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A review by artemisg
The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Hmmm, this book was not good, but I did have fun reading it. 2.5/5 stars.
Usually, I’m all about enemies to lovers, but these guys were insufferable. The one-sided nature of the antagonism was annoying; if you’re gonna be rivals, commit to it. I don't really have anything to say about this book; it was ultimately pretty forgettable. It follows Catalina (or Lina) and her fake boyfriend and workplace enemy Aaron as they head to Spain for Lina’s sister's wedding, where her newly engaged ex-boyfriend (gasp) is the best man (even bigger gasp). Shenanigans ensue; she realises she likes Aaron, and they have a “real romance”. They break up; they get back together because Aaron’s dad gets cancer, you get it. Even though this plot was super predictable and generic, I enjoyed it.
On top of not having a very good plot, the writing style was just not for me. I’m already not the biggest fan of first-person POV (although some of my favourite books are first-person, so what is the truth), and this style just grated me. The lack of contractions in dialogue and thoughts completely interrupted the flow and completely took me out of the story. Also, for someone who is supposed to be funny and charismatic, Lina was pretty cringe sometimes. There were also occasional moments of fatphobia and disordered eating, which took some fun out of the story.
Here is my formal PSA to all heterosexual romance authors: please find a new way to describe your male love interests that’s not tall, big, or large. I’m so sick of a slight, petite woman being picked up by a - frankly, unnecessarily - tall and buff man. Not every man is over 6ft tall; that's not the average. And give them hobbies outside of working out and being obsessed with the female love interest, please.
All in all, I’ll enjoy any fake-dating story, and I did genuinely have fun reading this, but I can’t say I would reread it, and I can’t say it was good.
Usually, I’m all about enemies to lovers, but these guys were insufferable. The one-sided nature of the antagonism was annoying; if you’re gonna be rivals, commit to it. I don't really have anything to say about this book; it was ultimately pretty forgettable. It follows Catalina (or Lina) and her fake boyfriend and workplace enemy Aaron as they head to Spain for Lina’s sister's wedding, where her newly engaged ex-boyfriend (gasp) is the best man (even bigger gasp). Shenanigans ensue; she realises she likes Aaron, and they have a “real romance”. They break up; they get back together because Aaron’s dad gets cancer, you get it. Even though this plot was super predictable and generic, I enjoyed it.
On top of not having a very good plot, the writing style was just not for me. I’m already not the biggest fan of first-person POV (although some of my favourite books are first-person, so what is the truth), and this style just grated me. The lack of contractions in dialogue and thoughts completely interrupted the flow and completely took me out of the story. Also, for someone who is supposed to be funny and charismatic, Lina was pretty cringe sometimes. There were also occasional moments of fatphobia and disordered eating, which took some fun out of the story.
Here is my formal PSA to all heterosexual romance authors: please find a new way to describe your male love interests that’s not tall, big, or large. I’m so sick of a slight, petite woman being picked up by a - frankly, unnecessarily - tall and buff man. Not every man is over 6ft tall; that's not the average. And give them hobbies outside of working out and being obsessed with the female love interest, please.
All in all, I’ll enjoy any fake-dating story, and I did genuinely have fun reading this, but I can’t say I would reread it, and I can’t say it was good.
Content Warnings
Minor: Eating disorder and Fatphobia