Queen B’s Decree: It has been years since I last read a Mariana Zapata slow burn. Y-E-A-R-S. Her books are just so intimidating for me. All the waiting!
All Rhodes Lead Here hooked me from the start. Immediately Rhodes is the grump to the sunshine, Aurora. He’s her reluctant landlord, after his son rented out their garage apartment without permission, but his exterior begins to thaw after she helps his son in an emergency.
It wasn’t until 40% in that she stopped calling him Mr. Rhodes. It was the slowest of the slow, but the character development and the relationship progression was just on point. I loved how so much of this story wasn’t about the romance, it was about Aurora’s personal journey and the friendships she makes along the way. The side characters were all well-fleshed out, and they felt integral to the story.
Like every Mariana Zapata book, I loved it. But…maybe I’ve matured a little bit? Because I honestly couldn’t stand some of the humor. Literally potty jokes. Farts. Diarrhea. Urine. ALL THE TIME. That really took away from my enjoyment of All Rhodes Lead Here. So for the first time in history…I have rated a MZ book as 4 stars. But despite all that, I’m happy to have revisited this author.
Thank you to Avon Books for the review copy.
Book: All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata
Series: standalone
Genre: Contemporary
Hotness: mild salsa
Plot Devices/Tropes: slow burn, grumpy/sunshine