United States
![Elena Armas - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B08X6HC9QH.jpg)
The Spanish Love Deception: A Novel
A TikTok sensation, this rom-com about a young woman who agrees to fake date a colleague and bring him to her sister's wedding has "everything you could want in a romance" (Helen Hoang, New York Times bestselling author).
Catalina Martín desperately needs a date to her sister's wedding. Especially since her little white lie about her American boyfriend has spiralled out of control. Now everyone she knows-including her ex and his fiancée-will be there and eager to meet him.
She only has four weeks to find someone willing to cross the Atlantic and aid in her deception. New York to Spain is no short flight and her raucous family won't be easy to fool.
Enter Aaron Blackford-her tall, handsome, condescending colleague-who surprisingly offers to step in. She'd rather refuse; never has there been a more aggravating, blood-boiling, and insufferable man.
But Catalina is desperate, and as the wedding draws nearer, Aaron looks like her best option. And she begins to realize he might not be as terrible in the real world as he is at the office.
Catalina Martín desperately needs a date to her sister's wedding. Especially since her little white lie about her American boyfriend has spiralled out of control. Now everyone she knows-including her ex and his fiancée-will be there and eager to meet him.
She only has four weeks to find someone willing to cross the Atlantic and aid in her deception. New York to Spain is no short flight and her raucous family won't be easy to fool.
Enter Aaron Blackford-her tall, handsome, condescending colleague-who surprisingly offers to step in. She'd rather refuse; never has there been a more aggravating, blood-boiling, and insufferable man.
But Catalina is desperate, and as the wedding draws nearer, Aaron looks like her best option. And she begins to realize he might not be as terrible in the real world as he is at the office.
Editorial Reviews
"Everything you could want in a romance is right here."
-Helen Hoang, New York Times bestselling author of The Love Principle
"Armas's debut sizzles with chemistry…The slow-burning romance heats up the pages as Armas's witty, intelligent protagonists reveal their innermost secrets and overcome their past misunderstandings. The Spanish setting and the zany antics of Lina's family only add to the fun. Rom-com fans will be riveted." -Publishers Weekly
"Perfect pacing, incredible characters, and the swoon-worthy chemistry." -Business Insider
-Helen Hoang, New York Times bestselling author of The Love Principle
"Armas's debut sizzles with chemistry…The slow-burning romance heats up the pages as Armas's witty, intelligent protagonists reveal their innermost secrets and overcome their past misunderstandings. The Spanish setting and the zany antics of Lina's family only add to the fun. Rom-com fans will be riveted." -Publishers Weekly
"Perfect pacing, incredible characters, and the swoon-worthy chemistry." -Business Insider
Readers Top Reviews
Reema
I've heard a lot about this book and it is as great as everyone says! A cheesy but cute romantic story with a little bit of spice. It is predictable but i like that! You know what's going to happen but then there are a few obstacles thrown in the way which kept me reading. I loved all the Spanish... the whole book reminded me of Jane The Virgin!! The characters were written well and to be honest, i would read this whole book again if it was in Aaron's point of view!
Giovana L.Reema
I'm super sad right now because I'll never have an Aaron Blackford in my life! I loved this book soooo much, Aaron and Catalina are so cute ughhh I don't think I'll ever get over it. Their story is the sweetest and the hottest at the same time, and definitely one of my favorites. I had so much fun with them... I don't know how to put on words how much I'm in love with AaronLina!!
SophieGiovana L.R
This was a great debut romance novel. I am beyond excited to read the next book in the series. I am a complete SUCKERRR for anything romcom, how can you not be? They are fun and highly enjoyable and TSLD is definitely now up there with some of my all-time favourites. TSLD starts of with Lina desperately needing a date for her sister's wedding back home in Spain, she has two problems; 1) she told her family she was bringing her boyfriend butttt she does not have one. 2) Her ex just happens to be the brother to the groom AND the best mate. This Ex is also a part of her reasoning for wanting to start fresh in America! Enter: Aaron. pain in her arse, stuck up, Aaron. Lina annoying work colleague. Yes, he is gorgeous but that doesn't matter when he is constantly making your life hell. Aaron offers, insists in fact, to help Lina out, by posing as her date for the wedding... what could go wrong?! This has some of my all-time favourite romance tropes and honestly, Elena NAILED the sexual tension between Lina and Aaron. OH MY GOD, It was killing me, I couldn't wait to finish this book so I may have read it in less than a day hahaha BUT it was totally worth it! GO BUY THIS BOOK for some much-needed escapism.
Short Excerpt Teaser
Chapter One CHAPTER ONE
"I'll be your date to the wedding."
Words I had never-not even in my wildest dreams, and trust me, I had a vivid imagination-conceived of hearing from that deep and rich tone reached my ears.
Looking down at my coffee, I squinted my eyes, trying to search for any signs of noxious substances floating around. That would at least explain what was happening. But nope.
Nothing. Just what was left of my Americano.
"I'll do it if you need someone that badly," the deep voice came again.
Eyes growing wide, I lifted my head. I opened my mouth and then snapped it closed again.
"Rosie…" I trailed off, the word leaving me in a whisper. "Is he really there? Can you see him? Or did someone spike my coffee without me noticing?"
Rosie-my best friend and colleague in InTech, the New York City–based engineering consulting company where we had met and worked-slowly nodded her head. I watched her dark curls bounce with the motion, an expression of disbelief marring her otherwise soft features. She lowered her voice. "Nope. He's right there." Her head peeked around me very quickly. "Hi. Good morning!" she said brightly before her attention returned to my face. "Right behind you."
Lips parted, I stared at my friend for a long moment. We were standing at the far end of the hallway of the eleventh floor of the InTech headquarters. Both our offices were relatively close together, so the moment I had entered the building, located in the heart of Manhattan, in the vicinity of Central Park, I had gone straight to hers.
My plan had been to grab Rosie and plop down on the upholstered wooden armchairs that served as a waiting area for visiting clients, which were usually unoccupied this early in the morning. But we never made it. I somehow dropped the bomb before we ever sat down. That was how much my predicament needed Rosie's immediate attention. And then… then he had materialized out of nowhere.
"Should I repeat that a third time?" His question sent a new wave of disbelief rushing through my body, freezing the blood in my veins.
He wouldn't. Not because he couldn't, but because what he was saying did not make any freaking sense. Not in our world. One where we-
"All right, fine," he sighed. "You can take me." He paused, sending more of that ice-cold wariness through me. "To your sister's wedding."
My spine locked up. My shoulders stiffened.
I even felt the satin blouse I had tucked into my camel slacks stretch with the sudden motion.
I can take him.
To my sister's wedding. As my… date?
I blinked, his words echoing inside my head.
Then, something unhitched inside of me. The absurdity of whatever this was-whatever perverse joke this man I knew not to trust was trying to pull off-made a snort bubble its way up my throat and reach my lips, leaving me quickly and loudly. As if it had been in a rush to get out.
A grunt came from behind me. "What's so funny?" His voice dropped, turning colder. "I'm completely serious."
I bit back another burst of laughter. I didn't believe that. Not for a second. "The chances of him," I told Rosie, "being actually serious are the same chances I have of having Chris Evans pop out of nowhere and confess his undying love for me." I made a show of looking right and left. "Nonexistent. So, Rosie, you were saying something about… Mr. Frenkel, right?"
There was no Mr. Frenkel.
"Lina," Rosie said with that fake, toothy smile I knew she wore when she didn't want to be rude. "He looks like he's serious," she spoke through her freaky smile. Her gaze inspected the man standing behind me. "Yep. I think he might be serious."
"Nope. He can't be." I shook my head, still refusing to turn around and acknowledge that there was a possibility my friend was right.
There couldn't be. There was no way Aaron Blackford, colleague and well-established affliction of mine, would even attempt to offer something like that. No. Way.
An impatient sigh came from behind me. "This is getting repetitive, Catalina." A long pause. Then, another noisy exhalation left his lips, this one much longer. But I did not turn around. I held my ground. "Ignoring me won't make me disappear. You know that."
I did. "But that doesn't mean I won't keep trying," I muttered under my breath.
Rosie leveled me with a look. Then, she peeked around me again, keeping that toothy grin in place. "Sorry about that, Aaron. We are not ignoring you." Her grin strained. "We are… debating something."
"We are ignoring him though. You don't need to spare his feelings. He doesn't ha...
"I'll be your date to the wedding."
Words I had never-not even in my wildest dreams, and trust me, I had a vivid imagination-conceived of hearing from that deep and rich tone reached my ears.
Looking down at my coffee, I squinted my eyes, trying to search for any signs of noxious substances floating around. That would at least explain what was happening. But nope.
Nothing. Just what was left of my Americano.
"I'll do it if you need someone that badly," the deep voice came again.
Eyes growing wide, I lifted my head. I opened my mouth and then snapped it closed again.
"Rosie…" I trailed off, the word leaving me in a whisper. "Is he really there? Can you see him? Or did someone spike my coffee without me noticing?"
Rosie-my best friend and colleague in InTech, the New York City–based engineering consulting company where we had met and worked-slowly nodded her head. I watched her dark curls bounce with the motion, an expression of disbelief marring her otherwise soft features. She lowered her voice. "Nope. He's right there." Her head peeked around me very quickly. "Hi. Good morning!" she said brightly before her attention returned to my face. "Right behind you."
Lips parted, I stared at my friend for a long moment. We were standing at the far end of the hallway of the eleventh floor of the InTech headquarters. Both our offices were relatively close together, so the moment I had entered the building, located in the heart of Manhattan, in the vicinity of Central Park, I had gone straight to hers.
My plan had been to grab Rosie and plop down on the upholstered wooden armchairs that served as a waiting area for visiting clients, which were usually unoccupied this early in the morning. But we never made it. I somehow dropped the bomb before we ever sat down. That was how much my predicament needed Rosie's immediate attention. And then… then he had materialized out of nowhere.
"Should I repeat that a third time?" His question sent a new wave of disbelief rushing through my body, freezing the blood in my veins.
He wouldn't. Not because he couldn't, but because what he was saying did not make any freaking sense. Not in our world. One where we-
"All right, fine," he sighed. "You can take me." He paused, sending more of that ice-cold wariness through me. "To your sister's wedding."
My spine locked up. My shoulders stiffened.
I even felt the satin blouse I had tucked into my camel slacks stretch with the sudden motion.
I can take him.
To my sister's wedding. As my… date?
I blinked, his words echoing inside my head.
Then, something unhitched inside of me. The absurdity of whatever this was-whatever perverse joke this man I knew not to trust was trying to pull off-made a snort bubble its way up my throat and reach my lips, leaving me quickly and loudly. As if it had been in a rush to get out.
A grunt came from behind me. "What's so funny?" His voice dropped, turning colder. "I'm completely serious."
I bit back another burst of laughter. I didn't believe that. Not for a second. "The chances of him," I told Rosie, "being actually serious are the same chances I have of having Chris Evans pop out of nowhere and confess his undying love for me." I made a show of looking right and left. "Nonexistent. So, Rosie, you were saying something about… Mr. Frenkel, right?"
There was no Mr. Frenkel.
"Lina," Rosie said with that fake, toothy smile I knew she wore when she didn't want to be rude. "He looks like he's serious," she spoke through her freaky smile. Her gaze inspected the man standing behind me. "Yep. I think he might be serious."
"Nope. He can't be." I shook my head, still refusing to turn around and acknowledge that there was a possibility my friend was right.
There couldn't be. There was no way Aaron Blackford, colleague and well-established affliction of mine, would even attempt to offer something like that. No. Way.
An impatient sigh came from behind me. "This is getting repetitive, Catalina." A long pause. Then, another noisy exhalation left his lips, this one much longer. But I did not turn around. I held my ground. "Ignoring me won't make me disappear. You know that."
I did. "But that doesn't mean I won't keep trying," I muttered under my breath.
Rosie leveled me with a look. Then, she peeked around me again, keeping that toothy grin in place. "Sorry about that, Aaron. We are not ignoring you." Her grin strained. "We are… debating something."
"We are ignoring him though. You don't need to spare his feelings. He doesn't ha...
