Reviews with content warning for Body shaming - The Spanish Love Deception

Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

34 reviews

roadesntoades's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted relaxing 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

5.0

This is one of the cutest romances I have read in a long time and does not deserve any of the hate it’s given. This is a book that doesn’t shy away from being a bit cliche. I mean it literally lays out the tropes on the back. It’s fake-dating, enemies to lovers, one bed. It doesn’t shy away from that it embraces it. Yeah there are some moments that are bit rinse and repeat but they are enjoyable. Plus I love that it’s made clear that Aaron has always been attracted to Catalina, or at least liked her. It wasn’t some sudden romance, or spontaneous declaration. We know how it will end and we know that Aaron wasn’t hiding it, just respecting Catalina’s boundaries. It’s honestly such a cute read, and really enjoyable

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hanz's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This is at times a fun cheesy romance (and I had fun overall), but it had some issues to me that were never fully addressed. Being single means Catalina is "broken" is repeated throughout the book and it is resolved by

Catalina being happy now that she has a boyfriend.

To me, this is extremely damaging and not healthy, but perhaps I'm reading too much into a cheesy romance that isn't trying to make any grand points about society and relationships. Also didn't like how disordered eating was handled personally.

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simplyammee's review against another edition

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emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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kshertz's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book reminds me a lot of The Hating Game! It’s actually a lot of tropes put together and I loved every second of it. Work enemies to lovers, bachelor to bid on, fake wedding date, one hotel bed, fake relationship, revenge date, this book has it all 😂. I really love back and forth tension but even I was dying by the time they finally got it together! It took a while but was satisfying as a romance novel and I enjoyed living in their world for a while. It was a wonderful distraction. Highly recommend.

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thebebss's review against another edition

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Too boring. Hate the MC. Hate the language used. Hate how long the book is. Hate how there is no chemistry and that I am not rooting for them to be together.

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reads2cope's review against another edition

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2.0

The tension was great, everything else was annoying. Definitely could have used 90% fewer mentions of the color of Aarons eyes. But the worst part for me

was how Aaron never properly apologized for badmouthing Lina to their boss. It was such an overly agonized point at the beginning, and honestly very upsetting, so I was expecting him to own his actions there. As annoying as Lina was, she deserved better than that.

Beyond other plot grievances, the writing wasn’t for me. Still curious how the same chest can be „warm and wide and snuggly“ and „a marble sculpture, unyielding and hardened.”

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princessj5's review against another edition

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emotional funny slow-paced

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

2.75

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victorianbsilva's review against another edition

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adventurous funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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inkdrinkers's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

I found myself wishing this book would just end.

I love slow burns when done properly but the pacing completely threw me. The wedding that is a main plot point doesn't happen until the end of the book - and the work related event set up in the beginning is glossed over with a sentence at the end. I have genuinely read better romances from fanfiction writers.

I liked Aaron, mostly. I certainly tolerated him more than Lina. Lina annoyed me for multiple reasons but the main one is that she was continually hung up on her past and seemed to only get "closure" by realizing she had Aaron.

Also the flirting and back and forth was so cringe-worthy. I don't know a single human being who talks like these characters did. There is so much more I could say but, frankly, I want to forget I ever read this book.

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jfield351's review against another edition

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lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.75

I hated this book :(. All my friends love it and theres a major hype around this book but i vehemently despise it. The writing style was good, and thats the only praise I have for it.

The characters were dreadful. So unrealistic and horrible people. Everything they said and did was completely stupid. Aaron was an insane, controlling, horrible alpha male which did not get better at the end, it was very uncomfortable to read. Catalina told him no SO many times and he kept pushing which i find disgusting, not romantic. But then, Catalina magically falls in love with him? And all they do is have sex nothing else happens. Catalina is also quite dumb and shoves off her 'best friend' Rosie a few times. She also starves herself and does all this stupid stuff that is so unrealistic. For example, apparently she hated him for 2 years but then he gets a promotion and she's all like "I'm genuinely happy for Aaron!'. What? Definitely does not pass the Bechdel test. Catalina and also the plot are very inconsistent.

. the main thing i got from the title was deception. this was not love.

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