jeanettesreadingcorner's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
But the heat building on her inside…
Those flames were fanning to a blaze because of the mouth-wateringly gorgeous, if sometimes frustratingly hardheaded, hunk eyeing her from behind his darkened lenses. “The decision is yours," she challenged, imagining her hardwon self-confidence like a superhero's cloak, flapping in the breeze behind her. "Me? I'll be making like a saltwater fish cavorting in the surf. If you're lucky, you might catch me."
- Priscilla Oliveras, Island Affair ☀️🏝️
I absolutely love this book!
- tropical beach vibes setting of Florida Key
- A hot fake dating romance 🔥
- DUAL POV
- Luis, Cuban Male MC, a firefighter with a kind and generous heart ❤️
- Sara, female MC social media influencer who is funny and creative, and speaks Spanish ❤️
- Diverse and engaging characters with a lot of depth and personality
- I loved the elements of Cuban culture and Spanish phrases in the story
- I loved getting to know the main characters families.
- Perfect book to read on vacation and it’s exactly what I wanted
- I’m so excited to read the next book because this is my new favorite series. - One of first adult romance books that I’ve read and really enjoyed
Graphic: Alcohol, Medical content, Cancer, Eating disorder, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Death, and Toxic relationship
kbairbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Eating disorder
Moderate: Cancer, Sexual content, Death, Suicide, Car accident, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Blood and Drug use
nabecker13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Death and Eating disorder
morganperks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Eating disorder, Sexual content, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Cancer and Mental illness
Minor: Drug abuse, Blood, Car accident, Death, Infidelity, and Self harm
eicart_reads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Cancer and Eating disorder
Minor: Car accident, Death, and Infidelity
taliabasma's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Eating disorder
Moderate: Death and Cancer
sharon_reads's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Eating disorder and Cancer
Minor: Death and Toxic relationship
valeriabee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The cultural aspect was well-done with the music and the dancing and the overbearing family. The language doesnt fit though because...contrary to popular belief, there are grammar rules to Spanglish just like there are with AAVE and other dialects. You cant just say "familia" every time you mean to say family because it doesnt always make sense to use the Spanish.
Not gonna lie, I was excited to read about a sexy firefighter 🥵 but when the main character Sara was revealed as a blonde hair, blue-green eyed white girl... I was saddened a bit. Especially a white girl who grew up with a Hispanic nanny so now she feels connected to the culture.
My biases are showing. Which is why I bumped this book to a 4 from the 3.25 I would personally rate it. I know that what I don't like about it comes from weird prejudices and biases and gatekeepy tendencies within myself that dont accurately reflect the writing and the story.
I will say that I didnt really like the insta-love thing because... well it just doesnt make sense for things to happen that fast...but I wouldnt know.
Also the "there was only one bed" trope was right there and it didnt lead us anywhere. Instead the beach was the backdrop for the broken barriers of intimacy. ALSO, WHY WOULD YOU CUT IT OFF BEFORE THE GOOD STUFF. DONT INTERRUPT. THEYRE GOING MULTIPLE ROUNDS AND YOU CANT SHARE WITH THE AUDIENCE? READ THE ROOM, IM HORNY.
That is to say, they were getting all intimate and steamy and we were just getting to the good stuff and then FADE TO BLACK and I was unhappy. I did throw the book because thats unfair. It took 200 pages to get there and THEN WE DONT GET THERE.
Which brings me to my next two points: 1) they were falling for each other fast on the timeline but it took FOREVER in the narrative for them to do something about it and then 2) the climax and resolution were far too short. The narrative went into painful detail of the first 3 and a half days of the 7 day trip and then we skipped whole ass days to get to the literal final minutes of the trip. The pacing could be better, personally.
There was some awesome character growth, even from some of the secondary characters. I appreciated the way the eating disorder plot was handled. It was done with great delicacy and grace and focused on the recovery phase.
Unrelated, there was a scene where there is a bit of gore and death that was jarring cause it kind of comes out nowhere. It was startling the way they jump into the details of an unfortunate 911 call that Luis experienced without really easing into it. It threw me for a loop.
Given that the ending and resolution are quite rushed, I have to say that the character development for Luis happens too quickly and not quite to satisfaction. I'm realizing that some of Sara's questions for Luis and his necessary healing went unanswered, even to the very end with the HEA.
I did cry at one point so I definitely grew an attachment to the relationship. There was just something about their easy intimacy and vulnerability with each other. Also, we love a fake-dating trope. I loved watching their messy lies unravel in front of them, but also seeing how the lies started to blur into truths. Love that for us.
Graphic: Death, Eating disorder, Gore, Sexual content, and Car accident
Moderate: Eating disorder and Cancer
caribbeangirlreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
LOVED
• Location, location, location. I was totally transported to Key West.
• Summer vacation romance / fling? Sign me up!
• That cover is gorgeous.
• The Latinx representation!
• Luis and Sara are genuinely kind people.
• The strong role that both family and faith play in their lives.
ON THE FENCE – Although I am not a fan of the fake dating trope, it could have worked in this story because it was a summer vacation romance . . . IF the story had taken place over a longer period of time, not just seven days.
DISLIKED
• I totally buy into insta-lust in romance but this book was about insta- emotional trust and vulnerability. It was not earned over time, like it should in healthy relationships, and it made me uncomfortable.
• This was not a slow burn romance, yet it was a slow read.
• The story felt a bit too serious at times due to Luis and Sara’s individual issues. A little humor goes a long way, especially with the fake dating trope.
TW: cancer, car accident, eating disorder, death (Luis and his brothers are EMTs/firefighters, so this is a big part of their life / line of work)
Minor: Cancer, Car accident, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, and Sexual content
bethanyearle's review
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Eating disorder
Minor: Death