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kristensreading's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I loved this story but minus one star for the ending seeming very rushed and the main skating event only getting a page??? AND the author’s confusing refusal to use a character’s name multiple times in a paragraph. It’s so odd. Examples:
“I took a step onto the ice and glided off just a couple feet away to give IVAN room to do the same. He followed after me, stopping just two feet away from me as the announcer called out our names. That was when I looked over my shoulder at THE MAN IN THE BROWN AND GOLD COSTUME that my sister had created, and found him already looking at me, with a smirk aimed right at me.”
““She was pinching me under the table,” BEN let me know, like that would surprise me. It didn’t. That was my mom right there. My defender forever and ever. “Sorry about that, Jas,” MY MOM’S FOURTH HUSBAND murmured.”
““Where’s Ben at, MOM?” “He’s out with his friends,” THE REDHEADED WOMAN WHO HAD GIVEN BIRTH TO ME, explained quickly before raising her gaze and aiming her fork in my direction.”
There were points where it truly confused me because I couldn’t even tell the author was talking about the same character. “The man” is used 30 times in the book and “the woman” 37 times, most often for characters that are already very well established. It’s confusing.
“I took a step onto the ice and glided off just a couple feet away to give IVAN room to do the same. He followed after me, stopping just two feet away from me as the announcer called out our names. That was when I looked over my shoulder at THE MAN IN THE BROWN AND GOLD COSTUME that my sister had created, and found him already looking at me, with a smirk aimed right at me.”
““She was pinching me under the table,” BEN let me know, like that would surprise me. It didn’t. That was my mom right there. My defender forever and ever. “Sorry about that, Jas,” MY MOM’S FOURTH HUSBAND murmured.”
““Where’s Ben at, MOM?” “He’s out with his friends,” THE REDHEADED WOMAN WHO HAD GIVEN BIRTH TO ME, explained quickly before raising her gaze and aiming her fork in my direction.”
There were points where it truly confused me because I couldn’t even tell the author was talking about the same character. “The man” is used 30 times in the book and “the woman” 37 times, most often for characters that are already very well established. It’s confusing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, and Fatphobia
Minor: Car accident, Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
79lulu12's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Body shaming, Sexual harassment, Cursing, Fatphobia, Bullying, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Ableism, Stalking, and Emotional abuse
__romancereader__'s review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I enjoyed this book so much the slow burn was extreme but Mariana Zapata is the queen of slow burn so I’m not surprised i freaking love slow burns this book was enemies to friends to lovers forced proximity brother’s best friend its also a sports romance there’s no cheating no love triangle and no cliff hanger its a happy ending there was certain scenes that were just my favorite and i loved how even in the beginning of the book when they we’re enemies you could see when he started to truly care for her it was so cute its not extremely spicy I don’t want to spoil it but the spicy scenes in here is not many I don’t want to say how many there are but there are not allot if you read the wall of Winnipeg and me by Mariana Zapata it was just like that i really did enjoy this book i feel like i read it fast i liked the protectiveness Ivan had over Jasmine and i liked finding out in the middle and ending of the book the certain things Ivan did for Jasmine when they were hating each other😏overall i rated this book a 5 stars just like every other book i rated of Mariana Zapata’s⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Car accident, Animal death, Cursing, and Death
Not all content warnings are about the main characters some are and some are about the other characters you meet/hear about in the book 🥰❤️🫶🏼ecravens's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Medical trauma, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
michellemaas's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
tense
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
4.5
* Beware of minor spoilers
4.5 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
Standalone New Adult Sports Romance, featuring the "rivals-to-lovers", "hurt/comfort", and "forced proximity" tropes.
I liked it overall. The relationship was excellently developed, the banter was on point, the characters were complex, and there were high emotional and physical stakes. It was however too long, causing it to drag at times.
"But if I’d learned anything over the last year and a half, it was the reality of how tough it was to live with your mistakes. I’d learned how hard it was to face them, and how much harder it was to own them. We all did things we regretted; we all said things we regretted, and guilt was a crushing weight on a person’s soul. And I wanted to be better. For me. Not for anyone else."
At 26, Jasmine either has to get a new figure skating partner or quit doing the one thing she has dedicated her entire life to. In comes Ivan Lukov . . . This partnerless, world-winning champion is willing to join forces since neither of them has any other options. The problem? They can't stand one another. But with Ivan being her last hope at her dreams, Jasmine is willing to do anything to make this arrangement work.
"Love to me was honesty. Being real. Knowing someone’s best and worst. Love was a push that said someone believed in you when you didn’t. Love was effort and time."
My biggest criticism is that it was longer than it should have been. I had to put it down at 80% and struggled for a long time to pick it back up. Once I did get back to it I thoroughly enjoyed the end, but like with most Mariana Zapata books the reading experience could have been greatly improved if the book was 100 or so pages shorter because while the story was enjoyable overall there were a bunch of scenes that were totally unnecessary for both plot and character development and that slows down the pace of what would have been a gloriously medium to fast-paced book.
I also disliked the fact that there was so little plot. Ivan and Jasmine's relationship was so good that I surprisingly didn't mind it for the most part, but when I'm sitting here and reflecting at the end of the book I realize that it does bother me. It made it hard to pick back up when it lost my interest. That's why there needs to be a plot.
"Because I’m okay with you having ten other people be your favorite. But you’re always going to be my favorite person,” he finished. “Always. No matter what.”
On to the good stuff, I loved Jasmine's character. She was so real and moody and flawed yet loyal and she spoke to me in a way I wasn't expecting. The slowburn was also undoubtedly one of the best I've read to date. It was paced well while also being realistic and felt very natural. Finally, I really enjoyed the social commentary about not needing a degree to be considered successful in life, because sometimes it's just enough to be doing what you love.
"If I had to choose anyone to help me bury a body, eat dinner with, or watch television with, it would be you, every time for everything."
From Lukov with Love includes learning disability representation along with a heavy emphasis on both romantic and familial relationships, and the importance of pursuing your dreams while working on becoming the best version of yourself. Would recommend it if any of those themes resonate with you, or you just want to experience the brilliance that is Ivan Lukov. The book may have been too long, but Ivan Lukov was worth every page.
4.5 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
Standalone New Adult Sports Romance, featuring the "rivals-to-lovers", "hurt/comfort", and "forced proximity" tropes.
I liked it overall. The relationship was excellently developed, the banter was on point, the characters were complex, and there were high emotional and physical stakes. It was however too long, causing it to drag at times.
"But if I’d learned anything over the last year and a half, it was the reality of how tough it was to live with your mistakes. I’d learned how hard it was to face them, and how much harder it was to own them. We all did things we regretted; we all said things we regretted, and guilt was a crushing weight on a person’s soul. And I wanted to be better. For me. Not for anyone else."
At 26, Jasmine either has to get a new figure skating partner or quit doing the one thing she has dedicated her entire life to. In comes Ivan Lukov . . . This partnerless, world-winning champion is willing to join forces since neither of them has any other options. The problem? They can't stand one another. But with Ivan being her last hope at her dreams, Jasmine is willing to do anything to make this arrangement work.
"Love to me was honesty. Being real. Knowing someone’s best and worst. Love was a push that said someone believed in you when you didn’t. Love was effort and time."
My biggest criticism is that it was longer than it should have been. I had to put it down at 80% and struggled for a long time to pick it back up. Once I did get back to it I thoroughly enjoyed the end, but like with most Mariana Zapata books the reading experience could have been greatly improved if the book was 100 or so pages shorter because while the story was enjoyable overall there were a bunch of scenes that were totally unnecessary for both plot and character development and that slows down the pace of what would have been a gloriously medium to fast-paced book.
I also disliked the fact that there was so little plot. Ivan and Jasmine's relationship was so good that I surprisingly didn't mind it for the most part, but when I'm sitting here and reflecting at the end of the book I realize that it does bother me. It made it hard to pick back up when it lost my interest. That's why there needs to be a plot.
"Because I’m okay with you having ten other people be your favorite. But you’re always going to be my favorite person,” he finished. “Always. No matter what.”
On to the good stuff, I loved Jasmine's character. She was so real and moody and flawed yet loyal and she spoke to me in a way I wasn't expecting. The slowburn was also undoubtedly one of the best I've read to date. It was paced well while also being realistic and felt very natural. Finally, I really enjoyed the social commentary about not needing a degree to be considered successful in life, because sometimes it's just enough to be doing what you love.
"If I had to choose anyone to help me bury a body, eat dinner with, or watch television with, it would be you, every time for everything."
From Lukov with Love includes learning disability representation along with a heavy emphasis on both romantic and familial relationships, and the importance of pursuing your dreams while working on becoming the best version of yourself. Would recommend it if any of those themes resonate with you, or you just want to experience the brilliance that is Ivan Lukov. The book may have been too long, but Ivan Lukov was worth every page.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Abandonment, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Medical content, Body shaming, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Racism, and Alcohol
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