Politically heavy with a side of romance. I did enjoy the enemies to lovers and fake dating tropes, but it just felt like something was missing.

As Long As You Love Me by Marianna Leal was such an enjoyable fake dating and enemies-to-lovers story.
The characters were awesome and the story so sweet.
This was a fast, quirky read. It was entertaining and kept me interested.
The pacing of the story was perfect and I really felt the chemistry between the characters.
I really liked these characters and enjoyed their story.
Leal wrote an amazing contemporary romance.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Wattpad Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

They are rivals but end up fake dating, has lots of strong family dynamics, and mentions of the political unrest in Venezuela. It was very political heavy with a hint romance.

This one started off really strong for me but then fell off the tracks about halfway through.

The build up of the plot actually really worked for me as they developed toward the fake-dating, and eventually a fake proposal, but that's essentially where I felt it started to fall apart a bit. Catalina is closed off at the start of the story, but despite her friends and Gabriel attempting to show her to trust them, she continues to do things independently. Including selling the car that they helped buy for her (!!!) to help her get out of a jam in the first place.

That being said, I really did love Catalina's friends. They were tough on her at times but honest and kind, and I really valued the female friendships.

By the end of the novel I was actually just really disappointed with the lack of trust and growth from both Cata and Gabe. I know it's supposed to be a rom-com but the ruination of someone else's wedding was simply too selfish for me to see as cute and comical.

Also, I love an enemies to lovers but the term enemies here seemed pretty weak/one-sided.

Thank you to Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, Wattpad and NetGalley, for the advanced copy of As Long As You Love Me.

Oh my goodness! Enemies to lovers, be steal my heart! The boy she wants to hate is going to do everything he can to make her (and you, the reader) fall fast and hard. He succeeded with pulling me up his side!!

Catalina leaves her home country, Venezuela, to go to school in the US and to try to live a better life. While trying to win the only full-time position at her internship, Gabriel, her school and work rival, offers to throw his chance at the shop if she’ll agree to be his date to a wedding. When her visa is denied, Gabe offers up an entirely new proposal that will either save her or ruin everything. Oh, please! You know it’s going to all work out!!!

As Long As You Love Me by Marianna Leal is a perfect example of two of my favorite romance tropes: enemies to lovers and fake dating.

Catalina is the perfect immigrant. She is getting good grades and staying out of trouble to achieve her goal of working and staying in the US. Her primary competition is the campus heartthrob, Gabriel. When Gabe proposes Catalina pose as his girlfriend at his brother's wedding, she agrees, only if he steps back from the job. He agrees.

What follows is a whirlwind of events that leads to the inevitable: is the relationship really pretend anymore? And when an emergency crops up with Catalina's family in Venezuela, will their relationship last?

I truly enjoyed this book. Catalina was a great protagonist, and Gabe was an amazing love interest. I loved how Gabe was always there for Cata, even if she didn't want him to be. The characters in the book were well-developed, and their love story felt well-paced and realistic.

If you're a romance reader and you enjoy these tropes, you should definitely read it.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. As Long As You Love Me is story about a girl searching for the American dream! Catalina escapes her home country to go to college in the USA. From school/work rivals to fake dating for his brothers wedding festivities, Gabe and Catalina are drawn together. I enjoyed the story and characters however, my only complaint was having to stop and translate the things in Spanish or asking my husband what it means.

As I myself, left my hometown country because of revolutions and a failed justice system and a failed government as a whole, this book captured my attention from the start. I left Lebanon and came to Canada to work and continue my education. The circumstances are obviously different but I relate to Catalina on some level.

The book is fast paced, the chapter may seem a bit long but there’s so much chaos and not so much at the same time and i loved every second of it!

I love me a good enemies to lovers in a workplace environment! The tension was there from the start and the sparks were there too. I was living for it.

I didn’t like one thing though, that some of the conversation Catalina would have with her family were in Spanish or when Catalina and Gabe would snag at each other. Without an explanation or a hint of what they’re talking about (in most conversations) .. kinda made me feel left out of what I was reading. I had to copy and translate and that was kind of annoying!

Other than that I really liked this book. There were times I would reread a sentence a few times to actually imagine the scenario and I find myself giggling to myself. That’s when you know it’s gonna be a great book.

This is I think the first book I read by Marianna Leal and hopefully won’t be the last. I love her style in writing, the expressions she uses.. I really enjoyed this one. Thank you for giving me a chance 💜

Read this book if you like:
💃🏻 Spanish
❤️‍🩹 Fake Dating
📈 Workplace Setting
🧯 Enemies to Lovers

So, I have a confession to make. I only decided to read this story because I was a little bored, and a fake relationship story seemed like it would get me out of a writing funk.

I was very, very skeptical because of the background that I'd read on this story, but I was really hoping to be pleasantly surprised. Well, let's just say that this story certainly delivered!

Cata has overcome many obstacles in life and lives with the guilt and pain of losing her older brother. Gabe comes from a different world, he's successful and life seems to come easy to him. But, he also happens to be the one person that truly challenges Cata and brings out the best in her.

This story is 50/50 on fake relationship and enemies-to-lovers. The two tropes are interwoven so well that the plot progresses so naturally through the course of the story. The chemistry between Gabe and Cata is so well-written that you find yourself rooting from them from the very beginning!

My only critique is the fact that certain elements of the story were quite implausible, e.g. Gabe's Mom's dramatics. Her family gave waaaaay too much attention to her thoughts and opinions, especially when they were completely baseless.

4 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Wattpad Webtoon Book Group for the opportunity to read As Long As You Love Me in exchange for an honest review.
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I greatly enjoyed reading this book! The story took a familiar trope, fake dating, and went in a fresh direction. I was constantly getting surprised by the direction. Also the romance was beautiful! Talk about he falls hard! I was giggling and kicking my feet like a love sick girl reading this. So stinking adorable.
•
I, however, must warn you that this book has several lines and pieces of conversation in Spanish. Usually books will translate the sentence in one way or another, not this one. While I had internet connection it was fine, as I could translate it. When I was reading on an airplane, that was a different story. I unfortunately missed several pieces, and had to translate them after the fact. So be warned about that, but don’t let it deter you from reading this amazing book!

This book was quite a good time. I loved the story so much, and it was so good. It was entertaining while also maintaining the serious aspects of the plot. The plot to non-plot ratio was sooo good. I felt so enthralled by what was happening outside of the romance, and that's usually not the case.

Cata's journey through this book was so eye-opening. There's so much that you don't have to think about when you live a privileged life. Basic everyday things are affected. Simply needs are hard to meet. It was so wonderfully written. I loved her. She was a thinker, like me. She hated to rely on others and had to learn that sometimes help is okay. When people love you, help is more than a transaction.

The family dynamics were so real. The older generations are so set in their ways that they don't see how it's alienating the younger people in their families. They don't feel the disconnect. It's such a difficult thing.

As I said above, the plot to non-plot was a really good ratio. However, I did enjoy the little romance side plot we had going on here. I wouldn't be me if I didn't talk about that too. I loved how the title was incorporated. I think that it definitely surprised me when a book with a cute title and cover has such deep undertones and story arc. Gabe was funny and sweet. He cared about Cata so much and was always a steady support.

I loved the side characters here, too. They were fun and supportive and real. They had a plot! They weren't just there to be names! We love to see it! It's so fun when side characters are developed and well-rounded.

Overall, I would recommend this book so hardcore. 👌

As Long as You Love Me is a perfect college academic rivals to lovers and fake dating romance! Academic rivals romances are my JAM and I was so excited to see one set in college. Aside from the amazing banter and fierce competition that Catalina and Gabriel deliver in this novel, we also get a sweet fake dating romance as the two struggle to fight their growing feelings for one another. I loved their dynamic and how smart and ambitious Catalina was while Gabriel would often drop everything to support her whenever she needed it. I do wish we got to see a little more of their dynamic during their four years of college together instead of having the book pick up during their last semester of senior year, but all their scenes together were so sweet!

I also really just loved Catalina as a main character. I related to her so hard about being the eldest daughter in her family and always feeling the pressure to help her parents and support her family in general. The struggle of juggling that, especially as an immigrant student, while trying to do well in school and secure a job after graduation so she could get her visa sponsored was very accurately portrayed. Her character trait of not feeling particularly attached to romance, dating, and ultimately marriage because she was so preoccupied with supporting her family and focusing on school was all too real.

Speaking of family, I really loved the strong of theme of family in this book, which is a very big part of every first- and second-gen immigrant's lives. The subplot of this story following the political unrest in Venezuela, how it affected Catalina's family, and seeing how instances like these make so many folks seek asylum in other countries was heartbreaking. I think this story overall painted a very realistic picture of the reality of being an American immigrant in today's day and age. Nevertheless, I'm so happy Catalina and Gabriel still got a HEA after everything that was thrown at Catalina. Seeing Gabriel patiently wait for Catalina in the two months she went back home to Venezuela was so incredibly sweet and overall their story made me cry so many times! I can't wait to see what other stories Marianna Leal releases next. I'd rate this 4.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Cata, the FMC, is in college for engineering, trying to get a full-time position at the company she is currently interning for but has to compete against MMC Gabriel who she does not like. When Gabriel gets dumped right before his sibling's wedding, he asks Cata to be his plus one to annoy his mom and in return she says she wants the job.

I would say the romance in this book took a back seat and wasn't as well fleshed out as Cata's experience with her family and their life in Venezuela but I really enjoyed that aspect and felt like I learned a lot about what is going on there. Also, as a twin, I enjoyed that Cata had one also.

This was an enjoyable read and I definitely recommend it.

(2.75)

The fake dating romance As Long as You Love Me by Marianna Leal centers on Gabriel Cabrera and Catalina Diaz Solis.

Despite his initial dislike for Cat, Gabriel was always such a softie and showed a lot of interest in her. Cat was the same; she simply mistook her liking for disliking him, which lead to their amazing banter and tension. I also adored how much Gabriel cared for Cat, as though he would do anything to help her achieve her goals.

However, there were scenarios when I needed Gabriel's pov because certain details were ambiguous, particularly when it came to their romantic sentiments because it wasn't made clear whether they were still fake or not. I wasn't entirely clear on the purpose of them pretending to be dating because the whole situation with "pranking" their mother was so unclear and poorly articulated. Also, Cat kept dragging Gabriel along just to keep dumping him in the end, giving the impression that Gabriel was carrying the relationship the entire time. Gabriel was simply too good for Cat.

Overall, this book had amazing relatable characters at the beginning, but there was so much that was left unsaid that it became frustrating.

*Thank you to Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group and to the author, Marianna Leal, for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.*

Fake dating and marriage of convenience is my all time favourite trope, which made this a book I really wanted to read. The book is also about two rivals for the same job, which I always think is fun to read. I think the book was well written, and it was a very cute read with a sweet MMC, which is always great. In addition, the book contained a lot of important themes which I think was represented well. I really enjoyed this book.

— 3.5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

"Sometimes you just know that if you don’t make a bold leap, you can miss out on the best things in life. And I don’t want to miss out on a single second with you"

📖 | 320 pages
👤 | author Marianna Leal
🏢 | publisher Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group
📅 | release date 12 September 2023

What you can expect:

• Closed-door, new adult romance
• Fake dating/marriage
• Marriage of convenience
• Academic rivals/enemies-to-lovers
• Forced proximity

Trigger warnings: grief and loss, death of a family member, political unrest, immigration issues, troubled relationships with family members.

As Long as You Love Me is a first of mine from author Marianna Leal. This book follows the story of Cata, an immigrant from Venezuela as she is working on finishing her Engineering degree and in search of a permanent job to retain her rights to stay within the US. Cata has a full-time job potentially lined upon after graduation, however her long-time academic-nemesis is always vying for the job. Gabe is your typical male main character with his endless charm and good-looks, who is well-educated and the perfect rival for our female main character. With the pair battling for the same post-graduate job, how could they ever get along? This remains the case until Gabe approaches Cata with a deal. If Cata accompanies Gabe to his brother's wedding as his plus-one, then he will step aside and out of the running for the job that Cata so desperately needs. The plan is fool-proof. Cata gets the job, Gabe gets his family off of his back and then they can go about their lives without ever speaking again. And yet Cata is forced with the reality that there is more to Gabe than meets the eye, and the butterflies start to show.

I really liked Cata as a main character. She was definitely flawed in her assumptions of Gabe and his character, and I really appreciated their ability to communicate with maturity and respect. The relationship progression was enjoyable to read, and the banter and wit between the pair had me chuckling at times. Gabe is absolutely not what you would expect. He's a complete sweetheart with a compelling and caring nature, which led to me really enjoying him as a love interest.

As Long as You Love Me introduces some heavy topics that I believe the author wrote well and with care. Cata left her home-country of Venezuela after her brother was killed in a political protest, and since has had a rocky and tumultuous relationship with her family. I admit that I knew next to nothing about the conditions in Venezuela and I greatly appreciate this book bringing more attention to the political unrest that the Venezuelan people have had to endure. The difficult relations between Cata and her family felt well-explored and I liked that Gabe was readily available to provide her with any support that she needed. The writing felt well-paced for the most part, however took a quick turn at the end in moments that I felt could've had a bit more time to better delve into the story. Overall I enjoyed this book by Marianna Leal as I found it very easy to read and I found myself quickly engaged with the story. This book is a closed-door romance with only one makeout scene, so don't go expecting any spice or erotic scenes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, I want to say thank you for the ARC! Super grateful to receive so many ARCs sent to me 🤗 This story follows Catalina who is in the country on a student visa. She’s about to graduate and needs to lock in a work visa from her job! The only person standing in her way is Gabe. Gabe seems to have it all, seems to be successful without trying and is extremely good looking. When Gabe needs a plus one to his brother’s wedding, he strikes a deal with Cata so she’ll he his fake date. Of course as she spends more time with him, she discovers there’s more to him.
I want to say that this book was not my favorite. This book was a fake enemies to lovers, in the sense that while Gabe teases her, you can obviously tell that it was super lighthearted, but she takes everything he says so offensively. Most of the time, he’s just plain nice to her, and she responds rudely for over half of the book. Their relationship seemed to lack a lot of substance.
I do like reading about her experiences in Venezuela, and coming to the United States for a better life. I kind of wish this was more of a coming of age fiction verses a romance.
One thing I found kind of funny was the fact that there are full phrases in Spanish with no context clues as to what it means. Which as someone who understands Spanish is no big deal, but you’ll be stuck looking things up if you don’t speak it.
Overall, this kind of read like a Wattpad story, but not in a good way. I would skip this one 2.75 ⭐️s

I really liked the idea of this book and that it took place within a heavier context than is typical of romance, but I couldn’t get into the story. The characters never came to life for me. I’m hoping to go back at another time to see if this changes.

This was a sweet closed-door new adult/college-aged romance! This was my first time reading from this author, and I adored the care she put into the tough topics like grief, loss, political turmoil, international student status, and being a young woman in a STEM-related industry. I believe she started on Wattpad, and I would definitely read from her again!

I enjoyed Cata and Gabe's academic rivals, forced-proximity, fake-dating dynamic, and their banter especially was so much fun! I did think that it happened a bit fast, but I also believed them because I have experienced young love too.

I really felt for Cata when she either ruminated on or interacted with her family back home in Venezuela. Admittedly, I don't know much about the political climate in that country, so this book illuminated some of that for me, and it made me curious to do my own research to find out more.

This book was so cute! I love that Catalina is an engineering student and that the author didn’t shy away from mentioning the lack of women in engineering. Her tension with Gabe works really well for the story. Catalina has a lot of depth as a character, largely due to her family circumstances. However, everything is really well balanced in a way that she still feels 21/22 years old. When Gabe learns some truths about Catalina’s family, the way he treats her changed from teasing all the time to being so supportive of her. It seemed like a really turning point in their relationship that made the fake-dating change. Some parts were a little cheesy, but really enjoyable. There was a really authenticity to the book that I enjoyed and I can’t wait to read more from this author! 4.5⭐️, 1🌶