I finished The Spanish Love Deception so fast, it was such an amazing book! I couldn’t even put it down. This book made me the biggest hopeless romantic. It has the biggest “you wish that was you, huh?” energy.  The novel was written by Elena Armas and first published on February 21, 2021.

Do I wish I had a coworker who looks like Clark Kent and is secretly in love with me and is willing to be my fake boyfriend at my sister’s wedding in Spain because my ex is engaged and I don’t want my relatives to feel sorry for me?  Who would buy me five fish tacos even though I asked for four? Who smuggles doughnuts for me? Whose favorite movie is Up? and who is the definition of ride-or-die? I am a sucker for enemies to lovers books so I already knew I was going to love it, but I did not know I would to this extent.

Aaron and Catalina, two of my favorite characters this year, have outdone themselves in terms of their love for one another. Aaron makes the move after months of working next to each other but having mental concerns about each other when Catalina, nicknamed Lina, wants a date to take to her sister’s wedding. Lina’s ex-boyfriend will be present at the wedding because he is connected to Lina’s soon-to-be brother-in-law. It’s not because of Daniel, her ex, that she’s looking for a date for her sister’s wedding, but she does not want to travel alone. Something Elena nicely articulated for young ladies of our time.

Then there’s Aaron, sweeping his cape and paying tribute to Lina. She accepts Aaron’s arrangement and makes the best of it when she least expects it and also out of desperation. When their barriers come down, they both show a part of themselves that surprises both them and the reader. Lina has her doubts, though, because Aaron’s little physical and emotional gestures make her wonder if it’s genuine or simply a ruse to make their phony relationship appear genuine in front of her Spaniard family. Aaron, on the other hand, is determined to make her trust and believe him rather than dispose of him. And after a three-day vacation in Spain for her sister’s wedding, several dances, and a few glasses of wine, their physical desire manifests itself in that little room with the small bed they must share. Aaron, on the other hand, does not disappoint; “When I finally kiss you, there won’t be any doubt in your mind that it is real…” AAAHHHHH. The butterflies I felt in my stomach when I read that. There is little question that obstacles will appear along the road. Lina understands from her past relationship that dealing with Aaron and having a good connection with him is something that is questionable due to the sudden shift in his new job title at their joint job. But, once again, Aaron refuses to give up and fights to be with Lina. He wants nothing more than to be with her, to absorb her aura and the bliss that comes from merely being in her company. And Lina must learn to let him in, to allow him to show her how much he genuinely feels for her. Overall, this fantastic and brilliantly written work is absolutely one-of-a-kind, and it will make your tummy flutter.