Originally published: February 21, 2021
Author: Elena Armas
Genres: Romance novel, Contemporary romance
Number of pages: 448
I have moments when I want to read something light—a beautiful and funny love story, especially after heavy books. These books help me relax and imagine myself as the main character, so I started looking for recommendations.
When I saw the cover of The Spanish Love Deception and learned that it won the Goodreads Choice Award for Debut Novel and the Goodreads Choice Award for Romance, I thought to myself, Let’s give this a chance.
Honestly, all these introductions were more promising than the book itself. Let me introduce you to the Spanish love deception summary (with no spoilers) and then share my honest review.
Synopsis
Catalina is a successful woman working at an American company. She seems to be hard-working, beautiful, and funny.
But when she receives an invitation to her sister’s wedding, she desperately needs a date because her ex will be there too. Even before that, she had already told her family about her American boyfriend, and now that little lie has spiraled out of control. Everyone—including her ex—is eager to meet him.
Aaron, her coworker, overhears Catalina’s conversation with her friend Rosie about finding a fake boyfriend and offers himself for the role. Aaron is a very handsome and hot New Yorker, but for some unknown reason, Catalina does not like him.
When she runs out of options, Catalina agrees to take Aaron to Spain with her. The more time they spend together, the more she realizes that Aaron is not as terrible as she once assumed.
Review of The Spanish Love Deception
The story of The Spanish Love Deception reminded me of Hollywood movies such as The Proposal or What Happens in Vegas. There are many similar stories and movies, so if I want to experience one, I’d rather watch a 1.5-hour movie than read a 450-page book.
The writing did not seem professional. The dialogue was repetitive, and you could literally guess what was going to happen next. At some points, I even skipped a few paragraphs.
Given the hype, I expected witty dialogue, a refreshing romance, and a unique storyline. What I got, however, was a mix of predictable tropes and some… questionable writing choices.
I don’t want to be too harsh—consider this review from someone who is very fond of classic literature. For me, the dialogue and plot felt a bit teenagerish. This was a typical haters-to-lovers story with spicy moments. The author described the hot scenes in great detail, probably hoping to keep readers engaged. Again, maybe an 18-year-old would appreciate this more, so I’d classify it as a book for high school students.
I personally give this book 4 out of 10, just because it reminded me of nostalgic romantic movies. If you’re a fan of slow-burn romance with lots of tension and don’t mind some repetitive dialogue, this book could be a fun escape. But if you prefer tightly written stories with strong character development, you might want to look elsewhere.
Books Similar to The Spanish Love Deception
If you are looking for similar books to The Spanish Love Deception to compare or recommend, here are some romance novels with similar themes:
1. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
2. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
3. You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle
4. The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas
5. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
6. Twisted Love by Ana Huang
