Dear Aaron is the first book that I have read from Mariana Zapata, but I have heard nothing but good things about her and this book really grabbed my attention. While it wasn't my favorite book, it won't be the last I read from her. I really love penpal romance stories, and throw in a sexy soldier and this one sounded like it was made for me. While I enjoyed parts of it though, there were things here I struggled with.
After her brother served time overseas, Ruby signed up for the help a soldier operation. They pair you with a soldier and you write a letter/email a week, sending care packages if you choose to. While Aaron is reluctant to participate at first, eventually they hit it off and a friendship begins to form. But what they never expected was to fall in love through their letters and conversations.
I loved the letters and emails, and as they got closer that those transitioned to IMs. What I didn't love though was that they went on for as long as they did being the entire story. I wanted some story outside of just those conversations and yet that is all there was for the first half of the book! I almost gave up a few times but stuck with it because I knew eventually something had to give. It took a bit longer than I would have liked though. I also felt like Ruby was on the immature side, and that had me rolling my eyes a lot of the time. While I liked Aaron, he was a bit one dimensional. I wanted to get more of who he was, but I never felt like we really did. He was a bit bland. I did like these two and the connection they formed, but I just wanted more.
I knew going in that Mariana Zapata is known for writing slow burn stories with little steam, and that was okay with me. I do feel like the pacing was beyond slow here though, and the letters (while I did like them to some extent) went on for far too long as the only thing happening in the story. I think that once we got past the first half and it only being email/letter correspondence, the story picked up and at that point I was hooked. The second half was so much better for me than the first half and I am glad I didn't give up. I will read more from Mariana, and I am really looking forward to reading The Wall of Winnipeg and Me. I have heard nothing but great things about it, and while I didn't love Dear Aaron, it is clear that Mariana Zapata is a talented writer.
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