Kulti by Mariana Zapata

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Title: Kulti
Author: Mariana Zapata
Published by: Tantor Audio
Release Date: July 28, 2015
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Callie Dalton
Length: 16 hours and 13 minutes
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Sports Romance
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2018 #LetsReadIndie Challenge, Lenoreo's 2018 Platypire Diversity Challenge
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ B&N ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ IndieBound ✩ iTunes
My rating:

Blurb:

“Trust me, I’ve wanted to punch you in the face a time or five.”

When the man you worshipped as a kid becomes your coach, it’s supposed to be the greatest thing in the world. Keywords: supposed to.

It didn't take a week for 27-year-old Sal Casillas to wonder what she'd seen in the international soccer icon - why she'd ever had his posters on her wall or ever envisioned marrying him and having super-playing soccer babies.

Sal had long ago gotten over the worst non-break-up in the history of imaginary relationships with a man who hadn't known she'd existed. So she isn't prepared for this version of Reiner Kulti who shows up to her team's season: a quiet, reclusive shadow of the explosive, passionate man he'd once been.

My Review:

4.5 stars — OK, this is one of those books that would probably have been a 4 star book if I’d read it myself, but listening to Callie Dalton narrate it pretty much sent it out of the stratosphere!  She was AMAZING as a narrator, definitely going to be put into my top faves.  I ADORED the voices she used, I ADORED the emotions she put in…FUCK.  I adored EVERYTHING.  She made me laugh and laugh and laugh.  There’s NO WAY I would have laughed nearly as hard if I was reading it myself.  All you have to do is listen to her narrate a conversation between Sal and her Dad and you’ll understand what I mean.  I actually had to recap whole scenes for my husband because they delighted me that much.  So I 100%, without a shadow of a doubt, encourage everyone to check this out on audio.  I realize 16+ hours sounds daunting, but while any other time I listen to an audiobook I tend to listen at specific times, and read a separate Kindle book the rest of the time…with this one I just couldn’t put it down.  I even brought my headphones to bed and continued listening.  I was completely enraptured with the story, and I could listen to Callie as Sal FOREVER and never be sad about that.  Even though I’ve already read a few other books by Ms. Zapata, I’m tempted to go back and listen to them in audiobook just to test my theory.

OK, enough gushing about Ms. Dalton.  She can only do that good of a job if she has a solid book to read.  Ms. Zapata gave me humour and heart and ups and downs and flawed characters and redemption.

I loved Sal and Rey, but they had to work hard for their redemption.  Especially Reiner.  He was…not an upstanding guy.  I’ve found this a lot in the heroes in Ms. Zapata’s books.  They’re often quiet, sullen, almost bully-like.  I will admit that isn’t attractive to me.  What made me accept it in this case is that Sal was such a strong character that she didn’t put up with his shit.  Sure, she had her moments of self-doubt, but it was never at the hands of him.  It was always the other girls, or coaches, or whatever.  She always put him in his place.  And so I was able to accept it.  I don’t mind flawed heroes, for sure…but sometimes it’s hard when I don’t see remorse.  There was some of that here.  The thing that Ms. Zapata gets you with is the other side to the heroes…the ways she makes your heart hurt for him.  I could truly understand that this man didn’t have any good friends, and wasn’t used to someone caring about him.  Insert crying emoji.  And so seeing Sal get to him was…UGH.  SO GOOD.  It’s this other side that makes me not hate the heroes.  They have depth, and there is more than meets the eye.

Sal was fucking spectacular.  Seriously.  Total book girl crush.  She was such a good person deep down, and she tried so hard.  I can honestly say that while I have nothing in common with her competitive spirit, and am actually a bit anathema to that, I still connected with her and understood why *she* felt it.  I think that’s the sign of a great writer, when they can make you relate to someone even when certain traits of theirs are so different from your own.  Sal was…I don’t think I can do her justice.  She was strong, brave, feisty…sweet, sensitive…she truly noticed her fellow man and wanted to help them.  I *can* relate to that part.  Her dedication to her sport, and the amount of work she put into it was truly inspiring.

I didn’t even mind the slow burn in this one, b/c by this point in my Mariana Zapata reading career, I know to expect it.  And it felt right.  They relationship developed at the perfect speed IMO.  And there were so many sweet moments, moments that just made me swoon.  They were such an odd couple, but they *fit* together.

I LOVED Sal’s many fantastic friendships — from Jenny and Harlow, to Mark, and even Coach Gardner.  They all added to the story, and it was nice to see so many different friendships that were all very supportive and healthy.

BUT.  Her friendship with her Dad was the absolute fucking standout.  I have never read a familial relationship I loved more than Sal and her Dad’s.  Swear.  I died every time they had a conversation…both from laughing, and just from the sweetness of it.

So yeah.  To say this was a hit is probably an understatement.  I finished this yesterday and I’m still suffering from book hangover…it was that enjoyable.