'The Spanish Love Deception' by Elena Armas has made me feel as if everyone is playing a prank on me. I have seen it featured as a favorite in so many reader's lists and I don't get it. Because, for me, this book was painfully average.
Let's start with the plot. The few moments I actually enjoyed in this book happened when the MCs, finally, got to Spain. Therefore, it is extremely unfortunate that it took so long for the characters to actually get there and that, once they did, the pacing became super fast. Before the MCs got to Spain, the plot dragged on and on and, once they got there, a lot of the scenes were rushed or seemed to have no purpose at all.
The author also used almost every trope in existence & did so badly. Everything felt predictable and cheesy. I was almost impressed by how many she managed to cramp in. She did fake-dating, enemies to lover, grumpy/sunshine, it was all a misunderstanding, getting chocolate from the corner of her mouth, only one bed, forbidden love, work adversaries, and more. The worst use of a trope was the main one of this book: the "fake dating enemies". I am tired of reading books in which the fake-dating has no purpose at all. Why would you make them enemies that agree to fake date if they are going to be immediately and evidently infatuated with each other?
And, of course, there is the "insta-love". There's a line at the end of this book where the FMC says: "I don't know how it happened, but it did, I love you." I highlighted this line and made a note that said: "I don't know either." Because, honestly, I never saw the romance develope. The MCs went straight from hating each other to love in the blink of an eye. I am not a fan of "insta-love" so I was incredibly bored by the couple in this book. Making it even more boring was their lack of personality and blandness. There was nothing unique or interesting about these character. I couldn't connect with them at all. I also hated the "ponytail pulling" flirting of the MMC. I don't find it romantic, or swooning at all. Honestly, it is kind of a red flag and incredibly annoying. If I wanted to "meet" a man who flirts like that, I would just go outside and into the real world.
Another thing that annoyed me a lot was the FMCs insistent thoughts about her diet and weight at the beginning of this book. If it had been further explored as an internal conflict she had and the author highlighted why it was an unhealthy way of thinking, I would have accepted it. But it was just used as a tool to make her faint into the MMCs arms and never mentioned again.
Despite my rant, there were some redeeming things about this book. Even though I didn't like much of what was being written, it is a fast and easy read. Plus, I enjoyed what we saw about what women experience when working in a toxic sexist environment. I also enjoyed the FMCs ex-boyfriend a lot. He brought much needed drama into the book. And I was incredibly sad that we saw so little of him. I would have liked for the author to have explored more of the power dynamics involved in a professor dating their student, but what we did see was very interesting and relevant.
So I think it's safe to say that I do not recommend this book. If you are looking for a fast & easy to read romances that is still enjoyable despite their cheesiness, there are so many better options out there. However, based on my social media, everyone seems to have this book in their top romances ever, so maybe I got an alternate version and don't know what I am talking about 🤷🏻♀️
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