Vanessa is a graphic designer with around $200,000 in student loans from a posh art school. Aiden is a well-known football player who exudes wealth. The only issue he has is that, as a Canadian, he requires his green card in order to remain in the United States. A two-year marriage is sufficient to qualify for a visa, but it must persist for five years to maintain appearances and keep the couple out of jail. Aiden promises to purchase her a home and pay off her college loans at the same time they get married. This is a slow-burning romance, and they just started to feel a connection on page 400. It was that sluggish. As a result, Aiden's personality at first consisted mostly of grumpiness and infrequent facial emotions. Vanessa was mistreated by him, and he didn't know it until she left. They did have funny, endearing monikers for one another. 4.5 stars!

I appreciate receiving this book from Avon, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Vanessa is a graphic designer who went to a fancy art school and accumulated about $200,000 in debt. Aiden is a famous football player who is obviously rich. Only problem he has is that he needs his green card to stay in the States because he's from Canada. You can get a visa from a two-year marriage, but so they don't go to jail, and needs to last five years to keep up appearances. Aiden states that they'll be married and he'll buy her a house and pay off her student loans at the same time. This is a slow-burn romance and only really felt but they like each other at the page 400. That's how slow it was. So Aiden at the beginning didn't have much of a personality except through grumpiness and rare facial expressions. He treated Vanessa like crap and only realized it after she quit. They did have cute weird nicknames for each other. 4.5 stars!

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this book in favor of an honest review!

This sports romance was amazing! I loved every second of it! I will definitely be working on reading more from this author! I love the tropes and the dynamic all the characters had.

I saw so many great reviews of this book, so I was very excited to get into it. Honestly, I don't understand the hype. Vanessa was intersting and had motiviations and reasoning, but Aiden was a cardboard cutout of a person who could've been anyone cause I never got to know him. I stopped reading this book when Aiden offers to basically buy Vanessa as a wife. Maybe in another story that wouldn't have stopped me, but nothing about Aiden supposed motivations made any sense and he was such a jerk the whole time. I understand it was supposed to be a slow burn but it was glacial and not doing anything to keep me engaged in the meantime. If this had been a fake marriage with Vanessa nd Zac I relly could've gotten into that.

The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata is a standalone novel featuring a slow burn romance between a professional football player—Aiden and his former assistant/graphic design artist—Vanessa. The novel explores the development of Vanessa and Aiden’s relationship from contentious and professional to friendship and love. This novel is filled with wonderfully written scenes that will make readers laugh, cry, and kick their feet with giddy joy. Readers will fall in love with all of Zapata’s characters. Mariana Zapata has been called the “Queen of Slow-burn” and The Wall of Winnipeg and Me backs that claim up as a perfect example of a phenomenal slow burn romance. The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata is a must-read that romance readers should have on their bookshelves.

This is the first book from Mariana Zapata I've read, have heard she is the queen of a slow burn and oh my goodness is she. With the slow burn though I absolutely feel in love with these characters and was rooting for them to get their happy ending. Also really enjoyed the bonus material included love being able to see book couples in the future really commended in their relationship. Only critique is some of the repetitiveness like it get Aiden is big and nickname the Wall of Winnipeg, if some of that repeated language was taken out would have condensed the book, which would be beneficial. With that aside still really enjoyed it and would recommend and interested in reading other books from this author when I am in a slow burn mood.

I wish I could give this book 10 stars! I absolutely love Mariana Zapata’s books and this is my favorite by her’s! This is an update of a book that came out several years ago and I’d actually read it earlier and then reread it a few years later because I enjoyed it so much. When I saw an ARC available at Netgalley, I decided to read it once again. So it was my third time through the book and I couldn’t put it down. I just spent a whole Sunday rereading it for the third time and enjoyed every minute of it.

Zapata is famous for her slow-burn books. The stories are told from the heroine’s POV and she usually has no clue that the hero is in love with her because he’s reserved and won’t express what he feels for some reason. So the reader is left to follow the character and story development without the usual insta-lust distraction. Sure, we’re told that the hero, Aiden, the top defensive player in an imaginary football league, is the hunkiest of hunks. Women fall for him whenever he appears. But he’s grumpy and totally focused on his career. He has no interest in anything else. He’s rather dislikable in the beginning and we can understand why Vanessa starts off the book as quitting as his personal assistant.

Vanessa is such a strong character. She comes from a really crummy background and suffered lots of abuse and neglect as a child. But she is gritty and tough and is building her own future. She works extremely hard and saves all her money. She is totally honest, kind, and responsible. She deserves everything good that comes her way and you will enjoy reading how things work out for her.

In a few years, I may reread this book again. It’s one of my very favorites and I read a lot of romance novels. If you haven’t read Zapata’s books before, you’re in for a real treat!

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

I’ve been a huge Mariana Zapata fan ever since reading All Rhodes Lead Here. So when given the opportunity to read a football Mariana Zapata, I’ll do it every time!

What I loved:

- Aiden. Aiden is my new book boyfriend. He’s quiet, protective, a little grumpy, but extremely caring.
- This is slow slow slow burn but I loved every single second!
- Aiden and Vanessa together. As this is a slow burn, I loved watching Aiden and Vanessa’s friendship and relationship evolve.
- I was also a huge fan of the side characters in this one, especially Zac! I felt like Zac and Diana actually added to the story!
- I think this may be one of my favorites of all time honestly. It’s been a couple of days and I still can’t get Aiden and Vanessa out of my mind.

If you’re looking for a romance, sports romance, slow burn romance, this is the book for you!

Mariana Zapata's "The Wall of Winnipeg and Me" is a captivating slow burn romance that follows the journey of Vanessa Mazur, a personal assistant to the aloof and talented football player, Aiden Graves. When Vanessa decides to quit her thankless job, Aiden unexpectedly shows up at her door, proposing a fake marriage to solve his visa issues and keep her by his side. As their relationship evolves, Vanessa's determination and Aiden's transformation create a satisfying character arc, while the intimate and heartfelt moments between them leave readers eager for their love to unfold.

Zapata's skill in character development shines through, with Vanessa's relatable struggles and aspirations resonating deeply with readers. The unexpected twist of Aiden's vulnerability and desperate desire to keep Vanessa in his life sets the stage for a profound transformation in both characters. The gradual development of their relationship allows for a deep emotional connection, making their eventual romantic moments all the more meaningful. Alongside the captivating romance, the book touches on sensitive topics such as toxic family relationships and past traumas, adding layers of complexity to the story. With engaging writing and a unique blend of tropes, "The Wall of Winnipeg and Me" is a must-read for fans of slow burn romances and authentic emotional journeys.

Mariana Zapata is definitely the queen of slowww… burn romances. This is the third book that I have read and listened to by her and wow. I’m so invested with her characters it’s so addicting to read. Vanessa and Aiden are very enjoyable to read about and I can’t forget about Zac a side character who makes the story even better. If Zac has a book I’m going to read it. The banter between Vanessa and Aiden is what I like the most. As a bonus there is added exclusive content that you will want to read. I would highly recommend reading or listening. I look forward to reading and listening to more books by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

There was a moment in which I was at work alone and their banter made me jump and do a little dance because of the cuteness overload. And then I had to take a moment and give Mariana Zapata her props because of how she made me fall for Aiden, the Wall of Winnipeg. In the beginning he was so closed off, and blunt, and I was on Vanessa's side through every step of the way. Vanessa is a ball of sunshine and she stayed working as Aidan's assistant for 2 years and while she had tried to form a friendship with him, Aiden did not open up to people. The saying 'you never know what you have until it's gone' hit him straight in the face when Vanessa quits to follow her own dreams. Suddenly Aiden is everywhere, looking for her, begging her to come back but my girl knows how to stand her ground. The story takes a turn when he uses her weakness to get her to cooperate and the two develop a fake marriage/ marriage of convenience. It was definitely interesting to see their relationship develop as well as see them becoming closer as they discover more intimate secrets about each other. It was actually really heartwarming to see how they went from strangers to accomplices to friends to lovers. Every small interaction, their first hug, holding hands...I was eating it all up. This is definitely a must read!

It's very, very rare for me to reread books, but I was so excited to see that Winnie was getting republished with a new cover and bonus content. I fell in love with Aiden and Vanessa all over again! All the things I loved when I read the book back in 2018 were amplified and it was so fun to see all the little signs again that the big guy gave to show Vanessa that he truly cared. I have loved every MZ book I have read, but Aiden is probably my favorite of her heroes. His devotion and loyalty are second to none and the new bonus content/chapter really drove that home. I loved getting that glimpse further into their future. *all the heart eyes* I know slow burn isn't for everyone, but I love this book so much! Team Graves forever!

CW: toxic and strained relationship with family, FMC's sister hit her with a car causing a lasting leg injury (past), FMC was locked in a dark closet for several days by her sisters (past), parental abandonment, trauma, grief, MMC was physically abused as a child, a secondary character is in an abusive relationship (mentions of bruises and assault), financial hardship/debt, panic attack (on page), stuck in an elevator, fear of the dark, PTSD, death of loved ones (past)

Note: I don't think this new edition has any major changes to the original story, but some of the language/word choices were changed or cleaned up.

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

***** Original 2018 review*****

There's not much I can add that hasn't been said before about this book. It was just as amazing and wonderful and so deliciously slow burn as everyone said it would be. SWOON. I hadn't read the blurb since this book came so highly recommended, so I was very surprised when it turned out to be a marriage of convenience book (with a healthy dose of enemies to lovers and friends to lovers too).

I loved Aiden just as much as Vanessa and am not ashamed to say that I have the biggest girl crush on her. She was strong, honest, real, and so insanely hilarious! I laughed so hard being inside her head, though I would have loved to have had a chapter or two in Aiden's POV too. Speaking of Aiden, he was initially cold and there was a time or two when he hurt my heart, but underneath it all was this incredibly loyal, sweet, and loving teddy bear. I loved the banter between him and Vanessa and how slowly his rough edges softened and something true blossomed between them. He reminded me a lot of Mr. Darcy and every touch, glance, and little tenderness was so much more meaningful because of all the build up. This book is not for fans of instalust. It is the culmination of quiet moments and lingering touches, slowly simmering until it all boils over in the most perfect way.

I both listened and read this book and I really enjoyed the narration by Callie Dalton. She was perfect as Vanessa, but I did wish her males voices were a little more masculine, especially since Aiden was described as such a huge behemoth. This book will definitely go down as one of my favorite books ever and I can't tell you how full my heart was once I finished. #TeamGraves for the win!

This is an epic slow burn book. This is a close proximity work place book. Vanessa is basically Aiden’s house manager. She takes care of everything for him. Slowly they start falling for each other. There’s banter. Angst. Great book.

The Wall of Winnipeg and Me was my first book by Mariana Zapata, and I don't think it will be my last! This book was a really quick read that I couldn't put down. I loved the banter (or lack thereof?) between Aiden and Vanessa and how their friendship truly blossomed throughout the book. You could see them both open up more and trust one another. I'm a football fan, so I loved the football inclusion throughout, and some of the secondary characters!

I will say - I thought the ending was very abrupt. It felt like a lot was scrunched into the last few chapters. I did really enjoy the additional epilogue in this version -- so sweet!!

Maybe it's just me, but I also found the almost constant mentions of Aiden being a huge football to get over the top. There's only so many times someone can be described as having tree trunk legs or making the house shake before I cannot picture Aiden as anything other than Andre the Giant.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the gifted copy!

The Wall of Winnipeg & Me 🏈
➖release date: July 4th
➖rating: 5/5 ⭐️’s
➖spice level: 1/5 🌶’s

Y’all this new cover is /everything/ and the bonus content wrapped up Aiden & Van’s story in the most perfect way possible!💓

I’ve read this book a handful of times and while it does have its flaws (mostly just the length), something about it is just so so comforting every read through. Aiden is quiet, grumpy, and only cares about football, while Van is the sunshine-y counterpart he didn’t even know he needed. If marriage of convenience + forced proximity + grumpy/sunshine is your cup of tea, then you should definitely pick this one up. The burn is slow, but the book is not and I can’t wait to get this beauty in the mail next month!

Thank you sm to Avon for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review! 🫶🏻

I wanted to adore The Wall of Winnipeg and Me after hearing how get the storyline is. However; I couldn't continue reading after 40 percent. The story length was longer than necessary and I felt that we were getting nowhere in terms of character development regarding Aiden.

I had great expectations for this book and upto a point it did meet my expectations. I got the great heroine, I got the slow burn, I hot sone angst as well but what disappointed me was the hero. I just couldn’t get on the Aiden fan train. I am sorry. He just didn’t do anything for me and that’s why this is a 3 stars

Mariana is the queen of slow burn and I will read ANYTHING she writes. The Wall of Winnipeg and Me is one of her most iconic books and I adored this new edition and it’s bonus content!

Grumpy/ sunshine
Slowburn
Assistant

Vanessa put her life on hold in order to become a personal assistant to a star athletes, but she had an ulterior motive - save enough money to finally be able to live her dream. After two years, she finally gets up the courage to quit.
But when she does tell Aiden that it's time for her to move on, he shows absolutely no interest and shrugs it off only telling her to let his agent know. Now here's the interesting thing - she's been his personal assistant for two years and they barely talk because he never holds a conversation. He doesn't say hello to her when she utters the words to him every morning hoping today would be the day. There's absolutely no appreciation for everything she's done from cooking his meals
But then we find Aiden on her doorstep weeks later wanting her to come back and work for him She doesn't give in easily.
This was a really really slow burning romance. But because of that we got to see the relationship build up slowly, and that allowed me to really trust their connection to one another. And even though it took the whole book to get there, I really felt their chemistry at the end.

This always has been, and I think it always will be, my favorite straight romance book. I’ve read this book as a digital copy and as an audiobook, and no matter the medium I always seem to love Vanessa and Aiden’s story just the same.

The bonus content in this book was adorable. Not gonna spoil anything, but it was a cute way to wrap the story up and seal it altogether. It wasn’t anything major of course, but I liked that it was just a few pages of the same story that I’ve grown to love.

ALSO THE COVER ?? I love me a cutesy cartoon cover and this story was CALLING for one. Mariana Zapata, you have my heart 🫶🏾