Dear Aaron

4.5 stars

Ok so I have read a few Mariana Zapata books at this point and I've enjoyed all of them. So many people say that she is the queen of slow burn and I have to agree with that. I think out of all of the books that I have read by her this is the slowest burning romance so far. I always say that I'm not sure if I love slow burn romances but at the same time I always love the slow burn romances I read. I think my issue is that I am so impatient and I just want the to get together already but at the same time I get hooked on the build up to the relationships. 

When I first started reading this I didn't expect the format. It starts off as emails written back and forth and then IM's and texts and then also normal prose writing. The last half is kind of a mix. Like I said I wasn't expecting that but I did enjoy it. I love when books are written in a mixed media format. 

I loved how the majority of their relationship was built online. They go from being strangers to friends to lovers. I loved their banter throughout. It had me laughing out loud a few times while reading it. They do eventually meet in person and it's a bit awkward which is to be expected but I wish we would have gotten more time with them together. It was a bit repetitive at times as well which was kind of annoying. Also the ending felt a bit rushed and I just wanted so much more of them.

Overall a really great read with some minor complaints from me but I loved it and I definitely plan to read more by this author. 

This book has got me laughing and grinning like an idiot at 2-freaking-a.m. It makes me feel like I'm a young maiden, falling in love all over again. It makes me feel giddy. Jeez.

I like the concept of emails exchange back and forth between Ruby and Aaron. And you can just tell at which point exactly that Aaron has already fallen for Ruby. I like their casual and funny banter. I especially think Ruby is adorable. I love you, Ruby Cubes, even when you admitted you've eaten a sheep's head and you think cow's tongue tastes good (ewww, but only you can get away with that, RC). Aaron got some issues to be resolved, but, man, you're a Prince Charming through and through.

While some people might be dissastisfied with the way the story ends, I actually love it. No cheesy, corny, cringey stuff. This book gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling of being in love. Love it!

“Looking back on it, it's weird thinking about the moments you don't realize are important. The sentences, the touches, the actions that seem so innocent in that second, you take them for granted.” rating-3/5Okay that was..different?? I have a lot to say and also don't really know what to say. i.e. this review is going to be chaos. (just preparing you) My friend recommended this to me and i did have former warning that there were only emails/letters/IMs for about 40% of the book which is why I was prepared. Although I'm pretty sure that if I hadn't been prepared, I'd be constantly thinking about when it would switch to a first person pov. [a:Mariana Zapata 5760202 Mariana Zapata https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1330380214p2/5760202.jpg] definitely did a good job at a unique writing format for this book. (not saying it worked.., but it was unique.)It also had a pretty good premise: An online service that connects soldiers to people who are willing to write to them. Ruby and Aaron meet through HaS (help a soldier) and end up writing to each other for over a year. Soon they become really close and *insert friendship, flirty banter and romance *So potentially, really great plot; although, it somehow didn't end up working for me. A lot of people did not enjoy the first half of the book because of the format and the pace, however it was the reverse for me. I liked the online conversations slightly more than the in-person bit. Don't get me wrong, almost half the book with just random topics of conversation is A lot. Cutting out a few of these chapters definitely would have been more ideal, but it is what it is. I read the online convos as if they were screenshots of texts, instead of thinking of how they contributed to the plot in any manner. This made it easier for me to read them without being exasperated at the lack of direction or plot. What appealed to me in these online convos was how real they seemed. I loved that we could see the protagonists getting more comfortable talking to each other over the course of time. The toilet and butthole jokes weren't for me but Ruby's mother had me laughing out loud at her overprotective nature. I reached for my phone and sent my mom a message telling her I was alive.It was three minutes later I got a response from her that said “Good. Keep it that way.” love that. Overall, the first half of the book was very accurate for an online friendship and well written (only downside: too many chapters).In contrast, i did like a few scenes from the second half of the book but i also have lots of complaints:(➻ I loved the scene where they finally meet, when they first talk on the phone, the beach, etc. All of it was so realistically portrayed and also so cute < 3 FINALLYYY reading from a first person perspective after all of those emails added to the experience for sure.➻The slowburn more like sloooooowburn had me dying (not really sure if it was in a good way or a bad way tbh. i have a love-hate relationship with slowburns.)➻ Ruby's character although very childish for her age, (she seemed more 16 to me than 23 plis) tick lick?? really? was very well written. The anxiousness, self doubt etc. seemed super layered and her character didn't feel flat. Can't say the same about Aaron though. I feel like a few of the chapters from his perspective would've done the trick. The author could've elaborated on the ptsd from being in the army and his family. We feel disconnected to his character because he's more closed off and shares less about himself.➻ The side characters?? the first half of the book did a great job with this. I was intrigued about Jasmine and Ruby's side of the family. But in the second half, Aaron's friends: Max, Des, Britanny and other girl whose name I'm forgetting literally appear once?? I understand that the book focuses on Aaron and Ruby but wtf was that? a cameo?? they are in the book for the length of a car ride and that is about it.➻ Something else i really disliked was how intense their dynamic was. Or rather how intense Ruby's pov was. Loved her inner monologue otherwise, but everytime it had something to do with Aaron, she's SO INTENSE. For example-Aaron says something like:It wasn't until you that I heard myself laugh, Ruby.” and then Ruby's inner monologue T_T:“i sniffed, touched by his words, and so freaking in love with this guy I wanted to make a potion that would make him fall in love with me so I could keep him forever”(yes that is actually in the book, i did not make it up)like this wasn't even one time. EVERYTIME Aaron spoke or made breakfast (which is a lot of times), her monologue had something along those lines. It got very repetitive and annoying to me. sorry not sorry, love romances but this was djfkfkkc.➻ the epilogue? what? I'm so confused? is he living with her or is he back in the army?because they're talking about getting dinner together but also about how he only has to stay in the army for another year?Ruby: How's your day going anyway? Aaron: Fine. Aaron: My CO is in a shit mood Ruby: Sorry. One more year and then you can rethink what you want to do againSo.. is he away from home?Aaron: I touched your face before I left and thought you were feeling warm. Go to the doctor.Aaron: What are we having for dinner? Ruby: Whatever you decide to bring home.Or.. at home?weird. (somebody plis tell me if i missed something)Wow. That was way longer than i intended. But that's all my thoughts in words, so there you have it. Wasn't sure how i was going to rate this because it was very well written, but i didn't really like it? 3 seems fair. This was my first [a:Mariana Zapata 5760202 Mariana Zapata https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1330380214p2/5760202.jpg] book, and there's so many more on my tbr so absolutely can't wait to read those:) you should definitely give [b:Dear Aaron 35404657 Dear Aaron Mariana Zapata https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1497156593l/35404657.SY75.jpg 56654039] a chance and add it to your tbr!

this was a cutesy read, not the usual slow-burn-until-the-first-touch-of-their-lips-makes-me-wanna-die kind of mariana zapata style, but i liked being in Ruby's head

I love almost everything Mariana Zapata writes, and this was no exception. I was reluctant to listen to this audiobook because I'm not a fan of the narrators reading the email captions each time (stuff I tend to skip over when reading), but it wasn't bad and it transitioned later in the book to normal first person narration. 4 stars for now, but may bump it up to 5 if I reread it.

This has to be my least favorite book by one of my favorite authors. It had more to do with the letter writing and Ruby's character than anything else. I wouldn't have minded the email/letter writing format if it was less friendly and more romantic. I know that friendship can lead to falling in love with someone but I didn't see any gradual increase in romantic interest between Aaron and Ruby. They seemed for the most part just really supportive friends. It was obvious when Aaron started falling for Ruby but it was only because the obvious pauses here and there in his texting hinted that he was feeling some type of way.

Ruby's character was a lot more immature than I thought she would be because she has had more experience with men than I have but her anxiety around them was a lot more pronounced than I would expect. Granted I can definitely empathize with her when it comes to being anxious about being in a new environment and social situation but I guess I was expecting her to be more level-headed like other characters the author has written about. My problem with Ruby is more subjective and if you see it coming then I don't think you'll share my opinion so I just wanted to post about it here for anyone who wants to go in with their eyes open.

Dear Aaron was such a sweet slow burn. I love that Mariana Zapata's books are long but they don't feel that way when you're reading them. I loved that Ruby and Aaron got to know each other through email/IM exchanges before they even met in person. Their story was so sweet and mostly drama-free. I didn't want it to be over!