Scan barcode
frantically's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I really loved this at first, Luca and Rosie had such a good dynamic, but the fake-dating kinda ruined it for me. I'm usually ALWAYS here for that but it really changed their dynamic and just couldn't keep me interested anymore. Really had to work through those last hours
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Dementia, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Violence
annahamburger's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Cursing, Grief, and Sexual content
Moderate: Dementia, Violence, Abandonment, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness
Minor: Ableism, Bullying, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Blood, and Trafficking
kimmy0__0's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Mental illness, and Violence
avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I enjoyed this except for not having enough spice! I say that a lot about romance LOL, but yeah I would have liked 1 more sexy scene.
I liked the character development but I would have liked more insight into Lucas' mind and more from Lucas' POV. As well as more of Rosie's family. Though I saw the part with her brother coming from the beginning!
I loved the chemistry between them and all of their "dates". They were so sweet and now I want a Lucas! He's so damned sweet.
Overall it was sweet and sexy but missing enough spicy. It also just dragged a bit at parts and I'm not sure how Rosie missed how into her Lucas was even with his constant "friend" -ing her. But I know she had a shitty romantic past. It also was just missing something else, I'm not sure what.
I liked the character development but I would have liked more insight into Lucas' mind and more from Lucas' POV. As well as more of Rosie's family. Though I saw the part with her brother coming from the beginning!
I loved the chemistry between them and all of their "dates". They were so sweet and now I want a Lucas! He's so damned sweet.
Overall it was sweet and sexy but missing enough spicy. It also just dragged a bit at parts and I'm not sure how Rosie missed how into her Lucas was even with his constant "friend" -ing her. But I know she had a shitty romantic past. It also was just missing something else, I'm not sure what.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail
mhairi_reads's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Tropes: Forced proximity, fake dating, slow burn.
POV: First person dual POV - Rosie & Lucas
Ending: HEA
This can be read without having read The Spanish Love Deception first. However this wasn’t as good as the Spanish Love Deception 😞. Lucas Martin is no Aaron Blackford and that’s all I have to say on that 😛.
We follow Lucas Martin, Lina’s pro-surfer cousin and Rosie Graham, Lina’s best friend. Their paths cross when they both find themselves in Lina’s empty apartment whilst she is on her honeymoon. They agree to live together as roommates while Lucas is on holiday from Spain and Rosie’s apartment ceiling gets repaired. Rosie has quit her job with InTech to become a full time romance writer but she has an upcoming deadline, whereby she needs to submit a draft of her second book and to top it off she has the worst case of writer’s block.
After confiding in Lucas they hatch a plan to go on four experimental dates where Lucas will show Rosie what dating can really be and the one rule … they won’t fall in love with each other. But I mean these dates!!! OMG Mr Martin has set the bar high for every other man who dares to date a romance reader. These dates were absolutely beautiful to read about and I really loved seeing the effort Lucas put in for Rosie. It was heartwarming!
Unfortunately I don’t have too much to say on this one because it wasn’t my favourite. Rosie wasn’t my favourite FMC of all time. I really couldn’t connect with her the way I did with Lina sometimes I just felt the writing was slightly off. I didn’t fully become invested until much closer to the end hence the three and a half stars.
⚠️ Content Warnings: Parent abandonment, PTSD and panic attack depiction, traumatic event, sexual content, gaslighting (very brief scene), Alzheimer's.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Tropes: Forced proximity, fake dating, slow burn.
POV: First person dual POV - Rosie & Lucas
Ending: HEA
This can be read without having read The Spanish Love Deception first. However this wasn’t as good as the Spanish Love Deception 😞. Lucas Martin is no Aaron Blackford and that’s all I have to say on that 😛.
We follow Lucas Martin, Lina’s pro-surfer cousin and Rosie Graham, Lina’s best friend. Their paths cross when they both find themselves in Lina’s empty apartment whilst she is on her honeymoon. They agree to live together as roommates while Lucas is on holiday from Spain and Rosie’s apartment ceiling gets repaired. Rosie has quit her job with InTech to become a full time romance writer but she has an upcoming deadline, whereby she needs to submit a draft of her second book and to top it off she has the worst case of writer’s block.
After confiding in Lucas they hatch a plan to go on four experimental dates where Lucas will show Rosie what dating can really be and the one rule … they won’t fall in love with each other. But I mean these dates!!! OMG Mr Martin has set the bar high for every other man who dares to date a romance reader. These dates were absolutely beautiful to read about and I really loved seeing the effort Lucas put in for Rosie. It was heartwarming!
Unfortunately I don’t have too much to say on this one because it wasn’t my favourite. Rosie wasn’t my favourite FMC of all time. I really couldn’t connect with her the way I did with Lina sometimes I just felt the writing was slightly off. I didn’t fully become invested until much closer to the end hence the three and a half stars.
⚠️ Content Warnings: Parent abandonment, PTSD and panic attack depiction, traumatic event, sexual content, gaslighting (very brief scene), Alzheimer's.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Dementia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
Minor: Abandonment and Alcohol
jess_t's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was so adorable!!! All the dates just made my heart melt. I love the vulnerability that was show between both characters and how they trusted eachother enough early in there friendship to be able to confide in eachother, it made all the little moments even better.
Now if we are being honest Aaron Blackford does still win over Lucas for me. But I loved Lucas character nonetheless, I really liked how I got to see the raw side of a man In a rom com, instead of the typical “boy saves girl” I felt both characters saved eachother. I loved how Lucas spoke, I wish I could hire him as my therapist. Third act break up Lucas was not it for me tho I’m so annoyed at what he did. OH AND THE SMUT *chefs kiss*
I loved the writing in this book and will literally devour any book Elena ever writes, I would of liked to of seen Elena write something other than fake dating, although there were little tropes that were different to the ones in TSD, fake dating were the main tropes in both books, I would like to see Elena write a book with different tropes. Despite this Elena did do an excellent job at making each book each characters book and I can easily distinguish each book from the other they don’t blend in my head. Aaron and Lina did appear in this book but didn’t overtake the book which I liked. One thing I did notice is that there was a lot of “tik tok” associated stuff such as tropes and certain scenes. For examples vampires diaries was mentioned which is very big on tik tok and a lot of the popular tropes were in this book, friends to lovers, forced proximity, kind of one bed, fake dating. I know TSD was big on tik tok so maybe that’s why there was this type of content in this book. But it goes with my I would to love see Elena write outside of her comfort zone point.
I loved this book and would recommend this duology to literally anyone. I can not wait to read future Elena Armas books!!!
Now if we are being honest Aaron Blackford does still win over Lucas for me. But I loved Lucas character nonetheless, I really liked how I got to see the raw side of a man In a rom com, instead of the typical “boy saves girl” I felt both characters saved eachother. I loved how Lucas spoke, I wish I could hire him as my therapist. Third act break up Lucas was not it for me tho I’m so annoyed at what he did. OH AND THE SMUT *chefs kiss*
I loved the writing in this book and will literally devour any book Elena ever writes, I would of liked to of seen Elena write something other than fake dating, although there were little tropes that were different to the ones in TSD, fake dating were the main tropes in both books, I would like to see Elena write a book with different tropes. Despite this Elena did do an excellent job at making each book each characters book and I can easily distinguish each book from the other they don’t blend in my head. Aaron and Lina did appear in this book but didn’t overtake the book which I liked. One thing I did notice is that there was a lot of “tik tok” associated stuff such as tropes and certain scenes.
I loved this book and would recommend this duology to literally anyone. I can not wait to read future Elena Armas books!!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
More...