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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
Omg the tension the longing. I loved this book so much. THE SLOW BURN!!! 4.5 stars.
I really liked the plot of this romance book. It didn’t have too many overused tropes. I’m happy she got her recognition of writing songs.
Might recommend.
Might recommend.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Weak conflict
the slowest slow burn ever and i enjoyed every second
nothing ever beats a slow burn and every time i read a properly written one i remember how fucking good they are!!! i really enjoyed this book and it's character dynamics. admittedly it took me a while to get into - at least 100 pages or so - which was initially frustrating, simply because it was a LONG book (500+ pages is pretty mad for a contemporary romance) and i was worried it would feel like a slog when i initially couldn't warm to anything or anyone in it. but like thats obviously the whole point of a slow burn and its been so long since i read a proper one that i'd forgotten, so i'm glad i stuck with it!!
for me i always love the buildup in a romance, and this buildup was just too good - the pining and tension between Rhodes and Aurora was perfect, but also i really enjoyed how they moved from not really getting on, to FRIENDS and then to lovers - these so-called 'enemies to lovers' books at the moment are so often bad because they go from hating each other to being in love within 200 pages or sometimes even under. and i'm not saying i read these books because they're super realistic (escapism and wanting what i don't have is the ultimate aim here ofc), but at the end of the day they're contemporary romances not fantasy, so there really does have to be a degree or realism - enemies to lovers (or even just dislike / rivals to lovers) with no in-between is not how things work
anyway i adored all the small acts of love especially from Rhodes, and the way you could see him slowly come round to Ora over time as she opened up and showed him more sides of her and more depth. and it was such a random subplot but i did actually really like the whole thing of her ex being a celeb / her writing really famous songs etc - it probably didn't warrant the lowkey third act breakup but it did bring something extra to the book which i enjoyed (i think i'm probably just a closeted fan of Other Woman / Man Drama unfortunately)
ok lastly, and this is totally personal preference, but i didn't love the epilogue at all - it was quite a big jump and also i didn't necessarily think it fit with the rest of the story as well as it could've done. obviously we know kids would've been in the pipeline for Rhodes and Aurora so i'm not saying that it didn't make sense, more just like it didn't need to be in the epilogue idk?? i wanna hear about how they forged a life together beyond Aurora living in the garage apartment, about how she integrated into life with Amos and into the town, also like even when / how he proposed and what their wedding was like?? and i know technically the epilogue did that in some ways but it just felt disjointed and focused on the children aspect idk. as i said probably just personal preference bc i always feel like marriage and pregnancy are shoved down readers' throats at the end of every book and its so unnecessary and predictable most of the time
defo want to read some more Mariana Zapata later down the line!! i remember really enjoying From Lukov with Love as well, so she's won me over on 2/2 so far
nothing ever beats a slow burn and every time i read a properly written one i remember how fucking good they are!!! i really enjoyed this book and it's character dynamics. admittedly it took me a while to get into - at least 100 pages or so - which was initially frustrating, simply because it was a LONG book (500+ pages is pretty mad for a contemporary romance) and i was worried it would feel like a slog when i initially couldn't warm to anything or anyone in it. but like thats obviously the whole point of a slow burn and its been so long since i read a proper one that i'd forgotten, so i'm glad i stuck with it!!
for me i always love the buildup in a romance, and this buildup was just too good - the pining and tension between Rhodes and Aurora was perfect, but also i really enjoyed how they moved from not really getting on, to FRIENDS and then to lovers - these so-called 'enemies to lovers' books at the moment are so often bad because they go from hating each other to being in love within 200 pages or sometimes even under. and i'm not saying i read these books because they're super realistic (escapism and wanting what i don't have is the ultimate aim here ofc), but at the end of the day they're contemporary romances not fantasy, so there really does have to be a degree or realism - enemies to lovers (or even just dislike / rivals to lovers) with no in-between is not how things work
anyway i adored all the small acts of love especially from Rhodes, and the way you could see him slowly come round to Ora over time as she opened up and showed him more sides of her and more depth. and it was such a random subplot but i did actually really like the whole thing of her ex being a celeb / her writing really famous songs etc - it probably didn't warrant the lowkey third act breakup but it did bring something extra to the book which i enjoyed (i think i'm probably just a closeted fan of Other Woman / Man Drama unfortunately)
ok lastly, and this is totally personal preference, but i didn't love the epilogue at all - it was quite a big jump and also i didn't necessarily think it fit with the rest of the story as well as it could've done. obviously we know kids would've been in the pipeline for Rhodes and Aurora so i'm not saying that it didn't make sense, more just like it didn't need to be in the epilogue idk?? i wanna hear about how they forged a life together beyond Aurora living in the garage apartment, about how she integrated into life with Amos and into the town, also like even when / how he proposed and what their wedding was like?? and i know technically the epilogue did that in some ways but it just felt disjointed and focused on the children aspect idk. as i said probably just personal preference bc i always feel like marriage and pregnancy are shoved down readers' throats at the end of every book and its so unnecessary and predictable most of the time
defo want to read some more Mariana Zapata later down the line!! i remember really enjoying From Lukov with Love as well, so she's won me over on 2/2 so far
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Slow burn is the only kind of burn I want.
I love love love the angst. I love seeing the characters fall in love. Is the long book worth the payoff? Yes. You can see how the characters change and fall in love. You see the growing attraction, the growing trust, and the growing friendship between these two characters. The moment in all slow burn romances when they finally hold hands or the one character smiles at the other and that’s the first glimpse of romance we have does something to me that no other romance troupe does. I loved this book so much.
I love love love the angst. I love seeing the characters fall in love. Is the long book worth the payoff? Yes. You can see how the characters change and fall in love. You see the growing attraction, the growing trust, and the growing friendship between these two characters. The moment in all slow burn romances when they finally hold hands or the one character smiles at the other and that’s the first glimpse of romance we have does something to me that no other romance troupe does. I loved this book so much.
A slow burn, acts of service, + found family is always going to do it for me. Absolutely loved this book! The way Rhodes took care of Ora multiple times by getting her what she needs + most importantly allowing her to heal from her ex relationship. Loved it!
Fav Quotes
Ora: I was thirty-three years old, and like a tree, I'd lost all of my leaves, so much of what had made me me; but just like a tree, my branches and my roots were still there. And I was being reborn with a whole new set of leaves, bright and green and full of life. So I had to try. I had to.
Ora: Everyone is scared of something, and perfection isn't realistic. We're humans, not robots.
Rhodes: His answer was a sigh followed by, "Because ... I've been watching you grow for months. I don't want to be something you grow around. You were with someone who gave you too much shade before, right? I'd rather us take our time than me stunt where you're going, who you're becoming." ———————— STOP! I cannot. I love him
Rhodes: "I don't know how anybody would let you walk away, and it isn't going to be me. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever. Are we clear?"
Ora: Grief was the final way we had to tell our loved ones that they'd impacted our lives.
Fav Quotes
Ora: I was thirty-three years old, and like a tree, I'd lost all of my leaves, so much of what had made me me; but just like a tree, my branches and my roots were still there. And I was being reborn with a whole new set of leaves, bright and green and full of life. So I had to try. I had to.
Ora: Everyone is scared of something, and perfection isn't realistic. We're humans, not robots.
Rhodes: His answer was a sigh followed by, "Because ... I've been watching you grow for months. I don't want to be something you grow around. You were with someone who gave you too much shade before, right? I'd rather us take our time than me stunt where you're going, who you're becoming." ———————— STOP! I cannot. I love him
Rhodes: "I don't know how anybody would let you walk away, and it isn't going to be me. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever. Are we clear?"
Ora: Grief was the final way we had to tell our loved ones that they'd impacted our lives.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
emotional
slow-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