Ava and Scott both came to Bali with baggage that were just too heavy. We experience both pleasant and painful through this banter-filled and steamy story of their bittersweet encounter as we follow them touring and fooling around Bali.

Ava is a strong, relatable female character who was hit by a series of unfortunate events. Her emotions and experiences are recognizable, and I bet many career-driven women can identify with her dilemma. When your plans are thwarted, it's but natural to feel lost and uncertain about the future.

Scott, on the other hand, is an outgoing and amusing guy who builds a wall when someone gets too close. I wanted to smack him when he initially chose to walk away from Ava instead of telling her the truth, but I also see that his fears are valid.

Carla de Guzman amazed me once again at how she can transport a reader to a place with her lush and engaging descriptions of the setting. Some authors are good at creating quirky characters, some can create laugh-out-loud conversations, but Carla - she's really good at imagery. She can take us to picturesque views and show us the minute details of something just by her words.

Here, we were taken to Bali, and while I haven't been there, reading Midnights in Bali seemed like I was taken in a leisurely-paced trip and I got to savor it with Scott and Ava.

This character-driven story shows us that there are cliffs we just need to jump on, even when it scares the hell out of us. That cliff may be in the form of a new job, a new dream, or a new love. We must also be accepting of uncertainty and failures. As what Scott said: "Do not be too hard on yourself. Having a plan is great, but you have to leave a bit of wiggle room for the unknown."

Read this if you like travelling and if you don't mind strong MCs and getting sucked in a Scottish vacuum of charm.

You may purchase Midnights in Bali at National Bookstore or through the Anvil website.