Priscilla Oliveras Smashes Stereotypes with ‘Island Affair’
The perfect pandemic getaway.
When it comes to the romance genre, more often than not, it’s easy to fall into a reading slump. What one reader may find swoon-worthy, another will find cringe-worthy. It was my delight to come across Priscilla Oliveras’ Island Affair after a slump of my own.
It didn’t taken long to escape into this dreamy fake dating romance, but that escape wasn’t all just Key West sunshine. In fact, Oliveras has crafted a world full of characters that are real, and flawed, and a reminder that even the most wonderful vacations can’t help you escape entirely.
Island Affair follows the story of Sara Vance, a social media influencer with a penchant for pleasing her family, who is also recovering from an eating disorder and Luis Navarro, a Key West native and firefighter who compensates for his inability to deal with his emotions by saving people’s lives.
On face value, the pair seem like an unlikely couple — and that’s true, really, since they make the decision to fake date approximately 5 minutes after Sara lands at the airport. But she’s desperate to keep the cool with her picture-perfect family who has had a tough time lately, with her mother’s cancer diagnosis. Luis, recently put on administrative leave, is game to play the role if it means he doesn’t have to confront his own demons or his younger brother, Enrique.
The Fake Dating Conundrum
With fake dating romances — it’s either hit or miss. It’s believable or too cheesy. Oliveras straddles this scale expertly, so to say. Her characters are authentic, and their development is gradual. At face value, the deal between Luis and Sara sounds dreamy, and it is, but as the story unravels readers learn that much like the characters themselves, love is complicated.
Ultimately, the book is romantic, but not unrealistic. There are boundaries and hesitancies and needed call outs. But there’s also charm, and an undeniable sense of warmth and self-awareness. Simply put, it’s genuine.
The ‘com’ part of rom-com’s are usually shaky for me. Humor is a fickle thing that is hard to replicate without making it overdramatic — or worse — crass. But even here, Oliveras shines. The comedy isn’t cringey at all.
Stereotype Smasher
But perhaps my favorite part about this novel is how Oliveras smashes stereotypes. Most people hear the words ‘social media influencer’ and roll their eyes, like a default setting. Sara is natural, kind, and passionate about her work in a way that clues readers in to how the daunting the social world works. With Luis, he’s an intriguing combination of traditional masculine characteristics and a soft, loving heart — but when he does close off, Sara isn’t afraid to call him out on it.
She is fragile, yet strong. He is damaged, yet gentle.
And they not only fit together perfectly, but encourage the other to be the best version of themselves. The best romance novels capture this tug-and-pull dynamic successfully.
Oliveras perfectly combines Latinx culture, authentic romance, and real characters in the first installment of her “Keys to Love” series. This book has skyrocketed her to the top of my favorite authors list and, if the descriptions, metaphors, and overall writing quality of this book are any indication of future installments — I have a feeling she’ll stay there.
Island Affair is the perfect pandemic getaway. It’s a vacation from the baggage, expectations, and limitations we impose on ourselves, but it’s also a stark reminder that you can’t jet away from your issues. You have to bring them with you wherever you go. But that doesn’t mean they have define you.
