Island Affair is a sweet, predictable romance between an influencer who was dumped at the last minute before a family vacation and a firefighter forced to take leave after experiencing an on-the-job trauma. The highlight of this book is, by far, the scenery. After reading this book, I am more than ready for my Caribbean vacation. The characters, however, were predictable and their story lines became a bit boring over time. If you are missing your summer vacation, this book is for you! However, if you are looking for an unpredictable and engaging romance, you might want to keep looking for another novel.

I went into this book not reading the synopsis and I’m so glad I did. I really enjoyed the vulnerability in this book as well as the fun setting. Island Affair made me wish I could hop on a plane and go visit Key West. This book reminded me a lot of ‘My Fake Fiancé’ or ‘The Wedding Date’ I am really glad that this book says it’s the first in a series because I want more Key West and Luis and Sara in my life. The family dynamic with both of these characters were great and I love the untold secrets or the way families communicate and how they can change with honesty. The banter was great and there definitely was steam in this book!
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TW: Eating Disorder and Cancer

Honestly, I think this book could've been four stars if the author had been continuous in thoughts and action between sex scenes. The sexual tension was great, but then the author would go into a long section of thoughts the character was feeling. It was a bit jarring, I had a hard time staying in-steam with the characters. Also the amount of times Sara is described as thin...the ED really had no place in the book. As someone who also suffers with an eating disorder I found it a bit tacky. The fade-to-black sex is my least favorite, however I did want the best for these characters. As for their relationship, he seemed to like her a lot more than she liked him, so that was odd for me.
Unfortunately, I mostly felt disappointment. However, I know that it takes time to establish relationships in romances, I just felt this could've had a bit more time.

Complementary copy given for honest review and opinion.
It was so neat to read about Key West and recognize some of the places mentioned. The romcom type romance was sweet and I loved the healing process.

Slow in the beginning, and took awhile before the story picked up and got moving. I read The Unhoneymooners quite recently and I couldn’t help but compare the two, which ended up hindering how much I genuinely liked this book. Similar plot aspects, executed better in one book than the other. Wanted to like this book more!

I don't read much in the way of standard romance or 'love stories,' so when I came across this title and it happened to center around a culture that is near and dear to my heart, I decided to give it a shot. I try not to limit myself by avoiding any particular genre, but admittedly this is just one that doesn't get my attention easily.

'Island Affair' by Priscilla Oliveras is a very modern tale about a social media influencer named Sara who has had her share of difficulties. Recovering from an eating disorder as her career is starting to really take off, she heads down to Key West for a family vacation following a health scare with one of her parents.

Things with her siblings are complicated at best. They're already hugely successful, having followed in their parents footsteps, which makes her a bit of an outcast. Not only did she not go into the family business, she's also the only one without a settled life and family. She spends a lot of time on the outside looking in.

When her boyfriend tells her he isn't coming, she feels like she's going to be the disappointment again..

Lucky for her, she manages to score a last minute stand-in. A sexy firefighter named Luis Navarro overhears her argument with her boyfriend and asks if he can help. Unfortunately for him.. helping comes by the way of a pretend relationship.

Luis is absolutely the best character in the book. I love him. I adore him. He deserves everything. He's warm and funny, conflicted and intense. All the things that can make a character irresistible to me.

Coming from a big Cuban family, Luis is a local. Like Sara's family, there's a family business.. but in his case, that's firefighting. Also like Sara's family, there's a deep divide. A fissure born between Luis and his youngest brother that he won't discuss and completely refuses to mend.

He's a mostly soft-spoken, strong, steady guy. Despite the painful betrayal he keeps locked away, he's got a serious savior complex. Even the locals call him Saint Navarro.

Wow.. is he lovely though. He's patient and kind. He doesn't push sensitive topics. Mostly he just let's people get to where they need to be on their own pace.. with a little help along the way. Oh.. he might nudge.. but he doesn't push.

Looking back.. I did like Sara most of the time, despite the character being a bit of a Barbie wrapped in a cliche. She's inherently a good person at least.. and she's fallible. She's also willing to own her mistakes, which you've got to respect.

It was enjoyable watching them try to navigate the untruths while also trying to avoid people who knew him in the area.. because that was impossible.. and left them quite the balancing act.

What I loved about the story though was that regardless of the imperfections in them.. they seemed really good for each other. Both Luis and Sara grew and benefitted from the other's presence.. and even with the lies they were telling.. their good intentions were so genuine.

If you're looking for a light romantic story with a good sense of humor, you'll enjoy this book. There are a couple of tear-jerking moments, but that just gave the story broader depth.

This book was well written and a beautiful story about love, desperation and making a difference. I am always intrigued when Cuba is part of a story and this didn’t disappoint.

Review will be posted on 6/1/2020

Sara Vance and her near perfect siblings and parents are headed to Key West for a family vacation. All of her siblings are very successful, not to mention her parents are successful doctors. Sara is the odd one out. She is a social media influencer, which obviously her family doesn't really take seriously. On this trip, she was supposed to bring her boyfriend whom she was getting serious with. Her family was thrilled to finally meet him; however, they broke up at the last minute. In fact, he pretty much stood her up. So, while at the Key West airport, Sara convinces Luis Navarro, a firefighter paramedic, to accompany her on this trip and pose as her ex-boyfriend. She really doesn't want to let down her parents by not bringing her boyfriend, not to mention the last minute cancellation is embarrassing. Luis has an unexpected week off and Sara is pretty good looking, so why not help her out and have fun along the way? But things aren't always going to go smoothly for Luis and Sara. Sara is hiding some other secrets and Luis, a Key West local, rarely lets his guard down. Could sparks really fly for this faux couple while on vacation? Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras is a delightful romance novel that's perfect for fans of the Florida Keys as well as the fake boyfriend trope.

Sara is not my favorite character I've encountered this summer. I mean being a social media influencer really made me roll my eyes; plus, there's the fact that she is recovering from an eating disorder. Ugh. Nonetheless, I tried to accept her in Island Affair despite her shortcomings. I did love the family dynamic in the novel and the idea of her family coming together to celebrate her mother's recent good health. What didn't work for me was the fake boyfriend trope and this leads me to Luis.

Luis Navarro is an interesting character in Island Affair. I loved the dynamic between the two of them, especially since he is a Key West local. I mean it's much harder for him to pull off the "fake boyfriend" plan since he knows half of Key West. But what didn't work for me was how willing he agreed to be Sara's boyfriend after just meeting her for a few seconds at the airport. I understand he has a forced vacation, much to his dismay, but would a real person actually agree to this? Either way, this part of the story didn't work for me. Once I let the fake boyfriend trope go, I was able to enjoy their blossoming romance, but be forewarned, things do not go easily for them. Would you really expect it to though?

What I liked most about Island Affair was the setting of Key West. The Florida Keys are some of my favorite places in the world and I daydream daily of Key West. So, this was a nice escape, especially while during quarantine. Who doesn't want to armchair travel to the Keys and enjoy a cocktail and a beautiful sunset? Oliveras brought it to life beautifully.

To be honest, Island Affair was just an ok read for me despite the stellar setting. I think if you like this sort of thing, Christina Lauren's The Unhoneymooners is a much better bet. However, let me know what you think. Did you read this book? Do you enjoy the fake boyfriend trope or are you over it? Let me know in the comments below.

A perfect beach read with plenty of instant attraction romance and family drama to while away a sunny afternoon!

Our two main characters Sara and Luis meet when she arrives for an important family holiday in Key West to find her boyfriend has let her down and won't be joining them. Sara is panicked as she doesn't want to cause her family what she believes will be further disappointment and asks Luis, the charming firefighting stranger, to pretend to be her boyfriend for a week. Luis, with a week free from work, decides it is better than beating himself over recent work and family issues and agrees.

Their mutual attraction is instant and a week of cute and cozy happenings ensue. Family dynamics are altered and play a big part in the story for both characters and while the situations both face are not exactly relatable for the reader, they are thoroughly engaging and it is a definite holiday read that I would recommend to anyone who loves a good romance!

The excerpt from the next novel in the series sounding equally fun and I look forward to reading it in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I was not familiar with Oliveras but enjoyed this book. It is a bit more risqué than I typically read but there were some deeper topics woven throughout the book including forgiveness, family and eating disorder/recovery. Even hitting on those heavier topics the book was a fast easy read and a great distraction during the current events of the world.

The author does an amazing job of describing Key West and the surrounding area. I definitely want to visit the area now after reading it. I enjoyed the Cuban influence in the book having visited Cuba last year.

Priscilla Oliveras “Island Affair” transported me to Key West I never want to leave! This story of lust, love, and loss is the perfect beach read. Oliveras’ descriptive writing had all of my senses firing and I could practically smell the salty sea water.

I would highly recommend “Island Affair” to anyone looking for a fun and flirty summer read. I fell in love with the characters and was happily surprised to learn that there is a second book coming. The only problem is that I don’t want to wait!!

Thank you to Net Galley, Priscilla Oliveras, and Kensington Publishing for digital copy.

Typical formulaic story. Yes there is definitely Latin flair and maybe -- ay Dios míos -- a bit much to the point of playing a stereotype (ay, ay,ay)! I am an ally for multicultural stories. We definitely need more. But as someone brought up with English as a second language, I just felt there were some things that went a tad extra in this. Then again, I am aware that not all families speak like mine. Perdón, I just know as a US born kid, I don't go around thinking in my family language as much.

I still enjoyed reading it. The story didn't challenge beyond the genre it was built.

Super cute and sweet! (Perfect quarantine reading!!) I really liked the characters and the setting but I think it could have been a little more flushed out! Overall this would be perfect for spring/summer or anytime you need to feel like spring & summer!!!

Island Affair by Priscilla Oliver is the first book in the Keys to Love romance series, and my first book by this author. I found this book pretty hard to keep reading, because I did not like the main female character, Sara Vance. I understand why she thinks and acts the way she does, but it got old to me. I stuck with the book, and it had a nice ending. I will give this author another try. If you love romances, you might want to give this book a try.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

By chapter 4, I had already known this wasn’t for me. I just wasn’t interested in Sara or Luis fake fiancee storyline nor relationship, and just became bored by the content. “Island Affair” can definitely be a hit or miss for readers and this was surely a miss for me.

When two people with broken pasts make a deal in paradise, what could possible go wrong? Everything, right?

"Island Affair" gives us the story of Sara, a girl forever the family's black sheep and Luis, the family's fixer. Both have issues from their past that are holding them in place but a week together can change everything if they are willing to step out of their comfort zone.

This is a cute rom-com with lots of fun moments, a lesson in forgiveness and a dose of love -- for both yourself and others.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy!

Hunky firefighter Luis Navarro is stuck in a rut. A recent call out to a job brings up unresolved issues from his past, forcing his boss to put him on mandated leave from his beloved job. Not used to time off, he wonders how he’ll spend the next week...⁣
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Enter stage right, social media influencer Sara. Newly arrived in hot, tropical Key West, Sara is on a week long vacation with her type A family and boyfriend to celebrate her mum coming off chemo. Upon landing she is left high and dry when she finds out her on again/ off again boyfriend has stood her up. Unwilling to face her family alone, she has to come up with a solution, quickly. A hunky, firefighter sized solution perhaps?⁣
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Overall, this was a wholesome, cute read which had me dreaming of an island holiday of my own. You can tell the author is very familiar with the setting, as it was almost a character in itself. I loved the rich descriptions of Key West which had me almost (!) smelling the sea breeze and hearing the palm trees gently whispering above the turquoise waters. The descriptions of the food also had my mouth watering. ⁣
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I loved how the author incorporated Spanish throughout the dialogue, it felt natural and expertly handled. At times the book did however feel a little long/slow to me, and I found myself getting a little bored, but this could have been due to the fact that I found it quite predictable. The Insta- love was also a bit too quick to be convincing and I feel the end was quite rushed and could have used an epilogue.⁣
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Although a light read, this book still deals with some heavier matters like mental health, an eating disorder, grief and loss which added more dimension and depth. If you’re after a sweet, wholesome romance with some sizzle, give this one a go. Thanks so much to @netgalley and @kensingtonbooks for providing this copy for review.

Island Affair is sweet and fluffy and just what I needed in these strange times. A lovely summery book to devour in 1 sunny afternoon. It sounded a bit predictable and it sure was, but I loved the depth that it provided. There is so much more going on then you at first think. The setting was lovely but I would have loved to hear more about the surroundings.

It was a bit too much insta-lovey for my taste. Sure, this book takes place in 1 week so it had to be quick, but this was a bit too quick for me. I also didn't really love the writing style. The author sometimes skips a day but than goes back in time via memories. I much rather read chronologically instead of these flashbacks.

I want to end this review on a positive note and that is Luis. He is such a sweetheart! I loved him from the start and he became more and more awesome as I read. Sara was great as well. I loved her work as an influencer and reading about her made me happy. I truly liked the family-dynamics on both sides as well.

CW: discussion of parent who previously had cancer, character struggle with eating disorder, description of car accident (about 42% in)

I liked this well enough. Fake dating is one of my favourite tropes especially when the character's family is a key part of why someone needs a fake date in the first place. I did however find this book a bit repetitive in places. We, the reader already know why the faking it became necessary and I just felt the reason was rehashed a bit too much.

I must say thought the setting of Key West was so vibrantly portrayed that I wished I could be there as I was reading. Maybe I'll get to visit someday.

I liked the characters well enough as individuals and when they were together. Even though this love between Luis and Sara grew in such a short space of time, it felt genuine and believable to me.

I'm looking forward to the other Navarro sibling's books.

This book is the kind of cute, fun read that you need to distract you from the world’s bigger problems. It’s based in Key West, Florida, which is so close to my hometown of Fort Lauderdale, so I felt very connected to the story by knowing a lot of the locations that were described. I loved the big family dynamics and all of the real life complexities that go along with that. It made it that much more fun to read. As in any of my favorite romance stories, there are also bigger “issues” that are covered without taking away from the love story. I really related to the pressures that Sara felt about measuring up to her family’s standards of success because this is something that I’ve always struggled with – whether those measures are perceived by me or not. Long story short, this one is super relatable and I highly recommend it! There’s going to be a second book and I already need to get my hands on of it.