So, years ago, I read this book, and let me tell you, it was absolutely incredible! Now, with this new edition in my hands, I got to experience the magic all over again. From the very first page, I was completely hooked. Aiden Graves, the tough football player, may come off as a jerk, but trust me, there's so much more to him. And Vanessa Mazur, his hardworking assistant, is such a relatable and strong heroine. The story felt so authentic, and the slow-burn romance was beautifully crafted. If you haven't read this book yet, I highly recommend diving into this new edition and experiencing the captivating journey of Aiden and Vanessa.

The Wall of Winnipeg is a romance between a pro football player, Aiden Graves, and his assistant of two years, Vanessa Mazur. We open with Vanessa giving us quite a bit of exposition on working up the courage to quit her job as an assistant to Aiden Graves. In a lot of exposition, Vanessa tells us about her life, her working relationship with Aiden, and her dreams/aspirations (she wants to start her own graphic design business). When she does quit, Aiden shows up and persuades her to enter a marriage of convenience with him because he needs his green card (I have zero experience with this but apparently they need to be married for five years for this to be valid/him to actually get the green card).

Tropes:
-Marriage of Convenience
-Slow Burn
-Sports Romance
-Boss x Employee
-Grumpy x Sunshine

I really *wanted* to love this! I do enjoy a stoic, brooding grump opposite some overthinking sunshine! However, I couldn't find anything unique or that stood out to me about Aiden. He felt really two-dimensional and Zapata tried to hide that under him being "grumpy"? Idk, I also feel like 25% of this book could have been taken out, and we still would have had the same slow burn storyline and the same character development. I think a lot of Van's inner thoughts were repetitive at times, and especially her descriptions of Aiden. Their steamy scene towards the end was fine but still is probably around a 1.5/5 for steam.

💚NETGALLEY REVIEW💚⁣
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⁣3.5/5⁣
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⁣The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata⁣
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⁣Friends! If you want a slow burn romance, then this one is for you!! ⁣
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⁣Aiden Graves is a VERY good grumpy MC. I loved him from the get-go. The man has difficulty showing his feelings, and is just…surly. I love him.⁣
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⁣Vanessa was likeable, and I enjoyed her progression as a character, especially how she stood her ground, and her friendships with Diana and Zac.⁣
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⁣I also enjoyed the progression of their relationship from boss/assistant, to friends, to lovers (with obvious speed bumps along the way).⁣
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⁣There are some heavy topics touched on that I think are handled well (Tw: domestic violence, alcoholism), and there is also one character in particular who stole my entire heart (besides Aiden, obviously). Hint: his name is Leo.

About every 10 seconds while reading this book, I had to put my kindle down and yell into the void about how Aiden Graves is dumb and also I love him.

That might be a slight exaggeration, but not by much. Because one of the most fun things about this book is how dumb and loveable Aiden was. The other was how down-to-earth Vanessa was. Her realism was an excellent contrast to Aiden's stubbornness, and it was a delight to see them butt heads and slowly wear each other down, first into friendship and then into love. A modern marriage of convenience can be hard to stick the landing on, but this book is proof that when it works, it really really works.

Van and Aiden have great chemistry, and while there is occasionally too much happening with the subplots (I loved Diana but I wasn't sure her storyline added much beyond just stress for Van), I loved every moment spent with the two main characters. Their banter is excellent, the tender moments are lovely, and the slow burn was exquisite, even if it drove me insane (in the best way).

Basically, I really enjoyed this book and had just the most fun reading it.

4.5/5

I love a marriage of convenience story, even more so when it's coupled with a slow burn. I struggled to love this book for a few reasons. First, the consistent refrain "big guy" or talking about just how *big* Aiden was compared to those around him was a lot. I think it could have been edited a bit because, after the 10th time, I was rolling my eyes. I also found the actual romance to be a sort of "light switch" situation. Vanessa's resistance to Aiden never really seemed to resolve, and I found myself wondering if she actually *wanted* to be in a relationship with him. Finally, I found myself more interested in Zac and Diana as characters. I was rooting for Aiden and Vanessa and I liked their story's resolution. This story was on the edge of being really fabulous.

Even with the criticisms, I enjoyed the overall plot of this book. I am going to check out other books by Zapata, because I am interested in seeing if and how her style has evolved.

After reading this I understand why this author had taken the booktok community by storm. This book has so many well loved tropes and I can see why people enjoy her books. The tropes include:
•“Who did this to you?”
•Locked in an elevator
•Marriage of convenience
•Grumpy male lead
•Sharing a bed
•“I hate everyone but you”
•Slow burn

It literally has almost everything a girl could want and enjoy. I did enjoy this book. I appreciated the development of the secondary characters and exploring multiple types of trauma to help better flesh out the characters. So as far as a character study goes I think this was a fantastic read.

Here comes my but: (I know I’m sorry!). I don’t like typically enjoy authors who “tell me instead of showing me” and that’s what we have here. The author will end her chapters on a mini cliff hanger (ie fmc getting a phone call and asking to be taken to the hospital, but then the chapter ends and we don’t ever see what happens). Then the next chapter just moves on and then everything is told either through an exposition dump or she thinks about it. Like I said, this is a purely personal issue but I don’t really love this story telling device. I want to be there for the action, whether that’s incidents with crazy sisters or not. And being told about it after hand isn’t my personal choice. I’ve been informed that it’s a device she uses frequently in her books so going forth at least I’ll know what to expect from her books.

For someone who isn’t a die hard sports romance I was really pleased with how this book went. It had all of the right ingredients and elements to make a really enjoyable reading experience. This is definitely one to recommend for all the slow burn romance enthusiasts and those who want to dream about getting wrapped up by a man twice their size.

I finally bit the big one and read Mariana Zapata. This author has been on my radar for years, but I always talked myself out of diving into her books. Well, game on.

The start was a bit slow for me, but I also wasn't able to devote as much time to reading it at first. When I got to 15% or so, I was officially hooked and tearing through the pages.

.....and many pages there were. The Wall of Winnipeg and Me was a big guy. See what I did there (iykyk). And the slow burn might just be the slowest slow burn that ever was (at least for contemporary romance). Did I care? Not one bit.

Aiden and Vanessa were pure entertainment. I was skimming ahead and then back tracking to re-read like nobody's business. I couldn't get enough of these two.

The only thing that could've made this better was Aiden's POV. I live for dual (or more) POVs. Although I admit, I have read and enjoyed a ridiculous number (5) of single POV books this last month or so. I am stunned. STUNNED.

***I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley.***

This is my first Mariana Zapata book, and it definitely won't be my last. We have lovely Vanessa who is Aiden's (football player macho) assistant. Feeling unappreciated by the unemotional dude, she quits. Soon, he ends up on her doorstep begging for her back as he needs to stay in the country. Fake marriage, who did this to you trope, grumpy vs sunshine vibes, sports romance, with some forced proximity. I was in heaven.

I need to work on my patience because I've heard she's known for her slow burn romances, and THIS SLOW BURN WAS KILLING ME. Sweet, sweet agony. I was suffering and begging for at least a kiss-kiss many times.

She fed me CRUMBS and I THANKED her. AND IT WAS WORTH IT FOR THAT ENDING. It was well worth the wait. Vanessa and Aiden were so DAMN cute. The big ole grizzly bear with the tiny sunshine. She's a little spitfire. I loved how he was afraid of her. AND THE WHO DID THIS TO YOU vibes had me ON MY KNEES. GODDAMN. This book was magnificent. It had me laughing, it made me sad, and it made me mad. This book was devourable for sure. I stayed up all night to read it.

I'm Team Graves. For life. Ride or die.

I'm so excited to read the other Mariana books on my shelf (All Rhodes Lead Here and From Lukov with Love). I have a feeling that I am going to have a big obsession on my hands.

If you love slow burn sports romance, you’ll probably like this. For me, I’m torn. Had this been duel POV I would have felt much differently. But since it wasn’t, I really couldn’t get invested in their story and therefore it fell short. Aiden I found rude and self centered. Which yes, he himself admits that is his own flaws. But gosh I wanted to shake him. I lovedddd the elevator scene. But when I say this is a slow burn… prepare yourself because even at the 85% mark nothing substantial had happened. There were times I had some laughs. However, more often than not I wanted to slap Vanessa from apologizing for the millionth time. I loved the roommate Zac and hope he had his own book honestly.

I could not put this book down once I started, so much so that I fell asleep with my Kindle in my hand, it fell on the floor, woke me up, and I started reading again because I had to get back to these characters. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata, but what I got was a well written, intensely emotional, slow-burn romance that is on the top of my favorite books read of 2023 list. Both characters didn’t have the best childhoods but despite that they’ve worked hard to make their dreams and goals come true and there’s nothing more I love than seeing people succeed despite the odds.

This book is written from the heroine’s POV only and while at first I wasn’t sure about that, yet it worked well for this book. Vanessa (Van) is a personal assistant/housekeeper/cook for Aiden Graves; a top defensive end for a Dallas based pro football team. Aiden is focused on football and winning a Super Bowl. He has few friends and hasn’t dated at all since he became a pro player. He’s kind of an enigma to most everyone that meets him, he barely talks and it drives Van crazy that he never acknowledges her or her contribution to his life. Van has worked for him for two years and plans to quit soon, she would have done it already but she’d stayed after his injury, now she just doesn’t want the confrontation.

I liked Vanessa a lot and being privy to her thoughts, insecurities, and memories of her prior life made me feel like I knew her well. She was funny and whip smart, but she had a vulnerable side a mile long. Aiden was harder to get to know since we don’t get his point of view, yet Van fills us in regularly on him and she knows a lot about him and learns even more as this story goes on.

When she overhears a conversation between Aiden and his a$$hole agent, she makes the decision to quit her job and doesn’t look back. She does miss Aiden and his roommate Zac whom she considers one of her best friends, but knows she did the right thing for her sanity. Then Aiden shows up and asks her to consider marrying him so he can obtain U.S. Citizenship and what he offers in return is simply too good for her not to take him up on it.

Living together in the same house, they become more comfortable with one another and eventually share their childhood traumas with each other. It takes forever for them to even progress to a hug and almost to the end of the book for them to consummate their marriage, BUT it was the build up between them that made that moment so special and I loved watching them fall for one another even if they wouldn’t admit it.

I loved everything about this book; the good, the bad, the ugly, and these two very stubborn, strong willed people finding something in each other they never expected. For me, this book was sheer perfection; characters that grew and changed throughout, a complicated relationship, and love that came out of friendship and mutual respect. The Wall of Winnipeg and Me was an outstanding story from start to finish, simply incredible, and I am so glad I chose to read it despite the cover.

Read the bonus/new release and it was so nice getting another glimpse. The bonus scene Mariana decided to add was perfect! Especially knowing the importance of it from those of us that read this book forever ago! Can’t wait to have the new cover!

Vanessa Mazur is fed up with her job as a PA. After two years of tireless work for football star Aiden Graves, he barely acknowledges her. When she finally does quit, she’s shocked when he begs her to reconsider and offers her a new position she never expected.

The Wall of Winnipeg and Me is a stand-alone contemporary romance. Mariana Zapata is known as the queen of slowburn for a reason but it is always worth the wait.

While the growth of their relationship is more subtle, to me, this makes it more realistic. The gradual progression, from employer/employee to frenemies to more, gives readers time to enjoy the different stages of their romance. As opposite as these two are, the chemistry pours off of them from the very beginning. Aiden is the shining example of what a grumpy MMC should be. Aside from those good looks, he’s dedicated and fiercely loyal to those he loves. Vanessa is genuine throughout the storyline with her no nonsense attitude.

The Wall of Winnipeg and Me was the first book that I read from Mariana Zapata and continues to be one of my favorites. Having read it several times previously, I was delighted to see that it was being rereleased with some bonus content. If you adore these characters as much as I do, it is absolutely worth getting the new edition.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books!

Thank you Avon Books and NetGalley for this gifted copy!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 million bright stars
I actually have four of Mariana’s books sitting on my shelf, but this was my first book I’ve read by her. Sure enough, it gave me the green light to binge everything she’s ever written. I devoured this in two days with absolutely no shame, and I may have DM’d Mariana with a lot of word vomit. Oops 🤣

Let me start by saying that I connected with this book so deeply, I’m going to have to get the physical copy. Vanessa’s trauma from her childhood was eerily similar to mine, and that in itself blew me away. I felt like I was meant to read this novel, and I’m so glad that I was approved for it.

Aiden is not your normal MMC. He’s closed off, silent, and masks his emotions far too well. At first, I didn’t know how to feel about him. As the story went on and I got more glimpses of Aiden, I started falling and falling hard. This story was so good, so beautifully written. I was obsessed and could not put it down. The slow burn burned SO GOOD. When people said that Mariana is the queen for slow burns, they were not lying. The moment they came together.. it was delicious. I was holding my breath, and quite literally squealing. Marianas writing style has easily become my favorite, I can’t express enough what this book means to me.

Vanessa has easily become one of my favorite FMC. Her strength, her determination, her heart, her sarcasm. Her past. Everything about her resonated in my heart in the best way.
I laughed, cried, related, screamed, squealed and got angry and nearly fell off the edge of my seat trying to get to the end of this delicious slow burn. You HAVE to read this book, and even though I haven’t read any of her others yet, go read those too. 🫡💗

-slow burn
-sports romance
-protective MMC
-single POV
-mysterious MMC
-tall wall of muscle MMC

Aiden and Vanessa completely embody the Grumpy/Sunshine trope. I have read this book multiple times now, and look forward to reading it again in the future.

I have read a few marriage of convenience books where it seems like the character's reason for marriage doesn't really make sense, but that is not at all the case with Aiden and Vanessa. This slow-burn romance is filled with those perfect swoon moments that leave both the reader and the characters longing for more.

I recommend this book to everyone! All of my friends who I have convinced to read it have loved it too.

The bonus content was so cute, I just wish there was more! I can't seem to get enough of Aiden and Vanessa.

I don't really know how to feel about this book. I didn't hate the romance, but I am TREMENDOUSLY tired of the trope of a girl falling for a guy who she worked for who constantly underappreciated and mistreated her. Their relationship was cute at times, but the professional aspect actually annoyed me a lot. If you're having career trouble, no matter how much you hate your agent as a person, are they not there to help solve your problems? That goes for BOTH of the main football players because employment and green cards are kind of big things. This book wasn't life-changing in a good or bad way, it was just a book I read in a morning. I appreciated the speed since I know Mariana Zapata books are long and slowburn. It did keep throwing me that this wasn't a hockey romance though since I've been reading so much of that.
Overall, I wouldn't actively recommend Winnipeg, but it wasn't bad and I wouldn't tell people not to read it. I could see someone enjoying this a lot, but it wasn't really me.

Mariana Zapata has been beloved on KU for years, and I've read quite a few of her romances. However, The Wall of Winnipeg is one I hadn't read somehow!

First, Zapata is the QUEEN of slow burn. Like, you're usually waiting until 90% for the spicy scenes, but it's the buildup that makes her books so perfect.

The Wall of Winnipeg and I is a second chance / enemies to lovers story. Vanessa has been the PA to star defensive football player Aiden for two years. She keeps his world running... and he treats her like dirt or lack thereof, as he doesn't even notice her. When she quits her job to pursue her dreams, Aiden is at a loss and asks her to come back. She begrudgingly agrees to return with some conditions and the two of them enter into a "fake dating" trope relationship.

Vanessa is a constant, a strong character with a traumatic past. Aiden is also broken in his own way and watching the two of them realize how similar their paths are is so rewarding for the reader.

I loved this one and am beyond excited that Zapata is getting this reissued with a mainstream publisher as the rest of the world needs to see what a gem of a romance author she is! This one is rereleased with bonus content which was also a fun treat at the end of the novel.

Side note: I was also gifted a copy of the audiobook via LibroFM. I did not enjoy it. It's narrated predominantly by a female who is great, and there's a male character narrating Aiden's part. Aiden is a man of little words so to have a huge chunk narrated by a female, with a sudden male "NO" dropped in seemed kind of distracting and pointless.

The Wall of Winnipeg and Me is a slow-burn contemporary romance full of passion, friendship, humor, and tender romance. Originally published in March of 2016, a new and updated edition will be released on July 4th, 2023! As a HUGE Mariana Zapata fan, I could not have been more excited about getting my hands on the new, updated book! If I thought Vanessa and Aiden were unforgettable before, this new edition only allowed me to relive every beautiful moment and earn unique insight on everything Graves!

Vanessa Mazur has been a personal assistant to Aiden Graves, a professional football player with a huge ego. Aiden doesn't appreciate all Vanessa does for him, and when she finally gets up enough courage to quit, he is stunned. When Aiden finds himself in a unique predicament, only Vanessa can help him out. But can he convince Vanessa to give him another chance?

The Wall of Winnipeg and Me is an absolute must-read. Aiden and Vanessa are perfectly matched, and the transformation they make from enemies to friends to lovers is truly remarkable. The dialogue between the two is witty and fun, and the supporting characters enhance the plot greatly as they interact with Aiden and Van! Although I never considered myself a fan of a slow-burn romance, the intensity, and build-up between Aiden and Vanessa is smoldering hot, and the way in which Ms. Zapata has crafted the text immerses you in each moment, and you feel every single emotion as it unfolds. I adore every single moment spent in this world!

Overall, The Wall of Winnipeg and Me is an absolute must-read to anyone who enjoys a well-written contemporary romance with complex characters and a well-developed plot. Ms. Zapata has quickly become one of my absolute favorite authors, and I look forward to reading more of her work!

Everything about a Zapata book is beautiful and unforgettable! If you haven't met Aiden and Vanessa yet, NOW is the time! You will not regret it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyage for providing the ARC.

So I am torn about this book. I got invested in it. I liked the characters well enough, I liked the story okay, but for a book this long, there were parts that I felt were rushed or even unfinished.

I feel like the book was trying to set up a situation where Aiden had feelings for Vanessa long before she ever quit or they got married. But I felt like it was a detail that never quite got fleshed out or explored or even handled well in the context of his past behavior. Also, I felt like many of the secondary characters simply existed to add trauma and drama to Vanessa's story and that the story would have been just fine without any of the extra emotional involvement.

Overall, I liked it fine for it's somewhat enemies to lovers marriage of convenience situation, but it just felt like too much extra in a book that didn't really need it.

This book is absolutely phenomenal. Even with how long it is you just fly through it and can never put it down. It makes you feel all the feels and just one you know you’ll hold with you forever.

Genre: Romance
Rating: 5/5 ⭐️
Recommended: Yes!

Wow! This book is the book of my dreams. Not only does it have every amazing trope that I adore (see below), but it also made me laugh and cry. Don't let the size of the book scare you, every page is worth it. So happy to have read this ARC for the re-release!

Read this if you like…
* Marriage of Convenience
* Slow Burn
* Sports Romance (Football)
* Boss x Employee
* Grumpy x Sunshine