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aksmith92'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
3.5
The Setup: The Spanish Love Deception is a contemporary rom-com focusing solely on the slow-burn romance around Catalina "Lina" Martín and Aaron Blackford. Lina needs a date for her sister's wedding in Spain to avoid facing her ex-boyfriend alone, and to her surprise, Aaron, her aloof and seemingly indifferent coworker, offers to accompany her. Though Lina is skeptical, she agrees, and the two embark on a journey that takes them from the bustling office life of New York to the picturesque family celebrations in Spain.
As Lina and Aaron pretend to be a couple, SHOCKINGLY, their interactions gradually reveal hidden depths to their relationship, transforming their initial antagonism into a potential real thing. Aaron's support during the trip, combined with his own personal struggles, leads Lina to see him in a new light. Their shared moments, from a soccer match to wedding festivities, force them to confront their feelings and question whether their "fake" relationship might be something more real.
What I Liked: Listen, I liked the banter. I'm not usually into the aloof, brooding guys, but that seems to be the norm for any romance (contemporary, fantasy, etc.). Some authors can work it better than others, and I think Armas did it well here. Aaron was snippy and a tad grumpy but also charming and cute. Obviously, you rolled your eyes when Lina couldn't see through the grumpiness, but it was part of the story, and I knew it was coming. Overall, their witty banter and tension were a highlight for me. I felt invested in their potential relationship and themselves as characters, which sometimes is what falls flat for me with rom-coms. I was pleasantly surprised about wanting to read more about them to see where they went. I also liked the plot itself, even if it was far-fetched (of course, but it's a rom-com, I have let it go at times!). I thoroughly enjoyed the fake dating trope here (which is not something I usually say), and I most certainly loved the slow burn. Overall, this book delivered on its intention: a pretty good romance with a decent plot that wasn't completely butchered. I had a good time overall and was smirking in some parts - Armas could be funny, and I appreciated that humor peppered throughout.
What I Didn't Like: Here is a list, which will come as a surprise to literally no one:
- Mr. Blackford was SO HUGE AND TALL, and lil Lina is, in fact, tiny. Enough, Armas, we get it. The gawking was quite prevalent here, and I could only take so much. Additionally, Armas, we also get that Aaron had piercing blue eyes. Thanks.
- I almost thought I would DNF from page 6 simply because the first roughly 10 pages was Aaron talking about how he would go to Spain with Lina and Lina, saying, "Ha ha, good joke, I actually hate you." This long-winded book DID NOT need to be almost 500 pages. There was no need. Things could have been cut and dialogue compressed.
- There were some heavier topics here, like inappropriate and toxic relationships, that I think were glossed over and not taken as seriously. Lina's past relationship was no bueno, and while I believe Armas was getting at the toxicity of it all, the messaging was too lost in the new romance. I suppose I didn't see much growth, and if there was, it was only because of another person, not because Lina tried to grow and evolve with herself. I don't know if that makes much sense, but romances are known for using the other person as their savior, and I think that was noticeable here, and I couldn't say I loved it.
- The sexual tension was palatable, and I enjoyed it, but there were some words during the sexier times that were not my cup of tea. I'm picky with my spicy scenes, and I didn't mind the ones here at all, but some of the words used to describe it made me cringe a little.
- Putting in spoilers just in case:
I didn't mind the third-act breakup. I know that's wild because usually I hate them. However, I felt like this one was a little bit justified. We are talking about a profession and someone's career, something thrown out the door beforehand in Lina's past. That said, I think it was rushed at the end - both the breakup and getting back together. For a long book, I wish there was less fluff in the beginning and middle and more substance at the end when much of this went down. - Honestly, Aaron was a bit too perfect and clingy for me. I loved much of what he did in the earlier chapters, but by the end, it was borderline possessive, which I think many romance authors do. It didn't reach the point of cringy to me, but it started getting into that territory.
Overall, this book did what it set out to do for me: be a palate cleanser and a fluffy book that made me chuckle and gave me a decent romance that made me smile. I can't say it was favorite, but I expected a lot worse. It was a pleasant surprise to finish this book without skimming and be invested in the characters, even if I had some qualms. I loved the cute little Spanish nicknames :)
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Cursing, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Cancer, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Death of parent, and Alcohol
rtjasa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Terminal illness
Moderate: Cursing and Toxic relationship
stormeno's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Cursing, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
sirenricobooks'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
3.5
Graphic: Cursing, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content
colorcrystals'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, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Cursing and Alcohol
Minor: Cancer, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
blackveilbeccy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Medical content, and Pregnancy
moon_726'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content
edhyndman'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
3.0
Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content
fromjuliereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
The writing was... not great. Clunky sentences, things were worded strange for characters, and there were whole paragraphs and pages of "filler" that felt repetitive - all of the things going on in Lina's head that seemed to just loop. I admit to skimming a lot of those sections. Also the part in Spain was a shockingly small part of the book?
I did like Aaron's character. Sure he could be stand offish and cold, definitely didn't deal with things in the right way and said "baby" way too much - but I felt like his character had more depth in some ways than Lina.
Anyways. The banter was fun, I liked the fake dating aspect. This is NOT enemies to lovers though. It was a fine read.
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cancer, Cursing, Misogyny, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Minor: Toxic relationship and Pregnancy
Dieting/ starving and fainting - she stops eating and passes out; toxic ex; rumours being spreadth3misna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death of parent, and Alcohol