Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

Dear Aaron by Mariana Zapata
BLURB:
Ruby Santos knew exactly what she was getting herself into when she signed up to write a soldier overseas.

The guidelines were simple: one letter or email a week for the length of his or her deployment. Care packages were optional.

Been there, done that. She thought she knew what to expect.

What she didn’t count on was falling in love with the guy.

♛Past BR's in order of discussion♛

☀️ by Taylor Jenkins Reid (One True Loves Thread)
☀️ by Emma Scott (Forever Right Now Thread)
☀️ by Sierra Simone (American Queen Thread)
☀️ by Suzanne Wright (Burn Thread)
☀️ by Taylor Jenkins Reid (The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo Thread)
☀️ by A. Zavarelli (Thief Thread)
☀️ by Vi Keeland& Penelope Ward (Rush Duet Thread)

Upcoming Reads:

♛Nominations for Future BR's♛


Not released yet but on audio preorder:

I’ve just downloaded it, so I’m ready to start whenever you want!

Chiara wrote: "I’ve just downloaded it, so I’m ready to start whenever you want!"

I will start in an hour. I’m at the pool with my kids 😂

I’m excited. My middle name is Ruby and she likes corny/bad jokes like me. 😂
Rubella sounds like a disease, Rubes sounds like pubes.
Her nicknames are terrible

Why didn’t he reply?

I just started Ch 4, he finally responded....via email and finally some dialogue

I’m already on chapter 8. I thought the boyfriend thing was fishy since ladies in relationships typically don’t pen pal that often at least once a week without mentioning their boyfriend or husbands

Ezinwanyi wrote: "I’m already on chapter 8. I thought the boyfriend thing was fishy since ladies in relationships typically don’t pen pal that often at least once a week without mentioning their boyfriend or husbands"

Wow you’re already on chapter 8!!
I’ve just started..hope I’ll catch up with you while you’re sleeping!!

This “writing a soldier” project is completely foreign territory for me because we don’t have many soldiers abroad, but I think it’s a very useful and important venture that can help soldiers feeling less lonely.
It also reminds me in some ways of my childhood and teenage years because I used to have pen pals from different countries and it was really nice writing each other letters.

How frustrating it must be to write someone and never get a reply..I admire Ruby’s persistency!

Ezinwanyi wrote: "I just started Ch 4, he finally responded....via email and finally some dialogue"

I think what made him decide to answer is what Ruby said about her brother being a marine and about understanding how lonely you can feel when you’re deployed. Probably in the beginning he had misjudged her and wasn’t planning on replying (also because her questions were a bit trivial) but once he understood that she was someone worth talking to, he decided to finally write back.

I like the fact that their emails are getting longer and more frequent..it means they somehow clicked!

Ezinwanyi wrote: "I’m already on chapter 8. I thought the boyfriend thing was fishy since ladies in relationships typically don’t pen pal that often at least once a week without mentioning their boyfriend or husbands"

Yes, it seemed strange to me too that she had a bf..I’m glad to know she’s single! If she really was in a relationship it would have been harder for them to interact and feel so connected to each other.
However, I’m wondering how’s it possible that she never had a boyfriend in 23 years..she seems a funny and smart girl!

I’m realizing that you get to know a lot of a person’s life and personality being pen pals. Aaron and Ruby are building a strong connection with their emails..and I’m loving every second of it so far! (I’m on chapter 7)

Chapter 9

So Ruby has Wolff-Parkinson White..it’s a disease I’ve heard for the first time only a couple of days ago..it’s such a coincidence that I’ve read about it on fb (because Emma Scott’s daughter has it and unfortunately she just had a massive heart attack) and now our heroine has the same disease.

I like the way Aaron feels very protective of her..telling her to eat, to gain back weight, to take her medicine for pneumonia. You can feel that they’ve already started to care for each other quite a lot..

I’m really liking this book, I adore both Ruby and Aaron and Mariana Zapata is the queen of slow burn romance..but I’m starting to feel she’s dragging this email/chat thing a bit too much..I’m 28% and it’s becoming a tiny bit boring..I hope things will change soon (Aaron should be deployed in a few weeks!)

Chapter 11
It’s so evident that Aaron is jealous when Ruby tells him that guy know seed her...he should have said something to a Ruby instead of being pissed and disappearing for 2 weeks!

Chiara wrote: "This “writing a soldier” project is completely foreign territory for me because we don’t have many soldiers abroad, but I think it’s a very useful and important venture that can help soldiers feeli..."

A lot of my friends in college did that because of the Iraq war (Operation Desert Storm). They met the soldiers and broke up soon after. There was a freedom in the online writing but meeting them in real life and the realities of who they were didn’t always pan out

Chiara wrote: "Chapter 9

So Ruby has Wolff-Parkinson White..it’s a disease I’ve heard for the first time only a couple of days ago..it’s such a coincidence that I’ve read about it on fb (because [author:Emma Sco..."

I love how these romance books exposes me to disorders, illnesses or just situations that I’ve never heard of. It’s an education sometimes reading these books.

I’m sorry to hear about Emma Scott’s kid. How sad.

I knew there was a reason Ruby was a hermit

Chiara wrote: "Chapter 11
It’s so evident that Aaron is jealous when Ruby tells him that guy know seed her...he should have said something to a Ruby instead of being pissed and disappearing for 2 weeks!"

I know right? He was totally jealous and he couldn’t stand it. Imagine if she told him that she had sex with the guy, Aaron would have deleted her as a friend

Chiara wrote: "I’m really liking this book, I adore both Ruby and Aaron and Mariana Zapata is the queen of slow burn romance..but I’m starting to feel she’s dragging this email/chat thing a bit too much..I’m 28% ..."

Because she writes slow burners, there’s always a point where the book starts dragging for a little bit.

Now it’s picking up. Aaron offered to fly her down to meet him as he goes on his trip to Miami with his friend Dax?

I knew he wouldn’t stand her up! But I was worried where he was and why he was late.

I can’t wait to see her and Aaron together. I feel their chemistry

Ezinwanyi wrote: "I knew he wouldn’t stand her up! But I was worried where he was and why he was late.

I can’t wait to see her and Aaron together. I feel their chemistry"

That scene where Ruby is there waiting for him in front of the airport broke my heart a bit! And especially when at first she thought he was disappointed in her..she’s smart and sassy but at the same time very insecure.
I don’t understand why Aaron’s friends seem a bit guarded the first time they meet Ruby

Ezinwanyi wrote: "Chiara wrote: "I’m really liking this book, I adore both Ruby and Aaron and Mariana Zapata is the queen of slow burn romance..but I’m starting to feel she’s dragging this email/chat thing a bit too..."

That was a very bold move, to ask her to finally meet. And I’m proud of her for accepting!
Something similar happened to me too many years ago...it’s nervwrecking to meet for the first time someone you’ve talked to for months and feel so connected to but that, ultimately, is a stranger. So I understood perfectly her feelings, her fears and her palpitations

I have to say that her brother’s friend is a real piece of crap..not only he knew she had a crush on him and didn’t do anything about it, but he basically took advantage of it and slept with her. And afterwards, he acted as an even bigger douchebag telling her it was a huge mistake and that he got caught in the moment... now I understand even more why she’s so closed of and insecure.
And the fact that this guy told her he saw her as “his little sister” made me cringe because it’s the exact same thing Aaron stupidly told her

Chiara wrote: "I have to say that her brother’s friend is a real piece of crap..not only he knew she had a crush on him and didn’t do anything about it, but he basically took advantage of it and slept with her. A..."

She’s thirsty isn’t she? Just so desperate.
I wish he would just tell her what is bothering him. He has to open up to her and she should insist

Ezinwanyi wrote: "Chiara wrote: "I have to say that her brother’s friend is a real piece of crap..not only he knew she had a crush on him and didn’t do anything about it, but he basically took advantage of it and sl..."

Closed off people are really challenging. I'm a person that likes confrontation because if I have to deal with someone that keeps things for himself, I start making up the craziest stories in my mind and this only complicates the situation!

I finished this audiobook. While the Mariana Zapata can shave off 50-75 pages per book, I really enjoyed this one.

I wonder, what was the impetus for Aaron to go for it with her?

Ezinwanyi wrote: "I finished this audiobook. While the Mariana Zapata can shave off 50-75 pages per book, I really enjoyed this one.

I wonder, what was the impetus for Aaron to go for it with her?"

I enjoyed it as well but I was a bit disappointed by the ending and the epilogue.. that's why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. Basically we see nothing on their future and I was expecting a bit more!
I'm glad that in the end he started to be a bit more open with her

What do you feel like reading for July? Or do you need to take a short break?

Ezinwanyi wrote: "What do you feel like reading for July? Or do you need to take a short break?"

Hey Ezi! There are a few books I’d like to read..for example

But if you’re busy with children or vacations, or you need a break it’s totally fine :)

Hey Chiara,
Did you see that 180 Seconds is in the list for PtP 6?
We could BR it unless you have something else in mind to r ad. I admit there were 5 books that caught my eye on the lists 😂