{"id":30386,"date":"2023-07-05T07:50:47","date_gmt":"2023-07-05T11:50:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/?p=30386"},"modified":"2023-07-05T07:50:50","modified_gmt":"2023-07-05T11:50:50","slug":"review-the-wall-of-winnipeg-and-me-by-mariana-zapata","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/2023\/07\/05\/review-the-wall-of-winnipeg-and-me-by-mariana-zapata\/","title":{"rendered":"Review \u2764\ufe0f The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--themify_builder_content-->\n<div id=\"themify_builder_content-30386\" data-postid=\"30386\" class=\"themify_builder_content themify_builder_content-30386 themify_builder tf_clear\">\n    \t\t\t<!-- module_row -->\n\t<div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_a5fo671 tb_first tf_w tf_clearfix\">\n\t    \t\t\t<div class=\"row_inner col_align_top gutter-narrow tb_col_count_2 tf_box tf_rel\">\n\t\t            <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col3-1 tb_strp671 first\">\n                                                        <div class=\"tb-column-inner tf_box tf_w\">\n                        <!-- module image -->\n<div  class=\"module module-image tb_t8vr671 rounded drop-shadow customBorderRad_top image-center auto_fullwidth tf_mw\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"image-wrap tf_rel tf_mw\">\n\t\t    <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"296\" height=\"445\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/the-wall-of-winnipeg-and-me-mariana-zapata.jpg?resize=296%2C445&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-30387\" title=\"the-wall-of-winnipeg-and-me-mariana-zapata\" alt=\"the-wall-of-winnipeg-and-me-mariana-zapata\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/the-wall-of-winnipeg-and-me-mariana-zapata.jpg?w=296&amp;ssl=1 296w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/the-wall-of-winnipeg-and-me-mariana-zapata.jpg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/the-wall-of-winnipeg-and-me-mariana-zapata.jpg?resize=400%2C601&amp;ssl=1 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 296px) 100vw, 296px\" \/>\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<!-- \/image-wrap -->\n    \n    \t<\/div>\n<!-- \/module image --><!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_5j97671 customBorderRad_bottom repeat \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n    <p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Vanessa Mazur refuses to feel bad for quitting\u2014she knows she\u2019s doing the right thing. The thankless job of personal assistant to the top defensive end in the National Football Organization was always supposed to be temporary. She has plans for her life, and none of them include washing extra-large underwear one more day for a man who could never find it in him to tell her good morning, congratulate her on a job well done, or wish her a happy birthday\u2014even when she was spending it working for him.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">The legendary \u201cWall of Winnipeg\u201d may be adored by thousands, but after two years Van has had enough.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">But when Aiden Graves shows up at her door begging her to come back, she\u2019s beyond shocked. Mr. Walled-Off Emotions is actually letting his guard down for once. And she\u2019s even more dumbstruck when he explains that her job description is about to become even more outrageous: something that takes the \u201cpersonal\u201d in personal assistant to a whole new level.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">What do you say to the man who is used to getting everything he wants?<\/span><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->                    <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col3-2 tb_6ljh671 last\">\n                                                        <div class=\"tb-column-inner tf_box tf_w\">\n                        <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_z940671  repeat \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n    <p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16467 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/3_5-hearts-1.jpg?resize=146%2C44&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"146\" height=\"44\" \/><\/p><hr \/><p><strong>Release Date:<\/strong> Jul 4, 2023<br \/><strong>Heat Level:<\/strong> Hot<br \/><strong>Publisher:<\/strong>\u00a0HarperCollins<br \/><strong>Imprint:<\/strong>\u00a0Avon<br \/><strong>Price:<\/strong> $11.99<\/p><hr \/><p style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><strong>Vanessa<\/strong> wants to pursue her goals of web design, so she musters up the courage to tell her formidable boss, <strong>Aiden,<\/strong> that she quits. Aiden probably has never even heard the word no before since he is so driven and focused. He is The Wall of Winnipeg and is at the top of the National Football Organization.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\">The problem is that Aiden needs Vanessa. He just didn\u2019t realize it until she leaves him. When he finds out that he may face deportation, he has to convince her not only to come back to manage his life but to be his \u201cwife\u201d so he can stay in the country and do the one thing he loves. Aiden just hasn\u2019t really ever communicated with Vanessa much before, so he may have a bit of a hard time.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\">I knew I was getting a slow-burn romance going into this. I\u2019ve read other books by the author, and she is truly the Queen of slow-burn romance. Some may like it, and others will definitely dislike it. This book is very much a slow-burn romance that could have gone a little faster.\u00a0<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\">Vanessa should have said no to Aiden\u2019s request, but she couldn\u2019t help herself. The two work up an agreement to save Aiden\u2019s career. \u00a0Aiden realizes that he doesn\u2019t even know his wife. She has worked with some of her colleagues in the past with their businesses and is just downright attractive. While this may be a temporary fix, Aiden may have to consider his newfound feelings.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\">I honestly thought this was going to be a dud, but let me tell you, once you get past the first half of the book, you get to really delve further into the characters and what is really going on. Aiden went from being a jerk to being such a great book hubby. I loved his passion and all that he gave once we got to see what he was doing behind the scenes. I wonder if the author would have given Aiden\u2019s POV, would the story move at a better pace.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\">Overall, this is a slow burn that takes care with developing the characters and their newfound relationship with one another. Romance readers who love sports and slow-burn romances will enjoy this one.<\/p><p><em>~ Samantha<\/em><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_vgq6671 customBorderRad repeat \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n    <p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3XFoT6p\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Amazon<\/a><\/span><span class=\"s2\">\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/apple.co\/44suPC8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"s3\">iBooks<\/span><\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/the-wall-of-winnipeg-and-me-mariana-zapata\/1123494064?ean=9780063325869\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"s3\">B&amp;N<\/span><\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kobo.com\/us\/en\/ebook\/the-wall-of-winnipeg-and-me-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"s3\">Kobo<\/span><\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/books\/details\/Mariana_Zapata_The_Wall_of_Winnipeg_and_Me?id=dfefEAAAQBAJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"s3\">Google Play<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->                    <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n            \t    <\/div>\n\t    <!-- \/row_inner -->\n\t<\/div>\n\t<!-- \/module_row -->\n\t<\/div>\n<!--\/themify_builder_content-->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Vanessa Mazur refuses to feel bad for quitting\u2014she knows she\u2019s doing the right thing. The thankless job of personal assistant to the top defensive end [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30387,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[79,106,48,50],"tags":[148,216,217,454],"class_list":["post-30386","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avon-books","category-harpercollins","category-reviews","category-samantha","tag-3-5-stars","tag-contemporary","tag-contemporary-romance","tag-sports"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Review \u2764\ufe0f The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata - Smitten by Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/2023\/07\/05\/review-the-wall-of-winnipeg-and-me-by-mariana-zapata\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Review \u2764\ufe0f The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata - Smitten by Books\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Vanessa Mazur refuses to feel bad for quitting\u2014she knows she\u2019s doing the right thing. 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The thankless job of personal assistant to the top defensive end in the National Football Organization was always supposed to be temporary. She has plans for her life, and none of them include washing extra-large underwear one more day for a man who could never find it in him to tell her good morning, congratulate her on a job well done, or wish her a happy birthday\u2014even when she was spending it working for him.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The legendary \u201cWall of Winnipeg\u201d may be adored by thousands, but after two years Van has had enough.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But when Aiden Graves shows up at her door begging her to come back, she\u2019s beyond shocked. Mr. Walled-Off Emotions is actually letting his guard down for once. And she\u2019s even more dumbstruck when he explains that her job description is about to become even more outrageous: something that takes the \u201cpersonal\u201d in personal assistant to a whole new level.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">What do you say to the man who is used to getting everything he wants?<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/3_5-hearts-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"146\" height=\"44\" \/><\/p><hr \/><p><strong>Release Date:<\/strong> Jul 4, 2023<br \/><strong>Heat Level:<\/strong> Hot<br \/><strong>Publisher:<\/strong>\u00a0HarperCollins<br \/><strong>Imprint:<\/strong>\u00a0Avon<br \/><strong>Price:<\/strong> $11.99<\/p><hr \/><p style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><strong>Vanessa<\/strong> wants to pursue her goals of web design, so she musters up the courage to tell her formidable boss, <strong>Aiden,<\/strong> that she quits. Aiden probably has never even heard the word no before since he is so driven and focused. He is The Wall of Winnipeg and is at the top of the National Football Organization.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\">The problem is that Aiden needs Vanessa. He just didn\u2019t realize it until she leaves him. When he finds out that he may face deportation, he has to convince her not only to come back to manage his life but to be his \u201cwife\u201d so he can stay in the country and do the one thing he loves. Aiden just hasn\u2019t really ever communicated with Vanessa much before, so he may have a bit of a hard time.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\">I knew I was getting a slow-burn romance going into this. I\u2019ve read other books by the author, and she is truly the Queen of slow-burn romance. Some may like it, and others will definitely dislike it. This book is very much a slow-burn romance that could have gone a little faster.\u00a0<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\">Vanessa should have said no to Aiden\u2019s request, but she couldn\u2019t help herself. The two work up an agreement to save Aiden\u2019s career. \u00a0Aiden realizes that he doesn\u2019t even know his wife. She has worked with some of her colleagues in the past with their businesses and is just downright attractive. While this may be a temporary fix, Aiden may have to consider his newfound feelings.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\">I honestly thought this was going to be a dud, but let me tell you, once you get past the first half of the book, you get to really delve further into the characters and what is really going on. Aiden went from being a jerk to being such a great book hubby. I loved his passion and all that he gave once we got to see what he was doing behind the scenes. I wonder if the author would have given Aiden\u2019s POV, would the story move at a better pace.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\">Overall, this is a slow burn that takes care with developing the characters and their newfound relationship with one another. Romance readers who love sports and slow-burn romances will enjoy this one.<\/p><p><em>~ Samantha<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3XFoT6p\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Amazon<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/apple.co\/44suPC8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">iBooks<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/the-wall-of-winnipeg-and-me-mariana-zapata\/1123494064?ean=9780063325869\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">B&amp;N<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kobo.com\/us\/en\/ebook\/the-wall-of-winnipeg-and-me-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kobo<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/books\/details\/Mariana_Zapata_The_Wall_of_Winnipeg_and_Me?id=dfefEAAAQBAJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Play<\/a><\/strong><\/p>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30386","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30386"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30386\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30394,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30386\/revisions\/30394"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30387"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30386"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30386"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30386"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}