“𝐈’𝐦 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐈’𝐦 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭.”

Mariana Zapata's small town romance All Rhodes Lead Here centers on the romance between game warden Tobias Rhodes and sales clerk Aurora De La Toree.

This was my first-ever Mariana Zapata book, and I must admit that I was not let down. People always said her books were such a slow burn, but I didn't believe it was much of a slow burn and I enjoyed it, which was why I had been putting it off for so long.

The fact that this book is a slow burn, though, was everything because it made it so much easier to ease into the fact that Tobias was a secret softie. Like, I was eating everything up every ten pages since Tobias was gradually getting used to Aurora. Honestly, Tobias was such a sweetheart, and I cherished the small things he did for his family. 

I really adored Aurora's humorous personality. She was the main source of interest in the book, particularly in the parts where she dealt with the bats.

I only wanted to read Tobias' inner monologue because he was the grumpy next-door neighbor, and I just thought it would have been great to see his pov.

Overall, despite the length and pace of the book, I thought it was well written, and I really liked the tropes for Tobias and Aurora.

*Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and to the author, Mariana Zapata, for providing me with this e-copy in exchange for an honest review.*

All Rhodes Lead Here is a slow-burn contemporary romance that follows Aurora, a woman who moves back to her childhood town in Colorado after a divorce, and Rhodes, her grumpy landlord and neighbor who has a teenage son. It's a good book with some nice descriptions of the mountain scenery, as well as that little vibe town. The characters are charming and realistic, and their chemistry is undeniable. The banter, the humor, and the friendship of Aurora and Rhodes brought me great pleasure.

However, I also had some issues with the book that prevented me from giving it a higher rating. First of all, it's a lengthy and slow-paced book. Getting into the story and feeling invested in the characters took some time. Some scenes felt redundant or repeated, and there was no tension or conflicts with the plot. The romance was sweet, but it was too predictable and safe. I'd love more drama, more anger, more surprises. Secondly, I couldn't help but feel that the book was lacking in depth and emotion. I didn't feel connected to Aurora or Rhodes, and I didn't get to know them very well. I've been wanting to know more backstory, more insight, more development. I'd like to see more of Rhodes' son, Amos, who's a great character, but he doesn't have a lot of screen time. And, last but not least, I felt the end was hurried and abrupt. I'd like to see more closure, more epilogue, more satisfaction.

Overall, All Rhodes Lead Here is a fairly good read for fans of the slow burn romance and Smalltown setting. There are moments of charm and a lot of cute characters, but also flaws and limitations. This book by Mariana Zapata is not my favorite, but it's not terrible either. I would recommend it to readers who are looking for a light and easy read, but not to those who are looking for something more intense and emotional.

Absolutely love Zapata she has the best slow burns and best chemistry and angst between characters they can be do absolutely nothing but I’ll be giggling and kicking my feet

All the praise for the Queen of the Slow Burn Romance, Mariana Zapata! I really liked The Wall of Winnipeg and Me, but I feel like this book somehow has more heart and made so much more sense with the slow burn. The characters go through so much in their lives and the slow build to trust each other is just a masterpeice. When they finally kiss, I was swooning!

Tobias Rhodes is the perfect grump "Who did this to You" type and Aurora De La Torre is the perfect sunshine counterpart while still having her own little dark side. I love Zapata's characters because they always feel like a real people who make real mistakes.

The Colorado setting and the descriptions of the hiking trails are beautiful. As these settings were described, I could feel the gravel under my shoes like Aurora, feel the sunshine filtering through the trees, and sense the peace and healing that the nature was giving her.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books for sending me an ARC of the rerelease of the book (it was originally published in 2021) for an honest review!

One thing about me? I LOVE a slow burn. There's just something about the development of the relationship over a realistic timeline. I love watching all the little interactions. It makes it feel real. Part of it is definitely my personality. I just love the little things. It makes the emotional connection to the story more real.
I think this book is tied with Wait For It for my favorite Marianna Zapata book. It's just so good. The length of it really helps with the realism.

I will say I always want to SMACK Fmc's in Marianna's books. They're just so blind, either because they're a little silly stupid or they're just so closed off they can't believe that the Mmc actually has feelings for them. It also adds to the realism cause I know I'd be the same way tbh.

I love this little family, and I love the love they share. There's also just something about a quit, brooding Mmc that really REELS ME IN. Rhodes is quite literally that. Aurora makes me want to cry and laugh all at once. How that woman dealt with Rhodes' mood swings I'll never know. She really was the strongest character in this book. She's truly an angel.

I absolutely loved this character-driven story of found family and second chances. The main characters, Ora and Rhodes, are both so real, and the relationships between Rhodes and his son Amos and between each of them and Aurora develop believably throughout the story. The villains of the story, especially Ora’s ex and his mother, act with suitable malevolence, and some of the small-town characters add light touches of humor to the story. The hurts and insecurities from their pasts that impact each character as they work through the events in the present add tension to the action, and when Ora’s past unexpectedly comes back to impact these new relationships, I couldn’t stop reading until I had finished the story! This is an engaging, well-written romance.

Sweet book, but maybe a touch too long. The burn might have been tooo slow, but the premise was i fun and I really liked the characters! Thank you! .

Sexy and spicy! Don’t be fooled despite the steam in this book I was also feeling all of the feels. Read this for a wild ride!

★ ★ ★ ★ //5

All Rhodes Lead Here
by: Mariana Zapata

THOUGHTS:

I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Do you love a book that is:

-Slow Burn
-Age Gap
-Single Dad
-Grump/Sunshine
-Small Town
-Found Family

This will be for you and it has even more within!

Ask me to choose a what made this my favorite read…I’d tell you everything. I love every single one of the tropes in this book and not one more than the other. This book was so much fun! I will say that this slow burn was slower than I usually read but the characters & storyline absolutely made up for it and I didn’t hardly notice and once that spice hit it was perfection! I adored Aurora’s character so much, I loved to see her character grow through this book. I loved watching ALL the characters within this book interact, grow & develop but I have to say that Aurora and Rhodes relationship was by far one of my favorites of the year to watch and read. This book was just all around perfect. I will forever read books that MZ puts out and recommend them all including this one to all of my book besties!

A lovely, warm, steamy story, hits you right in the feels...you root for these characters because they are deeply good

I cannot wait for this book to release early next year- fans of slow burn, heartwarming romance are going to love it.
Aurora, our songwriter FMC has just endured a painful divorce from her famous country singer husband and decides to move across the country to the small town she lived in before her mom tragically disappeared on a hike 20 years prior. With the money from the divorce, Aurora rents a garage apartment from Tobias Rhodes - game warden and single father to a 16 year old boy named Amos. Without his father's permission, Amos lists the apartment for rent and when Aurora shows up, Rhodes is furious and grounds Amos indefinitely, and allowing Aurora to stay for only one month.
While Aurora slowly begins putting her life together through healing from her past, hiking her mom's favorite trails, and getting a new job at an outdoor store, she forms a deep bond with her grumpy landlord and his son. This is a true slow burn romance and it was so refreshing as we could truly see each character for who they really were and what they wanted in the most honest way, despite all their complications. This is my second hiking/ outdoorsy romance in the last month and I would love to see more in this genre!
Other tropes you'll find in this book:
-single father
-divorced female
-found family
-grumpy/ sunshine
-silver fox
- slow burn romance, (like the slowest!)
Thank you @netgalley, @avonbooks, and @harpervoyagerus for a copy of this delightful read in exchange for an honest review - it is now one of my favorite books.

Aurora is the perfect sunshine to Tobias' grump!

I love me a good single parent romance, but this one is on a whole different level. Aurora comes back to where she grew up after many years away, and pulls up to her rental. It's an above the garage apartment, that will help her get by until she finds a job and a more permanent place to stay. What she doesn't know, is that Tobias' teenage son, Amos, is the one who rented out the place, without his father's permission.

Thankfully, Rhodes is a good guy, and lets her stay for the first month. They slowly start to get to know each other, and Rhodes sees Amos open up to someone. It's truly a beautiful story, full of amazing growth on everyone's parts, and it is SO SWOONY!!! Would forever recommend this one!

I was totally into Aurora's story. Coming back to her hometown after a messed-up 14-year relationship, she rents a place from the grumpy but secretly sweet Rhodes. Yeah, I know, it sounds like the usual MZ setup: slow-burn romance, quirky characters, the whole deal. And sure, it's got that MZ vibe, but honestly, I was hooked. Aurora's hikes and personal struggles felt so real, and Rhodes? He's like the grumpy dude you can't help but love. It might not be as mind-blowing as "Winnipeg" or "Kulti," but if you're down for another dose of MZ's style, you'll dig this one.

All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata is a standalone novel that follows the journey of personal discovery, found family, and love between Aurora De La Torre a prolific songwriter and Tobias Rhodes- a grumpy single father. On a voyage to gain insight into her life and connect with her deceased mother, Aurora travels back to her home town in Colorado. During a miscommunication with her housing situation, she meets Tobias Rhodes and his son, Amos and becomes a part of their lives. Mariana Zapata is the master at slow burn romances and character development. Readers will explore topics of family, grief, and love in this beautiful romance. All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata is full of adventure, romance, and so many feelings that readers will not be able to stop reading until the characters get their happily ever after.

Aurora De La Torre is returning to a small town in the mountains in Colorado where she grew up. After a messy and life-changing breakup, she needs a new start and she returns to her hometown after being gone for twenty years. Aurora has to reacquaint herself with the small town outdoorsy life and she jumps in with both feet. Tobias Rhodes is her quiet, mysterious, and grumpy landlord. Although he is resistant to any interaction with Aurora at first, she wheedles her way into his life and heart.

I finished this book with tears in my eyes because of how full it made my heart feel. Mariana Zapata has an amazing ability of writing stories about families growing together through challenges. But I don't mean only the family that they are born with - it's also the beautiful friendships and families that they choose to surround themselves with. Aurora is lucky to have all the people that she loves in her life and to find more family when she returns to her hometown.

Rhodes comes off as brash at first, but he's really just an introvert who is very private about his life. When Aurora is able to break his walls down, he turns out to be the most kind, thoughtful, caring, protective, and loving man. It warmed my heart to see how hard he was trying to be a good father to Amos. Aurora's fun, friendly, and bright personality is the perfect complement to Rhodes. He appreciates her for the force of nature that she is.

Pick this up for a small town romance featuring a swoony-worthy grump!

Steam level: 🔥🔥🔥
⚠️: divorce, missing person, mental illness, grief

Oh my goodness- I absolutely LOVE this book!

This was my third time reading it, but the first time as it being traditionally published and I’m still just as smitten as the first time I sad down with Aurora and Rhodes!

I’ve been in such a mood for mature adult romances lately and this one always hits the spot in all the right ways!

Things that I loved:
-small mountain town
-Grumpy Hero trope
-mature Romance, silver Fox vibes
-High stakes job, I’m a sucker for the danger y’all!
-Overprotective single dad with a teenage kid (y’all- I didn’t know this was a trope I liked! But Aurora getting along with and helping Tobias’s kid while Rhodes is trying so hard to not like her was fantastic! 👏🏻👏🏻)
-All of the MCs have flaws but are so freaking likeable! I couldn’t get enough of any of them!!
-Romantic gestures
-that slowwwww burn! Its so WORTH IT!!! The tension y’all! The tension!!!
-major protector vibes
-Finding love again

This story is a heartfelt, swoony, tear jerking, good time! It’s one of my favorite books ever and one I’ve pushed on so many friends again and again! I can’t recommend it enough!

JUST TRUST ME AND READ IT ALREADY!

<strong>Loved it</strong>

Slow burn but gawd this girl can write! I’ve read everything by this author and I love them all! Such an excellent way to spend the afternoon reading a five star fantastic story!

Rhodes is a fan favorite because of his slow to warm to you feelings but when he does it was epic! I couldn’t put this down!

Now, if I’m being completely honest, this is probably the fourth or fifth time I’ve returned to Ora and Rhodes’s story since discovering the book back in May of 2022. Basically everything I said in my initial review holds true for today. This book holds such a special place in my heart and has become an ultimate comfort read.

🌲slowburn romance
🌲grumpy/sunshine
🌲age gap
🌲single dad
🌲hidden past
🌲”who did this to you?” *squeeeeee* they did throw this moment in!!
🌲self-discovery
🌲healing from the past
🌲bonus content 😉

This one is a story that just makes you believe that true love really exists. One that shows you the best relationships are built on friendship and mutual respect and support. That you don’t have to be anyone but yourself for that person to love you as you are. Aurora and Rhodes forever completely melt my heart and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t still tear up a bit (happy tears) every single time I read through their story, especially those moments on the latter part of the book.

And it’s not just the grumpy/sunshine slowburning romance that has gripped my heart tight and refused to let go. It’s also the relationship between Amos and Rhodes, as well as Amos and Ora. The family dynamic of love that develops for them all over the course of the story. It’s also the friendships Ora redevelops with her childhood friend Clara and Clara’s niece Jackie. The support and love she gets from Yuki and Nori. But even more, it’s that love that she begins to feel for herself the more she journeys through her mom’s journals of their time before she’d disappeared and finding herself in learning new things and becoming self-sufficient. Honestly, truly beautiful.

But oh golly, I didn’t think this book could steal my heart anymore until I got to that bonus scene. It’s the funniest thing, too. I’d literally just been thinking about that exact topic in relation to the different characters as I was rereading. Such a wonderful addition to a much beloved romance.

This man owns every inch of me. I'd commit a minor felony if I thought it meant he'd crack a smile. His hands are so big and warm and I wanna fall asleep in them like Thumbelina. Not to mention, the "who did this to you?" scene, the post-hike first aid moment, the thunderstorm rescue??? I'm a hurt/comfort girlie forever and ever, through and through. The sluttiest thing a man can do is care, and Rhodes? He was downright indecent. This story was more than just a grumpy/sunshine romance or a small town book, it was about trying to rebuild a new life after being used and left numb and useless, about finding a new family in strangers, about accepting to be loved one more time and to love again, about having faith in life in general. It was more than a romance and I loved that part so much, because it was about loving a devoting mother and dealing with the aftermath of her death or presumed death, in this case Aurora didn’t even know what happened to her mom and was grieving her loose for so long. The ending was so satisfying; we got some answers but it didn’t feel rushed or just added to procure the reader a more pleasant closure to Aurora’s story, no. The memory of her late mom was a contestant thought throughout the storyline, we felt how it was hard for her to deal with the acceptance and mourning her feelings. The author didn’t down play the loose of a parent and I absolutely adored how realistic it was. —I would have reacted the same way, I can’t imagine facing the loose of one of my parents, ever. I’m sorry if anyone had to live such a hard experience. I LOVED the length of this one!

This is my second MZ book and I loved it! Such an amazing slow burn. Strangers to neighbors to acquaintances to friends to - well you get the idea. Watching these two fall in love and figure out their relationship was beautiful. Rhodes is a man who could love Aurora with absolute perfection. Aurora is a woman who is open to a new love even after being betrayed in an absolute horrendous way. Rhodes’s son Amos is uniquely essential to the story, and I completely fell in love with him as well. I hope he stars in his own hea someday. The rest of the secondary characters - some were lovely, some were funny, some were villainous, but all were perfectly written.
Other than Rhodes’ strange nicknames for Aurora, there’s nothing to not like. I can’t wait to read more from MZ!
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC to read and review. All opinions are my own.