Island Affair is basically the perfect beach/vacation read. It takes place on Key West, one of my favorite places in the United States, and really shows all the awesomeness the the island has to offer.
When renowned social media influencer arrives in Key West to celebrate her mom's remission from cancer, she wants everything to be perfect. But when her jerk of a (ex)boyfriend decides not to show, she recruits the help of hunky local firefighter Luis to be her stand-in boyfriend for the week. Maybe now her parents won't see her as such a disappointment and understand she truly is thriving. What starts out as fake dating turns into a vacation fling turns into something more...
I loved this book so much. I loved Sara, I loved Luis--I even loved Sara's family. They were truly shown as a realistic bunch, instead of a caricature, and you see them grow and learn. The discussions of Cuban and Key West culture, the food, and must-see spots around the island were a cherry on top of a beautiful romance. For those curious, I would say this is like a door-half-open romance, in that it's not so "clean" I'd read it with my mom, but it's not quite open door either. I think Oliveras did a pretty nice balance for those looking for an in-between!
The ending felt extremely sudden, but I'm hoping Anchored Hearts (book two) can shed some more light on where these characters ended up!
TW/CW: eating disorder
5 stars - 9/10
When renowned social media influencer arrives in Key West to celebrate her mom's remission from cancer, she wants everything to be perfect. But when her jerk of a (ex)boyfriend decides not to show, she recruits the help of hunky local firefighter Luis to be her stand-in boyfriend for the week. Maybe now her parents won't see her as such a disappointment and understand she truly is thriving. What starts out as fake dating turns into a vacation fling turns into something more...
I loved this book so much. I loved Sara, I loved Luis--I even loved Sara's family. They were truly shown as a realistic bunch, instead of a caricature, and you see them grow and learn. The discussions of Cuban and Key West culture, the food, and must-see spots around the island were a cherry on top of a beautiful romance. For those curious, I would say this is like a door-half-open romance, in that it's not so "clean" I'd read it with my mom, but it's not quite open door either. I think Oliveras did a pretty nice balance for those looking for an in-between!
The ending felt extremely sudden, but I'm hoping Anchored Hearts (book two) can shed some more light on where these characters ended up!
TW/CW: eating disorder
5 stars - 9/10