A new adult contemporary romance duology about falling in love with someone you can't have and the heartbreaking mess that unfolds when you take a chance and follow your heart.From the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of THE PACT and WHERE SEA MEETS SKY comes a BOX SET of the bestselling novels Love, in English and Love, in Spanish, available only for a LIMITED TIME.Find out why so many readers, bloggers and authors have called Love, in English the best contemporary romance of 2014 and continue on with Vera and Mateo's tumultuous love affair with Love, in Spanish.Praise for Love, in "Unforgettable. Love, In English is addictive complete with amazing writing and many heartwarming moments that anyone looking for their next brilliant read should look no further." - Shhh Mom's Reading"Stormy. Passionate. Gripping. A tumultuous story with ups and downs, with shades of gray and vibrant colors. It's a story about choices and emotions, bravery and fate, of boldly being yourself and fighting for the destiny we choose." - Vilma's Book Blog Love in English He’s thirty-eight. I’m twenty-three.He speaks Spanish. I speak English.He lives in Spain. I live in Canada.He dresses in thousand-dollar suits. I’m covered in tattoos.He’s married and has a five-year old daughter.I’m single and can’t commit to anyone or anything.Until now.Because when they say you can’t choose who you fall in love with, boy ain’t that the damn truth.***To a restless dreamer like Vera Miles, it sounded like the experience of a lifetime. Instead of spending her summer interning for her astronomy major, she would fly to Spain where she’d spend a few weeks teaching conversational English to businessmen and women, all while enjoying free room and board at an isolated resort. But while Vera expected to get a tan, meet new people and stuff herself with wine and paella, she never expected to fall in love.Mateo Casalles is unlike anyone Vera has ever known, let alone anyone she’s usually attracted to. While Vera is a pierced and tatted free spirit with a love for music and freedom, Mateo is a successful businessman from Madrid, all sharp suits and cocky Spanish charm. Yet, as the weeks go on, the two grow increasingly close and their relationship changes from purely platonic to something…more.Something that makes Vera feel alive for the first time.Something that can never, ever be.Or so she thinks.Praise for Love, in "Angst, drama, and HOT HOT love scenes, expect to experience a riot of emotions that culminate in the perfect kind of ending." - NYT Bestselling author A.L. Jackson"Halle created a singular seductive atmosphere in this novel and I was enthralled by it. I lost myself in Mateo’s beautiful heartwarming declarations as well as steamy passionate encounters. Five stars." - Reading is my Breathing Love, in Spanish Successful, wealthy and absurdly handsome – Spanish ex-football player Mateo Casalles seemed like he had it all. A high-society wife, an adorable little girl, and flashy apartments in Madrid and Barcelona only sweetened the deal.
Karina Halle is a screenwriter, former music & travel journalist, and the New York Times bestselling author of Grave Matter, Blood Orange, & The Royals Next Door, as well as 80 other romances across all sub-genres, ranging from spicy rom coms to gothic horror and dark fantasy. Needless to say, whatever you're into, she's probably written an HEA for it.
When she's not traveling, she, her husband, and their pup Perry, split their time between a possibly haunted 120 year-old house in Victoria, BC, and their condo in Los Angeles.
Noteworthy experiences whilst reading this book (best parts, worst parts, quotes etc, personal opinions):
I'd heard many things about the infamous Mateo Casalles, I've seen his name on best book boyfriend lists, t-shirts and all over my fellow blogger friends pages (Nina Grinstead huge fan!) plus I had yet to experience the great writing of Karina, something I wanted to tick off my book bucket list before I attend RARE next month. Mateo did not disappoint, yes he's Spanish, suave, hot as hell but super super nice too, I didn't know if I wanted to throw him down and hump him or just hug him to death, and Vera my heart grew so much for her character, she is so young, but has had so much thrown at her in her short life, it's left her experienced yet so naive, she's a keeper. I also loved how Karina captured all the individual characters so perfectly it's like you was in the resort with them Lauren the vegan, Claudia, Jerry, Angelo I loved them all.
I had a conversation with a friend who said as it's centred around cheating (which is a no go for some readers) she wasn't sure, my response was whilst yes it's an element, but it's not the main focus, it's not a love triangle, it's not heavy on the drama of cheating, it's focuses on what happens when you fall in love, really fall in love.
Rate on a scale of 1-10 (10 being exceptional) Quality of Writing: 10 Pace: 9 Plot Development:10 Characters: 10 Enjoyability: 10 Insightfulness: 10 Ease of Reading: 10
Out of 5 stars how would you rate this book overall? 5 so glad I met Mateo!
Would you recommend this books to friends/family YES/NO? YES
5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite Karina Halle series bundled up?! Yes, please! April 9, 2015
By Jessica Sotelo (Angie and Jessica's Dreamy Reads)
Wow!!!! This is my absolute favorite Karina Halle series.... a box set with both books bundled together for pennies is a STEAL! This is flawless writing, a gripping story, beautiful imagery and a fantastic, unforgettable love story!!! An absolute must read!!
Love, in English - "Love, In English is a luminous love story; it's beauty and culture and romance and sex, and it's heartbreaking and taboo. It's a story of two would-be lovers doing everything right and everything wrong, when in the end, none of that matters because their fate was written in the stars. This book consumed me from the very first page and hasn't let go of me since. This story is like nothing I've ever encountered. The story is so original, so different, so raw and real. And the characters are the likes of which we've never seen before in fiction. I can't quite articulate all the reasons I loved this book. I'm still waiting for the rest of me to catch up, as parts of me are still in Spain, drinking wine under the sun and falling in love."
Love, in Spanish - "Often, as readers, we're given a sequel where authors throw their characters through a gamut of unnecessary drama and angst just for the sake of angst. This is not that book and Karina Halle is not that author. This book feels very real, the story unfolding in the most unfortunate but most likely course of events that would transpire after where the first book left them. Love, In Spanish is a runaway train, all sense of contentment and certainty Mateo and Vera found at the conclusion of LIE rapidly flying off the rails. It's a painful, gut-wrenching, nerve wracking journey, with a soft landing unlikely and the passengers powerless to stop it. But it's real and raw and perfect in all its realness. Karina Halle's 'Love, In English' is a poignant, harrowing love story, captivating the reader with every word, evoking glorious pain and splendid joy in a way only this author truly can."
So I bought theses books on a whim. I was not disappointed! Effing brilliant! I laughed and I cried. Boy did I cry!! This is the story of Vera and Mateo (swoon) and their rocky road to love. Mateo is off at a work program to learn conversational English and meets the wild tattooed and pierced Vera. Sparks fly. They are separated by countries and thr ocean and that love builds. Mateo makes some major life decisions and drags Vera into his mess. Can I say I hated his ex wife. Lord help me that woman made me want to punch puppies. I get the whole woman scourned but damn! One book is told from her side and one is told from his but it's not a retelling of events. Karina you write such beautiful words. I felt I was there in the room doing the intense scenes. I felt Mateos love. I felt Veras determination to be her own person. I just felt. Good book and good job!!!
Book 1: 3 stars, maybe 4 Book 2: 2 stars and a DNF at around 50%
Book1: Characterization: Chick well fleshed out mostly. Dude was pretty vague but still likable. Setting: Fantastic. Really got a good feel for the place, all the secondary characters and interactions for the situation. Towards the end, was getting really tired of this chick who originally came off as a somewhat strong individual and then literally became a candidate for institutionalism. After about the 70% mark, the plot just dragged and we were having the same complaints, the same issues without anyone getting anywhere. I was just begging for her to leave and do something else wether it be going completely crazy or jumping off a bridge. Please, jump off a bridge and by ending your life, bring life back into this book! I love me some angst and self torture but something actually has to happen or you have make time pass more quickly without drowning the reader in rehash after rehash after rehash. At some point, you have to fucking move on!
Book 2: At about the 50% mark, I'm just so sick of the same old song and dance from the previous novel. This should have been rectified by now and a new song should have been halfway over by now. Chick- I'm hating her again. Ready for her to go jump off another bridge or be shot by the ex or have the child strangle her while she's napping on the balcony that starts to exist in the second book but not in the first book. I make it two more pages before the ex-wife calls and now I know that we never got over the original issue but going back to it!!! Gah! I thought we were over that and now we are going back??? Nope, I'm outta here!
Overall: My suggestion is to read book 1 and then just pretend there's a HEA. Don't even bother with book 2. With that being said, I am leaving this on my iPad as I might go back and skim through the rest to see if it gets any better but I'm not holding out any hope. I certainly need a break from all the self loathing that should be ending in suicide. Really. I hate to say that but I really think the only way out is a tragic death. And if that happens, I will so up my rating, BTW. This one goes into my "mind fuck" category because I'm actually wanting a suicide. Ugh, now I'm all self loathing for feeling that way.
Are you kidding me? Both of these books together? I'm sold!! Having read them both already I'm really happy to see them packaged together. They deserve to be together after all! Here are some thoughts I pulled from my reviews. Love, in English: Love, in English is so much more than your typical romance. It’s about accepting who you are. It’s about not letting your past define you. It’s about allowing yourself to love in the face of adversity. It’s about embracing life and spreading your wings to fly. I have NEVER connected to a story quite like I did with this one. I have NEVER cried as much as I did reading Vera’s story. I have NEVER had a book stay with me for as long as Love, in English has stayed.
Love, in Spanish: Love, in Spanish is the story after the fairy tale. It’s what happens when the first book ends, when the credits roll after you’ve watched your favorite romantic comedy. Only this time, Love, in Spanish is told from Mateo’s point of view. I wouldn’t say this is a standalone. You really should read Love, in English first. You need to see the whole picture before picking up where the first book ends. Mateo oozes from the pages of Love, in Spanish and I stayed right there soaking him all up, all night long. I felt his pain. I appreciated his journey. I loved how he loved.
Karina Halle has the ability to strip you bare, tear down your walls, rip away the layers and make you feel all these intense emotions. She takes you on a journey to foreign lands and allows you to explore those places with just her words, making you want to be on the next flight out. Karina Halle writes with maturity, eloquence, and passion.
I know I'm in the minority here, but I could not see this relationship working in the long run. Vera was just to immature. Vera is all about getting drunk, and not focused on building a relationship. Vera in the first book is so different from the self centered, self indulgent girl in the second book. I really had a hard time finishing the second book, because I no longer like Vera, and I thought Mateo deserved better.
I really enjoyed the book, but I would have liked to read about more of the tough stuff. I will say that if reading about extra-marital affairs isn't your thing, then just stay clear of this story. I love this type of read, as nothing is simply right or wrong to me when dealing with this particular subject matter. I liked that this author had the characters acknowledge their wrongs and didn't just skate around the issue.
Well written and easy to read. That's theme was interesting,prejudice,and
how's locals feel about immigrants and their culture. But I just crying to much and sometimes laugh when Vera and Mateo talked. I think they suffering to much and just wants to read they expect the baby to finish the happy ending. But it's okay I'm highly recommended:::::::: the first time I read from you Karina Halle !!!!! THANKS
This duet had me on an emotional rollercoaster! Mateo, Mateo, Mateo! Gah, he was sweet, loving, passionate, emotional and his ability to handle all of the consequences of his divorce and relationship with Vera, were amazing! I laughed, cried, felt sad for them and even felt bad for them! It was an awesome, turbulent, journey with this couple. I enjoyed every word!
Loved these books! Bought them together to have in a set. The stories should be read together, back to back with no time in between. I really enjoy this author 's way of travel story-telling. Characters from these books have their own travel stories in "When Sea Meets Sky" (New Zealand) and "Racing the Sun" (Italy), also excellent stories with great characters and vicarious travel.
Simple, predictable, lack of good characters, poor dialogs, and painfully inaccurate about Spain, its custums, culture and language. Equivalent to placing kanguroos in Vancuver.
Lovely. Well written except with a few glaring editing issues (wrong, misused, &/or missing words) that should have probably been caught before releasing the bundle, if not sooner.
This is the story of the unlikely pairing of a tatted-up 23 year old free-spirited Canadian student and a married 38 year old ex-footballer-turned-reluctant-restauranteur Spaniard who fall in love. How many of us carry the emotional baggage that makes us believe we don't deserve love and happiness and therefore self-sabotage when presented with the wonder of finding that love and happiness? This story will break your heart and then put it back together again....and so ends Love, in English.
While Love, in English is told from Vera's POV, Love, in Spanish is told through Mateo's POV and I found myself annoyed with him as this phase of their romance unfolds because the solution to their problem is so obvious, and one that he's even considered early in the story. Despite this, he seems unable to make the connection which I found made him weak. I understand that we need the conflict to get to their HEA but it just makes me feel that this sequel was a perhaps unnecessary.
I rarely dote out 1 star reviews so I'll give a small explanation... I did not like Vera or Mateo, they just weren't likeable characters and their personalities fell flat. I felt no connection to either of them. No sense of kinship, loyalty, or empathy. I do not love books that relate to infidelity but I read them often and enjoy them usually. The age gap was huge, it seemed he was having some sort of midlife crisis at 38 where he wanted to have an affair with a 23 year old. He had a wife and children. I don't know. Usually the cheating in the books I read is more juvenile and more forgivable? There were also grammar errors both in English and Spanish and I noticed several within the first 20% of the book which is always a turnoff. I noticed several of the Amazon reviews seemed to notice this but not many on Goodreads. This was from the copy of Love in Duology.
Love in English was one of the best books I read last year and it got a full 5 plus stars from me...Love in Spanish is what happens after that book and although I loved this author's work, it didn't quite have the same impact as the first in the series. Here you get both books together bundled (which is how it should be...no waiting to find out what happens next) and I have to take a bit off for the way I didn't quite get Vera's behavior in the newest book. Still a really romantic, funny and passionate series though (I want to go to Spain so bad after reading this) and I recommend it to romance readers who love a really good story with their steamy scenes.
***** 4.5 ***** "love in any language is love" stars
What a profound and emotionally charged read that delves into the complexities of love and infidelity. This series explores themes of forbidden love and betrayal, but it's about so much more than just cheating. The connection between the characters is intense and deeply heartfelt, transcending the typical boundaries of romance. Halle masterfully captures the raw emotions and intricate dynamics that define their relationship, making it a compelling and unforgettable journey. The story is beautifully written, with each page pulling at your heartstrings and leaving you yearning for more. It's a testament to the power of love and the resilience of the human heart, making it a must-read for anyone who enjoys a deeply moving and thought-provoking romance.
I absolutely loved these books. They are emotional, realistic, and dramatic. They are an example of true love. I’ve read them and listened on Audible many times!
I finished this book earlier and at lunch, a soccer game was on. As I was thinking that I can't ever watch soccer without thinking about Mateo, I find out that one of the teams playing is actually Atletico.
I read this for the 2015 Popsugar Reading Challenge. 16. A book from an author you love that you haven't read yet
I love Karina Halle's writing, and I've read most of her books.
4.5 stars! Vera and Mateo's story is all neatly tied up in this bundle.....but this love story will expose you to every emotion you may or may not have experienced.....what a roller coaster ride...remember to reach high at the peak and reach for your STAR! Mateo kept reaching
What a beautiful story about love. Love knows no boundaries; age, distance, nationality can not deny it. Troubles will come but love will overcome them and come out stronger on the other side. Loved Vera and Mateo's story!!
I have a book hangover mode from this series. I might have found the love of my life in Mateo. Fictionally speaking of course! More to come when I can sort out my thoughts. I absolutely loved this series.
What an incredible journey!! I wasn't sure about the adultery aspect, but I fell in love with the charming Mateo and the care free Vera. I highly recommend your books and have thoroughly enjoyed taking the break from reality and losing myself in your books. Thank you.