Unexpected Romance

    

This book was about the protective niece of Alexa named Dana and her stepson Kyler Samartino whom Dana thought was having a May-December love affair with her aunt at the beginning. Dana was determined to keep Alexa away from Kyler because she thought he was just using Aunt Alexa for his own benefit until the truth was revealed about who and what Kyler really was. Revelations that leads to an unexpected romance between Dana and Kyler. 

Date released: May 16, 2012

"My attraction for you grows deeper every time you're pushing me away. Tuwing sinusungitan mo ako ay mas lalo kitang nagugustuhan."

Unang kita pa lang ni Dana kay Kyler ay napataas na ang kilay niya. Agad na napansin niya ang kakaibang sweetness nito at ng Tita Alexa niya. Wala siyang problema kung magkanobyo man ang Tita Alexa niya; she had been single for quite a long time now. But the biggest “but” was Kyler himself. He was a mere farmer and so much younger than her aunt. Masasaktan at maghihirap lang ang tiyahin niya sa piling ng binata.

Kaya nang malaman niya isang araw na magkasama ang mga ito sa lugar na kung tawagin ay “Villa Samartino,” lakas-loob na sumugod siya roon para iuwi ang tiyahin niya at para komprontahin na rin si Kyler.
Pero nang marating niya ang villa ay nalantad sa kanya ang isang malaking rebelasyon. Hindi boyfriend ng kanyang tiyahin si Kyler at lalong hindi ito isang hamak lang na magbubukid. At ang ikinaiirita pa niya, tila isang hari ito na nakaupo sa trono nito, wearing a smile on his lips na parang gusto siyang akitin nito sa pamamagitan ng ngiti nito. Hindi na siya nakapalag dahil hindi lang siya naakit sa ngiti nito, nalaglag din ang puso niya rito.

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In writing the Unexpected Romance...

Ito ang kauna-unahan kong akda, it was my first baby and was one of my favorites. I first wrote this around 2006, in an old notebook with Dennis Trillo (my ultimate crush that time) on the cover. Nahirapan lang akong i-revise ito kasi wala pa akong sariling computer noon. First time ko ring gumawa ng manuscript (I don't even know what a manuscript was by then) kaya sangkaterba ang typo errors. It took months and months for me to edit this and another month to wait for the result. Hindi pa ako ganoon kabihasa nang mga panahong iyon, hindi ko alam na may formula palang sinusunod sa pagsusulat ng romance (hindi ko rin alam ang pagkakaiba ng romance sa love story), marami rin akong nababasa na usap-usapan kung gaano ka-istrikto ang PHR sa pagtanggap ng manuscripts at nagsimula na akong atakehin ng paranoia. I was hopeless then, a big part of me was expecting for a negative feedback until one night when I checked my email, I saw this message from the editorial staff with the subject: Feedback. My hands were shaking as I clicked on the message and when I read it, grabe, pakiramdam ko tumalon ang kaluluwa ko palabas ng bibig ko. Approved ang MS ko! It was unbelievable, it was wonderful and it was unexpected!

When Unexpected Romance was released...

It was unforgettable. 'Pag gising ko, nakita ko sa notification sa Facebook ko na may naka-tag nang picture, galing iyon sa album ng Precious Hearts New Releases. The feeling was overwhelming that I became tearful.