Karla's Reviews > Once Perfect

4 Solid Stars! The mouthwatering Mateo is a powerhouse with a gentle touch and a kind heart...delicious!

As a rule, I'm not a fan of this particular sub-genre of romance, but this was a pretty good New Adult debut by Cecy Robson. What I loved most about this book is that while Mateo and Evie faced challenges in their relationship, they didn't push each other away. They faced everything together...head on, which empowered them as a couple and they won me over. They didn't run or play the woe-is-me card, which is a common thread in this genre of romance and one that I find annoying. That's not to say there isn't some angst, but the author dealt with in a way that I appreciated the characters and their strength.

Life hadn’t initially been good to either of us. But we were good to each other. And regardless of the demons of our pasts, nothing would change that.

I also respected the author for the way she handled the issue with Evie's ex. She took his age into account when he left her and his life as it was at that time. He was dealing the best he could, and she didn't make him out to be an unfeeling villain. I actually felt bad for him and would love to see her explore the possibility of writing him a story. Now that would be interesting!

There is an explosive climatic ending that exemplifies the cultural differences between Mateo and Evie. It also sets up the next book in the series, but no cliffhanger for our main couple. Mateo and Evie's story has a solid ending, another thing that the author did right. The reader doesn't have to wade through an entire series to see what the future holds for these two. Bravo and thank you Cecy Robson for writing a New Adult series that I can look forward too. I'm in this series for the long haul!

*A copy of the book was provided by Random House Publishing-Loveswept via NetGalley*