Synopsis

If someone were to ask Jasmine Santos to describe the last few years of her life with a single word, it would definitely be a four-letter one.After seventeen years—and countless broken bones and broken promises—she knows her window to compete in figure skating is coming to a close.

But when the offer of a lifetime comes in from an arrogant idiot she’s spent the last decade dreaming about pushing in the way of a moving bus, Jasmine might have to reconsider everything.

Including Ivan Lukov.

Review

5 stars!

“Figure skating had always made me feel invincible. But more than anything, back then, it had made me feel amazing. I hadn’t known it was possible to feel like you could fly. To be so strong. To be so beautiful. To be so good at something.”

It was a wonderful enemies to lovers read! Slow burn too as we are speaking of Mariana here!

My favorite parts in that story were:

-the banter! Ivan and Jasmine were mean to each other, trading insults but it was so funny! Energizing I would say!

-Jasmine’s family! They could earn the medal of “best family in books”. Seriously these siblings were a tight knit bunch but always bickering and poking the other … lovingly!

Jasmine’s mom was fearsome and caring; Jojo with his big head was adorably annoying, Ruby was all warm, maternal and caring ….

Here is how it goes in that family when someone learns something on their sibling and they begin messaging the others:

“Jojo: WHY WOULD YOU NOT TELL ME?

Jojo: HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?

Jojo: DID THE REST OF YOU KEEP THIS FROM ME?

Tali: What happened? What did she not tell you?

Tali: OH MY GOD JAMSINE! Did you get knocked up?

Tali: I swear, if you got knocked up, I’m going to beat the hell out of you! We talked about contraception when you hit puberty.

Sebastian: Jasmine is pregnant?

Rubes: Jasmine is not pregnant.

Rubes: What happened, Jojo?

Jojo: MOM DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS?”

And it goes on! I swear I laughed so hard with that family!

Mariana really did deliver this story! Evolving from cursing Ivan to becoming friends and more…it happened naturally and nearly without me realizing it!

She did an excellent job portraying Jasmine as a kind of hedgehog: all bite on the outside but gooey on the inside yet with a will of iron! The first pages I found her rude and was ready to despise Jasmine, like others viewed her then I realized that no, she was not rude. She only has been hurt for years and mocked for her learning disability. She’s had to work twice as hard and should be admired for her tenacity and not mocked!

I also adored the surprises Ivan or Vanya hid at home! So at odd with his “public” shell!

This book was maybe close to 500 pages but I gobbled it up so fast because it was compelling, fun, romantic and a real treat!

It reminded me why I loved Mariana’s books so much!

Have you read this book? Or any Mariana Zapata’s? Do you love slow burn romances?

Thanks for reading!

Sophie