I wanted to say a sincere thank you Priscilla Oliveras, BookishFirst, and the Kensington Publishing Corp. for the free copy of Island Affair. It was just what I needed during this dreary time of year!
Sara Vance, a sought-after social media influencer in a bind, and Luis Navarro, a firefighter going through a tough time and harboring a massive chip on his shoulder, are as different as can be, but when Sara's flaky boyfriend ditches her in Key West during arguably her family's most important vacation ever, it's Luis to the rescue.
A lifetime of growing up under the shadow of her parents and much older brother and sister - all of whom are doctors - has left Sara a little gun-shy when it comes to people's expectations. Considered the black sheep of the family, Sara has chosen to pursue a career in social media and has fought valiantly against the eating disorder she developed in high school. Now her boyfriend's no-show threatens to ruin the vacation meant to force Sara's mom, who just recovered from cancer, into blissful relaxation. Enter Luis.
After seeing a distraught Sara at the airport, Luis accepts her crazy proposition to step in as her faux boyfriend for the week-long vacation. Luis has his own baggage, including an on-going feud with his youngest brother that began with a betrayal and the inability to move on from that fateful day when his fiance perished in a car accident. When his boss suggests (read: forces) Luis to take a week off to get his head on straight after a tough job, Luis assumes that his forced holiday will end in boredom. He never intended to play the knight in shining armor but that's just what he does. He agrees to pose as Sara's boyfriend for the duration of her stay, but juggling nosy parents, meddling siblings, and outright lies is easier said than done and Sara and Luis find themselves wondering if one week will really be enough for a lifetime.
This book was everything I hoped it would be and more! The story was as cute and sweet and funny as you'd expect a rom-com to be. The characters are dynamic and fleshed out, each with their own struggles and obstacles to overcome. Although they fight it for a good chunk of the book, their chemistry is undeniable and it's incredibly sweet how they interact with one another. I initially thought that this would be a slightly cliche story where the male lead comes to the female lead's rescue because she can't save herself and then just fixes everything. I was pleasantly surprised to find that wasn't really the case. True, Sara does desperately need Luis' help and, true, Luis forces her to step outside her comfort zone to build relationships with her family. But ultimately the relationship is far from one sided. Sara encourages Luis to mend bridges in his own family and overcome his past to make way for his future.
This was a fun and heartwarming read that I would highly recommended both for it's delightful characters and beautiful setting.
Sara Vance, a sought-after social media influencer in a bind, and Luis Navarro, a firefighter going through a tough time and harboring a massive chip on his shoulder, are as different as can be, but when Sara's flaky boyfriend ditches her in Key West during arguably her family's most important vacation ever, it's Luis to the rescue.
A lifetime of growing up under the shadow of her parents and much older brother and sister - all of whom are doctors - has left Sara a little gun-shy when it comes to people's expectations. Considered the black sheep of the family, Sara has chosen to pursue a career in social media and has fought valiantly against the eating disorder she developed in high school. Now her boyfriend's no-show threatens to ruin the vacation meant to force Sara's mom, who just recovered from cancer, into blissful relaxation. Enter Luis.
After seeing a distraught Sara at the airport, Luis accepts her crazy proposition to step in as her faux boyfriend for the week-long vacation. Luis has his own baggage, including an on-going feud with his youngest brother that began with a betrayal and the inability to move on from that fateful day when his fiance perished in a car accident. When his boss suggests (read: forces) Luis to take a week off to get his head on straight after a tough job, Luis assumes that his forced holiday will end in boredom. He never intended to play the knight in shining armor but that's just what he does. He agrees to pose as Sara's boyfriend for the duration of her stay, but juggling nosy parents, meddling siblings, and outright lies is easier said than done and Sara and Luis find themselves wondering if one week will really be enough for a lifetime.
This book was everything I hoped it would be and more! The story was as cute and sweet and funny as you'd expect a rom-com to be. The characters are dynamic and fleshed out, each with their own struggles and obstacles to overcome. Although they fight it for a good chunk of the book, their chemistry is undeniable and it's incredibly sweet how they interact with one another. I initially thought that this would be a slightly cliche story where the male lead comes to the female lead's rescue because she can't save herself and then just fixes everything. I was pleasantly surprised to find that wasn't really the case. True, Sara does desperately need Luis' help and, true, Luis forces her to step outside her comfort zone to build relationships with her family. But ultimately the relationship is far from one sided. Sara encourages Luis to mend bridges in his own family and overcome his past to make way for his future.
This was a fun and heartwarming read that I would highly recommended both for it's delightful characters and beautiful setting.