Amado and Vasquez are adequate narrators, they are hindered by stilted dialogue and a thin plot. K.M.P. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2022]