About the Book:
Author: Chris Mariano
Date Published: July 30, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Available in Amazon and Smashwords.
1) She has amnesia.
2) She’s on the run from her father’s creditors.
3) She’s enjoying her last days on earth.
Ever since Jang Min Hee walked into Gio’s small museum, she’s given him one excuse after another about why she’s vacationing at scenic Boracay Island. Rarely has Gio’s neat and organized world been shaken like this. Soon he finds himself scrambling over rocks, hiding in dressing rooms, and dragging her out of bars. But how can Gio tell what’s true from what isn’t? Their worlds are getting unraveled — one story at a time.
About the Author:
Cover (Story) Girl is Chris Mariano’s first published romance work, but her speculative fiction and poetry have appeared in Fully Booked’s Philippine Graphic/Fiction Awards Prose Anthology, Philippine Speculative Fiction Volume 7, TAYO Literary Magazine, and Ideomancer. When she’s not writing, she supports Eskritoryo Pilipinas, an organization that encourages kids to appreciate Filipino literature and culture. She divides her time between Manila and Aklan. Email her at [email protected], follow her on Twitter or read her blog.
My Review:
I was very excited to have been given a chance to review this book because 1) I’ve never done any book reviews here of any book written by a fellow Filipino before and 2) the setting of the book is in Boracay, which is one of my favorite local beaches.
Since I have never read any of Chris Mariano’s work before, I had no preconceived notions of what her writing would be like. Honestly, it has also been a long time since I’ve read a local contemporary romance novel so I didn’t really know what to expect. So, it was a pleasant surprise to find that Cover (Story) Girl was actually an enjoyable read.
It was a very light, easy read. I think Chris Mariano did a really great job of adding a lot of the local culture of Boracay and Aklan into the book without it being boring. As someone who loves Boracay, it was truly interesting for me to look at it in another light, not from the perspective of a tourist but from the eyes of Gio, the main protagonist, who actually works in Boracay and has lived in the province for most of his life. Most of us frequent this beach every so often for a vacation, but do you ever wonder what it will actually be like to work or live there? The book gives us a sneak peak into that type of life.
The love story of Gio and Min Hee wasn’t all that original in the sense that they represent the usual “opposites attract” story. Gio was the more serious, calculating, organized type while Min Hee was more carefree and adventurous. However, Mariano put a nice twist to the story on how the couple came together as well as on the mystery of who Min Hee really was. It was a romantic story but not sickeningly so. I especially enjoyed the sarcastic banter between Gio and Min Hee, which I believe plays a huge part in its kilig factor. I think this would make for a good Koreanovela, given that Min Hee is from Korea. It would no doubt make a lot of girls swoon.
What I like most about it though are the lessons you’ll pick up from the story. It reminds us that life is short and that you should try to not live with regrets. It reminds us that although it’s good to plan your life, sometimes it’s best to take a leap of faith. There are only two things I don’t particularly like about the story, 1) I think it’s a bit too short and 2) the ending seems to be too abrupt. I would have loved to read more and hoped that Mariano could have dragged the ending a bit longer to make it more dramatic. Aside from that, I totally enjoyed this book!
Giveaway!!!
Join the giveaway for a chance to win 3 Swag Bags containing a signed paperback copy of CSG, set of postcards and bookmarks, vanilla shampoo/body wash [PHILIPPINES ONLY]. Good luck!