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whendevreads's review against another edition
2.0
We all know that Mariana Zapata is known for writing the slow burns to end all slow burns. And, honestly, I love that. I have read most of her books by now and I have enjoyed myself through all of them. This one, however, felt like more of a character study than a slow-burn romance.
I adored all of the main characters. Diana, the boys, Dallas, Trip… I definitely think one thing that Mariana Zapata is good at is creating well-defined characters. However, the plot didn’t really seem to be carved out in this one. It doesn’t really follow any type of journey or story, it’s just snippets of Diana’s daily life raising the boys. The romance is definitely a subplot. I felt as though we really didn’t get as much as the romance as we did in other works of hers, which is disappointing because I loved when they finally got together.
I think, if I had read this one first, I would have liked it more. However, after reading All Rhodes Lead Here, which was a 5 star read for me, and both The Wall of Winnipeg and Me and From Lukov with Love being 4 star reads, this one left me a little disappointed. Not to say that I didn’t enjoy myself, it just doesn’t hold up to the standards she’s set for her other works.
spice level:
I adored all of the main characters. Diana, the boys, Dallas, Trip… I definitely think one thing that Mariana Zapata is good at is creating well-defined characters. However, the plot didn’t really seem to be carved out in this one. It doesn’t really follow any type of journey or story, it’s just snippets of Diana’s daily life raising the boys. The romance is definitely a subplot. I felt as though we really didn’t get as much as the romance as we did in other works of hers, which is disappointing because I loved when they finally got together.
I think, if I had read this one first, I would have liked it more. However, after reading All Rhodes Lead Here, which was a 5 star read for me, and both The Wall of Winnipeg and Me and From Lukov with Love being 4 star reads, this one left me a little disappointed. Not to say that I didn’t enjoy myself, it just doesn’t hold up to the standards she’s set for her other works.
spice level:
angelune's review against another edition
1.0
1,5/5 (0,25 for louie who was the cutest and 0,25 for a non-white main character)
i’m honestly wondering why i still continue to read contemporaries.
i loved kulti, i was okay (meh) with the wall of winnipeg and me, but this book… this goddamn book.
besides the racial comments that are never fully acknowledged (the character is an old lady that calls diana by every stereotypical mexican name, ever, while she’s actually aware of her real surname (it is mentioned that she knows and that she’s doing it on purpose!). it is never brought up because she’s old. well, sorry, but i think the fuck not. that’s not an excuse? there is no excuse for any kind of racism, what the actual fuck tbh???), there is so much internalized misogyny i had to drag myself through the rest of the book without throwing something at a wall. the main character criticizes every woman she meets besides her best-friend, the protagonist of winnipeg, and who is, surprise surprise, her only female friend! the only women who are ‘okay’ are her boss and her cousin. everyone else was a bad mother or a ‘jealous bitch’ (not my words) trying to seduce dallas. honestly wtf.
another thing i hated: diana can’t stand for herself. she has to be constantly rescued by someone (and you can guess yourselves who saves her 99% of the time. sigh)! she has all of this internal monologue, how she’ll kick everyone’s ass but she never does on the pretext that she has to be the role model for the kids (but what kind of role model lets someone bully them without replying?? what a way to set the example for the younger generation!). she always leaves to cry in her own corner because life is hard and people are mean! well, they sure are when you set yourself to be a weakling.
i also had a problem with how her eldest nephew who is ten/eleven is considered to be ‘the man of the house.’ i hate the concept. i hated reading through passages where he tells his grown ass aunt who is turning thirty (!!!) that this one dress isn’t appropriate to wear out (the kid is ten!!!!) and how he ‘gave her up’ to the love interest as if she’s an object or something. the kid is ten!!!!! and even if he was a teenager, an adult, etc, it still doesn’t make it okay. ugh. i feel unsettled just thinking about this kind of mentality.
++ not mentioning how dallas, the hero, wanted to punch everyone on the pretext of being jealous or defending diana’s honor. anger issues much?
i’m so disappointed in zapata. i’ll have to revisit kulti one day, but i’m honestly afraid of what i’ll find there now.
i’m honestly wondering why i still continue to read contemporaries.
i loved kulti, i was okay (meh) with the wall of winnipeg and me, but this book… this goddamn book.
besides the racial comments that are never fully acknowledged (the character is an old lady that calls diana by every stereotypical mexican name, ever, while she’s actually aware of her real surname (it is mentioned that she knows and that she’s doing it on purpose!). it is never brought up because she’s old. well, sorry, but i think the fuck not. that’s not an excuse? there is no excuse for any kind of racism, what the actual fuck tbh???), there is so much internalized misogyny i had to drag myself through the rest of the book without throwing something at a wall. the main character criticizes every woman she meets besides her best-friend, the protagonist of winnipeg, and who is, surprise surprise, her only female friend! the only women who are ‘okay’ are her boss and her cousin. everyone else was a bad mother or a ‘jealous bitch’ (not my words) trying to seduce dallas. honestly wtf.
another thing i hated: diana can’t stand for herself. she has to be constantly rescued by someone (and you can guess yourselves who saves her 99% of the time. sigh)! she has all of this internal monologue, how she’ll kick everyone’s ass but she never does on the pretext that she has to be the role model for the kids (but what kind of role model lets someone bully them without replying?? what a way to set the example for the younger generation!). she always leaves to cry in her own corner because life is hard and people are mean! well, they sure are when you set yourself to be a weakling.
i also had a problem with how her eldest nephew who is ten/eleven is considered to be ‘the man of the house.’ i hate the concept. i hated reading through passages where he tells his grown ass aunt who is turning thirty (!!!) that this one dress isn’t appropriate to wear out (the kid is ten!!!!) and how he ‘gave her up’ to the love interest as if she’s an object or something. the kid is ten!!!!! and even if he was a teenager, an adult, etc, it still doesn’t make it okay. ugh. i feel unsettled just thinking about this kind of mentality.
++ not mentioning how dallas, the hero, wanted to punch everyone on the pretext of being jealous or defending diana’s honor. anger issues much?
i’m so disappointed in zapata. i’ll have to revisit kulti one day, but i’m honestly afraid of what i’ll find there now.
deardarlingreader's review against another edition
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
5.0
caity_bee's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-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? No
5.0
inessova's review against another edition
3.0
The story and the characters were great 4/5
The writing not so much, I skipped a lot and cringed more .. 2/5
The writing not so much, I skipped a lot and cringed more .. 2/5
itskindana's review against another edition
5.0
4.2/5 stars
“One of the worst things in the world was watching someone you love fall apart.”
¿Qué tiene este libro?
-Slow burn!!
-Singlen mom
-Contemporáneo
-neighbors in love trope
- Hero in the navy
“I need you more than you need me, and that’s okay,”
Este libro nos cuenta la historia de diana una chica de casi 30 años que por circunstancias del destino hace un par de años termino con la custodia de sus 2 sobrinos y se acaba de mudar a una nueva casa y conoce una noche a su vecino Dallas después de salvar a su hermano de una pelea, y en el paso de unos 8 meses nos cuentan como se hicieron mejores amigos y luego pareja, pero OJO ellos no son pareja hasta casi el final del libro, aunque este es un libro de romance se centra más en hablar de como diana lidia con el duelo a largo plazo, ser madre soltera y su amistad con Dallas.
Diana, el duelo a largo plazo y ser madre soltera
Diana como personaje me parece hermoso y mientras más avanza el libro más profundizamos en ella y su personalidad solo se vuelve mejor, hablando de como lidia después de años con el duelo de su hermano se siente tan real y muestra algo de lo que casi nadie habla el duelo a largo plazo siempre es como un tiempo de duelo aceptable después seguir con tu vida normal, pero para muchas personas la muerte de un ser amado es algo que se quede mucho más tiempo con nosotros, como mariana lo escribió se siente real como algunas cosas pequeñas nos hacen llegarnos de recuerdos y tristeza. La relación de Diana de los niños representa muy bien a muchas familias con madres solteras o jóvenes, el amor que le tiene ella a los niños como los cuida y prioriza sin importarle que no son biológicamente suyos es lo que ser madre representa para muchas mujeres jóvenes la entrega de su vida y tiempo a ellos sin quejarse, la dualidad de diana al ser su madre y también su tía joven hace la hace parar y no saber qué hacer felicitarlos por defenderse de alguien o decirles que está mal golpear a las personas cuando están en problemas. Como por la manera en la que su hermano muere no puedo dejar de ayudar a alguien incluso si eso la pone en peligro. Diana es la perfecta representación de una madre soltera joven.
Dallas y Diana
La amistad de Dallas y Diana se desarrolla de a pocos en todo el libro como las amistades reales al principio todo entre ellos es incómodo porque ella no quiere que él piense que se quiere meter en sus pantalones en sus propias palabras y porque él está casado, pero empiezan a verse más porque él entrena a su hijo mayor y la química entre ellos es lindísima, Dallas ama a los niños le encanta pasar tiempo con ellos y siempre está con ellos cuando lo necesitan, como poco a poco dallas empieza a acercarse más a diana y ella le permite entrar en sus vidas y ayudarla cuando ya no puede más, ellos son la pareja perfecta no se sienten forzados porque cuando empiezan a salir ya los aviamos visto conocerse y hacerse amigos. En fin friends to lovers supremacía.
Pensamientos finales
Este libro es un GRAN libro y una muy buena primera impresión para mi de mariana zapata espero leer mas de ella pronto.
“Real love was gritty. The real kind of love never quit. Someone who loved you would do what’s best for you; they’d stand up for you and sacrifice. Someone who loved you would face any inconvenience willingly.”
“One of the worst things in the world was watching someone you love fall apart.”
¿Qué tiene este libro?
-Slow burn!!
-Singlen mom
-Contemporáneo
-neighbors in love trope
- Hero in the navy
“I need you more than you need me, and that’s okay,”
Este libro nos cuenta la historia de diana una chica de casi 30 años que por circunstancias del destino hace un par de años termino con la custodia de sus 2 sobrinos y se acaba de mudar a una nueva casa y conoce una noche a su vecino Dallas después de salvar a su hermano de una pelea, y en el paso de unos 8 meses nos cuentan como se hicieron mejores amigos y luego pareja, pero OJO ellos no son pareja hasta casi el final del libro, aunque este es un libro de romance se centra más en hablar de como diana lidia con el duelo a largo plazo, ser madre soltera y su amistad con Dallas.
Diana, el duelo a largo plazo y ser madre soltera
Diana como personaje me parece hermoso y mientras más avanza el libro más profundizamos en ella y su personalidad solo se vuelve mejor, hablando de como lidia después de años con el duelo de su hermano se siente tan real y muestra algo de lo que casi nadie habla el duelo a largo plazo siempre es como un tiempo de duelo aceptable después seguir con tu vida normal, pero para muchas personas la muerte de un ser amado es algo que se quede mucho más tiempo con nosotros, como mariana lo escribió se siente real como algunas cosas pequeñas nos hacen llegarnos de recuerdos y tristeza. La relación de Diana de los niños representa muy bien a muchas familias con madres solteras o jóvenes, el amor que le tiene ella a los niños como los cuida y prioriza sin importarle que no son biológicamente suyos es lo que ser madre representa para muchas mujeres jóvenes la entrega de su vida y tiempo a ellos sin quejarse, la dualidad de diana al ser su madre y también su tía joven hace la hace parar y no saber qué hacer felicitarlos por defenderse de alguien o decirles que está mal golpear a las personas cuando están en problemas. Como por la manera en la que su hermano muere no puedo dejar de ayudar a alguien incluso si eso la pone en peligro. Diana es la perfecta representación de una madre soltera joven.
Dallas y Diana
La amistad de Dallas y Diana se desarrolla de a pocos en todo el libro como las amistades reales al principio todo entre ellos es incómodo porque ella no quiere que él piense que se quiere meter en sus pantalones en sus propias palabras y porque él está casado, pero empiezan a verse más porque él entrena a su hijo mayor y la química entre ellos es lindísima, Dallas ama a los niños le encanta pasar tiempo con ellos y siempre está con ellos cuando lo necesitan, como poco a poco dallas empieza a acercarse más a diana y ella le permite entrar en sus vidas y ayudarla cuando ya no puede más, ellos son la pareja perfecta no se sienten forzados porque cuando empiezan a salir ya los aviamos visto conocerse y hacerse amigos. En fin friends to lovers supremacía.
Pensamientos finales
Este libro es un GRAN libro y una muy buena primera impresión para mi de mariana zapata espero leer mas de ella pronto.
“Real love was gritty. The real kind of love never quit. Someone who loved you would do what’s best for you; they’d stand up for you and sacrifice. Someone who loved you would face any inconvenience willingly.”
andotherworlds's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 // every now and then i get the sudden urge to devour a dreadfully kitsch romance novel.
such was the case with this little livre.
but with age i believe i have totally transformed to an insufferable curmudgeon/cantankerous grinch and i simply cannot suspend my disbelief any longer.
also, i'll leave you with this, my gal here said her ovaries were tingling not once, not twice, but three times at the mere sight of this man - first and for most - what - secondly - how - third most - whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
fin.
such was the case with this little livre.
but with age i believe i have totally transformed to an insufferable curmudgeon/cantankerous grinch and i simply cannot suspend my disbelief any longer.
also, i'll leave you with this, my gal here said her ovaries were tingling not once, not twice, but three times at the mere sight of this man - first and for most - what - secondly - how - third most - whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
fin.
georgiapeaches's review against another edition
4.0
4.5
i was a little bored sometimes but other than that it was so cute. MZ man, i don’t like slow burns most of the time but WTF does she LACE these BOOKS WITH?!
i was a little bored sometimes but other than that it was so cute. MZ man, i don’t like slow burns most of the time but WTF does she LACE these BOOKS WITH?!