Mariana Zapata is the queen of slow burn romance- she delivers in the best way. She handles this single dad, small town, age gap trope with care and manages to pull off a captivating romance. Plenty of angst, tension, chemistry. ARLH is one of her most well known novels and a staple in her back list. This published version is a great intro or new readers and a must have for fans already immersed in her books.

I loved this book so much, it's one of the best slow-burn romances I've ever read. The swoon was slow to come, but when it came? The hurt/comfort, "I'll take care of you, you'll never be alone again" grumpy sunshine? The payoff was SO gratifying 😭

Also please, I loved reading about the MC's hiking journeys, they were written in such an interesting manner.

ALSO. I hate third act breakups in general, but this one? This one was perfect BECAUSE it led to the best third act makeup I've ever read. I've read the makeup scene like five times now in a row, crying each time 😭

TWs - death of parent faced by a young child, perils of hiking including injury/death, sudden end of a relationship, professional betrayal, mentions of domestic violence (past)

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

I LOVE a grumpy, brooding LI. Rhodes was seriously the most perfectly written MMC. He was grumpy, he was a single dad and he happened to be Aurora’s landlord. Seriously, there is no better set up!

I really enjoyed seeing Auroras character progression too. She was strong and independent but learned to rely on others and let them in. She moved away to escape but ending up finding herself.

This is a slooooowwwww burn but worth every minute of it! I LOVED this book and it was my favorite of the books that I read in November!

Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5

Read this if you like:
🏔️ A grumpy, brooding, single dad LI
🏔️ Hiking and the outdoors
🏔️ Found Family

YALL. I went into this book very skeptical because everyone talked about how it’s a SLOW SLOW burn and I was also nervous because of the age gap between me and the characters but i trudged through and by god I’m so glad I did bc by only a few chapters in, none of my worried were in my head.

The slow burn was so worth it. SO WORTH IT. This book was funny and sweet and tense and spicy and simply absolutely perfect. I literally giggled like a child and was blushing and crying and all the things!! this books means everything to me. i adore it so much

I honestly think this is my favorite Mariana Zapata book yet. Like every single time we saw Aurora interacting with Rhodes, I'm sitting there giggling and twirling my hair. I LOVE HIM. MZ is the queen of slow-burns, and this one had me hanging on every word!

I was going in hoping this story could change my opinion I had from reading The Wall of Winnapeg and me and I was so happy to say it did. I am so happy to be able to read this early. I loved this story. Aurora was a great lead female character. She was strong and independent and stood her ground when she needed too. I was also so happy with Rhodes and how he was as a character. He was broody but not an ass. Which is what I found in another one of her books. I was super happy that this stories slow burn wasn't to slow and was done so well. This book helped me see why so many readers love her slow burns. The idea of family and how families can look different and come about in different ways was such a highlight but also the importance of consistency when being in and building relationships. I highly recommend giving this a read and enjoy the growth the characters have and the romance that blooms between our two main leads!

Mariana Zapata knows how to write a man. I loved Tobias Rhodes. I felt like the book was a bit too long for my taste, but all in all enjoyed the story and the characters.

a classic from mariana zapata. truly the queen of slow burn romance. you fall in love with every single character in this book and find yourself rooting for the characters as they go along. 4/5 stars!

Rating: 4 star
Genre: Romance

Thoughts: This was a slooowww burn! This book is around 600 pages. I really loved Aurora and Rhoades!! I will say based on the mysterious vibe of the book I was hoping for a twist or surprise at the end of the book, but I still really did enjoy the story!

I'm new to this author and found the book intriguing. It was a very slow burn. The romance definitely had time to build up, 82 % per my kindle. I loved that they got to know each other and that he wanted to be sure because he wanted a lasting relationship. The characters were well written and interesting. I loved the friendships and sense of community that developed. Rhodes is grouchy initially but so wonderfully protective and supportive. I do think Aurora should see a doctor as I have never read a book that spent so much time discussing her bladder issues. It is concerning but she is a delightful character.

I love a good bearded mountain man - that will clear the snow off my car (my winter ladies know how much that sucks)! This book was so cute and had me blushing - also thank you so much for not writing the talent show scene being embarrassing, cause I almost didn’t finish the book if it did. I hate embarrassing things.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, it was a quick read, and the story was paced very well. The family dynamic and how much she cares for his son is so sweet. Grumpy sunshines for the WIN!

Once again Mariana Zapata crushes it.

4 Stars Mariana Zapata is one of the queens of slow burn romances and this was the slowest of all slow burns, but so worth the wait! All Rhodes Lead Here is definitely a romance, but for the first 75% of the book it felt more like women's fiction since there was a large focus on the main female character, Aurora's, personal growth as she grieves and moves on from the end of a fourteen year long relationship which took a lot from her. The character growth was fantastic, especially for Aurora and Amos, the male main character's teenaged son who Aurora befriends. The romance really begins about 75% of the way through and like I said before, it was worth the wait and the build up was fantastic since the chemistry between Aurora and Rhodes was palpable. If you like slow burn romance with lots of character development and side characters, I highly recommend this one!

I love all of MZ books. Such a delicious slow burn! Everything about this book kept me intrigued. Thank you for the ARC

Queen of slow burn - even better the second time around. I just love the story and the character development and the overall progress.

Probably my favorite MZ book. I could read and listen to this story over and over. I love Aurora’s personality and admire her so much. Rhodes is the grumpy, single dad of my dreams. Mariana’s stories are always so much more than just romance and it makes them so special.

Like all her books, this is another slow-burn that focuses heavily on the character’s themselves and their development. Aurora has been through so much and is working to find herself again. Rhodes is a typical grumpy mmc in Mariana’s books that I always love, but there’s something special about him. His dedication to his son and Aurora’s safety is heartwarming. He is a big softie on the inside, even though he never wants to let it show.

MZ’s writing is unique and I have found that readers either absolutely love it (like myself) or may think it’s too slow burn for them. I always love that her books often focus mainly on the female main character and the male main character is more of a supporting character while also making a huge difference in their lives.

I absolutely loved this book. Mariana Zapata is a phenomenal author and has an incredible ability to write the such swoonworthy, good-feel romances, with personal growth peppered throughout, and of course, is the queen of slow burn.

Aurora's journey after a toxic relationship and breakup, while also still dealing with the grief of her missing mother, is one that I enjoyed following. She was witty, independent, strong, compassoinate and a joy to read about. Her grief was palpable and I related to her in so many different ways. Zapata's FMC's are always so likable, no matter the circumstances. I see myself in so many of them. The hiking in the mountains, the fall weather, the setting---it was all perfect! I loved (this is going to sound weird) when she got hurt and Mr. Rhodes came to the rescue! I was giggling and kicking my feet in the air.

Tobias Rhodes. Grumpy. Absolutely SO grumpy. Sexy dilf. Protective father and lover. I loved every minute of it. He was anti-Aurora and whatever shenanigans her and Amos were up to most of the time but got dragged into it (and enjoyed every second of it, too.) Rhodes was so gentle, which was a stark contrast to his entire demeanor. Hard on the otuside, absolute softie on the inside. He called Aurora angel the whole time, even when they still hated each other, and didn't want her to "grow" around him. When she was dealing with her grief of the news, he was there for her every step of the way. And Amos was also such a lovely addition. Usually, single dad romances can be hit or miss depending on how annoying the kid is. But Amos is a teenager and he was a lovely character!

I also love small town and found family, so this was the perfect blend of everything.

I loved this book so much! I am not always a fan of a slow burn but this was written so well I didn't even notice. I loved the journey to self discovery and the slow but growing connection between Rhodes and Aurora. It had so many of my favorite tropes grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, single dad. It checked so many of boxes on my favorites list. I am so grateful for the opportunity to read it.

This was just exactly what I was in the mood for. Like all MZ books, it was super slow burn with a somewhat meandering plot...a lot of the characters and tensions were very MZ formula, i.e., Van had her marathons and fucked up family and Aurora had huge hikes and a previously fucked up relationship. In fact, Van/Sal and Aurora felt very similar to me in a way that a lot of MZ's main characters do...Rhodes was very Aiden/Renier with his grumpiness...

But you know what? I don't even care.

Because I like MZ's lead characters. They are usually good guileless people with good hearts and interesting backgrounds and I enjoy that you have to work a little bit to get to know them, even if they all are a little similar. I enjoy the way she writes...the details and the nuance...the way things are slowly revealed to the reader in small chunks. And this book was no different.

Mariana Zapata has a way of taking my heart on an emotional rollercoaster (in the best way possible) in every single one of her novels and All Rhodes Lead Here is no different!

When Aurora’s life is turned upside down on the heels of deviating breakup she seeks solace in the mountains. The issue? When she arrives at her rental apartment she comes face to face with a very angry and confused homeowner(Tobias)! Not only did he not rent the apartment out - but his teenage son placed the advertisement without his permission! With no other rentals available in town Tobias reluctantly agrees to a short term rental - setting the wheels in motion for their lives to change forever.

Full of emotional highs, heartbreaking lows, love, loss, friendship, family, small town vibes, heartfelt moments and swoon worthy romance - All Rhodes Lead Here is another fantastic read by Mariana Zapata!

Thank you Avon for the ARC!

There are authors who have the talent and ardor to enter your heart to sow their stories inside. And the stories that Mariana Zapata tells us are real journeys to discover feelings, a long, slow journey to face, often tortuous, which leads straight into the tunnel of emotions where love reigns supreme.

Aurora has emerged from a story that has emptied her and to start over she decides to return to the places where she grew up linked above all to the memories of her mother. Contact with nature and new friendships next to her will give her the strength to reconcile with herself but above all to make room again, in her life, for her love. It won't be easy to approach Rhodes, he is a mature man characterized by gruff and unfriendly traits even if in truth, under the impassable armor, he hides a good, loving and protective soul.

The emotional atmosphere that the author managed to create between the various protagonists is truly unique and made highly evocative by a spectacular and enchanting setting.
I loved every moment of this reading, sipping every word to experience all the magnificence of the places and enjoying the tense moments, the intriguing jokes, the reflective introspections and the impeccable dialogues that flow like fresh water on the lips, all just waiting for the surrender of feelings who kicked bullies and strong among the protagonists.
A beautiful novel, a powerful mature love, a crescendo of emotions, strong and indissoluble family bonds, and nature, the perfect backdrop to an absolutely unforgettable story.

Thanks to Netgalley, HarperVoyager, Avon and Mariana Zapata for providing me with this ARC!!