Rounding up from 3.5 stars.

I almost gave up on this one after the first few chapters. I felt thrown into the story without any idea of who the main character was talking about; her references to her past were too vague for the start of her tale, at least for me. (This also happens a bit at the end of the book. I think it's meant to be intentionally vague, but it didn't work for me.) Also, the male lead was actually *too* gruff and grumpy for me for the first half of the book.

It took me a very long time to root for this couple. However, once I was in, I was invested. My heart was really rooting for them by about 60% in. (There is one thing that Rhodes says that I hated because of how controlling it sounded, but I'm trying to let it slide.)

Also, I really admired Aurora's outlook on life. I wish that I could let other people's reactions to me roll off my shoulders as easily as she did.

Overall, a sweet romance with a beautiful exploration of grief that made me cry.

Note: I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley.

MZ does it again.
I’d heard mixed reviews about her newer books and I love The Wall of Winnipeg and Me and Kulti so I was worried this wouldn’t live it to those but I was so wrong. It took me maybe 15% to get into it but once I did I couldn’t put it down. I dropped my other current read to finish this. I love Aiden Graves but I think Rhodes has become my new favorite.
Mariana Zapata is known for slow burn romance and I’m used to it at this point. So that fact that the main characters had a full conversation by 30% was shocking and they got together before 90% it was crazy. I watched a review on this book and she said this one was grumpy/sunshine (like all of her books) but this one wasn’t drawn out, it was realistic and I agree. Rhodes had reasons to be closed off at the beginning but we got to watch him let her in and the whole story just felt so real. Conflicts weren’t blown out of proportion, the love story wasn’t dramatic it just made sense. Her relationship with Clara and Jackie was so nice. Amos was never in the way of them, he was their family and I love that he joked with Aurora like they were siblings almost, their bond was my favorite.
This was so good!! Just as long as her others but I blazed through it in two days I loved it so much 😍




******Spoilers*******

Amos is literally the best character ever. Him and Aurora’s singing/songwriting practices were the best. I love their relationship so much.

Tobias Rhodes. I can’t. Every one of her books raises my standards higher. He set up a campsite with a tent, chairs, and lantern (fire ban) outside their house when her trip was canceled and they roasted marshmallows with a lighter. It was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. And when he came to get her on both hikes 😭 When he saved her from the bat. When they were at his house and he told her there was a bat so she wouldn’t sleep on the floor.

When she was at Clara’s for an hour after their fight and Rhodes and Amos come to bring her back and convince her to come HOME 🥺

Amos is the best big brother ever and it’s so sweet.

The bonus epilogue in the new traditional published edition was perfection!!

I truly love this book. I loved it the first time I read it, I've loved it with every reread.
I have never been a fan of slow burn, but Mariana Zapata can do no wrong and this slow burn is just so good. The character development, the tension, the build. It is all so, so good.
The only thing I wish was a longer epilogue (in an already long book haha) so we could get some of their relationship once it starts.

Enemies to lovers and grumpy/sunshine but with some characters you haven’t seen before. Oras a songwriter recovering from a relationship in which she was exploited for her songwriting skills. Rhodes is grumpy and suspicious of Ora. Their sweetness between Ora and Rhodes teenaged son. Satisfying character growth into this relationship.

All Rhodes Lead Here was absolutely brilliant. 6 stars all the way! I was pulled in from the very first page and loved every moment as the story unfolded. It was full of heart, love, and so much emotion. There was an incredible build filled with so many captivating details, that I never wanted to put it down. I laughed and cried my way through and loved it all.

I loved Aurora and the journey she was on to find her way in life. I loved watching her truly become who she was meant to be, as well as where she should be, it was empowering. She had all these fantastic moments where she really had to dig deep and I felt for her and rooted for her, the emotion and pain she went through at times was palpable. Rhodes was everything. He was a bit gruff initially and a man of few words, but I loved every nuance about him. When he started to let his guard down, open up, and share, it was amazing and every interaction left me feeling emotional. I loved the countless times Rhodes was there for Aurora as she fought to work through her personal issues. There were all these small things developing, little looks and touches that felt powerful and resonated deeply with me. This book had a slow burn but it never felt drawn out because I was caught up in their lives and growth and feelings - so many feelings!

This story had an exceptional build that was perfectly timed, and the attention to detail was spot on. I loved the descriptions, the layers, and the heart-stopping scenes that made me feel like I was right there living it along with them. There were bits of drama interspersed as well as fun, cute moments. I loved the cast of characters and all the friendships and bonds happening. I loved learning about Rhodes and his son Amos, Aurora’s friends, her mom, and the story with Aurora's ex. I also loved Amos’s relationship with Aurora, that was special and sweet. This story was definitely emotion-filled, I got choked up more times than I want to admit. It was just everything altogether that had me holding my breath right until the end. Then there was the epilogue and the extra goodness that was like the cherry on top of the brilliance that was this story.

This story made me feel and made the world around me fade away. There were just so many small building details creating epic moments that made this book a must-read. It made my heart happy. 6 stars!

Pros: a nice comfy Saturday read!!
I love a good grumpy/sunshine trope. I will consider buying in paperback!!

What a lovely, slow burn, grumpy meets sunshine romance! This is my first book by this author so it took a bit to get comfy with the author's voice, but once I got over that it was smooth sailing through this satisfying romance.

Aurora is getting over her broken marriage and moves back to Colorado where she and her mother used to live. She ends up renting a space from Tobias Rhodes, a very grumpy, former Navy man with a young son. It takes some time for Aurora sweet, happy personality to melt Rhodes, but she does it and after a few bumps, they might just have a chance at love.

Don't want to spoil anything with details, but I really enjoyed this story. It's sweet and lovely and I fell for the main characters as well. That's what I want in a romance. Very enjoyable, low conflict love story of two people getting their HEA. What more could you want!

If you've never read a Mariana Zapata you need to be in it for the long haul. She's the Queen of the Slow Burn Romance.

Aurora de La Torre is returning to Colorado after her life kind of collapses. Not through any choice of her own, but if you're going to rebuild your life, it might as well be in a place where you had the happiest memories. Tobias Rhodes is his new landlord. He's quiet, and stern, serious, and handsome, with a surprising amount of grey hair.

What I love about Mariana's female characters is the fact they're always trying to work out the difficult times in their lives without leaning on someone else to solve their problems, or crying about it. They're women who know hard times, but show up day after day trying to make their situations better. And the men who love them offer support, but just let them be. My only issue is that the first half of the book didn't give me enough Aurora/Rhodes moments to really build the tension. But once the story took off I loved it.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! I am not the biggest fan of slow burns, and I know that Mariana Zapata is the queen of slow burn romances. Most of her books, the couple finally gets together close to like 75% to 80% of the book. That being said, I have loved the books I’ve read from her and always wish that the books were even longer lol! In this book, we read about Aurora going to stay in the small town that she grew up in. When she arrives at the place she booked to stay, she finds out that the owner wasn’t aware that his son booked their garage apartment. I loved reading how Aurora and Rhodes try to avoid each other a lot. Rhodes is very much a quiet grump, but you can tell that there’s something about him and that he might like Aurora, even though he tries not to show it. I loved how he would go on hikes with her and even would worry about her! The things that this man did for her were so sweet! I love that he would give her these hugs when he knew she needed them. I also really liked Rhodes’s son, Amos. He was written perfectly as a typical teenager. One thing I loved about this book was the fact that there wasn’t a third act break up. Yay for communication! I loved every moment Aurora and Rhodes were together and every kiss and the one sex scene were amazing!

Read if you like:
Heroine’s POV
Small town romance
Neighbors to lovers
Forced proximity
Grump x Sunshine
Single dad
Slow burn romance
Open door romance
Only one bed
No third act breakup

Aurora "Ora" De La Torre was forced to restart her life after the man she'd thought she'd be with forever and to whom she's dedicated the last 14 years of her life suddenly and without warning ends the relationship and has his lawyer kick her out of their house. After roaming around and some soul searching, she decides to move back to the small town she lived in before her mother went missing. Only the little garage apartment she rented online turns out to be owned by a grumpy silver fox that is not at all happy that his teenage son rented it behind his back and only very reluctantly lets her stay. And so begins a story of connections and growth that pulls you in and invites to feel everything right along with its characters.
This book is so full of emotions so wonderfully expressed that I find myself at a loss for words to accurately describe it. It touches on many excellent emotional moments of self, growth, loss, and healing and I would recommend it just for that. But it also has a heroine you're rooting for from page one, a perfectly grumpy silver fox hero, and a teenager I wanted to hug the stuffing out of from the moment we met him.
There is so much happening in Aurora's story that another author might have gotten lost in making it too emotional or even just the weight of everything that happens, but Zapata expertly balances out the sadness with laugh-out-loud moments that kept surprising me. Between the emotional balance and how well the slow-burn romance works, I kind of wish there was more to it even though I do love the ending.

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the wonderful read!

3.75 stars

This was an enjoyable grumpy-sunshine romance between characters aged 33 and 43, which is older than a lot of romances I read but I loved it! There is also a teenage kid from the dad and I’ve decided I really like reading books where the main character also builds a relationship with their love interest’s kid. I loved that it was set in Colorado since I grew up in Colorado and recognized the town names, it was fun. I always appreciate a relationship that builds into a relationship and it’s not instant love. This book made Aurora and Rhodes love story seem so real. It was 4 stars for me until the end got to be too long and unnecessary for me. I know the third act conflict is a common thing in romances and for the most part I think it was done well. I really liked the epilogue.

Grumpy sunshine+ small town = perfection. Add in a single dad, and Mariana's phenomenal SLOTH burn skills. The banter, the angst, the edging. And you have a fantastic book. It's a beautiful love story that has me pulled in on every single page.

5/5 ⭐
2/5 🌶️
5/5 🎧

I absolutely loved this book. Rhodes and Aurora were amazing characters and this story was so captivating. Aurora was this bright shiny light despite everything she had been through and Rhodes was this grump who had been through his fair share as well... Together they made the perfect match and I just adored them.

I feel like the side characters really added such a special touch to this book. Amos especially, but also Johnny, Clara and Yuki too. They had this beautiful found family that was so special. Rhodes and Amos' relationship was really unique and I absolutely loved that plot point as well.

The audiobook was so so good. Amanda Ronconi and Sebastian York did a phenomenal job in this duet narration and it's one of those I could listen on repeat time and time again.

"All Rhodes Lead Here" by Mariana Zapata, where love takes its sweet time and life's quirks are served with a side of laughter. Teagan Monroe, the kind of protagonist you'd want as your best friend, guides us through a story that's as relatable as it is heartwarming. From the very first page, you'll find yourself nodding along to Teagan's witty remarks, feeling like you've stumbled upon the diary of someone who gets you.

Mariana Zapata has this way of making her characters feel like family, and "All Rhodes Lead Here" is no exception. Teagan and Rhodes dance through life in a way that's so authentic, it's impossible not to become invested in their journey. The slow-burn romance is a gentle tug at your heartstrings, and you can't help but root for them with every page. The leisurely pace might not be for everyone, but if you're in the mood for a story that feels like a personal conversation with a friend, filled with laughter, love, and a few bumps along the way, then "All Rhodes Lead Here" is the perfect companion for your next reading escape.

This slow burn romance was everything I needed!

This story line was written very well, and provides a wonderful example of love and loss - learning to simultaneously experience grief, while learning to move on.

There is just something about small towns that are simply wholesome. Like a warm blanket on a cold day, wrapping you up and making you feel secure. That is was this story was like.

Aurora - our sunshiney main leading lady was easy to love. She is compassionate, funny, and a really good woman who wants to see the best happen for everyone she encounters.

Rhoades - our "grumpy" DILF is a secret softie that will have the ladies SWOONING. Who doesn't love a protective and possessive alpha male?!

Read if you love:
-Slow burns
-small towns
-age gap
- single dad
-grumpy/sunshine
-found family

All Rhodes Lead Here

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: contemporary romance 📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
Mariana Zapata is the queen of slow burn romance! This book had me smiling the whole time!

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Grumpy/sunshine
Forced proximity
(Very) slow burn
Second chance at love
Single dad
Age gap
Hiking and outdoor adventures
Small town
Found family
Sweet and heartwarming reads
Strangers to friends to lovers

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
Aurora and Amos’ friendship
Character growth
Unique family dynamics

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
The FMC is a little too clueless sometimes
The nickname ‘Buddy’ just didn’t work for me

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

I guess I didn't know that this author was known for her "slow burn" novels. I felt like this book was too long. I wanted to love it, I know so many people that love this author. It just wasn't for me.

Mariana Zapata is really the Queen of Slowburn Romance, and I've missed reading her books.

I loved the characters that we got to follow in this book. Both Aurora and Rhodes felt like real people. And because of that, I still really enjoyed it even though the romance didn't feel as prevalent as I would have liked it. I did like that it felt realistic and you could see their feelings grow.

However, this felt more like a plain contemporary story or a character study for at least two-thirds of the book.

I did really like the exploration of grief and unconventional families.

But I think I just wish that I liked the conclusion more. It felt like it wrapped up too quickly.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had seen this book all over Instagram and couldn’t wait to read it - it did not disappoint! I fell in love with the characters from the beginning and it was so easy to read. I actually read this book in 3 days

Mariana Zapata is the queen of slow burn! And All Rhodes Lead Here is one of the best! It is a story of personal growth and finding oneself, love and loss, and learning to open your heart again. This book had my emotions all over the place. One minute I was laughing and the next crying. It is a true comfort read that I will definitely be rereading in the future!

Aurora is trying to get over betrayal and heartache and moves back to the one place that she had always been happy…she just wants a fresh start. Imagine her surprise when her new landlord knows nothing about her renting his garage apartment and wants her gone asap. I loved Aurora so much! She was sweet, funny, and wanted the best for everyone around her. But that didn’t mean she was a push over! Even though he scared the living daylights out of her, she wasn’t afraid to stand up to grumpy Rhodes. I loved his grumpy self! He was protective, sexy, a total teddy bear on the inside and a wonderful dad to his teen son.

Even though this is almost 600 pages, I stayed up most of the night to finish it..and don’t feel one bit of regret over lost sleep! I couldn’t put it down and wanted more of these amazing characters when it was over.