From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata

Enemies-to-lovers, fake-dating, sports romance

5 stars

Jasmine Santos knows she has nearly reached the end of her figure-skating career.  After being betrayed by her pairs partner years ago and gaining a reputation for her response, Jas is pretty much retired with nothing to show for her dedication to the sport.  So imagine her surprise when Ivan Lukov - Ivan Lukov who has won multiple championships, Ivan Lukov whose banners taunt her during practice, Ivan Lukov who she has traded tunes with over the years, Ivan Lukov whose family owns the complex she skates at - asks to partner with her for a year.  Jasmine has sacrificed a lot for figure skating, and she always gave it willingly.  But is this a step she is willing to take if it means a win for her?  And are Jas and Ivan going to be able to work together long enough to make it to the competitions?

What's the point of having an ice rink in your backyard if you don't use it

 to take photos of books about ice skaters?

*spoilers in the review below, and warning for explicit language in the quotes*

The hold this book has on me is so hard to describe that it took me more than two weeks to write this review.  And then several months before posting it so I could read it over and over again making sure I did the book justice.  It’s just that great of a book - I have no words that seem fitting enough to describe it.  It’s so good that I read it twice in one month, and usually if I re-read a book it’s after 6 months minimum.  This book was an instant favorite. 

"I could have been the bigger person, but fuck it, I was five foot three and I wasn't built to be that person ever."

-page 9

From Lukov with Love is an enemies-to-lovers sports romance, with all of the best of all of the tropes, used in a way that is unexpected and fresh. For starters, the sport is figure skating, and I don’t know about you but I haven’t ready many figure skating romances before (hint: just this one, actually). There is also moments that had me laughing out loud, and moments where I felt ready to cry from all the emotions. Jasmine and Ivan bicker and fight and trade insults much easier than compliments, but that only makes it mean so much more when compliments are exchanged. And actions speak louder than words, though these two are just too blind and stubborn to admit what their actions are saying.  (The fact that they both mouth insults to each other feels a little more intimate than they might like to think.)  The chemistry is off the charts, the trust and honesty exchanged between these two is unparalleled, and the sweet moments of concern had me literally sighing out loud.  

"He hugged me so tight to him I couldn't breathe, and I hated myself."

-page 286

I may be exaggerating, but it felt like I highlighted more than half the book while reading, the writing is that good.  The emotions are so strong and while I know next to nothing about figure skating, Zapata writes the sequences in a way that means even I can picture what is going on. Everything is so vivid, down to the minute expressions on the characters’ faces.  Jasmine and Ivan spend a lot of time blinking at each other, and each time I can picture exactly what that blink conveys. (I may sound crazy, but I promise, read this book and you’ll understand.)  

"'Go sit over there.  Away from me.'  He was already watching me with those creepy clear blue eyes.  'No.' I blinked, and he blinked right back at me.  Bitch." 

-page 153

All in all, despite the number of books I read, it takes something special to get me this giddy over a book, to the point where all I want to do is talk about it and then read it again. If you haven’t caught on, I highly recommend reading From Lukov with Love.  Don't forget to share your thoughts with me, because I have plenty!