If someone would ever give me a pen and paper and ask me to write my ideal guy - after reading this book it's going to be SO EASY. I would simply write - Jonah Hema Collins. I don't even need a gift wrap, I'll take him as he is. I think actually I liked almost everything Lenny appreciated about him (once she re-got to know him.. she wasn't a big fan after his disappearance..). He's gentle, soft spoken and easy going. He knows how to express himself - his thoughts and emotions. He is PATIENT. So very patient. He knows he screwed up and he is willing to be there and SHOW Lenny he is here for her and he is sorry for his actions. He respects her and the people she cares about. He is caring and loving and it's obvious with his every move. He is shy which is the sweetest thing EVER but when he is close to someone and opens up it's easy to see he is funny, loyal and even quite romantic. He also has the most beautiful ability to observe and understand with no criticism what-so-ever. Yeah I wasn't a fan of him being jealous, but you know what? he handled it BEAUTIFULLY. He wasn't a bully. He knew how to stand up to what he wants. Also, did I mention he is TALL, GORGEOUS and EXTREMELY ripped? I am totally and absolutely in love with the guy. Lucky lucky Lenny for getting him (in the end).
I'm still contemplating HOW to write this review without spoilers.. There's a HUGE issue between our two MCs that changes quite a lot between them. The girl Jonah left behind is NOT the woman he sees now. She has changed, she has grown and her life is VERY different than it used to be. If Jonah wants to even TRY and fit in, he has a lot to learn about Lenny and her life. Yet though Lenny IS reluctant to make a place for Jonah she follows first her beliefs while trying to leave her (broken) heart behind. It doesn't work that well with how incredible Jonah is. He made mistakes and he is willing to do more than just apologize for them. I really appreciated how he owned up to his mistakes and was making a real effort to integrate himself into her life.
Elena DeMaio, or just Lenny for anyone who is even slightly close to her, has FINALLY got to the place she has wanted since she was a kid - to manage "Maio House" a fitness and MMA gym. Both her father and grandfather have been champions in their days and she herself competed for many years in Judo, only recently did she give it up due to past injuries. Growing up she has watched her grandpa Gus ran the place with help from Peter a MMA coach who quickly became a father figure to her. She was basically raised by these two alone and she has lacked nothing. She might call her grandpa a vampire (because CLEARLY he is hehe) but beneath their constant banter the love, affection and absolute loyalty is always there. She has never met neither of her parents or any other family member but she doesn't need anyone else, these two have been there for her and made her proud the woman she is today.
After a hurricane hit their original gym and it needed to be relocated Lenny took a bit of time "off" to work in France where she met Jonah. They had an AMAZING few months together but after Jonah got hurt (BADLY) on the field playing his game - Rugby - he simply disappeared. She tried her best to contact him in every way she could think of, but all she got were 4 mostly bare postcards. Yeah he was alive, but she got nothing more. For a year he was totally and absolutely off the grid then he reappeared on the field yet he was still absent from her life. Lenny was already resigned at that point to never see the guy again but just as she was SURE he has forgotten all about her he suddenly appears in her office wanting to "talk".
Jonah Hema Collins went through a difficult year (and a half). Then he returned playing but he never forgot the girl who got away. The only way out of this mess is FINALLY going to see her in her home town and explain himself. His excuses might not be the greatest but it's all he has to offer. He is willing to make the effort though. He is willing to simply wait, being close to Lenny, showing her he is not going away, so she would give him another chance. What he didn't expect was how much Lenny's life has changed since last he saw her. She is in a different place than she used to be, and realizing everything he has missed breaks his heart. He thought he hurt her by disappearing, but he didn't know she had her own issues and he should have been there by her side when she needed him. Well, he is here now. He will show her, he will fix this.
Since this is Mariana get ready for the most beautiful slow burn. I truly enjoyed seeing these two get closer together. Lenny needed to see Jonah was sorry and he is willing to put the effort to fit into her life before she could forgive him. She was doing her best to be accepting, to be patient and give him a chance, but inside it was more than difficult especially with her temper! hehe Her internal dialogue was a JOY to read. Especially everyone she planned on murdering. I have to say I wasn't sure how Mariana is going to resolve not just their issues but the fact they live in different continents as long as Jonah is still able to play. She could always leave with him, but what about her life, her job and mostly her family - Grandpa Gus and Peter as well as her best friend Luna (yep, our MC from "Luna and the Lie") and it's not like he can easily find somewhere CLOSE to play Rugby. Naturally there's always long distance but it won't be easy. I couldn't see the solution but Mariana got us there in the most heart felt way (yeah I cried..)
Though Lenny and Jonah's relationship buildup was simply wonderful, her interaction with Grandpa Gus who has raised her since she was born and Peter who came into her life when she was 3 years old was The best thing. I loved their interaction with one another. How playful and cunning Grandpa Gus was. How protective Peter was but also knew how to manage Grandpa Gus' worst behaviors though he himself was highly amused with him it's obvious he would rather watch than intervene. When a "blast from the past" appears, both Peter and mostly Grandpa Gus try to let Lenny make her own decisions but her loyalty could never be questioned. She handled herself beautifully. Another thing I had great respect for her. Even when she had to say her goodbye to someone she had known most of her life and turned to be quite the douche she was also so mature about it. She was never mean to him though he was horrible to her. She stood her ground, she said her piece and she was over it. I was SO proud of her with how she dealt with these things. In her heart, Lenny ALWAYS knew who was worth her trust.
The book ended with the most heart breakingly beautiful epilogue. I was holding and holding my breath then I just couldn't anymore and started crying. It was simply an EPIC closure to the story. Wherever I've been today, this book was with me the whole time. I couldn't stop thinking about the wonderful people I've met on this journey. I know I will take them with me in my heart and though I've loved ALL of Mariana's books THIS ONE surely takes the first place. I'm going to miss them all. Lenny and Jonah. Grandpa Gus and Peter and some I could but I won't mention (I'm trying to leave something more for your curiosity ;)).
This book was a ride. There was a certain issue I usually dislike in romance novels but in this one I didn't mind it at all. I can't write specifically what it is because I don't want to spoiler but I DO want to mention it because I think anyone who knows me might be surprised when they stumble upon it i this book. I don't know, when a book is great it's simply great. Even when it deals with issues I don't usually look for in books. I've mentioned as an example jealousy. I'm not a jealous person and I don't get people being jealous. Protective - HELL YEAH, but not JUST jealous. and though both Lenny and Jonah CAN be jealous, for me, they were more protective and caring for one another, and not wanting to lose each other than "hot headed" for no reason which I totally approved of. So you see, it's not about the "thing" itself it's how it's played.
HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. One of my absolute favorite reads!
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You know how some things happen for a reason? Well, I had another book in line actually, but I was in SUCH a foul mood I almost randomly decided I'm reading THIS one RIGHT NOW.
I have a good friend who has tried (many times...) to explain to me that I am reading FICTION. It's not real. The people (I mean characters) in the books are NOT REAL. They don't exist. I have no idea why I struggle with this issue but I do. I openly admit that I do. I fall in love with so many of them, but some I want to strangle with my bare hands.
THAT was the mood I was in. I was disappointed. In characters that are FICTIONAL. About decisions that didn't happen in REAL LIFE. Yet I was raving mad for a whole day. I wrote my thoughts and then re-read them more than a dozen times but it can't CHANGE anything. First because the book / characters / situations were already written and published (and why would anyone care what I think anyway..) and second and more importantly - it didn't happen! - It's NOT REAL.
I know, I know, it's such a struggle.
I was still pissed out of my mind yet it didn't take me long after starting this book to feel like someone (Mariana) has gifted me with THE best (thing) frost covered muffin. Mariana GETS me. This book was A GIFT FOR ME, for my anger, anguish and frustration. For my fear we are not truly making progress in the relationships between men and women, traditional roles, expectations etc.
Looking at what I'm reading the past few years - it's almost exclusively gay romance. So many people ask me WHY that is and while there are a lot of reasons, I guess the most significant one is my INABILITY to relate with heroines in (heterosexual) romance novels. I'm angered, disgusted, annoyed, frustrated, disbelieving of them. I don't LIKE them. I CANNOT identify with them. It's IMPOSSIBLE for me to CONNECT with them. Not because they are "different" from who I am, because their whole way of thinking and decision making is FOREIGN to me.
Is it ME? Is it THEM? Am I THAT different in my thoughts and beliefs? Reading this book was CLEAR to me the problem is NOT me. I more than ADORE Lenny. I respect the HELL out of her. You know what? I wouldn't mind BEING her. She was bad-ass! yet she was quite sensitive. Fierce and loving. She had me laughing out loud so many times but also made me shed a tear. She made me cringe, she made my heart swell. She was a hot headed mess while being level headed and rational. She was SO genuine to me I want to go have coffee with her (and Luna).
THIS IS WHAT I WANT. Thank you Mariana for this OUTSTANDING book.
Enough said. Buy it - Read it.
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Rating:
★★★★★ |
E-Book
Edition |
493
pages
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Read on:
23-24 August 2019
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