Love of My Lives has lovely, sensual prose and a lot of good things going for it, including its wonderful heroine and a romance that sings. Just one thing kept this from being a flat-out A, otherwise it’s a wonderful little slice of magical realism.

Madi Ramírez has been waiting for her perfect man, as ordained by destiny and the prophetic dream she had in which her beloved and late abuela appeared and told her she was destined to fall in love with a man whose initials are JR.

Years later, successful yoga studio leader Madi thinks she’s found the right guy in Jayden, but she slowly comes to realize he’s not the affectionate fellow she needs in her life.

Needing time to clear her head, she jumps at the chance to do just that offered by a business trip to Puerto Rico. That way she can scatter her abuela’s ashes into the ocean as she always wished, and take a little time in the sun to think things out. To her shock, she meets a man whom she has instant and intense chemistry with during the trip – but his name is Peter. Can true love still bloom for Madi, no matter the name of her intended?

Love of my Lives combines a wonderful heroine who is worth rooting for, a hero who is a surprise down to his core, believable and tender romantic elements, and a strong family connection that made me smile. I really loved the simplicity of the plot, and the warmth of Madi’s connection to her past and her family shine.

Madi is very winning, if very imperfect, while Peter is very charming. And the romance between them is tender and well-reasoned.

So what makes this an A-? The last half of the book is absolutely rushed, especially when it comes to the resolution of the Big Mis. Otherwise Love of my Lives is a sweet-tempered, magic-tinged romance that’s well worth reading.