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The Wall of Winnipeg and Me

Mariana Zapata

4.25
207,481 ratings · 21,760 reviews

Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Romance (2016)

Vanessa Mazur knows she's doing the right thing. She shouldn't feel bad for quitting.
Being an assistant/housekeeper/fairy godmother to the top defensive end in the
National Football Organization was always supposed to be temporary. She has plans
and none of them include washing extra-large underwear longer than necessary.

Want to read But when Aiden Graves shows up at her door wanting her to come back, she's beyond
shocked.

Buy on Amazon For two years, the man known as The Wall of Winnipeg couldn't find it in him to tell her
good morning or congratulate her on her birthday. Now? He's asking for the unthinkable.

What do you say to the man who is used to getting everything he wants?
Rate this book
Genres Romance Sports Romance Sports Contemporary Contemporary Romance New Adult Adult

...more

503 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 28, 2016

Literary awards Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Romance (2016)

Characters Vanessa Mazur, Aiden Graves, Zachary (Zac) James Travis

This edition

Format 503 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 28, 2016
Language English

More editions

Paperback Kindle Edition Kindle Edition Kindle Edition

Mariana Zapata Newton Compton… Newton Compton… Editora Charme
2016 2018
Editori 2018
Editori 2021

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5,744 people are currently reading 152k people want to read

About the author

Mariana Zapata Follow

16 books · 45.1k followers

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Community Reviews

4.25
207,481 ratings · 21,760 reviews

5 stars 103,733 (49%)

4 stars 65,767 (31%)

3 stars 27,843 (13%)

2 stars 7,196 (3%)

1 star 2,942 (1%)

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 21,733 reviews

April 12, 2022

***ONE OF MY TOP FAVORITE BOOKS OF ALL TIME***

Val Shameless
Handmaiden
So many re-reads, it's not even funny...
1,812 reviews
28.7k followers
REVIEW:
Follow

Show
5 more Lick the Sweat Off Aiden's B@lls All Day, Every Day" Stars
"I Would

0-top-reads-of-all-time 5-stars alpha-male ...more

After reading 2014's Under Locke and 2015's Kulti, I knew I enjoyed
Mariana
1,674 likesZapata's shit.
• 373 comments

Like reading
But after Comment
this one I am officially so fucking #TeamZapata
#TeamAiden #TeamMuscledHunkofSexyManMeat #RidiculousInstagram-
likeParagraphofIdioticHastags that I'm going to make up my own
nationally organized sport league (cause you know NFL...NFO...who
October 25,even
2022
cares) activity I shall hereafter refer to as...
5 'Team Graves' Stars!
Christy
3,776 reviews ...drum roll please...
32.1k followers
STEALTH CHASE
Follow The Wall of Winnipeg and Me was a seriously addictive slow burn
romance. Once I started the audio, I couldn’t stop listening. It was over 16
description
Show more
hours long, but I finished it within 48 hours. There was nothing about this
book I didn’t love!
2017-audio 2017-five-stars 2018-audio ...more

Vanessa
809 likes Mazur has worked for pro football player, Aiden Graves for 2
• 112 comments
years. Aides is quiet, curt, and drives Vanessa crazy. She’s his assistant,
Like wantsComment
butperhaps...
she more than that. So, she decides to quit and follow her real
Or
passion. Aides is a bit lost without Vanessa. When he shows up at her
door weeks after she quit, Vanessa is in shock. But that shock becomes
description
even more shocking when she finds out the favor he needs. Vanessa is
March 3, 2023
torn. Help Aiden, or not… He didn’t treat her the best when they worked
No thoughts
together, butjust
the stakes are high for her here….
Zoe (Marauders
version) “I would have done just about anything for you back then, even when
"Touch my on
you got wife
myagain, and
nerves. I’ll break
I might haveevery bone until
just waited in your
thegoddamn body.”
last minute to
299 reviews
1,125 followers push you out of oncoming traffic, but I’d still push you out of the way.”
description
ahhhh-so-good book-boyfriends can-reread-over-and-over ...more
Follow
As
491Ilikes
said •before, the story is a slow burn romance, but the pace is fast.
28 comments
The story between Aiden and Vanessa had such a great and natural flow.
Likewatching
I loved Comment
them turn into friends, trusted confidants, and so much
more. This book was seriously perfect. Aiden is the strong and silent type.
He’s not close to anyone, really, but he slowly lets Vanessa in.
But we don't let felonies get us down here at the Stealth Chase
August 9, 2020
Organization.
There were a few moments between them that left the biggest smile on
Reread:
my face. July
When 13,Aiden
2020showed up at a certain convention to support
A. description
1,163 reviews Vanessa, I had a perma-grin and happy tears! Both of these characters
4,126 followers Shit.
were completely fantastic. I can’t even tell you who I loved more.

Follow Just
I feelfinished
so gushy this two this
about hours ago.right now! I read Kulti over a year ago and
book
adored it as well. It’s apparent to me that Zapata is not a one-hit wonder.
Show
And more
you know
I’ll definitely bewhat I've been
auto-buying doing
every since
book of then?
hers from here on out! A for
sure favorite of mine this year, The Wall of Winnipeg and Me is one you
_romance
And asshole-alert cold-unemotional-stoic-hero ...more
don’tatwant
least
toinmiss
prison
outweon!could have unlimited Zapata reading time.
478 likes • 158 comments
description
Eating crow.
Like Comment

Well not for real, obviously.

Yuck. November 9, 2019

Since
You know,I’ve started
eating reading
crow. Asmore romance,
in admitting I find Trying
I erred. it’s harder
to beto humble
rate than
Samantha
other
because genres.
I made2 stars for other
a mistake. genresup.
Screwed would
Put my mean
footI didn’t enjoy this
in my mouth.
411 reviews
16.7k followers book. Which isn’t true. I was okay reading it - I just saw a lot of flaws and
Anyprisonrape, if you aren't familiar with Zapata's work, bear this in mind:
felt it could
[By the way,dothewith
saidsome serious
phrase editing.
with that godawful bird is disgusting. No
Follow
offence, my English
***Pay attentions smut speaking friends, but the equivalent phrase in my
scalers***
This
nativebook could have
language does beensoundshorter.
slightlySo much
better is filler.
(literal I get it - it’s
translation: dustslow
oneself
Show
burn more
romance. But I would have been so much more engaged had there
with ashes)].
Zapata's books are very slow burn. In fact, some might consider them
been more interactions between the characters. Even a hint at romance
plain
romanceslow moving as a whole, especially considering the smexy times are
didn’t
Anyhow, start until this
I took 60%book in! for granted. You see, this was my first MZ book,
always a looooong time coming (haha! pun!).
390 likes
and • 22back,
thinking commentsI think I was intimidated by its size. Too many pages,
Also,
too although I liked Aiden by the end, he literally
book was a wall for most of
Nowmuch
this internal
is
Like Zero usually
Comment
ramblings.
a HUGE I didn't
problem give
for this
me. a real chance. So I just
the book.
skim-skipped theemotion.
'boring'ZERO.
parts. IStupid.
prefer There
my slow areburn with more
no boring partsbanter.
in this
Also
book. heIn tells her to shut
my defense, up used
I was a lot which bugged
to different kindme. of The amount
writing, the oneof times I
that is
description
had
moretostory-driven
hear how big he was
instead of as a person as well.. little much.
character-driven.
April 17, 2023
Some of indication
The first the backstory
that too with
I may both
have characters’
been various
wrong was traumas
the fact that didn’t
➸
ring3.75
truestars
to loved
me. That
brooke everybody thispart
book.of Even
the story felt very
my book two dimensional
soulmates. and not
Still, I continued
“touch my wife again and i’ll break every bone in your goddamn
57 reviews well written.
living my pitiful reader's life completely clueless and unaware of the
body”
599 followers awesomeness that is Maria Zapata. Stupid me.
Did I hate
I have this book?
no shame in myNo. Is it aso
game, new favorite?
I will No. It felt like turning a
plainly state:
Follow
Hallmark
Because movie into
Aiden. OH. aMY.
miniseries.
GOD. Fine to watch in the moment but way
aiden graves if you want another dog, i can bark.
too
1) Aslong
I getand shallow
older, I seemto to
enjoy
haveover
the and over -span
attention for me.
of a fruit fly.
Show more
He's Archer,
this book Remy, Sebastian
reminded me just how Stark,
muchDiaz,
i loveErikslow
“Ripper”
burns.Jacobs, Gabe
it was that slow
IBonner,
do planCal
descriptionon Bonner,
reading more of this author
Ian North, whenever just
Levi (call sign to have
Ace), some pleasant
357 i was• internally
that likes 67 comments
screaming there wasTheo, Ghost
a slight Teague,
physical touch
enjoyable
Ronan, filler
Grayson, around
Axel when
Carillo, my
Paulbrain needs
Langdon, a break.
Jimmy, Nate
between them. this is just what i needed to get me out of Sawyer, Ben,
my slump!!
Like Tanner,
Hector, Comment
Lee Nightingale and Joe Callahan - all wrapped up in one
big, hot YUM.one star off just bc of the repetitive writing style. the fmc’s
— i deducted
endless inner monologue got so repetitive and annoying, i felt like i was
reading the same thing every chapter. she also repeatedly kept January 1, 2022

describing how big he is—like okay girl we got it the first 5 times you said
RE-READ:
And April 5, 2020: Me re-reading this like:
elena ❀ [on hiatus] it. because Van. I have a girl crush. No, seriously. I love her. LOVE.
263 reviews I swear I'm like Benjamin Fucking Button, maturity-wise. I get more
2,778 followers I feel like I've
”that's fallen in love. For real. I'm not just using this phrase. I really
childish themy girl.I get.
older that's my
Life's fucking
too short.girl."
So slower reads are not usually my
feel like I'm in love. With no one in particular. I just feel it.
Follow bag.

Ialso
am mariana
so happybabes,
I was bored to deathyou
i’m girls
BEGGING withtoHands Down.
pls stop using Otherwise
“mushroomed I tip”
2) I get
Show moreblue balls in my parts like a priest at a Playboy party if I don't
wouldn't
— havethe
read allscene
of those reviews,
book you knowsometryingoftothe
confirm my
geti can’t take
any smexy sex
times in this
by the 50% mark. serious, descriptive
thoughts
terminology andwas
my vunpopular
cringe, like opinion.
”the longI wouldn't havehis
pipe under seen how everyone
clothes” SMUT
268 likes • 20 comments
was
ISNT gushing how TO much better,
ME how epicUNCOMFORTABLY
The Wall of Winnipeg FFSwas. I
WhichSUPPOSED
makes me, well, MAKE LAUGH
cue tantrum.
wouldn't
Like haveComment
made myself reread it.
description
And you know where The Wall of Winnipeg ended up? On my Utter
Perfection shelf. Only six books reside there. Only 6. Out of 1589.
MarchThat's
21, 2023
how much I adore this book.
edit 2023: mmmmmmmm. definitely not as good as kulti, i stand by that.
chan ☆
feels
So letmore like amy
us forget 3 star this go-round
original review and rating, shall we? Consider it a
1,044 reviews
48.1k followers lapse
But with
of judgement.
Zapata - especially
After all,inwe
this
allone
have
- the
badtrade-off
days... is SO worth it.
also why are we calling our sex sound wet and sloppy? it's giving janitorial
Follow wet
The floor
And yes. Isign
richness
amofneeded.
sure bleck.
thisI story
don't is
like
soHands
hard toDown,
explainDear
andAron
the time
and Luna
she takes
and the
to
Lie. I'm
build thenotrelationship
too fond ofbetween
the heroines.
AidenAnd
andthe
Vanessa
storiesmakes
are boring
it so beautiful.
and
--------------------------------------
Show review:
2017 more
repetitive.
Also, even though the pace of the story is slow, it doesn't feel slow.
2017I wasn’t about to waste my life away, upset, because I was raised
contemporary-romance
"That's
Something my girl"
about the way Zapata writes makes it seem like really big
by people who couldn’t commit to anything in their lives. All
"I
258am?"
stuff is happeneing
likes • 2 commentsduring really small moments - because it is.
they did was show me the kind of person I didn’t want to be.
"The only one."
*********************
Like Comment
I remember reading a scene where Aiden is holding Vanessa in his lap
the
and good
Original the way review Zapata(when wrote I was about
dumb how andhis clueless):
arms hung Marchover6,her 2016thighs and
Now this, this is the slow-burn romance I crave.
So
his thishands was my second
wrapped around book her byknees this author had me andfucking
damn enthralled.
it was just as good
as the
Honestly,
3.5 Stars first.I found
This book thatfocusesscene (and on aother socially scenesisolated/stunted/cold
in this book)October more pro 16, 2017
After two years, Vanessa has had enough of Aiden “The Wall of
football player
sensual than 90% andof histhe (slowsexfugginscenesburn) relationship
I've read. And you with know his personal
I've read a-
Winnipeg”
Iassistant.
listened to Graves.
the For
audiobook a whileversionnow, she’s
ofthis
'Theisn'tthought
Wall oftheabout
Winnipeg quitting
and her job.
Me' and
Candace fucking-LOT
Okay, I have I know of
some I wrote
those. good itnews above and butsome bad for
news. faint start
Let's of heart,
with these
the
She
it was knows
fantastic! it isn’t Talk theabout best idea. a terrific,Afterslow-burn
all, she knows romance! howImany was people
completely
1,176 reviews books are
good news, shall we? SLOW. BURN.
would
sucked give
in toItoalso have
this herlittle
story, job -by beinglittle.an writingassistant/housekeeper for the best
4,175 followers Something love about Zapata's style (which others might
defensive in the NFO isn’t an easy job to find. But as much as this job is
Mariana
not) is that Zapata she only seems gives to really
the h'ssucceed POV. We atnever
making getyou feel for
Aiden's POV.her
Follow helping
Aiden her,
Graves she can’t
is the continue
formidable putting her dreams of graphic design and
characters. I read this right aftertop defensive
finishing Kulti player
and forinthe thefirst National
few
starting
Football her own business
Organization. His behind.
single-minded So when focussheon tellstheher sportboss, has Aiden,
made that
him
chapters
And theme.
The of this I really felt like I wouldn't
I dig it. This is my first book by this author and I hope it won't be my like Aiden. He seemed too cold,
she
Showismore
the quitting, shelives at least andexpected him to feel bad, little
to ask whytoor give
last.best. He eats, Ibreathes football, and paying
too rude
I'm aetc. sucker But for of course
romances kept where reading the couple wasstarts outmind
basically swooning
as friends or
some
anything sort or of feeling,
anyone but
else.with after seeing nothing, Vanessa knows she’s
once
It
enemies.
made hehim got
Combine hisenigmatic
so act thattogether. and aAnd
interesting
sports thetheme
waythat that
andit the
made
I'm author
a this
goner. writes
story her
even
audible-escape
making the rightkindle-unlimited
decision. listened-to-audio-version ...more
female
richer for characters
me in much is excellent
the sameasway well, thatthey thealsodetailshave andcomplicated
the pacing does.
Accordingly, he is kind getof tooblivious to the goings on around
have tohim that
You
The have•to33read
257 likes
backgrounds
characters. comments
and interests
I really
to liked and
know both are the
thejust genuinely
characters.
hero and the Youlikable.
heroine. The
read to don't
character get
And
directly so she impact leaves.his game. His personal assistant, Vanessa Mazur, is one
to theup
build love was story.
fantastic.
It's not handed to you within 50 pages, there is no insta-
such Like
person. Comment
Aiden relies on her heavily
Also,
ANYTHING. using the mundanity of everyday lifeforiseverything
really effective fromwith his meals
these to
After
updating a couple hisI think of weeks
social media pass by, Vanessa
accounts, hefeels
yetI like hardly relieved,
pays her but anythen Aiden
attention.
books
VANESSA. because you she’sgrow to
awesome appreciate and all the
hersmall
despite little hernuances
constant of the
unexpectedly
He takes her shows
completely up at her
forearn apartment
granted, not door
evenbooks. asking
giving for
her her to come
characters.
It's almost
insecurities Note:
likeabout youifeverything.
you like
have to plot She itdriven
inhas aromances
Zapata'sfunny youAnd,
personality. will the like most
probably
Funnyanything basic
hatein
back.
forms As
ofthingsmuch
acknowledgment as he asks (more or so, demands), Vanessa continues
belike theathings
this.the Melodrama is not something "hello"
to be in Vanessa
foundthe morning.
here.isBut To sayand
I appreciate the
June least,
28, 2016
ityou
so
life,
heroines usually you tendearn to are annoying but
you appreciate lovable
the most. And
rejecting.
he's very Thatand
curt is untilkind Aiden an gives an offer: if she marries him, he’ll pay off
thisof
much, andappreciate
itShe's
makes the story ass.
so believable.
seriously
compelling. smart, strong
love story and by
independent.
the time you get to end.
This one justloans
her student reallyand hit the buy spot her afor me. Great characters, slow burn
house.
Amy Harmon
romance,
After working funny forinteractions,
Aiden for two and years,whenVanessa the heathas finally
finallyhits,saved
it's delicious.
enough I
Author the
AIDEN. bad
I adoredGotta this book love assholes.
and I adore You Zapata'ssee, I have writing a thing
style.for Everything
the big jerks is shown who
33 books read
The
money straight
reason to quit forthrough
whyjob
her Aidenthe
and night
is asking
pursue andher have
Vanessa
real thoughtto marry
passion about
in him
web Aidan all day.
is because
design. Of
Iredeem
tohaven't
you. Not writtentold. aAnd
themselves review
by to theme forend Kulti
that's oftheyet but
thesignbook, my acomplaint
of especially
truly talented ifwill
they be thethe
author.
are sameShe
16.7k followers Aiden
course, is Canadian
this comes and his visa
as auncommunicative
complete is set to
surprise expire the
to Aiden year
who after.
had The
never thing is,
with
has
brooding,that
easily
239 likes • onegrumpy
become
8 too.
comments I LOVE
and
one of the
my slow
top burn
authors in MZ's
types.
and I books,
will
Aiden foreverbut
is a with
perfect books
hereafter be this
Aiden
bothered doesn’t to get want
to of to goVanessa.
know back to Canada, and inunaware
order to that become a
Follow long
the frontit might
combination runner beall
of nice
in the toStealth
the have
above. littleHe
aChase more was*ahem*
games even
to stalk action
her before
whenever she
likehad the
she
resident
designed
Like in time,
websites he
Comment needs
for some to marry
of his a U.S.
teammates, Citizen, and
focused Vanessa
entirely seems
on himself to
last couple
releases anything new. of chapters. I'm not asking for these to be purely smut but like
be
and the best option.
The his
one sex own
scene career.
at the very
story. I really liked theend is just Inot
storyline. all that
learned fromsatisfying
other reviews to me. And that they this
tend
wouldtobe beDisplaying
awritten
slow burn a1 -little
10 ofweird.
romance21,733so Ireviews
kindI wentof overlooked
into this book it incompletely
Kulti because I
It’s
When an offer
Vanessa Vanessa quitsfor knows
her she can’t reject. Her student loans areneedsputting
was just
prepared. so excited thejob, MCs Aiden to get gets a hugebut
together wake uh... upsmut call. isHe the one
so
her much
back weight
andwant on herto
is willing shoulders,
do just and paying
about anything them off byher.
to have beingAfter in thefakeway
place I don't More to
reviews hear and the word penis when referring
ratingsbest football stars wouldn’t be that bad, to that particular
marriage
he treated with
her, one
this of
will the current
require some groveling andmore humbling
organ. Personal preference thing I guess. But read like aon his part.
biology
would
Let meit? just saysteamy
that there
textbook than sex.is nothing that I love more than some good old-
fashioned groveling!
sick andI live tiredfor of itinsta-love.
in my stories.
Honestly, I'm I believe that a slow build-up is
If you had told 15 and 16 year-old me that I would finally read a Mariana
what usually makes a romance good. It makes it somehow more
Zapata
This time book around, in 2020, Aiden I honestly
wants towouldn't up the ante. haveHe believed you. Her books
faces deportation if he
believable and realistic.
always
doesn'tintimidated
renew his contract me, simply soon, because something they're thatcontemporary
he doesn't plan adultto let
romance
happen. that are moretothan 500his pages. Honestlya speaking, I dread books
So if you All likehelove-at-first-sight
needs secure citizenship
or books is wifethe -- and we all know
books where heroine jumps
longer
who he than
has 400
in pages. But here I am now, and I couldn't have been
mind.
into bed with the hero seconds after meeting him, then this book is not for
happier.
you.
What starts out as a tenuous work contract between Aiden and Vanessa
Let's
soon start withinto Aiden. When Vanessa Mazurwas said that Aiden wanted a
Now...morphs more. For his part, Aiden pretty clueless of how
about the bad news.
dog
cold before
and indifferent a family, he I knew had been.I was sold. OnceAiden Vanessa Graves brings is described as
it to his attention,
cocky,
he really arrogant,
works atstubborn, being a better and overall, personrude, and and treatingwhile herhewell.is allEven
that, his I
couldn’t
lack of social help graces but lovewas him.endearing.
As a matter of in
I fell fact,
loveI didn't mind the
with Aiden right cockiness,
along
arrogance,
with Vanessa. stubbornness,
He was just or even the to
impossible rudeness.
resist. I think the biggest reason
The writing. Don't get me wrong, this book is very well written and there

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