Author: Karina Halle
File Type: e-book
Release Date: April 20th,2014
Publisher: Metal Blonde Books
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
synopsis:He’s thirty-eight. I’m twenty-three.
He speaks Spanish. I speak English.
He lives in Spain. I live in Canada.
He dresses in thousand-dollar suits. I’m covered in tattoos.
He’s married and has a five-year old daughter. I’m single and can’t commit to anyone or anything.
Until now.Because when they say you can’t choose who you fall in love with, boy ain’t that the f*#king truth.
***
To a restless dreamer like Vera Miles, it sounded like the experience of a lifetime. Instead of spending her summer interning for her astronomy major, she would fly to Spain where she’d spend a few weeks teaching conversational English to businessmen and women, all while enjoying free room and board at an isolated resort. But while Vera expected to get a tan, meet new people and stuff herself with wine and paella, she never expected to fall in love.
Mateo Casalles is unlike anyone Vera has ever known, let alone anyone she’s usually attracted to. While Vera is a pierced and tatted free spirit with a love for music and freedom, Mateo is a successful businessman from Madrid, all sharp suits and cocky Latino charm. Yet, as the weeks go on, the two grow increasingly close and their relationship changes from purely platonic to something…more.
Something that makes Vera feel alive for the first time.
Something that can never, ever be.
Or so she thinks.
I had once liked a dude who already had a girlfriend. It wasn't a very nice experience.
I have loved married men too. Sorry Jennifer, Ben is fabulous.
I've heard so much about Karina Halle and her magnficient books.
Her books have been known for their intensity. Intensity in the plot. Intensity in the romance. Intensity in the climax. INTENSITY. And you know what? I love intensity.
This book covers concepts of adultery and infidelity and after reading the synopsis I wasn't too sure if I should be starting my Karina-Halle-Book-Journey with this one. When it comes to concepts like the ones mentioned here, lots of things could go wrong. And maybe they did. Maybe things did go wrong. but you know what? I kind of ignored it.
Vera and Mateo's story is a passionate one albeit a tad risque.
There were times when I started questioning my principles and my character. Here was a twenty-three year old girl attracted to a thirty-eight year old married man with a five year old daughter, who by the way, not only feels the same way about the girl but also breaks the cardinal rule of 'not getting involved with someone other than his wife'. I know how this sounds. Even my roommate was looking at me weird when I was trying to explain to her why I liked the book as much as I did. It was very uncomfortable. For her. Considering it was four in the morning and I was swimming in an olympic-sized pool of catharsis and babbling about how much this book surprised me.
Not only was this book surprising but I also relished the fact that it felt new to me. How many times have I read about a protagonist who's been cheated upon by her boyfriend or girlfriend? A lot of times.
And now.
How many times have I read about a protagonist who's the one who actually cheats or rather, is involved in the act of adultery? Not many.
I know I know. It's wroooong.
But damn you,Karina! It felt so right.
I was so wrapped up in Vera's and Mateo's story and their passion that I forgot about my own moral police and just let it be. I liked how the story played out and I loved the pace of the book. The rhythm of the book came and went back like waves on the beach and it was so engrossing! Once I started, I knew that I had to finish the damn book.
After that last page, I actually gave myself some time to ponder over what I had just read and as always, I asked myself the one question which helps me get through my muddled thoughts:
Was I satisfied?
It's safe to say that I was satisfied in each and every way.
I don't know if you'd read this book. You'd probably not like it or maybe, you may just do. For whatever its worth, if there is one thing that this book and the author deserve, it is that standing ovation for the smoothness and that absolutely genius way of handling concepts like such. Maybe things don't work like that in the world, but for now, I'm happy to be living in this dream state of bliss and maybe if you gave it a try, you might too.
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