Book Review: Love, in Spanish (A Sequel to Love, in English) by Karina Halle

SYNOPSIS:

  

“She sat beside me on the bus – and she changed my whole life.”

Successful, wealthy and absurdly handsome – Spanish ex-football player Mateo Casalles seemed like he had it all. A high-society wife, an adorable little girl, and flashy apartments in Madrid and Barcelona only sweetened the deal. But there was more to Mateo than met the eye – a life of uncertainty and regret that colored his black and white world.

That was until Vera Miles came into his life like a shooting star. Tattooed, wild and young, Vera seemed like Mateo’s polar opposite at first. But you can’t choose who you fall in love with and the two lost souls did everything they could to be together, all while suffering the grave consequences.

Now with Mateo divorced and living in Madrid with Vera, there is a whole new set of challenges and setbacks facing the couple and rocking the foundation of their star-crossed relationship.

Unfortunately for them, the brighter the star, the faster they burn. 

MY REVIEW:

 

When I found out Love, in English (LiE) has a sequel, I thought, “Oh God, there’s more? What more can this story do to my heart?” And after I prepared my heart, I opened the first page and blindly but gladly surrendered myself to the whirlwind of Mateo’s life. 

First off, I am so happy that this isn't just Mateo retelling what happened on the first book. And my, the author made a wonderful sequel with Love, in Spanish (LiS). Yet again, I am appalled and amazed by the intensity of each feeling, a n exhilarating sense of reality taking over me with each scene. Each time I finish a chapter, I felt like it wasn’t just a chapter but an experience. Sometimes, I would have to stop and close my eyes to feel the overpowering emotion provided by the author’s careful and honest writing style. In each scene, the words were exact, perfect, and emotionally stirring. Like each feeling was your own. Like what Mateo was going through was your own. Like his pain was your own. It hit all emotions I am capable of feeling, leaving a gripping sensation within me at dawn when reading LiS made me forget that I was a human being who needed to sleep.

In LiE, Mateo had been a very interesting character and I thought being inside his mind would be a whirlwind of emotions. I love that this wasn't Mateo's version of the first story but I loved how he revisited it and provided his own perception. I’ve always wanted to know how he felt when he met Vera and I was very very satisfied with what he provided. I can’t remember how many “Mateo’s Quotable Quote” I was able to highlight throughout the book. It’s as if he knew exactly what he felt and the author knew exactly how to put those feelings into words. It was surprising how a sentence or two had hit me and triggered so many questions and realizations inside my mind. Sum those sentences into two books, my, I think my perception towards people, love, and the world just had a positive 360 degree turn.

I also loved how the author gave a highlight on what we consider stereotypes (like Bon telling Mateo that he was just having a midlife crisis) in men like Mateo. The author opened my eyes (again) to reasons that I never sought in this kind of relationship because of the stigma that falling in love with a married and older man was bad in all sides. The book opened my eyes to reasons I failed to consider before reading this book. It became my ticket to what the character was feeling and taught me how to understand those feelings.

I’m the kind of reader who seeks what happens after happily ever afters. This book provided me with it. It showed me a different kind of HEA. It made me realize that happily ever afters weren't always happy. That happily ever afters are not always about weddings and babies and stuffs like that. Happily ever after is getting into a lot of messes and fuck-ups in life and getting out of those together, stronger and tighter as ever.

Congratulations, Miss Karina Halle! Love, in Spanish and Love, in English are keepers!