This story, set in a smallish town, is mainly about obsession and the desperation it drives its sufferers to. However, don't be mistaken in your sympathy: Carlota and Romina don't deserve it.
Carlota, a 40-something spinster, is determined to force her niece to live the same lonely, loveless, and narrowly defined life she has. From the moment she becomes Paloma's guardian she systematically removes any source of pleasure, comfort, and even achievement, exactly as she has done to her long-suffering -- and unmarried -- sister, Macarena. From the moment you see her taking Paloma's little dog (the last gift from the child's parents) from Paloma's bed, you know the poor little guy is a goner. When a local doctor expresses romantic interest in Macarena Carlota's insults escalate... along with her sabotage of Macarena's medications. That is nothing, however, compared to what happens when the man they competed for 18 years previously returns to their town.
Paloma eventually experiences some of Macarena's fate when she and Romina -- who had hitherto been her best friend -- fall in love with the same man. Romina's obsession with any man who shows interest in her leads her into a collusion with Carlota that forces the unfortunate young man into marrying her when he is in love with Paloma. Meanwhile, his mother is obsessed with holding on to her husband while attempting to prevent an old love from getting involved with Romina's divorced mother... etc.
Leticia Calderon gives a chilling performance as the soulless Carlota whose hypocrisy and sociopathic behavior destroys everyone around her. This is her first series villain and she's off to a good start in the stock role of controlling parent figure. Victoria Ruffo is the contrasting Macarena, loving and sincere, and long-suffering under Carlota's tyranny. Altair Jarabo and Alisson Lozz are the junior versions of them, with both sets demonstrating that there is no greater ugliness than that which can come between sisters or best friends. Arturo Peniche and Sebastian Zurita give good performances as the men these women fight over.
The writing is mostly good, the music suspenseful (though sometimes loud enough to drown out the actors), and most of the cast are likable enough. There are a few filler scenes concerned with other characters deceiving each other in various ways, and enough suspense to satisfy. As with many other novelas there needs to be some suspension of disbelief to become absorbed in the story, but EN NOMBRE DEL AMOR says much about the human capacity for good and evil.
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