A review by livelyghost
The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

challenging emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Catalina Martín works with Aaron Bradford at an engineering consulting company, but after getting off on the wrong foot they’ve been quietly antagonizing each other for months. When Catalina wants a date for her sister’s wedding, Aaron volunteers himself. Catalina doesn’t necessarily trust him but ultimately agrees and an adventure begins. 

I question every single decision the characters in this book make. Catalina says she absolutely loathes this dude but decides to trust him with her reputation and international travel. We learn that Aaron has been obsessed with her and remembers seemingly everything she’s ever said in a way that gives me the ick. It’s cool that he’s being “polite” and asking for permission before trying anything but the overall impression I get is that if he didn’t get his way he’d end up as one of those guys whose favorite movies is The Joker and constantly laments about being “misunderstood.” Catalina doesn’t pick up on any of this and/or denies it’s happening which is like, girl, you’re a woman in the 21st century, a better radar for the people who are uncomfortably hot for you would be immensely helpful. 

This book hits so many tropes in such an unsatisfying way. The girl who doesn’t eat and faints so a man gives her a granola bar and then has to coach her into eating for 50 pages, the man who doesn’t know how to express his emotions and just never bothers to be outwardly nice in public to this girl so they can stop being turds to each other,  an ex who is a literal predator with no repercussions, miscommunications, entire sentences being exchanged through a glance, a plot that centers around a wedding that we see approximately 10 seconds of, one bed only, fake dating. It tries to giveth, but it mostly taketh away. I feel like Lina got oddly Stockholm syndromed into horniness. 

Also I have no idea what the author has against conjunctions but what 28 year old seriously only speaks with an apostrophe only twice in 400+ pages??

Also also I never want to hear a man say “milk me” ever again thank u. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings