A review by kfmcf
The Spanish Love Deception, by Elena Armas
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book is ...tough. I want to like it more than I do. If I break it into 3 acts - Act 1 is unbearably slow, Act 2 is fantastic, and Act 3 feels tacked on and tropey.
Act 1 introduces us to the chatacers and boy is the first chapter CONFUSING. I had to reread the first few pages multiple times to even begin to understand what was going on. The characters are fine - Lina, the FL, is a huge annoyance for a lot of the book and took me out of the story a bit. The ML seems a little too good to be true in a lot of ways, but I still like him. Then it takes forever for them to get to the crux of the story - the trip. So much of Act 1 could have been cut.
Act 2 is a fun read. Seeing the actual "fake dating" in practice and whatnot. No real complaints there.
Act 3 is unnecessary imo. I think there could have been more interesting ways to have them return to their normal lives and there was too much happening and too many tropes and it just felt messy.
All in all, I will most likely read what Armas writes next. I have high hopes for her.
Act 1 introduces us to the chatacers and boy is the first chapter CONFUSING. I had to reread the first few pages multiple times to even begin to understand what was going on. The characters are fine - Lina, the FL, is a huge annoyance for a lot of the book and took me out of the story a bit. The ML seems a little too good to be true in a lot of ways, but I still like him. Then it takes forever for them to get to the crux of the story - the trip. So much of Act 1 could have been cut.
Act 2 is a fun read. Seeing the actual "fake dating" in practice and whatnot. No real complaints there.
Act 3 is unnecessary imo. I think there could have been more interesting ways to have them return to their normal lives and there was too much happening and too many tropes and it just felt messy.
All in all, I will most likely read what Armas writes next. I have high hopes for her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content
Minor: Cursing and Alcohol