Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
06-07 Re-read
So in love with this book.
It's fluid, and savory.
A slow slow burn, but oh so sweet.
5 Super Sweet Slow Burning Stars
I want like 100 more pages.. Or 1,000.. I just can't get enough! I actually read this book slow.. SLOW... I'm telling you, I just wanted to savor it and now I wanna read it again.
Freaking Aiden.. Just, Mmmmm, put a cherry on top.. Or forget the cherry I don't even care.
That. Freaking. Epilogue.
So in love with this book.
It's fluid, and savory.
A slow slow burn, but oh so sweet.
5 Super Sweet Slow Burning Stars
I want like 100 more pages.. Or 1,000.. I just can't get enough! I actually read this book slow.. SLOW... I'm telling you, I just wanted to savor it and now I wanna read it again.
Freaking Aiden.. Just, Mmmmm, put a cherry on top.. Or forget the cherry I don't even care.
That. Freaking. Epilogue.
It would've been 5 stars with Aiden's POV. I get that authors have reasons for offering the POVs they do, but I really felt like something was missing. Other than that though I loved it!
Mariana Zapata truly writes her own brand of slow burn. Her stories are written in first person single perspective, so readers rarely know what the hero is thinking. Which enhances the story and contributes to the burn.
This book is Vanessa and Aiden’s story. Aiden is a top defensive end in the NFL. Vanessa is his assistant/housekeeper. Well, she was. Until she quit. But then Aiden shows up at her door proposing a marriage of convenience that would allow him quick access to immigration papers and he’d pay off her debt. But she’s acted as his fairy godmother for two years, while he’s been indifferent, aloof, and demanding. What could possibly go wrong?
Vanessa is strong, snarky, funny, and loyal to a fault. Aiden is a lot harder to get a read on. But very, very slowly, this relationship grows and the two become so much to each other. Readers can feel the genuine affection between the two as their relationship grows into a friendship and then (finally) to more. I really enjoyed this book and Zapata’s unique style of storytelling.
This book is Vanessa and Aiden’s story. Aiden is a top defensive end in the NFL. Vanessa is his assistant/housekeeper. Well, she was. Until she quit. But then Aiden shows up at her door proposing a marriage of convenience that would allow him quick access to immigration papers and he’d pay off her debt. But she’s acted as his fairy godmother for two years, while he’s been indifferent, aloof, and demanding. What could possibly go wrong?
Vanessa is strong, snarky, funny, and loyal to a fault. Aiden is a lot harder to get a read on. But very, very slowly, this relationship grows and the two become so much to each other. Readers can feel the genuine affection between the two as their relationship grows into a friendship and then (finally) to more. I really enjoyed this book and Zapata’s unique style of storytelling.
The burn was slooooooow but I loved it. I love how even though it's from her POV, they had a male narrator do his dialogue in the audiobook
3 stars for me
I can’t tell whether I liked this book or not
I can’t tell whether I liked this book or not
5/5
No one talk to me, I'm both embarrassed that I read a sports romance after vehemently opposing sports in all its forms, AND I'm embarrassed that it took me this long to read this book. IT'S SO GOOD I'm screaming please look away
-----
ok my real review so that I don't forget stuff;
this book was so good! and so different from a lot of the contemporary romances I'm used to reading. For one, this book is long. Like, 600+ pages long. I didn't check the page count before reading it, which is probably a good thing because I might have continued avoiding it if I had, but I did pick it up. I knew something was up when I had been reading all night and was still only 60% done tho. howeverrrr, it didn't feel long. It didn't drag, and it kept me interested.
I didn't love the explicit scene, but it only happened once and it was right at the end, which I appreciated soooo much. I thought it was really tasteful, and it was easy to skip over without missing any important details.
I also liked that there was no big fight right at the end before they finally confess their love for each other, which seems to be the case in a lot of recent contemporary romances I read. Aiden and Vanessa didn't have to have some big explosive fight in order to confess their love for each other, which I really appreciated. I'm really glad this author didn't make the MCs go through unnecessary drama and pain just as a plot device. The plot and character development were able to progress without added conflict, and I think this book was much better for it.
There were some inconsistencies or things that confused me, like at one point Vanessa says something along the lines of knowing that Aiden never backs out on his word, but isn't that literally how the book starts? He is backing out of something he promised he would do, and Vanessa is mad at him??? idk, that was weird.
Also, when Vanessa laughs at Aiden when a lady gropes him. I get that the author probably didn't mean any harm by it, but later, when the roles are reversed and someone gropes Vanessa, suddenly the characters take sexual assault seriously and Aiden gets into a fist fight over it? Idk, I wish the author had treated sexual assault more seriously for both main characters rather than just the woman. I think it propagates the harmful stereotype that men cannot be sexually harassed.
All in all, there were some things that made me feel confused or gave me pause, but for the most part, I flew through this book, sports references, and all. What a ride. ty to melissa for picking this book out for me <3
No one talk to me, I'm both embarrassed that I read a sports romance after vehemently opposing sports in all its forms, AND I'm embarrassed that it took me this long to read this book. IT'S SO GOOD I'm screaming please look away
-----
ok my real review so that I don't forget stuff;
this book was so good! and so different from a lot of the contemporary romances I'm used to reading. For one, this book is long. Like, 600+ pages long. I didn't check the page count before reading it, which is probably a good thing because I might have continued avoiding it if I had, but I did pick it up. I knew something was up when I had been reading all night and was still only 60% done tho. howeverrrr, it didn't feel long. It didn't drag, and it kept me interested.
I didn't love the explicit scene, but it only happened once and it was right at the end, which I appreciated soooo much. I thought it was really tasteful, and it was easy to skip over without missing any important details.
I also liked that there was no big fight right at the end before they finally confess their love for each other, which seems to be the case in a lot of recent contemporary romances I read. Aiden and Vanessa didn't have to have some big explosive fight in order to confess their love for each other, which I really appreciated. I'm really glad this author didn't make the MCs go through unnecessary drama and pain just as a plot device. The plot and character development were able to progress without added conflict, and I think this book was much better for it.
There were some inconsistencies or things that confused me, like at one point Vanessa says something along the lines of knowing that Aiden never backs out on his word, but isn't that literally how the book starts? He is backing out of something he promised he would do, and Vanessa is mad at him??? idk, that was weird.
Also, when Vanessa laughs at Aiden when a lady gropes him. I get that the author probably didn't mean any harm by it, but later, when the roles are reversed and someone gropes Vanessa, suddenly the characters take sexual assault seriously and Aiden gets into a fist fight over it? Idk, I wish the author had treated sexual assault more seriously for both main characters rather than just the woman. I think it propagates the harmful stereotype that men cannot be sexually harassed.
All in all, there were some things that made me feel confused or gave me pause, but for the most part, I flew through this book, sports references, and all. What a ride. ty to melissa for picking this book out for me <3
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Reread: 3.75 stars.
I still enjoyed this one. However, I hadn't realized how many physical descriptions there were of Aiden. We are exposed almost every page to how much taller and broader and thicker and muscle-y he is than everyone else (and don't forget the full lips...). If we had cut down on the body descriptions, we would have had a much lighter book. Nonetheless it still grabbed me and made me ugly cry when they argued on the steps. Whew.
4 stars.
Surprisingly enjoyable without the typical CR (contemporary romance) tropes and insta-steam (saved for the ending). Also, not too many sport references for my apathetic sport ineptness. Appreciated the pace and length of build between the main characters in their frenemy/marriage of convenience journey.
I still enjoyed this one. However, I hadn't realized how many physical descriptions there were of Aiden. We are exposed almost every page to how much taller and broader and thicker and muscle-y he is than everyone else (and don't forget the full lips...). If we had cut down on the body descriptions, we would have had a much lighter book. Nonetheless it still grabbed me and made me ugly cry when they argued on the steps. Whew.
4 stars.
Surprisingly enjoyable without the typical CR (contemporary romance) tropes and insta-steam (saved for the ending). Also, not too many sport references for my apathetic sport ineptness. Appreciated the pace and length of build between the main characters in their frenemy/marriage of convenience journey.
emotional
lighthearted
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:
Yes
Another slow burn from Mariana Z. I enjoyed this one as much as Kulti. Another likeable main character in Vanessa. It's all her POV so we don't know what Aiden's thinking/feelings are. We only see his actions. They both have similar bad childhoods and I think that through him seeing her phobias and opening up about that is how he finds his way to her.
I enjoyed her friendship with Zac the most. He seemed more in her corner than Diana. Plus he was funny and ran with her rather than berate her for not fessing up to what was going on in her life.
Overall couldn't put this one down and enjoyed the ride!
I enjoyed her friendship with Zac the most. He seemed more in her corner than Diana. Plus he was funny and ran with her rather than berate her for not fessing up to what was going on in her life.
Overall couldn't put this one down and enjoyed the ride!
Um, what the actual fuck. In chapter 10, the MMC gets stopped by fans and the woman fan gropes him. The FMC says she’s in “tears from laughing” WHAT THE FUCK.
“ “did she grab a handful?” I choked out. The look he gave me was a mix of “you’re an idiot” and “fuck off,” which only made me laugh harder. He’d gotten molested. By a fan. Right in front of me.” Excuse me, bitch what the actual fuck. Not to mention she’s eating popcorn while standing back and watching this happen. Will never support Mariana Zapata again.
“ “did she grab a handful?” I choked out. The look he gave me was a mix of “you’re an idiot” and “fuck off,” which only made me laugh harder. He’d gotten molested. By a fan. Right in front of me.” Excuse me, bitch what the actual fuck. Not to mention she’s eating popcorn while standing back and watching this happen. Will never support Mariana Zapata again.