Who is this witch that can write novellas about a one day romance and make it good?
Plot: Naya loves her hometown of Manila. Not the one tourists get, but the real one. So much so that after having a Millenial quarter-life crisis, she’s now running one of the most exclusive tours in the city as a side hustle. Meanwhile, Ben has just had his life upended. He was, until like 10 minutes ago, a speechwriter for one of the Phillipines’ most respected senators. And he was fired such that he is now persona non grata in political circles. Goodbye work of his entire adult life. So he’s a little distracted when he lands in Naya’s van thinking it’s an airport shuttle, but damnit what the hell else is he going to do with his day? Shenanigans ensue.
This book is adorable, it’s funny, it takes you all over a city many of us have not been to, in a country we don’t know a whole lot about, and teaches you a bunch about the culture (both historical and present). And it does it with two fantastic leads, each fleshed out in their own right, with their own demons to battle and the wisdom to acknowledge opportunities when they present themselves.
I love that Esguerra refuses to stretch books longer than they need to be. It’s amazing how efficient a romance can be when you have two actual adults – reasonable, rational people who meet, realize they might like each other, and accept this. No drama here. No unnecessary marriage proposals after a single damn day either. I would call it fluff except that of course, you can’t really have a book that deals with politics that doesn’t talk about serious, pervasive problems like corruption, and unfortunately Esguerra doesn’t really have any easy solutions. I guess even her witchcraft isn’t that powerful. So call it a thinking reader’s fluff. Comfort food that’s good for you. So what the hell are you waiting for?