#RomanceClass Bundle: Our romance books for the benefit of Savage Mind Bookshop

Update Nov 3: Thank you to the 90 people in the Philippines, United States, Australia, Sweden, Canada, Romania, and Singapore who donated! The total raised from this ebook bundle, including via PayPal/Gcash/Maya/BPI, is PHP 49,779.75. I will be sending P51,000.00 to Savage Mind, and I will cover the conversion and transaction fees.

I've unpublished this page (we see it but people won't be able to buy) and would like to direct anyone who wants to contribute to Savage Mind to instead head to their page on Go Get Funding.

Update Oct 31: The last day to donate and receive this bundle is November 2. Thank you to the 82 people who've donated so far! We will be sharing Savage Mind's funding page and information so anyone else can send contributions after Nov 2 directly to them.

Update Oct 27 12:03 AM: We've so far raised P25,968. Thank you!

#RomanceClass Bundle: Our romance books for the benefit of Savage Mind Bookshop

#RomanceClass is a community of Filipino authors of romance in English. By purchasing this product, you get all the individual titles contributed by the authors. You will also receive alerts via email if new titles are added and how much has been raised.

All proceeds will be donated to Savage Mind, an indie bookshop in Naga City. They've lost everything in the flooding brought about by Typhoon Kristine. The book community in the Philippines is coming together to help them rebuild, and we are donating all proceeds from this bundle to them.

Visit their page to learn about Savage Mind, their books, the store, their translation work: https://www.facebook.com/@SavageMindBikol

Available for $6 (you can choose to give a higher amount!). You will be able to instantly access the books already contributed. If more RomanceClass titles are added, you will be able to access those as well.

Table of Contents

Your Place Next Year special edition (includes short stories Pleasure to Meet You and See You Under the Counter) by Mina V. Esguerra

What If We Fall in Love? by Tara Frejas

Pameowmanhikan: The Propawsal by Danice Mae P. Sison

The Bookshop Back Home by Catherine Dellosa

Comfortable and Familiar by H. Bentham

Love to Meet You by Jay E. Tria

Choco Chip Hips by Agay Llanera

Love at First Run and Home at Last by Angel C. Aquino

Orange by Dawn Lanuza

Stealing Luna by Carla de Guzman

Keep the Faith by Ana Tejano

Project Saving Noah by Six de los Reyes

You, Me, US by Brigitte Bautista

The Billionaire's Game by Ansela Corsino

Having A Moment by Suzette de Borja

Chasing Waves by Bianca Mori

Ghost of a Feeling by Celestine Trinidad

A Captured Dream by Ines Bautista-Yao

The Heart Wants by Chi Yu Rodriguez

About the books

Your Place Next Year by Mina V. Esguerra

Alia Monterojo may be the country director of one of the largest consulting firms in Manila, but she absolutely doesn't want to be at this important breakfast meeting right now. In another time she would have been in La Union, spending her only free week a year at the beach, with a certain someone who doesn't even know her full name. She's missed the trip for several years now, for good reason, but she still wishes things were different, that she was with him instead.

This year, she gets her chance, when he shows up at the breakfast meeting as an invited guest—because he's the CEO of the small company they might acquire.

What If We Fall in Love? by Tara Frejas

What If We Fall In Love? is a collection of stories about what ifs that get answered, what ifs that end with happy ever after.

What if you had a chance at love?

Let it be known that Manuel La Rosa had always found Jamia Damiles beautiful, and not only in a breathtaking, how-are-you-even-real kind of way. He also found her smart, competent, and funny—you know, completely out of his league.

But when she agrees to be his fake girlfriend for his cousin’s wedding, Manuel slowly realizes Jamia might be within his reach after all.

What if you took the first step?

Starting a food truck business isn’t easy—just ask Paz Laban, who almost burned down her truck on opening day. Thankfully, help was nearby, and it came to save the day wearing a tight shirt and a familiar face.

They call him Coby now, but to her, he will always be Jako: the shy and lanky son of the Galarosas, who lived across their street in her hometown in Bicol. Little does she know that to him, she’s the unattainable crush…and now he’s ready to shoot his shot.

What if you choose to be brave?

Five years ago, college friends Aki Buenaventura and Bonnie Salvador made an unwritten pact to get married if they find themselves single at thirty-five. It all seemed like a forgotten promise until an ISP fail leads work-from-home employee Bonnie to knocking on Aki’s door and asking to spend a few days at his apartment.

When proximity and the rush of fond memories force Aki to confront his long repressed feelings, will he finally muster the courage to take the leap?

Pameowmanhikan: The Propawsal by Danice Mae P. Sison

When thirty-eight-year-old cat yayey Penelope Paguyo is tasked to bring Jasper, a gigantic British shorthair to a digital campaign shoot, she hopes she has the cat in the bag, but handling a pet is not one of her strengths. She meets Marco Mariano, a grumpy, overprotective cat dad of a Persian kitty. When their cats escape, sexy shenanigans ensue.

The Bookshop Back Home by Catherine Dellosa

When Anna ran away to the big city, she was happy. Sure, she brewed cheap coffee, scrubbed frat toilets, and stood in the middle of a basketball court with a plastic bird over her head just to get by, but she was happy. Then Michael shows up at her university on the last day of college and asks her to come home, and she’s drawn to him all over again.

Never mind that he’s eight years older than she is. Never mind that he’s smiling and perfect and the whole reason why she left home in the first place. Never mind that he accidentally almost got her killed in their town’s old bookshop when she was twelve. All Anna knows is that Michael is the same man who revived her, the same man who broke her heart growing up, the same man she’s hungered for all her life.

Now, she’s coming home to face her silent mother, her passive sister, and a devastating truth about her father. She’s coming home to face her demons, and—after one forbidden night—ignite a fragile passion with the older boy who never loved her in return.

But Michael has his own demons too, and when 22-year-old Anna comes home to return to the life she left behind, she learns that there are just some things you can’t run away from, and that home will never be the same again.

Comfortable and Familiar by H. Bentham

After eleventy million years, H. Bentham has finally (finally!) compiled together two of his favorite short stories about finding love and romance — with a bit of spice on the side as a little treat!

In Guide for A Day, a vacationing city boy asks a local provincial lad for a tour around town, and they spend the day together in comfortable ease, discovering and exploring more than just the beauty and rich history of Sancho de Guerra.

In The Other Story, a bored twenty something inadvertently stumbles upon a connection that proves to be hotter and far more meaningful than all the fun one usually pursues in the familiar halls of a ‘men’s spa’.

Along with these are some love poems from Signed, B, plus a brand-new piece that has never been published before.

Love to Meet You by Jay E. Tria

Expectations vs. Reality

At 33, career woman Sol Trinidad wasn’t really looking for anything other than a fun evening when she attended the fan meet of hot Korean celebrity Nam Jihun. She certainly wasn’t expecting to get up close and personal with the actor—like rolling-in-the-sheets-until-dawn personal. It was just one night after all. She will never see him again and he’ll forget about her soon enough. Right?

Manila was supposed to be just one of the many cities in 30-year old Nam Jihun’s work itinerary. Just like in any other city, he was excited to greet his fans. Then he met Sol, someone who had a knack for throwing all his expectations out the window. Romance wasn’t in his schedule, but he wants to keep seeing her again, if only she and his celebrity trappings would let him.

Choco Chip Hips by Agay Llanera

Sixteen-year-old Jessie, a baking aficionado, is shy, overweight, and worries too much about what people think. But one summer, a family emergency makes her realize that life is too short to live it on autopilot. Taking her life by the reins, she embarks on a journey that involves ditching the apron for her tank top, as she hip-hop dances her way to new friendships, stronger family ties, and into her school’s most elite club.

Love at First Run by Angel C. Aquino

After getting her heart broken, 23-year-old Diana Gomez is afraid to fall in love again. But when her office crush Paul invites her to join a running club with him, she goes for it. What she doesn’t know is that to be a part of the club, she actually has to train for a half marathon—and that she’ll meet Joshua, the handsome club veteran who becomes her unofficial running buddy. As if it isn’t hard enough to do speed work, interval training, and long runs after work and on weekends, she has to deal with her feelings for both boys and face her fears of falling in love. Will she reach the finish line without getting herself (or her heart) injured? Journey with Diana as she reaches running milestones, overcomes obstacles, pushes herself to the limit, and discovers the strength within her… one kilometer at a time.

Home at Last by Angel C. Aquino

News anchor Cherry Ronillo is fiercely independent and takes pride in doing things on her own, whether it’s at work or in her relationships. But when her ex-boyfriend and stalker Saul suddenly appears, she realizes there are some things she can’t deal with by herself. Her colleague Raffy is more than willing to lend a hand, but can she learn to trust him and ask for the help that she needs?

Orange by Dawn Lanuza

She just wanted to sleep. He just wanted to sing. Couldn’t they just call it quits?

Being woken up by a loud singing voice was not how Yasmin envisioned her Sunday morning, especially after her night shift. Unfortunately, she lived in an apartment above the popular boy group, LuvByte.

Being reported for “noise” is not what Kota would call his well-managed, money-making, life-changing singing voice. Too bad his neighbor and her cat hated his guts.

He’s annoying. She’s intimidating. Yet they can’t seem to help but run into each other…

Stealing Luna by Carla de Guzman

Cora Justa Dumagat has had enough.

She is tired of watching the corrupt, fat cats of the council override the monarchy and risk the people’s lives in exchange for a payday. Despite advice from her Queen, Cora has decided to take matters into her own hands and hit the Joaquins where it hurts—to steal their precious Juan Luna painting right from under their noses in Barcelona.

The job shouldn’t be too difficult. If only Luis Ang, her ex-boyfriend, wasn't hired to be her bodyguard.

Luis knows that Cora is up to something, and will stop at nothing to make sure she’s safe, even at the cost of Cora’s plans.

As Luis and Cora become more and more deeply entangled into each other, the more dangerous the situation becomes. Will Cora have her revenge? Or will stealing Luna be the last thing she ever does?

Keep the Faith by Ana Tejano

When Faith’s five-year relationship ends right before she leaves for a typhoon-stricken town in Iloilo, she chooses not to make a big deal out of it. She’s not a stranger to heartbreak after all – she deals with it everyday with her disaster relief work. How can she be broken up about her lost love life when she’s surrounded by people who literally lost everything?

All she wants now is for her life to go back to normal. Never mind her unanswered questions about the breakup, or that (not so) tiny ache in her heart whenever she sees her ex. She’s okay now and maybe she’s even starting to like Nico Tamayo, the attractive new guy at work.

With new possibilities in the horizon, Faith thinks she is well on her way to moving on. But when her past comes calling back to her, will all the good things in her present be enough to keep her on the path? Or will she finally learn that there's more to heartbreak and recovery than what she knows?

Project Saving Noah by Six de los Reyes

Noah might be the best oceanographer the Institute has seen in years, so he’s in no hurry to finish his Master’s degree...until a new arrival threatens his chance at a once-in-a-lifetime research grant. Suddenly, it’s sink or swim time.

Lise knows there’s a slot at the Institute’s newest project with her name on it. But she’s all math and very little science, and when it comes to the ocean, she’s completely out of her depth.

Lise and Noah are determined to win—even if it means working with each other to overcome their fears. But what begins as a shallow bargain lands them straight into the deep end when they realize they want the same thing—each other. Unable to ignore their physical chemistry, can they balance personal ambitions against an illogical attraction that threatens everything they’ve worked so hard to achieve?

You, Me, US by Brigitte Bautista

Best friends Jo and Liza are as opposite as night and day. Sex worker Jo swears by the worry-free, one-day-at-a-time dance through life. Salesclerk Liza has big plans for her family's future, and there is nothing bigger than a one-way trip to the U.S. But an almost-kiss, a sex dare, and news of Liza's engagement to her American boyfriend unveil feelings Jo and Liza never thought they had. Deciding between staying together and drifting apart puts Liza's best-laid plans and Jo’s laidback life in jeopardy.

When love clashes with lifelong ambitions and family expectations, someone has to give in.

Question is: who?

The Billionaire's Game by Ansela Corsino

Aspiring screenwriter Ines Andrada is eager to pursue her dreams and quit her job as the overworked and unappreciated assistant to a famous film star. But when she takes her movie script to a respected producer, she ends up in bed with her boss's insanely hot ex-boyfriend.

Despite his billions and a reputation as a ladies' man, Mason Kilborne doesn't have much luck in relationships. So the last thing he needs is to be sent an escort as a thank-you gift by a business partner. The very attractive, (surprisingly) geeky blonde who shows up at his door is hard to resist, but she may not be all she pretends to be.

Ines doesn't know what's worse - Mason mistaking her for an escort or accusing her of blackmail. One thing's for sure: if her boss ever finds out, Ines will be kicked out of show business permanently.

It doesn't help that Mason keeps showing up at work, on the movie set - and in her wildly inappropriate fantasies.

Having A Moment by Suzette de Borja

An early retirement from a corporate job to start selling her home baked gluten-free, dairy-free desserts was all the midlife crisis Cherry Santos had been prepared to indulge herself in. When single, Global Girls squad dad Oliver Reyes starts selling cookies in the neighboring stall to help his daughter with her project, Cherry was prepared for a little competition, but not the unexpected attraction. Content warnings: death of spouse/parent in backstory, talking about a pet’s life span.

Chasing Waves by Bianca Mori

Thirty-two-year-old Mags Abarquez is a single mom to a preschooler with golden ringlets, and by God, she is going to be good. After a lifetime of only being interested in catching the next wave, she tries out for her company’s training faculty, determined to be serious and make it work this time. The only catch? Luke, her hot, younger training mentor. With a sexy nape, a penchant for paper-thin T-shirts and a disarming smile, he’s Mags’ personal brand of kryptonite. Can she stay the course when temptation loves to banter and is so good with her son? A contemporary romance set in the Philippines about motherhood, workplace attraction and finding that sweet spot between passion and vocation, Chasing Waves will make you swoon and smile.

Ghost of a Feeling by Celestine Trinidad

All Cris Villareal had ever dreamed of was becoming a doctor. But after the death of a patient under her care and the subsequent humiliation she suffers under a senior resident in her hospital, she begins to lose faith in herself. And no one else could understand her and her despair.

So one Halloween night, up on the rooftop of her apartment building, she decides to end it all.She is stopped from jumping by Emilio, the ghost of a young man who haunts her building, who also committed suicide there many years ago. Eventually, Cris finds herself opening up to him, in a way she had never before, with anyone living or dead.

There is only one problem. Emilio isn’t really a ghost.

He is actually a living young man named Nathan Morales, and Cris was just one of the unwitting victims in a prank he had once played on the tenants of her apartment. But being Emilio was the only way he could think of to stop her that night, and the only way now he could get her to open up to him. As Emilio, he was someone she could trust enough to help her, in a way Nathan himself never could.

As their relationship becomes deeper and their feelings grow stronger each day, can he finally help her find a reason to keep living? But how long can he keep lying to her?

A Captured Dream by Ines Bautista-Yao

Gem has the chance to make her dreams come true and perform at Sola Musica, with one crippling problem: all her talent left her six years ago when a boy kissed her.

The Heart Wants by Chi Yu Rodriguez

The process of finding himself should’ve been simple for Chris Pascua: break up with girlfriend, explore dating guys, be happy and gay. But when his ex was about to walk in on one of his dates, he had to think fast. He wasn’t ready to come out yet and the closest shield he could grab was Reyna Choi, daughter-in-charge of NomCom stall LasingAkoSayo. Her mom kept pressuring her for a boyfriend even though she’d only ever liked girls, so she agreed to a perfectly safe and friendly arrangement with Chris. However, after an overnight trip for a reunion began to complicate things, no amount of soju or isaw could help Chris and Reyna figure out what the hell they were supposed to do now.