[Book Review] Bridges: A Daphne White Novel

Bridges: A Daphne White Novel

Maria Murnane

Chick-Lit, Contemporary Fiction

Rating:

★★★★★

The tipping point in why I’ve decided to review this book is because the main protagonist is a writer. I’ve always found it fascinating when the main character is a writer because it’s interesting to see the character’s writing dilemmas being fleshed out as the story progresses. This is exactly what I got with Daphne in Bridges.

The story is reminiscent of the TV series Sex and the City, complete with fun girlfriends, hijinks along the way, misunderstandings, and love between friends.

I like Daphne, but the way the story began made it feel like she was just going along with everything, even her relationship with Derek, and she had no real endgame in mind. Of course, this is except for her writing, which she embraced like a fish in the water.

Truth be told, as I got to read the montage of her rejection letters one after the other, it was disheartening. The only glimmer of light that kept me going was the thought of vindication in the end. I was rooting for a happy ending that’s why I stuck to the story.

While reading, I briefly wondered if my friends and I could experience the same things that Daphne and her posse went through. I hope we do.

[Book Review] Unexpectedly Hers

Unexpectedly Hers

Jamie Beck

Contemporary Romance

Rating:

★★★★★

Where do I even begin? Hmmm... I've never read any of Jamie Beck's previous works, so I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Anyways, what really convinced me to pick this book to review was the heroine.

Emma is such a walking contradiction. She's prim, proper, dependable, and practically the proverbial 'good girl', but hot damn, she's also an erotica writer. haha!

The beginning of the story was slow, but I liked the pace because it provided a realistic romance build-up between Emma and Wyatt. Though of course, I was dying of waiting by the time they actually got into each other's pants. Still, the waiting was worth it. 

[Personal Update] I Feel Like a KDrama Heroine

I'm not even kidding!

Ever since January, I've been bombarded with mandatory social functions, which in the beginning seemed too daunting for my introvert self. Fortunately, I survived unscathed (I'll have you know that many weekends were spent in bed alternating between sleeping, eating, chores and reading in order to cope.)

Then came the employment part. I was working two part-time jobs before I got a regular 8AM-5PM job for a government office, so now I am juggling one regular job and two part-time jobs (exactly like a KDrama heroine). What a riot, right? (Also, this is why my book-blogging has been meehhh.)

A new job meant meeting new people and more forced social interaction. Add the fact that I suck at remembering names, and that people who meet me for the first time only have either of two impressions: 1.) I'm intimidating; 2.) I'm snobbish. (I'm neither. Really!)

The new job also entailed constant travel in far-flung places, which required both members of the police force and the armed forces to tag along as security details.

The fact that I'm surrounded by testosterone is not even a problem because I'm pretty boyish. I can hold my own in a room-full of men (I'd like to think that this is because I look intimidating).

The problem is, I've received multiple offers, and encouragement to join the police force (also not kidding on this one), and even more offers to hook me up with their co-workers, cousins, relatives, etc. who are single. This usually happens after they get past the intimidating aura and realize that I'm actually harmless. (I'm flattered, but it gets old pretty quick.)

For the record, I'm single, but I'd rather concentrate on work rather than date. It's a preference I'd like to keep indefinitely, and largely because I'm too emotionally unavailable at the moment.

The only silver-lining to my ever constant struggle with work is my new crush (and it's been so long since I had one).

I am only willing to share three things about my crush:

• He's hard-working and competent with work, but awkward with social interactions. (He knows his numbers, azimuths, directions and coordinates.) 
• His jokes are entirely laughable because they're so NOT funny. (He's really trying though!) 
• I relish the fact that I seem to unsettle and intimidate him. Muahahaha! (Shifty eyes, can't keep eye-contact, and awkward replies, but actually pays attention to what I do.)

I have a few days free (Thank you for religious holidays in the Philippines!), so I'll try to be more active. I'll probably review a book or two, and tinker with this book-blog while I'm free.

I'll keep you posted!