I have a confession.

I am just a little bit in love with Stay a Little Longer.

Okay, I lied. I’m in love with this book. Like a lot in love.

With a realistic storyline a lot of people would be able to relate to, likable and believable characters, and straightforward and succinct writing, there’s a lot to love in this little book. It was a quick read, with only 200++ pages. I managed to finish reading this within the same day I started it. But, even with its brevity, Dawn Lanuza made every page count. She wielded perfect control of the story’s pace, dropping hints for readers to pick up just enough to tease them and unloading revelations about the characters in all the right places. Maybe the third person perspective made me feel like there’s still somehow a transparent wall in between me and the characters, but nevertheless, it didn’t prevent me from enjoying the story.

As much as I loved the writing though, it was the characters – Elan and Caty – who were the stars of this book.

When we first meet Elan and Caty they were both in love with other people. Living in opposite halves of the world, the two wouldn’t have met but chance brought them together.

Caty and Elan couldn’t be more different from one another. She’s loud and sometimes brash, while he’s quiet and closed-off. However, as they began to get to know one another, the two discover unlikely similarities until what started off as awkward became familiar, instinctual even – strangers becoming friends then evolving into something more, always hovering over an invisible line.

I loved Caty and Elan. I think most people will find a bit of themselves in both characters. They were real and relatable, and so, so easy to like. I rooted for them from the get-go. They had great chemistry and their attraction was very obvious right from the beginning of the story. It was truly a treat watching these two come together in the end, frustrating and tough as it was at times.

Stay a Little Longer perfect captures the push and pull of falling in love – its sweetness and urgency, its mess and complications. It didn’t discount the difficulties of maintaining a long distance relationship, which I, as a person whose own LDR burned out, appreciated. The ending was perfect and entirely satisfying, a balm to my jaded heart.

This book has my highest recommendations. Romance and NA readers will definitely find it easy to fall in love with this one, but I think everyone else will find something in Stay a Little Longer that they will enjoy. I will definitely explore other #romanceclass titles after this.

Elan is getting his car back borrowed by his friend (and secret long-time crush) Jules, the main character in the author’s earlier work, “The Hometown Hazard”. It so happens that Caty, Jules’ childhood BFF, needs a ride to the airport. The meet-cute ensues when Elan lets Caty in his car. After a long ride from the town to the city, with a disastrous detour to the house of Caty’s ex, this couple of strangers kinda hit it off and ends up in an almost one-night stand. Caty shrugged off kissing Elan as her seeking some sort of validation and Elan is excessively full of self-preservation to argue with that. Of course, the readers know that they are genuinely attracted to each other. But there’s not enough time for them to hash these feelings out as Caty’s flight approaches. So starts a series of rush meetings that almost always end up in either of them caught in the throes of a trip to the airport.

“Stay a Little Longer” is a leap from the couple of books that I have read from the same author before. I already know that Dawn tastefully writes sweet kissing books but this book is a revelation that she can also pull off books with steamy bed scenes. The first few chapters of sexual tension pretty much sets me up to the maddening attraction between the main couple. And the thirsty woman inside of me is not complaining with the level of heat in the bed scenes that followed, whether something actually happens or not.

Also, introducing two unlikable main characters is another gamble. When we first met Caty, she is injected with so much personality to the point of being annoying. Elan comes off to me initially as a pushover. But their seeming unlikability later plays off as byproducts of their insecurities or fears. As the book delicately peels the other facets of their characters, like Caty’s dedication to her big city dreams or Elan’s filial devotion, they become more endearing. I made a 360 flip before the book ends: the woman I thought was a pest becomes a free spirit, the man I thought was boring becomes an old soul.

The book is neatly split into four parts and an epilogue. After the meet-cute part, the next part is a kind of fantasy fluff, romance books are made of. The fantasy is summed up in a picture of two attractive people dressed to the nines, ballroom dancing with all eyes in the hall on them. The third part is my favorite because this is where the book slowly unveils the fictional ideation of romance to the reality of making a relationship actually work, especially if it’s a long-distance relationship between two people with different priorities. I really felt the frustration in these characters’ conflict that there were moments in the fourth part where I stopped believing that they could be happy together in the end. But as you know romance books persist for HEAs, so both Caty and Elan persisted, and I loved them more for it.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley. I would also like to thank Raf of The Royal Polar Bear Reads and Erika of The Nocturnal Fey for hosting this international blog tour. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.



A quick and delightful read, Stay A Little Longer captures the exciting and terrifying feeling of two people falling in love who have miles between them.

I rarely read romance novels because I felt most of them have the ‘Insta-Love’ trope which I dislike the most. Thankfully, this novel made readers understand what drew the two main characters together and why I should root for them. Caty and Elan are complete opposites: Elan is quiet and reserved, while Caty is outgoing and jaunty. Despite their conflicting personalities, they find it easier to open some hard truths about themselves in a very short time of being together. Neither did the two knew the connection made in their first meeting will develop into something more.

Caty’s and Elan’s story resonates with so many feelings. Even when I haven’t been in any relationship, the story paints in words how it feels to love someone. However, theirs is not like a fairytale where everything goes well for them. Because of the distance between them, they have to exert more effort, patience, and faith to make their relationship work. There are also issues regarding their careers and family matters. These factors help grow Caty’s doubts and Elan’s hesitations about their relationship. Seeing them going through this is quite frustrating, but I also understand why they are feeling this way. But in the end, I’m glad that they worked it out without asking the other one to stay and settle down for one’s sake.

Stay a Little Longer teaches us that love itself is not enough, but we also have to be brave: brave enough to take risks; brave enough to meet each other halfway; and brave enough to stay for the one we love.

4/5 stars!

Stay A Little Longer is very easy to love.

It talks about long-distance relationship and the struggles of being in one. Elan and Caty are both very interesting main characters with contrasting yet complementing personalities and characteristics.

The storytelling is straightforward and easy to absorb. The writing is something that you’d easily get into. And it is also something that you can read in one sitting without getting bored.

Oh, and the cover is just lovely!

Overall, Stay A Little Longer is easily something that you will fall in love to, and that you will (or may) find relatable.

This was a quick and cute read. The characters seemed very much like real people with real, relatable problems and not stock characters with contrived plot problems. The story did devolve into melodrama near the end, but it was only for a chapter or two. Overall a very fun read.

This was such a fun read—one that I'm hoping to re-read once it's out! The writing is flawless, the emotions were raw, and I don't know why, but every time I read a Dawn Lanuza book, it just makes me feel giddy inside. Stay A Little Longer is a short read that's packed with sentiment, love, hope, and positivity.

This is a story about love—finding it and to do whatever it may take however they could to preserve it and make it work. This is somewhat a true romance that the characters face through a real hardship of being in love. Its about realising dreams and hoping for more but never asking the other to stay and settle down for one's sake. And this just might be my favourite aspect of Caty and Elan's story.

I have heard so many people talk about long distance relationships before, of how it drives a couple apart when insecurities and doubts settle in. The other is so many miles away that it may just be better for them, for their sanity to never start a relationship to begin with. Which is what Caty and Elan did. They didn't want each other to suffer through the distance and not wanting to settle for less. But I'm so glad that they finally worked it all out and choosing for their own happiness and work it through until the end.

We definitely need more books set in Asia and I, for instance have never been to the Philippines but I've heard such great things about it that it made me excited to explore through the lands through the eyes of the characters.

The pace of the story was just nice. They didn't really rush into it, took their time and really thought it all through. They have a really great thing between them that I think they knew that they wouldn't ever be able to move on from each other. That their feelings were true and nothing could change it.

If you're looking for a love story that is set in Manila, Philippines and New York with characters who deal with something real and vulnerable, you should definitely pick this book up. It will leave you yearning for a love like this where it'll be hard and painful but very worth all the risks.

YES, BUY AND READ THIS if we’re going by the cover alone because so pretty, but hey that’s not all there is to it. So I want to say this is more for readers stepping into a long-distance relationship, or those already in one, because this romance about a couple in their mid-20s captures such an intimate and resonating account of being apart trying to make it work.

In both Caty and Elan, I saw my self—ambitious but hesitant, willing but afraid. They both know there’s something real and solid between them, yet are not blind to the fact that the distance and time difference (Manila-New York) will not work to their advantage. Add to that, they have pasts to move on from, lives to lead, family to attend to, career goals to achieve.

And that’s the beauty of it—that willingness to take risks even though clouds of doubt and fear hover. Sure, it was a little excruciating for me to witness Caty and Elan drag themselves to realization but I found their journey heavily accurate. LDR is not at all a joke—I’d go to the lengths of saying it’s harder, in the way it requires more effort, more constant communication, more patience, more trust and faith—and so I did understand Caty’s self-denial and sabotage (“am I even worth it, I can’t put this much pressure on him”) and Elan’s hesitation (“do I deserve her, how can make it work?”). There’s also the issue of career for her and family for him, both very valid concerns especially in a Filipino setup as these are crucial factors to consider when transitioning from LDR to actually being together, so difficult, very difficult.

But thankfully, like in real-life, there are people who got Caty and Elan’s backs to remind them that “when you know, you know” and that they owe it to themselves to see it through and make it happen, and make it happen right away. In the words of the great Lucian, Caty’s best friend in New York, “one has to be braver.” (Elan’s sister, Gia, also weighs in the same thought, and gosh, just how great this cast of characters is??)

So do they make it? Do they get a happy ending?

Guaranteed. I won’t spoil anything the how but Caty and Elan eventually figure it out and get there, the resolution and reunion sweet and satisfying. And you know, their story might teach you a thing or two about your relationship, long distance or not. That said, no matter what kind of books you read, take the risk with Stay A Little Longer.

I requested this book on a whim because I've heard good things from this author (and I've read some #romanceclass novels before), and I was intrigued by the summary. It definitely lived up to my expectations and then some. Stay a Little Longer tells a tale of a different kind of love, soft and modern and lovely.

From the time Elan and Caty meet, something special forms between them. Yes, this book was a bit insta-lovey, but that's the point! They don't expect to meet each other again, or even if they do, it'll be far into the future, but both form a healthy infatuation with each other that eventually turns into love. I loved this slow-burn because it just felt right for the two of them.

The romance and the plot felt akin to Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi (although this book would be classified as adult), in that it's centered around really getting to know someone through text because there's less pressure than seeing the person actually IN PERSON. The nuances between physically talking to someone and texting them are real, okay, and I loved how Elan and Caty keep up a long-distance relationship, even if it's just a friendship at first.

I haven't read Lanuza's Hometown Hazard yet, but this book features some of the same characters. However, you don't need to have read the predecessor because this book is firmly centered on our main couple. I assume there are some allusions and inside jokes that went over my head, and I liked this book so much that I should really get on reading the first one.

The sibling relationships between the two main characters and their siblings were wonderful. You all know that I love a good sibling relationship, and this book depicted two really great ones.

The only thing that I didn't like about this book was that it was hard to tell who was talking. This was mainly due to one character's dialogue being on the same line as the description for the other character's actions. For example, it would be Caty's words but the action described right after is Elan's. I kept getting confused, and it's easy to think the other person is talking when they're not if you're not paying close attention.

Stay a Little Longer was a lovely, beautifully written story. If you're looking for a new romance to read, I totally recommend this book. In fact, it's out today, so you can pick it up right now! I do think the book was a bit short, but that's probably because I wish I could have stayed a little longer with these characters.

**This review will be up on my blog Magical Reads on May 28, 2019.**

This book was an absolute delight. It had all of my favorite ingredients for a perfectly lovely contemporary romance: beautiful, witty, slightly broken characters, a seemingly impossible situation (give or take a couple of hotel beds), and of course, a lightning hot spark that follows the characters halfway across the globe. Even in the middle of the most over-the-top dialogue scenes, there were little nuggets of relationship wisdom that rang particularly true and relatable for this aimless twenty-something, which I especially enjoyed. A quick read and an excellent escape, this book made me grin like a fool more than once on my subway commute, which is all I can ever really ask for.

4.25 stars

I'm a sucker for stories about long distance relationships. The people who decide to have this kind of relationship are so brave to fight for who they love even though they have miles between them.
This story was so heart-warming and even in the moments full of suffering everything felt so realistic, I could totally understand the doubts the characters had. It was a pleasure to see this love story blossom onto the page.
I highly recommend this novel.

I'm not a fan of most romance books (so why would I choose this one?), but love the whole premise of meeting for a short time and making the most of it, then losing touch and finding back to each other again and again. It didn't help me resist when I saw the cover and how beautiful it was.
On to the story: We have Elan, who's broody and quiet and internalises everything in fear of being angry. Then we have Caty, who is the opposite: loud, spontaneous and says every single thing she's thinking (Except for the really important things). They meet when Elan goes to retrieve his car from his best friend Juliana and ends up having Caty telling him, he's driving her to the airport (like he should know about this already). Suffice it to say, Caty is a total stranger and starts their meeting by making fun of him, calling him Judy and talking about his crooked nose (which he hates). She's never seeing him again, and after an humiliating moment, she decides she might as well kiss him.
I don't usually do well with insta love stories. There's usually no chemistry and no reason for these two people to like each other as much as they say they do. Caty and Elan are so well-written though, they seem real. I found myself hoping they'd meet again and again and sort things out. Both of them are given backstories that actually explain the way they are, which is so rare in most romantic stories. My favourite part though, is how real their meetings are. Things don't always go according to plan. There are misunderstandings. Long-distance relationships are hard work and sometimes you have to wonder if they're really worth it. I probably sound repetitive but it all just felt so real, which is a huge compliment in my book.
Honestly, I am beyond grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this in advance and I cannot wait to recommend it to everyone who asks me.
Also, where do I sign up for a Lucian/Lux/Jimmy story?

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!

This book was so cute! Elan and Caty's relationship started in the weirdest way but evolved so nicely. I love how the story was realistic in expressing how long it took for the two of them to figure their crap out. There were other factors involved in how their relationship evolved aside from the distance, which was all weaved in nicely. I especially enjoyed how Lanuza showed the reality of long distance and how (as with any relationship) you have to make the conscious effort to make it work. Communication was an issue between Elan and Caty and the moment they both were just like "Oh, I should've said something. That's why this is taking too long." was nice because they both acknowledge it.

This book was short and sweet. Lanuza's writing style is very easy to follow. I was rooting for the two the entire time because when you know, you just know. They clicked so well with each other and I was very satisfied with the ending.

Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing for the ARC!

Caty is extremely funny and authentic. I really liked her. But Elan... I don't know exactly what happened, but for some reason he annoyed me. I took longer than I expected to read it. I've read other books by this author before and I think she's amazing! But... Well, I believe that some books work better with certain people, and this one just wasn't written for me. I'm hoping for some better luck next time. :)

A well-written contemporary romance. Seems a little long at times, but overall I enjoyed it a lot. The characters were both very relatable. I'll definitely recommend it.

I received the e-ARC through NetGalley and the publishers. Thanks to the publishers for choosing me. All opinions are my own

My Review :

Elan and Caty were supposed to be strangers who never intend to see each other again after a ride. It was supposed be Elan dropping Caty off to the airport but they were sharing bonds,playing truths, dares and stealing kisses. But one thing led to another and that made pretty sure they wouldn't be strangers anymore to Elan.

This books contains how it is to be in a long distance relationship (sort of) when no one knows what future is holding. Caty were tired of keeping long distant virtual relationship where she has to stare at the phone and miss everything going around her. Point to be noted, they live in a completely different time zone where if its morning for Elan it is night for Caty.

This book was sort of slow in the beginning . I felt like I couldn't connect with the main characters specially Caty. I found her annoying but that was the main point of the author. Later on the book Caty confessed that everybody thinks she's annoying at the beginning. I gotta be honest, even though I didn't like her in the beginning, I seemed to like her from the middle. It was like the whole character changed. Same goes with Elan. The more you read the better you get to know Elan and Caty.

The author portrayed the story so well and I didn't have any difficulties to get into it. I enjoyed the book a lot. The writing style was good.

Though it was a good story but what missed was an actual story. There was nothing but fixing their relationship or what they had at the end.

In the end, book was ended well. It's not some books that leaves you unsatisfied or with a cliffhanger.

Stay A Little Longer by Dawn Lanuza will take you to a roller-coaster ride of feelings in this generally hopeful, feel-good romance. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for giving me an opportunity to read this new book of Dawn Lanuza, a Filipino writer I dearly admire.

This is a short, dialogue-filled book which tugs at the heart and brings to mind several hard, painful truths about long distance relationships made more difficult when two people with opposite personalities attract.

I like Elan a lot. His patience, his silent wisdom, his maturity, and his self-control are qualities women look for in men these days. That said, I couldn’t understand why he purposely kept from Caty the real reason for abruptly cutting short their time together in New York. This, when he’d already opened himself up to her more than with any other person, including his sister, and when he didn’t even take Gia’s calls in the first place. It was very un-Elan like in that part of their relationship. I could understand more Caty’s white lie. It’s simple self-preservation.
 
For a while there, Elan's points dropped to under the ground for me. Never mind that he did things (unknown to Caty) to maintain contact and information without making any effort whatsoever to communicate with her directly. What was he thinking? Whatever his reason, there's a lesson to be learned here, gentlemen: sometimes, being over patient can be a disadvantage and can cause unnecessary heartache and lost time. But of course, these things make up the story of their relationship, which Dawn effortlessly relates in her own unique, signature writing style, drawing the reader fully in. See what she did there to me?

I would have wanted to read more of Elan and Caty, though, and watch as their characters evolve and they further explore their relationship because surely, opposites have much more issues to realise and overcome. Or is there a sequel on the horizon?
 
Stay A Little Longer by Dawn Lanuza will take you to a roller-coaster ride of feelings but is generally a hopeful, feel-good romance. Except for some head-hopping in a few scenes, Stay A Little Longer is an easy read. I enjoyed reading Elan and Caty’s story and look forward to more books by this author. 
 
(Just one thing: reading through Adobe Digital Edition was a first for me and as such, I find it frustrating at times, me being a certified Kindle app reader. It would be nice if all books in Netgalley can be available for Kindle viewing. I don’t think I’d read using ADE again.)

I loved every page of this book. We first meet Elan as he is trekking it out on public transit all the way from Manila to a smaller town to pick up his car from his friend, Juliana, who borrowed it but didn't return it when she was supposed to. Elan clearly has feelings for her (not that she knows it), and when he pulls up and sees her with another guy, he's taken aback. And just as he's about to leave, Caty, a total stranger to him, runs out of the house as he's about to leave and tells him she needs a ride to the airport. Elan is clearly frustrated but he doesn't say anything because he internalizes a lot of his feelings and is very careful not to express anger. Caty, as it turns out, is one of Juliana's childhood friends and it's her brother whom Juliana is seeing. Elan and Caty spend a few hours together before Caty flies back to Toronto, where she lives. They are very much opposites--Elan is reserved and quiet, whereas Caty is... kind of a whirlwind.

I felt like there were no wasted words, and she packed so much into just over 250 pages. The book jumps forward in time to account for gaps between Caty and Elan seeing each other again. There were even some parts that had a Before Sunset vibe to them (especially when Elan visits her in NYC). I had so many FEELINGS while reading this. Having been in a long-distance relationship before with someone who lived in another country, this book so perfectly captures a lot of bittersweet parts of wanting to be with someone who is so far away. The giddy but terrifying feeling of falling love with someone even though you have no idea when you'll see each other again, questioning whether a relationship is even a good idea but not being able to stop yourself from constantly thinking about them, the constant texts and phone calls, the excitement but dread of seeing them in person again after months and months of electronic communication... Lanuza writes about this so well. There are a lot of things they leave unsaid between them in those times they do spend together, but instead of frustrating me, I understood it. It's so hard to say know what to say or when to say in long-distance relationships--especially for Elan and Caty, who never really establish that this is a relationship and not just a friendship.

Lanuza shows the ups and downs of LDRs; she doesn't gloss over how hard it is, but doesn't make it seem like it's all work with no benefits. Because this is a romance, they do get their HEA, and that in and of itself was bittersweet for me on a personal level (as someone whose LDR didn't ultimately work out). But it was really satisfying as a reader.

I've been trying to read more #romanceclass novels, and as I was about to start another one, this popped up on NetGalley! I knew I had to read it, especially after seeing the gorgeous cover and the storyline, so I downloaded it and fell in love with this book. 

Elan was bewildered when Caty, an upbeat and lively girl, suddenly barged into his car and ~kindly~ demanded that he take her to the airport. On the trip there, they slowly got to know one another, despite their opposite personalities. Elan and Caty found themselves getting along and in the process, started developing feelings for one another. Unfortunately, Caty lived all the way in New York while Elan lived in Manila. They end up meeting again and again over the course of the book, and their relationship develops from strangers to acquaintances..to friends...to maybe something akin to best friends, and then to something more special. It's always just never the right time, but fate had something in store for them. 

I really like the idea of fate. That Thing Called Tadhana is one of my favorite Filipino movies, and Stay a Little Longer, though very different, really reminded me of it. Maybe it was the airport scene or just the idea of tadhana, but I loved reading about Elan and Caty meeting over and over again. This wasn't just insta-love or slow-burn. It really felt so natural and authentic. Getting to see the two characters develop from people who are afraid to let others in... to people who gradually learn to trust others with their hearts...was nothing short of beautiful. Dawn Lanuza has a way with writing that makes you feel as if the real world is really filled with magic that leads the right people to one another. 

This is especially close to my heart since Elan and Caty both feel like people I know in real life. There's just something about their characters that are so authentic and I loved being able to read their story. Stay a Little Longer wasn't as long as I'd like it to be, but looking back at it now, I adore the length since it kept me in a little bubble the whole time I was reading it. I'm really excited to check out Dawn's other books now!

I really liked this book. It felt real, not because of the events, but because of how the characters felt. I've been in a sort-of long distance relationship and a lot of the feelings, worries, concerns, about starting one felt incredibly real and emotional. I read this whole book with my boyfriend in the back of my mind, despite the fact our stories aren't really that similar. The way these characters felt about each other, however, was. I even highlighted one line, which I never do, because it resonated with me so much - "I'd been counting wrong the whole time". When you only have a small amount of time with someone, a little change in plans can feel incredibly jarring. I loved how Elan and Caty's relationship developed. The section of texts was beautiful, showing simple conversations that people who can't see each other have. It was a lovely quick way of developing the relationship.
Overall this book was very emotional to read, hit close to home, felt realistic, and I would definitely read other books by this author.