LETS GIVE IT UP FOR LUNA AND RIP!!

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Luna The Lie- Mariana Zapata. 

Let's talk about MZ for a minute shall we? I fell ass over tits for this woman and her mad skills because of a bunch of Penny Reid Fans. Anyone who knows me, knows I am a hardcore Reider. Or a Shark for those of you who are in the know. I'd never heard of Mariana Zapata but let me tell you something about this woman if this is your first time coming across her work... She is the QUEEN of the slow burn. I'm talking bow your ass down, like Rhianna is all... TAKE A BOW

She's just that good. Anyway, these incredible women fawned all over MZ and said if you want to read something amazing, read The Wall of Winnipeg and Me. I looked it up and that was it. I was hooked. Not only was the heroine named Vanessa, I mean huzzah... It was fate. The characters were fantastic. After that, I devoured everything she had and waited on baited breath until she released something new. So, when I saw someone mention she was releasing Luna and the Lie, I stalked The Zon and her page waiting impatiently for it to come out. It was RIGHT up my alley. As a retired mechanic, a female heroine who is a painter in a shop. Um Hello. Sign me the HELL up! 

Luna and Rip had a the kind of chemistry you can expect from one of Mariana's couples. There was tension and angst, but you always knew there was that undercurrent of more. It wasn't insta-love. There was bickering and snark. A back and forth banter that made me smile when she held her ground or bit her tongue with a fake smile. I felt it from the beginning on Rip's side as well as Luna's. He could be as big and imposing as he wanted to in those tight fit compression shirts and scowling face as he wanted to, but he wasn't hiding shit. 

What I liked about their dynamic and the dynamic in the shop is Luna was a respected member of the team. They utilized her for what her talents were and she wasn't degraded because she was a woman in a man's world. Luna was strong and confident in her talents as a painter and took pride in her work. I loved that about her. The vulnerability she showed and the struggles she faced due to her family life and background were a little heart breaking to say the least. What made her strong and capable in one aspect also made her human and real in another. 

Rip was such a mystery to Luna in a lot of ways. She knew a lot about his mannerisms and moods based off what he wore everyday, to how he took his coffee and how their interactions would be, by being observant over the time they'd worked together. What she didn't know was she wasn't the only one watching. It's the quiet ones you have to watch out for. They're the ones who sneak up on you when you least expect it. While he didn't talk a lot and tended to grunt and snort at her instead, his body language spoke volumes. So did his facial expressions. And when he did speak, it was usually something profound. The question was whether or not Luna was actually listening to what he was saying.

Now, while Rip's secrets may have shocked some, they didn't surprise me in the least. I'd figured them all out long before they'd been revealed and was a little annoyed Luna hadn't figured them out sooner herself. But if you look at it through the lens in which the story is told, she had to grow up fast and without a guide. So I get it. It's the way the story had to unfold. This was another win for me from MZ. I loved Luna and the Lie she told. I loved Rip and the favors he did. The story was great. The shop family was great. Easily a Five Star Read from me. 


Until Next Time!
XX-Vanessa 

Check it out Here. 
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