“My heart,” he murmurs, “it beats for you, Thalia. Now and always. I love you. Te amo. And this love burns like the sun.”

This is the second book I’ve read by Karina Halle. The first was, My Life in Shambles, which I thoroughly enjoyed and gave a five star review of. This novel was on a whole other level. When you see the five star rating on Amazon, there’s a reason, and it’s simply because this novel is absolute perfection. It takes a taboo romance, throws it into a real life situation, and creates a beautiful, unforgettable tale of true love. This novel starts out strong, but the ending? Now THAT was a true, raw, gorgeous finale. This novel deserves every five star review it is gifted. It completely amazed me.

One of the strongest attributes of this inspiring story was the character development. Alejo, our leading man, is a twenty four year old football (or American soccer) star on Real Madrid’s team. He’s a hotshot, cocky and charming. He knows that he is the most talented player on the team and he’s got an ego to match.  Our leading lady, Thalia, is a sports trainer. At the beginning of our novel she has just left her ex husband’s team, Manchester United, and is hired by Real Madrid. Her first patient, as a trainer, is Alejo, when his knee gets injured during a game. She is VERY good at what she does, she’s also forty years old. The chemistry from the very beginning, between these two, is unmatched. It’s tangible. You can feel it as you read, like the words are melting off the page. They fall in love, hard and fast. Thalia is a little more cautious because of her age, but boy, is it hard for her to resist Alejo. He is passionate and so young, he wears his heart on his sleeve. The age difference doesn’t bother him, but it does effect Thalia a bit, at first. She can’t imagine why he would ever want someone as old as her when he has his pick of women. The age difference is so apparent as you dive deeper into the story. Alejo is a bit of a wild card, he hasn’t been weighed down by the trials of life.  His view of love, and what he shares with Thalia, is very narrow-minded. He can’t see the bigger picture, he’s too afraid of losing her. Thalia, on the other hand, has been so burned, that even when she gives her heart to Alejo, she still sees the world for what it is. She still realizes that sometimes you have to make hard decisions in life. But, you can’t always help who you fall in love with, can you?

“The bigger the love, the greater the risk. But love, real, true, can’t-live-without-you love? That’s worth everything in the universe.”

The most beautiful part about this novel is the ending. There were times, when I knew the climax was coming, and I put the book down because I didn’t want to lose my heart. I didn’t want to face the pain of this story. I wasn’t sure what the outcome would be in the end. It’s so easy for this novel to have gone in a million different directions, and I think that’s what makes it so phenomenal. It isn’t a cookie cutter story with a predictable plot. It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s painful. But, it’s also magnificent. I sat in my bed, sobbing, after the climax, when everything goes to shit. I couldn’t take it. My heart broke for Alejo and my soul screamed for Thalia. But, like I said before, this ending is even stronger than the beginning. It’s worth it, it makes the entire journey, and the heartache, worth it in the end. Take the time to read this book. Your soul will benefit. A hundred stars. 

“Life isn’t something that happens to you, it’s something that happens for you.”