Title: Interim Goddess of Love (Interim Goddess of Love #1)
Author: Mina V. Esguerra
Genre/s: Young Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary, Philippine Mythology
Synopsis:
College sophomore Hannah Maquiling doesn't know why everyone tells her their love problems. She's never even had a boyfriend, but that doesn't stop people from spilling their guts to her, and asking for advice. So maybe it shouldn't be a surprise when the cutest guy in school tells her that she's going to have to take on this responsibility -- but for all humanity.The Goddess of Love has gone AWOL. It's a problem, because her job is to keep in check this world's obsession with love (and lack of it). The God of the Sun, for now an impossibly handsome senior at an exclusive college just outside of Metro Manila, thinks Hannah has what it takes to (temporarily) do the job.While she's learning to do this goddess thing, she practices on the love troubles of shy Kathy, who's got a secret admirer on campus. Hannah's mission, should she choose to accept it, is to make sure that he's not a creepy stalker and they find their happily ever after -- or at least something that'll last until next semester. (As if she could refuse! The Sun God asked so nicely. And he's so, well, hot.)
My Thoughts:
With a good dose of romance, adventure and Philippine Mythology, Interim Goddess of Love by Mina Esguerra is a light and fun read that is certified un-put-downable. A great start to an awesome series.
Aside from studying and doing her student assistant duties, sophomore Hannah Maquiling also have an "extra-curricular" activity that made her college life a little more interesting. You see, she's the Interim Goddess of Love and she has a responsibility to fulfill, and that is, to monitor all love problems in the world. But since she's just newly hired and still in training, she's going to do it one love problem at a time, and her first "project" is Kathy and her secret admirer problem. Will she succeed to create a happy ending or will she screw this up big time? Read this book to find out.
Hannah Maquiling is easy to relate with. She reminds me of my college days which was not so long ago. She was funny and has a natural charisma that makes other people trust her. As the temporary Goddess of Love, she's still figuring things out and slowly adapting to her new job. It's actually a bit ironic that she got the position since she's a member of the NBSB club or the No Boyfriend Since Birth club but people don't care about that, they just needed someone who will listen to them. And that's what Hannah do best. She listens and she's sincere with it.
But Hannah is not as loveless as you think, if you include her secret infatuation with Quin a.k.a. the Sun God and the one who recruits her. He's a junior at Ford River College and captain of the basketball team. And as Hannah puts it in this quote:
"When I first met him, I really thought he was a god.
Not literally. More like the way a freshman girl sees a junior guy with chiseled features and perfect skin and assumes he looks like a marble sculpture of a god. I had never been to Italy or Greece, never seen those statues up close, but I was eighteen years old and my limited experience told me that they were probably modeled after guys like Joaquin Apolinario."
He's also caring and he trained her in using her newfound abilities. He's also strict and a bit uptight. He's always logical which makes him the voice of reason whenever Hannah's decisions go too far. It's hard not to fall for him, because such a great guy but he never showed a clear sign that he likes Hannah too (but that's just me).
And then there's also Robbie, Quin's teammate. He's cute, friendly, fun to hang out with and a mortal human. He likes Hannah ever since she was a freshman and not the Interim Goddess of Love at that time. But he's a bit shy(torpe) to ask Hannah out and I don't know why but I find him adorable. Yes, I'm on TEAM ROBBIE and I'm proud of it. I loved what he did at the end of this book, it was sweet and romantic. To those who read this book, you know what I'm talking about.
Overall, this was a fun and awesome book. I love the romance, the mythology and the mystery. And if you like all the things I've mentioned, you'll love this book, too.
My Rating
About Mina V. Esguerra:
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Mina V. Esguerra writes contemporary romance, young adult, and new adult novellas. Her young adult/fantasy trilogy Interim Goddess of Love is a college love story featuring gods from Philippine mythology. Her contemporary romance novella Fairy Tale Fail won the 2012 Filipino Readers' Choice award for Chick Lit. Through her blog Publishing in Pajamas (minavesguerra.com), she documents her experiments in e-publishing.When not writing romance, she is president of communications firm Bronze Age Media, development communication consultant, indie publisher, professional editor, wife, and mother. She created the workshop series "Author at Once" and #romanceclass for writers and publishers.
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