Sosa handles alternating viewpoints with perfect aplomb as she once again deftly dishes up for lucky readers another irresistibly fun romance spiced with a zesty sense of humor and spiked with love scenes as hot as the ghost chilis that pepper the Brazilian cuisine featured in this tantalizing tale of love, family, and friendship.
Sosa imbues a soap operatic premise with weight and heart in this fantastically fun contemporary rom-com ... Sosa’s characterization of Lina is masterfully nuanced, depicting her experiences as a woman of color, her struggle to balance her parents’ expectations with her own happiness, and the double bind of being accused of being overly stoic when she controls her feelings and overly emotional when she expresses them. As Max and Lina work together, sweet, deeply apologetic Max wrestles with his attraction to his brother’s ex-fiancée while learning to understand Lina in a way that Andrew never did. Romance fans are sure to be swept away by Sosa’s empathetic characters as they make the most of a ridiculous situation.
The plot is classic 'enemies to lovers' and is executed perfectly. Sosa deftly moves Lina and Max through a series of complex plot machinations that feel organic rather than contrived. Lina is a sympathetic and poignant character ... a slow-burn romance done perfectly right ... A captivating love story about two people who bring out the best in each other both professionally and personally.
