Jonetta's Reviews > Once Perfect

Evelyn (Evie) Preston is a waitress at a hip nightclub while at the same time attending nursing school and struggling to pay bills. It’s a bit of a comedown from her earlier life as the privileged daughter of a wealthy businessman just three years ago. His suicide following an embezzlement scandal changed everything, let alone personal traumas even she hasn’t fully acknowledged. Mateo Tres Santos is a bouncer at the nightclub, an imposing figure at 6’4” compared to the petite Evie. Circumstances bring these two together despite the chasm of differences but one thing they share is a strong sense of self and personal fortitude.

This book was a slow but growing burn for me. Initially I feared I wouldn’t be able to connect with either character or their relationship not just because of their ages (early twenties) but also because of Mateo’s underground MMA fighting. That’s just not my cuppa and I’ve avoided those stories. However (and it’s a big one), that’s just background and the real story is of two people grappling with real life issues, trying to make the best of their lives and figuring out how to move forward. To say their experiences are reflective of most people’s reality is understating the value of this story. I loved how both just dealt with their circumstances, struggled to create a relationship when most of those around them aren’t betting on them and kept moving forward. Mateo’s family values and cultural norms are a strong part of his identity and I was pleased to see that honestly portrayed. Evie’s issues were tragic and what made her more authentic was how there wasn’t a neat end or solution provided.

It’s a tough story but I eventually came to admire and truly like Evie and Mateo. They’re not stereotypes in any sense of the word and their lives and relationship are not easy. I didn’t think I’d want to continue the series but now I’m too invested to stop here. The narrator did a really good job of giving voice to both characters as well as to the secondary ones. This one is a keeper.

My thanks to Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer for providing me a complimentary copy.