Allison: Her Perfect Affair | Priscilla Oliveras | Book Review

A ZEBRA SHOUT FRESH NEW ROMANCE The Fernandez sisters have always had big dreams, and the talent and drive to pursue them. And in this sunny, spicy new series, each one will discover that success is that much sweeter when love follows . . . Rosa Fernandez doesn't act on impulse--she's the responsible one, planning her career with precision, finally landing a job as the librarian at conservative Queen of Peace Academy, confining her strongest emotions to her secret poetry journal. But she's been harboring a secret crush on dreamy Jeremy Taylor, and after one dance with him at her sister's wedding, Rosa longs to let loose for the first time. She deserves some fun, after all. So what if she doesn't have a shot with Jeremy, not with his wealthy pedigree and high profile lifestyle. But one dance leads to one kiss, and soon Rosa is head-over-heels . . .

The adopted son of a prominent Chicago lawyer, Jeremy has a lot to live up to--especially with his birth father in prison--the perfect example of a bad example. With a big promotion and a move to Japan in the works, Jeremy is worlds away from settling down. But sweet, steady Rosa is a temptation he doesn't want to deny himself, at least for now. Yet when their simple fling turns complicated, everything they've both worked for is threatened--except the red-hot intimacy they've found together. Can forever really grow from just-for-now?

Her Perfect Affair by Priscilla Oliveras is the second book in the Matched To Perfection series. This book follows the story of the middle Fernandez sister, Rosa and her long-time crush Jeremy. You’re first introduced to these characters in the first book of the series His Perfect Partner but, you don’t necessarily have to read the first book to get to know them or their relationship. It is all fleshed out within the pages of their own story.

As I mentioned, Rosa is the middle sister, and she is the one with the set list of goals and aspirations that need to be accomplished. She doesn’t make quick decisions. She tends to overthink things until the original option is no long even there. Yet, on the night of her sister Yazmine’s wedding, she decides to take a risk and have one night together with her secret crush Jeremy. Of course, the one time she takes a risk is the one time that there are self-viewed repercussions for her actions, and she ends up being pregnant.

Jeremy is Yazmine’s best friend so he has been involved with the Fernandez family for a long time. He doesn’t expect to find himself attracted to Rosa but, the more he thinks about it the more he is unable to resist it. There is definitely a strong temptation there for both characters. When Jeremy finds out that Rosa is pregnant he is determined to do the “right” thing and marry her. As Her Perfect Affair explains repeatedly, he has several reasons for this but the main one comes from the fact that his biological father is in jail, and he doesn’t even want to be anything like him, or be viewed as a man that would abandon his child or his child’s mother. I loved that Jeremy was a man of his word in terms of being there for Rosa regardless of her decision on marriage and that he was patient and gentle while she was trying to figure out exactly where she stood with him and their child.

Rosa doesn’t want to marry Jeremy out of guilt or for the sake of the child but, she is conflicted because she feels that it may be the right thing to do. Her new job at a local Catholic school is also in jeopardy once the news of her pregnancy breaks. There are also complications with her pregnancy which force her and Jeremy to have some serious talks about their future and the well-being of their child. I loved Rosa’s willingness to take responsibility for her actions and not take what may be perceived as the easy way out for the benefit of herself or her child. The time that the two of them spend together also makes them realized that there may be something more there, not just emotions on the surface but real, true, deep feelings of love.

I enjoyed the romance between Rosa and Jeremy. There were a lot of sweet moments between them and it was interesting to watch them try to navigate the terms of their relationship together. The Catholic religion plays a huge role in both of these characters lives and the decisions with they make. They both feel a sense of Catholic guilt for the things that are happening to them both presently and in the past. They both just wanted to do what was right especially in the eyes of their families and community. The sense of family and community brings a warmth to the book that is much needed especially in the midst of a pregnancy complications. Overall, I enjoyed the second book in the Matched To Perfection series. In comparison to the first one, I found Her Perfect Affair to have the right balance between the family dynamics and the relationship of Rosa and Jeremy. I also enjoyed the look into what was happening with Yaz and Tomas now as a newly married couple. The last book in the series follows the youngest sister Lily, and I look forward to seeing what kind of mischief she can get into!