In the Name of Love / En nombre del Amor

“The Name of Love” is a Mexican telenovela which highlights values and traditions of the country and how it affects the lives of the people, their feelings, emotions and motives. The story involves two sisters,

Macarena Espinoza de los Monteros

and Carlota Espinoza de los Monteros who both fell in love with the same man. Unfortunately for Carlota, the man only has eyes for Macarena.

The man is Father Cristobal Gamboa acted by Arturo Peniche. He fell in love with Macarena but Carlota the sister would not allow the lovers to be. She plotted the separation by lying to him that Macarena was dead. And to Macarena, Carlota told her Christobal was dead too. When their father died, she blamed her for his dead. Since she dominates and controls her, she forced Macaren to give up her daughter to “protect the family name” when it was found out that she was pregnant with Christobal's child and unmarried. Christobal felt guilty and turned to Alcohol to relieve the pains and agony of losing the love of his life. Afterwards, he met Natalie but could not go through with the marriage because of his undying love for Macarena so he stood her up at the altar. But later he made peace with God and himself. He dedicated his life to God and was ordained a Catholic Priest. Now a priest, he returns to Bernal after 20 years, only to discover that he was lied to by Carlota. Macarena was alive and single. Although Dr. Bemuda has proposed to Macarena, she has not accepted to marry him. Carlota saw Christobal first when she went for confession. She hurriedly ran out of the confession booth. She asked her lawyer to check him up because she thought he was dead when no one saw or heard from him in almost 20 years. Rufina saw Fr. Christobal too but hid from him.

The main Story of the telenovela is about Paloma Espinoza de los Monteros, the daughter of Macarena and Christobal who was born out of wedlock but was given to her uncle for adoption to preserve according to Carlota the "moral values and protect the family's name." When her parents died in a tragic accident, Paloma came back to live with her unmarried Aunts. She met a friend at school called Romina Mondragon and relationship began. A childlike trust in Paloma made her belief everything Romina says or does till their teenage years. When Emiliano Saenz Noriega came back from abroad where he studied, Romina's beauty and forwardness caught his attention and he began going out with her. He noticed the quiet sweet Paloma later but Romina would not allow that. So their first attraction to a man brought jealousies, envy and rivalry.

Then Inaki came on the scene and was smitten by Paloma's beauty and glow. A relationship blossoms and they pledged undying love to each other. By this time, Emiliano has realised how fickle minded Romina is and that he truly loves Paloma. Well Inaki his friend did not waste time so he became Paloma's boyfriend. Carlota the manipulative and wicked Aunt did not want that relationship to be. She has never found love and keeps fantasizing about Christobal so shes not happy with any family member finding love. So Paloma and Inaki hid their love from her.