Love, in Spanish

by Karina Halle

[littleread1]

Not being a super fan of the Contemporary Romance genre, I am continually surprised by how thoroughly I am entranced by Halle's stories. Love, In Spanish is a great continuation of Vera and Mateo's (*sigh* Mateo, hang on, we will get there) love story, and showing that happily ever after isn't always the case. There are trials after The End that they still have to struggle through. It proves, once again, that love on it's own doesn't conquer all. That it also takes determination, stubbornness, and forgiveness to make it work.

LIS is a treat, in that we finally have Mateo's point of view on things, we are in his head, and in his heart. I am convinced Halle is actually a man (even though I've met her) because any time she writes from a male POV it seems so real, and not watered down like it can be from other female authors. Mateo is a strong man, yet sensitive and emotional. He feels things at 100%, be they good or bad.

"As I sit back in my chair, the room seems to glow brighter, the fluorescent lights buzzing louder. Everything inside me seems to be caught in a stranglehold. It's like I don't breathe, I don't bleed, I don't have a heartbeat. I feel like my anger is so raw and terrible that's it's actually trying to kill me on the spot. I don't think I've ever been this livid, felt so fucking hopeless, in my whole entire life."

As much as I wanted things to be easy for Vera and Mateo at the end of Love, in English I knew there was no way they had an easy road ahead. With all their hurdles they had to overcome before they could even be together they should be no stranger to adversity, but being together has created it's own unique set of problems. As sure as I was that they were meant to be, THEY had to be sure. Their story is heartbreaking, uplifting, emotional, and passionate. And yes, this non-crier might have had something in her eye at some point during their journey. And it is a journey you will not regret taking with them for a second.