Manila Takes Manhattan by Carla de Guzman - 3.75⭐️

This is a sweet, steamy celebrity romance. Mon and Olivia have a one-night-stand, only to discover they’re working on the same movie!

The two connect beautifully over their love of music and artistic media—their conversations in this area really contributed to their relationship and were reflective for me as a reader, too. I also loved the natural inclusion of Filipino culture, along with how supportive the characters were of each other’s careers!

A couple things held be back. I felt like the book could’ve used a bit more development. There were places where I felt like I missed a transition, or where I didn’t quite buy a character’s feelings (yet). Mon’s character is so sweet, but I felt like he was naive or babied in ways that weren’t necessary.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I loved the reflection both of the characters did about their careers and needs, and I really enjoyed the way things wrapped up.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Romance for this advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

A swoon-worthy romance with lovable leads!

Going into this book, I was hoping for a cute romance with well-rounded characters, and this book didn't disappoint in that regard. Getting to know Mon and Olivia was my favorite part of this story, and how well they worked together. Plus, seeing how much the Filipino culture was infused into the story made it come alive, especially how different the experience is to someone from the Philippines and someone that belongs in the diaspora. And as someone that doesn't belong to the culture, it was so interesting to learn more!

In terms of the story, I felt like there was a bit of a disconnect in the plot. Many scenes seemed like they'd benefit from a transition, and others deserved more time on the page. Overall, I felt like the reader wasn't able to experience the whole of this story aside from the physical moments between the characters.

Definitely an enjoyable book, but it definitely deserved to be developed more!

Such an interesting and unique story from Carla de Guzman! I love discovering new authors, and this steamy, yet heartfelt book did not disappoint!

Manila takes Manhattan by Carla de Guzman features two main characters of Filipino heritage. Mon is a successful musician and music producer from Manila, newly arrived in NYC, who has a golden retriever/best friend personality. He still wears a mask for Covid precautions in this story even though most New Yorkers have moved on and sometimes they get aggressive towards him for it. He’s very sweet.

Olivia is an actress who was born in the US to Filipino parents. She is a team player/spunky kid kind of character who is struggling to find a niche in the film world that doesn’t compromise her sense of self. She prefers her food plain, which delighted me. She gets teased for her preference, I know the struggle.

I did struggle a little with the first half of the book, mostly because I didn’t feel what was keeping them apart. So glad I stuck with it though. The midpoint was a perfect, happy sweet and spicy loves scene that made me laugh in a good way. The entire second half was really satisfying.

I will be checking out more Afterglow titles. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Filipino musician and producer Mon Mendoza has been in New York for less than a day. Just long enough to feel like he doesn’t belong despite landing a life-changing opportunity. All he can do is set a date night for just himself and some pancit canton. Which, as it turns out, is the only invitation his gorgeous Pinoy neighbor needs…

Actress Olivia Angeles can wear a character like a well-fitted dress. It’s her real self she’s having a hard time fitting into, craving a niche in Hollywood that doesn’t compromise her identity in the name of success. And right now, all she wants is comfort in the form of tasty noodles and her outrageously hot new neighbor. One night. Just enough to lose herself in his touch and the feel of his lips…

My first read by Carla de Guzman and she did not disappoint. This book was such a compelling story! A gorgeous threading of experiences on so many levels: immigrant and first generation, movies and music... The challenges and compromises that relationships that look so perfect from a distance really require.

As a Filipino who recently migrated to Manhattan, this made my heart yearn for home. I love how Filipino culutre and everyday things (hi lucky me) were interwoven. Additionally, the romance didn’t undermine the thematic subtext, instead they complement one another. It’s not just another romance—there’s more heart and I love how we are represented with such care and love.

Such a compelling story! A gorgeous threading of experiences on so many levels: immigrant and first generation, movies and music... The challenges and compromises that relationships that look so perfect from a distance really require.

Mon and Olivia are both such fully realized characters from the jump: I loved both of them and was rooting for them all the way.

this book was so cute! love carla de guzman's writing & absolutely adore the cover!! both characters are lovable and the relationship really grew on me.

4.5 stars, rounded up. This was really fun and fresh - Mon, a Filipino musician and music producer, gets a big break scoring a movie in New York City. Upon arrival he falls in love at first sight (complete with immediate steam) with his hotel neighbor.

However, he soon finds out that his new love Olivia is the famous actress starring in the movie he’s been hired to score. They try to stay away from each other while they’re working, but soon realize it’s futile, and have to navigate the realities of two successful but completely different celebrity careers if they want to be together.

This book grabbed me from the very beginning and I was really invested in Mon and Olivia’s relationship. The writing style was casual and stream of consciousness, but I thought it worked well in conveying the vibe of the scenes. I loved how supportive they were of each other’s careers, total competence porn.

If I had one criticism it was that there were a few too many pop culture references- I’m a fan of 90’s movies so they didn’t bother me too much, but it was distracting. Overall though, this was such a fun journey and I enjoyed every minute!