Title: Island Affair
Author: Priscilla Oliveras
Series: Keys to Love #1
Publisher: Zebra Books
Release Date: 4/28/2020
Pages: 304
Book Source: ARC
“Sought-after social media influencer Sara Vance, in recovery from an eating disorder, is coming into her own, with a potential career expansion on the horizon. Despite the good news, her successful siblings (and their perfect spouses) have a way of making her feel like the odd one out. So, when her unreliable boyfriend is a no-show for a Florida family vacation, Sara recruits Luis Navarro—a firefighter paramedic and dive captain willing to play the part of her smitten fiancé …
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Luis’s big Cuban familia has been in Key West for generations, and his quiet strength feeds off the island’s laidback style. Though guarded after a deep betrayal, he’ll always help someone in need—especially a spunky beauty with a surprising knowledge of Spanish curse words. Soon, he and Sara have memorized their “how we met” story and are immersed in family dinners, bike tours, private snorkeling trips … sharing secrets, and slow, melting kisses. But when it’s time for Sara to return home, will their fake relationship fade like the stunning sunset … or blossom into something beautiful?” – Amazon
Kim’s Review
One of my favorite romance tropes is the fake boyfriend/fiance, so I was super excited to read Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras. The story started out very fast with Sara getting a call from her boyfriend, while she’s at the airport, that he won’t be coming for the week that she had planned with her family to celebrate her mother’s cancer remission. Sara starts freaking out because the rest of her family is type A and she knows they are expecting a perfect version of Sara. In steps firefighter Luis, who just happens to have the week off from the fire department because he’s going through some things and needs to get his act together.
They are physically attracted to each other, and Luis is referred to as looking like Vin Diesel, so that was a plus for me. Luis has a huge white knight complex so he agrees to pose as Sara’s boyfriend for the week. They have some time to kill before the rest of the family so they decide to take a tour of Key West and get to know each other.
This is one of the ways that Oliveras really shines, in her descriptions of the city and the people. I’ve never really wanted to go to Florida after seeing way too many articles about the crazy things that people do down there (Google: Florida Man or Flakka, the zombie drug!), but after reading the descriptions I wouldn’t say no to taking a trip down there.
The other way that Oliveras really shows her writing skills is by the family dynamic in both families. I ended up enjoying Island Affair more for the way sibling rivalry was realistically portrayed and to see the loving ways both families came together.
As for their chemistry, it was hot, but the love scenes were just alright. They didn’t leave me with the desire to go see what my husband was up to. 😉 But I am perfectly fine with that because I would rather have a story in a romance than just a lot of sex. And even though they meet and fall madly in love in a week, which some readers may find totally unrealistic, I’m cool with that too. This is a work of fiction, so anything goes!
If you’re looking for a fun romantic read or a good beach read definitely get yourself a copy of Island Affair.
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