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aksmith92's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
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
I will not lie: I read this book with VERY low expectations. I signed up for a subscription service to buy a special edition fantasy trilogy from The Bookish Box. Through that subscription, I received The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas while waiting for the trilogy. I had heard some not-so-glamorous things about this book, and as someone who struggles with rom-com novels, I truly believed that I would DNF this. However, the special edition was pretty, and I thought, "I might as well," and dove in. Honestly, it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be!
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:
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 :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Cursing, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Cancer, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Death of parent, and Alcohol
cdkm9's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Cancer, Grief, and Death of parent
rtjasa's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- 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
Very enjoyable read, not obsessed with the ending (but expected due to the genre)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness
Moderate: Cursing and Toxic relationship
blackveilbeccy's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- 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
This was an enemies to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract, fake dating romance between two engineers. Lina is vivacious and a little flighty, Aaron is serious. He offers to play fake boyfriend to Lina and accompany her to her sister’s wedding, but it turns real along the way. Lina’s family are big and loud, and they add colour to the story. I wasn’t convinced about either the FMC or the MMC as Lina annoyed me a bit and Aaron was two dimensional. He was also super possessive and it came out of nowhere? The book was just okay.
Content Warnings
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
liabl_28's review against another edition
challenging
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
i have looooow standars, but even i can see when the guy doesn't have a personality.
also, google translator and footnotes exists so chill out explaining everything in both languages, as abisexual bilingual is annoying
EDIT: FUCK THIS BOOK. The more i think about it the less sense it makes, like... wHAT ? You would think they at least have chemistry, but they're just horny and eat fish tacos...
This send me into a reader's block so hard that i can't even explain, fuck you and fuck past me for overrating this book at the time
also, google translator and footnotes exists so chill out explaining everything in both languages, as a
EDIT: FUCK THIS BOOK. The more i think about it the less sense it makes, like... wHAT ? You would think they at least have chemistry, but they're just horny and eat fish tacos...
This send me into a reader's block so hard that i can't even explain, fuck you and fuck past me for overrating this book at the time
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation
Minor: Cancer, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, and Sexual harassment
fromjuliereads's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- 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
While I had quite a few issues with this book, it was ultimately fine and I did enjoy reading it to an extent. I'm confused by all of the hype praising this book though.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
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 spreadbeebowbabe's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- 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
3.75
Enjoyable read. I found the FMC to be a bit annoying, but adored the MMC. I loved the cultural components and the emotional depth between these two characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Bullying, Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Death of parent
alexxmichelle's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-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
4.0
Its a cute fun read, some cringy moments and pretty slow to start but its overall fun and enjoyable!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Eating disorder and Grief
stephmcoakley's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
cielosiluminado's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-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
3.0
this cheesy, frustratingly cute story would have been rated higher but it was too slow paced at times, even for my own liking. they didn't even kiss until like the last quarter of the book!!
i really wish i had a co-worker who looked like clark kent who is secretly in love with me and is willing to be my fake boyfriend to my sister's wedding back in the homeland because my ex is engaged and i don't want people pitying me if i show up alone. AND then said fake bf learns my native language on his own...??? truly wish that was me.
like i'm a picky bitch with very high standards. and to be honest, this book really made me realize that the bar is set so low for men because aaron blew everything out of the water and was too perfect. this book constantly had me swooning and kicking my feet and twirling my hair..
it was very obvious from the first sentence of the book that aaron is in love with catalina and of course, she has no idea of this. and i understand why she pushed him awayAAAAAAA because of course there's a third act breakup but i really wished she wasn't so harsh towards him 24/7. their "beef" was always one-sided, BUT! i get it because of her trauma. his one flaw was being too scared to even ask her out to begin with.
i really wish i had a co-worker who looked like clark kent who is secretly in love with me and is willing to be my fake boyfriend to my sister's wedding back in the homeland because my ex is engaged and i don't want people pitying me if i show up alone. AND then said fake bf learns my native language on his own...??? truly wish that was me.
like i'm a picky bitch with very high standards. and to be honest, this book really made me realize that the bar is set so low for men because aaron blew everything out of the water and was too perfect. this book constantly had me swooning and kicking my feet and twirling my hair..
it was very obvious from the first sentence of the book that aaron is in love with catalina and of course, she has no idea of this. and i understand why she pushed him away
“I’ll give you the world,” he said against my mouth. “The moon. The fucking stars. Anything you ask, it’s yours. I’m yours.”
so if you like typical slowburn books where there's strong emotional connections, hot sexual tension, bed sharing trope, and the male mc being hopelessly in love with the oblivious female mc who thinks he hates her, then i recommend this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexism, Xenophobia, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Toxic relationship