Book Review | A LETTER TO THREE WITCHES by Elizabeth Bass

A LETTER TO THREE WITCHES
by Elizabeth Bass
Publication: January 2022
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Rating: ★★★★

Nearly a century ago, Gwen Engel’s great-great-grandfather cast a spell with catastrophic side-effects. As a result, the Grand Council of Witches forbade his descendants from practicing witchcraft. The Council even planted anonymous snitches called Watchers in the community to report any errant spellcasting…

Yet magic may still be alive and not so well in Zenobia. Gwen and her cousins, Trudy and Milo, receive a letter from Gwen’s adopted sister, Tannith, informing them that she’s bewitched one of their partners and will run away with him at the end of the week. While Gwen frets about whether to trust her scientist boyfriend, currently out of town on a beetle-studying trip, she’s worried that local grad student Jeremy is secretly a Watcher doing his own research.

Cousin Trudy is so stressed that she accidentally enchants her cupcakes, creating havoc among her bakery customers—and in her marriage. Perhaps it’s time the family took back control and figured out how to harness their powers. How else can Gwen decide whether her growing feelings for Jeremy are real—or the result of too many of Trudy’s cupcakes?

A LETTER TO THREE WITCHES turned out to be a quick and funny read, with varied characters that were brilliantly put together.

Cousins Gwen, Milo, and Trudy received a letter from Tannith, informing them that she is moving to New York and has apparently hexed one of their partners to move with her. Cousin Tannith's moving out news is intriguing enough, but hexing one's partner in the process is enough to spin anyone around, given their family background. Gwen and her whole clan was forbidden to practice magic after a catastrophic event a century ago. And although Gwen is not too keen on magic herself, recent magical accidents and anomalies pushed her to reconsider.

I enjoyed the cast's chemistry. And I don't mean just in front of the cauldron. I can easily imagine them. and how each scene is playing out. The story is straightforward, but there's never a boring page. I also like the idea of a café with charmed cupcakes that can transform people's mood, or usher them into a better day. No wonder why this book was Goodreads Hottest Romance of January 2022. And I am already eager for Book #2.

I recommend this if you're looking for a magically entertaining read and some romance.

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | BLOGLOVIN | GOODREADS

About the Author:

Elizabeth Bass lives with her husband in Montreal, where she writes and astounds the locals with her makeshift French. An elderly cat or dog can typically be found in her apartment, and during the busiest day, Elizabeth usually finds time to sneak in an old movie. She is the author of many smartly written works of romance and women's fiction, including Summer Days, Life is Sweet, and Wherever Grace is Needed. She loves to hear from readers and can be found on Facebook, Twitter (@ElizabethBass), or at elizabeth-bass.com. -PRH Ca

*Thanks to Kensington and PRH Canada for the ARC in exchange for this unbiased review.

Read more →

Book Review | THE MEETING POINT by Olivia Lara

Welcome to my stop for THE MEETING POINT Ultimate Tour, hosted by @TheWriteReads.

...

THE MEETING POINT by Olivia Lara
Publication: September 2, 2021
Publisher: Aria Fiction
Genre: Romance
Rating: ★★★★★

What if the Lift driver who finds your cheating boyfriend's phone holds the directions to true love?

'Who are you and why do you have my boyfriend's phone?’

'He left it in my car. You must be the blonde in the red dress? I'm the Lift driver who dropped you two off earlier.'

And with these words, the life of the brunette and t-shirt wearing Maya Maas is turned upside down. Having planned to surprise her boyfriend, she finds herself single and stranded in an unknown city on her birthday.

So when the mystery driver rescues Maya with the suggestion that she cheers herself up at a nearby beach town, she jumps at the chance to get things back on track. She wasn't expecting a personalized itinerary or the easy companionship that comes from opening up to a stranger via text, let alone the possibility it might grow into something more...

Maya loves giving people the happy ending they deserve. At least in her stories, that is. However, writing stories is a passion Maya has to file away while she hangs onto her relationship with David and struggle to keep her job writing for a magazine. So, when catastrophe hits work, Maya consoled herself that spending her birthday with David in San Francisco is the best thing. Only, it wasn’t…

There’s something, someone, much better.

L' amour, Ai, Liebe, Pag-ibig. I guess, LOVE in any language sounds the same –wonderful. So when people find it, everything seems beautiful. And without it, we sometimes lost our sense of wonder. It’s easy to relate to Maya – to feel her, to be her. I’m glad that Maya found her sense of wonder back at Carmel by the Sea. I’m glad she found the courage to fight off her flight instinct. I’m glad I read her story.

THE MEETING POINT is a story of taking a huge risk falling in love, with someone you have not met. Olivia Lara wrote a heartwarming story. She managed to keep the tight exciting plotlines together, while also keeping it simple and clean. Everyone and everything is absolutely charming. The characters are easy to absorb- fear, anger, and excitement -all their emotions are real to me. And by heavens, Ethan really upped the level on dating! Bearing in mind, Carmel by the Sea seems like a really enchanting place to fall in love. I also like how this story encourages self-discovery, fighting indecisiveness, and pursuing your passion.

Light and heartwarming, I absolutely recommend this book to every reader who needs an extra boost of excitement, encouragement, and wonder!

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | BLOGLOVIN | GOODREADS

About the Author:

As a child, Olivia not-so-quietly ‘observed’ (AKA bothered with countless questions) her grandfather — who worked for the biggest publishing house in Romania — edit hundreds of books. And when he wasn’t editing, he read. Everything, all the time. Just like her father, who wrote short sci-fi stories, and was set on building the largest library she’d ever seen and her mother who’s never found without a book…wherever she goes. Her love for words came naturally, and after studying marketing, communications & photography, Olivia worked as a journalist for a newspaper and news television network in Romania.

An unapologetic citizen of the world, she spent a few years in Greece, Sweden, France, before settling in sunny California with her photographer husband and young daughter, where she works in marketing and writes. Oh, and let's not forget the ever-growing menagerie that completes the family: Pumpkin, the Maine Coon mix, three black cats and a siamese kitten.

When she's not writing or thinking about writing, she reads (across genres), watches old movies and collects vintage books, vinyl records, and eerie paintings. She loves traveling (and can’t wait until she can do it again, safely), swimming, biking, hiking and of course, photography.

SOMEDAY IN PARIS, her debut, published by Aria Fiction/Head of Zeus in May 2020 became a B&N, Apple, Kobo and Amazon Top 100 Bestseller and was shortlisted for the Romantic Novel Awards 2021. Her second novel, THE MEETING POINT, a contemporary romcom set in Northern California, is set to be published as an e-book on September 2, 2021 and in paperback in December 2021 in the UK and March, 2022 in the US.

Keep up with Olivia: twitter || instagram || facebook || blog

*Thanks to Aria Fiction for the egalley in exchange for this unbiased review.
*This post is a part of the monthly linkups organized by Lovely Audiobooks! You can click here to check it out and be a part of it.

Read more →

Book Review | IN A HOLIDAZE by Christina Lauren

  

IN A HOLIDAZE by Christina Lauren
Publication: October 6, 2020
Publisher: Gallery Books / Simon & Schuster
Genre: Romance / Women’s Fiction
Rating: ★★★★

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions.

But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy.

The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collide, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe.

Jam-packed with yuletide cheer, an unforgettable cast of characters, and Christina Lauren’s trademark “downright hilarious” (Helen Hoang, author of The Bride Test) hijinks, this swoon-worthy romantic read will make you believe in the power of wishes and the magic of the holidays. - Publisher

Waking up a day after Christmas, Maelyn Jones realized that she kissed the wrong brother. Eggnog-drunk, she and Theo made out in the mudroom the previous night. And it made everything awkward between them afterward. Mostly for Mae, because she had pinned her heart for Andrew (Theo’s older brother) since she was 13-years-old. To make everything more miserable, The Hollises announced that they are giving up their Park City cabin, and this year may be their last Christmas holiday there. On the way to the airport, wrecked and sad, Maelyn Jones pleaded the universe to show her what will make her happy.  So to humor her, the universe sent her back in time.

Time travel is such a messy affair. So, after a few tries, Mae threw caution to the wind and went for what her heart truly desires. I like that part -knowing one’s self and daring to be true. Forgiving one’s mistakes is vital too. The story’s narration all came from Mae’s perspective. She‘s a well-rounded character, and I cannot help cheering for her. Although I hoped that Andrew was developed in such a way too, I’m satisfied that both authors kept their focus on Mae. Since this story is more about girl empowerment – taking control of your happiness, no matter how humorous the universe can be.

I also like the family setups introduced in the story. Although not everyone gets the same community of people, I marvel at how diverse and open these people are. It gives the readers a possibility and understanding. I’m sure every reader will wish to have an Uncle Benny too.

IN A HOLIDAZE is a sweet and honest read. There is no cozier than a lovely rom-com like this. Be sure to preorder this for your next read.

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | BLOGLOVIN | GOODREADS

About the Author:

Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of longtime writing partners and best friends Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, the New York Times, USA TODAY, and #1 internationally bestselling authors of the Beautiful and Wild Seasons series, Dating You / Hating You, Autoboyography, Love and Other Words, Roomies, Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating, My Favorite Half-Night Stand, and The Unhoneymooners. You can find them online at ChristinaLaurenBooks.com, @ChristinaLauren on Instagram, or @ChristinaLauren on Twitter.

*Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the uncorrected proof in exchange for this unbiased review. *This post is a part of the monthly linkups organized by Lovely Audiobooks! You can click here to check it out and be a part of it.

Read more →

Book Review | JUST LIKE YOU by Nick Hornby

  

JUST LIKE YOU by Nick Hornby
Publication: September 29, 2020
Publisher: Riverhead
Genre: Women’s Fiction/ Romance
Rating: ★★★½

This warm, wise, highly entertaining twenty-first-century love story is about what happens when the person who makes you happiest is someone you never expected.

Lucy used to handle her adult romantic life according to the script she'd been handed. She met a guy just like herself: same age, same background, same hopes, and dreams; they got married and started a family. Too bad he made her miserable. Now, two decades later, she's a nearly-divorced, forty-one-year-old schoolteacher with two school-aged sons, and there is no script anymore. So when she meets Joseph, she isn't exactly looking for love--she's more in the market for a babysitter. Joseph is twenty-two, living at home with his mother, and working several jobs, including the butcher counter where he and Lucy meet. It's not a match anyone one could have predicted. He's of a different class, a different culture, and a different generation. But sometimes it turns out that the person who can make you happiest is the one you least expect, though it can take some maneuvering to see it through.

Just Like You is a brilliantly observed, tender, but also a brutally funny new novel that gets to the heart of what it means to fall surprisingly and headlong in love with the best possible person--someone you didn't see coming. -Publisher

I appreciate Nick Hornby's novels because he attempts to capture the typical, yet liberal, affairs ordinary people find themselves in. In his latest, an interracial, intergenerational relationship happens between a 42-year-old white English teacher and a 22-year-old black babysitter, with the Brexit as its backdrop. Lucy, recently divorced from her alcoholic husband, braved dating once again. Joseph gladly took up babysitting Lucy's two young sons while she dines and wines out. The boys hit it off instantly with their love for soccer. The fact is, almost as promptly as Lucy and Joseph fell for each other. Yet, no matter how easy it is to exist in the bubble of their newly found love, outside influences persist –race, age, Brexit.

Society is obsessed and critical with the age gap in relationships. Certain studies found that partners with more than a ten-year gap in age usually experience public censure. With humor, Hornby managed to explore the challenges and difficulties that Lucy and Joseph’s relationship undertook. Although their arguments at times felt mundane or contrived, it is interesting to see how these characters comprehended themselves through their interaction with each other and with the outside world. And as complications occur, Lucy and Joseph’s relationship starts to fizzle out at the edges. So is my interest in the narrative. I find myself seeking more from this romance.

Then again, JUST LIKE YOU may not be simply about the excitement of romance. Maybe, it is more about partners (lovers) with opposing opinions (on love, family, or politics), based on their racial identity, class, and stage of development. If whether people are willing to keep or break a relationship based on those opinions. Also, will people allow (or not) society to dictate their definition of a relationship?

JUST LIKE YOU is coming on September 29. You can preorder your copies now.

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | BLOGLOVIN | GOODREADS

About the Author:

   

Photo by Parisa Taghizadeh

Nick Hornby is the author of several internationally bestselling novels including High Fidelity, About a Boy, and A Long Way Down, as well as several works of nonfiction, including Fever Pitch, Songbook, and Ten Years in the Tub. He has written screenplay adaptions of Lynn Barber’s An Education, which was nominated for an Academy Award, Cheryl Strayed's Wild, and Colm Tóibín’s Brooklyn. He lives in London.

*Thanks to Riverhead Books for the uncorrected galley in exchange for this unbiased review. *This post is a part of the monthly linkups organized by Lovely Audiobooks! You can click here to check it out and be a part of it.

Read more →

Author's Friday | Hello, Ever After: Kilig Guaranteed Tara Frejas

AUGUST ROMANCE

  

TARA FREJAS is a cloud-walker who needs caffeine to fuel her travels. When she’s not on work mode, she keeps herself busy by weaving her daydreams into stories.

Aside from her obvious love affair with words and persistent muses, Tara is very passionate about being caffeinated, musical theatre, certain genres of music, dancing, dogs, good food, and romancing Norae, her ukelele. She owns a male bunny named Max who sometimes tries to nibble on her writing notes.

I have a complicated relationship with Pinoy rom-coms. Or at least the romance-adjacent films of the last few years. Sure, the aesthetic is pleasing. The acting is, more often than not, believable. Even the soundtrack is nice. But more often than not, they are rife with so much (m)angst it snatches away my overall enjoyment of the film.

Gone were the days when I can watch a Pinoy rom-com and be assured of a good time. You know, the ones with a giggle-inducing meet-cute, nakakakilig falling-in-love montages, and most importantly, hard-earned and well deserved happy endings.

It has led me to think: Are Pinoys now afraid of happy endings?

The prevalence of "hugot culture" seems to have affected how Pinoy audiences consume content. Nowadays, I feel like the more painful the story is, the more people gravitate toward it. Some people say they prefer this because it's a more realistic approach to storytelling, that this is how things pan out in real life. Others simply turn their noses up at rom-coms because they're baduy or too cheesy for their taste. Creators will say this is the story they want/need to tell, and a happy ending would not be true to their vision.

To which, I say: Okay, I respect your opinion...but can we please have an honest-to-goodness rom-com, stat!?

I mean, at this point in this extremely challenging and exhausting year, I believe we deserve something lighthearted and hopeful. It doesn't have to veer away from reality (not too much, at least), but what it could do is remind us of the innate goodness of people. Of good people finding other good people and making the world a better place (however they could) together.

That was what we hoped to do when #romanceclass started on a web series called Hello, Ever After in May. I think it's safe to say the series was conceived out of a collective frustration we authors felt toward not only the country's current state of affairs but also the kind of content being made accessible to the public. I mean, we're already in the middle of a global pandemic—it would be nice if the things we turn to for entertainment don't trigger any more negative emotions.

The concept for Hello, Ever After is simple: In the middle of Metro Manila lockdown, couples (who have been introduced in previously published #romanceclass books) check in on each other through a video call. There's a bit of social commentary here and there, and some episodes can be a rollercoaster of emotions, but kilig is always guaranteed.

On paper, it might not be much, but writing the episodes has been a huge help for us authors to sort through our emotions during this pandemic. Eventually, it became a source of joy for our community too, and it was exciting to see everyone on social media get ready to watch the weekly episodes. It became a Friday night habit that people baked things for, prepped episode-related snacks for, finished work early for. One of our community members even made Hello, Ever After cup sleeves, and a #romanceclass lightstick (AKA kilig bong) we can wave while watching the series...just like KPop fans do during concerts! Fun!

One of my favorite things about Hello, Ever After (aside from the episodes, of course!) is catching up with everyone in the chatroom whenever a new episode is streamed. #RomanceClass events are often very loud and swoony, and it’s so amusing to see that energy being replicated, even if it’s just through a string of messages on screen. It’s obvious we all miss each other, and I’m happy we could have a way to get the community together on a regular basis.

As of this writing, there have been nine Hello, Ever After episodes produced, eight of them already available on our YouTube channel. Are we doing more of this? You bet we are. Three more episodes are in the pipeline, and we’re anticipating more scripts to come in soon. So yeah—maybe check out this little quarantine project of ours, plus the related books? After all, everyone could use more kilig and hope in their lives.

-TF


TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | BLOGLOVIN | GOODREADS

*August Romance

Read more →

Author's Friday | THE KINDNESS OF ROMANCE by Ana Tejano

AUGUST ROMANCE 

   

ANA TEJANO has been in love with words and writing ever since she met Elizabeth Wakefield when she was in Grade 3. She used to be a blogger and contributor to several publications using her other name that is not a secret identity. When she’s not writing, she works as a communications manager and a leader in CFC Singles for Christ. She lives in Metro Manila with several dogs and cats, loves anything with peanut butter, and is always trying to catch up on sleep. Connect with her at anatejano.com.

Mid-March, our executives announced that we could start working from home, one of the things I thought to myself in an attempt to comfort my extrovert self was: “At least I’m going to have time to write again.” Working from home meant my commute time is nonexistent, and I wouldn’t be wandering around the mall aimlessly waiting for a Grab ride, so that’s about 2-3 hours back to my day. Yes, I can write again, I can finally finish revising my book.

Fast forward five months later, I’m still here, with the book’s Act 3 an absolute mess, plus a short story due two years ago in progress (and being rewritten for the umpteenth time). I have ideas and ideas hitting me everywhere going into my idea dump files, and lots of discussions with people about these things, but actual writing and editing happening? Nope.

It isn’t for the lack of trying, really. I have finished a lot of things. There is that script for #romanceclass’s Hello, Ever After web series for one. My day job involves writing and I manage to churn out articles and write-ups for work and I can summon words when needed. But for myself—for “fun work” as we often call it—I come up dry. (Or sometimes, I come up with something and then hate it the next day. Ah, well.)

This is why I hesitate to participate in a lot of things since late last year to this year as an “author” because I hardly feel like one sometimes. I didn’t want to call it writer’s block because I didn’t believe in that—besides, I was writing anyway, and our corporate website has that. Maybe it’s just an off day, but writer’s block? No way. Maybe I just need to find inspiration. Take a break. Read something. Watch something cute and then go back to work. I need to try harder because look, everyone else has the same chances, I have so much time on my hands right now, and so what right do I have to slack off?

But a thing I learned about the romance genre is that it is very kind. Not in the sense that it excuses and condones questionable behavior, but it is kind in a way that there is compassion between the pages of the book. See, the romance genre is about love but not just about the love of the two main characters. I mean sure, that is the end game of it all (must have happily-ever-afters/happy-for-now or it’s not romance, ok), but often romance is also about the people that surround these leads, the ones who root for them and call them out, the ones who push them to make the right choices, to choose love. There is a certain kindness in romance books that gives its characters room to grow, make mistakes, learn more about themselves, and breathe. Sure, these characters are put to a wringer before they get to the end, and sometimes bad people are going against them, but when their love ultimately prevails, it becomes a reminder to extend the same kindness that they had received and given to ourselves, too.

In a lot of ways, this is what my current work-in-progress is all about: Meah, who’s kind to everyone else but not very kind to herself, and Joseph, who wants to be a better version of himself, forgetting sometimes that he is also human and is allowed to still make mistakes. And if I could teach these two characters (my most stubborn kids, as I call them) how to be kind to themselves, then I could—should—do the same for myself. These “unprecedented times” are hard, and some days, we can only muster enough energy to go online and do the actual day job, then go offline later and do things that are not writing. And this is okay. Sure, I need to recognize when I am just really slacking off and/or making excuses, but for those other times when words are difficult and everything is just driving me into despair, then maybe it’s okay to not do for now and just be.

They say good things take time, so who knows? Maybe one day, we’ll all wake up and the pandemic is over, and one day, you’ll wake up and see me shouting joyfully that the book is out. Whenever that is, I hope that when we all get there, it’s because we have all chosen to extend kindness to others, and most importantly, to ourselves.

-AT

*Ana’s latest book, You Could Be the One, a collection of three friends-to-lovers short stories are available in ebook and print format worldwide at bit.ly/ycbto. For her other books, visit anatejano.com/books.


TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | BLOGLOVIN | GOODREADS
*August Romance

Read more →

Wednesday Spotlight | GHOST OF A FEELING by Celestine Trinidad

About the Book:

   

June 16, 2018
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

All Cris Villareal had ever dreamed of was becoming a doctor. But after the death of a patient under her care and the subsequent humiliation she suffers under a senior resident in her hospital, she begins to lose faith in herself. And no one else could understand her and her despair. So one Halloween night, on the rooftop of her apartment building, she decides to end it all. She is stopped from jumping by Emilio, the ghost of a young man who haunts her building, who also committed suicide there many years ago. Eventually, Cris finds herself opening up to him, in a way she had never before, with anyone living or dead. There is only one problem. Emilio isn’t really a ghost. He is actually a living young man named Nathan Morales, and Cris was just one of the unwitting victims in a prank he had once played on the tenants of her apartment. But being Emilio was the only way he could think of to stop her that night, and the only way now he could get her to open up to him. As Emilio, he was someone she could trust enough to help her, in a way Nathan himself never could. As their relationship becomes deeper and their feelings grow stronger each day, can he finally help her find a reason to keep living? But how long can he keep lying to her? - Amazon

Hello Ever After webseries, Episode 2 - "We Will Be Okay"

About the Author:

CELESTINE TRINIDAD is a licensed physician (a pathologist) based in the Philippines. In her spare time, she writes fiction of different genres, including romance, fantasy, science fiction, crime, and children's stories. Some of her other stories have been published in other print and online venues, such as The Digest of Philippine Genre Stories, Alternative Alamat, and the Southeast Asian Fantasy volume of Insignia. Her first novel, "Ghost of a Feeling", is available on Amazon. You can visit her website at bit.ly/celestinetrinidad.

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | BLOGLOVIN | GOODREADS

*August Romance

Read more →

Author's Friday | A REMINDER TO MOVE FORWARD by Mina V. Esguerra

AUGUST ROMANCE 

     

MINA V. ESGUERRA is author and publisher of romance novels. She founded the #RomanceClass community of Filipino authors of romance in English and the readers of the books. Also, an agent representing media adaptation rights for selected #RomanceClass titles. Visit minavesguerra.com and romanceclassbooks.com for more about these books and projects.

My latest romance book, released in July 2020, is also my 25th book. As a self-publisher, I usually get to control my writing schedule, as well as my publishing release date. I get to make the decisions on all of that for all of my books, and I wanted to make my 25th book’s release special.

Then 2020 happened, and not only did I move all of my deadlines, but I also started to question whether to release a book at all. Why put out a new book during a pandemic? Didn’t people have other things to worry about? Who would be reading romance at this time?

While wondering about all of that, I put publishing on hold and instead devoted some time to other things (not my book). At the beginning of quarantine, I watched Crash Landing On You, a Korean romance drama. Every week, I participated happily in my writing community’s watch parties of classic and current Pinoy romantic comedies. I was spending four hours just doing the weekly grocery run because of long lines and used that time to listen to romance audiobooks. These became things I looked forward to, and not just time fillers. I became aware of how there were more layers of feelings now, because I wasn’t just enjoying the story on its own, but was also reflecting on a time that I wished I could see again. You know, pre-pandemic. This makes some people sad, but for some reason I was hopeful. I enjoyed seeing better days, and good people finding love.

Doing that, I found the answer to my questions and concerns about releasing a book this time, this year. Yes, there was definitely going to be an audience for a new romance, because I had voraciously consumed so much of it for comfort. Yes, it might have to be a new set of readers, and some may be reading it with a layer of sadness. But the important thing was to make sure the book was out there, and ready when its readers are.

SO FORWARD is about former figure skater Colin, who is now secretly taking his MBA and is about to defend his final paper, about providing more funding to the Philippine national teams representing winter sports. It’s a paper that’s strong on principle but weak on business, so his thesis adviser gets some help for him, in the form of future CEO/MBA prof/former hockey player Lexa. When I was writing it (pre-pandemic), I was exploring what we consider defaults not just in the romance genre but in life in the Philippines. The theme of this book had always been about questioning what we accepted as the default, and if we could expand our definition of it to include more ways to be. And let people thrive even if they aren’t exactly as we expect. Colin is also my first bisexual main character, and though the book’s plot has nothing to do with it, it naturally fits the theme of seeing the value in people and what they do. Our romance-writing community in the Philippines is diverse and we have many groups writing romance of all kinds, but we’re also at the point where many are writing romance as a response to real life, real injustice, and how love can be found—and sustained—despite all this.

The reason why I wrote the book remains relevant—maybe that was enough reason to release it, even if this particular time is so different and many things are uncertain. I’ve since said this to other authors also worried about their books right now. We had a reason to write it then, and the book may still entertain/comfort/help someone now. Maybe more than ever.

-MVE

*So Forward is available worldwide in digital and paperback on Amazon and other retailers. To order the print edition in the Philippines, go to this form: bit.ly/mvebooks.

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | BLOGLOVIN | GOODREADS
*August Romance

Read more →

Book Review | VANESSA YU’S MAGICAL PARIS TEA SHOP by Roselle Lim

Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop by Roselle Lim
Publication: August 4, 2020
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Romance, Magical Realism
Rating: ★★★★

Become enamored with the splendor of Paris in this heartwarming and delightful story about writing one’s own destiny and finding love along the way.

Vanessa Yu never wanted to see people’s fortunes—or misfortunes—in tea leaves. -Goodreads

VANESSA YU’S MAGICAL PARIS TEA SHOP is my first taste of Roselle Lim, and I am pleased by her simple, charming writing style. I am sorry that it took me a few tries before I finally dipped myself into reading this. The extravagance in its contents is a bit overwhelming for me to fully digest, given the current pandemic and the limitations of travel. All the same, Lim executed a delightful story filled with familial love, hope, and redemption.

Vanessa Yu never wanted to be a clairvoyant. It brought her nothing but frustration, embarrassment, and migraines.  She cannot even get a decent date because of her gift. She is desperate to gain control over it. So, off to Paris, she goes with her Aunt Evelyn to get her long-overdue clairvoyance lessons.

This marrying of East and West is adorable. On the one hand, Lim dealt us with the family and values that are snug and protective. On the other, she showed us a vast world that is both challenging and captivating. Indeed, postcards and textbooks cannot give Paris justice. One has to experience it in its real glory. However, Lim offered the next best thing. She brought Paris to life by displaying its culture -food, fashion, art, and people. And her description is nothing less of scrumptious. One cannot help but fall in love.

In the center of all the clairvoyance, cultures, and challenges is a young woman finding her way into herself and love.

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | BLOGLOVIN | GOODREADS

About the Author:

Roselle Lim was born in the Philippines and immigrated to Canada as a child. She lived in north Scarborough in a diverse, Asian neighborhood.

She found her love of writing by listening to her lola (paternal grandmother's) stories about Filipino folktales. Growing up in a household where Chinese superstition mingled with Filipino Catholicism, she devoured books about mythology, which shaped the fantasies in her novels.

An artist by nature, she considers writing as "painting with words."

*August Romance
*Thanks to Berkley and Edelweiss for the galley in exchange for this unbiased review.
*This post is a part of the monthly linkups organized by Lovely Audiobooks! You can click here to check it out and be a part of it.

Read more →

Author's Friday | AUGUST ROMANCE

    

Hi there. How’s it going?

The summer heat is scorching, and there’s still a pandemic. The family and I binge-watched Avatar: The Last Airbender for the nth time, which we agree we will never get enough in one lifetime. Long walks through the city parks, with audiobooks tucked in my ears, helped lift some spirit. So let’s talk about the August Blog Project.

I am super excited for a particular project I wanted to explore for a long while now. August is Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa, a celebration of our culture, heritage, and identity through our languages, as the Filipino nation. August is also Romance Awareness Month and I figured that the best way The Page Walker can celebrate these two occasions is to feature Filipino Romance authors and their books each Friday of August.

These past months were hard. Books are one of the few things I hold hard on to keep me sane, Romance Books most especially. They are light and hopeful, waking those dulled areas in my brain. It addresses my need for human connection and inspiring me to reflect and reconnect. I am sure introverts can relate very well.

Romance is not easy for everyone. Well, for everyone who doesn’t want to try it, I mean. There is no reason to run for the hills. Romance Books are not forcing us to be more romantic than what’s comfortable. Instead, they give a bubblier perspective, inspiring us to take courage in the most unpredictable path. So for those who think that romance books are unmanly or cringeworthy, I am telling you, this pandemic is the most relevant time to try them.

For this project, I am collaborating with romance authors I’ve known for some years now. These are delightful authors who can deliver those “kilig” factors that can surely lift any readers.

So, stay tuned!

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | BLOGLOVIN | GOODREADS

*Updated:

August Romance #1: Roselle Lim
August Romance #2: Mina V. Esguerra
August Romance #3: Celestine Trinidad
August Romance #4: Ana Tejano
August Romance #5: Tara Frejas

Read more →

Book Review | RED, WHITE, & ROYAL BLUE by Casey McQuiston

   

14 May 2019;
St. Martin's Griffin

What happens when America's First Son 
falls in love with the Prince of Wales?

When his mother became President, Alex Claremont-Diaz was promptly cast as the American equivalent of a young royal. Handsome, charismatic, genius—his image is pure Millennial-marketing gold for the White House. There's only one problem: Alex has a beef with the actual prince, Henry, across the pond. And when the tabloids get hold of a photo involving an Alex-Henry altercation, U.S./British relations take a turn for the worse.

Heads of family, state, and other handlers devise a plan for damage control: staging a truce between the two rivals. What at first begins as a fake, Instragramable friendship grows deeper and more dangerous than either Alex or Henry could have imagined. Soon Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret romance with a surprisingly unstuffy Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations and begs the question: Can love save the world after all? Where do we find the courage, and the power, to be the people we are meant to be? And how can we learn to let our true colors shine through? Casey McQuiston's Red, White & Royal Blue proves: true love isn't always diplomatic. -Goodreads

I can easily see why many are raving about this book. It's a modern fairy tale - cute, sexy, and posh. Two of the world's most sought-after eligible bachelors are secretly in love with each other. And by heavens, if only they are real and everything they stand for, then life is so much better. A dream novel where everything is made possible and good. But it is not for me. It's just too surreal (even for fiction). It tried to be deep in some places, but it didn't work, especially when it dragged in the middle. Have no mistake, I do like the all-is-gay-and-well theme. Even so, I am still looking for character depth other than the Instagramable people leading a posh life, camouflaged yet thriving. I believe that Romance books can also be sagacious and thought-provoking, aside from being titillating, if given enough exploration.

Like I said, this book is not exactly for me, but [you are not me and] readers who like cute and controversial romances will enjoy this.

Book details:

Title:  Red, White & Royal Blue

Author:  Casey McQuiston

Publication: 14 May 2019: St. Martin's Griffin

Genre: LGBTQIA, Romance

Rating: ★★

*Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin Griffin for the DRC in exchange for this unbiased review.

Read more →

Book Review | THE BRIDE TEST by Helen Hoang

    

May 7, 2019
Berkley

From the critically acclaimed author of The Kiss Quotient comes a romantic novel about love that crosses international borders and all boundaries of the heart...

-Goodreads

Reading THE BRIDE TEST made me realize that I have not had a romance novel for quite some time now. It was absolutely refreshing and exciting. I now understand why readers are raving about Helen Hoang.

Imagine yourself as a provincial bred girl who spent your life crammed in a single-spaced dwelling, trying to make ends meet by scrubbing toilets; then, you are literally commissioned to play the vixen and seduce a well-educated and rich hunk of a man from across the globe. 

Here begins Esme's adventure to hook and secure her future.

Kai is in the spectrum and has difficulty forming any passionate relationship. Esme, on the other hand, is patient and charming. I like how Kai and Esme bounce off each other a lot but manages to compromise every time. There's just the right amount of smuttiness to keep the taste buds sated, and was definitely needed for the progression of the story. This book has the ability to keep me in an electrified bubbly state while reading. (I'm not sure if that makes any sense to you, but it does to me.) Spoiler alert: My favorite is the haircut scene. It's the most personal and revealing for me.

Romance enthusiasts will take pleasure in this. Preorder your copy soon.

Book details:
Title: The Bride Test
Author:  Helen Hoang
Publication:  May 7, 2019, Berkley
Genre: Romance, Fiction
Rating:  ★★★★



*Thank you, Berkley and Edelweiss for the DRC in exchange for this unbiased review.

Read more →