I am mortified to admit this is only the second book of Leslie McAdam’s that I have read. I fell in love with her words when I found Sol last year and this book - second book in the Love in Translation series - is just as fabulous as that one. I really need to make time to read more of Leslie’s books as her writing is fabulous and her characters are just so captivating. “I like it when you’re with me, whether it’s in the sun or the shadow. But I’m most interested in those parts of you that you don’t show anyone else.” Sombra - Spainish for shadow - tells the story of Gustavo “Tavo” de la Guerra, a Spanish man living and working on his family’s olive farm just outside of the city of Grenada in Spain. Having met him in Sol, we know that he’s a charmer and a great friend to Trent and Dani. Tavo’s world is turned upside down when he picks up US student Kim Brown from the airport as she has hired out a spare room in his family home while she studies at the local university and immerses herself in all things Spanish. The attraction between these two is palpable and the chemistry undeniable, but with Kim promised to another back home and Tavo meant to marry the next door neighbour’s daughter to help save his farm ... are things over between these two before they get a chance to begin?? This story had me hooked from the first page and I devoured it in less than a day. I fell in love with the romantic, sexy and charming Tavo - even more so when we discover what he likes in the bedroom 😉😍 - and his connection with Kim was so genuine and never forced that even though their growing love could come across as “insta-love”, it never feels that way. And I loved Kim and the strength she displayed as she hopped on a plane for the very first time in her life and went to another country to live for a few months. Her desire to find herself away from her loved ones was so admirable and I respected her decision so very much. Sombra is all about being true to oneself. Being able to accept the light and the dark parts and finding someone who you can truly trust and genuinely love to share all of yourself with. This resonated really deeply with me and gave me pause to think about my own life, my own shadows and I love a book that becomes more than just a story on the page, but something that has real impact and real influence on my life. Leslie is a master of creating stories that are about more than just the romance and I love the ideas, the characters, the setting...ok EVERYTHING... that she gives us in Sombra. A definite must read book, Sombra is one I won’t be forgetting in a hurry!! nicandbooks ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Amazon/Goodreads ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️