annahamburger's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Cursing, Grief, and Sexual content
Moderate: Dementia, Violence, Abandonment, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness
Minor: Ableism, Bullying, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Blood, and Trafficking
natafiguu's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
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
3.75
this was a much better read than TSLD. i liked how there was significantly less comment on the sheer size of the ML (iykyk), i liked a lot how there was more time with the characters alone together, how you could feel the connection between the characters, and how they had inside jokes. I didn't so much like the grand gestures and hallmark movie esque confessions. maybe that's just my personal preference
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
beesin03's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
enjoyed every second! it was so sweet and my standards have been raise! i wish we got more from the epilogue though. i really enjoyed the switching POVs and i thought it was interesting to hear what was going on in each character's head! will probably reread when i need a sweet pick me up full of soft affection.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Dementia
Minor: Violence, Alcohol, and Panic attacks/disorders
__romancereader__'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I loved this book so much I didn’t really know what to expect from it but i really truly enjoyed this read i was getting a tiny a bit annoyed at close to the ending when every time Lucas and Rosie were about to have sex and interruption happened i was so happy when it finally did I didn’t know i enjoyed friends to lovers so much i honestly thought i hated that trope until i read this book and realized i love it and this book honestly didn’t give me any anxiety i was getting more nervous then anxiety i wouldn’t say this book is super spicy it did have spice in it but not allot and miss Elena Armas is the queen of slow burn so just keep in mind that you will be waiting for them to have sex for along time honestly it was a shock to me cause it was really long but this author masters the slow burn not only do you wait but you get teases and so much built up anticipation so when it does finally happen it’s like the best thing ever and the wait was worth it normally i read dark romance so the main male characters are very dark sexual and toxic so Lucas was a little different then what i normally read he was very sweet and treated Rosie so good like a man truly should but lord did that gentle kind man switch turn off during sex with Rosie i really enjoyed this book more then i honestly realize and now that I’m really realizing other then the sex scenes this book was really sweet it was very soft sweet and gentle in my thoughts if the sexual thoughts and content had not been in this book it would be the most sweetest book ever it would truly be a cozy soft read and i also loved how we got to see Aaron and Catalina in this one😁😍overall i rated this book 5 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, and Alcohol
lizzye33's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing and Medical trauma
Minor: Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Chronic illness, Stalking, Violence, and Alcohol
tabbed_reads2much's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
The very definition of a slow burn; and so, so good.
Content Warnings
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Alcohol
mhairi_reads's review against another edition
lighthearted
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
3.5
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Tropes: Forced proximity, fake dating, slow burn.
POV: First person dual POV - Rosie & Lucas
Ending: HEA
This can be read without having read The Spanish Love Deception first. However this wasn’t as good as the Spanish Love Deception 😞. Lucas Martin is no Aaron Blackford and that’s all I have to say on that 😛.
We follow Lucas Martin, Lina’s pro-surfer cousin and Rosie Graham, Lina’s best friend. Their paths cross when they both find themselves in Lina’s empty apartment whilst she is on her honeymoon. They agree to live together as roommates while Lucas is on holiday from Spain and Rosie’s apartment ceiling gets repaired. Rosie has quit her job with InTech to become a full time romance writer but she has an upcoming deadline, whereby she needs to submit a draft of her second book and to top it off she has the worst case of writer’s block.
After confiding in Lucas they hatch a plan to go on four experimental dates where Lucas will show Rosie what dating can really be and the one rule … they won’t fall in love with each other. But I mean these dates!!! OMG Mr Martin has set the bar high for every other man who dares to date a romance reader. These dates were absolutely beautiful to read about and I really loved seeing the effort Lucas put in for Rosie. It was heartwarming!
Unfortunately I don’t have too much to say on this one because it wasn’t my favourite. Rosie wasn’t my favourite FMC of all time. I really couldn’t connect with her the way I did with Lina sometimes I just felt the writing was slightly off. I didn’t fully become invested until much closer to the end hence the three and a half stars.
⚠️ Content Warnings: Parent abandonment, PTSD and panic attack depiction, traumatic event, sexual content, gaslighting (very brief scene), Alzheimer's.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Tropes: Forced proximity, fake dating, slow burn.
POV: First person dual POV - Rosie & Lucas
Ending: HEA
This can be read without having read The Spanish Love Deception first. However this wasn’t as good as the Spanish Love Deception 😞. Lucas Martin is no Aaron Blackford and that’s all I have to say on that 😛.
We follow Lucas Martin, Lina’s pro-surfer cousin and Rosie Graham, Lina’s best friend. Their paths cross when they both find themselves in Lina’s empty apartment whilst she is on her honeymoon. They agree to live together as roommates while Lucas is on holiday from Spain and Rosie’s apartment ceiling gets repaired. Rosie has quit her job with InTech to become a full time romance writer but she has an upcoming deadline, whereby she needs to submit a draft of her second book and to top it off she has the worst case of writer’s block.
After confiding in Lucas they hatch a plan to go on four experimental dates where Lucas will show Rosie what dating can really be and the one rule … they won’t fall in love with each other. But I mean these dates!!! OMG Mr Martin has set the bar high for every other man who dares to date a romance reader. These dates were absolutely beautiful to read about and I really loved seeing the effort Lucas put in for Rosie. It was heartwarming!
Unfortunately I don’t have too much to say on this one because it wasn’t my favourite. Rosie wasn’t my favourite FMC of all time. I really couldn’t connect with her the way I did with Lina sometimes I just felt the writing was slightly off. I didn’t fully become invested until much closer to the end hence the three and a half stars.
⚠️ Content Warnings: Parent abandonment, PTSD and panic attack depiction, traumatic event, sexual content, gaslighting (very brief scene), Alzheimer's.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Dementia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
Minor: Abandonment and Alcohol
cady_sass's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
1. Main character named Lucas
2. Other main character had her first kiss with Jake Jagielski
3. First date at a record store
4. “Pick me” speech in the rain
This definitely isn’t one tree hill fan fiction but there are way too many odd similarities. I mean, Jake Jagielski???? Lmao
(this was 100% a hate read)
2. Other main character had her first kiss with Jake Jagielski
3. First date at a record store
4. “Pick me” speech in the rain
This definitely isn’t one tree hill fan fiction but there are way too many odd similarities. I mean, Jake Jagielski???? Lmao
(this was 100% a hate read)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Cursing, Violence, and Alcohol
kam_be's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Toxic relationship and Alcohol
laheath's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
4.0
I think I liked this one better than the first book! They both had some predictable elements but it was still fun to see how things played out. I felt that a disproportionate amount of time was spent on the side stories of Rosie's brother and father compared to what they contributed to the plot and/or motivation of the main characters. Another minor character appeared for a more reasonable amount of time and I felt had a bigger impact on the plot resolution as well as giving insight to the male lead's personality. This had more depth, tackling some serious issues among the characters, though it could have gone deeper.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol and Dementia