Priscilla Oliveras

"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 fiancâe ... 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 fake relationship fade like the stunning sunset . . . or blossom into something beautiful?"--Back cover.

Island Affair

This was so cute!!! Check TWs though (particularly a flashback to firefighter mmc responding to a car accident), none of the TW happen in the present. I loved the audiobook especially. 

Abigail

Nash

Priscilla Oliveras won my heart with this one. I will say that the fact that these two fell in love in a week is completely stupid, but when you ignore that part and appreciate the story, everything turns to pink colors again. It is so adorable picturing him as described, a Hispanic Vin Diesel lookalike with a big heart and a soft spot for helping people in need. This book touches on sensitive subjects such as eating disorders and how it is described how the female lead feels regarding her family and how they used to treat her, it’s a little heartbreaking. Everyone is dealing with their own issues and no one can be held accountable for how they used to project their feelings. I am looking forward to reading the next installment in this series.

Jennifer mitchell

I’m a sucker for a fake dating trope but this was just... not it. The characters lacked chemistry and it was too insta-love for my taste. I mean the whole story takes place over the course of a week and yet somehow the characters are saying I love you to each other by the end. I realize all romance books essentially follow the same formula (meet cute, chemistry build up, little bit of angst, HEA) but the beauty of a great book is that you don’t feel that formula while reading. Can’t say the same for this one. It was honestly painful to read and I don’t recommend it for fans of fake dating tropes.

Sheena

By chapter 4, I had already known this wasn't for me. I just wasn't interested in Sara or Luis fake fiancee storyline nor relationship, and just became bored by the content. "Island Affair" can definitely be a hit or miss for readers and this was surely a miss for me.

Anika | The.Bookish.Traveler 🌸

Island Affair captivated me from the very beginning with such a beautiful cover (I’ve literally not stopped staring at it since I got it lol). The relationship between Sara and Luis was sweet, passionate and at times a little rocky with Sara being a very popular and outgoing social media influencer and Luis being a laidback type of guy.⁣
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I liked that I could identify with both characters one way or another, especially with Luis and his Hispanic family! I loved seeing the character development that these two went through. This was a quick read for me since I really enjoyed Priscilla's writing style. It was flirty and witty at the same time, something that makes me love romcoms!⁣
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If you are thinking about picking this up you will not be disappointed! This island escape read is perfect at any time of the year!

Lauren Sullivan

Content warnings: (view spoiler)[eating disorder (discussion of triggers, past history, but no actual occurrences), parent with cancer (in remission), drunk driving (that leads to a death) (before the book began), religious content (both characters are Catholic and go to Mass, feel Catholic guilt over lying) (hide spoiler)]

I’m a pretty big fan of Priscilla Oliveras. Her books are like a warm hug to me, full of fundamentally good-but-flawed characters with loving families who may clash but always come back together stronger. So while I was sad that we had to say goodbye to the Fernandez sisters from her last series, I was looking forward to meeting the Navarro familia, and I was not disappointed!

“Familia was familia. Good, bad, or indifferent.”

I loved Sara. I loved how driven she was to succeed at her job, even if the roots of that drive were to prove herself to her family. She was an oops baby, and her siblings were much older than her, something that I can empathize strongly with. Since her parents worked long hours at their medical jobs, Sara was basically raised by her nanny, Mamá Alicia, and she speaks Spanish because of her. Sara grew up being envious of Mamá Alicia’s boisterous, loving Mexican family, so she’s not completely out of her depth with Luis’ similar Cuban family. She feels like she’s not fully a part of her own family, separated by age and profession (they’re doctors, she’s a social media influencer). And while on the surface the Navarros are a complete 180 from the Vances, there’s unresolved issues between Luis and his youngest brother that put a strain on their family as well. Luis’s solution to dealing with his problem is throwing himself into his work as a firefighter, or barring that, helping someone else out. So jumping in to help Sara by pretending to be her boyfriend is right in character for him. The instant chemistry between the two of them definitely helps, as well!

“Maybe she couldn’t allow herself to fall for him, but she could damn well do her best to make sure her firefighter in shining armor found a little bit of peace in his part of this beautiful paradise he called home.”

But despite their growing friendship, Sara and Luis are reluctant to share their secrets with each other. Sara doesn’t want to tell Luis about her eating disorder, even after he’s put in an uncomfortable position when it’s clear everyone else in the family is expecting him to know about it. Perhaps some of it is because she’s the baby of the family, but they treat her as someone who’s unable to take care of herself, and she’s afraid to tell Luis for fear that he’d treat her differently, constantly second guess whether she’s eating enough, try to shove food at her, question all her decisions. Luis, for his part, doesn’t want to talk about what caused the rift between him and his younger brother, and while he urges Sara to embrace the chance to repair her relationships with her family, he doesn’t want to take his own advice.

“It all seemed so cozy. A little surreal. An average family snapshot she’d always dreamed of. Her entire family together with her not feeling like an outsider, either too young or too different or too emotionally weak to be an equal.
Time had eroded the age gap once she’d reached adulthood. Regular therapy had helped with the other two.
But somehow, having Luis here with her, partnered with someone she respected and cared for like her parents and siblings were, gave her a sense of belonging she had always craved.”

Their relationship, though it starts out as fake, is very sweet and exactly what I expected from Ms. Oliveras. One of my favorite examples is how much Sara melts when she hears Luis earnestly telling his mom he loves her over the phone. His Vin Diesel exterior hides a soft gooey center, and nothing shows that more than his commitment to showing her family around his hometown, taking them dancing, or teaching them to play dominoes. They bring out the best in each other, and each gradually encourages the other to resolve the rifts in their families.

While I ended the book with the warm fuzzies, I wasn’t completely satisfied with the HEA. While the main driver behind the dark moment is addressed, (view spoiler)[and while there was some talk about Sara moving to Miami to work on her clothing line, I was left puzzled by how they were going to work it out. Would they trade commutes every weekend? Would Sara move to Key West and then commute to Miami? I would’ve appreciated an epilogue a few months down the line showing how things worked out (hide spoiler)]. I was also a little wary of the way the eating disorder was portrayed. I may just be overly sensitive, but there were a few times where I didn’t feel like Sara was making healthy eating choices (eating an appetizer instead of an entree for dinner, skipping breakfast).

Overall, though, this book was like a mini-vacation that filled up my heart. I will very much be looking forward to the next book in the series!

I received this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Goodreads, Bookish, & Glitter Guide Best Of & Most Anticipated Books of April Kirkus Reviews, Bookpage, Booktrib, & Smexy Books Most Anticipated Romances of 2020 Frolic Book of the Week “I finished Island Affair with a big smile on my face. I can’t decide what I adored more: Luis and Sara’s love story; their relationships with their complicated and difficult and loving families, or the setting of Key West, which sounded so beautiful I wanted to jump on a plane. I can't wait to read more by Priscilla Oliveras!” —New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory USA Today bestselling author Priscilla Oliveras launches a new romantic comedy series set in Key West, Florida and filled with humor, Latinx culture, and fun family dynamics perfect for summer beach reading… 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 fake relationship fade like the stunning sunset . . . or blossom into something beautiful? “A captivating love story.” —Farrah Rochon, USA Today bestselling author “Priscilla Oliveras writes about families and love with warmth and charm. If you love nuanced characters and big emotions, read her books.” —HelenKay Dimon, author of The Secret She Keeps “Don’t miss this lovely beginning to Priscilla Oliveras’s new series. Can’t wait to take my next trip!” —Jamie Beck, USA Today bestselling author

A Fun Summer Love Story

Kathleen Mullins

This book was cute and I liked the characters and their backgrounds. The whole timeline of the strangers to IN LOVE was a little quick for my (very high) tolerance to suspend disbelief.

Annie Beth

This is a cute, fluffy, beach rom-com. I wasn't head-over-heels for any of the characters but I enjoyed the story and the emotional authenticity. It's got some of my favorite tropes, too - fake dating and only one bed. Based on some of the build-up, I expected some spicy scenes but they were all fade-to-black. It is somewhat cheesy and has a dash of insta-love but it was still enjoyable! 

b.andherbooks

Sara Vance, a white social media influencer, finds out the man she's been dating is no longer coming to her family's vacation and needs a substitute fast. Thankfully stern and sexy firefighter Luis Navarro is on the scene at the Key West airport tarmac as she finds out, and she stumbles right into his broad chest.

Luis is also looking for a distraction as he's been forced in to a week long vacation after a bad car accident sets him back in to a dark place he thought he'd shoved behind him years after his girlfriend died in a similar incident. Why not pretend to be the doting boyfriend of the beautiful Sara and enjoy his hometown like the tourists do?

Well, for one thing Luis can't escape his huge family and community that all reside in Key West. Nor can he seem to escape the very real feelings he starts to have for Sara.

Turns out besides her lousy ex, Sara is also struggling. She's thankful her mother has recently been declared cancer free, but is still working on her mental health while managing her recovery from an eating disorder, all while trying to prove to her over achieving family of doctors that her career is a valid life choice.

And while Sara is forthcoming with Luis about her struggles and triumphs, drawing out the same willingness to share proves difficult with the taciturn firefighter who is far better at caring for others than himself.

A simmering, fake dating romance that shares a stage with messy family dynamics and personal struggles, this is a lovely offering from Oliveras. I'm looking forward to more stories about the Navarro family siblings.

For those interested in the heat level:
The one explicit scene fades to black after some hot second base action, the heat level between Luis and Sara is palpable throughout the story. 

CW eating disorder struggles, characters trying to manage the eating of Sara, Luis dealing with PTSD due to the death of his fiancee and his work and refusing professional help, discussion of cheating (not between main love interests), descriptions of medical trauma.

I received an ARC from the publisher and from BookishFirst for review. Thank you!

Krystal Pollock

This was a cute fake relationship romcom that was perfect for summer because of the setting being in Key West, FL. Definitely recommend picking this up

Sarah Williams

3.5/5 stars

I love fake dating romances. It’s always so much fun to see the MCs trying to navigate their fake relationship and juggling the lie with their family and friends while they’re also catching feelings for one another.
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ISLAND AFFAIR follows Sara and Luis as they pretend to date for Sara’s family vacation. Sara Vance has only just arrived in Florida for a week-long vacation with her family of over-achiever doctors when her flaky boyfriend informs her that he won’t be meeting her. Tired of always seeming like the black sheep that doesn’t have her act together, she asks Luis, the hunky firefighter paramedic she just met, if he would be willing to pose as her serious boyfriend for the week. Luis, having just been put on a week-long leave from work and feeling bad for the gorgeous and glamorous girl, agrees. ⁣
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ISLAND AFFAIR is so much fun. The fake dating trope always lends itself to adorable situations and a good story, but ISLAND AFFAIR takes it one step further. It’s not just a fun and flirty romance—Oliveras infuses the story with rich culture, heritage, and deeper issues.⁣
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Sara is in recovery for OSFED (Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder). This is actually what initially drew me to this book. As someone who, for over a decade, had an ED and has been in recovery for 4-5 years, I was curious to read a romance featuring a character in recovery as well. Obviously, all accounts and experiences are different, but Sara’s struggle with recovery as well as with her family’s scrutiny over her recovery is so well-written and relatable. I felt seen. ⁣

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This has not impacted or influenced my review or my opinions.

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Bibi Disco

Lacey

This one took me a while to get into. The writing is cute but cheesy and I loved the setting of Key West (wish I were there now) but the romance dragged too much in the middle for me! The hero is SO closed off, which would’ve been fine but he makes the heroine open up while he doesn’t. I wish I could’ve loved it more but am I am VERY excited that this will be a series! Hopefully Enrique is next 👀