I think the pacing and the different POVs made this book confusing to me. i liked the concept but not my favorite.

Evelyn Skye has done it again. I was hooked within the first 3 chapters, which considering the reading slump I was in is pretty impressive. I don’t know how Skye gets her ideas but she is so creative in her story telling I find myself in awe of how the story progresses. But more than that, I love how easily I fall in love with her characters. They’re flawed yet lovable, feel big feelings, and learn valuable lessons that allow them to grow and transform throughout the story.

Skye’s writing alone keeps me coming back for more. Her food descriptions and in this story, her destructions of art are amazing. I was worried I wasn’t going to love this book as much as the Hundred Lives of Juliet as I’m not much of an “art person” but the way she describes the pieces in this book and what they both look like and mean, had me easily picturing them in my mind and appreciating them as I word any novel.

This is a romance. I get that. At times, the level of mushy was a little much for my cold, dark heart but that didn’t take away from my overall love for the book (even if in a few areas I felt myself rolling my eyes) that is to be expected with any romance. What made me able to get past those areas of eye rolling was the story itself and how Skye combined reality with fantasy, science with the unknown and unbelievable.

And the family. I loved the family ties scattered throughout the book. If you can’t tell there’s not much I DIDN’T love about this story. But I shouldn’t be surprised, Skye kills it and I am SO glad I got a first peak at her newest love story.

Aww, this was a sweet and heartwarming romance.

Claire and Matias are complete opposites. Claire is an organized and driven lawyer hoping to make partner soon. Matias is an artist who works on his own schedule and enjoys cooking in his spare time. When they meet, their connection is undeniable and they quickly fall in love.

However, almost a year later, Claire can’t help but wonder if she is enough for Matias (and if she can continue to tolerate his casual approach to organizing his things, schedule, etc.). When Matias ends up in a coma while visiting his friends and family in Spain, Claire’s needs and wants become clear to her - but is it too late?

I enjoyed this very much! Claire and Matias have great chemistry and the alternating points of view and timelines worked well and offer deeper insight into their relationship.

Thank you to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the arc. I really enjoyed this story about Claire, a very organized and wound up NYC attorney who specializes in mergers & acquisitions, and Matias, a Spanish artist who's teaching a couple of years in a New York university. They have instant chemistry, and are living together roughly six months after meeting. They're able to get past their differences, Claire likes things in a certain order, and devotes a lot of time to her career. Matias has trouble keeping track of time or keeping order in his life. But they both see each other as the offset to their nature, plus they have that chemistry that never seems to go away. After eleven months together, though, Claire starts pulling away, nitpicking at things like Matias wearing his shoes inside their apartment, instead of taking them off at the entry. And, Claire cancels her trip to join Matias in Spain to meet his family because of an important project at her law firm. Soon after Matias leaves on his trip, Claire finds out that he's been in a serious boating accident, and is currently in a coma at a hospital in Madrid. Claire immediately leaves to be at his bedside.

This is when the fanciful side of the story begins. While waiting for Matias to "wake up" from his coma, Claire starts seeing visions of him. She finds out that these visions are his soul, trying to connect with his body, so that he has a purpose to come back to reality, to wake up from his coma. And, he only appears to Claire. So Claire endeavors to spend time with Matias's soul, so she can entice him back to her physically, as well as spiritually. I thought this section was really heartfelt, and I liked how the author used it to show Claire how very structured her life was, and to realize that Matias was the one who brought color and spontaneity into her life. Plus, all the descriptions of the art and food of Spain was amazing. Loved all of that! But the pacing of the book, especially the first 25%, was uneven. The story picked up around the 40% mark, and I found I couldn't put the book down, but it was an iffy beginning.

Overall, I liked the book. I found it interesting, very touching, and I want to visit Spain again very soon!!

One year ago In Spain

I love food,art & magical love stories so I really enjoyed this book! When you get used to routine, sometimes we lose sight of the things that we love, and it is nice to be reminded that it is a little things in life that matter. When you really love someone, you love them for them and not all the things that they can do for you. I Enjoy the multiple point of view & I enjoyed the family, food and art. I read this book in two days and I think it would be the perfect summer read.

Thank you, NetGallery, the author and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

Evelyn did it again! I loved her book The Hundred Loves of Juliet last year, and I was very excited when this book came up on NetGalley.

Claire and Matias are the definition of opposites attract. When he gets into an accident while visiting home back in Spain, she drops everything to be there for him as he is in a coma while recovering. In the midst of it all, he appears to her. Not technically a ghost but his soul. And his soul doesn’t remember the last year they’ve spent together. So Claire has work to do.

The story is mostly told through their POVs but it does include brief ones of his parents and younger sister. I liked getting to read those.

I devoured this book, and I think others will too.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

A very beautifully written and magical story.

Claire is a New York corporate lawyer and falls in love with Matias, a Spanish artist. After a year of a whirlwind romance, they decide to go to Spain. Claire ends up having to stay in New York for work. Matias goes on the trip and meets up with friends. Sadly Matias is in a tragic accident leaving him in a coma. Claire drops everything to be there by his side. Even though he’s in a coma, she starts to “see” him and interact with him, but it’s the Matias before he met and fell in love with Claire. The story alternates between their time together in New York and how their relationship develops, and Claire's time in Madrid trying to get Matias back.

This book was magical, emotional, beautiful and unique. It definitely kept my attention and I flew through it. I loved the very descriptive writing style of Evelyn Skye. I felt like I was on a tour of Madrid and feeling Claire’s emotions. I loved The Hundred Loves of Juliet, and I loved this book as well! Overall this was a fantastic book that I definitely recommend!


📘: One Year Ago in Spain by Evelyn Skye
🗓️: July 30, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley, Evelyn Skye, and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for this ARC!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Reviewed on NetGalley, Amazon, and Goodreads.

Overall this book was decent, it had potential but it didn't meet my standards. It was confusing and fell short

First off, thank you to Netgalley, Evelyn Skye, and Random House Publishing group- Ballantine for an advanced reader copy of this book!

I read Evelyn Skye's first duology a couple years ago. It was a young adult fantasy set in Russia, The Crown's Game. I really enjoyed it so when I realized she was coming out with this romantic comedy, I wanted to check it out!

I did really enjoy this story! I dropped the rating down to four stars, however, as there was a LOT of cursing. And also some spice, although it did not go into super detail.

The story itself is about a girl, Claire, and her boyfriend, Matias. He is in a terrible accident, and she must try to help him by convincing his soul to go back into his body. All while she's staying in Madrid, Spain, where he grew up.

While I personally don't believe in astral projection, or souls leaving the body to wander the earth, this was still a really well done story. The characters both developed throughout the story, remembering why they fell for each other in the first place. Both were also willing to get out of their comfort zone which is so important in any relationship.

I also appreciated how the author would use Spanish, but then give some translation in the text for those of us who cannot speak it fluently. I've seen this done well and I've seen it done awkwardly, she did a great job at making it flow with the writing.

The other thing I really appreciated was getting to go on a tour of Madrid with Claire. Hearing about the different sights and activities was really cool. I love learning about different cultures, and while there wasn't a ton of that in this book, it is still something I appreciate.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!


This book was so fast paced! I appreciated the diff POVs. I loved the chemistry between Claire and Matias. It wasn’t anything like I expected it to be, but it was a lovely journey!

Okay, first things - there’s a lot of death here (the majority of which is off page) - violent and unexpected which could definitely be triggering.

Despite the triggers, I really enjoyed this one. The magical realism blended with the direness of the situation and the love between Claire and Matías was done so well.

I loved the descriptions of Madrid and all the food. The different timelines and POV’s were all helpful in making the romance between the two really come to life on the pages.

This one was a unique premise but it (and the romance) worked very well.



Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the DRC

*ARC read, To be released 30 July 2024*

One Year Ago in Spain by @evelyn_skye

PITCH: While You Were Sleeping meets Doctor Strange with a bit of Almodóvar

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Just know that this book is exactly as advertised in its synopsis. I really enjoyed the multiple POVs, as well as the different time periods of the relationship. The novel made me tear up strongly at one point, which I haven’t done in a long time. I also dreamt about the drink the FMC describes, and I really want to try it!


Review posted 21 March 2024 to Instagram and Goodreads

The idea of this book was beautiful, but the execution was much less so.

Matías and Claire met less than a year ago and fell quickly into a love story that we don’t get to see play fully out right away. Suddenly, he’s in an accident and is in a coma halfway across the world and Claire has to find a way to get his soul to come back to his body. It sounds like a chance for their love story to happen again - except we’re jumping back and forth between past and present of their first initial time falling in love and their second time of their souls meeting again AND jumping between five or six POVs along the way.

The different POVs made it hard to keep up with at times. I understand the intention was to let us learn more about Matías while he was unconscious, but I also feel like it could’ve been done in other ways because we learned plenty about him in his POVs.

Additionally, the entire book feels so rushed. I was waiting and waiting for the chemistry between our FMC and MMC to hit, but as soon as it’s there… the book is concluding?

I was left wanting, not more pages because the length was great, but I felt like I didn’t get all the development I was hoping for.

Thank you Evelyn Skye for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re a fan of “The Dead Romantics” and “About Time”, this is for you!! It’s a beautiful story about falling in love all over again with your significant other with a time-bending and a supernatural twist.

Claire and Matías are opposites. Claire relies heavily on order and routine and her job as a top notch lawyer, while Matías is an artist who is carefree and spontaneous. A whirlwind romance brought them together, but after eleven months, Claire begins questioning things. When she discovers a hidden ring, she quickly bails on the upcoming trip to Spain to meet Matías’ family and friends. Soon after Matías leaves, Claire receives a call about a tragic accident that’s left him in a coma. She drops everything to head to Spain where she realizes her love for him might be the only thing that can bring him back.

What I loved about this novel is how it beautifully wove together a love story and a story about overcoming grief. Claire’s character has a lot of growth in that respect because she risks everything to be with Matías waiting for him to wake up.

I love books with a supernatural element to them, and this one delivered. Claire keeps seeing Matías’ soul. He doesn’t remember her because he’s stuck to one year ago. Claire is trying to get his soul to fall in love with her so she can bring him back. I really like the dynamic here, especially with her making all the realizations about herself in the process.

The imagery in the novel was great. Not just when it comes to describing art, the feelings and emotions are well-displayed, and the settings throughout are described in vivid detail. I felt like I was truly there.

There are different perspectives represented throughout the novel. I love how you get the point of view of Matías starting at a year before and getting closer and closer to the present. It gives you more details into his love story with Claire.

You also get random chapters from the point of view of Matías’ family members. Now, this did actually take me out of the novel a bit. I think it was great how each represented how the family members were learning to operate through grief, but it felt a little unnecessary to the story. You get more tidbits of Matías’ life, but I think it could’ve been just as effective if they were telling Claire all this information.

I also felt like the family didn’t really put any effort into getting to know Claire at all, which felt strange to me. Obviously, they weren’t thinking straight because of this tragedy, but they didn’t really talk to her or ask her questions or even tell her many stories about Matías, which I feel would’ve been appropriate.

This novel was unexpected and powerful, but it could be triggering for some people. There is a lot of talk about death, grief, and loss. However, the ending is truly uplifting and beautiful.

***Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group– Ballantine for lending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!***

In the enthralling pages of Evelyn Skye's "One Year Ago in Spain," Claire Walker, a driven corporate lawyer, encounters Matías de León, a bohemian Spanish artist, who challenges her ordered existence. Their whirlwind romance takes an unexpected turn when tragedy disrupts their future. As Claire travels to Madrid to be by Matías's side, she finds herself as the only one who can communicate with his disembodied soul. Stripped of his memories, Matías's spirit forces Claire to confront the true nature of their connection and the challenges their disparities pose. Skye masterfully weaves a tale of love, loss, and the enduring power of human connection in this captivating and emotionally resonant novel. Through Claire's journey to rekindle their bond, readers will question the boundaries of love and explore the transformative possibilities that lie within the depths of the human soul.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Overall, I gave this book a 2/5 because I feel as if it fell kind of short for me. I thought it was a cute and light read that can serve as a palate cleanser between other genres of books, however, it just felt too all over the place for me. The two things I disliked about this book were the multiple character POV's and how rushed the actual romance part of the book felt.

I felt like the main characters, Claire and Matias, were rushed into dating super early on in the book and then BAM Matias boating accident happened. It felt like the whole book was about her chasing his soul and when he finally came out of the coma the book abruptly ended and there really wasn't much to their romance story afterwards, so I would recommend adding on to that a bit more. In addition, I love me a good dual POV in a romance book, but it seemed a little unnecessary and distracting to include the family members POV's as well since this is advertised as a romance and not just a fictional book.

Although I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys light, quick and easy romance reads that contain multiple POV's, I personally don't think I will pick this up again.

This was an enjoyable read and I did like both the culture and art background which set it apart from similar books.

The beginning and end both felt oddly rushed but the middle was great. The rush at the beginning made more sense once the true arc started and it was more clear that the background provided was less important to the overall story.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the eARC.

Unfortunately, this book is not going to happen for me. After getting into romance books in the last few years I’ve learned to take them with (many) grains of salt, but the thickness of cliché was too much for me to bear. Maybe I should’ve given this another chapter or two but it was way too easy to see where things were going… and read like a Hallmark movie script. Not my cup of tea!

I loved The Hundred Loves of Juliet, so I had to request this. One Year Ago in Spain felt similar to Juliet, but I didn't love it as much. It was predictable, which was expected, but the writing just... wasn't my cup of tea this time around. The line about Vega being "the woman women wanted to be and men wanted to be with" (this is a major paraphrasing of the actual line) was downright cringey and out of some middle schooler's Tumblr.

Liked the sentiment around this book, but execution left much to be desired.

Also, explaining away a toxic family like their behavior is okay? No thanks.

I thought I was going to like this book more than I did which was a bit unfortunate. This book felt like it was all over the place from the pacing to the povs from other characters.
The book starts with our characters meeting then jumps to almost a year into their relationship. I felt like I was told more that they had a connection than I really saw it in the writing. This premise had a lot of promise but I do not feel that it fully delivered on everything.