Made In Lisbon (Made In #5) by Ana Newfolk

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Blurb

Can you get more than one true love in a lifetime?

Three years after his husband’s death, Vitor is still grieving. Too young to be alone and too old to start again, he feels stuck. Accepting a new job in Lisbon is just what he needs, but it also means going back to the city that sealed his fate nearly thirty years ago.

Between looking for his missing brother and running an LGBTQ Youth Center, Tiago doesn’t have time for dating or commitment. When his best friend asks him to find a family member that ran away years ago, Tiago welcomes the distraction.

A past full of secrets.

An anonymous kiss that turns their world upside down.

When past and present clash, will the two men put everything aside and give themselves a chance at happiness? Or are the things keeping them apart stronger than the feelings keeping them together?

Made In Lisbon is May-December MM romance with hurt/comfort themes, lots of steam and a HEA.

Made In Lisbon can be read as a standalone but will be better enjoyed as part of the Made In Series as characters and stories from previous books appear in this story.

Series reading order:

Made In New York - Book 1 (Max and Isaac)
Made In Portugal - Book 2 (Joel and David)
Made In Paris - Book 3 (Dorian and Jean-Paul)
Made In Manhattan - Book 4 (Max and Isaac)
Made In Lisbon - Book 5 (Vítor and Tiago)
Made In Love - Coming Autumn 2019

Review 

My Rating - 5 Stars!

I still remember being blown away by the first book in Ana Newfolk's Made In series, Made In Portugal. Now, with book five, Made In Lisbon, that same feeling exists. 

Made In Lisbon's a wonderful story of second chances. Simply put, it's an amazing read. 

Vitor gets a second chance at love after the death of his ex and an estrangement with his son. His relationship with Tiago is a fun May to December romance. After a hook-up, the way they meet again is entertaining, with a natural friendship developing quickly.  

Vitor's still reeling from the grief and pain of losing his ex husband, as well as the secrets he discovered. This aspect of the story drew me in immediately and held onto my heart throughout. One of my favorite things about this story is the way Vitor naturally falls for Tiago, despite never wanting a new lover.


Their story is one of giving into love and taking a chance. It's a tale of long lost family, exploring the power of family, both the good and the bad. 
There are complications between brothers, and between father and son. 

Full of twists and turns, there are moments you really need to focus to get the full impact of what's happening. 

The writing is beautiful. From her first novel, I have been in love with Anna Newfolk's writing style. The writing is strong, the pace is perfect, and the storylines are fantastic and full of emotion.


I absolutely love Made In Lisbon and couldn't put it down. Like the rest of this series, Ana Newfolk manages to create an memorable and inspiring tale. This is a fantastic age gap romance with just the right amount of angst. It's a superb story of love and romance following pain and hurt from secrets and loss. I highly recommend it and will definitely be re-reading it.

Made In Manhattan (Made In #2) by Ana Newfolk

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Blurb

Will they get a second chance to rekindle their love?

Isaac was kicked out by his family at a young age.
It took him years of hard work to become his own man. Now he's helping the LGBTQ youth of Lisbon so they don't have to go through the same.

Max has a long and troubled past.
An ER nurse in New York City who volunteers at the local Liberty center, he knows first hand what it's like to lose your family and having to make it on your own.

A chance encounter between the two a year ago has them hoping for a happy ever after, if not for the distance between them, but when Isaac takes a temporary work placement in Manhattan, the two men have an opportunity to find what their love is made of.

Will they make it, or will life's tests tear them apart for good?

Made In Manhattan is the second instalment in the Made In series by Ana Newfolk. It is a standalone gay romance novel with a HEA ending and no cliffhanger. Fair warning, there will be naked man-parts touching, a touch of angst, and the claws of an overprotective cat.

Made in Manhattan is approximately 62k words and features the same main characters from Made In New York - A Christmas Short Story.
You don’t have to read it, but you may want to find out how Max and Isaac first met.

Review 

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Made In Manhattan is a follow up to Made In New York. Ana Newfolk picks up this multi-layered tale after Max and Isaac fail in their efforts to stay together long distance. 

Their feelings for each other haven't changed. Rather, they tried to make their relationship work, but they fell victim to misunderstandings and are now living with regrets.

We are witness to them reuniting and moving forward with their relationship. Max and Isaac are so amazing together, as Alex truly breathes life into Max. What they have is super special and not to be taken for granted. 

Ana Newfolk has once again managed to capture my heart. The storyline is wonderful, and includes a riveting teenager storyline as well. There are some twists and turns that are entertaining, and the writing style is captivating. 

And I have to say I love the LGBT center and I absolutely adore Bruno. Bruno's story is heartbreaking and full of emotions. And the LGBT center is a wonderful venture.

Personally, I am enamored by the long distance dilemma, as it's such a emotional issue that I find  completely relatable. 

Made In Manhattan is a fantastic and entertaining story full of love, frustrations, and some steamy moments. It has broken hearts, love, and enlightenment. You'll also find homophobia and off-page abuse. 

Made in New York - A Christmas Short Story by Ana Newfolk

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Blurb

Isaac’s trip to New York just before Christmas was supposed to serve a single purpose, learn as much as he could about running an LGBT Youth Center to take back home and make those much necessary improvements to the youth center he ran in his native Portugal.

Max’s love of the Christmas season was only surpassed by his love for the LGBT Youth Center he volunteered at, and his job as a nurse. One last speech about sexual education for LGBT young people at risk at a conference in the same center was all that separated Max from getting started with his Christmas celebrations.

Isaac didn’t count on needing to be rescued from a fire by a strapping brown-eyed nurse.

Max didn’t count on Christmas coming early in the shape of a curly-haired man with the most bewitching pair of eyes he’d ever seen.

With 48 hours left in New York, Isaac never thought he’d get an offer he just couldn’t resist.

Suddenly, the chill in the air isn’t enough to stoke the fire that now burns in a completely different way to the one that brought Isaac and Max together.

Review 

My Rating - 4 Stars!

Ana Newfolk's Made In New York is a fantastic, fun novella. 

Isaac and Max are amazingly sweet and romantic together. They both found their "person" and have to navigate the fact that they live far apart from one another. 

They do fall in love quickly, but it's written in a tender and romantic way, and their distance makes for an emotional ride. My favorite part is their day spent exploring, NYC, especially the Bryant Park scene. Of course, their scene when they part is tough to read. 

Made In New York is a wonderful tale of finding "the one" but not having enough time together. Don't miss it if you've been reading Ana's series, that started with Made In Portugal, which is superb!

Made in Portugal by Ana Newfolk

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Blurb

At 10 years old Joel was uprooted from his home and everything he knew in Portugal to start a new life in the States. At 26 he finds himself returning for the first time in thirteen years. So what if looking into the eyes of his childhood best friend again still makes his heart race out of his chest?

Living in sunny, laid-back Portugal isn't all it's cracked up to be. For David, dreams of being a pastry chef come second to working in his family's café where his renowned custard tarts draw in the crowds. Seeing Joel brings old feelings back. Feelings he’s not sure he’s brave enough to acknowledge to anyone other than himself.

With the inspiration of an old travel journal, the two friends embark on a real journey through memories in a country where looking back into the past runs as deep as the blood that courses through their veins.

Falling in love was never meant to be a stop along the way, but maybe inevitable when you have the adventurous spirit and courage to pursue what you want, make love under the stars and even figure out how to jumpstart an old Citroen 2CV in the middle of the Alentejo countryside.

Made In Portugal is Ana Newfolk's debut novel and is a standalone gay romance novel with a HEA ending and no cliffhanger. Fair warning, there will be naked man parts touching, know-it-all grandparents, a red car, and pastry, lots of pastry.
Made In Portugal is approximately 74000 words.



REVIEWS
My Rating - 5 Stars!!!!!


It's not everyday that I find a book like Made in Portugal that makes me want to tell everyone to read it right away! I am so damn impressed with this book by Ana Newfolk.

From the very beginning, I knew this book was going to be special. 

Joel and David are everything you want in a M/M Romance. After growing up as best friends, they are reunited and what follows just warms the heart.  

This book contains so much sentiment, so much romance, and an overabundance of love. The trip the two set out on is so damn wonderful, and when they are together physically, the chemistry is off the charts.

The overall journey for these two is so powerful. David had spent his life in the closet, fearing the repercussions if his aunt and uncle ever find out he's gay. His reasons for this are sound, but his constant public rejection of Joel is devastating. 

The lessons in this tale are fantastic. There is a big difference between living with caution versus embracing your true self and fully living. Sometime you need to return home to find your true self, and it is ok to do so.

And one of the most special things about this book is that Ana manages to feature the deceased parents as some of the most important people in the story. She does so in a creative and emotional way that is astounding.

Want a romantic preview? '"I love you so much I'm not even sure how all the particles in my body remain in one place when you're not around."'


Made In Portugal is as romantic as it can get. Ana Newfolk has far exceeded any expectations I had going into this book, and I can't wait to see what she writes next!