Book Review: All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata

I loved this. LOVED! Rhodes and Aurora were EVERYTHING! This was such a well-done story with the best build and a seriously epic slow burn. You aren't going to want to miss this one! The Avon release of All Rhodes Lead Here is now available!

All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata

The people we lose take a part of us with them…but they leave a part of themselves with us too.

Aurora De La Torre, or Ora to her friends, knows moving back to Pagosa Springs, Colorado, a place that was once home and is now full of bittersweet memories of her late mother, isn’t going to be easy. Starting your whole life over probably isn’t supposed to be.

But after breaking up with her longtime, famous musician boyfriend, hiding out in a small town in the mountains might be the perfect remedy for a broken heart. And checking out her landlord who lives across the driveway just might cure it, too.

Only Tobias Rhodes didn’t rent out the apartment to her, rather it was his teenage son, Amos. Fiercely protective of his family and distrusting of strangers, gruff and grumpy Rhodes initially keeps little miss sunshine Ora at a distance. But over days and weeks, long hikes and fireside chats, Aurora breaks down his walls and soon an unbreakable friendship blossoms into a once-in-a-lifetime love.

5 out of 5 stars

All Rhodes Lead Here was absolutely brilliant. 6 stars all the way! I was pulled in from the very first page and loved every moment as the story unfolded. It was full of heart, love, and so much emotion. There was an incredible build filled with so many captivating details, that I never wanted to put it down. I laughed and cried my way through and loved it all.

I loved Aurora and the journey she was on to find her way in life. I loved watching her truly become who she was meant to be, as well as where she should be, it was empowering. She had all these fantastic moments where she really had to dig deep and I felt for her and rooted for her, the emotion and pain she went through at times was palpable. Rhodes was everything. He was a bit gruff initially and a man of few words, but I loved every nuance about him. When he started to let his guard down, open up, and share, it was amazing and every interaction left me feeling emotional. I loved the countless times Rhodes was there for Aurora as she fought to work through her personal issues. There were all these small things developing, little looks and touches that felt powerful and resonated deeply with me. This book had a slow burn but it never felt drawn out because I was caught up in their lives and growth and feelings - so many feelings!

This story had an exceptional build that was perfectly timed, and the attention to detail was spot on. I loved the descriptions, the layers, and the heart-stopping scenes that made me feel like I was right there living it along with them. There were bits of drama interspersed as well as fun, cute moments. I loved the cast of characters and all the friendships and bonds happening. I loved learning about Rhodes and his son Amos, Aurora’s friends, her mom, and the story with Aurora's ex. I also loved Amos’s relationship with Aurora, that was special and sweet. This story was definitely emotion-filled, I got choked up more times than I want to admit. It was just everything altogether that had me holding my breath right until the end. Then there was the epilogue and the extra goodness that was like the cherry on top of the brilliance that was this story.

This story made me feel and made the world around me fade away. There were just so many small building details creating epic moments that made this book a must-read. It made my heart happy. 6 stars!

Complimentary copy received from Avon Books.

Mariana Zapata lives in a small town in Colorado with her husband and two oversized children—her beloved Great Danes, Dorian and Kaiser. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, spending time outside, forcing kisses on her boys, or pretending to write.