After Hours on Milagro Street

Sparks fly and tempers flare in the passionate, un-put-downable rivals-to-lovers romance that launches a sizzling new series from Lopez (the Filthy Rich series). Alejandra “Alex” Torres, “the Best Bitch in Bartending,” moves back home to Freedom, Kans., to revive her grandmother’s failing bar, Loretta’s, a staple of her Mexican American neighborhood; prove herself to her family; and revamp her career. Unfortunately, the building’s upstairs tenant, sexy and charmingly nerdy professor Jeremiah Post, has plans to turn Loretta’s into a museum and quickly proves a thorn in Alex’s side, despite their immediate electric chemistry. But when a local development company starts buying up abandoned properties and sets its sights on Loretta’s, the pair are forced to work together. There are rumors of a family treasure hidden somewhere in the building—just what they need to save the bar—but Alex and Jeremiah will have to put aside their differences to find it. Reserved Jeremiah and ballsy Alex shine as Lopez expertly peels back their layers, and together they make an endearing power couple. Lopez seamlessly blends high-heat romance with discussions of Alex’s heritage and the fascinating history of 19th-century Mexican immigrants to the Kansas plains. This is a treasure. Agent: Sara Megibow, KT Literary. (July)