Review: Simply Joei by Clare Elisabeth Marquez
3:39 PMAs I have mentioned before, I was also a participant of the #SparkNA class back in 2015. I was glad to finish that class, but mainly because I found it difficult to write a story. It was important for me though, because not only did I learn about writing romance, I also discovered that I could do beta-reading and proofreading because I did it for Simply Joei. If this was Clare Elisabeth Marquez's first child, it was like a godchild to me.
Summary
Pay -up Time! Or Is it? One never gives up on true love. So Jake didn't.
Holding on to the one that shouldn't have gotten away, gorgeous Jake Calleja - engineer, entrepreneur and all-around hunk of a man - brings up old debt to bring in possibilities of future love with the beautiful and elusive Josephine Telencio. The two had a brief but unforgettable "history" in college, a past that Jake would seek to bring back in order to bring his "Joei" back in his life. To face their "unfinished past" entails a make-believe relationship for the sake of an ailing matriarch, an unforgettable country drive into the heart of the storm, a family drama of the queen mother and the wicked sisters, the inevitable supermodel ex, and lots of sparks in between.
A story of second chances and risking it all for a journey to a lifetime love - Jake and Josephine will take you to laughs and tears, to the highs and lows, to knowing when to hold on ... or to let go. Are things better left in the past? Or will true love prevail in the future?
If you've read a lot of romance books before, you might think that you've read about this story before. Make-believe relationships, family not approving of the relationship, and the comeback of a wicked ex are not exactly new ideas. That being said though, I still say this book is still worth reading because...
- The pacing of the book is good. If you sit down and start to read this, you'd be finished in a couple of hours. If you're looking for a quick read that will entertain you, then check this one out. It's unputdownable.
- The main challenge for the #SparkNA class is to have a main character who is brave, and Josephine Telencio, also known as Joei, is just that. Sure, she was stupid at times. Like many of our romance book heroines, she's one you'd want to smack in the head, but I still say she's brave with the choices she made in the long run.
- The love interest, Jacob Calleja, is a darling. I know that there are readers, myself included, who like stories better when it's the guy who first falls in love with the girl. If you're that kind of reader, then you'll adore Jake.
- The supporting characters are golden. Kiko and Kate are funny and lovable characters. They are loyal friends and you'll want more of them.
- If you're a fan of grand gestures, then you'll swoon over this one.
- Clare Elisabeth Marquez, has a way with words. She uses imagery excellently that you find yourself smiling at how she describes things.
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