Acting on Impulse

Written by Mia Sosa

Narrated by Valentina Ortiz and Alastair Haynesbridge

"Guarantees characters that glow with equal parts wit, sass, and sensuality." Library Journal (Starred Review)

The first in a fun, flirty series from Mia Sosa!

After a very public breakup with a media-hungry politician, fitness trainer Tori Alvarez escapes to Aruba for rest, relaxation, and copious amounts of sex on the beach—the cocktail, that is. She vows to keep her vacation a man-free zone but when a cute guy is seated next to her on the plane, Tori can’t resist a little harmless flirting.

Hollywood heartthrob Carter Stone underwent a dramatic physical transformation for his latest role and it’s clear his stunning seat mate doesn’t recognize the man beneath the shaggy beard and extra lean frame. Now Carter needs help rebuilding his buff physique and Tori is perfect for the job. It doesn’t hurt that she makes his pulse pound in more ways than one.

Sparks are flying, until a pesky paparazzo reveals Carter’s identity. Tori is hurt and pissed. She wants nothing to do with another man in the limelight, but she’s still got to whip him into shape. Can Carter convince Tori he’s worth the threat to her privacy that comes with dating a famous actor, or will Tori chisel him down to nothing before he even gets the chance?

Grab the popcorn…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Jan 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9798400100178

Mia Sosa

USA Today bestselling author Mia Sosa writes funny, flirty, and moderately steamy contemporary romances that celebrate our multicultural world. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Yale Law School, Mia practiced First Amendment and media law in the nation’s capital for ten years before trading her suits for sweatpants. Born and raised in East Harlem, New York, she now lives in Maryland with her college sweetheart, their two book-obsessed daughters, and one dog that rules them all.

Reviews for Acting on Impulse

[samnreader · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Goodreads is so dangerous. I finish a book...off to review!! Then after a solid time scrolling through updates remember what I was really here for...

So...my expectations were pretty low for this. I couldn't tell ya why. They were though. So when this novel cleverly starts off with an actor (must be said in Tobias voice from arrested development, ty) on an airplane, getting away...I still wasn't expecting much. Until I was. Something about Carter's voice hit that Lauren Blakely feel for me-I like her male POVs-but this was kind of really cute. It was insta-lust, but with Carter imagining his future in a not-sappy but totally has the hots for the woman in 12D (or whatever). Sometimes we see people and I make up an entire future or backstory. I have, in fact, seen men that I've been attracted to and thought "hmm, in a parallel universe here's what happens." What saved this book from a case of insta-lust/insta-attraction/insta-insanity was that though Carter was quite interested, it was all kind of a lark too. And basically precisely fit the title "Acting on impulse." Sure, he was totally into her, and really wanted her--but it was a connection and he didn't over sap-ify or romanticize or alpha-male his way in there. He didn't even really pursue her aggressively. He was just charming, they had fun....she calls him on mansplaining, and basically things do not unfold in a predictable way.
Maybe coming here wasn't a terrible idea after all. The woman I like is meeting my parents under circumstances that won't induce stress. Years from now, Tori will thank me for being forward-thinking. This future-invested hero was done so cheekily, it really saved it from that shallow insta feeling that would normally plague a novel of this kind.

My comparisons to Lauren Blakely, my trusted palate cleanser, ends there. This is a higher caliber romance with more development than that if you ask me. A Puerto Rican heroine who is a personal trainer and shows plenty of all of that. An actor who loves his craft, his friends, and his family. Their families are in this book. The finesse in this book was building two characters who are good at showing their respect and admiration for each other honestly, and through gestures. (Tori telling him he has value as a rom-com actor because of how romance novels were her only escape when her father had a stroke because he felt like he had to be "more" than that. Carter checking out her community exercise class.)
"What part of 'don't call attention to yourself' did you not understand?"
I shrug. "Most of it."

Totally weird, some of the humor relied on a second person narrative style. Thankfully, it was just glimmers, and I felt the whole book was so charming I kind of loved it. Other than some gimmicks at the end I wish weren't employed cause this book didn't need them, I was super happy and surprised by the whole thing.

[whiskeyinthejar-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

2.5 stars

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Tori isn't having the best week after a public break-up with her boyfriend. She decides a trip to Aruba for some rest, relaxation, and no drama is needed.
After losing a bunch of weight for a movie role, Carter decides that a week of rest, relaxation, and no drama is needed.
From the moment Tori and Carter meet on the plane bound for Aruba, rest, relaxation, and no drama go right out the window.
 
First in the Love on Cue series, Acting on Impulse was a fun fast-paced contemporary jaunt. Written in the currently popular first person pov chapter switching from hero and heroine, we also got a bit of fourth wall breaking. The writing style has a bit of write like you talk feel and there are moments where the hero and heroine seem to acknowledge an outside audience with comments directed at the reader. While this style can give the reader more of an inclusive feeling, I personally like to remain a certain distance with more of a look-in at a story than inclusion in one.
 
"You should know this, though. I will always take no for an answer, but the minute you say otherwise, you're mine, and I won't hold anything back."
 
Carter, our hero, was an affable, relaxed, and slightly goofy guy. With an insta-attraction bit, as soon as he sees our heroine he starts calling her his future wife in his mind. The pressure of being in Hollywood and the guard he must constantly have up around people made up most of the background depth for him. We get a little more personality out of him in his interactions with his friend who is also his agent, his younger sister, and family visit. On the whole though, I'm not sure he really popped out of the light and fun model hero.
 
Our heroine Tori had more spark and life and the character you're going to really enjoy. She was a capable and strong heroine who you'd want as a friend. Since the author wrote her so self-assured it felt really forced when Tori would shy away from a relationship with Carter because of her ex's past action of announcing their break-up publically. She had a very straightforward personality and it was a little disappointing to have her seemingly act out of character with forced angst turning away from Carter.
 
Even though Carter starts off thinking Tori is his future wife, his trust in others somewhat holds him back and with Tori letting her past relationship taint her future one, our couple had a hot for but keep arms length away relationship for the majority of the book. It wasn't until around the 60% mark that I felt like things started rolling. The author did a credible job of rounding out the story with some family drama for Tori and professional drama for Carter that helped add dimensions to our characters. There was a hint at secondary romance between Carter's friend/agent and his younger sister and Tori's roommate/friend and boss that did peak my interest.
 
All in all, this was a quick read with a nice hero, great heroine who got tweaked a bit to create some angst, and some steamy action scenes. The first person pov with fourth wall breaking and insta-attraction weren't to my personal likes but was still fun to escape into for a couple hours.

[beckymmoe_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Such a fun read!Carter and Tori-not-short-for-Victoria are highly relatable characters (even though I'll never be even a D-list actor and a physical trainer? Ha! Not in this lifetime...) The glimpse we get into their heads here makes them both seem human, lovable, and flawed--not to mention self-depreciating and wickedly funny. Even as you're rolling your eyes at Carter's initial "Someday I'm going to marry the woman sitting in 12D" (in the book's very first paragraph, nonetheless) to his "my wife is dead to me" internal wail about, oh, ten minutes later, you can see their potential. And once they start actually getting to know each other? The chemistry is knock-your-socks-off fantastic.There are, of course, all kinds of problems--Carter's initial deception and Tori's fear of another public-spectacle of a romance, his fear of being used for his celebrity status and her family issues--but they're dealt with realistically and believably here. And don't even get me started on the grand gesture, because OMG it's one for the big screen if I've ever read one. Add in some really solid secondary characters (I love Carter's entire family--surely his divorced big sis can get her own story too, since little sis's book is next?) and this is one fun way to spend a weekend.Acting on Impulse was my first book from Ms. Sosa, but absolutely not my last--and not just because I need to read the stories of secondary characters (Carter's agent/ BFF) Julian, (Carter's baby sis) Ashley, (Tori's BFF) Eva, and (Tori and Eva's boss) Nate, but because I definitely must read more from this author! Rating: 4 stars / A-I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.