I was genuinely excited for this book until I started reading and realized it was insta-love. That is sooo not my thing but I wanted to give the book a fair chance but I couldn’t get into it no matter how many times I tried.

I felt like our two main characters had very little chemistry, there was no tension for me, and the “obstacle” isn’t really even an obstacle for them to overcome. I didn’t feel anything for the characters and I found myself cringing at the overuse of pop culture references.

The only saving grace for me was the representation of the Filipino culture. I thought the inclusion of Tagalong phrases was nice and added some depth to characters I otherwise didn’t even want to give my attention to. But, sadly, even that wasn’t enough to make up for everything else that fell flat in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to Harlequin for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

This book didn't work well for me. I found the opening scenes outlandish and off-putting. On first meeting, they moved too quickly from distrust without any character progression. I think I could have enjoyed the book is those scenes were removed because there were other aspects I appreciated. But it was tough to get past those first impressions.

I did appreciate the culture, food, art, and music. So many aspects of each were well related and moving. And I was glad to see a very strong female main character who was advocating both for herself and for better representation of Filipina women in film.

I would be willing to read another book from this author because there was enough to make me think she would write it well.

2.5 stars rounded up

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

YES!!YES!!yes!!!!!!!! I need more by this author. This was such a good book! Such an easy read and the story was great!

This was such a sweet and steamy read! Olivia had excellent taste in 90s rom coms, even if her food taste is a little questionable (not sure "original" is *actually* a flavor...) and Mon is just...everything. I love that HQN is at least moving in the direction diversifying their characters and stories, even if so many of the Filipino phrases had me a little lost and the food made me hungry. (Is there a better option out there than Google Translate? Someone needs to point me in its direction, please! My Kindle was pretty useless) Also am not sure I needed the images that came up when I Googled Hanahaki Disease stuck in my brain, but here we are ;) At least Carla de Guzman's lovely imagery a little later on when Olivia was feeling sad about Mon make more sense...

It looks like some (all?) of the secondary characters who were happily coupled up also have books, I'm going to have to check them out!

Rating: 4 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

All my stars are for the Filipino representation and references. That is hands down the best part of this book. I just didn't love the instalove and wasn't drawn to the characters. I would read more by this writer though.

Fresh off the plane, Mon encounters Olivia. After a fun filled night, the duo discovers they are coworkers.
This was a decent read. It's a workplace romance. It was lust at first sight Rom-com

What a sweet, authentic story. A hint of insta love, meet cute, and cultural pride wrapped in one. Mon and Oliva were wholesome and relatable. I loved the tagalog written throughout, and the cultural appreciation. The depth the story devels into in just 12 ch is well done. I did enjoy seeing Mon & Olivia’s friendship blossom after the slight start. Overall a good read.

I absolutely adored this book. It was a very simple romance, but I love how even though the characters are ethnically from the same background, the fact that they are citizens from different countries still provides them with different cultural norms and nuances that they need to become accustomed too. It was a cute romance with spice sprinkled in, and I was rooting for both characters the whole time.

Manila Takes Manhattan follows the love story of Mon, a small music producer and musician, and up and coming actress Olivia. The two meet and hook up before either knows who the other is and after that fateful night, they find out they're actually working on Olivia's next movie together, the project that has plucked Mon out obscurity as a viral music sensation during the pandemic and landed him in New York. Turns out, Oliva is a big fan of his online music persona and recommedned him for the musical. Mon and Olivia quicly fall for each other during the shooting of the film.

Overall, this is a solid book. I like Mon and Olivia as characters a lot and seeing another take on the celebirty dating trope was great. I do wish the book had been a bit longer. It just felt like there could have been a bit more character development for both Mon and Olivia. Olivia gained confidence by the end sure, and Mon, hopeless romantic that he is, did get the girl in the end, but it feels like Mon doesn't change much from the beginning of the story to the end.

(Actual: 4.25⭐, rounded up) This book was so refreshing and unique to read! 🥰 MANILA TAKES MANHATTAN is a well-paced, forced-proximity/celebrity romance that not only has two (2!!) equally developed & nuanced first-generation Fil-Am MCs, but is also undeniably and unapologetically Filipino at its core. Being full Filipina myself, let me just preface now that a majority of this review will focus on how much I absolutely LOVED the representation featured here; it makes me so, so happy to see us portrayed through such a full and vibrant lens (because, lbr, it can be quite rare).

De Guzman incorporates so many scenes and moments, big and small, throughout MTM that highlight the vast breadth that is Filipino culture (i.e. our language(s), food, notable places, music & entertainment industries, fashion, and more); even some of the negative or more divisive aspects - such as the process of immigration (and how it can look differently for some versus others), the racism we may indirectly encounter or experience firsthand, as well as the intricacies of Philippine politics - are touched upon in this book with a gentle & knowledgeable hand. The concept of the "American Dream" and, more generally speaking, the sense of honorable duty and the lengths to which we'll go - by way of working extremely hard & diligently - to not only build and provide a better life for ourselves, but also for our immediate &/or extended families back home, is one the Filipino people have always taken seriously and with great pride (we even have an acronym/term for it: "OFW," or "Overseas Filipino Worker"). And while this book certainly isn't exempt from having any flaws (Exs. Some cringy dialogue; a bit too much insta-love; and way more pandemic references than I think was necessary), I still believe both MANILA TAKES MANHATTAN and De Guzman succeed in reaffirming just how much diverse stories *matter* and are impactful across ALL genres, not just romance, and how they absolutely can have a positive & informative impact on readers by teaching and exposing them to something new about worlds outside their own.

If you love romcoms; are a fan of authors such as Helen Hoang, Julie Tieu, Amy Lea, Lauren Kung Jessen, Susan Lee, Axie Oh (and so many more)..... and honestly regardless of what month* it is (*though a friendly reminder that #AAPIHeritageMonth is coming up shortly again in May 🤗), I implore you to check this one out for yourselves and continue to diversify your shelves!

DNF. I really wanted to like this and kept going back to it thinking I’d get into it but I just couldn’t. The plot seemed very rushed. I get instant love but who invites a stranger who’s sitting on the floor outside their door to have s*x? And I get covid happened but i just don’t want to read about it. Most people don’t. Also it was a huge turn off how the author wrote about racism towards Filipinos. As a Filipino American , I know that there are hateful people out there, especially after covid but the way the author wrote about it wasn’t accurate. Disappointed because I really wanted to support a fellow Filipino but this one was a miss for me

Filipino movie star Olivia and musician/producer Mon have a wild one-night stand without knowing who the other is (thanks, jet-lag)....only to discover the next day that they'll be working together very closely for Olivia's next movie. Both have to figure out if there can be more to their relationship that attraction and what that means for their careers.

Nice to see a different culture highlighted, but the connection between Olivia and Mon never quite felt solid.

My first romance with Filipino characters! Or really my first book with an emphasis on Filipino culture, which I LOVED. As a Filipina myself (only a small portion of my heritage, but a big part of my culture and family upbringing), I am always looking to read books about Asian culture or have Asian characters or to learn history of different parts of Asia. That is why this one really piqued my interest! And romance really isn't my genre, but I was willing to give this one a shot. When it comes to romance, I do enjoy a celebrity trope because it's sort of a dream of mine to be a famous musician or star! So I loved that this was about a famous actress and a famous music producer. I thought their banter and flirting was really cute. I also enjoyed the tweets/gossip about following Olivia's love life since that is definitely realistic. I also of course, just loved the Filipino references as well. And I did not mind the spice!! I would love to read another from this author.

Filipino musician and producer Mon Mendoza’s viral hit on social media helped land him an opportunity to come to New York to work on a film project. After a rough arrival to the United States, he expects a quiet night in. A chance meeting with his Pinoy neighbor from the apartment next-door leads to a steamy encounter instead. They expect it to be a one-time thing but soon discover they will be working together on the same film. She’s cast as the lead.

What to expect:
- Instalust
- Forced proximity (neighbors)
- Celebrity romance
- Workplace romance
- Some pandemic representation (how it impacted their lives + Mon still wears a mask)
- Discussions of how other cultures are treated by Americans and how they are represented in American media
- A couple figuring out if they should continue together / how to navigate a romance between lovers based on different continents

Highlights for me include
- The rom-com references peppered throughout the story (Olivia is a huge fan of romantic comedies.)
- Song titles included at the beginning of each chapter like a soundtrack to the story
- Mon’s optimistic personality

What didn’t work as well for me:
- I wish there had been more development in the love story.
- Some parts and passages felt a bit disjointed.

I received an advance copy of the book from Harlequin and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

This was such a quick read! That meet cute/hookup right in the beginning was unexpected. I really like pancit too. Maybe I will use that as a code word as well.
Olivia and Mon realize they will be working together and try to shut down their attraction but it's useless. She brought him over from Manila to help her with a song for the show she is on. She already knew he was talented and loved his work. He didn't recognize her at first but loved her show as well. You know out of context I get it. Why would you think you would meet a celebrity? They worked well together. Though her costar was a jerk to both of them.
Loved the food references and the talk of events happening on the islands.

Manila Takes Manhattan is an achingly sweet romance between Olivia Angeles, Filipina American Hollywood tv and movie star, and Raymond “Mon” Tindalo Mendoza, indie music producer from Manila, as they work together on the film, Overexposed, in New York City. After Mon’s music as Mountainview goes viral on Tiktok, he finds that not only was he plucked from the Philippines for this job, he was specifically handpicked and advocated for by Olivia herself. Theirs is a story of falling in love with each other within the harmonies and melodies of their souls and the music that guides them— with the caveat of a 30 day time limit before they’re separated by their respective jobs, lives, and homes that span an entire ocean and over 7000 miles.

I absolutely love Olivia Angeles. She’s exactly the actor I wish I had grown up watching on screen and had represented even today. Her story is rooted in what it means to be a Filipina American actor in Hollywood— often relegated to being merely the best friend— until she lands her once in a lifetime role as the space opera queen. However, she understands that not even roles and fame like that which she’s gained from this one show guarantee that she’ll be able to continue working in jobs that she *wants* in terms of being the lead who gets to fall in love without being racially profiled for sidelined. She is strong and determined and works hard to achieve her dreams and open to love despite the challenge of her career. She is everything I strive to be.

I love reading Mon from Olivia’s perspective. He is sweet, attentive, genuine, and supportive. I didn’t particularly love reading from his point of view, however, because despite his character being 32, his voice had a tendency to rub me the wrong way; for example, his parenthetical of, “look at him finally understanding Google Maps, like a grown-up!” I’m aware the Mon is treated as the baby of his friend group, but there were times I felt like reading his voice, I was reading the mind of a still developing teenager (and don’t get me wrong— I really love reading YA, but I don’t love when my character is an actual supposedly fully developed adult who grew up being teased for being too smart yet reads as immature).

My favorite thing about this book though was how Filipinx and Filam it is. While there is absolutely a difference between the experience of being a Filipinx coming to the US from the Philippines versus the experience of growing up Filipinx in America (especially since there is no One Singular experience that encapsulates the entirety of what it means to be Filipinx or a Filipinx hyphenate), as an American born and raised daughter of Filipinx immigrants, it felt like reading *home.* My people, my culture, my values, my language. Extra emphasis on seeing the Filipino language casually and constantly mixed into the text— *home.* While I am a heritage speaker who understands far more than can speak and still had to look up/ask the people in my life for translations, it still felt heartwarming that I *could* ask my parents and my besties for translations. As an avid reader who grew up desperately deprived of representation within the literature I grew up with, reading the solid throughline of Filipinx representation felt ✨healing✨. As Olivia said, “Just diaspora things.” Additionally, I recently returned to the motherland for the first time in ten years and stayed with family along EDSA, and this only brought me a greater sense of connection as a daughter of immigrants from the Philippines. <3

I’ve admittedly read one other Carla de Guzman book, which wasn’t the right book for me, so Manila Takes Manhattan was my giving this author a second chance. I’m glad that this was the book that brought this author back into my reader’s sphere. Thank you, Netgalley and Afterglow Books by Harlequin, for the ARC!!

Quick Summary: An insta-lust to love, close proximity romance

My Review: Manila Takes Manhattan by Carla de Guzman is a standalone novel that brings together an actress and a musician for a special project.

About the Book: Upon meeting in the oddest of circumstances, two celebrities hit it off and try to maneuver a professional and personal relationship. With cultural flavor, tense encounters, and colorful interactions, Mon Mendoza and Olivia Angeles take off their masks and get real about what is happening between them. Will they be able to find forever or will they be torn apart?

My Final Say: This was an interesting story. It was an upside down romance, in my opinion. It started in such an unusual way. Quite frankly, I didn't like the beginning. I made myself push forward, however, and I'm glad I did. The story had more grit than I initially thought, as well as more of an emotional tug. While it was not completely my particular cup of tea, it was an acceptable read overall.

Other: I liked the emphasis placed on the Filipino culture. I love books that highlight and celebrate diversity.

Rating: 3/5
Recommend: +/-
Audience: A
Status/Level: 🌶

Thank you to the author, to the publisher (Harlequin - Romance | Afterglow Books by Harlequin), and to NetGalley for granting access to this title in exchange for an honest review. I am appreciative for the opportunity to review this work.

What a fun, dual POV celebrity romance! Precious romcom and delicious food descriptions pepper this love story between two Filipino MCs who fall in love while working together in NYC! I highly recommend this fun and spicy romance with instalove, steam and fun! Thank you to Netgalley and Afterglow for this ARC!

A fun, light read with insta love and some spice. I found myself not all that much invested in their romance as we missed a lot of the build of it that was only mentioned as an aside to let you know time had passed. I would have loved to have read more about the song writing process with the two and how that intensified their bond.

The facts and references to Filipino culture and language and politics was a part I really enjoyed. I will admit I had to google a lot to translate or understand the meaning of some of the terms but that's not something I mind at all. I was surprised to read mention of masking or COVID but just that I haven't seen it come up in a book before. It was refreshing that he was masking but it was inconsistent too so there's that.

The breakup/makeup was a bit confusing for me and there seemed to be some things that were left hanging like dealing with her obnoxious co-star Colin or the mentions of Olivia's family issues that we never really got to understand fully.

A fun read for sure and would recommend to those interested in learning more about Filipino culture and language and anyone who's a fan of insta romance and a book that gets right to the spice.

I received an early (digital) copy of the book through NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for my honest review.

2 Stars
I had such high hopes for this one (especially as a Filipina myself, I'm always down to read anything I could find relatable) but I had a hard time getting over the Covid setting (I know we all lived through it but it feels weird to read about it in a fiction book to me). Mon and Olivia were cute but I found them a bit boring and this whole storyline felt a bit unrealistic to me (I have so many questions lol). Personally, I enjoyed the Filipino references but if you're not or don't know anything about the culture, it would probably get tiring.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC!