Seven Days in Madrid: GrumpxSunshine Romantic Comedy, Plus-size FMC

by Eliana Vazquez

Sylvie is fresh out of a breakup, and she couldn’t care less. She’s tired of searching for a partner to fit society’s expectations of where she should be in her thirties. Instead, she’s focusing on what makes her happy—and traveling throughout Europe is a dream she refuses to miss. Excited for this new chapter in her life, Sylvie buys a plane ticket to the captivating city of Madrid, Spain. However, her plans for a serene stay in a cozy apartment take an unexpected turn when she discovers a rather grumpy—and definitely unlisted—roommate named Santi already occupying the space. Despite the unforeseen adjustments she has to make, she’s determined to stay for the full seven days. And even though romance is nowhere on her itinerary, fate has other plans in store for Sylvie.

Santi is in no mood to deal with the stranger who’s found herself in his home—and he’s definitely not interested in playing tour guide. He's working through a nasty breakup and using some time off from work to find himself again. But he quickly learns that Sylvie is not a force to be reckoned with. And despite his thoughts still drifting back to his ex, the vibrant presence that Sylvie brings into his life clears his mind and begins to heal his wounded heart.

317 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 7, 2026

About the author

Eliana Vazquez is a self-published author from Kearny, New Jersey. She graduated from the University of New Haven, where she majored in communications, her concentration being in Film and Media Production. When she’s not at her desk writing you can find her enabling her coffee addiction and buying more books than she could ever read.

Reviews

[Isis · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could rate this more than five stars, I would. Absolutely loved this from start to finish. This totally gave you 2000’s rom com vibes from the unlucky FMC with love and the grumpy closed off mmc. Sylvie booked a trip around Europe with one rule, no distractions (men). Only to find herself rooming with a man who finds her annoying and full of sunshine. This is such a binge able read, perfect for the weekend. Anything Eliana writes, I’ll automatically read and purchase.

[plotlines_and_tea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I originally DNF’d this one, but decided to give it another shot, and I’m glad I did. I struggle with books that lean too heavily into the FMC’s insecurities right from the start. I don’t mind those themes, but I prefer seeing them develop more naturally over time. That said, the romance and their adventures ended up being really cute and made the read worthwhile.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg this book. Perfect summer read!

Sylvie has never fully committed, while Santi almost committed to the wrong person. What happens when chaos ensues and a vacation becomes more?

I loved how each day was wrapped up neatly, how every interaction could be real or from a movie. For anyone who’s ever been in love, been afraid to lose, or has become guarded. Add this to your TBR.

[Samantha Jelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

As soon as I picked up the book, I was hooked from the very beginning. The chapters swapping POVs were amazing and was even more immersive. I could imagine the book happening in my head like it was a movie. Everything was described perfectly, and I hope to see a second book in the near future. Sylvie & Santi’s story is definitely early 2000s RomCom coded; it’s a warm, funny, body positive feel good weekend read. I highly recommend it for anyone in need of a new romance read.

[Cozy Puppy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a sweet romance that feels like a classic 2000s rom-com movie, Seven Days in Madrid by Eliana Vazquez is exactly that. I absolutely love travel romance stories, and this one delivers all the adventurous, wanderlust vibes of exploring a new city while falling in love along the way. For me, I was instantly hooked by the cover art (and the vibes of the playlist!).

The story follows Sylvie, a software engineer whose life is turned upside down when her boyfriend of six months abruptly dumps her. Since they had just recently moved in together, the sudden split causes her to completely reassess everything. She decides to finally take the PTO she never uses and hops on a plane to Europe, starting her journey in Madrid. Chaos ensues when she shows up at her rental only to find out it is actually a room in a shared apartment. This is where we meet Santi, an art museum curator who is the definition of grumpy after being ghosted at the altar. He already had the week off for what would have been his honeymoon, so he is definitely not in the mood for a sunshine-filled roommate!

I thought the grumpy x sunshine dynamic was executed perfectly. Sometimes this trope can be tricky, but Eliana Vazquez really shined here. I was laughing out loud at their back-and-forth bickering and Sylvie’s relentless sunshine contrasting with Santi’s annoyance. I know this is an indie book, but their banter would be so good to listen to as a duet-style audiobook! I was smiling and cracking up reading their exchanges! Despite everything going on in her life, I loved how positive Sylvie was, and her inner thoughts and honest gut reactions to situations were so funny. I also especially loved the moments where Santi would light up as he shared his knowledge of history and art with her as her (begrudgingly) unofficial tour guide. It was so sweet to see them falling for one another among the art and the city of Madrid.

This book has so much soul and provides a wonderful reminder to savor the moment and reconnect with things we loved as we were growing up. I was annotating over and over!

If you love junk journaling, scrapbooking, and the nostalgia of Polaroid photos, you will absolutely love seeing Sylvie’s journey. It is so moving to watch her rediscover her passions that she’d almost forgotten she loved so much. Even with some chaotic situations—including a hilarious scene with some aggressive peacocks—the story stays light and fun. Most importantly, there was no third act breakup, which was such a relief! It felt like a perfect travel romance book for when you want to feel present, and read about falling in love while being fully immersed in a new city.

Perfect if you love:
✈️ Travel romances with spice
❤️ Nostalgic 90s or 2000s rom-com vibes
🥰 Grumpy x Sunshine dynamic
😂 Laugh out loud banter!
✨️ Body positivity representation
❤️ Curvy Female Main Character
🔥 Forced Proximity (and only one bed)
🥰 Junk journaling, scrapbooking, and Polaroids
✨️ Software Engineer FMC
🖼 Art museum curator MMC (and Sylvie's new, unofficial tour guide!)
😍 No third act breakup (thank goodness!)
✨️ Dual POV

Thank you to the author, Eliana Vazquez, for an advanced reader copy of this book. I am posting this review voluntarily, and these are my honest opinions.

[Pati · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so excited to receive this book because the story takes place in my hometown! Reading about places I know, food I love, and the little details of everyday life in Madrid felt incredibly comforting and honestly made me a little homesick.

Sylvie arrives in Madrid needing an escape from everything happening in her life, and let’s be honest, Europe is never a bad idea. Meanwhile, Santi suddenly finds himself alone while his roommate is away on tour, at what might be the exact moment he least wants to be by himself.

This grumpy meets sunshine romance, one of my favorite tropes, was heartfelt, hopeful, and full of charm. Their connection unfolds over the course of one unforgettable week and really captures the feeling that sometimes people come into your life exactly when they’re meant to.

Also, fair warning: this book will absolutely make you want to book a trip to Madrid. ✈️🍷🥘

Thank you, Eliana Vazquez, for providing this Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Alba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Eliana Vazquez for this arc, it did not disappoint!

I don't have enough great things to say about this story, it delivered!

Tropes:
Grumpy X Sunshine
Accidental Roommates
Healing & Self Discovery
Plus Size Rep

I absolutely loved this story! Vazquez did a great job portraying a perfect Grumpy x Sunshine dynamic with Santi and Sylvie. Santi’s actions are the definition of 'grumpy,' while Sylvie’s outlook on life is pure sunshine.

What I loved most was how unapologetically herself Sylvie is. Nothing stops her from being who she is, and watching her slowly bring Santi out of his shell made the romance that much more authentic. Vazquez did a great job with Sylvie’s self-discovery, we saw from Chapter 1 how choices were made but Sylvie realizes the errors of her ways.

The pace was steady and it was such an easy read. Best of all? No miscommunication tropes and no third act breakup! Even with a few road bumps, they kept their momentum and only had eyes for each other. I’m officially a fan and can’t wait to read more from Eliana Vazquez!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

A warm hug you didn't know you needed this summer. Sylvie finds herself in Spain (girl's trip!) where she meets Santi who is the grumpy to her sunshine. Misunderstandings lead to unspoken chemistry and I loved the back and forth they had. How Santi was so elusive and Sylvie of course slowly breaking down his defenses. It was also amazing seeing Spain through their eyes and I desperately need to see this being made into a movie because it would be so cute! It also inspired me to want to plan a trip to Europe soon haha! All in all I very much enjoyed Santi and Sylvie's story, it had me smiling the entire time. <3

[NurseLadyReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a warm, cute story!

The playlist is *chef’s kiss*! Playlists at the start of books add a little something to set the tone, don’tcha think? This one includes Bad Bunny and Julieta Venegas, I took the tone really well.

Sylvie and Santi (how cute do they sound together?!) don’t exactly get along at first… Or maybe they do and disagreements can be blamed on unmet expectations. I spent the whole time I was reading hoping they would get themselves sorted!

I’m so appreciative to the author for this ARC and I’m leaving an unbiased review!

[La · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seven Days in Madrid — Advanced Book Review.

This has to be one of my favorite couples ever! The banter was everything, and I laughed so many times throughout this book. It was exactly what I needed.

I loved it so much that I’ll be buying a copy to keep so I can re-read it in the future. Honestly, I could totally see this becoming a movie! 🎥. I loved this book from the start to finish!

Such a good book! ❤️

[Eleuteria Sanabria-Guzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to be my favorite couple ever!! I have to have a copy of this book. I needed this so bad, it made me laugh so many times. This is such a good book. I love the story line start to finish!! ❤️