Dad Reviews: How She Likes It by Carla de Guzman
A Romance book where a dad is one of the protagonist?
Medium Used: 100% ebook via Libby
Ratings out of 5
Overall Rating: 💜💜🫶(2.5)
Sweetness Level: 🍫 🍫 🍫
Spice: 🔥🕯️(1.5)
FMC Likability: 👩🏽💼 👩🏽💼 👩🏽💼
MMC Likability:🧑🧒🧑🧒🧑🧒🧑🧒
Plot Engagement: 💄
At least 1 bad dad (pass/fail):0️⃣ The 💯 for Isabel’s father being a bit of a d-bag gets cancelled out by Adam trying his very darnest to be best dad.
Spoiler Free Review
How She Likes It is a hook-up to lovers workplace Romcom that tells a CEO (FMC – Isabel) with assistant (MMC – Adam) trope in the third person. It is set in Manila, Philippines which makes it the first contemporary Romcom I have read set outside of North America or the United Kingdom. There is a lot about the premise of this book that excited me. It is set in a country I have not had the chance to visit, it deals with corporate business outside of the US, it has a 30 something woman running a company falling in love with a 25 year old guy who is a dad. Unfortunately, the first half of the book dragged for me. I was considering DNFing around 35%. The back half picked up so I am glad I kept with it but for whatever reason I found the way the plot played out less gripping than the premise itself.
Isabel is the founder and CEO of the fastest growing cosmetic company in the Philippines. She is also one of two heiresses to a massive holding company. In a few months her dad is set to step down and either her or her BFF Regina is expected to be put in as CEO by the board. She meets a fairly sloshed Adam while seeking a hook-up to relieve the stresses of her work life at a bar. Adam is sloshed because his daughter’s mother has recently returned from chasing her dreams in California and has decided that she wants to be co-parents. When Isabel kicks him out of her flat the next morning they both assume they’ll never see each other again, but sense this is our favorite genre Adam shows up to an interview to be her assistant.
This book may not have been my favorite read but I did end it wanting read some of Carla de Guzman’s other books because I did really like the premise and the second half got much better.
What I liked about this book
- Wholesome parenting and showing the struggles of balancing personal needs, work, and being a good parent.
- FMC is a bit older, more successful career wise, and a bit bigger but none of these get sexualized or serve for aspects of the drama. Too often I feel like FMCs that “break from the mold” needlessly have aspects of those breaks forced into the romance or spice.
- Descriptions of Manila and the different neighborhoods. I may have to give it a quick reread if I ever visit.
What I did not like about this book
- The plot took way too long to establish (or at least address) meaningful stakes.
- The biggest tall man that ever grew to above 6’ and we will harp on this at least once a chapter because he is just so tall can you believe it? By the way did we mention that he is a large human?
- Isabel is established as a very competent business person, Adam is then established as a very capable assistant, why do we then for all of the rising action do they not like solve any work problems or have any business problems to solve together or like more than 1 meaningful conversation in the office?
What I liked Spoilers
Click to reveal spoilers
- I like the realistic nature of the conflicts and resolution. Adam needs to figure out his daughter stuff on his own and Isabel can only advise and listen. Likewise Isabel needs to make the business decisions, but also she should think about what she wants not about what she was raised to do.
- I like everything about the flight to Shanghai. I like Adam realizing how hard it is to say goodbye, I like the tension and sass between Isabel and Beth, and I love Adam being unsure and nervous during about going through the airport and flying business class.
- I like that it is kind of the FMC doing the groveling, I like that she quotes things because words are not her thing, I love that Leia sees and talks to her first.
What I did not like Spoilers
Click to reveal spoilers
- The big twist at the end is Regina’s husband owns majority shares in the Chinese company but like we’ve seen this guy mentioned on like 3 pages.
- Isabel’s dad tells her to read the documents for buying Regina’s husbands company at some point. Then it just is never mentioned again until presumably we are met to connect this to the twist at the end but it was not clear to me how exactly it as all met to fit together.
- This probably only stood out to me because I wasn’t feeling the love with the first half but the constant Star Wars prequel references grew old for me. The cute flirtation that this was met to be just didn’t feel organic to the characters and I also did not find any of it humorous.
This Book Reminded Me of
- Party of Two by Jasmine Guillermo for its uniqueness in premise but also because the plot was not very gripping for me personally.
- Dating You / Hating You bye Christina Lauren Mostly just for the hook-up to lovers but also because there is a decent amount of dialogue and playful banter.
Who should read this book?
Fans of lighter, lower tension, romance stories that are a breezy relaxing ride to the HEA will enjoy this one. Of course if the premise sounds up your alley you should give it a read.