I really, really want to love and rate higher this book as much I did with the previous one of this author, but unfortunately is not the case. This story was very slow on some parts and rushed on another ones. I was disappointed at first when Claire and Matias meet and on the next chapter they are on a relationship for a long time, then something happened and is when we start to go back and forth in time. Also the many points of view doesn’t help here, and I got the feeling that when or if this book is translated to Spanish is going to upset a lot of my friends, one because Matias is from Spain and second the way the language and culture is used here is not going to please everybody. I do enjoy some of the romantic scenes between our main protagonist and i still recommend it to read it and get your own opinion. A lot of people loved it, that can be you who is reading me ;)
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC on exchange of my honest review.

One Year Ago in Spain is a beautifully layered story of love, loss, and the haunting pull of memory. Evelyn Skye paints the Spanish setting so vividly, it feels like you're walking the streets right alongside the characters. Emotional, atmospheric, and impossible to put down—an unforgettable read.

This reminded me of a much better version of The Seven Year Slip. It was engaging, fun, and thought provoking. I loved magical realism element as well.

Absolutely charming and fun. Took me a beat to settle down into this book, but once I did I was locked in.

Rating 3.5 stars out of 5.

While the first 50 or so pages weren't doing much for me, ultimately I am glad that I stuck it out and finished this book. I loved Evelyn Skye's 'The Hundred Loves of Juliet', so I was quite eager to read her next novel. This one just didn't pack as much of a punch for me.

I really enjoyed the supernatural element here; Matías' soul being in jeopardy was a cool twist to add in that magical realism I gravitate to in books. I also enjoyed how Skye offered the reader multiple perspectives, allowing us to explore how others grieve and gain a different understand of the relationships connected to Matías.

All in all, I liked the book. It was an easy read with generally likable characters and a nice plot. I'll still read anything Evelyn Skye writes!

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey for this ARC!

One Year Ago in Spain was just okay for me.
The premise—blending romance with a touch of the supernatural—had promise, but for me just missed the mark a bit.

Claire and Matías’s love story had its moments of charm, but their chemistry didn’t always grab me. The concept of rekindling love under extraordinary circumstances was intriguing, it didn’t fully deliver the depth I was hoping for.

It’s not a bad read, just not a particularly memorable one. If you enjoy second-chance romances with a bit of magical realism, it might be worth a try—but for me, it didn’t quite leave a lasting impression.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for an ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

It took me awhile to get through this one (mostly because other reads got in the way) but I did indeed enjoy it. For me it was made a bit more special because Spain has a special place in my heart, which is also why I was interested in reading it. Even still, the story was engaging on its own accord.

It did require a bit of a suspension of disbelief (as most magical realism elements do) and I wasn't entirely clear on the "rules" of how the magic worked. And yet, the chemistry between the main characters was quite present. The areas that I liked best involved jumping back in time a bit. As well as the softness of the abuela.

I love the way Evelyn Skye writes. Her turn towards more romantic books brings me great joy. The way she weaves a story that tugs at your heart? Perfection.

I am glad I stuck with this one the beginning of the book was too fast paced and I found myself confused but after a few chapters it started making more sense and I ended up enjoying this book. This book follows a few POVs and timelines but it mainly follows Claire a lawyer who doesn’t have time for love until her boyfriend travels to Spain gets in a boat accident and ends up in a coma. Claire travels to Spain and starts seeing her boyfriend’s soul from a year ago at a lost Claire must figure out what to do to save him. This was a unique romance and I can really appreciate that and I feel like the premise will stick with me for a while. With that said my main issue with the book was the writing the pacing was a bit all over the place with us meeting the main characters them falling in love and her bf ending up in a coma in about 4 chapters as they skip all over time and place. After that I got the idea of what was going on and who was who but then there were these random POVs from side characters that really didn’t do anything for the plot and confused me. This was my first book by this author and I would give them another chance. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the storyline and the main characters, Claire and Matias. They had great chemistry, and I loved seeing their opposites attract. That said, Matias's family felt a bit much at times. While I understand that the author probably intended to make them overbearing, I think they could’ve been written in a way that still showcased that without being so extreme. Despite this, the plot flowed well, and the book kept my attention—it was an easy read. The central question of the story was whether Claire and Matias, despite their differences and the challenges they face, would be able to make their relationship work. Personally, I kept thinking that his family would have been a total deal breaker for me. Claire was much more understanding than I would have been!

A story of suspense and doubts and expectations. What happens when the person you love is utterly unlike you? When you have a choice to be there for him or live life in the safety of your habits and cultures. Claire is about to find out whether her boyfriend is who she thought he was - or if their relationship is worth pursuing.

Lots of romance, questions, and the long process of finding hope and joy with another person.

A sincere thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun light read, but challenging at times to maintain my attention. I really enjoyed the character development and romance. Magical realism is a tricky genre for me, and it always makes it feel unrelatable.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy.
I loved this book, it was such a fun and engaging read. We find out early on about the romance between Matias and Claire. When Matias gets into a horrible accident Evelyn must help his soul find his way back. Magical Realism done wonderfully.

⭐️: 2
DNF. I tried to get into it, but it didn’t hold my interest Maybe I’ll give it another chance at a later time.

as a budding attorney, this book really hit the spot when it came to claire's career. the magical realism elements and the wholesome family aspects of this kept me on the edge of my seat! i adored every single second of this read!

Thanks to NetGalley and random house for the ARC!

Lovely magical realism with a unique plot. I enjoyed all the different pov from the characters but it did get a bit distracting. I don’t mind instant love so the timeline of the romance worked for me just fine. Overall enjoyed it and would be great for those who are big fans of magical realism.

I love Evelyn Skye and the imaginative way she uses the present and the past and the future to weave her stories together. And I really liked this one! The imperfect main character was actually the perfect way to get across the things she really wants us to hear: about embracing what you have, seeing love where it lies, and being true to yourself. Sometimes a flawed MC can be incredibly annoying and actually ruin the book, but this time that was not the case. And I loved how Matias was also imperfect, so the solution wasn't UTTERLY obvious to the reader. This is really an organic, human story of love that just happens to contain time travel.

I love Evelyn Skye’s writing style. I enjoy how she tells a story and weaves all the details together. This book focuses on a straight lace woman who falls in love with a chaotic artist who is an in coma after an accident. His soul separates from his body and only Claire can see it. She wants to help him return to his body, but the only way to do so if for his soul to fall in love with her again. Their chance meeting and whirlwind romance was a fluke the first time, so Claire has no idea how to make the seemingly impossible happen again. I loved seeing how Claire interacts with Matias’ soul and the unfolding of their relationship. My only hang up is I felt the book ended abruptly. I wanted more at the end and instead it was suddenly over.

"One Year Ago in Spain" by Evelyn Skye delivers a heartwarming tale of love, introspection, and second chances but leaves room for improvement. The narrative follows Claire, whose life turns upside down when her boyfriend, Matías, is tragically injured. Claire must navigate through guilt, fear, and love all while learning to overcome her fear of commitment and letting go.

The book has all the makings of an emotional rollercoaster but it struggled with pacing. The romance feels very rushed, as Claire and Matías's relationship blossoms rapidly, leaving little room for chemistry to build. I struggled to "buy" their relationship. The sudden shifts in the narrative were also jarring.

Skye's attempt to weave in multiple perspectives beyond the main couple was also unnecessary. While it gave some interesting insight and context to their relationship, they really felt like sidetracks and I think were unnecessary. I would have liked to spend more time on their relationship, how it grew and began to evolve, and then had the accident be the midpoint instead of the inciting incident. I think I would have cared more and felt more invested.

That said, I still enjoyed this story, and thought it tenderly handles the concept of opposites attracting and paints Claire's evolution beautifully.

While this novel may not fully meet my expectations, its honest exploration of love and personal growth holds plenty of appeal. For those willing to look past its pacing issues, Claire and Matías's story promises an enriching journey to the depths of the human heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.