A review by allisonwonderlandreads
The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

emotional lighthearted relaxing slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I LOVE a long-winded romance because it can give you the slowest burn and the deepest feels. I have never been weak-in-the-knees about coffee shop banter before but OK. I have been ENTRAPPED. This romance serves up fake dating, workplace enemies-to-lovers, only one bed, sunshine & grump, and a cinnamon roll that's pretending he's not. There's even a charity bachelor auction to get your heart racing.

I'll admit for the first hundred pages I wasn't convinced. The back-and-forth about Catalina needing a date for her sister's wedding didn't draw me in right away. I retroactively understood the urgency once we reached Spain and saw the situation, learned her history. BUT all it took to completely rattle me and make me a believer was one fake date. The tension was sublime, and it unfurled through the rest of the story to great effect. Aka I was freaking out and very invested.

So there was some rough-around-the-edges pacing, but it didn't ultimately detract from my enjoyment. I will be delighted to pick up more books from this author and see what else she has to throw at me.
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