"But what I'm sure of now is this:
I want to keep choosing you."
Waaaay overdue but here we are!
This has been my last read for 2020 and 2 months later, I still have difficulty expressing everything without just being 😭😍💕 All I can say is I loved every single page of this and I can't recommend it hard enough!
Keeping Miss Kalila is part of Tara Frejas’ Lakambini Universe, along with Waiting in the Wings and Like Nobody’s Watching - both which I absolutely adored as well.
See my live tweets here and read more quick feelings below!
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SYNOPSIS:
With a job that she loves, an adorable senior dog, and a baby she fought hard to conceive on the way, life is going well for thirty-one-year old school teacher Kalila Rayos. That is, until her ex-boyfriend and first love, filmmaker Datu Alvez asks if they could try again.
Saying yes shouldn’t be too difficult. After all, she’s still also in love with him and Datu’s efforts to be there for her make her feel she truly has it all. But on top of her worries as a soon-to-be mom, a crisis that hits her school forces her to shift her priorities away from her own desires.
Will the one who got away be strong enough to stay, or will their second chance at love crumble and break her heart once more?
cw: miscarriage (backstory), casual sexism, and verbal + physical abuse from a parent
It took me months before I could sit down to properly put my thoughts and feelings into words (as much as I could). So now, here are some reasons why I think *you* should pick up this book:
- NON-TOXIC, EMOTIONALLY MATURE COUPLE
"Maybe that was what people did sometimes. Making difficult choices between two things you loved. You just pick the one thing - or person - you could not imagine living life without."
It is a truth universally acknowledged that friends-to-lovers is my all time favorite! Every line where Datu acknowledges that he is completely in love with his best friend, my heart does somersaults because 👀 While this book got everything I love about the trope perfectly, it spiced things up by adding another layer of second chance romance.
I don't usually say this lightly but Kalila and Datu are absolutely meant for each other. Their relationship is so mature especially when it comes to tackling their issues but it doesn’t keep them from flirting like teenagers - just enough to keep things interesting and fun. When Kalila said "kilig hit her like a bullet train" I FELT THAT IN MY SOUL because boy, this book really did it.
- A TOTALLY BADASS MAIN CHARACTER
“Perhaps that was what happened when people saw you as a strong, self-sufficient woman. No one asked you how you were, not because they didn't care, but because they knew you've got your shit together, or you were going to, anyhow, no matter what.”
The biggest thing I appreciated about Kalila is that she is gentle and strong-willed at the same time. Her big heart really goes above and beyond (especially when it comes to pulling all the stops to save the school) but she also knows what she wants, doing whatever it takes to get it, man or no man.Right off the bat, I knew Kali’s gonna be a strong protagonist and I like that her strength as a character - more so as a woman - wasn't diminished with her admission that she needs help or that what she’s going through is hard and scary because IT IS.This also rounds back to one of my main belief points in life: that an empowered woman is not exclusively defined by someone excelling in her career but rather, someone making decisions for herself. This obviously includes wanting to be a mother and as someone completely terrified of childbirth, I think that's really brave.
- A MULTIFACETED LOVE INTEREST
"What I'm trying to say is I know you don't need me, but I'm choosing to be here for you on the off-chance that you would. Just like you chose to be a friend to me all these years, I'm choosing to stay. I'll be your back-up, your ally, your ride-or-die. Just say the word, Kali. I'm ready."
A problem I usually encounter when I dive into the work of an author I've previously read is that sometimes, the "voices" tend to be similar and repetitive. Given this, I can say that Datu was so well written with his own unique voice and personality that differentiates him from other LIs.When I say Datu is so supportive and caring and considerate, I mean it in every sense of these words. He managed to be there for Kali without being too overbearing and I believe that this balance is !! important !! He knows how to pull all the stops when wooing someone and when to respect the space asked from him. As they say, “sana all.”
"What mother would be disappointed with a child who's always tried to be a better person?"
Aside from the romantic aspects of his arc, another shining part of Datu is his own growth. Branded as the family disappointment by his father, his backstory was heart tugging. Seeing him deal with his personal baggage and eventually overcoming them was immensely satisfying! His whole journey of unlearning certain things he was used to was so well developed and despite some slip ups, you can tell that he is a genuinely good person who tries his best to make up for it, not just towards the love of his life but to his friends as well. Top-tier groveling, sir!++++ points for the scenes between him and Tita Ces because I am always SOFT for mother-son moments and even more bonus marks for the Alvez brothers’ kulitan and heart-to-hearts that got me “🥺”
- THE NON-JERK EX“Everyone is entitled to want more out of life. It’s what we do with what we’re given that makes a difference.”
Might be a small thing but worth mentioning that I greatly appreciated how Yves (the ex) wasn't made a bad guy. It would've been easy to frame him that way but I'm glad it didn't go down that route! - UNIQUE PREMISE AND TOP-NOTCH WRITING“Besides, she wanted them to know that she was proud of the decision she’d made, that it was a decision other women could make too, if they so wished.”
I can't believe how the plot is so fresh and new and nothing like I've read before, yet contains everything I love about the romance genre. How?!Now that I think of it, it's my first book that involves pregnancy (and IUI procedure). It's unique and complex and scary. Similar to what Kalila feels.Speaking of, the book contains very sensitive themes that I was initially worried it might trigger things for me but I trust Tara and she handled everything tastefully with utmost respect. Kudos!
Every page brings something meaningful to prod the story forward and there really is no dull moment. No kidding, each scene was enjoyable and evokes such strong emotions! It has its fair share of funny moments, kilig + steamy interactions, heart-tugging conflicts, and mature resolutions. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, and by the end, my heart was just so happy! THAT EPILOGUE ✨
Did I also mention that Pinoy pop culture references came in heaps which I absolutely ate up?! Best believe I listened to all the songs mentioned (Tara also made a playlist - you can listen to it below!) and craved ALL THE FOOD.
I've been a big fan of the author's works especially the Lakambini Universe but I personally think that this is Tara's best work yet!
I've loved so many #romanceclass titles then and now but it's safe to say that Keeping Miss Kalila seriously shot its way up to the top spot of my most favorite of all time in the catalog 💕
I swear, get this book today and don’t forget to check out the #romanceclass website for more dose of kilig - HEA/HFN guaranteed!
Now let's all just wait for Kuya Gani's book 😉
Now let's all just wait for Kuya Gani's book 😉
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| 5/5 rating! :) |
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Tara Frejas is a cloud-walker who needs caffeine to fuel her travels. When she’s not on work mode, she keeps herself busy by weaving her daydreams into stories.
Aside from her obvious love affair with words and persistent muses, Tara is very passionate about being caffeinated, musical theatre, certain genres of music, dancing, dogs, good food, and romancing Norae, her ukelele. She owns a male bunny named Max who sometimes tries to nibble on her writing notes.
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