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The Things We Water
Once upon a time, a girl found a magical puppy, and her life was never the same again.
Nina Popoca needs help.
So, so much of it.
The only place she can find that help is on a sprawling ranch in Colorado. A place hiding more than a community filled with magical creatures trying to live their lives in safety and in peace. A village that might hold the answers to questions she’s had her entire life.
And if that ranch is owned by her best friend’s hunky cousin?
…there are worse things in the world than having to live right by Henri Blackrock.
Nina Popoca needs help.
So, so much of it.
The only place she can find that help is on a sprawling ranch in Colorado. A place hiding more than a community filled with magical creatures trying to live their lives in safety and in peace. A village that might hold the answers to questions she’s had her entire life.
And if that ranch is owned by her best friend’s hunky cousin?
…there are worse things in the world than having to live right by Henri Blackrock.
718 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 2, 2025
3299 people are currently reading
20622 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,716 reviews
August 26, 2025
dnf @ 50%
Well. This was a huge shock and definitely not what I was expecting. When Mariana Zapata disappeared for nearly three years, I assumed she was working on a masterpiece. A return marked by intention, craft, maybe even her best work yet. Then, out of nowhere, she reappears with only about a week of notice before this book drops—and it’s not even contemporary romance. It’s a fantasy. And honestly, I was so excited!
MZ isn’t just a romance author to me. Her books aren’t just things I read, but they’re places I emotionally live in. Kulti and Wait For It are more than comfort reads for me, I revisit them constantly—not just for the romance, but for the emotional grounding, the human connections, and the way her characters see each other. I think about Sal and Reiner, Diana and Dallas, all the time!
So yes, when she returned, I was electrified by the genre shift, expecting a thrilling fantasy slow-burn that would sweep me off my feet. But the moment I began reading, something felt wrong—and it only spiralled from there.
The plot follows Nina, a thirty-year-old woman who finds a magical puppy—and that discovery pulls her into a secret ranch in Colorado full of magical people, hidden danger, fantastical creatures, and a grumpy, stoic love interest named Henri Blackrock.
At first glance, it seems like a very cosy fantasy setting and, of course, MZ’s signature slow-burn romance. But in execution? It’s a chaotic, disorganised mess. The tone shifts constantly, the world-building is extremely thin, and honestly kind of nonsensical. It felt like the bare bones of a magical system got thrown into a plot outline and never fleshed out.
Right from the start, we’re overwhelmed by a swarm of side characters—each with quirky names and exaggerated traits that are supposed to be memorable, but are honestly just exhausting. So many characters are dumped into the story in the first few chapters, and none of them are given time to matter. Honestly, I found most of them annoying. I understand why there is a large ensemble cast in books like these, and I like it when it works, especially when we actually have the time to know these characters from their traits and personalities but wow, this book failed this concept so badly because it was just a barrage of names and quirks, with zero substance at all.
I am going to sound very harsh here, but instead of being fun or immersive, it genuinely felt like reading someone’s unedited brainstorming session from a middle schooler who needed to write a creative story and made up the most ridiculous names and world-building.
The characters: Let’s talk about the fmc Nina. She’s supposed to be thirty, but my god—she was so immature! Her internal monologue made me cringe MULTIPLE times, and the way she talks about her dog? I get loving your magical pet—but calling him “Dunky-Dunk” and “my little donut” every few pages was unbearable. His name is “Duncan Donut,” which is already pushing it, but the constant baby-talk nicknames made it feel like the book was trying way too hard to make her quirky and lovable. It didn’t work. AT ALL.
And in an MZ book, if the protagonist doesn’t work, the whole thing collapses. This is where the disappointment hit hardest because MZ is the queen of slow-burn! Her couples don’t fall for each other overnight. They circle each other warily, they learn the smallest little details about each other, they spend chapters and hundreds of pages building trust, breaking down emotional barriers, and discovering intimacy in the smallest ways. Her romances don’t rely on physicality or immediate chemistry, but they heavily rely on longing. In her best books, the kiss doesn’t happen until the very last chapter, and when it does, it absolutely wrecks you.
But in The Things We Water, that magic is completely gone. Even though I dnfed before Nina and Henri ever kissed, it was painfully obvious from the start that the attraction was already there. Henri was acting possessive from the beginning. He was circling her like they were halfway into something serious. He’s jealous of other men, and constantly rubbing up against her, it was just so annoyingly repetitive. This didn’t read like slow-burn romance. If I could best describe it read like a slow plot with fast feelings. None of it was earned.
And I can’t believe I’m saying this about an MZ book—but I didn’t care about the romance, not even a little bit. I didn’t want to see where it went, how it would progress. I wasn’t rooting for them to kiss.
By 15%, I already wanted to dnf, but it felt too early for a 700+ page book. I thought that maybe it was a slow start, maybe the fantasy elements needed time to settle—I’ve read enough fantasy to know the payoff can be late. That did not happen. Basically, all the problems I had at the very start continued, and I just don't hate myself that much to continue. By the halfway mark, I was reading out of obligation, not enjoyment, so I stopped.
Despite my absolutely hating this book, I do know some people will love this, especially if you enjoy quirky characters or light, whimsical fantasy. This book left me reflecting on that maybe not every author is meant to write every genre. MZ is exceptional at crafting emotionally grounded, contemporary slow burns filled with unforgettable characters, but unfortunately, this book felt like it was chasing something outside of that strength. Experimenting isn’t a crime, but sometimes it just doesn’t land.
_________
The queen of slow burn is back, and it’s fantasy!I am so excited 🤭🤸♀️
Well. This was a huge shock and definitely not what I was expecting. When Mariana Zapata disappeared for nearly three years, I assumed she was working on a masterpiece. A return marked by intention, craft, maybe even her best work yet. Then, out of nowhere, she reappears with only about a week of notice before this book drops—and it’s not even contemporary romance. It’s a fantasy. And honestly, I was so excited!
MZ isn’t just a romance author to me. Her books aren’t just things I read, but they’re places I emotionally live in. Kulti and Wait For It are more than comfort reads for me, I revisit them constantly—not just for the romance, but for the emotional grounding, the human connections, and the way her characters see each other. I think about Sal and Reiner, Diana and Dallas, all the time!
So yes, when she returned, I was electrified by the genre shift, expecting a thrilling fantasy slow-burn that would sweep me off my feet. But the moment I began reading, something felt wrong—and it only spiralled from there.
The plot follows Nina, a thirty-year-old woman who finds a magical puppy—and that discovery pulls her into a secret ranch in Colorado full of magical people, hidden danger, fantastical creatures, and a grumpy, stoic love interest named Henri Blackrock.
At first glance, it seems like a very cosy fantasy setting and, of course, MZ’s signature slow-burn romance. But in execution? It’s a chaotic, disorganised mess. The tone shifts constantly, the world-building is extremely thin, and honestly kind of nonsensical. It felt like the bare bones of a magical system got thrown into a plot outline and never fleshed out.
Right from the start, we’re overwhelmed by a swarm of side characters—each with quirky names and exaggerated traits that are supposed to be memorable, but are honestly just exhausting. So many characters are dumped into the story in the first few chapters, and none of them are given time to matter. Honestly, I found most of them annoying. I understand why there is a large ensemble cast in books like these, and I like it when it works, especially when we actually have the time to know these characters from their traits and personalities but wow, this book failed this concept so badly because it was just a barrage of names and quirks, with zero substance at all.
I am going to sound very harsh here, but instead of being fun or immersive, it genuinely felt like reading someone’s unedited brainstorming session from a middle schooler who needed to write a creative story and made up the most ridiculous names and world-building.
The characters: Let’s talk about the fmc Nina. She’s supposed to be thirty, but my god—she was so immature! Her internal monologue made me cringe MULTIPLE times, and the way she talks about her dog? I get loving your magical pet—but calling him “Dunky-Dunk” and “my little donut” every few pages was unbearable. His name is “Duncan Donut,” which is already pushing it, but the constant baby-talk nicknames made it feel like the book was trying way too hard to make her quirky and lovable. It didn’t work. AT ALL.
And in an MZ book, if the protagonist doesn’t work, the whole thing collapses. This is where the disappointment hit hardest because MZ is the queen of slow-burn! Her couples don’t fall for each other overnight. They circle each other warily, they learn the smallest little details about each other, they spend chapters and hundreds of pages building trust, breaking down emotional barriers, and discovering intimacy in the smallest ways. Her romances don’t rely on physicality or immediate chemistry, but they heavily rely on longing. In her best books, the kiss doesn’t happen until the very last chapter, and when it does, it absolutely wrecks you.
But in The Things We Water, that magic is completely gone. Even though I dnfed before Nina and Henri ever kissed, it was painfully obvious from the start that the attraction was already there. Henri was acting possessive from the beginning. He was circling her like they were halfway into something serious. He’s jealous of other men, and constantly rubbing up against her, it was just so annoyingly repetitive. This didn’t read like slow-burn romance. If I could best describe it read like a slow plot with fast feelings. None of it was earned.
And I can’t believe I’m saying this about an MZ book—but I didn’t care about the romance, not even a little bit. I didn’t want to see where it went, how it would progress. I wasn’t rooting for them to kiss.
By 15%, I already wanted to dnf, but it felt too early for a 700+ page book. I thought that maybe it was a slow start, maybe the fantasy elements needed time to settle—I’ve read enough fantasy to know the payoff can be late. That did not happen. Basically, all the problems I had at the very start continued, and I just don't hate myself that much to continue. By the halfway mark, I was reading out of obligation, not enjoyment, so I stopped.
Despite my absolutely hating this book, I do know some people will love this, especially if you enjoy quirky characters or light, whimsical fantasy. This book left me reflecting on that maybe not every author is meant to write every genre. MZ is exceptional at crafting emotionally grounded, contemporary slow burns filled with unforgettable characters, but unfortunately, this book felt like it was chasing something outside of that strength. Experimenting isn’t a crime, but sometimes it just doesn’t land.
_________
The queen of slow burn is back, and it’s fantasy!
May 12, 2025
My first DNF of the year being a mz book should be a crime✋🏻
breathlessly-anticipating
April 19, 2025Bae goes radio silent for three years and thinks she can hide a new release from us 👹👹 never underestimate our detective skills
Currently reading
May 12, 2025ೃ ⁀➷pre-view:🎯
-🔮 Welcome to The Magic of Blackrock Ranch—where magic, mystery, and one ridiculously hot guy collide. 💥
~What’s coming!?
📍 Henri Blackrock: Tall, dark, and brooding. He’s that kind of hot where you forget your own name—and definitely off-limits. But does that stop Nina? Nope.
💥 Tension: Enough to start a fire. The slow-burn romance that’s going to leave you screaming, “JUST KISS ALREADY!”
🚫 Forbidden vibes: Off-limits? Sure. But when was that ever a dealbreaker? It’s complicated, messy, and delicious.
🔮 Magical chaos: A ranch filled with secrets that definitely won’t stay hidden forever. You know what that means—nothing good.
~The Vibe!?
💋 Steamy, slow-burn tension, and absolutely no chill.
😈 Grumpy meets chaotic meets "I know this is a terrible idea, but let’s do it anyway".
🎉 Expect: Sizzling looks, heart-racing moments, and a whole lot of bad decisions.
🍿 Popcorn’s mandatory because you’re about to watch Nina and Henri set this ranch on fire—figuratively, of course. (But who knows? Maybe literally too.)
-Let's Dive in This is going to be a bumpy, thrilling ride!🍿
-🔮 Welcome to The Magic of Blackrock Ranch—where magic, mystery, and one ridiculously hot guy collide. 💥
~What’s coming!?
📍 Henri Blackrock: Tall, dark, and brooding. He’s that kind of hot where you forget your own name—and definitely off-limits. But does that stop Nina? Nope.
💥 Tension: Enough to start a fire. The slow-burn romance that’s going to leave you screaming, “JUST KISS ALREADY!”
🚫 Forbidden vibes: Off-limits? Sure. But when was that ever a dealbreaker? It’s complicated, messy, and delicious.
🔮 Magical chaos: A ranch filled with secrets that definitely won’t stay hidden forever. You know what that means—nothing good.
~The Vibe!?
💋 Steamy, slow-burn tension, and absolutely no chill.
😈 Grumpy meets chaotic meets "I know this is a terrible idea, but let’s do it anyway".
🎉 Expect: Sizzling looks, heart-racing moments, and a whole lot of bad decisions.
🍿 Popcorn’s mandatory because you’re about to watch Nina and Henri set this ranch on fire—figuratively, of course. (But who knows? Maybe literally too.)
-Let's Dive in This is going to be a bumpy, thrilling ride!🍿
November 8, 2025
5 stars
I’m not a huge fantasy reader, but I’ll read anything and everything Mariana Zapata writes, so when she released The Things We Water, I jumped in right away. I adored this book! Nina and Henri were everything! This had all the Mariana Zapata charm and the best slow burn. The fantasy facet was easy to follow, and it took place in ‘our world’, which was so helpful.
The found family aspect was my absolute favorite. And the romance was swoonworthy. I loved trying to figure out who and what everyone was, and finding that out was a lot of fun. Overall, I enjoyed this book so much!
I’m not a huge fantasy reader, but I’ll read anything and everything Mariana Zapata writes, so when she released The Things We Water, I jumped in right away. I adored this book! Nina and Henri were everything! This had all the Mariana Zapata charm and the best slow burn. The fantasy facet was easy to follow, and it took place in ‘our world’, which was so helpful.
The found family aspect was my absolute favorite. And the romance was swoonworthy. I loved trying to figure out who and what everyone was, and finding that out was a lot of fun. Overall, I enjoyed this book so much!
May 10, 2025
A rare miss from the usually phenomenal MZ.
Nina finds herself at a magical ranch in Colorado, a hidden haven for supernatural beings, hoping for answers about her mysterious past. Add in her best friend’s hunky cousin, Henri, and you've got the ingredients for a wonderful pnr romance.
While I deeply admire Zapata's talent for slow-burn romance and found family dynamics, which did shine in parts here, (especially between Nina and Duncan), this book felt like it was drowning in unnecessary filler, jarring humor, and a serious lack of world-building.
The excessive potty jokes, and constant mentions of bodily functions were baffling. Didn’t she already write the fart-in-your-eye thing in Wait for It??
Zapata is capable of such emotionally rich writing, I really missed it here.
The paranormal creatures, the sasquatch, satyr, cyclops, gnomes, and the bogeyman (yes, really), felt like they were thrown in without rhyme or reason. The werewolf lore was also seriously underdeveloped. They shift… and their clothes do too? I found this so ridiculous! It stripped away that raw, elemental power shifters usually have. And calling a 40-year-old werewolf Fluffy and Fluff? Really?
Nina is your typical Zapata FMC, strong, likable, and oblivious to the MMC’s affections. Henri was interesting, but we barely know anything about him. And his reasoning for avoiding Nina’s advances was simply a lack of communication. He could have said, “I like you but we need to wait.”
The romantic chemistry between them was... lacking. I felt friendship and mutual respect, but not passion. At all.
Tropes/themes:
Slow burn pnr
Older characters, 30s/40s
Grumpy/sunshine
Single parent
Magical realism
Small town vibes
Fated mates?
Protective H
He falls first
Hidden heritage
Forced proximity
Emotionally constipated H
Wholesome vibes
HEA (takes a loooong time)
This book really needed focus. The pacing dragged, especially with the magical secret of Nina and her son being withheld for far too long.
There are certainly parts of the story to love, Duncan was beautifully written, and Zapata still nails that comforting, familiar writing style. But overall, I was hoping for a magical, emotionally rich story. What I got was a meandering plot, weak paranormal world-building, and potty talk that belonged on a middle school playground.
Nina finds herself at a magical ranch in Colorado, a hidden haven for supernatural beings, hoping for answers about her mysterious past. Add in her best friend’s hunky cousin, Henri, and you've got the ingredients for a wonderful pnr romance.
While I deeply admire Zapata's talent for slow-burn romance and found family dynamics, which did shine in parts here, (especially between Nina and Duncan), this book felt like it was drowning in unnecessary filler, jarring humor, and a serious lack of world-building.
The excessive potty jokes, and constant mentions of bodily functions were baffling. Didn’t she already write the fart-in-your-eye thing in Wait for It??
Zapata is capable of such emotionally rich writing, I really missed it here.
The paranormal creatures, the sasquatch, satyr, cyclops, gnomes, and the bogeyman (yes, really), felt like they were thrown in without rhyme or reason. The werewolf lore was also seriously underdeveloped. They shift… and their clothes do too? I found this so ridiculous! It stripped away that raw, elemental power shifters usually have. And calling a 40-year-old werewolf Fluffy and Fluff? Really?
Nina is your typical Zapata FMC, strong, likable, and oblivious to the MMC’s affections. Henri was interesting, but we barely know anything about him. And his reasoning for avoiding Nina’s advances was simply a lack of communication. He could have said, “I like you but we need to wait.”
The romantic chemistry between them was... lacking. I felt friendship and mutual respect, but not passion. At all.
Tropes/themes:
Slow burn pnr
Older characters, 30s/40s
Grumpy/sunshine
Single parent
Magical realism
Small town vibes
Fated mates?
Protective H
He falls first
Hidden heritage
Forced proximity
Emotionally constipated H
Wholesome vibes
HEA (takes a loooong time)
This book really needed focus. The pacing dragged, especially with the magical secret of Nina and her son being withheld for far too long.
There are certainly parts of the story to love, Duncan was beautifully written, and Zapata still nails that comforting, familiar writing style. But overall, I was hoping for a magical, emotionally rich story. What I got was a meandering plot, weak paranormal world-building, and potty talk that belonged on a middle school playground.
May 7, 2025
Mariana Zapata and her nicknames… Fluff or Fluffy for a growing alpha werewolf? I’m sorry, but no. Just no. That wolf deserves better.
That said, there were parts of this book that I genuinely adored. Dunkin Donut (yep, another nickname—but this one grew on me fast) was a total cutie pie. The patchwork found-family vibes? Loved them. Kids everywhere, a protective alpha werewolf, and a quiet tenderness beneath all that fur—major plus points.
But I have to be honest—there were stretches that left me cold and, frankly, bored AF. So yes, this one was a mixed bag for me… but still a step up from her last release.
Still, I have to say—I love the cover.
That said, there were parts of this book that I genuinely adored. Dunkin Donut (yep, another nickname—but this one grew on me fast) was a total cutie pie. The patchwork found-family vibes? Loved them. Kids everywhere, a protective alpha werewolf, and a quiet tenderness beneath all that fur—major plus points.
But I have to be honest—there were stretches that left me cold and, frankly, bored AF. So yes, this one was a mixed bag for me… but still a step up from her last release.
Still, I have to say—I love the cover.
May 2, 2025
Not everyone can be a fanstay writer.
Want to read
May 2, 2025Happy release day! 🎉🥳👏🏻🎊🙌🏻🍾🎈
Um… excuse me?! The slow burn Queen wrote a Romantasy?! 😍
Um… excuse me?! The slow burn Queen wrote a Romantasy?! 😍
May 7, 2025
🤫 And on that Christmas night, the Night, the Moon, and the Hound stood in the trees…
i know this book isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but if you know me a little, this was written exactly for me😭
a magical puppy? ugh yes please!! cutest puppies/kids in the world? yes!! a broody man who loves you SO MUCH? duhh😌 wolves? gods and mythical creatures? mates and magic? sign. me. tf. up. mariana wrote this for me
it was of course a slow burn and i will admit, at times it was frustrating how slow henri was making things burn but i didn’t need to have a wolf nose to smell their attraction and love for each other😋 henri, you’re my man😽
nina my girllllll!!!!!!!!! i think she is my second favorite mz fmc now after diana from wait for it and it was a tough spot to beat because sal from kulti had it for years!! anyways i ADOREEEEEEEEEEEE nina. she was so strong, resilient, nice and overall such a good person. i know henri knows how to fight but i’ll still come after his girl😌
agnes my dark cloud🥹 our mini wolf🥹 she was such a grumpy kid and she was so starved to be loved!!!!! she can protect herself but i’m here to fight her battles for her🤺 the epilogue has me tearing uppppp my cute little family🩷🩷
duncan donut the best magical puppy that has ever puppied!!! 🤍 i will take no criticism over him✋🏻
now, like i said i don’t think this is something everyone will love because it’s slightly different than what mz usually writes and especially if you didn’t enjoy When Gracie Met the Grump i don’t think you will enjoy this either but still, it was close to perfection for me🤍
and it was extra enjoyable reading with ri 😋🤍 it was sm fun making up theories and ending up wrong about most🤝🏼 i’m gonna think of this bitch whenever i see white cream on somewhere🌝
i know this book isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but if you know me a little, this was written exactly for me😭
a magical puppy? ugh yes please!! cutest puppies/kids in the world? yes!! a broody man who loves you SO MUCH? duhh😌 wolves? gods and mythical creatures? mates and magic? sign. me. tf. up. mariana wrote this for me
it was of course a slow burn and i will admit, at times it was frustrating how slow henri was making things burn but i didn’t need to have a wolf nose to smell their attraction and love for each other😋 henri, you’re my man😽
nina my girllllll!!!!!!!!! i think she is my second favorite mz fmc now after diana from wait for it and it was a tough spot to beat because sal from kulti had it for years!! anyways i ADOREEEEEEEEEEEE nina. she was so strong, resilient, nice and overall such a good person. i know henri knows how to fight but i’ll still come after his girl😌
agnes my dark cloud🥹 our mini wolf🥹 she was such a grumpy kid and she was so starved to be loved!!!!! she can protect herself but i’m here to fight her battles for her🤺 the epilogue has me tearing uppppp my cute little family🩷🩷
duncan donut the best magical puppy that has ever puppied!!! 🤍 i will take no criticism over him✋🏻
now, like i said i don’t think this is something everyone will love because it’s slightly different than what mz usually writes and especially if you didn’t enjoy When Gracie Met the Grump i don’t think you will enjoy this either but still, it was close to perfection for me🤍
and it was extra enjoyable reading with ri 😋🤍 it was sm fun making up theories and ending up wrong about most🤝🏼 i’m gonna think of this bitch whenever i see white cream on somewhere🌝
May 5, 2025
𝟒 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬
“𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒖𝒔𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕. 𝑭𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒔, 𝒉𝒖𝒉? “
i finished the book just a few hours ago, and what a wild ride it turned out to be. honestly, i loved how this felt like mariana—but not in her usual, contemporary romance comfort zone. she stepped outside her predilected subgenre, and while the shift was bold, it took me a little while to feel fully immersed in the story.
if i hold it up beside other romantasy novels, it was good—genuinely good. but it didn’t quite reach that breath-stealing, marrow-deep level that i’ve come to expect from mariana zapata. nor did the male main character give me the signature grump/brood combo she’s known for—the one hiding a soft heart under layers of silence and tension. he was there, but not as sharply drawn.
what did shine through, though, was the sheer effort and care poured into the folklore and world-building. the modern fantasy setting, with all its mechanisms and mythology, was ambitious—almost too ambitious. with so much lore to unfold in just one book, the romance and character intimacy felt slightly eclipsed, a little too dimmed.
still, i enjoyed it. i appreciated the risk. i admired the shift. i think maybe i just walked in expecting more—for the couple, for the tension, for the ache. but that’s the thing with expectations—they often get in the way of what a book is actually offering you.
and this one, even if it didn’t leave me breathless, gave me something different. and sometimes, that’s enough.
“𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒖𝒔𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕. 𝑭𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒔, 𝒉𝒖𝒉? “
i finished the book just a few hours ago, and what a wild ride it turned out to be. honestly, i loved how this felt like mariana—but not in her usual, contemporary romance comfort zone. she stepped outside her predilected subgenre, and while the shift was bold, it took me a little while to feel fully immersed in the story.
if i hold it up beside other romantasy novels, it was good—genuinely good. but it didn’t quite reach that breath-stealing, marrow-deep level that i’ve come to expect from mariana zapata. nor did the male main character give me the signature grump/brood combo she’s known for—the one hiding a soft heart under layers of silence and tension. he was there, but not as sharply drawn.
what did shine through, though, was the sheer effort and care poured into the folklore and world-building. the modern fantasy setting, with all its mechanisms and mythology, was ambitious—almost too ambitious. with so much lore to unfold in just one book, the romance and character intimacy felt slightly eclipsed, a little too dimmed.
still, i enjoyed it. i appreciated the risk. i admired the shift. i think maybe i just walked in expecting more—for the couple, for the tension, for the ache. but that’s the thing with expectations—they often get in the way of what a book is actually offering you.
and this one, even if it didn’t leave me breathless, gave me something different. and sometimes, that’s enough.
May 5, 2025
Dnf at 50%.
Mariana Zapata is one of my favorite authors, and it pains me to say this, but I just can't read this anymore!
This book feels like a salad—she threw in a bunch of different ingredients, but together, it just doesn’t taste right. I don’t understand why there were so many mythical creatures in the story.
The plot dragged on, and Henri reminded me of her other male characters—quiet, huge, and grumpy.
I really hope Mariana Zapata goes back to writing regular romance novels.
Mariana Zapata is one of my favorite authors, and it pains me to say this, but I just can't read this anymore!
This book feels like a salad—she threw in a bunch of different ingredients, but together, it just doesn’t taste right. I don’t understand why there were so many mythical creatures in the story.
The plot dragged on, and Henri reminded me of her other male characters—quiet, huge, and grumpy.
I really hope Mariana Zapata goes back to writing regular romance novels.
May 5, 2025
VERY generous 2 stars…
Changing this to 1 ★ because the more I think about it, the more I realize this book was a rambling mess.
First of all this was way too longgg at 700 pages. It dragged in so many places, and I found myself skimming at times because not much was happening. Nina’s inner monologue was too much, and some parts were just straight-up boring. Loads of nonsensical yapping.
The world building and fantasy elements were flimsy and underdeveloped—there were some cool ideas but none of it got fleshed out enough to make me care. I struggled the first couple of chapters just trying to figure out what Duncan was.
Nina’s in her 30s, but she acted immature at times. I did kind of like Henri though—big, grumpy, protective werewolf so that was a win I guess. Wasn’t a fan of the nicknames Cricket and Fluffy. Hated the miscommunication.
Also the excessive baby names for Duncan. Listen, I love cute and fluffy as much as the next person but reading my little precious Dunky-Dunk Donut every 2 mins got annoying. Lots of cringe millennial humour throughout. Oh and let's not forget the bodily fluid jokes.
The romance was classic MZ slow burn, but the payoff wasn’t worth it. Both characters were into each other, but they were so emotionally oblivious it was frustrating. It just made them both come off kind of dumb. By the time they finally got together, I couldn’t give AF about the couple.
Overall not good.
May 5, 2025
"𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬, 𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞."
👋➡️🚪 byebye, i'm out.
Okay, please let me start by saying how proud I am that Mariana stepped out of her comfort zone and wrote a fantasy book. The only problem with the book is that I hated it.
The world itself wouldn't have been bad, because it wasn't that different from real life: the only difference is that mythological creatures are real and they live amongst human. They have some small communities where they can live together in peace and they're safe. That's where the FMC is moving with her fucking magic dog. Look I don't have anything against pets, I even love them: but I swear to God if I have to read another sentence about Nina's "little baby" I'm going throw up. It felt like the dog was another main character, only they couldn't have conversations with him. He can telepathically say yes and love, and he said them all the time.
The FMC's only personality trait is that she adopted this dog, who, of course has magic: and now she thinks of him as he were her son. These type of people piss me off in real life too: just because you have a pet and you love them, that doesn't make them HUMAN. Oh my fucking god.
Basically FMC was worried about her dog's safety so after talking with her friends, she moves to this little community hoping they'll be accepted. Her best friend's cousin lives there, and btw he's the love interest.
My other problems with Nina and basically with the whole writing style: since we only have 1 pov we only see things from Nina's perspective. Now this WOMAN is in her 30s, so I don't understand why does she have to be so childish and cringe. She was supposed to be a funny, quirky character but the only thing I got from reading her was second hand embarassment.
In a way it was a classic MZ book: she has a quirky, small, insecure FMC who has some type of life changing problem, but no worries because the tall, bulky, grumpy (fucking asshole with the emotional intelligence of a 3 year old) MMC who's in his 40s is there to "save the day".
My girl had no backbone. How can you be in love with a man, when he's literally ignoring you after you ask him to marry you? That's okay, then you'll try to find yourself another man to be your husband. Opps, I forgot to mention: he's jealous of the other men so he starts rubbing against you, which makes you his. Yes, and this action happened SEVERAL times in the book, with the same purpose: if she can't be mine she can't be anyone else's either. 😊
The book doesn't worth 700 pages, she just had to drag it out to make it a slowburn romance. The plot was lame, and so were the other characters. You get an annoying asshole just to piss you off, and to get the FMC change into a badass girl who could kill anyone. There were a lot of kids in this book, and I wasn't interested in them at all. (they didn't really have any personality)
To be honest, the whole drama with both of their parents just made mad. We deserved a better story for a book this long.
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
let's goo
────୨ৎ────
one day and it's here 🥺
👋➡️🚪 byebye, i'm out.
Okay, please let me start by saying how proud I am that Mariana stepped out of her comfort zone and wrote a fantasy book. The only problem with the book is that I hated it.
The world itself wouldn't have been bad, because it wasn't that different from real life: the only difference is that mythological creatures are real and they live amongst human. They have some small communities where they can live together in peace and they're safe. That's where the FMC is moving with her fucking magic dog. Look I don't have anything against pets, I even love them: but I swear to God if I have to read another sentence about Nina's "little baby" I'm going throw up. It felt like the dog was another main character, only they couldn't have conversations with him. He can telepathically say yes and love, and he said them all the time.
The FMC's only personality trait is that she adopted this dog, who, of course has magic: and now she thinks of him as he were her son. These type of people piss me off in real life too: just because you have a pet and you love them, that doesn't make them HUMAN. Oh my fucking god.
Basically FMC was worried about her dog's safety so after talking with her friends, she moves to this little community hoping they'll be accepted. Her best friend's cousin lives there, and btw he's the love interest.
My other problems with Nina and basically with the whole writing style: since we only have 1 pov we only see things from Nina's perspective. Now this WOMAN is in her 30s, so I don't understand why does she have to be so childish and cringe. She was supposed to be a funny, quirky character but the only thing I got from reading her was second hand embarassment.
In a way it was a classic MZ book: she has a quirky, small, insecure FMC who has some type of life changing problem, but no worries because the tall, bulky, grumpy (fucking asshole with the emotional intelligence of a 3 year old) MMC who's in his 40s is there to "save the day".
My girl had no backbone. How can you be in love with a man, when he's literally ignoring you after you ask him to marry you? That's okay, then you'll try to find yourself another man to be your husband. Opps, I forgot to mention: he's jealous of the other men so he starts rubbing against you, which makes you his. Yes, and this action happened SEVERAL times in the book, with the same purpose: if she can't be mine she can't be anyone else's either. 😊
The book doesn't worth 700 pages, she just had to drag it out to make it a slowburn romance. The plot was lame, and so were the other characters. You get an annoying asshole just to piss you off, and to get the FMC change into a badass girl who could kill anyone. There were a lot of kids in this book, and I wasn't interested in them at all. (they didn't really have any personality)
To be honest, the whole drama with both of their parents just made mad. We deserved a better story for a book this long.
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
let's goo
────୨ৎ────
one day and it's here 🥺
Want to read
May 5, 2025i got my hands on this 😀
May 6, 2025
agnes my precious baby girl 🥹💗 and DUNCAN DONUT? i love this little guy so much. rtc?
gonna disappear for days so i can finish this new beauty by my fav slow-burn queen 🤭 buddy reading with buket 💙
gonna disappear for days so i can finish this new beauty by my fav slow-burn queen 🤭 buddy reading with buket 💙
June 11, 2025
2.0 ★— I can’t believe I’m saying this as someone who counts as many books by Mariana Zapata as favorites as I do… but why the hell was this 700 pages long?
Holy hell. This was one of the biggest slogs of my life. And let me be clear: I love slow burn. I adore her usual pacing and length. I’m used to it. I seek it out. But this took me days to read, when I thought it would be a cozy, stay up all night-type weekend binge. Instead, I kept checking the percentage like I was doing penance.
Let me try to be concise about the immense dislike I feel for this book by breaking it down.
Characters
Nina Popoca started off like most of Zapata’s heroines - hard-working, protective of the people she loves, kind, and a bit of a people-pleaser. But the further we got, the more she grated on me. She was constantly apologizing, emotional about everything, throwing out the nicknames (Dunky, Donut, Fluff, Fluffy… so many more), and overthinking every interaction with Henri to the point of exhaustion. There was this constant desperation in her that just made me cringe.
And you know what? I can’t really fault her for overthinking everything with Henri. Because he was the worst.
Henri Blackrock, the MMC. Another Zapata classic: brooding, stoic, silent, gets shit done. Jaw flexes, muscles bulge - every other sentence. And yet somehow, he annoyed the hell out of me. The thing is, her other MMCs aren’t that different on paper, but Henri just… didn’t work. The complete refusal to communicate, the way he wouldn’t tell Nina anything, even when she’s basically out here declaring her love and saying she wants to marry him. He just stands there, and maybe blinks and grunts. The book could’ve been 200–300 pages shorter if this man had just said one thing with clarity.
And it’s funny, because the FMC literally calls him out on this later in the book and he brushes it off with some vague, meaningless excuse. Please. How am I supposed to find his possessiveness hot when he actively makes the FMC feel rejected over and over?
Usually I live for the gruff jealousy, the protectiveness, the stares, the pining, but here all of that left me cold. His overall vibe toward her annoyed me so much I couldn’t enjoy a single tropey moment.
The Fantasy Stuff
As a fantasy romance lover, the announcement of this book had me so hyped. Super slow burn romance + fantasy setting + supernatural community? Yes, please.
Too bad it was all half-baked. The werewolf pack stuff was fine, actually well done, no major complaints there. But the rest fell totally flat. The inclusion of every mythical creature under the sun felt like noise. Like… okay, they were there, but for what? I honestly wish it had just been a shifter romance, maybe with a few supernatural touches related to the FMC. But as it was, a lot of the “worldbuilding” felt pointless and added nothing to the story. The comedy moments with the creatures were just not funny to me and felt mostly annoying.
The Mystery Surrounding Nina
The book teases some grand mystery around Nina’s origins and designation basically from the beginning… and then does nothing with it. We get hints. She refuses to name what she is. She’s scared, apparently. But nothing is explored in any real depth for hundreds of pages.
And then when it does finally get revealed, I had already checked out emotionally. It was boring and anticlimactic, and it made me mad that I even cared about it in the first place. Why set something up like that if you’re going to resolve it like it’s an afterthought?
The Romance
It’s basically Nina thirsting over Henri’s rippling abs and giant muscles every time he appears on the page, while also desperately trying to tell him she likes him - through hints, through literal direct questions, through everything short of skywriting! And him just… ignoring it. Walking away. And then getting all broody and jealous the moment another man breathes in her direction.
I live for jealousy, tension, pining, yearning, but it needs to be balanced by some chemistry or connection. Here, I just got tired. There came a point where I wanted her to take the offer another character made her and leave. Like… join that other shifter community. Get a new man stat.
The Humor
It made me cringe like 90% of the time. And I think because I wasn’t enjoying myself, stuff I usually overlook with Mariana Zapata stood out more than ever. One major thing that annoyed me was the potty humor. Why was there so much farting? Diarrhea? Butt-wiping? Why did I have to read about this so often? (lowkey gave me war flashbacks to Gracie and the Grump, ugh) It just added to the overall sense of me not wanting to continue reading this book.
Final Thoughts
I could honestly say so much more… but I’ll end it here.
This book absolutely did not need to be 700 pages. And I say that as someone who enjoys when “nothing happens” in Zapata books. Usually. But this truly felt like a whole lot of nothing, with no payoff, no emotional satisfaction, and a romance that made me feel nothing but secondhand embarrassment and frustration.
I didn’t enjoy myself. I should have DNFed. But I pushed through because I love this author and had hope that something, anything, would click at the end.
It didn’t.
Holy hell. This was one of the biggest slogs of my life. And let me be clear: I love slow burn. I adore her usual pacing and length. I’m used to it. I seek it out. But this took me days to read, when I thought it would be a cozy, stay up all night-type weekend binge. Instead, I kept checking the percentage like I was doing penance.
Let me try to be concise about the immense dislike I feel for this book by breaking it down.
Characters
Nina Popoca started off like most of Zapata’s heroines - hard-working, protective of the people she loves, kind, and a bit of a people-pleaser. But the further we got, the more she grated on me. She was constantly apologizing, emotional about everything, throwing out the nicknames (Dunky, Donut, Fluff, Fluffy… so many more), and overthinking every interaction with Henri to the point of exhaustion. There was this constant desperation in her that just made me cringe.
And you know what? I can’t really fault her for overthinking everything with Henri. Because he was the worst.
Henri Blackrock, the MMC. Another Zapata classic: brooding, stoic, silent, gets shit done. Jaw flexes, muscles bulge - every other sentence. And yet somehow, he annoyed the hell out of me. The thing is, her other MMCs aren’t that different on paper, but Henri just… didn’t work. The complete refusal to communicate, the way he wouldn’t tell Nina anything, even when she’s basically out here declaring her love and saying she wants to marry him. He just stands there, and maybe blinks and grunts. The book could’ve been 200–300 pages shorter if this man had just said one thing with clarity.
And it’s funny, because the FMC literally calls him out on this later in the book and he brushes it off with some vague, meaningless excuse. Please. How am I supposed to find his possessiveness hot when he actively makes the FMC feel rejected over and over?
Usually I live for the gruff jealousy, the protectiveness, the stares, the pining, but here all of that left me cold. His overall vibe toward her annoyed me so much I couldn’t enjoy a single tropey moment.
The Fantasy Stuff
As a fantasy romance lover, the announcement of this book had me so hyped. Super slow burn romance + fantasy setting + supernatural community? Yes, please.
Too bad it was all half-baked. The werewolf pack stuff was fine, actually well done, no major complaints there. But the rest fell totally flat. The inclusion of every mythical creature under the sun felt like noise. Like… okay, they were there, but for what? I honestly wish it had just been a shifter romance, maybe with a few supernatural touches related to the FMC. But as it was, a lot of the “worldbuilding” felt pointless and added nothing to the story. The comedy moments with the creatures were just not funny to me and felt mostly annoying.
The Mystery Surrounding Nina
The book teases some grand mystery around Nina’s origins and designation basically from the beginning… and then does nothing with it. We get hints. She refuses to name what she is. She’s scared, apparently. But nothing is explored in any real depth for hundreds of pages.
And then when it does finally get revealed, I had already checked out emotionally. It was boring and anticlimactic, and it made me mad that I even cared about it in the first place. Why set something up like that if you’re going to resolve it like it’s an afterthought?
The Romance
It’s basically Nina thirsting over Henri’s rippling abs and giant muscles every time he appears on the page, while also desperately trying to tell him she likes him - through hints, through literal direct questions, through everything short of skywriting! And him just… ignoring it. Walking away. And then getting all broody and jealous the moment another man breathes in her direction.
I live for jealousy, tension, pining, yearning, but it needs to be balanced by some chemistry or connection. Here, I just got tired. There came a point where I wanted her to take the offer another character made her and leave. Like… join that other shifter community. Get a new man stat.
The Humor
It made me cringe like 90% of the time. And I think because I wasn’t enjoying myself, stuff I usually overlook with Mariana Zapata stood out more than ever. One major thing that annoyed me was the potty humor. Why was there so much farting? Diarrhea? Butt-wiping? Why did I have to read about this so often? (lowkey gave me war flashbacks to Gracie and the Grump, ugh) It just added to the overall sense of me not wanting to continue reading this book.
Final Thoughts
I could honestly say so much more… but I’ll end it here.
This book absolutely did not need to be 700 pages. And I say that as someone who enjoys when “nothing happens” in Zapata books. Usually. But this truly felt like a whole lot of nothing, with no payoff, no emotional satisfaction, and a romance that made me feel nothing but secondhand embarrassment and frustration.
I didn’t enjoy myself. I should have DNFed. But I pushed through because I love this author and had hope that something, anything, would click at the end.
It didn’t.
May 26, 2025
This book took me forever to finish and left me feeling more frustrated than happy, though there are some parts that were really good and did in fact make me happy. Thank you to Christina for always being a fantastic BR partner esp with this one that never ended 🤣.
Some tropes/themes:
☆ Found family
☆ Varied supernatural types/creatures/magic
☆ Unknown magical identities
☆ Sloooooooooow burn
☆ Adoptive parenting
☆ Protective MMC AND FMC
☆ Loads of nicknames, all the nicknames, though his for her was adorable
☆ He's into her and she doesn't see it because he's trying to wait
☆ Special community
☆ Adorable children
☆ Mysteries that will have you mining every hint for answers for a long time
☆ Repetition/belabored points
I think I’ll be sticking with MZ’s contemporaries for now however. I’m used to her slow burns for the relationship side but the length of time it took to get answers on the paranormal mysteries AND the up in the air nature of the romance killed me. Adorable peek into the future for the HEA at the end, of course. The very last scene just confused me. I have so many mixed feelings. I’ll think about writing an actual review for it.
Written in first person, single pov of h. No ow drama, blip of om drama in that h has to marry within a year and some guys might be interested but H scares them. She’s not really interested in them, only in the H. Both are experienced but limited history given and neither slept around much it seemed.
Some tropes/themes:
☆ Found family
☆ Varied supernatural types/creatures/magic
☆ Unknown magical identities
☆ Sloooooooooow burn
☆ Adoptive parenting
☆ Protective MMC AND FMC
☆ Loads of nicknames, all the nicknames, though his for her was adorable
☆ He's into her and she doesn't see it because he's trying to wait
☆ Special community
☆ Adorable children
☆ Mysteries that will have you mining every hint for answers for a long time
☆ Repetition/belabored points
I think I’ll be sticking with MZ’s contemporaries for now however. I’m used to her slow burns for the relationship side but the length of time it took to get answers on the paranormal mysteries AND the up in the air nature of the romance killed me. Adorable peek into the future for the HEA at the end, of course. The very last scene just confused me. I have so many mixed feelings. I’ll think about writing an actual review for it.
Written in first person, single pov of h. No ow drama, blip of om drama in that h has to marry within a year and some guys might be interested but H scares them. She’s not really interested in them, only in the H. Both are experienced but limited history given and neither slept around much it seemed.
March 28, 2026
This had most of the ingredients of an MZ slow burn 🔥
I was beyond excited to get this book, especially since it had fantastical elements. And then to realize that the MMC is a werewolf!? I was purposefully reading this a little slowly because I didn't want to read it too fast.
The beginning was great, but I think it lost a good amount of steam the rest of the way.
MZ's books are known for being the slowest burn and being long, but they never usually feel that way. I felt the length on this one a bit. While the slow burn was still good, it wasn't at the level of some of her previous books.
I was also conflicted with the MMC. In a lot of ways, he was really great (alpha male, protective, possesive, sneakily funny), but there were some issues I had with some of his responses to her (or lack of) that I had a hard time getting past, even when he explains it later. I don't think the base of their relationship was really there for me. In other MZ books, you can see each new block she adds to slowly build their foundation, but this was a little stagnant with not a lot happening at times.
But MZ is still The Queen and I love everything she does 💙
I was beyond excited to get this book, especially since it had fantastical elements. And then to realize that the MMC is a werewolf!? I was purposefully reading this a little slowly because I didn't want to read it too fast.
The beginning was great, but I think it lost a good amount of steam the rest of the way.
MZ's books are known for being the slowest burn and being long, but they never usually feel that way. I felt the length on this one a bit. While the slow burn was still good, it wasn't at the level of some of her previous books.
I was also conflicted with the MMC. In a lot of ways, he was really great (alpha male, protective, possesive, sneakily funny), but there were some issues I had with some of his responses to her (or lack of) that I had a hard time getting past, even when he explains it later. I don't think the base of their relationship was really there for me. In other MZ books, you can see each new block she adds to slowly build their foundation, but this was a little stagnant with not a lot happening at times.
But MZ is still The Queen and I love everything she does 💙
July 27, 2025
"Loyalty wasn’t just a word you used to describe standing by someone during big, important moments. Loyalty was staying true to people even when they said dumb crap. You just waited until the right moment to tell them they’d lost their minds. That was loyalty."
------------
I know this is controversial, and I think it's because this is not MZ's usual.
If you are looking for that, this is not the book for you.
I would say it felt like a cozy fantasy more than a full-on fantasy or a romance.
The romance, slow burn ofc, was way in the background.
The fantasy elements were very different and interesting but not too much (gave Teen Wolf vibes a little bit).
Not to write off the book, more of an fyi so you adjust your expectations.
I laughed and I cried (Agnes got to me, what can I say), and my heart is full.
---------
Is it smart of me to start another book atm? no. Am I still going to? Yes.
---------
THE WAY I AM BAWLING MY EYES OUT BECAUSE WE FINALLY GET A NEW MZ BOOK AFTER OVER 2 YEARS
------------
I know this is controversial, and I think it's because this is not MZ's usual.
If you are looking for that, this is not the book for you.
I would say it felt like a cozy fantasy more than a full-on fantasy or a romance.
The romance, slow burn ofc, was way in the background.
The fantasy elements were very different and interesting but not too much (gave Teen Wolf vibes a little bit).
Not to write off the book, more of an fyi so you adjust your expectations.
I laughed and I cried (Agnes got to me, what can I say), and my heart is full.
---------
Is it smart of me to start another book atm? no. Am I still going to? Yes.
---------
THE WAY I AM BAWLING MY EYES OUT BECAUSE WE FINALLY GET A NEW MZ BOOK AFTER OVER 2 YEARS
Want to read
May 3, 2025 ₊˚⊹ ᰔ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝:
MARIANA ZAPATA WRITING A ROMANTASY?!?! you know i RUSHED to buy it when I heard this announcement…
MARIANA ZAPATA WRITING A ROMANTASY?!?! you know i RUSHED to buy it when I heard this announcement…
July 16, 2025
💔 Regretfully DNF'd 💔
As a long-time Mariana Zapata fan, this is one of those tough pills to swallow...but at 60%, I have to call it quits. I kept holding out hope it would click, that I'd suddenly fall into that cozy, character-driven slow-burn groove she does so well... but sadly, it just didn’t happen this time.
I wanted to love this. The fantasy setting had such promise, and I'm always here for that quiet, immersive Zapata vibe. But I realized I didn’t care.....about the characters, about the romance, and especially not about this heroine. I found her frustrating and honestly, the nickname “Fluff” (for a wolf??) pushed me over the edge. 😩
There’s not much yearning or build-up either...it’s revealed they’re already into each other, but not together, and despite being apart for years, she’s suddenly back in his life like no time has passed, calling him by an old nickname like they’ve just had coffee last week.
If I cared more, maybe I could push through. But reading started to feel like a chore, and that’s not fair to me or the book. It turns out MZ’s fantasy books just don’t work for me the way her contemporary ones do, despite me wanting them to work so badly.
-------------------------------------------------------------
(before reading)
THE GASP. I gasped.
THE SCREAM. I screamed.
The way I fully lost all composure when I saw this announcement??
I am NOT okay and I never will be—how am I supposed to function knowing this book is coming??
Absolutely unhinged with excitement. Take my money. Take my soul. Just give me the book already.
This is not a drill!!
As a long-time Mariana Zapata fan, this is one of those tough pills to swallow...but at 60%, I have to call it quits. I kept holding out hope it would click, that I'd suddenly fall into that cozy, character-driven slow-burn groove she does so well... but sadly, it just didn’t happen this time.
I wanted to love this. The fantasy setting had such promise, and I'm always here for that quiet, immersive Zapata vibe. But I realized I didn’t care.....about the characters, about the romance, and especially not about this heroine. I found her frustrating and honestly, the nickname “Fluff” (for a wolf??) pushed me over the edge. 😩
There’s not much yearning or build-up either...it’s revealed they’re already into each other, but not together, and despite being apart for years, she’s suddenly back in his life like no time has passed, calling him by an old nickname like they’ve just had coffee last week.
If I cared more, maybe I could push through. But reading started to feel like a chore, and that’s not fair to me or the book. It turns out MZ’s fantasy books just don’t work for me the way her contemporary ones do, despite me wanting them to work so badly.
-------------------------------------------------------------
(before reading)
THE GASP. I gasped.
THE SCREAM. I screamed.
The way I fully lost all composure when I saw this announcement??
I am NOT okay and I never will be—how am I supposed to function knowing this book is coming??
Absolutely unhinged with excitement. Take my money. Take my soul. Just give me the book already.
This is not a drill!!
Want to read
May 5, 2025Starting this one too, it seems very interesting 💓
May 4, 2025
HELLOOO??? new mariana zapata release and i didn't even know? lemme hop on this train RN.
update 1: im 81 pages in and im soooo lost holy fuck. girl there hasnt been any world building and i'm in dire need of some
update 2: "Henri had always been a serious potato." ah hell. this is so millenial.
update 3: so i’m on page 689 and what i’ve gathered is that Mariana Zapata should not write another fantasy novel. a longggggg fantasy novel needs world building, it needs conflict, it needs intrigue- i fear this novel had none of these things. i don’t even really like the romance. my favorite thing about an MZ book is the fact that they are slow burns, but this was more of an insta love but they don’t get together till page 500 kind of “slow” which is not my speed AT ALL. like pls Nina stand the fuck up. OH AND DONT GET ME STARTED ON THE FACT THAT THIS PUPPY/BABBY??? was named duncan but she would call him donut. so cringe help. like obv i’m gonna read till the end because i’m 96% of the way through… but seriously this was a waste of my time and is potentially less than three stars which is insane for me because i loveeee Mariana Zapata books more than life.
i don’t want to be mean but. who in hell let someone publish this many words in a story this bad??? where are the editors and publishers?? i fear that this is a 2.5 star read. not sure how i stayed all 716 pages but i did! like tbh might reread “the wall of winnipeg” and wipe this from my memory like it never happened :)
update 1: im 81 pages in and im soooo lost holy fuck. girl there hasnt been any world building and i'm in dire need of some
update 2: "Henri had always been a serious potato." ah hell. this is so millenial.
update 3: so i’m on page 689 and what i’ve gathered is that Mariana Zapata should not write another fantasy novel. a longggggg fantasy novel needs world building, it needs conflict, it needs intrigue- i fear this novel had none of these things. i don’t even really like the romance. my favorite thing about an MZ book is the fact that they are slow burns, but this was more of an insta love but they don’t get together till page 500 kind of “slow” which is not my speed AT ALL. like pls Nina stand the fuck up. OH AND DONT GET ME STARTED ON THE FACT THAT THIS PUPPY/BABBY??? was named duncan but she would call him donut. so cringe help. like obv i’m gonna read till the end because i’m 96% of the way through… but seriously this was a waste of my time and is potentially less than three stars which is insane for me because i loveeee Mariana Zapata books more than life.
i don’t want to be mean but. who in hell let someone publish this many words in a story this bad??? where are the editors and publishers?? i fear that this is a 2.5 star read. not sure how i stayed all 716 pages but i did! like tbh might reread “the wall of winnipeg” and wipe this from my memory like it never happened :)
June 11, 2025
it pains me not to put 4 or more stars for MZ, but i was too disappointed with this book. it wasn't bad, i enjoyed it on some parts, but it could've been so much better.....
the best part for me was definitely the relationship between Duncan, Agnes, and Nina. that was by far the most interesting part of the book.
more rtc 😔
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pre-read:
not that any of you care, but I just found out my favorite author is releasing a new book after YEARS of nothing.
i’m never going to shut up💃🏻💃🏻✌🏻
the best part for me was definitely the relationship between Duncan, Agnes, and Nina. that was by far the most interesting part of the book.
more rtc 😔
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pre-read:
not that any of you care, but I just found out my favorite author is releasing a new book after YEARS of nothing.
i’m never going to shut up💃🏻💃🏻✌🏻
May 4, 2025
What in the God’s green earth was this? Usually I’m fine with a 600+page MZ book, but THIS WAS A STRUGGLE. This was such a wild and wacky read from MZ, with just no cohesion or any world building, just exposition dumps. So did I understand any of the magic system?Absolutely not. Did I understand the plot?Only mildly. So yeah, those are my thoughts.
Ps, the “ranch” is more of a commune, actually no, it’s more of a cult. Also, I’m just going to say it. MZ girl, JUST STICK TO CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE. I BEG YOU.
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Ps, the “ranch” is more of a commune, actually no, it’s more of a cult. Also, I’m just going to say it. MZ girl, JUST STICK TO CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE. I BEG YOU.
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Want to read
July 25, 2025I miss reading MZ's huge chunky books🥺😪
October 3, 2025
I'm a big fan of slow burns — I love Mariana Zapata and her usual pacing — but this book really didn't need to be over 700 pages. It honestly dragged.
It's very heavy on folklore and mythology (which I enjoy), but I was hoping for something a bit more magical—something deeper emotionally... just something more... While the strong heroine, grumpy hero, and found family dynamics (Nina&Duncan<3) are there, there's a lot of filler, and the story just felt like it was stretching on forever. By the end, the romance (for me) didn't have much payoff.
I kept reading, hoping that something would click—that the passion, the feeling, or some kind of action would finally emerge—but it never did, and I'm genuinely heartbroken by that.
It's very heavy on folklore and mythology (which I enjoy), but I was hoping for something a bit more magical—something deeper emotionally... just something more... While the strong heroine, grumpy hero, and found family dynamics (Nina&Duncan<3) are there, there's a lot of filler, and the story just felt like it was stretching on forever. By the end, the romance (for me) didn't have much payoff.
I kept reading, hoping that something would click—that the passion, the feeling, or some kind of action would finally emerge—but it never did, and I'm genuinely heartbroken by that.
May 13, 2025
A little generous since it's entry into this genre
August 7, 2025
Anyone who knows me knows that Kulti is and probably will always be one of my favorite slow burn romance books of all time, and MZ has quickly become an auto-buy author for me. So, when I heard that MZ was releasing a NEW book since the first time I became a fan, I was over the moon.
So, no one is as shocked by this rating and review as I am. 2 stars.
I’m not going to drag this out because I’m pretty sad about it, but there were 4 main things that made this book simply not work for me.
1) Almost complete lack of worldbuilding
It really felt like everything was being told to us, and then never fully explained. Like the gnomes—that whole storyline basically went nowhere. Bigfoot or whatever being there just for comedic value, versus enhancing the lore. How did this community come to be? I wanted so much more meat on the bones of this story.
2) MZ is a great writer—there was just too much of it here
I wish the editor had been a little more nitpicky and chopped this bad boy down at least 300 pages. There was so much being said and yet NOTHING NEW BEING LEARNED, until it got toward the end. So many repetitive thoughts from the FMC. So much of this page count could've gone to worldbuilding. Instead, we get scenes of the FMC biting the MMC's leg and it being a running schtick, pages worth of stomach flu content, and the FMC's ponderings of how much she loves her friends and can't wait to wipe her bestie's ass in the retirement home (this is a real.)
3) I genuinely liked none of the characters, even the MCs
No one had any chemistry, let alone romantic chemistry. There were times I didn't even know who people were anymore, and I didn't even care.
4) The nicknames and pet names…
I have beef with Dunkin Donuts after this. I never want to hear the words "dunk", "dunky", "dunk dunk", "my dunkin donut", "my boy", "my donut" EVER AGAIN! This completely took me out of the story. It was obviously done to endear the reader to this little magical boy puppy, but it did quite the opposite for me.
I feel like so much media these days is trying to recapture the success that BB-8 from Star Wars had, that “ooo so cute must protect at all costs!” mentality from the audience, without it being earned yet. We saw this again this year with some promo for the new Jurassic World movie.
Ending on a positive note, thank you RLbooks for the MZ buddy read as always. Sorry I was a slowpoke on this one, haha.
So, no one is as shocked by this rating and review as I am. 2 stars.
I’m not going to drag this out because I’m pretty sad about it, but there were 4 main things that made this book simply not work for me.
1) Almost complete lack of worldbuilding
It really felt like everything was being told to us, and then never fully explained. Like the gnomes—that whole storyline basically went nowhere. Bigfoot or whatever being there just for comedic value, versus enhancing the lore. How did this community come to be? I wanted so much more meat on the bones of this story.
2) MZ is a great writer—there was just too much of it here
I wish the editor had been a little more nitpicky and chopped this bad boy down at least 300 pages. There was so much being said and yet NOTHING NEW BEING LEARNED, until it got toward the end. So many repetitive thoughts from the FMC. So much of this page count could've gone to worldbuilding. Instead, we get scenes of the FMC biting the MMC's leg and it being a running schtick, pages worth of stomach flu content, and the FMC's ponderings of how much she loves her friends and can't wait to wipe her bestie's ass in the retirement home (this is a real.)
3) I genuinely liked none of the characters, even the MCs
No one had any chemistry, let alone romantic chemistry. There were times I didn't even know who people were anymore, and I didn't even care.
4) The nicknames and pet names…
I have beef with Dunkin Donuts after this. I never want to hear the words "dunk", "dunky", "dunk dunk", "my dunkin donut", "my boy", "my donut" EVER AGAIN! This completely took me out of the story. It was obviously done to endear the reader to this little magical boy puppy, but it did quite the opposite for me.
I feel like so much media these days is trying to recapture the success that BB-8 from Star Wars had, that “ooo so cute must protect at all costs!” mentality from the audience, without it being earned yet. We saw this again this year with some promo for the new Jurassic World movie.
Ending on a positive note, thank you RLbooks for the MZ buddy read as always. Sorry I was a slowpoke on this one, haha.
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