Another great sllooowwww burn. Mariana Zapata really likes to drag you through it all and make you willingly wait until the end. The character development and the way you really get to know these characters is fantastic.

This was a great read about starting over, finding love again, and finding yourself too. Characters are well developed and likeable.

All Rhodes Lead Here is another slow burn gem of a romance from Mariana Zapata.

Having recently broken up with her longtime boyfriend, Aurora “Ora” De La Torre has returned to her hometown of Pagosa Springs, Colorado looking for a fresh start. Ora is also still grieving her late mother, who disappeared years ago while hiking the trails around Pagosa Springs and whose body was never found. Ora used to go hiking here with her mom often when she was a child and is hoping to feel closer to her by hiking some of her mom’s favorite trails.

Ora thought she had secured a short-term rental apartment but is instead surprised to find herself the very much unwanted guest of Tobias Rhodes, who had no idea his teenage son Amos had gone behind his back and rented out their spare apartment. Rhodes comes across as the grump to end all grumps, not too surprising, considering the awkward spot he has been put in, but Ora’s cheerful and charming disposition eventually wins him over and he lets her stay in the apartment.

Rhodes tries so hard to stay away from her, but Ora’s pull on him is magnetic and they end up going on some hikes and camping together. I loved watching them grow closer, and was especially excited to see that once you get past Rhodes’ grumpy exterior, he’s just the softest, swooniest of cinnamon roll heroes. Their banter was hilarious at times but what I really loved were their fireside chats where they each got a little vulnerable.

Everything about this story was just fantastic! Ora working through her grief is a huge part of the story and everything about her emotional journey came across as authentic. I also loved all of the side characters in the story, who are all just so well fleshed out, especially Amos, who was just so lovable. His bonding with Ora over their mutual passion for music was one of my favorite parts of the story since it added a nice found family element, which is another of my favorite tropes.

A slooooow burn, but man, Mariana Zapata writes them like none other. Great character development, fun cast of side characters, good dialogue, and great writing in general.

After hearing many people rave about Mariana zapata and this book specifically I was excited to jump in and experience first hand the greatness of this story. However I found myself underwhelmed and honestly disappointed. The story is cute and Rhodes and his son Amo are so adorable but the book dragged and I found myself struggling to stay engaged. The chapters seemed so long and Aurora our main female character seemed so childish at times even though she’s depicted as being 33yr old. This book is described as a slow burn which I’m totally fine with but this was not that, this was stagnant and almost a stand still. There seemed to be a lot of filler words and things occurring in the book that didn’t really add anything of substance in my opinion to the story, it could easily have been compressed down atleast 100pages. I think a fair rating of this book would be a 3 out of 5 stars, it’s cute and had potential but for me fell flat. I can see why so many people did like the story and I think it fits the needs of readers who may be newer to the romance scene but even for a slow burn this was too slow. I can’t say I’d recommend this title and don’t foresee myself ever rereading this title . I appreciate the opportunity to read and review this I just wish it had more.

This was the slowest slow burn romance I think I have ever read- and at some point I was ready to give up on it because it felt like it was not going to happen.. BUT WHEN IT DID I SWOONED SO HARD LIKE I HAVE NEVER SWOONED BEFORE.

It was WELL worth the wait, the anticipation.. this was beautiful.

Rhodes aka Tobers went from being a reserved grump to a protective cinnamon roll. He's been hurt in his past by those close to him, so finding and accepting love is difficult for him.

Aurora aka Ora is wanting a fresh start in a place she called home years ago. Set out to find herself, and find comfort and closure on her mothers passing she ends up living in Rhodes' garage/apartment thanks to Amos, Rhodes' son.

What started off on an bad note- ended up being a found family moment for both Aurora and Rhodes.

I initially thought I would DNF this book if I am being completely honest- it was THAT slow of a slow burn.. but man when I noticed that it was going towards the romance parts.. I stuck around and boy am I glad I did.

I love this story- and how detailed the writing was, as if I was there watching the story unfold! I am looking forward to more Mariana Zapata novels!

4.75 stars - Reread this book because Avon republished this book with bonus content.

I loved this book but it was not a five-star book for me anymore! It still had everything I look for in a romance novel - a slow-burn romance set in a charming small town but I did not love this as much reading it for the second time. Aurora's personality was incredibly refreshing and made the story even more enjoyable. The friendship she developed with Amos and Rhodes was my favorite part of the book and what hooked me from the beginning.

This was a re-read for me and it was just as enjoyable as the first time I read this. While the slow burn is an absolute slow burn, the payoff comes a lot sooner than Mariana's previous books. And I was eating up every moment. A solid addition to Mariana's repertoire and one that many of her fans will enjoy.

The way that Aurora has ADD without saying that she has it… she will hear something and go off on a 2 page memory and then come back to the conversation in front of her. At first, I wasn't a fan, but the more I got to know her, the more it just made me giggle. I started guessing when it would happen.

I'm not crazy about the pet name “buddy”. I understand why (after he told her), but I just couldn't see it. The first time he used it, I thought it was because he wanted her to know that he really did think of her as a friend, but then it kept happening, and it killed the mood for me. I’m sorry, but a man like Tobias calling her buddy after letting her know how he feels… No thanks.

I loved every single character so much!! His son Amos and the way she slowly built his trust and formed a relationship!!! I felt just like Aurora did trying to figure out his family dynamic, and when it all came to light, there was no way in hell that I ever would've put that together.

The character development was top tier as well. Something as small as her going hiking and learning everything about outdoor sports was monumental in this book. 

Once I got past the first couple of pages, it was nearly impossible to put down. All I did while I was at work was think about this book.

If you like true grumpy/sunshine and the slowest of slow burns, this is the book for you! 


Massive thank you to net galley, Avon, and the queen of slow burn, Mariana Zapata, for an advance copy of this amazing book.

Oh why have I been sleeping on Mariana Zapata! I’ll admit, I’m not a huge fan of a slower burn romance, and I knew she is the queen, so I’d hesitated to pick this story up. But what a beautiful story of love, but also of healing and identity and finding your place. It’s emotionally rich, rife with romantic tension, and the characters are complex and lovable and beautifully developed. And the audio was simply fantastic too!

All Rhodes Lead Here gives us the story of Aurora (aka Ora) who is trying to move on with her life after a really hard end to her last relationship. She finds her home for her new beginning with Rhodes, single dad to Amo. The tension begins almost immediately- and these two don’t always get along, but over time Ora finds a strong and steady relationship with both Rhodes and Amo, which in turn helps her find some of the healing she needs as she’s figuring herself out. I loved her relationship with Amo- it was sweet and catalytic and meaningful to them both. And the slow burn romantic tension with her and Rhodes had me burning through the pages.

Rhodes is deliciously swoony, and I loved how he became a stable and emotionally safe place for ora to work through her baggage. And Ora is so relatable and real, I loved watching her grow. How the romance accentuated her own personal journey and the story became equal parts romantic and existential. It’s a beautiful journey, and as a self-proclaimed non-slow-burn lover, I found myself charmed by how delicately it all evolved. It was worth the wait. What a stunningly emotional and sweet love story!

Thank you to @avonbooks for the digital ARC. Mariana is the queen of slow burn romance and grumpy heroes. Ora (Aurora) moves to Pagosa Springs, CO and hopes to find her forever town in the place where she once lived with her mother. Tobias Rhodes (who goes by Rhodes) is her grumpy and hesitant landlord, thanks to a sneaky move by his son Amos. At 600 pages, this book goes deep into both Ora's and Rhodes' backstories. There is so much they both have experienced and the layers are peeled back slowly as they both get to know each other. I love how caring Ora is to Amos. Rhodes takes a while but the way he takes care of her...swoon. Ora's growth comes from dealing with her ex but also from healing from the grief of losing her mom when she was younger. As someone who no longer has my mom here, I felt a connection to Ora's thoughts and emotions at various points of the story. I really enjoyed this book and did a mix of ebook and audiobook.

The Facts: grumpy vs sunshine, hella slow burn, character development/soul searching vibes, single dad, small town, found family

Ora moves to her old hometown after her secret break up with her secret famous shitty boyfriend and runs into Professional Grump Tobias Rhodes and sparks eventually fly.

If y’all have read a MZ book, you know there’s a slow burn incoming. There were moments where I forgot I was reading a romance, that’s how slow burn-y it was. But it was fine because I freaking loved it. This was very character driven, and I was in Heaven. Ora was an excellent character who managed to get herself in crazy situations where Rhodes would fix it with grumpy fondness.

I also love reading about a man who just doesn’t know how to tell a girl he likes her. It was pure. And the found family trope in this was chef’s kiss amazing.

This book was funny, a little sad, and very heartwarming. I fully recommend this book.

Absolute single dad slow burn forced proximity perfection. Mariana Zapata just does me in with these slow burn romances, I can’t get enough of them. Everything about this was perfect. I loved the characters, the premise, the execution. One of my favorite MZ romances!

I read All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata and absolutely loved it. It is now my top favorite Mariana Zapata book. Aurora is looking for a fresh start after having her heart broken. She decides to go back home, where she lived with her mom. What she never expected was her new landlord. Thinking she was all set; she was surprised to find out the owner did not know anything about her. Now she is walking on eggshells and trying to find her new normal.

I loved Aurora so much. She was strong, determined, vulnerable and getting over a broken heart. I truly enjoyed seeing her grow and find her own way. Rhodes was absolutely amazing. He was a grump, who was protective, caring, and loyal to those he loved. His son, Amos, who he loves very much, is very important to him. I loved their relationship. Letting people in was not easy for Rhodes. At all. Slowly, very slowly, they get to know each other and I loved every second of it. Seeing their friendship blossom was everything.

All Rhodes Leads Here by Mariana Zapata was an absolutely amazing read. I loved all the characters so much. I loved the people who surrounded and supported her Aurora. She had suffered loss and been hurt and yet she was positive and caring. The little things meant so much to her. This was a five-stars read for me and one I highly recommend.

Happy reading!

I have been a fan of Mariana Zapata for more than a couple of years and to see her books getting the praise and adoration that she deserve is amazing. This book is a favorite of mine and I love the new cover. It always great to see a woman who had the ground rip out from under her come back and reclaim what is hers. Mariana always has amazing male characters and Tobias is just.... I have no words that could describe his amazingness. Thank you to Mariana and Avon for allowing me to read this gem again.

And as always Happy Reading!!!

If you enjoy:
Age gap
Single dad
Small town love stories
Musicians

You will enjoy this book. Aurora is stopping though this small town, full of memories, trying to find herself again after a really tough breakup. She has lost her voice (songwriter) and is trying to figure out what life has in store for her. First, the “airbnb” reservation gone wrong. Then, she is stuck with the grumpiest father and his teenaged son. Determined not to rock the boat after she convinces him to let her stay, she can’t help but fall into their lives. This is a nice love story about learning to love yourself, and be confident in who you are. But, it is also about learning to let others in because you don’t always have to do things alone.

Mariana Zapata does it again. I have been a fan for so many years when I picked up a copy of From Lukov with Love, and All Rhodes Lead Here is now at the top of my list of her favorites.

All Rhodes Lead Here is a masterpiece of chemistry, friendship, and quiet moments that lead to a great love story. Zapata really is the Queen of Slow-Burn romance, every page I turned I was scouring for any crumb that she would give. She creates characters that have emotional depth and feel real to the reader.

I would recommend this book to all of my friends and strangers alike. I would recommend it to anyone who loves a grumpy-sunshine trope, or a slow-burn. I would also recommend it to someone who likes stories of self-discovery and stories of starting over.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Pros-
*Sloooooooooooooooooooooooow burn
*In spite of Aurora's intense childish inner voice and sunshiny naivete, I liked her character
*Got me on my treadmill for longer - I love my treadmill and gladly get a few miles in mostly every day - this book inspired me to get even more miles in. I appreciate that quality in a novel.

Cons-
*How Aurora was supposed to come across as 33 was beyond me - this came across like a tween's concept of what adulting is.
*MFC has never used a hammer. Again, MFC is 33 years old
*MMC is a jerk to MFC throughout most of his interactions with her and is then surprised to learn that she thought he didn't like her. Shocker /s. Gave me some Mr. Rochester vibes, another d**k in classic novel form.
*A lot of repetition - MMC’s “pretty gray eyes”, etc, etc.
*"buddy" - f*cking why???


This was the first novel I've read by the author; and though I didn't love this one (I’m quite the outlier with my opinion on this one as most readers love it), I will check out her other titles.



Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the DRC

Mariana Zapata's books just have a way of bringing you into the books. Normally I'm really not into single parent books, but honestly I'm really glad I read this. Generally I wouldn't like:

- single parent trope
- super immature lead

but from the first chapter, I really liked Aurora, and it was really easy to watch their relationship built and developed. Also, Aurora is immature, but hilarious. So many of the interactions made me laugh, Her interactions with Amos were super sweet.

Overall while at a surface level it might have tropes or areas you may not prefer, it's written in a way where it's a sweet and quiet romance with good character growth + relationships. I loved it.

All Rhodes Lead Here has been on my “to be read” list for years. I was so excited to see it come up as an advanced copy for NetGalley and requested it right away.

I’m so disappointed to say that this book has been officially shelved to my “Did Not Finish” shelf. I tried and tried to see it through, but at some point, I just have to give up and raise the white flag.

I feel like Mariana Zapata was telling a decent story, but the characters were just so unlikable and the story was about 200 pages too long! It went on and on about things I didn’t care about. It was also weird that the FMC kept talking about peeing. I didn’t get the need for that at all. And I’m all for a grumpy MMC but this guy just felt toxic to me. No thanks. Maybe that shift by the end, but why is this woman even seeking the approval of a man that is so unkind to her. Just not my book.