Reviewing Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras
I’m really winning lately with the romcoms I’ve been reading this month. Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras takes place in Key West, Florida; a place I’ve had the pleasure of visiting and had an amazing time there.
Sarah Vance is a social media influencer who is visiting Key West for a family vacation and gets stood up by her boyfriend. Her family has constantly made her feel like she is the black sheep through their successes and the last thing she wants to do is disappoint her parents again. While she is panicking about how she will break the news to her family, she is approached by local firefighter paramedic, Luis Navarro. Sarah comes up with an outlandish plan for Luis to pretend to be her boyfriend so that her family would be none the wiser and surprisingly, he agrees.
I loved the way the Cuban culture was included in the story with the music, dancing and food. Luis’ family was a big, loving family with complex issues just like many real families go through and it was really good to read how Luis came to terms with his inner demons, resolve his issues with his family and finally open up to Sarah.
The attraction between Sarah and Luis was unmistakable and while this would be considered an instalove, it was well crafted so that I wasn’t bothered by it as I normally would.
To me, this was the steamiest closed door book I have ever read and I didn’t feel like I missed out on anything with it being closed door. The amount of build up was muy calente and there is a scene on top of a washing machine that was very very memorable. I’ll never look at a washing machine the same ever again!
I listened to the audiobook of this story and while the narrator was okay, it was a bit hard for me to get into for a moment, which wasn’t because of the actual story. However, I was soon hooked because the book is good. This was such a great book to listen to especially during these cold days to remind me of warmer months, the beauty of Key West and to enjoy the swoonfest called, Luis.
Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Book Description
Sought-after social media influencer Sara Vance, in recovery from an eating disorder, is coming into her own, with a potential career expansion on the horizon. Despite the good news, her successful siblings (and their perfect spouses) have a way of making her feel like the odd one out. So, when her unreliable boyfriend is a no-show for a Florida family vacation, Sara recruits Luis Navarro—a firefighter paramedic and dive captain willing to play the part of her smitten fiancé . . .
Luis’s big Cuban familia has been in Key West for generations, and his quiet strength feeds off the island’s laidback style. Though guarded after a deep betrayal, he’ll always help someone in need—especially a spunky beauty with a surprising knowledge of Spanish curse words. Soon, he and Sara have memorized their “how we met” story and are immersed in family dinners, bike tours, private snorkeling trips . . . sharing secrets, and slow, melting kisses. But when it’s time for Sara to return home, will their island romance last or fade with the stunning sunset?