shaydelayed's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars!
Well, damn! Finally some solid competition for Reiner Kulti! A teensy bit annoyed by the age difference, but not enough to affect how much I enjoyed this story.
Well, damn! Finally some solid competition for Reiner Kulti! A teensy bit annoyed by the age difference, but not enough to affect how much I enjoyed this story.
bookish_noa's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
debbos's review against another edition
emotional
slow-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? No
4.0
plbui004's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not gonna lie--it is so hard to get through this book.
I love Mariana Zapata's super-slow-burn-romance, I read quite a few of hers and I love it...but this one just goes on and on and on to the point that I just skim past the 80% mark.
MCs barely talk to one another. Luna's character is too repetitive and she keeps saying the same thing over and over again which is quite annoying. Seems like the character never really develop and is just stuck in the naive self-pity party throughout the book. Ripley is just blahh. I usually like a broody hero but I feel like there's not really a character development for him. I need more depth from my broody men--or else they just jerks lol.
And what happened to the plot??? Nothing!! All that build-up about family and history but then nothing happen. It quite a let down :(
I love Mariana Zapata's super-slow-burn-romance, I read quite a few of hers and I love it...but this one just goes on and on and on to the point that I just skim past the 80% mark.
MCs barely talk to one another. Luna's character is too repetitive and she keeps saying the same thing over and over again which is quite annoying. Seems like the character never really develop and is just stuck in the naive self-pity party throughout the book. Ripley is just blahh. I usually like a broody hero but I feel like there's not really a character development for him. I need more depth from my broody men--or else they just jerks lol.
And what happened to the plot??? Nothing!! All that build-up about family and history but then nothing happen. It quite a let down :(
bookishturtle's review against another edition
3.0
This book didn’t hit as hard as Kulti, Wait for It and All Rhodes Lead Here. The slow burn was so slow that I feel like there was no tension. The characterization for both MCs felt a bit sloppy and all over the place, not as well developed as MZ’s other books. The writing was a bit too informal at times for my taste. Rip felt too immature to be 41? I feel like it was just there for a plot device. He acted like he was similar age to Luna. I do have to say though, I don't like 'baby' or 'girl' as nicknames/endearments but 'baby girl' really made me feel things
aburiruhime's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
I feel like Zapata was trying too hard to make Luna seem pitiful or just maje us feel bad about her childhood. I understand that Luna never received any love and was only mistreated by the people that were supposed to love and protect her. But everything regarding her family just felt too forced. I just was expecting more. There’s too many loose ends with the sisters as well. The story almost feels rushed.
I feel like Zapata was trying too hard to make Luna seem pitiful or just maje us feel bad about her childhood. I understand that Luna never received any love and was only mistreated by the people that were supposed to love and protect her. But everything regarding her family just felt too forced. I just was expecting more. There’s too many loose ends with the sisters as well. The story almost feels rushed.
bookishlynomes's review against another edition
4.0
I've been on a Mariana Zapata binge lately and just like her other books, I loved this one.
Luna and the Lie is about a heroine called Luna who had a very sad, awful upbringing which she took off from and has since spent several years looking after and caring for her younger half-sisters. Because of her background, she never finished her senior year (although did gain her GED later) and took off to a new city where she met a lovely older couple who took her under their wing and helped her build a successful career in car renovation. Later on, the new boss (aka the hero) joins and so the story begins.
As in typical MZ fashion, it was definitely a slow burn to the point where it took me a while to warm up to the hero because I just kept thinking "he's so mean?" and "why is he such a grouch?"...
But let's face it, grouchy heroes are usually the best! And Rip was no different.
Once I started seeing more of Rip's life and understanding his reasons for acting as he does, I began to like him more and pick up on his subtle actions. He may not have been the type of hero to wear his heart on his sleeve but he showed protectiveness and love for Luna in his own way and I really enjoyed that.
Outside of the central love story, there was also several other minor plotlines occurring that did manage to keep my interest but I also wish had been resolved a little more. I also enjoyed all of the employees (minus one particular trouble maker) at the mechanic garage. Each brought their own personalities and joy to the job and I loved seeing the way they all interacted as they worked. That's the type of workplace that I would love to be apart of.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one and found it to be exactly the type of good, slow burn romance I've come to know and love about Mariana Zapata's writing!
Luna and the Lie is about a heroine called Luna who had a very sad, awful upbringing which she took off from and has since spent several years looking after and caring for her younger half-sisters. Because of her background, she never finished her senior year (although did gain her GED later) and took off to a new city where she met a lovely older couple who took her under their wing and helped her build a successful career in car renovation. Later on, the new boss (aka the hero) joins and so the story begins.
As in typical MZ fashion, it was definitely a slow burn to the point where it took me a while to warm up to the hero because I just kept thinking "he's so mean?" and "why is he such a grouch?"...
But let's face it, grouchy heroes are usually the best! And Rip was no different.
Once I started seeing more of Rip's life and understanding his reasons for acting as he does, I began to like him more and pick up on his subtle actions. He may not have been the type of hero to wear his heart on his sleeve but he showed protectiveness and love for Luna in his own way and I really enjoyed that.
Outside of the central love story, there was also several other minor plotlines occurring that did manage to keep my interest but I also wish had been resolved a little more. I also enjoyed all of the employees (minus one particular trouble maker) at the mechanic garage. Each brought their own personalities and joy to the job and I loved seeing the way they all interacted as they worked. That's the type of workplace that I would love to be apart of.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one and found it to be exactly the type of good, slow burn romance I've come to know and love about Mariana Zapata's writing!
birbpal's review against another edition
4.0
Dragged out a tiny bit and maybe too slow burn for me. Luna was a really likable character, despite her blindness to the MMC, Ripley. Maybe it's because I relate to her a bit haha.
sophzv's review against another edition
4.0
*4.5
I liked this book a lot.
Typical MZ slow burn, but this one felt slower than most for some reason.
Not 5 stars purely because nothing tops The Wall of Winnipeg and Me.
But I enjoyed reading this and found myself craving to find out more.
Ngl Thea's drama wasn't as juicy as I'd hoped, but I suppose it needed to be minor drama in order for Luna to get her HEA.
I liked this book a lot.
Typical MZ slow burn, but this one felt slower than most for some reason.
Not 5 stars purely because nothing tops The Wall of Winnipeg and Me.
But I enjoyed reading this and found myself craving to find out more.
Ngl Thea's drama wasn't as juicy as I'd hoped, but I suppose it needed to be minor drama in order for Luna to get her HEA.
staysea's review against another edition
5.0
A beautifully written frustrating at times slow burn romance. Mariana Zapata is the queen of this style. This is going to be a book I reread multiple times