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The Valencia Expat Club
Not yet published
Expected 2 Jun 26
One Italian Summer
meets Eat, Pray, Love in this heartwarming novel following a recent divorcee’s escape to Spain where delicious food, romantic adventures, and the transformative magic of starting over leads her to reconnect with family, forge new friendships, and rediscover herself.
Dahlia Delaney’s marriage just imploded, her friend group picked a side (not hers), and her fancy San Francisco life now fits into a single suitcase. Armed with a broken heart, a freelance marketing gig, and one blurry childhood memory of her abuela’s garden, she impulsively hops on a flight to Valencia, Spain, to reconnect with distant family—and maybe herself.
But Valencia isn’t just sunny plazas and sangria. There’s her chaotic new job at a quirky expat bar, a family she barely knows but who embrace her like she’s always belonged, and a brooding American bar owner who’s frustratingly attractive and entirely too familiar.
As Dahlia stumbles through language mishaps, clashing cultures, and late-night paella with new friends, she begins to realize that the fresh start she came for might turn into something even better—if she can let go of the life she planned and embrace the one unfolding around her.
Perfect for anyone who’s ever dreamed of starting over somewhere with better wine, The Valencia Expat Club is a sparkling, laugh-out-loud romantic escape about second chances, delicious detours, and finding home where you least expect it.
Dahlia Delaney’s marriage just imploded, her friend group picked a side (not hers), and her fancy San Francisco life now fits into a single suitcase. Armed with a broken heart, a freelance marketing gig, and one blurry childhood memory of her abuela’s garden, she impulsively hops on a flight to Valencia, Spain, to reconnect with distant family—and maybe herself.
But Valencia isn’t just sunny plazas and sangria. There’s her chaotic new job at a quirky expat bar, a family she barely knows but who embrace her like she’s always belonged, and a brooding American bar owner who’s frustratingly attractive and entirely too familiar.
As Dahlia stumbles through language mishaps, clashing cultures, and late-night paella with new friends, she begins to realize that the fresh start she came for might turn into something even better—if she can let go of the life she planned and embrace the one unfolding around her.
Perfect for anyone who’s ever dreamed of starting over somewhere with better wine, The Valencia Expat Club is a sparkling, laugh-out-loud romantic escape about second chances, delicious detours, and finding home where you least expect it.
304 pages, Paperback
Expected publication June 2, 2026
29 people are currently reading
7005 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 15, 2026
I received this ARC via Goodreads giveaway.
The Valencia Expat Club really drew me in! I truly didn’t want it to end. Every sentence feels carefully crafted, and the author’s writing has a way of transporting you so completely that I felt like I was right there with Dahlia, experiencing everything alongside her.
The story of love, life, and family felt almost magical, with just the right balance of depth, warmth, and emotion. The sarcasm and humor were exactly my style, and I kept finding myself thinking how much I loved the author’s voice and sense of humor.
Each page painted such a vivid picture that it felt like watching the story unfold in real time. Wow! This is one of those books you wish could keep going. It would make an amazing movie or mini-series! I need more…
The Valencia Expat Club really drew me in! I truly didn’t want it to end. Every sentence feels carefully crafted, and the author’s writing has a way of transporting you so completely that I felt like I was right there with Dahlia, experiencing everything alongside her.
The story of love, life, and family felt almost magical, with just the right balance of depth, warmth, and emotion. The sarcasm and humor were exactly my style, and I kept finding myself thinking how much I loved the author’s voice and sense of humor.
Each page painted such a vivid picture that it felt like watching the story unfold in real time. Wow! This is one of those books you wish could keep going. It would make an amazing movie or mini-series! I need more…
October 15, 2025
ALC • 🎧
"You shouldn't wait for a special occasion to drink the good wine. Every day you're alive is a reason to celebrate."
I adored this book and felt it in my soul. I went into this blind simply because I'm currently an expat in a European country and thought this would be a fun read. It brought so many experiences to life like finding peanut butter is impossible or finding a place that serves breakfast like home lol. The things you don't really realize until you do it. There is also a beautiful love story here but the most beautiful one was the love story with herself. I loved all the food references and this really made me want to visit Spain asap.
"You shouldn't wait for a special occasion to drink the good wine. Every day you're alive is a reason to celebrate."
I adored this book and felt it in my soul. I went into this blind simply because I'm currently an expat in a European country and thought this would be a fun read. It brought so many experiences to life like finding peanut butter is impossible or finding a place that serves breakfast like home lol. The things you don't really realize until you do it. There is also a beautiful love story here but the most beautiful one was the love story with herself. I loved all the food references and this really made me want to visit Spain asap.
August 15, 2025
June Patrick’s The Valencia Expat Club is an effortlessly charming, slow-simmering story about heartbreak, second chances, and finding yourself somewhere between tapas, wine, and a stubborn American bartender. Thank you to Florence & Reynolds, Simon Maverick Audio for the gifted ARC and ALC—I read it, then re-listened, and loved the warmth of both.
Dahlia Delaney is at her breaking point. Her husband left her, her social life in San Francisco imploded, and all she’s got left is a half-fuzzy childhood memory of her grandmother’s garden in Valencia. With no grand plan—just a freelance marketing gig and emotional exhaustion—she books a one-way flight to Spain.
What she finds there isn’t some picture-perfect escape. It’s messier, funnier, and more human. Her job at a buzzing expat bar throws her into the deep end with locals, tourists, and semi-permanent wanderers. Her long-lost family embraces her like a prodigal daughter, and she starts to stitch together a life from the unfamiliar. She even meets a handsome but guarded bar owner who sees through her defenses a little too easily.
This is not a whirlwind romance. It’s slower, more introspective—less about falling in love with a person and more about learning to like yourself again. Dahlia’s story feels lived-in and real, full of relatable missteps, culture clashes, and accidental joy. It’s about starting over without knowing how, and learning to be okay with the mess of it.
The quote that stuck with me? “You shouldn’t wait for a special occasion to drink the good wine. Every day you’re alive is a reason to celebrate.” That line sums up the heart of this book perfectly.
The writing is breezy but thoughtful, and the Valencia setting bursts with flavor—from paella on a terrace to late-night street music and sun-dappled plazas. You can practically feel the warm tile under your feet and smell the citrus in the air.
But the real gem here? The audiobook.
Carlotta Brentan brings Dahlia to life with layered emotion, perfect pacing, and just the right edge of sarcasm and softness. Her Spanish accents are seamless, her delivery warm, and she fully embodies the spirit of a woman figuring herself out in real time. Listening added a whole new dimension to the story—if you enjoy audiobooks, this is how you should experience it.
The only drawback is the slower pace in the middle section. It meanders a bit—but in the way life does. If you’re looking for dramatic twists or grand declarations, you won’t find them here. What you will find is a story that respects the quiet beauty of change, and the courage it takes to choose a different kind of life.
This is a book for anyone who’s ever fantasized about quitting their job, flying to Europe, and starting fresh—not in a romcom fantasy way, but in a “maybe I really could” way. It doesn’t offer easy answers, just good company, gorgeous atmosphere, and the steady realization that joy is worth chasing.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#TheValenciaExpatClub #JunePatrick #CarlottaBrentan #SimonMaverickAudio #BookReview #AudiobookReview #NetGalleyARC #NetGalleyALC #SpainSetting #ExpatsInFiction #DivorceRecovery #WomenWhoTravel #SlowBurnRomance #CozyRead #FictionWithHeart #WomensFiction2025 #SecondChances #PaellaAndPerspective
Dahlia Delaney is at her breaking point. Her husband left her, her social life in San Francisco imploded, and all she’s got left is a half-fuzzy childhood memory of her grandmother’s garden in Valencia. With no grand plan—just a freelance marketing gig and emotional exhaustion—she books a one-way flight to Spain.
What she finds there isn’t some picture-perfect escape. It’s messier, funnier, and more human. Her job at a buzzing expat bar throws her into the deep end with locals, tourists, and semi-permanent wanderers. Her long-lost family embraces her like a prodigal daughter, and she starts to stitch together a life from the unfamiliar. She even meets a handsome but guarded bar owner who sees through her defenses a little too easily.
This is not a whirlwind romance. It’s slower, more introspective—less about falling in love with a person and more about learning to like yourself again. Dahlia’s story feels lived-in and real, full of relatable missteps, culture clashes, and accidental joy. It’s about starting over without knowing how, and learning to be okay with the mess of it.
The quote that stuck with me? “You shouldn’t wait for a special occasion to drink the good wine. Every day you’re alive is a reason to celebrate.” That line sums up the heart of this book perfectly.
The writing is breezy but thoughtful, and the Valencia setting bursts with flavor—from paella on a terrace to late-night street music and sun-dappled plazas. You can practically feel the warm tile under your feet and smell the citrus in the air.
But the real gem here? The audiobook.
Carlotta Brentan brings Dahlia to life with layered emotion, perfect pacing, and just the right edge of sarcasm and softness. Her Spanish accents are seamless, her delivery warm, and she fully embodies the spirit of a woman figuring herself out in real time. Listening added a whole new dimension to the story—if you enjoy audiobooks, this is how you should experience it.
The only drawback is the slower pace in the middle section. It meanders a bit—but in the way life does. If you’re looking for dramatic twists or grand declarations, you won’t find them here. What you will find is a story that respects the quiet beauty of change, and the courage it takes to choose a different kind of life.
This is a book for anyone who’s ever fantasized about quitting their job, flying to Europe, and starting fresh—not in a romcom fantasy way, but in a “maybe I really could” way. It doesn’t offer easy answers, just good company, gorgeous atmosphere, and the steady realization that joy is worth chasing.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#TheValenciaExpatClub #JunePatrick #CarlottaBrentan #SimonMaverickAudio #BookReview #AudiobookReview #NetGalleyARC #NetGalleyALC #SpainSetting #ExpatsInFiction #DivorceRecovery #WomenWhoTravel #SlowBurnRomance #CozyRead #FictionWithHeart #WomensFiction2025 #SecondChances #PaellaAndPerspective
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
More than the love story between Dahlia and Liam, owner of the Valencia Expat Club, what I really enjoyed was the love story between Dahlia and Valencia, Spain. Maybe it's the grey, chilly weather we've been having here, but I couldn't get enough of sunny, citrus scented Valencia.
After a divorce, Dahlia impulsively decides to go to Valencia where members of her mother's extended family still live and where she spent early childhood summers, visiting a beloved abuela. But something happened among the adults and Dahlia's mother severed all ties with her family, leaving Dahlia on the outs as well. An internet search lead to a second or third cousin Maya, who immediately reaches out with joy and invitations to meet.
Dahlia quickly finds a small apartment, is taken under Maya's wing, and gets a job doing marketing for The Valencia Expat Club - a bar populated by Americans, Brits, Australian Sophie and other quirky characters. Maya offers family and history, and Sophie offers adventure and a push into romance.
It was a bit much that Dahlia not only meets Liam, a fellow American on the first day, but that they have a history was a little eye roll worthy. But they have good sarcastic banter and they end up together with only one 'romance novel type misunderstanding'. (Honestly, why doesn't anyone ever behave like an adult and actually walk up to the beautiful woman that is with 'your' man and just say hello, instead of running away convinced that he has fallen into her clutches and is lying to you).
I also felt that the appearance of Dahlia's mother at the party at the end was unnecessary. We have gone the entire book with Dahlia creating her found family which includes distant relations Maya and her family, to suddenly have the mother show up and everything is ok with no discussion between Dahlia and her mother seemed like a wasted moment. Better to just not have her show up at all.
This book was a nice mini vacation to someplace where the stakes are all so low, and the wine keeps flowing.
After a divorce, Dahlia impulsively decides to go to Valencia where members of her mother's extended family still live and where she spent early childhood summers, visiting a beloved abuela. But something happened among the adults and Dahlia's mother severed all ties with her family, leaving Dahlia on the outs as well. An internet search lead to a second or third cousin Maya, who immediately reaches out with joy and invitations to meet.
Dahlia quickly finds a small apartment, is taken under Maya's wing, and gets a job doing marketing for The Valencia Expat Club - a bar populated by Americans, Brits, Australian Sophie and other quirky characters. Maya offers family and history, and Sophie offers adventure and a push into romance.
It was a bit much that Dahlia not only meets Liam, a fellow American on the first day, but that they have a history was a little eye roll worthy. But they have good sarcastic banter and they end up together with only one 'romance novel type misunderstanding'. (Honestly, why doesn't anyone ever behave like an adult and actually walk up to the beautiful woman that is with 'your' man and just say hello, instead of running away convinced that he has fallen into her clutches and is lying to you).
I also felt that the appearance of Dahlia's mother at the party at the end was unnecessary. We have gone the entire book with Dahlia creating her found family which includes distant relations Maya and her family, to suddenly have the mother show up and everything is ok with no discussion between Dahlia and her mother seemed like a wasted moment. Better to just not have her show up at all.
This book was a nice mini vacation to someplace where the stakes are all so low, and the wine keeps flowing.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Delightful rom-com set in Valencia, Spain, filled with the aromas and wines that add the spice to this sweet story about second chances and finding home.
Dahlia Delaney’s marriage is over, and her friends have picked their sides (not hers). Her fancy life in San Francisco seems dead ended. So, she determines with her broken heart to return to her family's home in Valencia to reconnect with her distant family. She finds a new job at a quirky expat bar and is attracted to its handsome but somewhat familiar owner.
Lots of cute and funny moments as Dahlia deals with language mishaps, cultural crashes, and finding the world's best paella and new friends. As these things happen Dahlia comes to realize this new start may be better than she could have hoped for - but only if she embraces the unknown.
s Dahlia stumbles through language mishaps, clashing cultures, and late-night paella with new friends, she begins to realize that the fresh start she came for might turn into something even better—if she can let go of the life she planned and embrace the one unfolding around her.
I loved Dahlia - she was real and her faux pas were funny and not malicious. I also looked the foodie aspect of this book. There is nothing better than reading a book which incorporates the local flavor of the setting which includes the food, the smells and the sangria (or any red wine).
This is a great beach or summer read and "perfect for anyone who’s ever dreamed of starting over somewhere with better wine."
My thanks for NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me access to this ARC.
Dahlia Delaney’s marriage is over, and her friends have picked their sides (not hers). Her fancy life in San Francisco seems dead ended. So, she determines with her broken heart to return to her family's home in Valencia to reconnect with her distant family. She finds a new job at a quirky expat bar and is attracted to its handsome but somewhat familiar owner.
Lots of cute and funny moments as Dahlia deals with language mishaps, cultural crashes, and finding the world's best paella and new friends. As these things happen Dahlia comes to realize this new start may be better than she could have hoped for - but only if she embraces the unknown.
s Dahlia stumbles through language mishaps, clashing cultures, and late-night paella with new friends, she begins to realize that the fresh start she came for might turn into something even better—if she can let go of the life she planned and embrace the one unfolding around her.
I loved Dahlia - she was real and her faux pas were funny and not malicious. I also looked the foodie aspect of this book. There is nothing better than reading a book which incorporates the local flavor of the setting which includes the food, the smells and the sangria (or any red wine).
This is a great beach or summer read and "perfect for anyone who’s ever dreamed of starting over somewhere with better wine."
My thanks for NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me access to this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
✈️🌿 There are definitely moments in The Valencia Expat Club that hit emotionally, and a few scenes that feel genuinely dreamy and true. For me, though, the overall execution didn’t quite come together the way I hoped.
The writing style was a hurdle early on. The first stretch leans heavily on metaphors and similes, and it took me a while to settle into the voice. The good news is that it smoothed out as the story got going, and once I hit the actual plot, I found it much easier to keep turning pages.
What I did love was the setting. Valencia feels vivid and warm, and there are scenes that really captured that travel magic, especially those small, local-only moments that make you feel like you’ve stumbled into a secret version of a place. 🌙🔥 Those were the sections where the story felt most alive to me.
This is also very much a dreamy version of moving abroad, where community and belonging come together quickly. That can happen, but it’s not the most common long-term reality, so I’d recommend going into this one for escapism rather than accuracy.
Overall, this wasn’t quite my kind of book, but I can see it being a fun pick if you’re in the mood for a light, escapist reinvention romance with strong travel vibes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC. 💛📚
The writing style was a hurdle early on. The first stretch leans heavily on metaphors and similes, and it took me a while to settle into the voice. The good news is that it smoothed out as the story got going, and once I hit the actual plot, I found it much easier to keep turning pages.
What I did love was the setting. Valencia feels vivid and warm, and there are scenes that really captured that travel magic, especially those small, local-only moments that make you feel like you’ve stumbled into a secret version of a place. 🌙🔥 Those were the sections where the story felt most alive to me.
This is also very much a dreamy version of moving abroad, where community and belonging come together quickly. That can happen, but it’s not the most common long-term reality, so I’d recommend going into this one for escapism rather than accuracy.
Overall, this wasn’t quite my kind of book, but I can see it being a fun pick if you’re in the mood for a light, escapist reinvention romance with strong travel vibes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC. 💛📚
August 12, 2025
“You shouldn't wait for a special occasion to drink the good wine. Every day you're alive is a reason to celebrate."
✈️ If you were looking to travel this summer.. here is your ticket to SPAIN!
🧳 We follow Dahlia, who is going through a divorce, decides to run away from her life in San Francisco and goes back to her roots in Valencia, Spain. She feels lost and decides to reconnect with distant family. In this adventure, she meets new people, bumps into a new culture, becomes closer with her family, but most importantly, learns that it is okay to start over.
🥘 I LOVED the mouthwatering Spanish food writing and the wine and drink descriptions. I am craving to try Paella and Agua de Valencia!
⏳️ This story is a reminder that it is okay if we do not have life figured out by a certain age in our life, and it is never too late to start fresh a second time.
🎧The audiobook was exceptional. The narrator has the right voice for our MC plus the Spanish accents! I do want to mention it is character driven and slow-paced.
Thank you @simonmaverickaudio for the #gifted ALC! 🫶
✈️ If you were looking to travel this summer.. here is your ticket to SPAIN!
🧳 We follow Dahlia, who is going through a divorce, decides to run away from her life in San Francisco and goes back to her roots in Valencia, Spain. She feels lost and decides to reconnect with distant family. In this adventure, she meets new people, bumps into a new culture, becomes closer with her family, but most importantly, learns that it is okay to start over.
🥘 I LOVED the mouthwatering Spanish food writing and the wine and drink descriptions. I am craving to try Paella and Agua de Valencia!
⏳️ This story is a reminder that it is okay if we do not have life figured out by a certain age in our life, and it is never too late to start fresh a second time.
🎧The audiobook was exceptional. The narrator has the right voice for our MC plus the Spanish accents! I do want to mention it is character driven and slow-paced.
Thank you @simonmaverickaudio for the #gifted ALC! 🫶
September 2, 2025
To be fair, I should have read the book description more carefully. I decided to listen to this audiobook because it was set in Spain and was supposed to include food references and deal with reconnecting with family.
While the story did indeed mention many yummy Spanish dishes, the book was really a classic contemporary romance. And here's where I had problems. I don't know why, but I have never really clicked with this genre. I don't know the name of the trope, but it's girl meets boy, girl is unimpressed with boy, girl likes boy, girl misunderstands something and hates boy, girl learns truth and loves boy. Happiness for all.
Once I realized that Spain, family, and foodie references were merely the backdrop for the romance, I should have DNF'd. For all you romance readers, I hope you laugh at the romcom moments and root for our couple as they find their way to love.
The audiobook was nicely performed by Carlotta Brentan. I don't speak Spanish, but to my untrained ear, her Spanish and accented English sounded authentic. She conveyed the characters' feelings and kept the story moving.
Thanks to Simon Maverick for the review copy.
While the story did indeed mention many yummy Spanish dishes, the book was really a classic contemporary romance. And here's where I had problems. I don't know why, but I have never really clicked with this genre. I don't know the name of the trope, but it's girl meets boy, girl is unimpressed with boy, girl likes boy, girl misunderstands something and hates boy, girl learns truth and loves boy. Happiness for all.
Once I realized that Spain, family, and foodie references were merely the backdrop for the romance, I should have DNF'd. For all you romance readers, I hope you laugh at the romcom moments and root for our couple as they find their way to love.
The audiobook was nicely performed by Carlotta Brentan. I don't speak Spanish, but to my untrained ear, her Spanish and accented English sounded authentic. She conveyed the characters' feelings and kept the story moving.
Thanks to Simon Maverick for the review copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5 stars rounded up for Goodreads
"You shouldn't wait for a special occasion to drink the good wine. Every day you're alive is a reason to celebrate."
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Atria for this ARC! This book resonated with me on a deeply personal level. Having visited Spain when I was 16, the author’s descriptions felt incredibly authentic—from the midday siestas and savory paella to the vibrant pulse of late-night street music, it all rang true.
The story follows Dahlia Delaney, a woman pushed to her limit. After a messy divorce and the collapse of her social circle in San Francisco, she’s left with nothing but a hazy childhood memory of her grandmother’s garden in Valencia. Driven by pure emotional exhaustion and a freelance marketing gig, she takes a leap of faith on a one-way ticket to Spain.
While I didn't have a glass of Rioja in hand while reading, the mouth-watering food references have me ready to book a flight back to Spain immediately. This is a beautiful exploration of starting over when you don't have a map.
"You shouldn't wait for a special occasion to drink the good wine. Every day you're alive is a reason to celebrate."
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Atria for this ARC! This book resonated with me on a deeply personal level. Having visited Spain when I was 16, the author’s descriptions felt incredibly authentic—from the midday siestas and savory paella to the vibrant pulse of late-night street music, it all rang true.
The story follows Dahlia Delaney, a woman pushed to her limit. After a messy divorce and the collapse of her social circle in San Francisco, she’s left with nothing but a hazy childhood memory of her grandmother’s garden in Valencia. Driven by pure emotional exhaustion and a freelance marketing gig, she takes a leap of faith on a one-way ticket to Spain.
While I didn't have a glass of Rioja in hand while reading, the mouth-watering food references have me ready to book a flight back to Spain immediately. This is a beautiful exploration of starting over when you don't have a map.
March 21, 2026
Even though there's a heavy romantic presence in this book--talk, dark, brooding bar owner, anyone?-- I found myself wondering out loud to my partner when the tone shift was coming. Yes, we've got a divorcee. Yes, she's uprooting and flinging herself across the globe. But Dahlia Delaney seems almost blasé about these facts, so I was waiting for her real hurt to reveal itself. And it did, in true divorcee fashion, Dahlia has been burned by the loss of friendship and community. And I felt that. When my mother got divorced, an "anonymous" person sent disturbing pictures of students to her school to try and get her fired--divorce is a mess, ya'll. Even if what Dahlia finds in Valencia feels a bit sweet and cliché, aren't we all owed a bit of sweetness? Patrick is telling everyone in their thirties: hey, it's okay to start over. And it's okay if your big discoveries are olives, dancing, and wine.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
This book had all of the right tropes and characters with great potential. After a failed marriage, Dahlia takes an impulsive trip to Spain to escape her broken heart and imploded life. She is immediately by a local family and meets a handsome, brooding American bartender. She rediscovers her groove through delicious food, found family, new love through language barriers and cultural misadventures. The narrative style is quick and easy to read. But much of the character growth and plot is done in a more told-rather-than-shown manner. It felt heavier on informative exposition, making it a bit more difficult to immerse into the story and fall in love with the characters the way they deserve.
Thank you so much June Patrick, Atria Books, and NetGalley for this ARC!
This book had all of the right tropes and characters with great potential. After a failed marriage, Dahlia takes an impulsive trip to Spain to escape her broken heart and imploded life. She is immediately by a local family and meets a handsome, brooding American bartender. She rediscovers her groove through delicious food, found family, new love through language barriers and cultural misadventures. The narrative style is quick and easy to read. But much of the character growth and plot is done in a more told-rather-than-shown manner. It felt heavier on informative exposition, making it a bit more difficult to immerse into the story and fall in love with the characters the way they deserve.
Thank you so much June Patrick, Atria Books, and NetGalley for this ARC!
May 8, 2026
ARC
I went into this book not expecting to come away with such a great perspective on life. Everything happens for a reason & we see that through Dahlia’s life. Dahlia is going through a divorce when we meet her, and she decides on a whim to go to Spain to visit her family. She hasn’t seen her family in forever because her mom has distanced herself from them due to some drama. Dahlia ends up getting a job at the Exphat club, where she meets a certain man named Liam. Liam is funny and charming and all of the things Dahlia doesn’t need at this moment in her life. However, as expected, Dahlia and Liam fall for each other. This story is beautiful and captivating from page 1. I am forever grateful to June Patrick for allowing me to read this.
PS: I need a Gabe and Sophia book!!! 😉😉😉
I went into this book not expecting to come away with such a great perspective on life. Everything happens for a reason & we see that through Dahlia’s life. Dahlia is going through a divorce when we meet her, and she decides on a whim to go to Spain to visit her family. She hasn’t seen her family in forever because her mom has distanced herself from them due to some drama. Dahlia ends up getting a job at the Exphat club, where she meets a certain man named Liam. Liam is funny and charming and all of the things Dahlia doesn’t need at this moment in her life. However, as expected, Dahlia and Liam fall for each other. This story is beautiful and captivating from page 1. I am forever grateful to June Patrick for allowing me to read this.
PS: I need a Gabe and Sophia book!!! 😉😉😉
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A story where a recent divorcee escapes to Spain to reconnect with distant family and find herself.
I found it easy to immerse myself in the setting and the evocative writing really brought Valencia to life. Themes of found family, self discovery and second chances were weaved throughout. It contained a sweet, slow burn of a love story between Dahlia and the surly owner of the expat bar she works for.
I feel like this was women's fiction with a romance plot rather than strictly romance, as it focused more intently on her journey.
This book was a charming slice of life story that reminds you it's ok to start fresh.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I loved this romance story! I've never been to Valencia but the author took me there with her great writing description of this area in Spain. Even the way the food is described made me hungry for Valencia's food favorites. The only thing I have against the book is that several times I had to Google translate several words. I think it would be beneficial if the English interpretation was in parentheses beside the non-English word. Other than that, the story was very good and well written. Girl gets divorce, goes to Spain, and discovers new love.
February 11, 2026
This book has the 'Eat, Pray, Love' moment. It's about Dahlia who just got divorced and found a way to live a different life in a different country. Dahlia went to Valencia, Spain to see family she barely knows. She also explores many things, such as food, adventure, culture, and other things. It's a well-written read and I enjoy most about the life in Valencia, Spain in this book, through Dahlia's perspective.
Review of advance copy
I really enjoyed how this book immersed me into the culture of Valencia. All of my senses could imagine being there. I appreciated Dahlia’s journey from being closed off after a relationship gone bad to being open to explore a new place and get close to new people, friends and family. I’m definitely adding València to my bucket list.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I'd like to thank Goodreads Giveaway for this ARC. I absolutely loved this book. The author wrote beautiful descriptions of locations featured in the book. Reading the book, I could see the locations and smell the market and foods. It had a very sweet plot (no spoilers here) which I greatly enjoyed. I will definitely read more of this author's books.
January 26, 2026
Had to read for work.
Predictable plot line, nothing really special about it but cute, made me miss abroad :(
On another note, if I have to see the words “they talked in rapid Spanish” again I’m going to lose it. Seriously woman we’ve heard the same sentence like 16 times already.
Predictable plot line, nothing really special about it but cute, made me miss abroad :(
On another note, if I have to see the words “they talked in rapid Spanish” again I’m going to lose it. Seriously woman we’ve heard the same sentence like 16 times already.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Following her divorce, Dahlia decides to travel to Valencia to reconnect with her cousins there. And to figure out what she wants to do next. The author describes the people, places and food so well I feel like I’ve been there too. This book was a great escape and I enjoyed it.
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