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emotional
fast-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
I am not the biggest fan of the fake dating and marriage of convenience trope, but, Catharina had me eating it up in Lucca and Val’s story.
I knew these two were going to be a wild ride at the end of book 1, but I was so pleasantly surprised by where Cat lead us.
I cackled, I cried (SO HARD), I got butterflies, and most importantly I fell in love with the love that Lucca and Valentina shared
Lucca is the best example of man obsessed- if my man won’t save every sticky note i’ve written from him… then i dont want it.
Valentina’s storyline with her family was a hard hitter for me, as I am sure it was/will be with others. Dementia is usually an immediate pass for me, but Catharina wrote about it so beautifully and did so with such care. Abuela, tqm!!
This was my first listen to Stephanie Nemeth-Parker, and certainly will not be my last. I live for the sass she exudes in her narration of Val and am excited to listen to more of her work.
Lucca was narrated by Joe Arden.
I knew these two were going to be a wild ride at the end of book 1, but I was so pleasantly surprised by where Cat lead us.
I cackled, I cried (SO HARD), I got butterflies, and most importantly I fell in love with the love that Lucca and Valentina shared
Lucca is the best example of man obsessed- if my man won’t save every sticky note i’ve written from him… then i dont want it.
Valentina’s storyline with her family was a hard hitter for me, as I am sure it was/will be with others. Dementia is usually an immediate pass for me, but Catharina wrote about it so beautifully and did so with such care. Abuela, tqm!!
This was my first listen to Stephanie Nemeth-Parker, and certainly will not be my last. I live for the sass she exudes in her narration of Val and am excited to listen to more of her work.
Lucca was narrated by Joe Arden.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content
Moderate: Dementia
Minor: Infidelity, Death of parent, Abandonment
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It took two chapters for me to be hooked on Ares and Raven, and I fell completely in love with them as the book went on. Between that, and how intrigued I was by the foundation set for Luca and Val, I had high hopes for their book. I couldn’t wait to start it.
So imagine my disappointment when I felt absolutely nothing for the two of them at all. There were cute moments and funny ones, sure, but I never truly got attached. For far too much of the story, it didn’t feel like they had any real chemistry, and Luca wasn’t being charming; he was being an asshole. Even when things shifted somewhere around the halfway point, when I could finally see a connection forming and Luca found his footing as both a lead and a lover, I was never rooting for them. I wasn’t invested. And that’s really the crux of the issue here, I think. Everything else I could say comes back to this.
Well, almost everything. If there’s one thing I loved in both books, it was seeing the other Windsors come together to support the two leads when the going got rough. They’ve got such a great dynamic. I love the siblings, and how wholly they welcomed first Raven and now Val into their circle. This might well be my favorite part of these books, and I’m looking so forward to more of these moments as I continue the series.
On the other hand, if there’s one thing I didn’t love in either book, it’s Grandma’s actions in the final third. Once again, I’ve got beef with Grandma.I fully expected something to happen that would lead to Luca and Val breaking the newlywed rules and suffering the consequences. But even so, I hated the way Grandma evicted Luca without a single bit of remorse. I was proud of him for talking back to her as he complied, for telling her that he hoped these rules were worth losing a grandson because he would never come back and he would never forgive her. I just wish he’d actually stood his ground. I wish he and Val had cut ties with her and moved to Canada for a fresh start, away from her and all of her crap. It would’ve been so satisfying, even more so if the siblings took their side and followed suit. That there was a brief mention of them refusing to come to family dinner isn’t enough. Grandma needs to face some real consequences for her actions. I don’t care if she says she had their best interests at heart. I don’t care if Val is technically right about her and Luca’s relationship only getting stronger as a result. The fact that they forgave her so easily and are now back in the family like nothing ever happened means Grandma won’t learn a gods-damned thing. It means she’ll just keep being a manipulative, controlling asshole, because none of her grandkids will properly stand up to her. And I’m salty about it.
Alright, I think I’m about done. This book wasn’t inherently good or bad, but it also wasn’t anything I’d hoped it would be. I really hope I enjoy the next one more.
Current ranking of the series:
So imagine my disappointment when I felt absolutely nothing for the two of them at all. There were cute moments and funny ones, sure, but I never truly got attached. For far too much of the story, it didn’t feel like they had any real chemistry, and Luca wasn’t being charming; he was being an asshole. Even when things shifted somewhere around the halfway point, when I could finally see a connection forming and Luca found his footing as both a lead and a lover, I was never rooting for them. I wasn’t invested. And that’s really the crux of the issue here, I think. Everything else I could say comes back to this.
Well, almost everything. If there’s one thing I loved in both books, it was seeing the other Windsors come together to support the two leads when the going got rough. They’ve got such a great dynamic. I love the siblings, and how wholly they welcomed first Raven and now Val into their circle. This might well be my favorite part of these books, and I’m looking so forward to more of these moments as I continue the series.
On the other hand, if there’s one thing I didn’t love in either book, it’s Grandma’s actions in the final third. Once again, I’ve got beef with Grandma.
Alright, I think I’m about done. This book wasn’t inherently good or bad, but it also wasn’t anything I’d hoped it would be. I really hope I enjoy the next one more.
Current ranking of the series:
- The Wrong Bride (I strongly suspect this one will be my favorite)
- The Temporary Wife
Representation:
- Latina protagonist and side characters (one is also disabled, and uses a cane and wheelchair)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity, Medical content
Minor: Abandonment
Sexual content is explicit but consensual. One protagonist lost both parents as a child, and the other had one parent walk out. One protagonist’s grandmother is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and given home caretakers. (It’s Val’s abuela. She dies in the last third of the book, off-page. Val attends her funeral, and grief sends her into a deep depression. ) There are also discussions of past infidelity across multiple relationships, relating to both protagonists and one’s parents, and how that’s affected each of them.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Death of parent, Abandonment
emotional
inspiring
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
Content Warnings
Minor: Infidelity, Dementia, Death of parent
emotional
hopeful
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:
Complicated
Summary
Luca and Valentina have worked side-by-side for years in a strictly professional sense. But when Luca needs to be rescued from his arranged engagement and Val needs help with her grandma's medical needs, they elope. Their marriage is meant to only last 3 years, which works fine for them since they've been disillusioned by love in the past. But 3 years is a long time to live in close quarters together...
Thoughts
I honestly really love these two together because they're so similar, but somehow heal each other's hurts. I love that Val stands up for what she needs and Luca gives her things she didn't even know she needed. I just loved the way their relationship advanced and how they both were so in love, but didn't realize it. To have someone that will standup for you and put you above all else is what movies are made of, but their relationship felt so real. It was inspiring, honestly.
CEO & Executive Assistant/CFO, workplace romance
Possessive, jealous, interfering exes
Marriage of convenience, friends with benefits
Scheming grandma
Luca and Valentina have worked side-by-side for years in a strictly professional sense. But when Luca needs to be rescued from his arranged engagement and Val needs help with her grandma's medical needs, they elope. Their marriage is meant to only last 3 years, which works fine for them since they've been disillusioned by love in the past. But 3 years is a long time to live in close quarters together...
Thoughts
I honestly really love these two together because they're so similar, but somehow heal each other's hurts. I love that Val stands up for what she needs and Luca gives her things she didn't even know she needed. I just loved the way their relationship advanced and how they both were so in love, but didn't realize it. To have someone that will standup for you and put you above all else is what movies are made of, but their relationship felt so real. It was inspiring, honestly.
CEO & Executive Assistant/CFO, workplace romance
Possessive, jealous, interfering exes
Marriage of convenience, friends with benefits
Scheming grandma
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Chronic illness, Death, Infidelity, Dementia, Abandonment
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Classism
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had higher expectations, and I was disappointed. The plot seemed to have potential (office romance, marriage of convenience), but the story was messy and really questionable. I felt the need to dnf it a few times.
I was really ??? because of the way he kind of used her grandma's health issue to get to her.
The writing felt so off in many ways, and the story and characters are VERY toxic, so I didn't enjoy it.
The writing felt so off in many ways, and the story and characters are VERY toxic, so I didn't enjoy it.
Was it a little psychotic and definitely toxic? Absolutely. Would I do it all over again? Yes, without a single doubt.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Abandonment
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Chronic illness, Deadnaming
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Abandonment
Moderate: Death, Infidelity
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really loved Luca and Valentina. This was a fun marriage of convenience and workplace romance. Rich meddling families doing crazy things could be annoying but it wasn’t here.
Content Warnings
Minor: Infidelity