In New York, Claire is an organizer to the nth degree of everything in her life—work, food, clothes, her apartment. Things need to be in order. Then she meets Matías, a Spanish artist, who thrives in chaos. They fall for each other hard and have a whirlwind courtship. A year later, Claire is questioning the “order” of their relationship and if it can really work while Matías visits family in Spain. When he has an almost-fatal accident, Claire rushes to be with him and discovers only she can see his soul, which has no memories of her. Only she can help him survive if she can convince him to fall in love with her again.

The beauty of this story lies in the complexity of its layers. Multiple points of view lend authenticity to the gravity of the accident and to Claire and Matías’s relationship. The unfolding of their relationship takes place from different perspectives and timelines, which grant the reader deeper insight. The frantic jumbled pace of New York counters the slower, more relaxed pace of Madrid. And the Spanish food . . . get ready to be hungry.

One of the author’s talents lies in the descriptions that draw you in. I could see Matías’s paintings, feel the vibrancy of them, echo Claire’s fascination with his art. The food feels like it was right in front of me, just begging for a taste. And the surety of interweaving the scenes with Matías’s soul feels real and entirely possible. But the element I love the most is the way this story captures the couple’s love. Their passion for each other—sweet and fiery. Their drive for life. The willingness to give each other their all and fight for what they want and need.

Evelyn Skye has done it again with One Year Ago in Spain—a magical journey of romance and self-discovery. By the time you’re done, you’ll have fallen in love with Claire and Matías and want to be with them in Spain.