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A review by duckyreads
Manila Takes Manhattan by Carla de Guzman
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Manila Takes Manhattan is a sweet celebrity romance between a Filipino music producer and a Filipino-American A-list actress filming in New York City. This is my first Carla de Guzman story, and I really enjoyed her writing style and her rich inclusion of Filipino culture. It's clear that she has intimate knowledge about the immigrant experience as well.
It's very easy to care about Olivia and Mon, and how they depend on each other and get to know each other. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a steamy read full with Filipino culture and delicious food.
A brief glossary at the end of the story that compiled all of the different phrases and food would be a great way for people unfamiliar with Filipino culture to have a reference point as a lot of cultural references vary person to person, something that Olivia experiences in the story herself.
It's very easy to care about Olivia and Mon, and how they depend on each other and get to know each other. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a steamy read full with Filipino culture and delicious food.
A brief glossary at the end of the story that compiled all of the different phrases and food would be a great way for people unfamiliar with Filipino culture to have a reference point as a lot of cultural references vary person to person, something that Olivia experiences in the story herself.
Thank you to Afterglow Books by Harlequin and NetGalley for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Racism