What do you think?
Rate this book
When Gracie Met The Grump
Of all the things that could have landed in her yard… it had to be him.
For most people, finding a half-naked superbeing in their yard might be a dream come true.
Unfortunately for Gracie Castro, it’s the exact opposite.
Especially when he’s grouchy, rude, and shows no signs of leaving anytime soon.
But when a hero of mankind needs you, you do what you have to.
Even if it compromises everything you know.
And totally changes your life.
For most people, finding a half-naked superbeing in their yard might be a dream come true.
Unfortunately for Gracie Castro, it’s the exact opposite.
Especially when he’s grouchy, rude, and shows no signs of leaving anytime soon.
But when a hero of mankind needs you, you do what you have to.
Even if it compromises everything you know.
And totally changes your life.
638 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2022
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,084 reviews
September 22, 2022
3.25 stars 👽
the queen of grumpyxsunshine is back! sadly this didn’t completely work for me. i wouldn’t say i disliked this book though, it was more of an ‘eh’ feeling throughout the reading process.
i must say, i’m glad MZ didn’t release a single promo for this book prior to releasing it because i may have actually disliked it
is that a bird? is that a plane? no it’s the defender!
the initial meeting between gracie (h) and alex (H) happens when he literally falls from the sky and onto gracie front yard. he’s badly injured, to the point he’s lost his abilities, so gracie takes him into her home so she can nurse him back to health.
since i think it’s very interesting, some of alex’s abilities include: super strength/hearing/smell/vision, flying, speed, invulnerability, being sexy, being adorable, being a cheetos fanatic and fast healing.
the superhero and the human
with the way gracie described alex as “the most beautiful man ever”, it really had me imagining him as henry cavill in the first superman film 🫡
ik this gif is weirdly sped up on the mobile app, it’s a stupid GR glitch ☹️
i just adored alex’s grumpy personality and utter distain towards everyone he didn’t consider family, including gracie when they first met
honestly, relatable af. what makes her think this beautiful specimen cares about her boring human name 🥱 (why am i acting like his mans name isn’t alexander)
it was kind of hilarious watching gracie realize that the whole time she cared for alex while he was injured, he could have easily taken care of himself. since, even injured, he’s still stronger than every human being 💀 why do i love the concept of him tricking her into giving up her bed and feeding him 💅🏻
banter
what’s a sassy heroine and grumpy hero without their fair share of banter? they’re nothing that’s what
⇢ ❝Are you going to stop talking… any time soon… or is this going to be my real torture, being stuck in a small space… with your mouth?❞
⇢ ❝Don’t start snotting up. I don’t like the way… your tears smell.❞
⇢ ❝If I wanted a partner, I could find a partner,” he grumbled.
My nod was so serious, even I almost bought it. “I’m sure.” He was gorgeous after all. “As long as you didn’t actually open your mouth.❞
my issue with the banter was that it didn’t have enough tension behind it. like sure, they can bicker back and forth but if i don’t feel like they’re secretly in love with each other than what’s the point of it
now let me show you how their banter ruined one of the best scenes of the book aka the love declaration scene. Alex is laying his whole heart on the table and he says THIS
he did not just call her a butthole during this scene 😭 ik it was their ‘thing’, but WHY NOW?! this had the same vibe as rhodes calling aurora ‘buddy’ in all rhodes lead here🧍♀️
romance
the romance was such a slowburn that i was hoping someone would drop some lighter fluid on it cause i damn well didn’t read 99.9999% of the book to get a few pages of crumbs 🤧
i guess this brings me to the main problem i had with this book and that was the romance between gracie and alex. i know MZ does slowburns and i completely anticipated the romance being developed later in the book but it felt like it never happened 😭
there seemed to be no separation between their friendship and their relationship. everything happened too QUICKLY, which i know makes zero sense but that’s what it felt like.
yes, they did have some cute moments like them having a snowball fight and sledding, but it felt more like 2 best friends fooling around rather than 2 people falling in love.
i never got an inkling that gracie returned alex’s feelings. you could definitely see his feelings through his action, like when he would sleep in her bed because she was sick. but gracie’s innermonologue talked more about how hot alex was than her feelings or his personality
yes bitch, we know he’s hot…he’s henry cavill for pete’s sake but tell us more about how you think he’s sweet and caring 🙃
⇢ ❛He was the most handsome, beautiful man I had ever seen and would ever see.❜
⇢ ❛Did he have to be so beautiful and nice when he was in the mood?❜
⇢ ❛He was tall, ripped, incredible, and beautiful.❜
it was to the point where i was thinking “am I secretly reading an ali hazelwood book but she went from constantly talking about his size to his appearance” 🤨
also, their first sex scene was kinda awkward. and by ‘kinda’ i mean completely fucking awkward. alex’s lines were hot enough, but whenever gracie spoke i wanted her to shut her mouth cause she was ruining my moment
once of my favorite parts about this book was the way alex hated when she got sick. it was so endearing when he would demand her to get better 🥹
spoiler below regarding the plot and the “antagonist” 🫣
⋆
⋆
⋆
⋆
⋆
cartel > grannie
why was gracie and alex being kidnapped by the cartel one of the most random plot lines i’ve read in my entire life 🤣🤣🤣 apparently gracie’s parents stole money from them so they kidnapped gracie in an attempt to find the cash. it was strange to me that her human problems were more abundant and important than his hero problems
on top of that, we come to find out that the reason alex crash landed in gracie’s front yard was because...
wait for it...
his grandma wanted him to suck it up and meet his mate…aka gracie. so, his punishment for refusing to meet her was grannie breaking his spine, causing him to temporarily lose his abilities
do you see why i made the comparison with his grandma and the cartel because BITCH WHY WOULD YOU EVEN DO THAT
I CANNOT COMPREHEND THE LOGIC. the worst part is…THEY FORGIVE HER. they straight up went on their merry way as if this was just another day for them 🫥
nah that geriatric bitch should have been sent to hell right then and there 👺
aaanywho, i'm not mad i read this because really i'll read anything MZ coughs up. to sum it up, this was utterly forgettable and i imagine all i'll remember is that superhero part
honorable mention: gracie and alex are both virgins and gracie is his first kiss 🥰
the queen of grumpyxsunshine is back! sadly this didn’t completely work for me. i wouldn’t say i disliked this book though, it was more of an ‘eh’ feeling throughout the reading process.
i must say, i’m glad MZ didn’t release a single promo for this book prior to releasing it because i may have actually disliked it
is that a bird? is that a plane? no it’s the defender!
the initial meeting between gracie (h) and alex (H) happens when he literally falls from the sky and onto gracie front yard. he’s badly injured, to the point he’s lost his abilities, so gracie takes him into her home so she can nurse him back to health.
since i think it’s very interesting, some of alex’s abilities include: super strength/hearing/smell/vision, flying, speed, invulnerability, being sexy, being adorable, being a cheetos fanatic and fast healing.
the superhero and the human
with the way gracie described alex as “the most beautiful man ever”, it really had me imagining him as henry cavill in the first superman film 🫡
ik this gif is weirdly sped up on the mobile app, it’s a stupid GR glitch ☹️
i just adored alex’s grumpy personality and utter distain towards everyone he didn’t consider family, including gracie when they first met
“You can call me Gracie,” I whispered
“I don’t remember asking.”
honestly, relatable af. what makes her think this beautiful specimen cares about her boring human name 🥱 (why am i acting like his mans name isn’t alexander)
it was kind of hilarious watching gracie realize that the whole time she cared for alex while he was injured, he could have easily taken care of himself. since, even injured, he’s still stronger than every human being 💀 why do i love the concept of him tricking her into giving up her bed and feeding him 💅🏻
banter
what’s a sassy heroine and grumpy hero without their fair share of banter? they’re nothing that’s what
⇢ ❝Are you going to stop talking… any time soon… or is this going to be my real torture, being stuck in a small space… with your mouth?❞
⇢ ❝Don’t start snotting up. I don’t like the way… your tears smell.❞
⇢ ❝If I wanted a partner, I could find a partner,” he grumbled.
My nod was so serious, even I almost bought it. “I’m sure.” He was gorgeous after all. “As long as you didn’t actually open your mouth.❞
my issue with the banter was that it didn’t have enough tension behind it. like sure, they can bicker back and forth but if i don’t feel like they’re secretly in love with each other than what’s the point of it
now let me show you how their banter ruined one of the best scenes of the book aka the love declaration scene. Alex is laying his whole heart on the table and he says THIS
“If I���ve learned anything these last few months, it’s that I should listen to her if I don’t want her to break my back again. So I left you alone. I made it two weeks before I started craving Cheetos, and I only wanted to eat them with you around. You’ve ruined tuna and pears. Snow and laughing. Being by myself. Nothing is the same without you now.” He dropped his voice. “You little butthole.”
he did not just call her a butthole during this scene 😭 ik it was their ‘thing’, but WHY NOW?! this had the same vibe as rhodes calling aurora ‘buddy’ in all rhodes lead here🧍♀️
romance
the romance was such a slowburn that i was hoping someone would drop some lighter fluid on it cause i damn well didn’t read 99.9999% of the book to get a few pages of crumbs 🤧
i guess this brings me to the main problem i had with this book and that was the romance between gracie and alex. i know MZ does slowburns and i completely anticipated the romance being developed later in the book but it felt like it never happened 😭
there seemed to be no separation between their friendship and their relationship. everything happened too QUICKLY, which i know makes zero sense but that’s what it felt like.
yes, they did have some cute moments like them having a snowball fight and sledding, but it felt more like 2 best friends fooling around rather than 2 people falling in love.
i never got an inkling that gracie returned alex’s feelings. you could definitely see his feelings through his action, like when he would sleep in her bed because she was sick. but gracie’s innermonologue talked more about how hot alex was than her feelings or his personality
yes bitch, we know he’s hot…he’s henry cavill for pete’s sake but tell us more about how you think he’s sweet and caring 🙃
⇢ ❛He was the most handsome, beautiful man I had ever seen and would ever see.❜
⇢ ❛Did he have to be so beautiful and nice when he was in the mood?❜
⇢ ❛He was tall, ripped, incredible, and beautiful.❜
it was to the point where i was thinking “am I secretly reading an ali hazelwood book but she went from constantly talking about his size to his appearance” 🤨
also, their first sex scene was kinda awkward. and by ‘kinda’ i mean completely fucking awkward. alex’s lines were hot enough, but whenever gracie spoke i wanted her to shut her mouth cause she was ruining my moment
“I can’t wait for this big, hard thing to go in. To stretch me out for the first time. I bet it’s going to feel incredible inside of me. My skin can’t make yours tingle, but I bet it’ll still be nice.”
once of my favorite parts about this book was the way alex hated when she got sick. it was so endearing when he would demand her to get better 🥹
“Your fever is worse,” he said. “Get better.”
spoiler below regarding the plot and the “antagonist” 🫣
⋆
⋆
⋆
⋆
⋆
cartel > grannie
why was gracie and alex being kidnapped by the cartel one of the most random plot lines i’ve read in my entire life 🤣🤣🤣 apparently gracie’s parents stole money from them so they kidnapped gracie in an attempt to find the cash. it was strange to me that her human problems were more abundant and important than his hero problems
on top of that, we come to find out that the reason alex crash landed in gracie’s front yard was because...
wait for it...
his grandma wanted him to suck it up and meet his mate…aka gracie. so, his punishment for refusing to meet her was grannie breaking his spine, causing him to temporarily lose his abilities
do you see why i made the comparison with his grandma and the cartel because BITCH WHY WOULD YOU EVEN DO THAT
I CANNOT COMPREHEND THE LOGIC. the worst part is…THEY FORGIVE HER. they straight up went on their merry way as if this was just another day for them 🫥
nah that geriatric bitch should have been sent to hell right then and there 👺
aaanywho, i'm not mad i read this because really i'll read anything MZ coughs up. to sum it up, this was utterly forgettable and i imagine all i'll remember is that superhero part
honorable mention: gracie and alex are both virgins and gracie is his first kiss 🥰
September 28, 2022
4 Stars
This was me when I saw this book drop:
And, because I know from experience that I need to set aside a decent amount of reading time to savor the MZ slow read experience, I put off reading this until the weekend. And because I didn't want to spoil anything for myself, I refrained from actually reading any reviews (and still have as I write this), as I do for any auto-buy author read...
...but I did see some of the early ratings from a lot of my friends...
Which meant I quickly went from this:
To this:
Which perhaps was a blessing as I went into this expecting it to be...less than a favorite MZ read.
And now that I've finished it, I can definitely see why this wasn't a hit for a lot of people. MZ takes the slow burn train as par for the course. But this thing? Took slow to a whole other level.
But really though.
Also, there was a lot more...filler than her books usually have. A LOT more downtime where not all that much was happening. A LOT of things that felt repetitious.
All that said, however, I still enjoyed this at the end of the day. Maybe it was because of the aforementioned low expectations, the fact that I had a whole day set aside for this...or the fact that I am just a complete sucker for super powers and fated mates. I have no idea.
I just liked it. I loved the whole super hero dynamic (which I won't say more about so I don't spoil anything. But I will say this: Team Grandma.) I love MZ's brand of enigmatic male grump. I mean, she even had it directly in the title this time. I also just enjoy having to work for everything in an MZ book. That doesn't always work for me, but it just does with MZ for whatever.
In short, I enjoyed the time I spent with this and can for sure see myself revisiting it in the future - always a solid sign for me.
This was me when I saw this book drop:
And, because I know from experience that I need to set aside a decent amount of reading time to savor the MZ slow read experience, I put off reading this until the weekend. And because I didn't want to spoil anything for myself, I refrained from actually reading any reviews (and still have as I write this), as I do for any auto-buy author read...
...but I did see some of the early ratings from a lot of my friends...
Which meant I quickly went from this:
To this:
Which perhaps was a blessing as I went into this expecting it to be...less than a favorite MZ read.
And now that I've finished it, I can definitely see why this wasn't a hit for a lot of people. MZ takes the slow burn train as par for the course. But this thing? Took slow to a whole other level.
But really though.
Also, there was a lot more...filler than her books usually have. A LOT more downtime where not all that much was happening. A LOT of things that felt repetitious.
All that said, however, I still enjoyed this at the end of the day. Maybe it was because of the aforementioned low expectations, the fact that I had a whole day set aside for this...or the fact that I am just a complete sucker for super powers and fated mates. I have no idea.
I just liked it. I loved the whole super hero dynamic (which I won't say more about so I don't spoil anything. But I will say this: Team Grandma.) I love MZ's brand of enigmatic male grump. I mean, she even had it directly in the title this time. I also just enjoy having to work for everything in an MZ book. That doesn't always work for me, but it just does with MZ for whatever.
In short, I enjoyed the time I spent with this and can for sure see myself revisiting it in the future - always a solid sign for me.
December 5, 2023
5 stars
It's official... Mariana Zapata can write anything and make it epic! This book was so different than most of her other reads, but it was all MZ at the same time. I loved this slow burn paranormalish romance!
Gracie Castro lives a life of solitude. Ever since her grandparents passed away, she's only ever had herself. She's learned to be okay with it. It's that way for a specific reason. Then, one day, a grumpy superhero crashes into her life. Literally. This man ends up in her yard and Gracie helps him heal and get back to his normal self.
I'm not going to lie, it took me till about the 20% mark to truly get into this book. It had a bit of a slow start for me, but as the book went on I loved it more and more. The last half especially was perfect. Gracie and her grumpy hero stole my heart and this book left me with the biggest smile on my face. It was magical and I didn't want it to end.
When Gracie Met the Grump is another fabulous read from one of my top favorite authors. If you love a slow burn romance that will make you laugh, smile, and swoon pick this one up!
"You make it really, really hard not to like you."
"I know exactly what you mean."
It's official... Mariana Zapata can write anything and make it epic! This book was so different than most of her other reads, but it was all MZ at the same time. I loved this slow burn paranormalish romance!
Gracie Castro lives a life of solitude. Ever since her grandparents passed away, she's only ever had herself. She's learned to be okay with it. It's that way for a specific reason. Then, one day, a grumpy superhero crashes into her life. Literally. This man ends up in her yard and Gracie helps him heal and get back to his normal self.
I'm not going to lie, it took me till about the 20% mark to truly get into this book. It had a bit of a slow start for me, but as the book went on I loved it more and more. The last half especially was perfect. Gracie and her grumpy hero stole my heart and this book left me with the biggest smile on my face. It was magical and I didn't want it to end.
When Gracie Met the Grump is another fabulous read from one of my top favorite authors. If you love a slow burn romance that will make you laugh, smile, and swoon pick this one up!
"I always like you the most."
April 6, 2024
I feel like crying......
Simply put, this is probably the biggest disappointment of the year for me. Especially since the wait has been so long.
I feel like I read a very different book than everyone else. I needed some MZ magic but what I got was the very opposite.
The beginning of the book was so rough, barely any dialogue for the first 100 pages and no supporting characters until around 45% of 638 pages - that's 300 pages of a story that drags and makes no actual sense, the length of a regular book.
It only got slightly better in the second half of the book.
I need a comfort read now.
P.S. to all the newcomers to Mariana Zapata - if this book was your first MZ and you didn't like it, and you are not sure to continue, please don't give up!! She has so many amazing books that are just brilliant!!
My favourites and 5 stars in no specific order are:
Wait for It
All Rhodes Lead Here
The Wall of Winnipeg and Me
The Best Thing
Simply put, this is probably the biggest disappointment of the year for me. Especially since the wait has been so long.
I feel like I read a very different book than everyone else. I needed some MZ magic but what I got was the very opposite.
The beginning of the book was so rough, barely any dialogue for the first 100 pages and no supporting characters until around 45% of 638 pages - that's 300 pages of a story that drags and makes no actual sense, the length of a regular book.
It only got slightly better in the second half of the book.
I need a comfort read now.
P.S. to all the newcomers to Mariana Zapata - if this book was your first MZ and you didn't like it, and you are not sure to continue, please don't give up!! She has so many amazing books that are just brilliant!!
My favourites and 5 stars in no specific order are:
Wait for It
All Rhodes Lead Here
The Wall of Winnipeg and Me
The Best Thing
July 28, 2024
4.25!
“Loneliness was a hemorrhoid you couldn’t see but could always feel was there.”
Mariana Zapata can truly write anything and ace it because a superhero romance?? I was so reluctant to read this like I bough the book 6 months ago and when I saw the mc was a superhero I kept it back in my shelf and then finally had the motivation to pick it up and I am so glad I did because it was so fucking entertaining!! The slow burn and the Grumpy X Sunshine was on point not even kidding. The writing was one of my favourite part of this book.
Gracie, was such a cutie, the way she would panic and blabber and overthink and would be anxious was so fun to read I also loved how helpful she was and how she partially stood up at times and I loved reading about her perspective, she did not annoy me once which is a very big thing. Alex was the perfect embodiment of a grumpy man and I am not even joking, he really was the grumpiest man and the best part about grumpy x sunshine is the part where he only cares about her and I loved it here, also loved the sarcasm lol. They remind me of Keely and Roy from Ted Lasso lol.
The romance was P E R F E C T. MZ literally had us begging for something because the slow burn was slow burning until the end. The grumpy x sunshine and the way they cared about each other mixed with the forced proximity and one bed and all of them being actually handled with care instead of just throwing them around for the sake of having more tropes. Every bit of it was so worth it.
The only reason its not a 4.5 or above is because it was so long like 600 pages were not needed, could have been less but I enjoyed it nonetheless and now I want a book on Selene and on Leon.
Overall, a really good romance!!
~~~
I saw the title and bought the book hehe.....little did I know that it is a 600 paged superhero romance with Mariana Zapata's classic slow burn ❤️🔥🤩
(I am not really into superhero romances and they are a turn-off but I am loving this ngl!)
“Loneliness was a hemorrhoid you couldn’t see but could always feel was there.”
Mariana Zapata can truly write anything and ace it because a superhero romance?? I was so reluctant to read this like I bough the book 6 months ago and when I saw the mc was a superhero I kept it back in my shelf and then finally had the motivation to pick it up and I am so glad I did because it was so fucking entertaining!! The slow burn and the Grumpy X Sunshine was on point not even kidding. The writing was one of my favourite part of this book.
Gracie, was such a cutie, the way she would panic and blabber and overthink and would be anxious was so fun to read I also loved how helpful she was and how she partially stood up at times and I loved reading about her perspective, she did not annoy me once which is a very big thing. Alex was the perfect embodiment of a grumpy man and I am not even joking, he really was the grumpiest man and the best part about grumpy x sunshine is the part where he only cares about her and I loved it here, also loved the sarcasm lol. They remind me of Keely and Roy from Ted Lasso lol.
The romance was P E R F E C T. MZ literally had us begging for something because the slow burn was slow burning until the end. The grumpy x sunshine and the way they cared about each other mixed with the forced proximity and one bed and all of them being actually handled with care instead of just throwing them around for the sake of having more tropes. Every bit of it was so worth it.
The only reason its not a 4.5 or above is because it was so long like 600 pages were not needed, could have been less but I enjoyed it nonetheless and now I want a book on Selene and on Leon.
Overall, a really good romance!!
~~~
I saw the title and bought the book hehe.....little did I know that it is a 600 paged superhero romance with Mariana Zapata's classic slow burn ❤️🔥🤩
(I am not really into superhero romances and they are a turn-off but I am loving this ngl!)
September 17, 2022
update after finishing this book hours after it released:
I didn’t know I needed this. I didn’t know I wanted this. And now I have it. I’ve always been craving a superhero romance and here it was: Mariana Zapata delivers with her magic.
This is so different from what she usually writes but it still has her signature. This was stunning. So many cultures acknowledged, the MMC is half Japanese, the FMC is of LATINX descent and not once did I feel like these two races were stereotyped or written horribly so that’s a plus.
I will say that the FMC is sometimes too in her head, and I don’t like how often the word butthole was used but alas, I can’t be too picky on that. I do wish that we got a deeper look into the family and the world, there’s a huge twist kinda dropped on you snd you’re kinda like wait??
This IS new to her, and this world is phenomenal for being new.
So many tropes: grumpy- sunshine, one bed, kidnapping, fated mates, etc etc; I don’t want to spoil this for y’all but this will have you smiling from ear to ear.
The grump in this will make your heart melt, especially for how he feels for Gracie. I would’ve loved so much more of this world. And man, I could’ve dealt with a longer epilogue but honestly MZ? This was magic. Pure sunshine. Pure joy. Devoured this.
———————-
Listen, MZ could drop something in the middle of my funeral and I would come back alive and read it. We are getting a SUPER HERO ROMANCE I AM SO EXCITED
I didn’t know I needed this. I didn’t know I wanted this. And now I have it. I’ve always been craving a superhero romance and here it was: Mariana Zapata delivers with her magic.
This is so different from what she usually writes but it still has her signature. This was stunning. So many cultures acknowledged, the MMC is half Japanese, the FMC is of LATINX descent and not once did I feel like these two races were stereotyped or written horribly so that’s a plus.
I will say that the FMC is sometimes too in her head, and I don’t like how often the word butthole was used but alas, I can’t be too picky on that. I do wish that we got a deeper look into the family and the world, there’s a huge twist kinda dropped on you snd you’re kinda like wait??
This IS new to her, and this world is phenomenal for being new.
So many tropes: grumpy- sunshine, one bed, kidnapping, fated mates, etc etc; I don’t want to spoil this for y’all but this will have you smiling from ear to ear.
The grump in this will make your heart melt, especially for how he feels for Gracie. I would’ve loved so much more of this world. And man, I could’ve dealt with a longer epilogue but honestly MZ? This was magic. Pure sunshine. Pure joy. Devoured this.
———————-
Listen, MZ could drop something in the middle of my funeral and I would come back alive and read it. We are getting a SUPER HERO ROMANCE I AM SO EXCITED
September 17, 2022
DNFing 275 pages in / 43%
I feel like this would have been a really cute and fun novella (or even short story) but it’s 637 pages long and for so many reasons I’m just not feeling it. No question about it that MZ is one of my all time favorite authors - and I give her props for writing something super different and unique… but unfortunately I am bored out of my mind with the actual storyline and I’m not even halfway through - so even if it gets worlds better in the second half… I don’t think I really care.
⚠️ ⚠️ minor spoilers for the general plotline below ⚠️ ⚠️
In the first 100 pages a superhero falls out of the sky right onto Gracie’s front lawn and she decides to take him into her home and nurse him back to health. He’s grumpy, doesn’t talk at all and just grunts at her to help him with whatever he needs for weeks on end. We then slowly find out that Gracie has been running from someone her whole life and in the second 100 pages they both get kidnapped by these people and they end up torchuring her and she gets very sick. He then takes care of her just like she took care of him and then he breaks them out and they run away. The next 75 pages or so that I read consisted of them basically on the run and him telling her that she’s under his protection for the rest of her life because he owes it to her —- and that’s right about where I decided I’m super bored and have had enough.
Like I said - interesting idea and could have been a really fun novella or short story… but a bit of an odd storyline for a full length novel and way too dragged out to the point where it made it difficult for me to not skim every single page.
I also was really not liking Gracie as a character for a laundry list of reasons and even though I’m a big superhero fan, a big MZ fan, and a really big slow burn romance fan… this one wasn’t doing it for me.
I feel like this would have been a really cute and fun novella (or even short story) but it’s 637 pages long and for so many reasons I’m just not feeling it. No question about it that MZ is one of my all time favorite authors - and I give her props for writing something super different and unique… but unfortunately I am bored out of my mind with the actual storyline and I’m not even halfway through - so even if it gets worlds better in the second half… I don’t think I really care.
⚠️ ⚠️ minor spoilers for the general plotline below ⚠️ ⚠️
In the first 100 pages a superhero falls out of the sky right onto Gracie’s front lawn and she decides to take him into her home and nurse him back to health. He’s grumpy, doesn’t talk at all and just grunts at her to help him with whatever he needs for weeks on end. We then slowly find out that Gracie has been running from someone her whole life and in the second 100 pages they both get kidnapped by these people and they end up torchuring her and she gets very sick. He then takes care of her just like she took care of him and then he breaks them out and they run away. The next 75 pages or so that I read consisted of them basically on the run and him telling her that she’s under his protection for the rest of her life because he owes it to her —- and that’s right about where I decided I’m super bored and have had enough.
Like I said - interesting idea and could have been a really fun novella or short story… but a bit of an odd storyline for a full length novel and way too dragged out to the point where it made it difficult for me to not skim every single page.
I also was really not liking Gracie as a character for a laundry list of reasons and even though I’m a big superhero fan, a big MZ fan, and a really big slow burn romance fan… this one wasn’t doing it for me.
October 3, 2022
Reading vlog is up on my channel! https://youtu.be/DXqEN-wQA-I
Not gonna lie, the first half is a struggle to get into. Of course, it’s slow burn, but it was excruciatingly slow lol. And the hero is rude as hell. But the amazing thing about MZ is how she’s able to slowly unravel and reveal her characters, who are so much more than they originally seem to be.
I’m not a superhero fan, but I guess it kinda worked here? The world-building could’ve been fleshed out more, but I enjoyed it for what it was. The romance is slow going, but I really liked it by the end!
More spoilery stuff in my video!
*******
MARIANA???? A SUPERHERO ROMANCE???? OMGGGGG
GO GET IT: https://amzn.to/3eIJEf9
Not gonna lie, the first half is a struggle to get into. Of course, it’s slow burn, but it was excruciatingly slow lol. And the hero is rude as hell. But the amazing thing about MZ is how she’s able to slowly unravel and reveal her characters, who are so much more than they originally seem to be.
I’m not a superhero fan, but I guess it kinda worked here? The world-building could’ve been fleshed out more, but I enjoyed it for what it was. The romance is slow going, but I really liked it by the end!
More spoilery stuff in my video!
*******
MARIANA???? A SUPERHERO ROMANCE???? OMGGGGG
GO GET IT: https://amzn.to/3eIJEf9
September 18, 2022
I dropped all my other books the instant I saw this was released. Romantic sci-fi is my kryptonite.
This story was incredibly unique, different than anything I've ever read before. I'm so conflicted because it was also kinda boring.
Gracie (almost 30) is living a very quiet life, on purpose. She is in hiding for reasons unknown.
The Defender is one of three superheroes who protect Earth. They are literal super-beings that no one knows much about. Where did they come from? Why do they help us? One day The Defender is dropped on Gracie's front yard, in agony and barely able to move. So begins the story.
I really wanted to love this one, but I didn't. A 640 page book is a looooong book and there was a huge chunk where absolutely NOTHING happens.
What didn't work:
There were so many plot holes! You're telling me a decent investigation reporter couldn't have figured all this out in a hot second? A teenager with a cell phone could've figured it out!
There is always a hint of immaturity in this author's heroines, but the fact that the word "butthole" was said SO many times throughout this story was ridiculous.
In a slow burn, the buildup should be smoldering. There wasn't even a spark until the last 8%.
There is an entire portion of this story that felt completely out of place. I won't give anything away but it has to do with Gracie's secrets. It could have been left out of the story completely because once it's over, there was zero reason for it. (Except to horrifically traumatize Gracie.)
What worked:
Such a fabulous idea for a story!
Gracie. She might be fearful, but she's a fighter under her fear.
The Defender. Growing up in that family and under that pressure, I can't even imagine.
There is some decent snarky dialogue.
Those fair scenes were cute.
The fact that they were so similar, yet so different.
Ending this review on a positive note. There is a scene in this book that is so Margot Kidder and Christopher Reeve, I absolutely loved it.
This story was incredibly unique, different than anything I've ever read before. I'm so conflicted because it was also kinda boring.
Gracie (almost 30) is living a very quiet life, on purpose. She is in hiding for reasons unknown.
The Defender is one of three superheroes who protect Earth. They are literal super-beings that no one knows much about. Where did they come from? Why do they help us? One day The Defender is dropped on Gracie's front yard, in agony and barely able to move. So begins the story.
I really wanted to love this one, but I didn't. A 640 page book is a looooong book and there was a huge chunk where absolutely NOTHING happens.
What didn't work:
There were so many plot holes! You're telling me a decent investigation reporter couldn't have figured all this out in a hot second? A teenager with a cell phone could've figured it out!
There is always a hint of immaturity in this author's heroines, but the fact that the word "butthole" was said SO many times throughout this story was ridiculous.
In a slow burn, the buildup should be smoldering. There wasn't even a spark until the last 8%.
There is an entire portion of this story that felt completely out of place. I won't give anything away but it has to do with Gracie's secrets. It could have been left out of the story completely because once it's over, there was zero reason for it. (Except to horrifically traumatize Gracie.)
What worked:
Such a fabulous idea for a story!
Gracie. She might be fearful, but she's a fighter under her fear.
The Defender. Growing up in that family and under that pressure, I can't even imagine.
There is some decent snarky dialogue.
Those fair scenes were cute.
The fact that they were so similar, yet so different.
Ending this review on a positive note. There is a scene in this book that is so Margot Kidder and Christopher Reeve, I absolutely loved it.
January 3, 2024
5/5 ⭐️ Ugh this was slowburn PERFECTION! The hero was a sarcastic grump and I loved him so much!! Gracie also has my whole heart. I adored her. All her life she just wanted to love and be loved. She broke my heart at times with how alone she felt. I just wanted to give her the biggest hug ever. She was so precious 🥺❤️
This was just so adorable and cute! They were both virgins and I loved that she was his first kiss!!! ❤️🥹
And everything that came out of Alex’s mouth had me literally laughing out loud!! I hadn’t laughed while reading a book in so long. I just loved everything about this!
This was definitely different than any other MZ book I’ve ever read. I don’t think I’ve ever read a superhero romance book before 🤔 but I’m into it! It was phenomenal!
“There is no place I wouldn't look for you. Seven miles deep in the ocean. On a planet in a distant galaxy. I would go anywhere for you if someone took you, Gracie," ❤️
This was just so adorable and cute! They were both virgins and I loved that she was his first kiss!!! ❤️🥹
And everything that came out of Alex’s mouth had me literally laughing out loud!! I hadn’t laughed while reading a book in so long. I just loved everything about this!
This was definitely different than any other MZ book I’ve ever read. I don’t think I’ve ever read a superhero romance book before 🤔 but I’m into it! It was phenomenal!
“There is no place I wouldn't look for you. Seven miles deep in the ocean. On a planet in a distant galaxy. I would go anywhere for you if someone took you, Gracie," ❤️
November 12, 2022
how to make a super hero romance boring: step 1) include the same internal monologue over and over. the. key. is. repetition! 2) make it 700 pages of said monologue and put the plot on hold. 3) make sure you also throw in some random mafia stuff that the reader won’t care about
DNF @ 218 pages. what the hell was this. the concept is so cool but the last 5 or 6 chapters i forced myself to read had me pulling my hair out i was bored to tears. i didn’t even read the synopsis, i just jumped right in so i was so excited when i realized it’s a super hero romance??? until i realized that mariana really didn’t have a very good objective with the plot. there are entire chapters where nothing happens, it’s just internal monologue or banter that is completely meaningless to the story. we don’t even learn the hero’s name until 30% in. which okay, fine, but you have to keep me intrigued and wow, i really had to force myself to read up to 218 pages because i was waiting for it to get better.
this is a total flop. 700 pages for what.
DNF @ 218 pages. what the hell was this. the concept is so cool but the last 5 or 6 chapters i forced myself to read had me pulling my hair out i was bored to tears. i didn’t even read the synopsis, i just jumped right in so i was so excited when i realized it’s a super hero romance??? until i realized that mariana really didn’t have a very good objective with the plot. there are entire chapters where nothing happens, it’s just internal monologue or banter that is completely meaningless to the story. we don’t even learn the hero’s name until 30% in. which okay, fine, but you have to keep me intrigued and wow, i really had to force myself to read up to 218 pages because i was waiting for it to get better.
this is a total flop. 700 pages for what.
September 22, 2022
twilight but it’s acotar and they’re aliens.
listen, it’s not bad per se, but considering the fact that this is her first release after almost two years and the last book she released was rhodes, this is the biggest downgrade of all time. rhodes is artistic perfection. romance at it’s peak. it does not get better than grumpy neighbor in the mountains.
her voice is present in this one, it feels like a book by her, but it’s also so messily done. half of the book had me genuinely questioning whether or not she even had this edited. it very much feels like she wrote it in the middle of the night and turned it in for funsies.
i’m her number one fan when it comes to contemporary romance but this whole ice planet barbarian business is not my style. give us a captain america super soldier hero!! not thor x rhysand x edward cullen- super unslay. also the way that the mafia were involved?? babe what is going on
listen, it’s not bad per se, but considering the fact that this is her first release after almost two years and the last book she released was rhodes, this is the biggest downgrade of all time. rhodes is artistic perfection. romance at it’s peak. it does not get better than grumpy neighbor in the mountains.
her voice is present in this one, it feels like a book by her, but it’s also so messily done. half of the book had me genuinely questioning whether or not she even had this edited. it very much feels like she wrote it in the middle of the night and turned it in for funsies.
i’m her number one fan when it comes to contemporary romance but this whole ice planet barbarian business is not my style. give us a captain america super soldier hero!! not thor x rhysand x edward cullen- super unslay. also the way that the mafia were involved?? babe what is going on
September 18, 2022
CALLING ALL MARIANA ZAPATA FANS SHE'S DROPPED A WHOLE NEW 600 PAGE BOOK ON OUR ASSES
And i read it all last night because I was so excited
And it did not feel like 600 pages AT ALL but then again her novels never do
This book in particular was so different to all her others. It was a paranormal superhero romance. What. It was so different but also so similar because it had Miss Z’s touch all over it yk.
Big obsessed guy
Girl that's running away from something
And sloooooowwwwwburnnnnnnnnn like really really slowburn.
And the banter. The banter was so good.
"Why are you being so nice to me?"
"Because I don't want to smell your rotting corpse."
He was so mean but it was so unknowingly funny. I don’t even know why.
Gracie was always crying and he was always like oh don’t cry I don’t like the way that you smell when you do.
Oh yeah and if your wanting a Jasmine Santos don’t be reading this book expecting that because she cries all the fucking time. Like yeah your life has just totally fallen apart but yet a grip and sort it the fuck out.
But Gracie was okay. She got a lot better as the book went on because she stopped crying so damn much.
But The Defender, he was much better than Gracie in my humble opinion.
Maybe because he was so unknowingly funny,
“Why are you so beautiful? I whispered. He didnt even sound sarcastic as he answered “Superior genetics, go back to sleep”
and as the book went on he got softer and softer 🥺 it was so freaking adorable.
And just listen to him talk about her: minor spoilers in the bold
“I missed your three thousand questions and the way you hold my hand. I missed my little monster. Missed her a lot”
“I made it two weeks before I started craving cheetos and i only wanted to eat them with you around”
And when I tell you the slowburn and the pacing we do good. We saw him being wary of her for the longest time while she took care of him then a bunch of shit happened and then we got to see him take care of her hehe, we got a double sick scene.
It was absolutely delicious.
And just so you know, the start of the book was a bit slow and cringey but it gets better as it goes on
For example:
“What are you doing on the floor? The man known to the world as The Defender asked
Just say he asked, two words, no known to the world that was just ugh could have shortened the book down a lot if you deleted that bit.
Oh yeah and let’s not forget the when did I asks
“The he struck again. “Did i ask?”
It’s giving middle school boy.
This book was fun, I enjoyed it a lot, but there was some stuff I didn’t like. But it was still fun.
coming back to mention that the sex scene was so awkward like what even is that dirty talk was not dirty at all it was dry af
from here on out there will be spoilers so come on back once you’ve read this book
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
This book was absolutely everything, and at the middle/end when she was at his house, that was so sweet. They did everything together and it was so obvious that they were into each other.
And the WHOLE family knew it, it was so funny.
And I love how he becomes more and more obsessed with her. And when she was saying that she was going to leave and pay him back and he was so adamant that she would stay.
It was so adorable 🥺🥺 he was so adorable and I loved how he did everything possible to help her.
I absolutely loved the growth between them and the best friend number 20 thing my heart ached for them both.
ALSO HIM BEING A COMIC BOOK WRITER LOVE<3333
Ughhh I love them so much, I’m gonna have to read this again to add more stuff in here but for now this book was so good.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Mariana Zapata is so good at writing slow burn
Bye for now
And i read it all last night because I was so excited
And it did not feel like 600 pages AT ALL but then again her novels never do
This book in particular was so different to all her others. It was a paranormal superhero romance. What. It was so different but also so similar because it had Miss Z’s touch all over it yk.
Big obsessed guy
Girl that's running away from something
And sloooooowwwwwburnnnnnnnnn like really really slowburn.
And the banter. The banter was so good.
"Why are you being so nice to me?"
"Because I don't want to smell your rotting corpse."
He was so mean but it was so unknowingly funny. I don’t even know why.
Gracie was always crying and he was always like oh don’t cry I don’t like the way that you smell when you do.
Oh yeah and if your wanting a Jasmine Santos don’t be reading this book expecting that because she cries all the fucking time. Like yeah your life has just totally fallen apart but yet a grip and sort it the fuck out.
But Gracie was okay. She got a lot better as the book went on because she stopped crying so damn much.
But The Defender, he was much better than Gracie in my humble opinion.
Maybe because he was so unknowingly funny,
“Why are you so beautiful? I whispered. He didnt even sound sarcastic as he answered “Superior genetics, go back to sleep”
and as the book went on he got softer and softer 🥺 it was so freaking adorable.
And just listen to him talk about her: minor spoilers in the bold
“I missed your three thousand questions and the way you hold my hand. I missed my little monster. Missed her a lot”
“I made it two weeks before I started craving cheetos and i only wanted to eat them with you around”
And when I tell you the slowburn and the pacing we do good. We saw him being wary of her for the longest time while she took care of him then a bunch of shit happened and then we got to see him take care of her hehe, we got a double sick scene.
It was absolutely delicious.
And just so you know, the start of the book was a bit slow and cringey but it gets better as it goes on
For example:
“What are you doing on the floor? The man known to the world as The Defender asked
Just say he asked, two words, no known to the world that was just ugh could have shortened the book down a lot if you deleted that bit.
Oh yeah and let’s not forget the when did I asks
“The he struck again. “Did i ask?”
It’s giving middle school boy.
This book was fun, I enjoyed it a lot, but there was some stuff I didn’t like. But it was still fun.
coming back to mention that the sex scene was so awkward like what even is that dirty talk was not dirty at all it was dry af
from here on out there will be spoilers so come on back once you’ve read this book
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
This book was absolutely everything, and at the middle/end when she was at his house, that was so sweet. They did everything together and it was so obvious that they were into each other.
And the WHOLE family knew it, it was so funny.
And I love how he becomes more and more obsessed with her. And when she was saying that she was going to leave and pay him back and he was so adamant that she would stay.
It was so adorable 🥺🥺 he was so adorable and I loved how he did everything possible to help her.
I absolutely loved the growth between them and the best friend number 20 thing my heart ached for them both.
ALSO HIM BEING A COMIC BOOK WRITER LOVE<3333
Ughhh I love them so much, I’m gonna have to read this again to add more stuff in here but for now this book was so good.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Mariana Zapata is so good at writing slow burn
Bye for now
December 1, 2023
To my Queen of 🐢🔥: please write in every romance subgenre. Thank you.
--
♡ Prompt: Auto-read author
♡ Format Read: eBook
♡ Source: KU
♡ Tropes: Superhero, slowest burn ever, grumpy hero, forced proximity, "road" trip, caretaking
Though this is quite different than all of Mariana's other books, it still FELT truly like an MZ book. This has to be her slowest burn yet, in the same vein as Hands Down, but IMO when they finally do get together, it is MORE than worth it. This book also has one of my all-time favorite tropes that I won't mention since it is kind of a spoiler, but just know, it made my LIFE. Could this be my new fav MZ book??
*TW: Torture (hero & heroine), kidnapping, death of a loved one (past, grandparents), abandonment (heroine's parents)
--
♡ Prompt: Auto-read author
♡ Format Read: eBook
♡ Source: KU
♡ Tropes: Superhero, slowest burn ever, grumpy hero, forced proximity, "road" trip, caretaking
Though this is quite different than all of Mariana's other books, it still FELT truly like an MZ book. This has to be her slowest burn yet, in the same vein as Hands Down, but IMO when they finally do get together, it is MORE than worth it. This book also has one of my all-time favorite tropes that I won't mention since it is kind of a spoiler, but just know, it made my LIFE. Could this be my new fav MZ book??
*TW: Torture (hero & heroine), kidnapping, death of a loved one (past, grandparents), abandonment (heroine's parents)
September 18, 2022
Let's get this out up front because I wondered, even after the blurb: Yes, this is a superhero book. It's a departure for Zapata who, until now, has stayed strictly contemporary in her romances. Alex is world famous as a good-guy who is mostly invulnerable even though he shows up at Gracie's house broken. So caring for him is hard because she isn't sure what to expect. Like, is it bad the he sleeps for days at a time and doesn't seem to need the bathroom? And why doesn't he want to contact one of the other two supers he sometimes works with?
I liked Gracie from the start, though it irked me a bit not knowing why her life was so cramped. She's kind and tough and so lonely it hurts. Having her care for Alex, even when he's being a major grump, said everything I needed to know to be fully engaged. And it didn't hurt that I'm very familiar with Zapata jerkbag heroes who need some taming so I could cut Alex a bit of much-needed slack.
It felt like the beginning dragged. Like, a lot. Particularly when Gracie's past shows up to throw a wrench in Alex's recovery. That whole scenario got old way before anything happened to change it. I wasn't tempted to put the book down forever, mind, but I did go and do something fun for a bit just to alleviate my mood. I have no idea how long that section actually was but it felt like it was the entire book long for a while, there.
Once they change their circumstances, it picks up, though, and moved into more familiar Zapata territory with Gracie unsure of where Alex stands because he's a grumpy guy with a kind heart he doesn't let show if he can help it. There are a couple of jerk moments with him where Gracie had to set limits on what she'd tolerate. And I liked her so much for those moments. And the magic of Zapata is that Alex recovers well-enough to endear him to me as well.
I'm going to go with 4½ stars that I'm rounding up despite the slog in the beginning. Once past that part, I had a hard time putting it down and the banter was tons of fun.
A note about Steamy: There's a single explicit sex scene putting this on the low end of my steam tolerance. It's about what you'd expect with a modern romance, despite . Which I thought a little weird, but whatever.
I liked Gracie from the start, though it irked me a bit not knowing why her life was so cramped. She's kind and tough and so lonely it hurts. Having her care for Alex, even when he's being a major grump, said everything I needed to know to be fully engaged. And it didn't hurt that I'm very familiar with Zapata jerkbag heroes who need some taming so I could cut Alex a bit of much-needed slack.
It felt like the beginning dragged. Like, a lot. Particularly when Gracie's past shows up to throw a wrench in Alex's recovery. That whole scenario got old way before anything happened to change it. I wasn't tempted to put the book down forever, mind, but I did go and do something fun for a bit just to alleviate my mood. I have no idea how long that section actually was but it felt like it was the entire book long for a while, there.
Once they change their circumstances, it picks up, though, and moved into more familiar Zapata territory with Gracie unsure of where Alex stands because he's a grumpy guy with a kind heart he doesn't let show if he can help it. There are a couple of jerk moments with him where Gracie had to set limits on what she'd tolerate. And I liked her so much for those moments. And the magic of Zapata is that Alex recovers well-enough to endear him to me as well.
I'm going to go with 4½ stars that I'm rounding up despite the slog in the beginning. Once past that part, I had a hard time putting it down and the banter was tons of fun.
A note about Steamy: There's a single explicit sex scene putting this on the low end of my steam tolerance. It's about what you'd expect with a modern romance, despite . Which I thought a little weird, but whatever.
March 12, 2023
2 STARS
“It hurts my feelings that I’m right here, that you’re right there, and you still think that you’re ever going to be alone again.”
"Gracie, do you think there’s a future for you without me in it?”
I was really excited when this book was released, because 1 it was released on my birthday and 2 NEW MARIANA ZAPATA BOOK?!?!!!?? Only MZ can publish a new book all of sudden, when no one expected it. This book is something completely different from her previous books, because a superhero romance?
Unfortunately, I couldn't get into it, in about 40% of the book, I really thought it would be a dnf for me. I had to take 4 days off of this book, which is not normal for me because I usually read MZ books in 1-2 days max. I couldn't dnf Marian Zapata's book ( i love her too much ), so I gave her a chance, and after about 50% in the book it finally started to get a little bit more interesting. If the whole book had been like the last 20%, I probably would have given it 3 stars, but that obviously didn't happen.
I actually liked the two main characters, even though Alex was really grumpy at the begging (the tittle is fitting). Our heroine Gracie was okay, but her during the smutty scene? You will be shocked.
It was a slow burn like every Mariana Zapata book, but if you are in a mood for a superhero, found family, and grumpy hero romance, that’s the book probably for you.
“It hurts my feelings that I’m right here, that you’re right there, and you still think that you’re ever going to be alone again.”
"Gracie, do you think there’s a future for you without me in it?”
I was really excited when this book was released, because 1 it was released on my birthday and 2 NEW MARIANA ZAPATA BOOK?!?!!!?? Only MZ can publish a new book all of sudden, when no one expected it. This book is something completely different from her previous books, because a superhero romance?
Unfortunately, I couldn't get into it, in about 40% of the book, I really thought it would be a dnf for me. I had to take 4 days off of this book, which is not normal for me because I usually read MZ books in 1-2 days max. I couldn't dnf Marian Zapata's book ( i love her too much ), so I gave her a chance, and after about 50% in the book it finally started to get a little bit more interesting. If the whole book had been like the last 20%, I probably would have given it 3 stars, but that obviously didn't happen.
I actually liked the two main characters, even though Alex was really grumpy at the begging (the tittle is fitting). Our heroine Gracie was okay, but her during the smutty scene? You will be shocked.
It was a slow burn like every Mariana Zapata book, but if you are in a mood for a superhero, found family, and grumpy hero romance, that’s the book probably for you.
September 17, 2022
having to rate a Mariana Zapata book two stars? 2022 just keeps on getting worse.
March 20, 2023
I actually love the premise... it's very 'The Boys'.. that dark superhero/villain energy? What I don't love is Mariana Zapata's writing style. #socringe
It's always sucky to DNF books, but I find that when I do, I feel such a relief... I was raised not to be a quitter, but when it comes to our more peaceful pursuits, I shouldn't be forcing myself to want to finish the book.
There were WAYYYY too many instances where the main character's internal dialogue took unnecessary and protracted turns on the highly complex infrastructure of intrusive thoughts.. I just couldn't finish.
NOT TO MENTION THE MMC/HERO WAS BASICALLY GRUMPY WITH NO REDEEMING QUALITIES.
MZ's books are so long too... I just wanted more action and less build-up to secrets that didn't feel like that big deal? If you're going to keep me in suspense.. it had better be worth it.
It's always sucky to DNF books, but I find that when I do, I feel such a relief... I was raised not to be a quitter, but when it comes to our more peaceful pursuits, I shouldn't be forcing myself to want to finish the book.
There were WAYYYY too many instances where the main character's internal dialogue took unnecessary and protracted turns on the highly complex infrastructure of intrusive thoughts.. I just couldn't finish.
NOT TO MENTION THE MMC/HERO WAS BASICALLY GRUMPY WITH NO REDEEMING QUALITIES.
MZ's books are so long too... I just wanted more action and less build-up to secrets that didn't feel like that big deal? If you're going to keep me in suspense.. it had better be worth it.
May 28, 2023
cried. read this right fucking now (respectfully) 🥰
September 25, 2022
Was the worst thing that could happen if you want to keep a low profile?
MZ: A very grumpy superhero collapsing in your backyard.
Gracie is twenty nine and has been running all her life. Now that their grandparents are dead, she’s been surviving by going from an unknown village to another. She doesn’t have friends, she’s never had a lover.
She’s starting to feel tired of being alone.
Gracie and The Grump had a rocky star. He didn't want to be there, and Gracie didn't want him there either, but she’d rather help him than let him die. When things get dangerous, they will have to take care of each other if they want to survive the day, going from strangers to partners to… friends?
Dealing with this man was going to be my good deed of the year. Maybe the century. It would be a thankless job, but somebody had to do it, and that person was me. Because of all the millions of yards he could have landed in, it had been mine. What were the fucking chances?
When Gracie Met the Grump was unexpected for a lot of reasons. Besides the obvious surprise, it’s the first time she writes romance with science fiction elements. It was a nice turn, even if the superheroes are exactly as the stereotypical image you have of them; they were only there to create the romance she wanted to deliver. Maybe that’s why, between 60% and 90%, where the superhero part was ‘explained’ a bit more, I was pretty bored. You see most of it coming and I think the story could have been a lot better had it been 400 pages instead of over 600.
We all know MZ loves her inner monologues, but this time they were especially repetitive, which made it feel like there was barely progression. Which leads me to my real problem with the book: I did not ship them together. Not even a little. As a strangers to best friends to lovers fanatic, it was quite a bummer.
After a lot of headaches, I figured out the problem: Gracie starts the book telling you how beautiful, sexy and perfect The Grump is, and there is no change whatsoever in over six hundred pages. For a book with so many inner monologues, I’d have expected a lot more angsty thoughts where she wanted, needed to kiss him and couldn’t because ‘he didn’t feel the same’. I needed more than the physical admiration of the body she had from the beginning.
The beautiful thing about a slow burn romance is seeing the characters fall in love through hundreds of pages. I only saw them becoming best friends. I liked them as best friends. It made me cringe when they randomly decided they wanted to do more.
“Friends don’t let friends die. Everything is gonna be fine. You’ve got something better than that knife. You’ve got me.”
Despite the unnecessary length, the lack of chemistry and the grumpy-alpha-easytoanger hero MZ loves and I despise, I liked When Gracie Met the Grump. I really enjoy the author’s writing style and humor and her books always leave me wanting to read loads of slow burn romances-which is a very sad task because nobody does them like her.
PS: I loved the drawing at the end.
“You don’t even like me.” There, I’d said it. It wasn’t like that was anything new.
There was literally no hesitation in his response. The son of a bitch even shrugged a little bit. “You’re all right.”
.......
15/09/2022
SHE DID NOT.
MZ: A very grumpy superhero collapsing in your backyard.
Gracie is twenty nine and has been running all her life. Now that their grandparents are dead, she’s been surviving by going from an unknown village to another. She doesn’t have friends, she’s never had a lover.
She’s starting to feel tired of being alone.
Gracie and The Grump had a rocky star. He didn't want to be there, and Gracie didn't want him there either, but she’d rather help him than let him die. When things get dangerous, they will have to take care of each other if they want to survive the day, going from strangers to partners to… friends?
Dealing with this man was going to be my good deed of the year. Maybe the century. It would be a thankless job, but somebody had to do it, and that person was me. Because of all the millions of yards he could have landed in, it had been mine. What were the fucking chances?
When Gracie Met the Grump was unexpected for a lot of reasons. Besides the obvious surprise, it’s the first time she writes romance with science fiction elements. It was a nice turn, even if the superheroes are exactly as the stereotypical image you have of them; they were only there to create the romance she wanted to deliver. Maybe that’s why, between 60% and 90%, where the superhero part was ‘explained’ a bit more, I was pretty bored. You see most of it coming and I think the story could have been a lot better had it been 400 pages instead of over 600.
We all know MZ loves her inner monologues, but this time they were especially repetitive, which made it feel like there was barely progression. Which leads me to my real problem with the book: I did not ship them together. Not even a little. As a strangers to best friends to lovers fanatic, it was quite a bummer.
After a lot of headaches, I figured out the problem: Gracie starts the book telling you how beautiful, sexy and perfect The Grump is, and there is no change whatsoever in over six hundred pages. For a book with so many inner monologues, I’d have expected a lot more angsty thoughts where she wanted, needed to kiss him and couldn’t because ‘he didn’t feel the same’. I needed more than the physical admiration of the body she had from the beginning.
The beautiful thing about a slow burn romance is seeing the characters fall in love through hundreds of pages. I only saw them becoming best friends. I liked them as best friends. It made me cringe when they randomly decided they wanted to do more.
“Friends don’t let friends die. Everything is gonna be fine. You’ve got something better than that knife. You’ve got me.”
Despite the unnecessary length, the lack of chemistry and the grumpy-alpha-easytoanger hero MZ loves and I despise, I liked When Gracie Met the Grump. I really enjoy the author’s writing style and humor and her books always leave me wanting to read loads of slow burn romances-which is a very sad task because nobody does them like her.
PS: I loved the drawing at the end.
“You don’t even like me.” There, I’d said it. It wasn’t like that was anything new.
There was literally no hesitation in his response. The son of a bitch even shrugged a little bit. “You’re all right.”
.......
15/09/2022
SHE DID NOT.
October 14, 2022
bad writing, good idea. should have been better executed.
December 22, 2022
i don't want to talk about it
October 6, 2022
✦ expected to love this, but sadly it was just an okay read for me. debated giving it just 2 stars tbh, but settled on 3 for now.
✦ a grumpy superhero mc sounded amaaaazing, but this man was just a little too hot and too cold at times. sometimes you had no idea why he was suddenly back to being an asshole again. wanted to smack him a couple of times.
✦ i liked the heroine, even though she was a little dense at times and didn't ask enough questions considering the circumstances.
✦ the whole plot left a lot to be desired. some things just made no sense honestly.
✦ how MZ manages to make me read such long books with her wack ass barely there plots is still a mystery tbh.
✦ this had the typical MZ aspects that i always enjoy - the slow burn, lots of sweet moments, and most importantly, a relationship built on friendship. that's always my favourite part when it comes to this author.
✦ even if i didn't end up loving this book, i will keep reading anything this author releases. can't wait to meet her next grumpy hero. we all know he's gonna be grumpy.
✦ a grumpy superhero mc sounded amaaaazing, but this man was just a little too hot and too cold at times. sometimes you had no idea why he was suddenly back to being an asshole again. wanted to smack him a couple of times.
✦ i liked the heroine, even though she was a little dense at times and didn't ask enough questions considering the circumstances.
✦ the whole plot left a lot to be desired. some things just made no sense honestly.
✦ how MZ manages to make me read such long books with her wack ass barely there plots is still a mystery tbh.
✦ this had the typical MZ aspects that i always enjoy - the slow burn, lots of sweet moments, and most importantly, a relationship built on friendship. that's always my favourite part when it comes to this author.
✦ even if i didn't end up loving this book, i will keep reading anything this author releases. can't wait to meet her next grumpy hero. we all know he's gonna be grumpy.
Read
September 21, 2022There are two Mariana books that are absolute masterpieces to me, but her latest works are not hitting right. Half of the time I absolutely adore her stuff, the other half I can’t stand reading nearly 700 PAGES of the same boring back and forth.
Girl this isn’t a Brandon Sanderson book, wtf are you doing. No contemporary romance needs 700 pages LMAO
DNF @ 30% because she wouldn’t shut up about her bodily functions, AGAIN.
Girl this isn’t a Brandon Sanderson book, wtf are you doing. No contemporary romance needs 700 pages LMAO
DNF @ 30% because she wouldn’t shut up about her bodily functions, AGAIN.
Want to read
September 16, 2022WTH?! Why did I not know about this!??
March 11, 2024
4.25 stars
I was so excited to see this surprise release from MZ, and even more excited to see it had a little science fiction to it. As always, her slow burn is *chefs kiss*
I don't think this one was quite as put together and fluid as her other books. A lot of the internal dialogue seemed repetitive and maybe just more for filler. And I was hoping for a little more action; seemed like she got it all out of her system the first half the book, so I was a little disappointed when that tapered off.
But I loved the whole ending and hope that MZ keeps going with the science fiction/fantasy spin to at least some of her books 🔥
I was so excited to see this surprise release from MZ, and even more excited to see it had a little science fiction to it. As always, her slow burn is *chefs kiss*
I don't think this one was quite as put together and fluid as her other books. A lot of the internal dialogue seemed repetitive and maybe just more for filler. And I was hoping for a little more action; seemed like she got it all out of her system the first half the book, so I was a little disappointed when that tapered off.
But I loved the whole ending and hope that MZ keeps going with the science fiction/fantasy spin to at least some of her books 🔥
September 19, 2022
Sadly and with regret, it's a no. I'm not going to say that I hated it because it's a strong word but I also don't think this was good... The more I think about it, the more I think it was the laziest plot I have encountered in a while and the execution wasn't better.
Like, I huffed a bit when I saw the plot but alright, you know I'm willing to believe in it for a second but like the author added the cartel plot and sure... ok, why not. but like..... Do something with it because as far as I know it only served for them to be forced to be together which, whatever. We don't know whos cousin ratted her out or anything else ? The whole cartel plot afterwards just happens, for the lack of a better word, off screen. We hear they got caught on the news, which whatever, that was the end of it, I guess, lol - she got tortured and then got sick because of it so he took care of her <3
and that's the end of it. wow, romance.
To be honest, I think it's fine to have this cartel thing happen but to me it was too soon and I think you need to deal with it properly which perhaps, didn't fit here. I can see how it would be trying to fit another book in this one but like, you chose it so deal with it?
The consequences of this were so badly explored. The trauma was really a way to show how close they are but she's the one that got tortured and waterboarded - I wish zapata didn't skip the process to recover emotionally or make light of it by associating it with Alexander (and obviously he can care and it's nice that he does but it wasn't about her. It was about the romance and thus it felt flat).
THE MATE Thing...... I HATED It. It's the laziest shit ever. One of the weakest thing about the book. They're captive together and they get to spend time together but they don't really connect do they? There are some cute scenes that work but it lacks depth because she's out of it most of the time or spend it apolozing. It never feel truly substantial to me, every exchange or information is dumped on us (her family, where she comes from) which he already knows bc his grandmother told him. It's a bit boring. He fought it and that's how it he ends up in her backyard and blah blah he sees his grandmother was right and she's it but it's forcing things a bit? I don't know. I don't see how he's the best thing for her except money, the fact that he's an alien and can protect her. He was so mean to her sometime, it's not cute - which reminds me how I really hate how some of the male characters she writes speak to her heroines, they deserve better.
(also the rich family thing, the corporate stuff is such a big ick to me, glad you're a nerd but still ew)
Pet peeves :
1. I'm sorry but if someone's grandmother actions had me waterboarded I'd be pissed as fuck - she stayed because he was injured and subsequently got caught by the cartel. Call her a cunt, I beg.
2. I'm so?? About this character, she's been running her whole life from them and yet she doesn't seem to have developed any instinct of survival. You have unexpected visitors, I would expect you to bail the fuck out right away like what the fuck are you waiting for??
3. I'm begging Gracie to love herself. She apologized so many times, for her own existence sometimes and it's terrible. This need for the characters to be liked is annoying - I promise they're allowed to be flawed and if Alexander wants to grunt and be an asshole when he's annoyed, she can be a cunt to him too.
4. "butthole", "grump" pls stop, you're an adult, you're allowed to swear. Call him an asshole.
5. The nicknames aren't as terrible this time, at least Alexander didn't call her "Kid" (if you know, you know).
I can stomach cookie monster but you know, the classics are fun too.
Finally, was it just me or did that feel like a fanfiction of the boys...which you know...who the hell were you thirsting after to write this? The Defender..... Homelander....
You can probably have fun reading this but I thought it was lazy and should've been better edited.
Like, I huffed a bit when I saw the plot but alright, you know I'm willing to believe in it for a second but like the author added the cartel plot and sure... ok, why not. but like..... Do something with it because as far as I know it only served for them to be forced to be together which, whatever. We don't know whos cousin ratted her out or anything else ? The whole cartel plot afterwards just happens, for the lack of a better word, off screen. We hear they got caught on the news, which whatever, that was the end of it, I guess, lol - she got tortured and then got sick because of it so he took care of her <3
and that's the end of it. wow, romance.
To be honest, I think it's fine to have this cartel thing happen but to me it was too soon and I think you need to deal with it properly which perhaps, didn't fit here. I can see how it would be trying to fit another book in this one but like, you chose it so deal with it?
The consequences of this were so badly explored. The trauma was really a way to show how close they are but she's the one that got tortured and waterboarded - I wish zapata didn't skip the process to recover emotionally or make light of it by associating it with Alexander (and obviously he can care and it's nice that he does but it wasn't about her. It was about the romance and thus it felt flat).
THE MATE Thing...... I HATED It. It's the laziest shit ever. One of the weakest thing about the book. They're captive together and they get to spend time together but they don't really connect do they? There are some cute scenes that work but it lacks depth because she's out of it most of the time or spend it apolozing. It never feel truly substantial to me, every exchange or information is dumped on us (her family, where she comes from) which he already knows bc his grandmother told him. It's a bit boring. He fought it and that's how it he ends up in her backyard and blah blah he sees his grandmother was right and she's it but it's forcing things a bit? I don't know. I don't see how he's the best thing for her except money, the fact that he's an alien and can protect her. He was so mean to her sometime, it's not cute - which reminds me how I really hate how some of the male characters she writes speak to her heroines, they deserve better.
(also the rich family thing, the corporate stuff is such a big ick to me, glad you're a nerd but still ew)
Pet peeves :
1. I'm sorry but if someone's grandmother actions had me waterboarded I'd be pissed as fuck - she stayed because he was injured and subsequently got caught by the cartel. Call her a cunt, I beg.
2. I'm so?? About this character, she's been running her whole life from them and yet she doesn't seem to have developed any instinct of survival. You have unexpected visitors, I would expect you to bail the fuck out right away like what the fuck are you waiting for??
3. I'm begging Gracie to love herself. She apologized so many times, for her own existence sometimes and it's terrible. This need for the characters to be liked is annoying - I promise they're allowed to be flawed and if Alexander wants to grunt and be an asshole when he's annoyed, she can be a cunt to him too.
4. "butthole", "grump" pls stop, you're an adult, you're allowed to swear. Call him an asshole.
5. The nicknames aren't as terrible this time, at least Alexander didn't call her "Kid" (if you know, you know).
I can stomach cookie monster but you know, the classics are fun too.
Finally, was it just me or did that feel like a fanfiction of the boys...which you know...who the hell were you thirsting after to write this? The Defender..... Homelander....
You can probably have fun reading this but I thought it was lazy and should've been better edited.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2022
3.75 🌟
I'm not gonna lie. There were so many times I thought of dnfing this one, especially during the first 40% into the book BUT IM GLAD I DIDNT.
It was typical MZ but at the same it wasnt??? Idek Gracie and Alex annoyed me quite a lot, especially during the first half- which I don't wanna be redundant about, but it dragged, like dragged. There were so many instances I absolutely wanted to smack Alex for being so mean.
But the second half? They were so freakin' cute, especially when he fussed about whenever she's gon cry. 😭 And the banter >>>>>>>>> The sex scene was 💀 All I gotta say is Gracie shouldn't try dirty talking next time. Their first kiss though *chef's kiss*
I did enjoy it, its MZ. But, there were some things that just didn't work for me.
_____________________
just got off instagram after watching taylor swift's new post and now this??? and the day has just fucking started ffs 😩
I'm not gonna lie. There were so many times I thought of dnfing this one, especially during the first 40% into the book BUT IM GLAD I DIDNT.
It was typical MZ but at the same it wasnt??? Idek Gracie and Alex annoyed me quite a lot, especially during the first half- which I don't wanna be redundant about, but it dragged, like dragged. There were so many instances I absolutely wanted to smack Alex for being so mean.
But the second half? They were so freakin' cute, especially when he fussed about whenever she's gon cry. 😭 And the banter >>>>>>>>> The sex scene was 💀 All I gotta say is Gracie shouldn't try dirty talking next time. Their first kiss though *chef's kiss*
I did enjoy it, its MZ. But, there were some things that just didn't work for me.
_____________________
just got off instagram after watching taylor swift's new post and now this??? and the day has just fucking started ffs 😩
September 22, 2022
5 Gold Stars for Queen MZ ✨
Given how long it took for this book to be published, I had a hunch that this would be a completely different story both for her and us. ( If you give this one star and say you're a fan of MZ, I'll despise you. I'm not sorry. You all know that I'm a judgmental bitch.)
Even though it might be different, this is MZ that we are talking about! I would read anything this queen writes about and love it. And yeah, it is still a 𝐒𝐋𝐎𝐖 burn, so don't start fucking complaining that it's too slow. Moreover, this is her longest book to date?!?!? We are 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 in life right now!
The content in this book satisfied every demand I had. And let me tell you, she can write a superhero romance—or a fantasy romance, whatever you want to call it—like nobody's business, and I demand that we get more of it. This only serves to demonstrate Mariana's outstanding writing skills. Depending on how she intrigues you, she can quickly turn a story into an obsession. Let me now stop talking and begin, shall we? 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐈𝐆! You've been 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝, so keep your mouth shut sweaty.
For most of Gracie Castro's existence, she and her grandparents have been hiding out and genuinely running from the cartel. She is currently deciding where to go next because she must now carry on with this entire ordeal on her own as a result of the passing of her grandparents. At the moment, she is residing in a trailer in Chama, New Mexico. She has grown accustomed to being independent and relying exclusively on herself, yet it is obvious that she longs for a close friend.
She realized that one night while out for a run that something wasn't right with her stomach, but she tried not to dwell on it. The entire trailer begins to tremble as she is deciding where to relocate next while watching the news and looking at the map on the coffee table in her living room. A dazzling flash of light emerging from the sky is the next thing she notices. Gracie coerces herself to stand up and head outside to investigate the situation. She notices a well-known male body lying in her yard, badly injured.
The Defender, the Trinity group's sole well-known member, literally fell from the damn sky.
What the hell is the Trinity, you ask? Many people are unsure what the Trinity is, but the majority of humanity assumed they were superheroes, and they were certainly correct. The Primordial, the Centurion, and the Defender are Trinity's members.
Gracie steps in to assist the Defender right away. Over a long period of time, she gradually assists in his healing and care. She repeatedly asks him if he would like to go somewhere else, but he is a cranky son of a bitch and has no intention of leaving.
Unfortunately, Gracie's life finally catches up with her, having a tremendous impact on both Gracie and the Defender. Despite their lack of trust and affection for one another, their dependence on one another as a result of their capture has grown. Gracie is prepared to face everything that comes her way in order to help the Defender escape captivity, particularly because he is still hurt. However, Gracie eventually gets very sick, so that never occurs.
As a result of Gracie saving the Defender and doing so much for him, he promises to protect her for the rest of her life. And now that she is sick, he must act quickly to free them both from captivity. And that is just what he does.
The entire story largely focuses on them being held captive and escaping from captivity, as well as how he brings her back to his home to keep his promise to protect her while remaining hidden from the cartel. He does this because the cartel might now be aware that the Defender is a superhero rather than just an ordinary dude. Additionally, it focuses primarily on how seriously ill they have become and how long it takes both of them to recover and return to normal. The two of them develop into the best of friends overtime before falling in love, and it is the cutest thing imaginable to read about. The nicknames he has given her has me deceased. They are SO fucking cute.
Why isn't anything happening to me? Can Queen MZ write my own love story? Please MZ!!
Not gonna lie… I want the Defender to take me up, up, and away 😫🫦
And for those of you wondering about the age difference, she’s 29 about to be 30 and he is 35. You are welcomeeee :)
Mariana, I adore you as usual. Please give me more books
Given how long it took for this book to be published, I had a hunch that this would be a completely different story both for her and us. ( If you give this one star and say you're a fan of MZ, I'll despise you. I'm not sorry. You all know that I'm a judgmental bitch.)
Even though it might be different, this is MZ that we are talking about! I would read anything this queen writes about and love it. And yeah, it is still a 𝐒𝐋𝐎𝐖 burn, so don't start fucking complaining that it's too slow. Moreover, this is her longest book to date?!?!? We are 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 in life right now!
The content in this book satisfied every demand I had. And let me tell you, she can write a superhero romance—or a fantasy romance, whatever you want to call it—like nobody's business, and I demand that we get more of it. This only serves to demonstrate Mariana's outstanding writing skills. Depending on how she intrigues you, she can quickly turn a story into an obsession. Let me now stop talking and begin, shall we? 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐈𝐆! You've been 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝, so keep your mouth shut sweaty.
For most of Gracie Castro's existence, she and her grandparents have been hiding out and genuinely running from the cartel. She is currently deciding where to go next because she must now carry on with this entire ordeal on her own as a result of the passing of her grandparents. At the moment, she is residing in a trailer in Chama, New Mexico. She has grown accustomed to being independent and relying exclusively on herself, yet it is obvious that she longs for a close friend.
She realized that one night while out for a run that something wasn't right with her stomach, but she tried not to dwell on it. The entire trailer begins to tremble as she is deciding where to relocate next while watching the news and looking at the map on the coffee table in her living room. A dazzling flash of light emerging from the sky is the next thing she notices. Gracie coerces herself to stand up and head outside to investigate the situation. She notices a well-known male body lying in her yard, badly injured.
The Defender, the Trinity group's sole well-known member, literally fell from the damn sky.
What the hell is the Trinity, you ask? Many people are unsure what the Trinity is, but the majority of humanity assumed they were superheroes, and they were certainly correct. The Primordial, the Centurion, and the Defender are Trinity's members.
Gracie steps in to assist the Defender right away. Over a long period of time, she gradually assists in his healing and care. She repeatedly asks him if he would like to go somewhere else, but he is a cranky son of a bitch and has no intention of leaving.
Unfortunately, Gracie's life finally catches up with her, having a tremendous impact on both Gracie and the Defender. Despite their lack of trust and affection for one another, their dependence on one another as a result of their capture has grown. Gracie is prepared to face everything that comes her way in order to help the Defender escape captivity, particularly because he is still hurt. However, Gracie eventually gets very sick, so that never occurs.
As a result of Gracie saving the Defender and doing so much for him, he promises to protect her for the rest of her life. And now that she is sick, he must act quickly to free them both from captivity. And that is just what he does.
The entire story largely focuses on them being held captive and escaping from captivity, as well as how he brings her back to his home to keep his promise to protect her while remaining hidden from the cartel. He does this because the cartel might now be aware that the Defender is a superhero rather than just an ordinary dude. Additionally, it focuses primarily on how seriously ill they have become and how long it takes both of them to recover and return to normal. The two of them develop into the best of friends overtime before falling in love, and it is the cutest thing imaginable to read about. The nicknames he has given her has me deceased. They are SO fucking cute.
Why isn't anything happening to me? Can Queen MZ write my own love story? Please MZ!!
Not gonna lie… I want the Defender to take me up, up, and away 😫🫦
And for those of you wondering about the age difference, she’s 29 about to be 30 and he is 35. You are welcomeeee :)
Mariana, I adore you as usual. Please give me more books
June 7, 2024
4 very grumpy ⭐️ “There is no place I wouldn’t look for you. Seven miles deep in the ocean. On a planet in a distant galaxy. I would go anywhere for you if someone took you, Gracie,” 🥹
RTC …
—————————————————————————
MZ slow burns are a good type of torture I will always willingly submit to. Excited for this one 🤞🏾
RTC …
—————————————————————————
MZ slow burns are a good type of torture I will always willingly submit to. Excited for this one 🤞🏾
Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,084 reviews