This was my first time reading All Rhodes Lead Here, and I don't even know how I could've handled not knowing the end of Aurora & Tobias's story! That bonus content was absolutely worth it. I'm a sucker for a long-term happy ever after, and this was spectacular! **Insert crying face emoji**

THOUGHTS:
- I don't know what I thought this book was about - but if you told me that this was Zapata's most-read book - I'd totally believe you. Of her other books, I've read Kulti and The Wall of Winnepeg, which are both sports romances and have similar vibes. While All Rhodes Lead Here also had a slow-burn plot, it was so different. Without that sports element, you really hone in on the character's emotions and what they're trying to make of their lives.

- A mature woman's romance! Our heroine is in her early 30s, and I can't explain how much I loved that. I loved her confidence after everything she'd been through, and I loved how she handled herself romantically after heartbreak. When you're at that point in your life - you don't really run straight into emotional danger the way you once did, and All Rhodes Lead Here perfectly showcases that level of self-respect.

- I cannot wait for everyone to read the new version of All Rhodes Lead Here!! That ending is worth it if you haven't already read it - the new copy coming out in 2024 is perfection!

MY FAVORITE QUOTE:
'Kaden would have a roll of bills in his wallet and part with a hundred, easily. And Rhodes would give me $5 if it was all he had.' - Not only is this a perfect explanation of what real love is... I think we all can clearly identify those people in our lives.

NOTES:
- 🌶️🌶️/5 - The steam that built up was amazing. I loved reading basically every moment I could to figure out when the spice part of the relationship was going to start since the respect and camaraderie part of the relationship was forming all along.
- An interesting part of the story centers around non-traditional family styles because that's something near and dear to me!

**Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

Oh, how I fell for Tobers 🫠

I love a great grumpy sunshine story and when it also includes some self discovery? Sign me up.

Aurora is coming back to her birthplace after a long relationship that didn't work out. She ends up renting the grumpy Rhodes' garage apartment until she can figure out if she is staying or not. Rhodes had no idea he should be expecting a visitor, since his son was trying to make some money by not telling him he rented out the apartment. 😆

I loved how Rhodes showed her he cared without stopping her from her journey of discovering herself after being in a crappy relationship for 14 years. He was so freaking sweet! 🥰

Mariana makes you feel all the feels everytime you read one of her stories. She really makes you feel like a bystander in their world.

All Rhodes Lead Here
Mariana Zapata

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

Mariana Zapata writes the absolute best slow burn books. While this book isn't my number 1 MZ book (Luna and the Lie!), it's still a 5 star read which shows how good her books are. The tension between the two main characters is strong in this one, and I love the small town setting!

Read if you like…
🤍 Enemies to lovers
🤍 Grumpy x sunshine
🤍 Slow burn
🤍 Single dad
🤍 Age gap

I think it is safe to say that I am addicted to Zapata slow burns. “All Rhodes Lead Here” is the third book that I have read by Mariana Zapata and I LOVED it so much!!

I really enjoyed exploring the wilderness through Aurora’s perspective. The hikes that she took through Pagosa Springs were so descriptive and the beautiful imagery made me feel as though I was venturing through the forest with her. I totally understand why Rhodes chose to be a fish and game warden in that area, which is a pretty cool job occupation if I might add.

Another aspect I loved about the book was the relationship development between Aurora and Rhodes. The two start out as strangers, Aurora being Rhodes’ tenant, and become friends over time. When the pair begin to feel attraction for one another near the end of the novel, Rhodes does not rush anything. I think that this is so important considering Aurora experiences a lot of trauma stemming from her previous relationship. Rhodes gave Aurora the space she needed to figure out what she wanted. At the same time, he was only a call away she ever needed a bear hug, emphasizing the importance of strong support systems.

Rhodes, as a character, is just a big sweetheart. I love how protective he is of Aurora. When Aurora got lost on one of the trails, he abandoned his post to search for her, later taking care of her injuries when they returned home.

Rhodes’ love for his son is unmatched. He did not have to be present in Amos’ life (Rhodes served as a sperm donor for his best friend and his wife) but CHOSE to be involved anyway. He CHOSE not to re-enlist, even though he found joy in serving his country, so that he did not have to miss out on any of his son’s “first times.” Amos’ family may be unconventional (with three parents and all), but he is loved nonetheless. The representation of nontraditional families in literature is so important and I appreciate Zapata making that a highlight of this book.

All Rhodes Lead Here is definitely Mariana Zapata’s MO perfected.

-Multi-dimensional, capable, independent female MC ✅
-Tall, brooding, cinnamon roll male MC ✅
-supporting characters with nothing but good intentions and love for the MC ✅
-the slowest burn possible ✅
-“you’re mine” trope ✅

One thing I found to be a bit different in Rhodes, vs. most of Zapata’s other books was that the tension between the MC’s (Aurora and Rhodes) slow burn build up came secondary to the resolution of Aurora’s main storyline. I liked that Aurora came full circle and it wasn’t glossed over.

I think the timeline and several week/month time jumps were well done, and gave a realistic time span for the MC’s to have relatable amounts of personal growth and time to actually deeply fall for each other.

Overall this story was cozy, but emotionally complex as well as quirky and funny.

“If I could leave a review, it would be ten stars easy”

I just need a moment while I collect my heart and emotions that have been scattered about. There are not enough words to describe how wonderful this book truly is. It’s amazing what this author did with 26 letters and some punctuation marks. She gets better with every book I read. She captures the reader from start to finish with an amazing story that grips your heart and characters that are unlike any others out there.

Aurora is resilient and strong. She could have been portrayed as a damsel in distress, but I’m so happy the author developed this character as a strong, independent woman. She spent the last years losing herself in someone else who didn’t appreciate her, so it was refreshing to see her living for herself and finding her wants and needs. It was really enjoyable going on this character building journey alongside her.

Tobias and Aurora are the best kind of slow burn romance. I love how the author takes her time in describing their relationship, building a foundation that requires the slow breaking down of walls that have been built up, and allowing both of them, along with the reader, to fall along with them. There are little moments that make this book. Through small interactions, it’s filled with this undeniable chemistry that burns the pages and seconds that leave you over analyzing the things that were left unsaid. This author has an amazing talent where the mundane scenes take your breath away.

What I love most is that this takes place in Colorado. The descriptions of each scene made me feel as if I was right there breathing in the fresh air, seeing the beautiful landscape, and experiencing everything as if I was right beside Aurora.

What was most enjoyable was getting to know the friends and family as well as the main character. She has a way of making her characters feel accessible and human by capturing emotions that are felt to every reader. This book was beyond phenomenal and if you haven’t read it yet, you are doing yourself a disservice.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC

Absolutely loved this story!! Grumpy Tobias. Sweet aurora. Amos. Will be rereading this many, many times!
Birds, bats, music! Love. I wish I was more articulate here lol

As always Mariana delivers only the best of slow burns out there. Perfect. I love the new cover and the bonus content!!

The banter, her jokes that he didn’t laugh at, the friendships and bonds in this book.. ugh I loved them so damn much😭 Grumpy/ sunshine done SO PERFECTLY😍❤️ But honestly, finding out why his nickname for her is “Buddy” was so funny, I just adore them so much❤️

Give me all the Mariana Zapata slow burns especially with a grumpy single dad and enemies to lovers vibes. I spent most of the book just smiling and being happy for the characters as they overcoming their individual issues to grow into a healthy, loving coouple.

Although this is classified as a romance, I do think it has more a woman finding herself, building a found family, and claiming her identity. The bonus scenes include truly cement their relationship and Aurora's growth as a person.

All Rhodes Lead Here follows Aurora, a broken hearted songwriter who decides to return to her roots in a small town in Colorado to start over. After renting a apartment online, Aurora soon finds out she had no idea what she was in for, with a broody landlord and his musical teenage son. 

The book follows topics of love, loss, and growth against the backdrop of beautiful southern Colorado.

I was really excited to see the book was set in Colorado, as I think Colorado is underutilized and underrated for its potential to add to a plot.

Aurora and all of the other characters were love-able, with several laugh out loud moments I enjoyed. The utilization of Aurora’s hiking to symbolize her growth and self discovery was a unique approach.

There were some sections of the book I would have liked to seen fleshed out or expanded upon. I would have loved to see Aurora return to songwriting with her newfound self and happiness.

Although I loved the slow burn, once the characters fell in love, I wish there were more parts dedicated to their relationship instead of being skated over. The bonus content provided in this addition was exciting and I really enjoyed it!

I wish there was more representation of the Native American community that is so important to that area of Colorado! The author briefly mentions one of the characters is Native American but it would have been cool to see more representation and parts dedicated to this aspect!

I enjoy this author’s writing! Although this wasn’t my favorite book by the author (with that title going to From Lukov with Love or Wait for it), it was exciting to read a book departing from the typical Texas setting.

I get it now. The classic Mariana Zapata slow burn?! How I still have hair follicles, I have no idea. 😂 I kept checking my kindle % absolutely baffled at my progression. It definitely helps that the character(s) really helped drive the plot for me. And I didn't even mind the single POV (*gasp*). I think if I got a POV from theee Tobias "Tobers. Daddy. Dilf. Grumpy Silver Fox." Rhodes I might have straight combusted.

Aurora "Ora" De La Torre, though at times immature (for a 33 year old, ma'am 💀) she was so funny I let it slide. Her inner-musings, especially on her hikes, were hilarious. She was just so damn likable.

But it was a little hard to consider this a romance... personally. While there were romance elements, this felt like something else entirely. A book about grief, friendships, found family, timing, etc. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed this one and am looking forward to being continually and lovingly tortured by MZ for many books to come 🫶🏼 Thank you to Netgalley & Avon books for the eARC!

Hot single dad!! Do I need to say more!?! I read this book many times throughout the years and it still shocks me how good is it. Mariana zapata writes the most believable romance stories. And the bonus scene.. wow there is just something about a grumpy quiet man that smiles. I love this book and I’m so happy it got picked up by a publisher.

Like all the other Mariana Zapata books I’ve read, this one was just as wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It had such delicious tropes such as, slow burn, age gap, single parent, small town and grumpy/sunshine. Aurora and Rhodes chemistry was off the charts amazing and I love their relationship so much! This story was absolutely beautiful and this book was such a wonderful and cozy read!

This is one of those stories where the setting is its own main character. It was just such a heartfelt book and throughout my reading it literally had me blushing, wanting to cry, giggling and swooning. Undoubtedly, this one one of the best books I’ve read this year. And I would highly recommend it to everyone who loves the slow-burn romances set in a small town with the sunshine/grumpy trope!

The slowest of slow burns, as always from Mariana Zapata. She writes a stoic male main character better than almost anyone today, and no exceptions here! Mooooore.

I picked this up after loving The Wall of Winnepeg and Me.  It was quite the standout, but I did enjoy it.

What WORKED:
grumpy/sunshine
age gap
forced proximity
single dad
working overtime for the glimpse of a smile
slowest burn ever

What DIDN'T:
This is very much a ‘Kari’ issue, but the author used some variation of “his gray eyes” 65 times (yes- I searched) and it was so distracting. I felt like Ed Rooney in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off ” He’s been sick 65 times”

You know I cannot resist a Mariana Zapata, because she is the absolute queen of the slowest slow burn you’ve ever witnessed in your entire life and you are just simply along for the ride.

Like FLWL, there’s so much more to this story than the romance. In All Rhodes, the main storyline is constantly wriggling below the surface in a way that leaves you second-guessing and a little bit broken-hearted. And then there’s Rhodes, grumping it up in a way that’s endearingly obvious to everyone except Aurora (also typical of Zapata’s writing style - fmc’s who are borderline painfully oblivious to any and all advances until the final hour).

Aurora is returning to the last place she truly considered home, to start over and learn who she really is after the crumbling of her all-encompassing relationship. She has nothing but the belongings that fit in her car, and a desperation to feel safe but a little untethered.

However, when she arrives at her rental unit, she discovers that Tobias Rhodes had no intention of being her landlord - or a landlord at all - but rather his teenaged son, Amos put their above-garage space up without his permission. With a frantic determination that surprises even her, Aurora manages to convince Rhodes to let her stay, with the promise that he won’t even notice she’s there.

However (of course) the two seem incapable of ignoring each other - Aurora admittedly ogling him in secret and game warden Rhodes (used to spending long periods of time in the woods) seemingly irritated by the very existence of another human within 100 yards of him.

But as Aurora slowly begins expanding her world to the hiking trails surrounding her newfound home base, and her reasons for returning to Pagosa Springs become known to Rhodes and Amos, Aurora finds herself in an unlikely but earnest friendship with the father-son duo that starts to feel a lot more like family.

I first read this book over a year ago, so it was so nice revisiting one of my faves again.

I love this book. So much. Of course this features the Mariana Zapata signature slow-burn that I enjoy a lot. It was so sweet, tender, and heartwarming. I loved watching not only the relationship grow between Rhodes and Aurora, but also between Aurora and Rhodes' son Amos (single dad!). Even though this was a slow-burn, I felt the pacing was just right. Aurora had been through so much over the years, so it was really nice watching the natural progression of her character growth.

And Rhodes, well...Rhodes is still one of my favorite grumps ever 🫠

As with MZ's other books, the little details– the sweet nothings– are what really do it for me. "His sock-covered foot nudged mine beneath the table. I swore that was better than most kisses I’d gotten over my life."

I adore Rhodes+Aurora, I adore Amos, and I adore this book. Plus that bonus chapter was just perfect. Go read it!

This book has to be my favorite Mariana Zapata book....ever. And I know lots of people may say that, but honestly I worship this woman's writing like it's nobody's business. Ora and Rhodes fit together like puzzle pieces, and nobody can tell me they were not meant to be together. I am normally not a fan of the single father trope, but GIRL this book changed my view on that. Amos's impact on Rhodes and Aurora's relationship was everything my heart needed.

This book was paced beautifully, and I ate it up every time that I was awake. The characters relationship never felt rushed, and it also never felt like 'insta-love". This was such a mature romance that had me in its grasp the whole time I was reading.

If you liked anything Mariana Zapata has written, this is for you. If you like slowburn, friends-to-lovers, small town, single parent book....this is written for YOU!

5/5 stars for All Rhodes Lead Here :)