Midnights in Bali by Carla de Guzman | Book Review

Title: Midnights in Bali
Author: Carla de Guzman
Publisher: Spark Books
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary

Synopsis

Ava Bonifacio has always been the girl with The Plan —a life plan that would give her everything she’s ever wanted, including becoming a lawyer, a role she was sure she was born into. Sure, her determination may be seen as heartlessness, but Ava doesn’t care. What she does care about is getting into law school —but she doesn’t. She cares about her boyfriend Matteo—who breaks up with her.

In an act of desperation, Ava books herself a ticket to Bali and tries to get over her own failures. In Bali she meets Scott McLeod, a rude and grumpy Scottish traveler who thinks there’s a lot more to Ava than meets the eye.

But as Ava reveals more about herself, she finds Scott slowly pulling away from her. He was never part of The Plan, but Ava is determined to make sure he doesn’t slip away.

Review

Midnights in Bali was a quick read. It was a book I picked up on a lazy Sunday morning and finished before lunch time. It was short, but at the same time heartwarming and captivating.

I found Ava, the main character, very relatable. I have been in same boat as her and I know how it feels like to live my life around a plan that fell through, so I understood where she was coming from. I loved that she didn’t intend to give up on her dream because she hit a bump in the road, she just needed a little break. I connected with her in so many levels and I know most readers will too!

At first, Scott seemed like the typical lovable, happy-go-lucky love interest to me, but as I read more and got to know his backstory I realized that there’s more to him than the charming Scottish accent. He was a little mysterious and too guarded, as a result of the struggles he had been through in the past. As his friend Gabbie puts it, “he has always been selfish and selfless.” His romance with Ava was fast-paced, but it didn’t feel rushed. It was just right (and a little steamy).

The only complaint about it is that it was too short! I felt like there could more — like what happens after Bali. Despite that, it is an enjoyable travel story. It transported me to the beautiful island of Bali and taught me that, “having a plan is great, but you have to leave a little wiggle room for the unknown.”

Favorite Lines

“This kind of intimacy is different from last night. It had none of the desperation and heat from when they first met. This was just a friend, comforting another friend.” -p. 64

“Having a plan is great, but you have to leave a little wiggle room for the unknown.” -p. 65

“When she was with Scott, she forgot about the things she was running away from. When she was with him, she remembered how to laugh, how to have fun.” -p. 65

“Scott wanted her to remember how important these little kisses were, how they made him feel excited, happy, and thrilled, He couldn’t help but hope that she felt the same way too.” -p. 66

“Standing there with Scott felt right, different from the way she felt when she was with Matteo. In a matter of hours, he became her anchor, keeping her steady, keeping her whole. He let her be herself, and forced his way past her anal retentive barriers. No one had really done that, not for her.” -p. 70

“He’s always been selfless and selfish that way. Always doing things for other people, never wanting to do anything for himself or to burden anyone with his issues.” -p. 88

“And yes, there was a moment in my mind, in the middle of all those cans of Bintag we had together that I thought you made me better, and I thought, well maybe my life could mean a little something more if I lived for someone.” -p. 91

Rating

---

What do you think of this review? Share your thoughts and suggest some books for me review in the comment box below or on Goodreads. 🙂