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The Best Thing
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Romance (2019)Listening Length: 14 hours and 20 minutes.
Some things are easily forgiven. Other things… not so much.
Lenny DeMaio made herself a promise: she was done.
Done thinking about him.
Done worrying about him.
Done reaching out to a man who clearly didn’t want to be found.
Too bad no one gave Jonah Collins the memo.
Some things are easily forgiven. Other things… not so much.
Lenny DeMaio made herself a promise: she was done.
Done thinking about him.
Done worrying about him.
Done reaching out to a man who clearly didn’t want to be found.
Too bad no one gave Jonah Collins the memo.
15 pages, Audible Audio
First published August 7, 2019
5141 people are currently reading
46609 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 4,654 reviews
August 9, 2019
3.5 - 4 Stars
***Make sure you check out an important note I bolded further down***
Well. This book made me cry at the end. Which is a big deal. Because I RARELY cry. And I even more rarely admit to it.
So there’s that.
As all Zapata readers know, her books are slow. Super slow. And this one was VERY slow. Even more slow than usual, in my opinion. Certain things are very dragged out. Some dialogue and scenes felt superfluous...and endlessly meandering. Without purpose.
In fact, I was actually considering a 3-star rating until I got to the last 20% and things...picked up (or Zapata’s version of “picked up,” I should say) and, hey, I figure any book that makes my black soul leak deserves a one-up.
But more than that, I just really appreciate that, even though things are so slow...SO slow...Zapata never takes the cheap way out. She never attempts manipulative drama and unnecessary angst just for the sake of it.
You get to know the characters. You get to know their lives and routines. You FEEL their connections. And for those things I will always support and read anything this woman writes.
Also. READ: Do yourself a favor and don’t read too many reviews before you tackle this book. There are things that aren’t unveiled fully until about 15% (which takes a while, this book is long) that I can see people just dropping in their reviews without thinking. And Zapata wrote things this way on purpose. So, like I said, do yourself a solid and go in blind so you experience the book the way she intended.
You will notice I left out pretty much anything about the story. The blurb is vague. FOR A REASON. But anyway. I loved the characters in the book. Especially the relationship between Lenny and her grandfather. Just beautiful.
I hope you all enjoy this as much as I did. The writing slogs along at times and I know this will be way too slow for some. But, I think if you go in expecting more of a character piece and not a hard-charging page turner, you will be pleased. I was.
***Make sure you check out an important note I bolded further down***
Well. This book made me cry at the end. Which is a big deal. Because I RARELY cry. And I even more rarely admit to it.
So there’s that.
As all Zapata readers know, her books are slow. Super slow. And this one was VERY slow. Even more slow than usual, in my opinion. Certain things are very dragged out. Some dialogue and scenes felt superfluous...and endlessly meandering. Without purpose.
In fact, I was actually considering a 3-star rating until I got to the last 20% and things...picked up (or Zapata’s version of “picked up,” I should say) and, hey, I figure any book that makes my black soul leak deserves a one-up.
But more than that, I just really appreciate that, even though things are so slow...SO slow...Zapata never takes the cheap way out. She never attempts manipulative drama and unnecessary angst just for the sake of it.
You get to know the characters. You get to know their lives and routines. You FEEL their connections. And for those things I will always support and read anything this woman writes.
Also. READ: Do yourself a favor and don’t read too many reviews before you tackle this book. There are things that aren’t unveiled fully until about 15% (which takes a while, this book is long) that I can see people just dropping in their reviews without thinking. And Zapata wrote things this way on purpose. So, like I said, do yourself a solid and go in blind so you experience the book the way she intended.
You will notice I left out pretty much anything about the story. The blurb is vague. FOR A REASON. But anyway. I loved the characters in the book. Especially the relationship between Lenny and her grandfather. Just beautiful.
I hope you all enjoy this as much as I did. The writing slogs along at times and I know this will be way too slow for some. But, I think if you go in expecting more of a character piece and not a hard-charging page turner, you will be pleased. I was.
August 15, 2019
mariana zapata could write a 9000 page fanfiction based on peppa pig and i would read it.
there is nothing this woman puts out that i would not put on a pedestal and worship.
READ: 08/14/2019
*4.5/5*
"Do what you have to do to be happy, okay? No one else is going to do it for you."
she's done it again ladies and gays. ms. mariana zapata never fails to satisfy. she also somehow manages to successfully write every trope she decides to tackle with perfection? i have too many emotions right now so i will come back to this review when i can formulate the proper words to fully express everything that i am currently feeling.
the one advice i can give is don't finish this book in a public setting because you will start crying by the end of this book...i guarantee you.
there is nothing this woman puts out that i would not put on a pedestal and worship.
READ: 08/14/2019
*4.5/5*
"Do what you have to do to be happy, okay? No one else is going to do it for you."
she's done it again ladies and gays. ms. mariana zapata never fails to satisfy. she also somehow manages to successfully write every trope she decides to tackle with perfection? i have too many emotions right now so i will come back to this review when i can formulate the proper words to fully express everything that i am currently feeling.
the one advice i can give is don't finish this book in a public setting because you will start crying by the end of this book...i guarantee you.
September 19, 2021
5 stars
Mariana Zapata is the queen of slow burn romances and as soon as she releases a book, I read it. I was so excited to read The Best Thing. I fell in love with Lenny and Grandpa Gus when I read Luna and the Lie so I was sure I would love this story. I did. I loved it so much. It hit me more in the feels than any other book by this author. I swear, that epilogue... I sobbed. There was some intense ugly crying going on.
As much as I loved this book, this review is going to be rather short because I don't want to spoil it for anyone. I will say, Zapata took one of my least favorite troupes and made me not hate it so much. I completely understood Lenny and why she did everything and I thought Jonah was the sweetest. Their romance is one of the slowest slow burns from this author, but I was perfectly fine with that.
One of my favorite things about this author's books is the secondary characters and how big of a focus they get in the stories she writes. Grandpa Gus may be my favorite secondary character in all of Zapata's books. My grandma was my bestie and a second mother to me. I was closer to her than anyone else in my life while she was alive and I think seeing Grandpa Gus and Lenny's relationship gave more feels than I would normally have because of that connection I had. I loved it so much. By far my favorite part of the book.
If you're in the mood for a slow burn romance and an epic book about family, friendship, and love- pick this one asap! It was on the long side, but I flew through it.
Mariana Zapata is the queen of slow burn romances and as soon as she releases a book, I read it. I was so excited to read The Best Thing. I fell in love with Lenny and Grandpa Gus when I read Luna and the Lie so I was sure I would love this story. I did. I loved it so much. It hit me more in the feels than any other book by this author. I swear, that epilogue... I sobbed. There was some intense ugly crying going on.
As much as I loved this book, this review is going to be rather short because I don't want to spoil it for anyone. I will say, Zapata took one of my least favorite troupes and made me not hate it so much. I completely understood Lenny and why she did everything and I thought Jonah was the sweetest. Their romance is one of the slowest slow burns from this author, but I was perfectly fine with that.
It’s easy for people to love you when you’re doing things for them, when they get something out of it. But it isn’t so easy to find people who will still love you when you’re down and need help getting up. That’s when you really find out who’s with you for the right reasons.
One of my favorite things about this author's books is the secondary characters and how big of a focus they get in the stories she writes. Grandpa Gus may be my favorite secondary character in all of Zapata's books. My grandma was my bestie and a second mother to me. I was closer to her than anyone else in my life while she was alive and I think seeing Grandpa Gus and Lenny's relationship gave more feels than I would normally have because of that connection I had. I loved it so much. By far my favorite part of the book.
If you're in the mood for a slow burn romance and an epic book about family, friendship, and love- pick this one asap! It was on the long side, but I flew through it.
December 31, 2021
VIVA ZAPATA! In the love of the queen of the slow-burn romances, you made me fall in love with your book! I cannot help myself to put it down. I finished it but I still hold it in my hands. I’m literally cuddling! My dogs are already jealous of the book getting more attention than them What an amazing writer you are! Arriba! Five blazing, sizzling, shining, firing stars!
First of all I raise my glass to the most amazing supporting character who stole the show : GRANDPA GUS! What a fascinating, sarcastic, sweet and witty, caring, golden-hearted vampire you are. You deserve you to be loved 3thousand and hugged 3millions.
There are some basic facts about Zapata’s books:
1) Age difference between hero and heroine ( Not this time! Actually heroine a little little older than the heroine which is a first)
2) Sporting skills: Characters skate, play soccer, football, they have mostly Olympic athletes. ( This is time Jonah is rugby player, Len is judoka- judo player-)
3) Slow burn romance: Till the end of the book characters don’t make sex. They barely kiss after the second half. (This time there’s a game changer because hero and heroine already have a lovely baby girl.)
4) Badass, smart, straightforward, honest, family-oriented, hard-worker, disciplined heroine. (These definitions fit with Len’s character. She’s an amazing heroine!)
5) Heroine’s suffering from injuries ( Like Sal Casillas from Kulti, Jasmine Santos,” From Lukov with Love”. But this time Len’s Olympic dreams ended because of her injuries.)
6) Amazing, noisy, loveable, crowded family members: This time it’s only limited with Gus and Peter but they’re worth for thousand family members.
I love those elements of her story-telling. I love slowly flaring up chemistry and undeniable attraction. But the lists that I loved most:
-Gus’s creative Vampire names collection to call Jonah after them!
- Jonah’s efforts to make up the time he lost with his love of his life and his baby.
-Jonah’s sexy accent and secret shyness.
- Jonah and Len’s undeniable, devoted, sizzling chemistry.
- Final speech of Gus: I’m still sobbing. OMG what a powerful, poignant, heart-ripping speech was that. I want to tall Gus my grandpa!!!!
I always mention that “Kulti” is my favorite Zapata book.(I also played soccer and a big fan of soccer, that was one of my reasons, too) But this book is always gonna have a special place in my heart. I think from now on I have two equally favorite books of this gifted writer!
I was craving good romance for so long and I didn’t find too many special romance books on 2019. So I’m so thankful that dear Mariana Zapata offered next-“Best Thing” by writing one of the year’s best romance books. She never disappoints me!
First of all I raise my glass to the most amazing supporting character who stole the show : GRANDPA GUS! What a fascinating, sarcastic, sweet and witty, caring, golden-hearted vampire you are. You deserve you to be loved 3thousand and hugged 3millions.
There are some basic facts about Zapata’s books:
1) Age difference between hero and heroine ( Not this time! Actually heroine a little little older than the heroine which is a first)
2) Sporting skills: Characters skate, play soccer, football, they have mostly Olympic athletes. ( This is time Jonah is rugby player, Len is judoka- judo player-)
3) Slow burn romance: Till the end of the book characters don’t make sex. They barely kiss after the second half. (This time there’s a game changer because hero and heroine already have a lovely baby girl.)
4) Badass, smart, straightforward, honest, family-oriented, hard-worker, disciplined heroine. (These definitions fit with Len’s character. She’s an amazing heroine!)
5) Heroine’s suffering from injuries ( Like Sal Casillas from Kulti, Jasmine Santos,” From Lukov with Love”. But this time Len’s Olympic dreams ended because of her injuries.)
6) Amazing, noisy, loveable, crowded family members: This time it’s only limited with Gus and Peter but they’re worth for thousand family members.
I love those elements of her story-telling. I love slowly flaring up chemistry and undeniable attraction. But the lists that I loved most:
-Gus’s creative Vampire names collection to call Jonah after them!
- Jonah’s efforts to make up the time he lost with his love of his life and his baby.
-Jonah’s sexy accent and secret shyness.
- Jonah and Len’s undeniable, devoted, sizzling chemistry.
- Final speech of Gus: I’m still sobbing. OMG what a powerful, poignant, heart-ripping speech was that. I want to tall Gus my grandpa!!!!
I always mention that “Kulti” is my favorite Zapata book.(I also played soccer and a big fan of soccer, that was one of my reasons, too) But this book is always gonna have a special place in my heart. I think from now on I have two equally favorite books of this gifted writer!
I was craving good romance for so long and I didn’t find too many special romance books on 2019. So I’m so thankful that dear Mariana Zapata offered next-“Best Thing” by writing one of the year’s best romance books. She never disappoints me!
July 8, 2020
DNF @76%
Mariana Zapata's books have been on my to-be-read pile since her breakout book Kulti and Wall of Winnipeg & Me. And despite my friend's urging, I've been reticent in trying her books. For one, I find 500+ books intimidating. Two, I'm a moody reader and you guys know how that is.
But the blurb for The Best Thing hooked me right in and I knew that if I ever start a Zapata book, this would be a good choice. Plus, I was in the mood for slow burns.
Unfortunately, this one didn't quite go as expected. I was 3 chapters in when I knew that Mariana Zapata's writing style and I won't get along. Still, I pushed through but by 36% I was already skimming and had to restrain myself from chucking my Kindle across the room.
Sounds dramatic. I know. But yeah, this book didn't do anything but annoy the hell out of me. And I wanted to love it. I really do but the harder I tried, the madder I got at everything: the writing, the characters, the plot that's going nowhere--everything!
Writing this review now, I tried to remember if there's something I liked about it and the only one I could think of was I liked Lenny's grandpa and her Uncle Peter. That's it. Everything else just bored me to tears.
Lenny- bless her heart- had some nice moments. I liked how she stood up for herself and drew boundaries when it came to Jonah. I liked that. I would've liked her character more if I hadn't been so annoyed at the repetitiveness of the writing. Being in Lenny's head was torture. Mainly because her inner monologue was wearisome. That and she's allergic to just using nouns and pronouns. Instead of using he, him, his, or really, just Jonah, she thinks like this:
“The biggest man greeted him…”
“But the still an asshole swallowed hard.”
“I glanced back at Not Really a Fucker…”
“The biggest man at the gym now. The biggest man in my life.”
“The man whose…”
“The man who probably saw too much…”
“The big man kept coming to my office…”
“The big brown haired man…”
“The big shit-head…”
Like whaaat? It's so weird and distracting. I mean, can you imagine thinking about your significant other like he's a stranger? Call it a writing tick or whatever, I call it lack of editing.
Also, for the love of God, just say brown skin instead of pussyfooting around. Saying "richer skin tone" when you actually mean brown is just ridiculous. I went through so many instances where Lenny was waxing poetic over Jonah's skin and his Maori teammates, and she just about used every condiment except to say that they have brown skin. No need to attribute it to honey or coffee. Just say brown. It's not that hard.
Speaking of Jonah. He was a one-dimensional bore. Really, apart from Grandpa and Peter, I found all the characters in this book boring and the writing unimaginative but tries too hard to be profound.
But what really killed my enjoyment was the repetitiveness. Look, I've read books where details are repeated because a) they are important, and b) the books are part of a long series with hundreds of characters and storylines.
But this wasn't that. There were pages of Lenny's inner monologue that repeats every single thing she was thinking and feeling 3 pages before. And just when you thought it's done, you get treated again to her inner monologue thinking about the same thing. It's an endless nightmare of repetition.
Every single feeling and observation gets repeated over and over again until I was internally screaming I GET IT, HE HAS HONEY COLORED BROWN EYES JESUS CHRIST! Again, mentioning the colors of his eyes isn't necessarily bad but when you mention it even there's no need to is just irritating.
Overall, MZ isn't for me. I love slow burn romances but this didn't feel like a slow burn. This felt unnecessarily drawn out. And boring. There's no plot and no character development and whatever redeeming qualities this book had, were smothered by the tedious writing.
Mariana Zapata's books have been on my to-be-read pile since her breakout book Kulti and Wall of Winnipeg & Me. And despite my friend's urging, I've been reticent in trying her books. For one, I find 500+ books intimidating. Two, I'm a moody reader and you guys know how that is.
But the blurb for The Best Thing hooked me right in and I knew that if I ever start a Zapata book, this would be a good choice. Plus, I was in the mood for slow burns.
Unfortunately, this one didn't quite go as expected. I was 3 chapters in when I knew that Mariana Zapata's writing style and I won't get along. Still, I pushed through but by 36% I was already skimming and had to restrain myself from chucking my Kindle across the room.
Sounds dramatic. I know. But yeah, this book didn't do anything but annoy the hell out of me. And I wanted to love it. I really do but the harder I tried, the madder I got at everything: the writing, the characters, the plot that's going nowhere--everything!
Writing this review now, I tried to remember if there's something I liked about it and the only one I could think of was I liked Lenny's grandpa and her Uncle Peter. That's it. Everything else just bored me to tears.
Lenny- bless her heart- had some nice moments. I liked how she stood up for herself and drew boundaries when it came to Jonah. I liked that. I would've liked her character more if I hadn't been so annoyed at the repetitiveness of the writing. Being in Lenny's head was torture. Mainly because her inner monologue was wearisome. That and she's allergic to just using nouns and pronouns. Instead of using he, him, his, or really, just Jonah, she thinks like this:
“The biggest man greeted him…”
“But the still an asshole swallowed hard.”
“I glanced back at Not Really a Fucker…”
“The biggest man at the gym now. The biggest man in my life.”
“The man whose…”
“The man who probably saw too much…”
“The big man kept coming to my office…”
“The big brown haired man…”
“The big shit-head…”
Like whaaat? It's so weird and distracting. I mean, can you imagine thinking about your significant other like he's a stranger? Call it a writing tick or whatever, I call it lack of editing.
Also, for the love of God, just say brown skin instead of pussyfooting around. Saying "richer skin tone" when you actually mean brown is just ridiculous. I went through so many instances where Lenny was waxing poetic over Jonah's skin and his Maori teammates, and she just about used every condiment except to say that they have brown skin. No need to attribute it to honey or coffee. Just say brown. It's not that hard.
Speaking of Jonah. He was a one-dimensional bore. Really, apart from Grandpa and Peter, I found all the characters in this book boring and the writing unimaginative but tries too hard to be profound.
But what really killed my enjoyment was the repetitiveness. Look, I've read books where details are repeated because a) they are important, and b) the books are part of a long series with hundreds of characters and storylines.
But this wasn't that. There were pages of Lenny's inner monologue that repeats every single thing she was thinking and feeling 3 pages before. And just when you thought it's done, you get treated again to her inner monologue thinking about the same thing. It's an endless nightmare of repetition.
Every single feeling and observation gets repeated over and over again until I was internally screaming I GET IT, HE HAS HONEY COLORED BROWN EYES JESUS CHRIST! Again, mentioning the colors of his eyes isn't necessarily bad but when you mention it even there's no need to is just irritating.
Overall, MZ isn't for me. I love slow burn romances but this didn't feel like a slow burn. This felt unnecessarily drawn out. And boring. There's no plot and no character development and whatever redeeming qualities this book had, were smothered by the tedious writing.
April 15, 2025
The Best Thing almost felt like it was written just for me. It was as close to perfect as it gets in regards to my taste.
I'm not kidding. The tropes, one is a secret one and can't be revealed, the characters, the story - it ALL synced with me. I was in one happy place reading this book. It's always a great indication if I read with a smile on my face and if a book can make me laugh so hard I'm afraid I'll pee myself.
So here are all the things I loved about this book:
1) Lenny. It's seldom that I love a heroine. Not sure why, but heroes are much easier to love. Not in this book. Lenny was my kind of girl. Sarcastic. A smart mouth. Confident. She called Jonah all kinds of names. Pretty much in every paragraph she had a different moniker for him - and none were nice - lol. Her relationship with her grandpa made my heart swoon!! It was honestly the best thing I ever read in a book. It might have been the best thing that was ever written. Honestly, there were so many things I loved about Lenny, but I'll end it with this - she is my favorite female MZ character yet!
2) Jonah. He was the epitome of a perfect hero. He didn't give up when it got rocky. His personality was wonderful without being too perfect. His demeanor was swoon worthy. When he spoke, showed his dimple, or just watched Lenny - I was DONE!! Honestly - he made me melt into a puddle of goo. He sometimes was Jonah with a small j, and sometimes when he let his alpha come out he was Jonah with a capital J. He was sweet, considerate, shy - which I'm still laughing about, down to earth and just one of those guys I wish existed in real life. My kind of hero!
3) Grandpa Gus. Guys, I just wish I had a grandpa like him. I'm a little bit in love with him myself. He actually might have been my most favorite character of all, and I'm still not over him. He was so unexpected. I had no idea and wasn't prepared for this amazingly funny character who read romance novels, and called Jonah all kinds of Twilight names. I was cracking up and had a smile on my face every single time he called him Jasper, Edward, and Emmett . He definitely deserves an award for best supporting character EVER!!!
4) The plot. It was slow burn at its finest, but also had so much romance. The entire book was full of wonderful and romantic scenes. Lenny and Jonah were a team for most of the last 3/4 of the book. There were kisses. Hand holding. Looks. This book had it all. It was filled with romance, obvious feelings on both sides, and everything I need a romance novel to be. Moreover I don't think this book could have been written any better.
5) I have to mention this one scene because I laughed so hard I almost peed my pants. As in Wait for It (lice scene), there is one scene in this book that is taking from real life, and it was written perfectly. I've been there. I've experienced it. And it was so hilarious I couldn't stop laughing. My face hurt afterwards. Best scene EVER!!!
So yes, I'm a little bit in love with this novel. And I won't forget it anytime soon. It will go on my most favorite books of 2019 list.
I needed a book like this, especially by MZ. BRAVO!!!
I'm not kidding. The tropes, one is a secret one and can't be revealed, the characters, the story - it ALL synced with me. I was in one happy place reading this book. It's always a great indication if I read with a smile on my face and if a book can make me laugh so hard I'm afraid I'll pee myself.
So here are all the things I loved about this book:
1) Lenny. It's seldom that I love a heroine. Not sure why, but heroes are much easier to love. Not in this book. Lenny was my kind of girl. Sarcastic. A smart mouth. Confident. She called Jonah all kinds of names. Pretty much in every paragraph she had a different moniker for him - and none were nice - lol. Her relationship with her grandpa made my heart swoon!! It was honestly the best thing I ever read in a book. It might have been the best thing that was ever written. Honestly, there were so many things I loved about Lenny, but I'll end it with this - she is my favorite female MZ character yet!
2) Jonah. He was the epitome of a perfect hero. He didn't give up when it got rocky. His personality was wonderful without being too perfect. His demeanor was swoon worthy. When he spoke, showed his dimple, or just watched Lenny - I was DONE!! Honestly - he made me melt into a puddle of goo. He sometimes was Jonah with a small j, and sometimes when he let his alpha come out he was Jonah with a capital J. He was sweet, considerate, shy - which I'm still laughing about, down to earth and just one of those guys I wish existed in real life. My kind of hero!
3) Grandpa Gus. Guys, I just wish I had a grandpa like him. I'm a little bit in love with him myself. He actually might have been my most favorite character of all, and I'm still not over him. He was so unexpected. I had no idea and wasn't prepared for this amazingly funny character who read romance novels, and called Jonah all kinds of Twilight names. I was cracking up and had a smile on my face every single time he called him Jasper, Edward, and Emmett . He definitely deserves an award for best supporting character EVER!!!
4) The plot. It was slow burn at its finest, but also had so much romance. The entire book was full of wonderful and romantic scenes. Lenny and Jonah were a team for most of the last 3/4 of the book. There were kisses. Hand holding. Looks. This book had it all. It was filled with romance, obvious feelings on both sides, and everything I need a romance novel to be. Moreover I don't think this book could have been written any better.
5) I have to mention this one scene because I laughed so hard I almost peed my pants. As in Wait for It (lice scene), there is one scene in this book that is taking from real life, and it was written perfectly. I've been there. I've experienced it. And it was so hilarious I couldn't stop laughing. My face hurt afterwards. Best scene EVER!!!
So yes, I'm a little bit in love with this novel. And I won't forget it anytime soon. It will go on my most favorite books of 2019 list.
I needed a book like this, especially by MZ. BRAVO!!!
August 9, 2019
I know I'm in the minority here, but this book was a total miss for me. I was annoyed from the beginning until the end. If you are familiar with Zapata then you know that she is big on family relationships, but I was bored to death... to be honest. I just don't care about reading so much about uncles, sisters, grandfathers etc in general. I want the main couple to be in the spotlight without having dozens of cousins popping out every second page.
It didn't help that every chapter started with a quote from the past when Lenny had been trying to get in touch with Jonah. It basically reminded me each chapter what an asshole he was. I mean, truth be told, I thought he was in
I was also annoyed by the big plot twist that This ruined the whole romance because all I could think about was how Lenny had to
And last but not least, Jonah was a one-dimensional character. And this is why books written in the 1st person narrative can fail - they tend to focus on only one character while the others seem cartoonish and unreal. There were pages of Lenny's monologues but none of Jonah's. He didn't seem very human to me and I couldn't connect to his thoughts, actions, or even behavior. And if I don't care about one of the main characters, then I don't care about the book, period.
All in all, I think those who are into second-chance romance might like this.
It didn't help that every chapter started with a quote from the past when Lenny had been trying to get in touch with Jonah. It basically reminded me each chapter what an asshole he was. I mean, truth be told, I thought he was in
I was also annoyed by the big plot twist that This ruined the whole romance because all I could think about was how Lenny had to
And last but not least, Jonah was a one-dimensional character. And this is why books written in the 1st person narrative can fail - they tend to focus on only one character while the others seem cartoonish and unreal. There were pages of Lenny's monologues but none of Jonah's. He didn't seem very human to me and I couldn't connect to his thoughts, actions, or even behavior. And if I don't care about one of the main characters, then I don't care about the book, period.
All in all, I think those who are into second-chance romance might like this.
April 5, 2020
Boring, repetitive, and pretty much like her other story about the auto-mechanic.
July 10, 2023
I can be convinced to like books that have next to no conflict. I can even be convinced to enjoy books that have tons of internal dialogue for the sake of character development. But *both* is a bit frustrating.
This was my first ever Mariana Zapata, and my impression is….it was all right. Just too slow.
Contemporary romance and I often run into this problem: there’s just not enough intrigue, not enough drama, to keep my attention.
So, if I give this book three stars, then all three stars are for Jonah Collins. The sweetest, fluffiest, cutest, bestest golden retriever boyfriend to ever live. Congrats, Ms Zapata, for creating the perfect man.
This was my first ever Mariana Zapata, and my impression is….it was all right. Just too slow.
Contemporary romance and I often run into this problem: there’s just not enough intrigue, not enough drama, to keep my attention.
So, if I give this book three stars, then all three stars are for Jonah Collins. The sweetest, fluffiest, cutest, bestest golden retriever boyfriend to ever live. Congrats, Ms Zapata, for creating the perfect man.
June 11, 2023
wow, what a surprise i gave it the same rating😗
~•~•~•~•~•~
I reread 'Luna and The Lie' last summer and just kept thinking about how much i missed Lenny and Jonah. Im a MZ groupie through and through and it’s basically the only book I haven’t reread by her sooooo buddy read with my Mahek🫶🏼
~•~•~•~•~•~
I reread 'Luna and The Lie' last summer and just kept thinking about how much i missed Lenny and Jonah. Im a MZ groupie through and through and it’s basically the only book I haven’t reread by her sooooo buddy read with my Mahek🫶🏼
Read
February 7, 2020dnf @ 23%
this has been on my currently reading for almost 2 months and i think it's time to face the fact that this just isn't going to work for me.
much like other frequent readers of romance, i have very specific taste. and in this case, i DO love a single parent trope but i DON'T like a "i didn't even know we had a kid together" trope. it's just a twist on the classic miscommunication plot device. i don't like it. and had i known that's what this book was going to be about i wouldn't have picked this book up.
on top of that, i agree with another reviewer in that i think mariana's writing in this book is particularly repetitive ESPECIALLY in the parts of the book that i read. we have to listen to the main character, lenny, bitch ENDLESSLY about how much her ex sucks and omg why didn't he answer the phone ad NAUSEAM. i wanted to blow my fucking brains out.
i haven't given up on her even though her last 2 books have been duds for me. but i hope she returns to an enemies to lovers situation next or a friends to lovers. not a second chance romance fan or a first-time-bang on a leather recliner romance (luna & the lie i'm looking at u).
this isn't the worst thing i've ever read but i wouldn't recommend it as ur first foray into this author's work.
this has been on my currently reading for almost 2 months and i think it's time to face the fact that this just isn't going to work for me.
much like other frequent readers of romance, i have very specific taste. and in this case, i DO love a single parent trope but i DON'T like a "i didn't even know we had a kid together" trope. it's just a twist on the classic miscommunication plot device. i don't like it. and had i known that's what this book was going to be about i wouldn't have picked this book up.
on top of that, i agree with another reviewer in that i think mariana's writing in this book is particularly repetitive ESPECIALLY in the parts of the book that i read. we have to listen to the main character, lenny, bitch ENDLESSLY about how much her ex sucks and omg why didn't he answer the phone ad NAUSEAM. i wanted to blow my fucking brains out.
i haven't given up on her even though her last 2 books have been duds for me. but i hope she returns to an enemies to lovers situation next or a friends to lovers. not a second chance romance fan or a first-time-bang on a leather recliner romance (luna & the lie i'm looking at u).
this isn't the worst thing i've ever read but i wouldn't recommend it as ur first foray into this author's work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2019
Don’t mind me, I’m just here sobbing my heart out and my eyes hurt and my whole body hurts and half of it is because this book is so damn BEAUTIFUL and the other half of it is because there are no more pages for me to read. Mariana Zapata has outdone herself. THE BEST THING deserves a bazillion stars.
March 12, 2021
no one has ever made me excited about forehead touching or hand-holding like the one and only, Mariana Zapata.
first half:
ok gotta admit, when THAT thing happened 15% in i was a little iffy because i really don't like that trope at all and i was also iffy because with all MZ books, the MCs start off as strangers/acquaintances and that's actually my favorite part in her books because as a reader, i love it when i know the exact moment the hero falls in love with the heroine, but of course, the heroine is adorably (sometimes frustratingly) clueless and i love seeing the realistic progression especially in Kulti and The Wall of Winnipeg and Me, but from the beginning, we already KNOW that Jonah is very much in love with Lenny so i was kind of sad about that.
im also kind of disappointed that we missed the best friends to lovers progression in this one (that's my favorite part in EVERY MZ books) because that already happened when they met waaay before in the past so the parts i wanted to be shown was only mentioned here.
and tbh, the whole hating thing in the beginning was so repetitive and there was more inner monologue than dialogue and i don't really like that.
okay but the cuteness came in like a fucking wrecking ball here for me in the last half though so this was me the entire time:
and in the epilogue:
overall, can we just have more sweet and shy heroes in the romance genre? pls and thanks.
first half:
ok gotta admit, when THAT thing happened 15% in i was a little iffy because i really don't like that trope at all and i was also iffy because with all MZ books, the MCs start off as strangers/acquaintances and that's actually my favorite part in her books because as a reader, i love it when i know the exact moment the hero falls in love with the heroine, but of course, the heroine is adorably (sometimes frustratingly) clueless and i love seeing the realistic progression especially in Kulti and The Wall of Winnipeg and Me, but from the beginning, we already KNOW that Jonah is very much in love with Lenny so i was kind of sad about that.
im also kind of disappointed that we missed the best friends to lovers progression in this one (that's my favorite part in EVERY MZ books) because that already happened when they met waaay before in the past so the parts i wanted to be shown was only mentioned here.
and tbh, the whole hating thing in the beginning was so repetitive and there was more inner monologue than dialogue and i don't really like that.
okay but the cuteness came in like a fucking wrecking ball here for me in the last half though so this was me the entire time:
and in the epilogue:
overall, can we just have more sweet and shy heroes in the romance genre? pls and thanks.
May 13, 2020
I genuinely never thought I'd see the day where I didn't rate a Mariana Zapata book five stars, let alone two stars. I started reading this book the second it came out (in August of 2019) and after putting it on hold, it had sat on my kindle barely read, for nine months.
I had been in denial, convinced I was just not in the right place to be enjoying this book, but now I can confidently
I just did not vibe with the romance, it was lacklustre and tame (in the sense of tension and romantic flare? I'm not sure if I'm accurately getting across my meaning, but the relationship was dry and I wasn't rooting for them). I was confused and bored through most of it, just reading to get to the end. I was ambivalent towards Lenny, she was spunky and I did enjoy her sass, but Jonah was a flat character.
I usually love a good, sweet Hero. Something that I think is underrated in romance, but he missed the mark. He seemed so one dimensional and boring, without much personality and zest.
The pivotal plot point that drove the entire book was the fact that Jonah had left Lenny after a rugby injury, and he had failed to get in contact with her for seventeen months, despite her hundreds of attempts to get on contact. While he supposedly "missed" all of her emails and texts, Lenny had realised she was pregnant and had given birth to their daughter.
The story starts up when Jonah realises his mistake and flys from New Zealand (his homeland) to the USA, where Lenny lives. There he realises his mistake, meets his eight-month-old daughter, and is determined to make amends and become apart of their lives.
To be completely honest, I found the whole "I didn't ignore you, I broke my phone, forgot my email password, my siblings/friends never passed on your messages, my postcards got lost in the mail" excuses bullshit. They drove me crazy and I could not get behind them. I would have almost rathered that Lenny not have attempted to get in contact with him at all, because the excuses used to cover up him missing the messages (all in order to keep him this super redeemable character) seemed so ridiculous.
And I am so sorry, but the New Zealand slang and confusion around American slang was a little bit silly. I am Australian and I can assure you, we all know that American's don't call thongs (flip-flops) that, and all the popular 'American' sayings (cross your heart) and used over here. We're not some bumpkin lot, we're aware of other cultures. The slang was used in the wrong context, and it made me very uncomfy (oi, yeah nah, nah yeah, aggro). And 'yeah, nah' was used way too many times, it just made me cringe.
I feel incredibly harsh writing this review, and part of me feels so guilty because MZ is my all-time favourite author. It feels almost blasphemous to be finding fault, but I truly did not enjoy this book and am heartbroken about it. I will still auto-buy all of her upcoming books, and reread her old ones (I've almost read some of her books 10 times, in three years! If that doesn't communicate how much I love her work, then I don't know what will).
I'm going to sign off here, I don't know what else to say but I am so sad about this.
March 23, 2020
I swear Grandpa Gus is the coolest, funniest, most caring and loving grandpa I’ve ever had the pleasure of encountering in a book. He might not be real, but his wisdoms, we all can live by them for the rest of our lives.
Characterisation
Lenny’s character was fascinating to me. I grew up around women/sisters, so it was refreshing to see her relationship with Grandpa Gus and Peter as well as how she manages the gym business. Jonah, being the guy who always knows how to say the right thing to melt a girl’s heart, is just as sweet as chocolate. I wish he’d shown more of his ‘Jonah with the capital J’ charm.
Story
It’s pretty mediocre at best. I know Zapata is big on exploring familial relationship in her books, and I appreciate what she did in this one. However, all of the plot twists felt anticlimactic to me and I kinda disapproved the ending. There’s nothing wrong with following the man of your dreams literally and figuratively anywhere, but a part of me also feels like Lenny is too awesome of a woman to just be a housewife.
Romance
All of the romantic elements that make me fall in love with Zapata’s books are there. Those sweet and tender moments and all the little intimate touches (e.g. hand holding, cuddling). I loved every scene Jonah and Lenny spend together and their banter. However, I didn’t like the plot twist that the author used to help ‘fix’ their relationship.
Overall, I enjoyed the characters and the family dynamic but didn’t really care about the plot or the romance. The writing is as Mariana Zapata as it could get. By that I mean, it’s flowy but sometimes can also be frustrating. If anyone knows how to draw out giving any kind of information to readers, it’s this author. Sometimes it feels like a meaningless stalling. Other times the suspense really does pan out.
Characterisation
Lenny’s character was fascinating to me. I grew up around women/sisters, so it was refreshing to see her relationship with Grandpa Gus and Peter as well as how she manages the gym business. Jonah, being the guy who always knows how to say the right thing to melt a girl’s heart, is just as sweet as chocolate. I wish he’d shown more of his ‘Jonah with the capital J’ charm.
Story
It’s pretty mediocre at best. I know Zapata is big on exploring familial relationship in her books, and I appreciate what she did in this one. However, all of the plot twists felt anticlimactic to me and I kinda disapproved the ending. There’s nothing wrong with following the man of your dreams literally and figuratively anywhere, but a part of me also feels like Lenny is too awesome of a woman to just be a housewife.
Romance
All of the romantic elements that make me fall in love with Zapata’s books are there. Those sweet and tender moments and all the little intimate touches (e.g. hand holding, cuddling). I loved every scene Jonah and Lenny spend together and their banter. However, I didn’t like the plot twist that the author used to help ‘fix’ their relationship.
Overall, I enjoyed the characters and the family dynamic but didn’t really care about the plot or the romance. The writing is as Mariana Zapata as it could get. By that I mean, it’s flowy but sometimes can also be frustrating. If anyone knows how to draw out giving any kind of information to readers, it’s this author. Sometimes it feels like a meaningless stalling. Other times the suspense really does pan out.
January 27, 2022
I liked this, but it was nothing too special to me. I have no strong feelings towards it, if that makes sense. Did I love it? No. But did I hate it? Also no. It was one of those books that i’ll forget about tomorrow but I still enjoyed it while reading.
I did very much appreciate the Luna & Ripley mentions <3
I did very much appreciate the Luna & Ripley mentions <3
August 9, 2019
Blurb is vague so I went in this blind.
But the characters are from her previous book Luna and the Lie.
The book started with the heroine, Lenny, whining about the hero, Jonah, who left her or maybe they broke up or something happening. But he was suddenly MIA. She sent him ton of voice mails and text messages and notes on his apartment door. But no reply from him.
So now she HATES him but all her thoughts are about HIM.
Then all of a sudden he comes back after some 17 months. And since he came the h doesn’t let him talk. She keep talking, talking and talking and he keeps listening. At times I thought that maybe he isn’t there. She doesn’t even let him speak or maybe he is dumb. He is actually one of the dumbest hero I have read.
I skimmed and skimmed and skimmed. This was one of the boring and snooziest book of 2019.
Sorry if I hurt any Mariana Zapata fans (I was one of them).
But this book was a *a big yawn*
But the characters are from her previous book Luna and the Lie.
The book started with the heroine, Lenny, whining about the hero, Jonah, who left her or maybe they broke up or something happening. But he was suddenly MIA. She sent him ton of voice mails and text messages and notes on his apartment door. But no reply from him.
So now she HATES him but all her thoughts are about HIM.
Then all of a sudden he comes back after some 17 months. And since he came the h doesn’t let him talk. She keep talking, talking and talking and he keeps listening. At times I thought that maybe he isn’t there. She doesn’t even let him speak or maybe he is dumb. He is actually one of the dumbest hero I have read.
I skimmed and skimmed and skimmed. This was one of the boring and snooziest book of 2019.
Sorry if I hurt any Mariana Zapata fans (I was one of them).
But this book was a *a big yawn*
August 17, 2019
❥ 5 / 5 stars
Before reading this one, I have to say that I didn’t expect anything from its story since I picked it up just because its cover caught my eye and it made me want to read it.😂
But after finishing it, I think The Best Thing is a great book one, though. It doesn’t only focus on romance but it also focus on family relationships. And that’s why I love this book. Even if the plot is mediocre but Mariana Zapata’s writing is so captivating that I decided to overlook and forget about it. I also love almost every single characters in the book and Lenny, Jonah, Grandpa Gus, Peter, Luna and Mo are my favorites! ❤️
(What? Almost all characters are your favs? 🤣)
P.S. I initially thought that I would give it 4 - 4.5 stars but after reading the epilogue, I changed my mind. This book deserves 5 solid stars from me. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
P.P.S. This is my first book from MZ, so I don’t know much about her books. If anyone has read her other books and think I should read them too, please recommend them to me.😘
Before reading this one, I have to say that I didn’t expect anything from its story since I picked it up just because its cover caught my eye and it made me want to read it.😂
But after finishing it, I think The Best Thing is a great book one, though. It doesn’t only focus on romance but it also focus on family relationships. And that’s why I love this book. Even if the plot is mediocre but Mariana Zapata’s writing is so captivating that I decided to overlook and forget about it. I also love almost every single characters in the book and Lenny, Jonah, Grandpa Gus, Peter, Luna and Mo are my favorites! ❤️
(What? Almost all characters are your favs? 🤣)
P.S. I initially thought that I would give it 4 - 4.5 stars but after reading the epilogue, I changed my mind. This book deserves 5 solid stars from me. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
P.P.S. This is my first book from MZ, so I don’t know much about her books. If anyone has read her other books and think I should read them too, please recommend them to me.😘
August 13, 2019
Editor needed!
Hey guys, did you know Jonah has honey coloured eyes? No, well Lenny only mentions them 37 times. Seriously this woman had an absolute obsession with eye colour and about halfway through the book I thought about turning it into a drinking game but then I decided my liver wouldn’t be able to deal with the sheer quantity I would need to drink.
Sadly I think I’m done with Zapata’s books. I enjoyed the first few but with every new publication I realise that she only has 2 love stories to tell, and so she just changes the settings. Jonah is basically Aiden from the Wall of Winnipeg. Like Aiden, he’s a bit of a blank slate and really has v little character. The majority of time spent on him is to describe how big he is. Other than that, he’s not a big talker but shows up and does sweet stuff. Lenny meanwhile is the same as all Zapata’s heroine. She’s feisty, has an unusual job and no friends. She also loves to think about her situation a lot but does nothing to change it.
Maybe it’s because I prefer dual perspective stories, but I found this a hard slog. I certainly got annoyed fast at being in Lenny’s head so much. There are so many internal monologues that I started skipping pages where there was no speech. Now, I wouldn’t mind these monologues but they were so repetitive and did not move the story along at all. The first 25% are about how she hates Jonah. Then we get chapters of how she wants to trust him but can’t. And she does absolutely nothing with these thought processes. She just has them and then keeps on living her life same as always. She so passive and it is all the men in her life that move the story on.
Plus, like many of Zapata’s heroines, she’s v self involved and whiny. There’s a lot of tell about her strength and independence and no show at all. I really did not see what Jonah saw in her and why she was worth coming back for. I think I would have ghosted her too.
I know that this will mean nothing to all of Zapata’s fans. They won’t care that a good editor would have cut the word count in half and pointed out that over using descriptions makes them hackneyed and clunky. They won’t care that you end the book knowing very little of Jonah’s character, other than he’s got big hands with short nails (why do we need to be told this. Now if he had long nails that would have been interesting) and honey coloured eyes (drink). They will think Lenny’s lack of female friends make her special and different. I just find it all v dull and not at all romantic. So I think I will bow out and leave these books to them. Happy reading!
Hey guys, did you know Jonah has honey coloured eyes? No, well Lenny only mentions them 37 times. Seriously this woman had an absolute obsession with eye colour and about halfway through the book I thought about turning it into a drinking game but then I decided my liver wouldn’t be able to deal with the sheer quantity I would need to drink.
Sadly I think I’m done with Zapata’s books. I enjoyed the first few but with every new publication I realise that she only has 2 love stories to tell, and so she just changes the settings. Jonah is basically Aiden from the Wall of Winnipeg. Like Aiden, he’s a bit of a blank slate and really has v little character. The majority of time spent on him is to describe how big he is. Other than that, he’s not a big talker but shows up and does sweet stuff. Lenny meanwhile is the same as all Zapata’s heroine. She’s feisty, has an unusual job and no friends. She also loves to think about her situation a lot but does nothing to change it.
Maybe it’s because I prefer dual perspective stories, but I found this a hard slog. I certainly got annoyed fast at being in Lenny’s head so much. There are so many internal monologues that I started skipping pages where there was no speech. Now, I wouldn’t mind these monologues but they were so repetitive and did not move the story along at all. The first 25% are about how she hates Jonah. Then we get chapters of how she wants to trust him but can’t. And she does absolutely nothing with these thought processes. She just has them and then keeps on living her life same as always. She so passive and it is all the men in her life that move the story on.
Plus, like many of Zapata’s heroines, she’s v self involved and whiny. There’s a lot of tell about her strength and independence and no show at all. I really did not see what Jonah saw in her and why she was worth coming back for. I think I would have ghosted her too.
I know that this will mean nothing to all of Zapata’s fans. They won’t care that a good editor would have cut the word count in half and pointed out that over using descriptions makes them hackneyed and clunky. They won’t care that you end the book knowing very little of Jonah’s character, other than he’s got big hands with short nails (why do we need to be told this. Now if he had long nails that would have been interesting) and honey coloured eyes (drink). They will think Lenny’s lack of female friends make her special and different. I just find it all v dull and not at all romantic. So I think I will bow out and leave these books to them. Happy reading!
February 7, 2020
3.5 Stars
The story went flat for me at the halfway mark - - however the ending was beautiful. ⭐️
The story went flat for me at the halfway mark - - however the ending was beautiful. ⭐️
August 16, 2019
⭐️⭐️2.5 STARS ⭐️⭐️ (Rounded down to 2 stars)
**SPOILER-FREE
Overall—let's start with this— I think it was a cute story.
My experience with this book is conflicted as until 13% (before the main trope is even being hinted at) I had started hating on the book. The main reasons? The juvenile characterization of the 30 years old heroine—a somehow usual trait for Zapata's heroines— and the writing that seemed to be at its repetitiveness peak—even for Zapata.
Heroine:
" Fuckface, deepshit, fucker, asshole, dickface, jackass. "
Also heroine:
IS THAT SO??? LOL
I would have given up on "The Best Thing" if not for a friend telling me to go on until that "trope" I shall not talk about was revealed. The blurb is extremely vague for a reason, yes.
And INDEED, (thank you friend) around the 15% mark, the trope reveal made my little black heart sigh. Knowing the reasons behind her anger—even though JUVENILE, allowed me to commiserate with the heroine enough or maybe she suddenly matured around that 15% mark, but I started to like her.
I needed to know more about what led both main characters to this situation and I *needed* to hear about the hero's side of the story too. I was hoping for some good, stiff... angst. I was also expecting to be given pretty good reason for him to stay away... I was 100% into it and sure I was holding at least a 4 stars read in my hands.
So I kept on reading, hoping to connect with the slow burn, the romance or some of that angst I was hoping for... except I've got none of this. What I got instead was a cute, adorable family portrait.
Once again, Mariana Zapata did extremely good with her secondary characters, all were extremely likeable, and gave the story a relatable and affectionate dimension.
That being said... the pace of it all nearly killed me guys. Not only this, but I don't need to read 7 times the complete description of the hero.
What was that about the hero's shadow always appearing out of the blue, like in every scene he's introduced by the heroine telling us she "knows" that shadow, that shape, this frame, those strong shoulders, how the height she was staring at was so familiar... Oh, it's Jonah! TA-DA!
Lenny, girl, get yourself some prescription glasses, you need them. Badly. Even I knew it was freaking Jonah before you did. LOL!
Because I was curious I've read the acknowledgements part so I know the author has an editorial team... it might be the time to change for a more incisive one.
Slow burn or no burn at all?
It seems more and more difficult for me to say which with each new Zapata's book I'm reading.
A slow burn romance would make me want to desperately turn the pages to reach that ultimate climax the author built between two characters. A good slow burn should provide flutters, hope, elation, want, need... ALL the feels!
Is this book deemed a slow burn romance because of the painfully slow pace the author set in addition to the endless repetitions?
This wasn't a slow burn romance for me.
As I stated in the beginning, the story was cute, the writing made it hard to get into it, sadly. So I ended pretty underwhelmed.
The epilogue was really sweet and will make you cry if you have a tender heart. (I didn't cry and to be fair my friend did call me a "hard bitch" for it)
*Edit: I had to remove the spoiler tag regarding the trope because somehow the Goodreads app doesn't hide the content within the tags. SIGH.
More reviews and book talk at :
You can find me here too ☞
**SPOILER-FREE
Overall—let's start with this— I think it was a cute story.
My experience with this book is conflicted as until 13% (before the main trope is even being hinted at) I had started hating on the book. The main reasons? The juvenile characterization of the 30 years old heroine—a somehow usual trait for Zapata's heroines— and the writing that seemed to be at its repetitiveness peak—even for Zapata.
Heroine:
" Fuckface, deepshit, fucker, asshole, dickface, jackass. "
Also heroine:
"And he was real fucking lucky I was being this mature."
IS THAT SO??? LOL
I would have given up on "The Best Thing" if not for a friend telling me to go on until that "trope" I shall not talk about was revealed. The blurb is extremely vague for a reason, yes.
And INDEED, (thank you friend) around the 15% mark, the trope reveal made my little black heart sigh. Knowing the reasons behind her anger—even though JUVENILE, allowed me to commiserate with the heroine enough or maybe she suddenly matured around that 15% mark, but I started to like her.
I needed to know more about what led both main characters to this situation and I *needed* to hear about the hero's side of the story too. I was hoping for some good, stiff... angst. I was also expecting to be given pretty good reason for him to stay away... I was 100% into it and sure I was holding at least a 4 stars read in my hands.
So I kept on reading, hoping to connect with the slow burn, the romance or some of that angst I was hoping for... except I've got none of this. What I got instead was a cute, adorable family portrait.
Once again, Mariana Zapata did extremely good with her secondary characters, all were extremely likeable, and gave the story a relatable and affectionate dimension.
That being said... the pace of it all nearly killed me guys. Not only this, but I don't need to read 7 times the complete description of the hero.
What was that about the hero's shadow always appearing out of the blue, like in every scene he's introduced by the heroine telling us she "knows" that shadow, that shape, this frame, those strong shoulders, how the height she was staring at was so familiar... Oh, it's Jonah! TA-DA!
Lenny, girl, get yourself some prescription glasses, you need them. Badly. Even I knew it was freaking Jonah before you did. LOL!
Because I was curious I've read the acknowledgements part so I know the author has an editorial team... it might be the time to change for a more incisive one.
"My eyes narrowed in on an impressively tall figure standing at the juice counter, chin tucked in, gaze focused downward. That height looked awfully familiar. So did those shoulders, and that haircut and color. What the hell was he doing here? The man on the other end groaned and moaned without actually using words, eating up the time it took me to make it to the bar, still holding my phone to my face, while I stopped directly to the side of the man I knew. A little too well. It was Jonah."
"I was still trying not to smile when I lifted my head and spotted the figure standing at the far end of the room closest to the entrance. I knew that haircut, but it was the height and that damn body that really struck me. It was Jonah."
"But I had barely opened my door when I spotted, in the side mirror, a very familiar body stepping off the curb and heading over. By the time I slammed the door shut and opened the rear door, Jonah was there,"
"The size of the shadow warned me it was Jonah, and my stupid-ass heart squeezed itself tight at his big smiling head"
Slow burn or no burn at all?
It seems more and more difficult for me to say which with each new Zapata's book I'm reading.
A slow burn romance would make me want to desperately turn the pages to reach that ultimate climax the author built between two characters. A good slow burn should provide flutters, hope, elation, want, need... ALL the feels!
Is this book deemed a slow burn romance because of the painfully slow pace the author set in addition to the endless repetitions?
This wasn't a slow burn romance for me.
As I stated in the beginning, the story was cute, the writing made it hard to get into it, sadly. So I ended pretty underwhelmed.
The epilogue was really sweet and will make you cry if you have a tender heart. (I didn't cry and to be fair my friend did call me a "hard bitch" for it)
*Edit: I had to remove the spoiler tag regarding the trope because somehow the Goodreads app doesn't hide the content within the tags. SIGH.
More reviews and book talk at :
You can find me here too ☞
November 27, 2019
4 stars!
I really enjoyed this book by Mariana Zapata. I’ve read everything she’s ever written, and while I don’t always love everything, I always enjoy her work. And this book was no exception. This book started out with heavy doses of angst and halfway through went very sweet (I would prefer angst the whole way but that’s just me). By the end of the book I was crying, which is when you know you’ve read something good.
That’s it. That’s the review. Buy it and read it if you want to know more!!!
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I really enjoyed this book by Mariana Zapata. I’ve read everything she’s ever written, and while I don’t always love everything, I always enjoy her work. And this book was no exception. This book started out with heavy doses of angst and halfway through went very sweet (I would prefer angst the whole way but that’s just me). By the end of the book I was crying, which is when you know you’ve read something good.
That’s it. That’s the review. Buy it and read it if you want to know more!!!
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April 4, 2025
i don't think i can ever give her books less than 5 stars! also that epilogue 🥺❤️🩹 it broke my heart but also healed it. rtc
lilyya would be so proud of me bcs look at me reading my third mz book 🤭
lilyya would be so proud of me bcs look at me reading my third mz book 🤭
June 12, 2023
gonna start with Grandpa Gus' wise words. so whoever needs to hear this today, tomorrow or anyday~
"You’re each important. You’re each loved. And if you love something or someone, you don’t ever give up on it. Life’s not easy but hold on to the things that matter, even if you have to use some fingernails."
"Do what you have to do to be happy, okay? No one else is going to do it for you."
The Best Thing indeed turned out to be the best thing ever for me. and am i even surprised? bec no less can be expected from the queen herself after all.
this book is actually so beautifully written focusing on developing feelings which makes it so much better. that's the thing about MZ, she keeps things simple. there's no unnecessary drama just pure emotions that hit straight to the heart, makes you feel every single thing the person is going through on a daily basis, finding their way, maturing each passing day doing some basic shit bec that's what life is all about, making it all more real and relatable.
also the way this woman potrays the healthy family dynamics is just top tier. it feels so good to experience it atleast in books bec all the wholesome, positive, warm and fuzzy familial vibes in there were such a comfortable escape from the reality, i ate it all up. it literally brightened my day and got me smiling to myself even while writing my exams.
people say "men written by Mariana Zapata are the standard." NO actually it's "everybody, be it the fmc, mmc or the side characters, everybody written by Mariana Zapata is the standard and needs to exist in the real world."
Lenny is such a strong, mature, independent and brave person with right blend of straightforwardness, sarcasm and humour so she's no less than a role model. i absolutely loved her being all protective of her family and always keeping them her number 1 priority.
Jonah actually needs to be protected at all costs bec ain't no way in hell somebody should be allowed to tarnish his innocent and pure soul. the guy went through his fair share of struggles so y'all better sit down, think on it and try to understand it before hating on him. he's literally the sweetest person ever.
my favourite vampire of all time and the best character in this book, Grandpa Gus. he legit has a permanent spot booked in my heart. truly the funniest and wisest man to ever exist. the way my jaw dropped at his randomness sometimes. his shenanigans added its own charm to the book and having such playful people in life is indeed a blessing. the fact i still can't stop grinning while writing this.
but what was that mf epilogue?!?! you really had to do break me into pieces after keeping me all happy for 450 pages. i could've lived perfectly without reading that. but anyways thank you, MZ, for making me experience the whole laughing through tears thing bec i never thought my emotionless self would see this day in life and that bittersweet feeling of saying goodbye to these people was the best thing for me.
had sm fun reading this with monmoni 💗 thank you for preparing and not preparing me for the heartache at the same time.
-------
THIS WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HURT AS MUCH AS IT DID. GOOD FUCKING NIGHT.
-------
in mz and monmoni, we trust 😌
so excited for buddy reading this with my love monmoni 😙🫶🏼
"You’re each important. You’re each loved. And if you love something or someone, you don’t ever give up on it. Life’s not easy but hold on to the things that matter, even if you have to use some fingernails."
"Do what you have to do to be happy, okay? No one else is going to do it for you."
The Best Thing indeed turned out to be the best thing ever for me. and am i even surprised? bec no less can be expected from the queen herself after all.
this book is actually so beautifully written focusing on developing feelings which makes it so much better. that's the thing about MZ, she keeps things simple. there's no unnecessary drama just pure emotions that hit straight to the heart, makes you feel every single thing the person is going through on a daily basis, finding their way, maturing each passing day doing some basic shit bec that's what life is all about, making it all more real and relatable.
also the way this woman potrays the healthy family dynamics is just top tier. it feels so good to experience it atleast in books bec all the wholesome, positive, warm and fuzzy familial vibes in there were such a comfortable escape from the reality, i ate it all up. it literally brightened my day and got me smiling to myself even while writing my exams.
people say "men written by Mariana Zapata are the standard." NO actually it's "everybody, be it the fmc, mmc or the side characters, everybody written by Mariana Zapata is the standard and needs to exist in the real world."
Lenny is such a strong, mature, independent and brave person with right blend of straightforwardness, sarcasm and humour so she's no less than a role model. i absolutely loved her being all protective of her family and always keeping them her number 1 priority.
Jonah actually needs to be protected at all costs bec ain't no way in hell somebody should be allowed to tarnish his innocent and pure soul. the guy went through his fair share of struggles so y'all better sit down, think on it and try to understand it before hating on him. he's literally the sweetest person ever.
my favourite vampire of all time and the best character in this book, Grandpa Gus. he legit has a permanent spot booked in my heart. truly the funniest and wisest man to ever exist. the way my jaw dropped at his randomness sometimes. his shenanigans added its own charm to the book and having such playful people in life is indeed a blessing. the fact i still can't stop grinning while writing this.
but what was that mf epilogue?!?! you really had to do break me into pieces after keeping me all happy for 450 pages. i could've lived perfectly without reading that. but anyways thank you, MZ, for making me experience the whole laughing through tears thing bec i never thought my emotionless self would see this day in life and that bittersweet feeling of saying goodbye to these people was the best thing for me.
had sm fun reading this with monmoni 💗 thank you for preparing and not preparing me for the heartache at the same time.
-------
THIS WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HURT AS MUCH AS IT DID. GOOD FUCKING NIGHT.
-------
in mz and monmoni, we trust 😌
so excited for buddy reading this with my love monmoni 😙🫶🏼
November 18, 2019
This book. It made me laugh and cry, it kept me up at night. Mariana never disappoints. Her characters, no matter how small, are all so well thought out. I love the way she explores family dynamics. So good!
March 14, 2021
3.75 - 4 stars.⭐⭐⭐⭐
I might have have to think a bit more about this book before I give my review*** or not (following that comment I just kept on typing).
This was the most different of all Mariana Zapata's books IMO (and for some reason I am finding it harder to review).
All of her books are essentially slow burns this one included but I think this might be the first one that is really more of a "second chance" love story and that would seem to create an additional obstacle - usually in a Mariana Zapata novel it typically takes the two main characters up to 80% or greater of the story to develop deeper feelings for each other and actually acknowledge them but here we also have to overcome feelings of rejection, hate and betrayal first by the heroine!!!
This book also had a somewhat unusual intro (I would say approximately about the first 5-10% of it) where there are lots of hints being dropped but the whole truth and bigger picture is held back from the reader. I think that is one of the reasons why it personally took me a little longer to invest in this story unlike every other book that I have read by the fabulous Ms. Zapata.
What I did love about this book however and also every other one that I have read by this author is the time and attention that she invests into her characters. We really get to know who these people are and what makes them tick. All these small details that tell us so much aren't superfluous or wasted in any way - they do serve to enhance the story further, also giving it a huge emotional boost as well as making us fall "deeply in love" with the heroes and heroines of these books.
No other romance author consistently does that half as well, in my opinion.
She is such a masterful storyteller.
Some of the relationships in this book especially that of Lenny and her Grandpa Gus were just so sweet and heartwarming to behold with their special brand of snarkines, humor, loyalty, love and respect.💗
I also really liked how the love for Mo (Madeline) centered this story- she was the anchor or glue that held everybody together.
This book really had a lot going on emotionally that's for sure and I am a little bit puzzled as to why I didn't love it more .
I definitely "really" loved the second half of this book. Maybe I just needed more time to get to know Lenny and Jonah and warm up to them??
This is a book that I definitely want to revisit and explore a second time.
SORRY FOR NOT ELABORATING MORE ABOUT THE PLOT BUT I REALLY DO RECOMMEND GOING IN BLIND FOR THIS ONE.
***I also have a feeling that this might turn out to be one of these reads that people either love or hate for some reason.
Personally, I must say that I have enjoyed all of this author's books and she is an automatic one-click buy for me.
I might have have to think a bit more about this book before I give my review*** or not (following that comment I just kept on typing).
This was the most different of all Mariana Zapata's books IMO (and for some reason I am finding it harder to review).
All of her books are essentially slow burns this one included but I think this might be the first one that is really more of a "second chance" love story and that would seem to create an additional obstacle - usually in a Mariana Zapata novel it typically takes the two main characters up to 80% or greater of the story to develop deeper feelings for each other and actually acknowledge them but here we also have to overcome feelings of rejection, hate and betrayal first by the heroine!!!
This book also had a somewhat unusual intro (I would say approximately about the first 5-10% of it) where there are lots of hints being dropped but the whole truth and bigger picture is held back from the reader. I think that is one of the reasons why it personally took me a little longer to invest in this story unlike every other book that I have read by the fabulous Ms. Zapata.
What I did love about this book however and also every other one that I have read by this author is the time and attention that she invests into her characters. We really get to know who these people are and what makes them tick. All these small details that tell us so much aren't superfluous or wasted in any way - they do serve to enhance the story further, also giving it a huge emotional boost as well as making us fall "deeply in love" with the heroes and heroines of these books.
No other romance author consistently does that half as well, in my opinion.
She is such a masterful storyteller.
Some of the relationships in this book especially that of Lenny and her Grandpa Gus were just so sweet and heartwarming to behold with their special brand of snarkines, humor, loyalty, love and respect.💗
I also really liked how the love for Mo (Madeline) centered this story- she was the anchor or glue that held everybody together.
This book really had a lot going on emotionally that's for sure and I am a little bit puzzled as to why I didn't love it more .
I definitely "really" loved the second half of this book. Maybe I just needed more time to get to know Lenny and Jonah and warm up to them??
This is a book that I definitely want to revisit and explore a second time.
SORRY FOR NOT ELABORATING MORE ABOUT THE PLOT BUT I REALLY DO RECOMMEND GOING IN BLIND FOR THIS ONE.
***I also have a feeling that this might turn out to be one of these reads that people either love or hate for some reason.
Personally, I must say that I have enjoyed all of this author's books and she is an automatic one-click buy for me.
August 21, 2019
THE BEST THING is out in the world!
(TBT is available on Kindle Unlimited.)
US: (link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W6WJG7Z/) amazon.com/dp/B07W6WJG7Z/
UK: (link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07W6WJG7Z/) amazon.co.uk/dp/B07W6WJG7Z/
AU: (link: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07W6WJG7Z/) amazon.com.au/dp/B07W6WJG7Z/
CA: (link: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07W6WJG7Z/) amazon.ca/dp/B07W6WJG7Z/
New Mariana Zapata book...
coming soon...
Grendpa Gus is my favourite character I have read this year
I present you with a bunch of my random thoughts instead of review bc I advise not reading to much of the reviews, the blurb is vague on purpose ;
* This was a really really slow burn
* I love Grandpa Gus and Peter
* Mo was cute even though I don't like that nickname
* heroines' inner monologue drove me crazy
* hero was really cute beta I enjoyed it
* epilogue is far in the future which never sits well with me, why you go and make me cry Mariana
* for a long-ass book that I didn't love Is still read it and somewhat enjoyed so let's call it a success
3,5 stars
(TBT is available on Kindle Unlimited.)
US: (link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W6WJG7Z/) amazon.com/dp/B07W6WJG7Z/
UK: (link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07W6WJG7Z/) amazon.co.uk/dp/B07W6WJG7Z/
AU: (link: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07W6WJG7Z/) amazon.com.au/dp/B07W6WJG7Z/
CA: (link: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07W6WJG7Z/) amazon.ca/dp/B07W6WJG7Z/
New Mariana Zapata book...
coming soon...
Grendpa Gus is my favourite character I have read this year
I present you with a bunch of my random thoughts instead of review bc I advise not reading to much of the reviews, the blurb is vague on purpose ;
* This was a really really slow burn
* I love Grandpa Gus and Peter
* Mo was cute even though I don't like that nickname
* heroines' inner monologue drove me crazy
* hero was really cute beta I enjoyed it
* epilogue is far in the future which never sits well with me, why you go and make me cry Mariana
* for a long-ass book that I didn't love Is still read it and somewhat enjoyed so let's call it a success
3,5 stars
February 7, 2020
3.5-4 stars! Leaning towards 3.5. Though I liked Lenny and Jonah, I had a tough time connecting with them, especially Lenny. And I have to admit I didn't get into the book until halfway through, but that may have been because I've been in a slight book funk. But I DID love that Jonah is a big, 6 1/2 foot tall, soft, sweet boy with a heart of gold! And that epilogue? GOT ME SO CHOKED UP. WOW.
The slow burn queen has blessed us https://amzn.to/2YC4BiZ
The slow burn queen has blessed us https://amzn.to/2YC4BiZ
December 11, 2025
finally finished this in one day, after saying i would read this months back.
jonah collins gets all the stars.
elena de maio gets a few less stars.
all in all, it's a three, y'all.
mariana zapata 😌 thank you for making my week.
⌜ “Do what you have to do to be happy, okay? No one else is going to do it for you.”⌟
pre-read
hi mariana zapata, thanks for writing books.
see you on the other side, bye.
jonah collins gets all the stars.
elena de maio gets a few less stars.
all in all, it's a three, y'all.
mariana zapata 😌 thank you for making my week.
⌜ “Do what you have to do to be happy, okay? No one else is going to do it for you.”⌟
pre-read
hi mariana zapata, thanks for writing books.
see you on the other side, bye.
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