Ladies, gentlemen and In-Betweens...I present to you Lucas Martín.
Don't let that cartoon cover trick you...this has steam..(Albeit, not too much, you can still safely read this without being overwhelmed)

I haven't read The Spanish Love Deception and I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. It works really well as a standalone though. The two main characters from The Spanish Love Deception do come up in this book but their story is not spoiled for readers who have not read their book.
So, in short, you can absolutely read this book as a standalone.

From the beginning I felt the tension between Rosie and Lucas. It was the gritty and desirable tension that one would want in a romance novel. The slow-burn was killing me. It always does...yet I love it. The yearning and pining for each other yet not saying a thing is the best kind of trope one could include in a book.

I will admit this book was full of tropes; one bed, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, slow burn, etc.
It did feel a little overwhelming to have so many tropes thrown at me, as the reader, and I would have much preferred if there was a little less.

Even with all these tropes, though, I still adored this book and the two main characters. I loved how much respect Lucas had for Rosie. Not once did he disrespect her decisions or try to override them. He was patient and kind at every moment. He cared so much for her and Rosie was completely oblivious to this for ages. (How dare she!?)
This could be said for both of the characters though. Lucas wasn't entirely sure what Rosie felt and vice versa.

The ending was a real roller-coaster. I was happy, upset, angry and then I was relieved and over-the-moon. Elena Armas really put me through my feels at the end ...and throughout the entire book.

I definitely recommend this book if you love a good slow-burn romance!