Reviews with content warning for Eating disorder - Island Affair

Reviews tagging 'Eating disorder'

Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras

25 reviews

britgirlreading's review

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funny lighthearted fast-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? Yes

3.75

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bookishmillennial's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews because I don’t like leaving them. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. Everyone’s reading experiences are subjective, so I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me on Instagram: @bookish.millennial or tiktok: @bookishmillennial

This was such a beautiful romcom! Key West was where the author spent her adolescence, and I just find so much enjoyment in reading about settings that are so clearly special to the author! Sara Vance, a social media influencer from New York City, arrives in Key West for a family vacation and is expecting her boyfriend Ric to arrive. However, he no-shows and she breaks it off with him for being unreliable, among other things. She bumps into Luis Navarro, local firefighter, and asks him if he’d be available to “step in” for Ric since this vacation is meant to be stress-free for her mother Ruth, who just entered remission after fighting cancer. Luis, whose nickname is “Saint Navarro,” has no problem helping Sara, but over the next week, these two start to fall hard for the other and it no longer feels fake. *chef’s kiss* to the execution of this trope, because I loved the tension!

I thought this would be a super light & fluffy beach read, & while it still technically fits the bill for that, Priscilla fleshed out these characters and their arcs so well! I was not expecting Sara’s ED journey, mentions of therapy, and her general ideas of her self worth to come up. The desire to simply be “seen” and loved for who you are, rather than being tended to as a project to be fixed, is SO REAL OMG! I really related to Sara’s inner thoughts as she attempted to use what she’s learned in therapy to stay present and focus on the positives, rather than spiraling and looking for subtext! My overthinking brain felt for her🥺

I also was not expecting the devastating reality of Luis’ loss and heartbreak over six years ago. I thought the representation of fraught family dynamics was incredible; the tension and sadness between Luis and his brother Enrique was palpable, and the way their other family members discussed the estrangement felt quite authentic too.

Overall, while the romance was so much fun and a beautiful story, I appreciated the family dynamics just as much! I thought both the Navarros and the Vances felt realistic and I loved every scene with them. I am so excited to get to know more of them in depth as I continue this series

Steam rating: 1.5/5 — lots of foreplay / hot & heavy make out sessions described but Priscilla closes the door/fades to black 🥲

cw: eating disorder, car accident, death of a loved one, estranged family members, infidelity, betrayal, mentions of cancer (in remission), death (the MMC is a firefighter & unfortunately sees so much loss in his job), injury detail, feelings of low self worth, self regard and self love

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jeanettesreadingcorner's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

5.0

“Fists on her hips, she squinted down at him, the noon sun hot on her skin.
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

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yahli702's review against another edition

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medium-paced

4.0

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kbairbooks's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing sad fast-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? Yes

4.25

Cute! This is such a fun, fresh, tropical beach read that was full of funny, heart warming, sexy, and heart pulling moments. I love the personal growth in the characters and the heart to hearts that were had. It was hard to read about the familial struggles but I liked how all of it was dealt with.

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