I finally took the plunge, and this absolutely lives up to the hype - I ADORED it! This one's for those readers who have the patience to follow little breadcrumbs scattered throughout the story, tiny moments of romance that slowly (SLOWLY) build into something truly beautiful. I loved that build in intimacy, the steps that this couple takes along the way. If you look at the contrasts between their relationship at the start of the book and where they end up by the final page, the emotional payoff is definitely there. It just felt so incredibly romantic, and my heart was bursting at the seams. We only get the heroine's perspective, but I really felt like I knew (and loved) our hero by the end - he's such an interesting character, and he certainly had me swooning once he got his head out of his... you know.
The story follows Vanessa, a woman who can't wait to quit her job. It's not that she hates her boss, but she's ready to dive into a career that she actually loves, and his moodiness has only gotten worse in the months since he suffered an injury. Aiden's whole life is centered around his sports career, and Vanessa once admired his commitment. But now Vanessa sees how self-centered and selfish Aiden is, and that means she doesn't feel bad about leaving. Surely he won't even miss her. But that's not quite how things go, and it's not long before Vanessa is seeing her former boss in an entirely new light. As Aiden and Vanessa's relationship evolves throughout the course of the following months, they grow closer than either would've anticipated.
I don't want to give away all of the great developments in this slow-burning romance if you've still got it on your TBR, just know that I LOVED how the story progressed. It's got a few twists and turns that surprised me, and I'm so glad that I was able to avoid most spoilers. Aiden ended up being SUCH a great character, and the story was more fulfilling because of his evolution throughout. Vanessa evolves too, and I so appreciated that she finds her confidence along the way. There are some fantastic moments between them, and I'm grateful that their relationship was front and center throughout the entire story. Yes, sometimes the slow burn was painfully, torturously slow, but the romance is central to nearly every interaction. It's all important. I can certainly see the influence of this story on many of the books I've loved in the years since it came out, so I'm really happy that I finally made the time to read this. I'm going to have to read more vintage Zapata now too, lol. If you're a reader who loves quiet moments between characters, trying to puzzle out the hero's inner thoughts/feelings, and watching a couple slowly make their way towards each other, then this is a powerhouse of a read.
Audio note: Eh, the audio was fine. Audiobooks have come a long way since this was released, and it shows. The story is also told exclusively from Vanessa's point of view, so we only get a single narrator. Callie Dalton is not one of my favorite narrators, but I've gotten used to her voice over time, so I didn't have any trouble listening to her. Her voice is soft and somewhat relaxing, which is good for a book as long as this one. I wanted to soak up every moment of Aiden and Vanessa's interactions, so I did not speed up the pace at all and I ended up switching to the text version whenever I really wanted to absorb something. That's just how I read. So it took a full two days for me to read this, but it was well worth the time I spent with these characters. The overall vibe and slow-burning romance worked perfectly for an office setting, especially the first day. There is a little bit of steam, but it takes hundreds of pages to get there, lol. Yeah, not kidding. So the audiobook helped make the reading experience a little less cumbersome, and I was able to seamlessly transition to the ebook once I was fully immersed in the story.
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Popular Highlights in this book
“I’m starting to understand that you can always make time for the things that matter.”Highlighted by 9,885 Kindle readers- “Home is where you are. I would go anywhere for you if you wanted me to be there.”Highlighted by 8,945 Kindle readers
- “Touch my wife again, and I’ll break every bone in your goddamn body.”Highlighted by 4,921 Kindle readers
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Perfection 🫶
5.0⭐️ there is something truly special about Mariana Zapata and her writing. This is the second book of hers that I’ve had the pleasure of reading and the second five-star review I’ve given. Her books are lengthy, compared to a typical romance novel, which I love. And throughout the well-crafted storyline, you always get a ton of character depth, nuance and slow burn.The Wall of Winnipeg and Me was no exception, with this unexpected love story between Aiden, the aforementioned “Wall,” a professional football player, and Vanessa, his long-suffering assistant.I loved that Vanessa did not let Aiden’s general grumpiness or aloofness get her down during the two years she worked for him. I loved that she secretly flipped him off all the time, which made me laugh repeatedly. I love that she kept trying with him and always made sure he was taken care of, no matter how he seemed apathetic to everything she did for him. I also loved that Aiden wasn’t mean or cruel to her, he just didn’t engage. It made it more believable that she would be ultimately willing to help him out when he truly needed herAnd that was when the story really picked up for me, when they jetted off to Vegas to get married, so Aiden could get his green card. The friendship that began to develop between them over time was hard fought and painful at times, was really amazing to read about. Watching him get to know her as well as she knew him was so heartwarming, and certainly, having them both begin to understand the trauma they both had endured as young people was heartbreaking and galvanizing for both of them and us as readers.I wanted to throw up middle fingers myself at Vanessa‘s family, especially her sister Susie, as well as toward Trevor, Aiden‘s agent. But otherwise, all the secondary characters in these book were brought to life on the page, especially Zac as their roommate and friend. I loved his relationship with Vanessa especially.Mariana knows how to craft a love story that takes you on a journey. And while I love a book full of spice, I truly appreciate her signature “slow burn” style, offering up just a small, tantalizing bit of spice at the end of a complex story — in this case, one that transformed from an employer and his employee, to becoming business partners to becoming friends to becoming so much more. And the final chapters (the marathon!), epilogue (Sammy & Gray!) and bonus content (Fiona!) were just perfection. 🩷I can’t say enough good things about this book, and I definitely plan to dive into more of her titles!I will not soon forget about the Wall of Winnipeg and Me — and I have no doubt I will reread it more than once to revisit these amazing characters. 🫶
Top reviews from other countries
Louise O'Connor
The Wall of Winnipeg and Me
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 11, 2024