The Wall of Winnipeg and Me

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Closure: This had ok closure. I would (reluctantly) say that they had a HEA ending, but I would've really liked a jump ahead epilogue to see into their future. this book reminded me just how much i love slow burns. it was that slow that i was internally screaming whenever there was a slight physical touch between them. this is just what i needed to get me out of my slump!! I swear, this dialogue was so good but I didn't like the scene at all! 😭 Like, that scene was so boring??? Like football and art, like anything that anyone in the world has ever wanted, love was a dream. And just like a dream, there were no assurances behind it. It didn’t grow on its own. It didn’t blossom without food to feed it. It was the greatest in its subtleties. It was the strongest in its selflessness. And it could be forever with someone who wasn’t afraid to never give up on the possibilities it presents.” of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata

I don’t know man, but small things like that have me screaming by how wholesome it is. My heart is just wrapped in a heart shaped warm blanket during those moments. By the way, the said phrase with that godawful bird is disgusting. No offence, my English speaking friends, but the equivalent phrase in my native language does sound slightly better (literal translation: dust oneself with ashes)]. Also, although I liked Aiden by the end, he literally was a wall for most of the book. Zero emotion. ZERO. I prefer my slow burn with more banter. Also he tells her to shut up a lot which bugged me. The amount of times I had to hear how big he was as a person as well.. little much.Something I also love about Zapata's writing style (which others might not) is that she only gives the h's POV. We never get Aiden's POV. So if you like love-at-first-sight books or books where the heroine jumps into bed with the hero seconds after meeting him, then this book is not for you. And the smile that came over the love of my life’s face made me grin like an idiot. The honesty, openness and genuine joy in Aiden’s expression still reached this part of me that hadn’t existed before him.

After two years, Vanessa has had enough of Aiden “The Wall of Winnipeg” Graves. For a while now, she’s thought about quitting her job. She knows it isn’t the best idea. After all, she knows how many people would give to have her job - being an assistant/housekeeper for the best defensive in the NFO isn’t an easy job to find. But as much as this job is helping her, she can’t continue putting her dreams of graphic design and starting her own business behind. So when she tells her boss, Aiden, that she is quitting, she at least expected him to feel bad, to ask why or give some sort of feeling, but after seeing nothing, Vanessa knows she’s making the right decision. Especially when he never says “Thank you”. Never. Not even when you put chocolate on his clean pillow. Or you delay your dreams only to be his servant. i deducted one star off just bc of the repetitive writing style. the fmc’s endless inner monologue got so repetitive and annoying, i felt like i was reading the same thing every chapter. she also repeatedly kept describing how big he is—like okay girl we got it the first 5 times you said it. The next three sentences we shared between the two of us were going to be the last thing I thought about when I went to bed later that night. New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Mariana Zapata’s most beloved book, The Wall of Winnipeg and Me—now with new exclusive content!Yeah, my mouth dropped open. “How do you know when I do that?” My tone was just as astonished as it should be.

While I fell in love with Aiden, I also really adored Vanessa’s character. I appreciated the history Mariana added about both characters, and explaining it as the two were getting to know each other really made the experience better. I found Vanessa to be strong and patient, but also vulnerable and sad. While she annoyed me at times, such as how she tried having a relationship with her mother, I still accepted her bravery for walking away and not letting herself go through her trauma again. Vanessa had also gone through a lot, and I couldn't do anything but sympathize with her, especially as she explained what she went through with her sisters. And yes. I am sure I don't like Hands Down, Dear Aron and Luna and the Lie. I'm not too fond of the heroines. And the stories are boring and repetitive. Also, using the mundanity of everyday life is really effective with these books because you grow to appreciate all the small little nuances of the characters. Note: if you like plot driven romances you will probably hate this. Melodrama is not something to be found here. But I appreciate it so much, and it makes the story so believable. You know what was super terrible? Vanessa kept thanking him for doing this, doing that (things which were literally the bare minimum), and in reality, any person would think about their behavior patterns and realize that they're ACTUALLY getting thanked for doing the bare minimum, which would make them feel terrible about themselves! Vanessa didn't mean harm or anything, but he kept telling her to shut up every instance because it would make him feel terrible about himself! HE KNOWS HE IS SELFISH AND SELF-CENTERED, BUT AS LONG AS HE'S MINDING HIS OWN BUSINESS, why do others care so much

So yeah, if you like very slow-burn romance, sexual tension, (almost) no sex, relationships between the boss and the assistant, tough on the outside but soft on the inside heroes, confident heroines, and golden retriever puppies, then you will (hopefully) like The Wall of Winnipeg and Me. The characters. I really liked both the hero and the heroine. The character build up was fantastic. I know some of you may be making faces and be wondering what the hell is wrong with this girl? But hear me out: I enjoyed the book. I laughed, I cried, I get mad and I've come to love Vanessa as well as Aiden. He stared at me, unblinking, unflinching. And then: “I’ll cut the power at the house when you’re in the shower,” he said so evenly, so crisply, it took me a second to realize he was threatening me… Maybe you’re used to doing things by yourself, but don’t be an idiot.” He started off calmly, totally in control. “I didn’t know where you were. There’s crime here—don’t give me that face. I know there’s crime everywhere. We might not be doing this for the reasons most people do, but I made a vow, Van. And I promised you we would try to be friends. Friends don’t let friends wander around alone.” He pinned me with a glare. “You aren’t the only one who takes their promises seriously.”

I am a fan of romance developing in a mediocre pace, not too slow and not too fast, but the time between Vanessa and Aiden was perfect. Their banter had me wanting to highlight it all. Full of humor and sarcasm, the two took a while to like each other, but as the reader, it's easy to feel the tension between the two and how their marriage of convenience slowly becomes something much more real, much more emotional. And when Aiden kissed her for the first time? Yeah, I couldn't have asked for better timing.The first indication that I may have been wrong was the fact that everybody loved this book. Even my book soulmates. Still, I continued living my pitiful reader's life completely clueless and unaware of the awesomeness that is Maria Zapata. Stupid me. My dad used to beat the shit out of me because he could, once a week at least until I hit puberty. I’ve gotten into enough fights in my life; I’ll fight somebody if there’s a good reason, but not for a game.❞ TWoWaM has one of these heroines. Vanessa’s a perfect saint but terribly insecure about it, and the whole world is set against her, including the classic comically evil family and tragic past. Not my favorite setup.