A review by ashlightgrayson
The Wall of Winnipeg and Me, by Mariana Zapata
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was probably the slowest slow burn I have ever read, but I really appreciated it. There is only one sex scene in the entire book, so if you were looking for a steamier romance, this may not be the book for you. Vanessa has been Aiden's personal assistant for 2 years. She has been thinking about resigning to make a freelance design career her full-time job but has not finalized the decision. Being underappreciated by her employer finally pushes her to make the decision to quit. What she doesn't expect is for Aiden, her boss, to track her down and beg her to come back. Aiden comes off as a demanding jerk at the beginning. However, he quickly takes accountability for his actions and genuinely apologizes to Vanessa when she reveals why she left and is angry at him. Vanessa is very responsible and cautious about the decisions she makes. After Aiden apologizes and offers her a deal she can't resist, she sits on it for a few days before agreeing to an arranged marriage.
It was nice to just have the story focus on the building of a friendship rather than a romance for most of the book. Aiden and Vanessa are shown trying their best to communicate and meet each other's needs within a platonic context which made the relationship progression feel very organic. Aiden isn't good at relationship building at all, but you can definitely tell that he tries his best and listens to Vanessa. Vanessa also does the same and this builds a very strong foundation for the romance. Vanessa is reasonably oblivious to Aiden's feelings for a long time, but I also think Aiden contributes to this with his aloof demeanor. He isn't the most emotional or expressive person and Vanessa is very self-conscious about becoming a burden to him. Therefore, it takes them quite a while for Vanessa to realize when her feelings became romantic and Aiden to realize it was mutual.
There are a series of subplots that help bulk up the story and give some background to Aiden and Vanessa. They both have friends and family histories that are complex and help add depth and context to their personalities and circumstances. It also helps them find common ground in the trauma they have experienced and makes their emotional bonding stronger as they share their pasts with each other when they become friends and eventually romantic partners. The side characters also stand out with individuals with personalities. Zac was probably my favorite. I rarely see platonic relationships between men and women that are just nice friendships and Vanessa and Zac really hit the spot for me. I'm looking forward to reading more from Mariana Zapata soon, this was just the slow burn I needed.
It was nice to just have the story focus on the building of a friendship rather than a romance for most of the book. Aiden and Vanessa are shown trying their best to communicate and meet each other's needs within a platonic context which made the relationship progression feel very organic. Aiden isn't good at relationship building at all, but you can definitely tell that he tries his best and listens to Vanessa. Vanessa also does the same and this builds a very strong foundation for the romance. Vanessa is reasonably oblivious to Aiden's feelings for a long time, but I also think Aiden contributes to this with his aloof demeanor. He isn't the most emotional or expressive person and Vanessa is very self-conscious about becoming a burden to him. Therefore, it takes them quite a while for Vanessa to realize when her feelings became romantic and Aiden to realize it was mutual.
There are a series of subplots that help bulk up the story and give some background to Aiden and Vanessa. They both have friends and family histories that are complex and help add depth and context to their personalities and circumstances. It also helps them find common ground in the trauma they have experienced and makes their emotional bonding stronger as they share their pasts with each other when they become friends and eventually romantic partners. The side characters also stand out with individuals with personalities. Zac was probably my favorite. I rarely see platonic relationships between men and women that are just nice friendships and Vanessa and Zac really hit the spot for me. I'm looking forward to reading more from Mariana Zapata soon, this was just the slow burn I needed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Child abuse, Car accident, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Addiction, Domestic abuse, and Alcoholism