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The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos
Evan Saatchi can’t keep his eyes off his new co-worker, Dalisay Ramos. Newly arrived from Manila to lead their travel app’s Asia division, nothing matters more to Dalisay than tradition and family. When Evan asks her out, she soundly rejects him for his cheek. Evan learns from his Filipino friends that Dalisay expects more from potential suitors. If he wants a chance with her, he’s going to have to go through the Five Stages, the same courtship ritual that lovers in the Philippines have performed for generations. At first, Evan is skeptical—what, exactly, does “servitude” entail? And he has to sing?! But when Dalisay bets Evan that he doesn’t have the nerve to make it through the stages, the game is on. As Evan attempts to prove to Dalisay that he can win her heart—and the bet—Dalisay is driven to distraction by Evan’s sexy labors, and soon their “courtship” turns into a sizzling secret. But when modern love and family expectations collide, Dalisay and Evan must find a way to carry a rich history into a shared future.
298 pages, Paperback
First published July 9, 2024
53 people are currently reading
6353 people want to read
About the author
Melissa de la Cruz
163 books16k followersMelissa de la Cruz is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for teens including The Au Pairs series, the Blue Bloods series, the Ashleys series, the Angels on Sunset Boulevard series and the semi-autobiographical novel Fresh off the Boat.
Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.
She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.
Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).
She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.
Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.
She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.
Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).
She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
April 10, 2024
I received an ARC of this book for free from the author for promotional purposes.
I’ve been a reader and fan of Melissa de la Cruz since middle school. Her books are always so fun and engaging, and this one was no exception.
First off, there’s so much Filipino representation in this book. I loved it. The book captures so much of Filipino culture and family life. As a Filipino American, I found it very relatable (especially in regards to how stubborn Filipino mothers can be). I’m so happy Melissa de la Cruz has started incorporating more of her Filipino heritage into her books. Representation does matter!
The story was well done. The Filipino stages of courtship was an entertaining premise. I liked how the story came full circle (sorry if this is vague, I’m trying to remain spoiler free). It was so cute and just made for an adorable love story.
Since this is a romance, there’s naturally some sex/sexy scenes. I loved how sex was handled. The main character, Dalisay, is a virgin, but everything was so sex positive.
Lastly, the characters were all so lovable. I particularly loved Dalisay’s lola (grandmother). I also had no complaints with the love interest, Evan.
Overall, this was such a joy to read! If you’re looking for a feel-good contemporary romance, check this one out.
I’ve been a reader and fan of Melissa de la Cruz since middle school. Her books are always so fun and engaging, and this one was no exception.
First off, there’s so much Filipino representation in this book. I loved it. The book captures so much of Filipino culture and family life. As a Filipino American, I found it very relatable (especially in regards to how stubborn Filipino mothers can be). I’m so happy Melissa de la Cruz has started incorporating more of her Filipino heritage into her books. Representation does matter!
The story was well done. The Filipino stages of courtship was an entertaining premise. I liked how the story came full circle (sorry if this is vague, I’m trying to remain spoiler free). It was so cute and just made for an adorable love story.
Since this is a romance, there’s naturally some sex/sexy scenes. I loved how sex was handled. The main character, Dalisay, is a virgin, but everything was so sex positive.
Lastly, the characters were all so lovable. I particularly loved Dalisay’s lola (grandmother). I also had no complaints with the love interest, Evan.
Overall, this was such a joy to read! If you’re looking for a feel-good contemporary romance, check this one out.
April 24, 2024
The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos by Melissa de la Cruz didn't quite hit the mark for me. On one hand, I was really intrigued by the whole premise of Evan trying to win over Dalisay by going through these Filipino courtship traditions. But on the other hand, there were some aspects of the book that just didn't quite work for me.
Let's start with the positives. I actually thought the characters had some good chemistry, especially Dalisay. She's got this sweet, quirky vibe that made her really endearing to me as a reader. Plus, I loved seeing the diversity in the book – it's always cool to see different cultures represented in stories, you know?
But here's where things get a little dicey. The writing style just didn't click with me. It felt kinda choppy and disjointed, which made it hard for me to really get sucked into the story. And the pacing? Yeah, it was definitely off. I felt like things were dragging at times, which made it tough for me to stay engaged.
Now, don't get me wrong, there were definitely some moments that I enjoyed. I found myself cheering Dalisay on from the sidelines, hoping she'd find her happily ever after. And I appreciated the way the book explored themes of tradition and family expectations.
But overall, I found The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos to be a bit of a struggle to get through. It might still be worth checking out if you're into slower-paced romances with cultural elements, but for me, it just didn't quite hit the mark.
Let's start with the positives. I actually thought the characters had some good chemistry, especially Dalisay. She's got this sweet, quirky vibe that made her really endearing to me as a reader. Plus, I loved seeing the diversity in the book – it's always cool to see different cultures represented in stories, you know?
But here's where things get a little dicey. The writing style just didn't click with me. It felt kinda choppy and disjointed, which made it hard for me to really get sucked into the story. And the pacing? Yeah, it was definitely off. I felt like things were dragging at times, which made it tough for me to stay engaged.
Now, don't get me wrong, there were definitely some moments that I enjoyed. I found myself cheering Dalisay on from the sidelines, hoping she'd find her happily ever after. And I appreciated the way the book explored themes of tradition and family expectations.
But overall, I found The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos to be a bit of a struggle to get through. It might still be worth checking out if you're into slower-paced romances with cultural elements, but for me, it just didn't quite hit the mark.
August 15, 2024
My favourite book of all times! I still have my book that sits proudly in my book case!
I fell in love with this book, to the point I just couldn’t put it down. I loved the idea how the author came up with the five stages of courting. I absolutely love reading romance stories, that have a flair of difference and I give top marks to the author who has written a page-turner. Everyone loves good characters to root for in romance novels. And I wanted so much for Evans and Dalisay Ramos, to be together forever. Evan Saatchi, is a writer, he is used to travelling for a living. In a meeting he will find out if he will get his dream job as a senior editor, at Overnight, where he and his friend make up half of the European editorial team. Overnight’s CEO, Naomi is a smartly dressed Japanese American woman. In Overnight’s conference room, Evans finds out he has lost the senior position, to an attractive, new editor Dalisay Ramo of the Urban Asia division. Beautiful Dalisay has moved from the Philippines. Evans tries his luck to charm Dalisay, by inviting her out for a drink, but she isn’t interested in him, with no drinks, no dinner, no coffee. Well you know what they say, you shouldn’t mix business with pleasure. My favourite line ! “You may know Milan, Evan Sacctchi, but you don’t know Manila.” After Dalisay having her heart broken once, obviously she is being cautious, but she does have to admit to herself that, being a hopeless romantic, Evan’s does make her heart race. And If Evans is really interested in dating Dalisay, he will have to go through, Dalisay’s five stages of courting rules, that are family tradition, with her and Nicole, her identical twin sister, and their parents. Romance readers, I can see this being a top seller in the UK, just like it is in New York. I can also see this being made into a film. The Five Stages Of Courting Dalisay Ramos, is your absolute, next, must buy, must read.
I fell in love with this book, to the point I just couldn’t put it down. I loved the idea how the author came up with the five stages of courting. I absolutely love reading romance stories, that have a flair of difference and I give top marks to the author who has written a page-turner. Everyone loves good characters to root for in romance novels. And I wanted so much for Evans and Dalisay Ramos, to be together forever. Evan Saatchi, is a writer, he is used to travelling for a living. In a meeting he will find out if he will get his dream job as a senior editor, at Overnight, where he and his friend make up half of the European editorial team. Overnight’s CEO, Naomi is a smartly dressed Japanese American woman. In Overnight’s conference room, Evans finds out he has lost the senior position, to an attractive, new editor Dalisay Ramo of the Urban Asia division. Beautiful Dalisay has moved from the Philippines. Evans tries his luck to charm Dalisay, by inviting her out for a drink, but she isn’t interested in him, with no drinks, no dinner, no coffee. Well you know what they say, you shouldn’t mix business with pleasure. My favourite line ! “You may know Milan, Evan Sacctchi, but you don’t know Manila.” After Dalisay having her heart broken once, obviously she is being cautious, but she does have to admit to herself that, being a hopeless romantic, Evan’s does make her heart race. And If Evans is really interested in dating Dalisay, he will have to go through, Dalisay’s five stages of courting rules, that are family tradition, with her and Nicole, her identical twin sister, and their parents. Romance readers, I can see this being a top seller in the UK, just like it is in New York. I can also see this being made into a film. The Five Stages Of Courting Dalisay Ramos, is your absolute, next, must buy, must read.
June 9, 2024
This book was so cute!!!! I seriously want to eat some Filipino food now. This book starts with Delisay moving to America for work, then hello Evan Saatchi. Evan asks Delisay out and she's like "umm no thats so American" so of course he asks a filipino friend. His friend tells him about courting in the Philippines. He brags to Delisay he knows about the steps and they make a bet.... that he cant actually do the five steps..... but do they actually fall in love?
*The characters felt very "real" in this book
*The writing and language was exquisite
*And hello Evan is a total babe who cosplays and play D&D
4.5/5 stars for sure I ROUNDED UP FOR GoodReads <3
*The characters felt very "real" in this book
*The writing and language was exquisite
*And hello Evan is a total babe who cosplays and play D&D
4.5/5 stars for sure I ROUNDED UP FOR GoodReads <3
July 5, 2024
3 stars.
"The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos" by Melissa de la Cruz is, unfortunately, not my favorite book. Let's start with what I liked. First, I loved the Filipino representation. I enjoyed learning about the five stages, the Filipino customs surrounding dating, the immigrant experience Dalisay faces moving to the states after the death of her father, the familial bonds, the food, and seeing the differences between American and Filipino cultures in life, love, and work. There is some funny dialogue and some zany situations between the characters that made me chuckle. Some of the side characters were excellent. I really wanted to like this book more, but the rest of it is a choppy mess. The insta-love between Evan and Dalisay would have been fine if I had felt any spark between them, but I didn't. The first half of the book, Evan has to go through the five stages to prove to her, her family, and her friends that he is serious about her, but he doesn't even know her! He just thought she was cute and proceeds to get swept up in a plot to date her. He hits on her on her very first day with the company, and she assumes that he wants to get married and have kids when all he wants is a drink. It's giving ICK on both ends. I'm not saying he couldn't fall in love with her in the process, but I didn't feel any sort of yearning or pining between the two of them until about 70% into the book. The spicy scenes feel superfluous, added only to appease the TikTok crowd...and this is coming from someone who loves and appreciates a heavy spice level in their books! They didn't add anything to the story, or to Dalisay and Evan's romance. There was still no spark between them, even after they do the deed. The pacing is also atrocious. The beginning feels like it moves too quickly, but the ending is slow as molasses. I think this book could have benefitted from a lot more editing. That being said, I loved Amielynn Abellera's narration. I think she brought these characters to life in a big way. I probably wouldn't recommend this book to everyone, but there is most definitely a set of readers out there who would like this one.
Thank you to NetGalley, Melissa de la Cruz, and Union Square & Co. for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
"The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos" by Melissa de la Cruz is, unfortunately, not my favorite book. Let's start with what I liked. First, I loved the Filipino representation. I enjoyed learning about the five stages, the Filipino customs surrounding dating, the immigrant experience Dalisay faces moving to the states after the death of her father, the familial bonds, the food, and seeing the differences between American and Filipino cultures in life, love, and work. There is some funny dialogue and some zany situations between the characters that made me chuckle. Some of the side characters were excellent. I really wanted to like this book more, but the rest of it is a choppy mess. The insta-love between Evan and Dalisay would have been fine if I had felt any spark between them, but I didn't. The first half of the book, Evan has to go through the five stages to prove to her, her family, and her friends that he is serious about her, but he doesn't even know her! He just thought she was cute and proceeds to get swept up in a plot to date her. He hits on her on her very first day with the company, and she assumes that he wants to get married and have kids when all he wants is a drink. It's giving ICK on both ends. I'm not saying he couldn't fall in love with her in the process, but I didn't feel any sort of yearning or pining between the two of them until about 70% into the book. The spicy scenes feel superfluous, added only to appease the TikTok crowd...and this is coming from someone who loves and appreciates a heavy spice level in their books! They didn't add anything to the story, or to Dalisay and Evan's romance. There was still no spark between them, even after they do the deed. The pacing is also atrocious. The beginning feels like it moves too quickly, but the ending is slow as molasses. I think this book could have benefitted from a lot more editing. That being said, I loved Amielynn Abellera's narration. I think she brought these characters to life in a big way. I probably wouldn't recommend this book to everyone, but there is most definitely a set of readers out there who would like this one.
Thank you to NetGalley, Melissa de la Cruz, and Union Square & Co. for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
August 11, 2024
3.5 stars
It had some pacing issues for me, but overall a sweet and steamy love story. I loved learning a little about Filipino culture.❤️
It had some pacing issues for me, but overall a sweet and steamy love story. I loved learning a little about Filipino culture.❤️
August 21, 2024
4⭐️
This was so so cute! It wasn’t the best thing i’ve ever read but it kept me super entertained.
This was so so cute! It wasn’t the best thing i’ve ever read but it kept me super entertained.
May 22, 2024
I've heard so much about this author's work but never really got a chance to read it, but the title of this book really caught my attention and I all knew was there's courting, Filipino rep in America and I knew I had to pick it up.
Evan Saatchi and Dalisay Romas are two really very written and strong characters individually as well as a couple. There are co-workers as well since Dalisay has been newly joined from Manila to lead their Asia division. They both are highly educated and equally good at their jobs.
The book starts off very strong, powerful and fun at the same time. All the five stages of the courting, friends and families involvement, the side characters and friendship. I liked it all. Almost at 50% is when we see both of them confessing their love and moving forward.
Things that put me off were how hard Dalisay was trying to push him away inspite of her having some feelings for him and degrading his efforts at every level of courting. At the later stage where a little bit of miscommunication and realisation takes place, I did not like the solution given by Evan. (IYKYK like I was shouting on top of my voice to not repeat the whole process).
The third act break-up was done very easily between the couple which again did not work for me and that too for what? Starting the courting stages all over again!? 😭 Overall, I enjoyed the first half and did not like the second half of this book. I liked the cultural references and how the differences between the two MCs were handled.
Evan Saatchi and Dalisay Romas are two really very written and strong characters individually as well as a couple. There are co-workers as well since Dalisay has been newly joined from Manila to lead their Asia division. They both are highly educated and equally good at their jobs.
The book starts off very strong, powerful and fun at the same time. All the five stages of the courting, friends and families involvement, the side characters and friendship. I liked it all. Almost at 50% is when we see both of them confessing their love and moving forward.
Things that put me off were how hard Dalisay was trying to push him away inspite of her having some feelings for him and degrading his efforts at every level of courting. At the later stage where a little bit of miscommunication and realisation takes place, I did not like the solution given by Evan. (IYKYK like I was shouting on top of my voice to not repeat the whole process).
The third act break-up was done very easily between the couple which again did not work for me and that too for what? Starting the courting stages all over again!? 😭 Overall, I enjoyed the first half and did not like the second half of this book. I liked the cultural references and how the differences between the two MCs were handled.
July 4, 2024
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos was honestly all kinds of cute. We get some romance, Filipino culture, and some lgbtqia+ representation. It was all quite entertaining from start to finish. I also really enjoyed the whole courting experience because it just made everything a bit more fun.
In this, you will meet Dalisay and Evan. At first, Evan asked Dalisay out and she respectfully declined. Not necessarily because she didn't think he was cute or anything; it just wasn't her cup of tea. The asking part, that is. So, when he reached out to one of his friends, who is also Filipino, he knew exactly what he needed to do moving forward. He's going to court her, but first, let's make it a bet.
Honestly, this whole thing was adorable. I liked how the romance flowed between them. Especially when things got a bit steamier and sex positive. I also really enjoyed watching her sister and Clare get some much-needed love too. The drama within the family just felt realistic, and I liked how, in the end, they were really trying to be more welcoming and understanding of everything.
It doesn't mean that we had to go with the drama and sadness before we got to that typical happy ending, though. In some ways, I just kind of hope and pray people are bit more welcoming to different kinds of love. Or at least different views of it. It's not really black and white anymore, and it just feels like characters in books (plus people in real life) should be able to accept that and move on.
In the end, this was cute and enjoyable. Easy to listen to, and I will most likely re-read it again.
Real rating: 3.5
The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos was honestly all kinds of cute. We get some romance, Filipino culture, and some lgbtqia+ representation. It was all quite entertaining from start to finish. I also really enjoyed the whole courting experience because it just made everything a bit more fun.
In this, you will meet Dalisay and Evan. At first, Evan asked Dalisay out and she respectfully declined. Not necessarily because she didn't think he was cute or anything; it just wasn't her cup of tea. The asking part, that is. So, when he reached out to one of his friends, who is also Filipino, he knew exactly what he needed to do moving forward. He's going to court her, but first, let's make it a bet.
Honestly, this whole thing was adorable. I liked how the romance flowed between them. Especially when things got a bit steamier and sex positive. I also really enjoyed watching her sister and Clare get some much-needed love too. The drama within the family just felt realistic, and I liked how, in the end, they were really trying to be more welcoming and understanding of everything.
It doesn't mean that we had to go with the drama and sadness before we got to that typical happy ending, though. In some ways, I just kind of hope and pray people are bit more welcoming to different kinds of love. Or at least different views of it. It's not really black and white anymore, and it just feels like characters in books (plus people in real life) should be able to accept that and move on.
In the end, this was cute and enjoyable. Easy to listen to, and I will most likely re-read it again.
Real rating: 3.5
July 8, 2024
I wanted to enjoy this book and LOVED the cultural aspect of it but the plot was not there for me. The 5 stages felt so rushed and this read as such a wholesome romance book that the smutty parts took away from the story for me. It felt a little odd and choppy at certain parts. I think this could have been a great read but I felt let down by the homophobia and overall plot points.
2.5 stars
Thank you NetGalley for the arc!
2.5 stars
Thank you NetGalley for the arc!
April 27, 2024
A smashing thanks to Unionsquare & Co. for the ARC. Having been born and raised in the Philippines as a GenX, I can totally relate to Five Stages. Lived it.
I’ve enjoyed the story thoroughly just like reminiscing the olden days of having lived in a multi-family home. It was crazy and happy. And the absolute absence of privacy! As if I wrote this book myself. Lol
Thanks, Ms. Melissa de la Cruz, for writing this. It was a breeze reading your book again after a break from your much-loved and YA fantasy multi-series. Yay, Gen Xers! Peace ❤️
I’ve enjoyed the story thoroughly just like reminiscing the olden days of having lived in a multi-family home. It was crazy and happy. And the absolute absence of privacy! As if I wrote this book myself. Lol
Thanks, Ms. Melissa de la Cruz, for writing this. It was a breeze reading your book again after a break from your much-loved and YA fantasy multi-series. Yay, Gen Xers! Peace ❤️
August 26, 2024
This was a really fun book! It's sweet, funny, and multicultural.
Evan has a new coworker, Dalisay. She actually got the job he applied for. But she's really a great writer, and he's not too upset. Once he sees her and gets to know her. And he really does try to get to know her, but she's not the least interested. Why? Because she's a traditional girl. She's fresh from Manila. A traditional girl who wants The Five Stages. What's the Five Stages? Oh, just a traditional courtship from the Philippines.
Evan is not Filipino. He's explained how it goes, and honestly, he's not THAT into her. Is he? He's skeptical about the Five Stages. But when a bet is made, he can't help but step up to the challenge.
Soon, Evan is going full in. And the bet becomes more than they expected. The Five Stages draws them closer, and it also draws them closer to each other's world.
But while they're getting closer, there's still the fact that Evan isn't Filipino. And Dalisays family expects something else for her future.
I loved learning about this culture! I'd never heard of the Five Stages before, and it's such a never before tried trope. If you can call it that. Evan and Dalisay both grow so much in this story!
Evan has a new coworker, Dalisay. She actually got the job he applied for. But she's really a great writer, and he's not too upset. Once he sees her and gets to know her. And he really does try to get to know her, but she's not the least interested. Why? Because she's a traditional girl. She's fresh from Manila. A traditional girl who wants The Five Stages. What's the Five Stages? Oh, just a traditional courtship from the Philippines.
Evan is not Filipino. He's explained how it goes, and honestly, he's not THAT into her. Is he? He's skeptical about the Five Stages. But when a bet is made, he can't help but step up to the challenge.
Soon, Evan is going full in. And the bet becomes more than they expected. The Five Stages draws them closer, and it also draws them closer to each other's world.
But while they're getting closer, there's still the fact that Evan isn't Filipino. And Dalisays family expects something else for her future.
I loved learning about this culture! I'd never heard of the Five Stages before, and it's such a never before tried trope. If you can call it that. Evan and Dalisay both grow so much in this story!
May 22, 2024
The Five Stages is Melissa’s adult romantic comedy that shows a lot about Filipino culture and deals with family expectations.
As Evan meets Dalisay and immediately jumps to ask her out, he discovers that she is not easily won over. We then get to unveil and experience the five stages of Filipino courtship with Evan, where sparks will fly, frustration will be in the air as well and they’ll have to find a way to see and get what they truly want amidst what tradition may say is right or wrong.
••••••
As soon as I started this book I was hooked. The characters are sweet, fun and they make you want to spend time with them to see what they’re up to. It also helps that there’s a dachshund in the book, my favorite ever.
It was very fun to read about every characters reactions as the five stages actually happened. Following tradition, it was interesting that there weren’t much interactions between the main characters on certain settings but I feel like that led to there being some very cool secondary characters. I was veeery interested to learn so much about the Filipino culture from this modern point of view, as well as discover how many similar things we also have in Colombia, ranging from food to celebrating holidays.
I feel like at certain point I was feeling like some scenes were cut short, where I would have loved to see our characters interact much more, or it is implied that they did interact more but we don’t actually “see” those moments, out of which there are a couple at least that would have been very sweet to read.
••••••
Thank you @unionsqandco for sending me this ebook copy of the book for review, it really was great! I’m excited to see it hit the shelves on July 9th! Receiving a free copy of this book in no way affected my honest review of it.
As Evan meets Dalisay and immediately jumps to ask her out, he discovers that she is not easily won over. We then get to unveil and experience the five stages of Filipino courtship with Evan, where sparks will fly, frustration will be in the air as well and they’ll have to find a way to see and get what they truly want amidst what tradition may say is right or wrong.
••••••
As soon as I started this book I was hooked. The characters are sweet, fun and they make you want to spend time with them to see what they’re up to. It also helps that there’s a dachshund in the book, my favorite ever.
It was very fun to read about every characters reactions as the five stages actually happened. Following tradition, it was interesting that there weren’t much interactions between the main characters on certain settings but I feel like that led to there being some very cool secondary characters. I was veeery interested to learn so much about the Filipino culture from this modern point of view, as well as discover how many similar things we also have in Colombia, ranging from food to celebrating holidays.
I feel like at certain point I was feeling like some scenes were cut short, where I would have loved to see our characters interact much more, or it is implied that they did interact more but we don’t actually “see” those moments, out of which there are a couple at least that would have been very sweet to read.
••••••
Thank you @unionsqandco for sending me this ebook copy of the book for review, it really was great! I’m excited to see it hit the shelves on July 9th! Receiving a free copy of this book in no way affected my honest review of it.
October 30, 2024
cute story, and i did really appreciate having a filipina MC finally get her romcom moments!! however, for all the wonderful cultural references, i just didn't feel much for the characters. they had their moments, but there was just way too much telling in the book for me to really feel connected to them. the pacing also felt super quick even when it took me three weeks to read it, making the overall reading experience feel rushed and almost uneven at times.
overall, a cute story, but a forgettable one.
overall, a cute story, but a forgettable one.
May 9, 2024
In "Five States of Courting" by Dalisay Ramos, I embarked on an emotional journey alongside Evan and Dalisay as they navigated the complexities of love and tradition. Be aware: this review might contain details you'll consider spoilers.
While the instant connection between the protagonists initially caught me off guard, I found myself drawn into their gradual blossoming relationship and the endearing romantic moments scattered throughout the story. The narrative's use of a third-person perspective felt impersonal, but that did not bother me as much as I thought it would.
However, the novel did stumble in a few areas. The handling of time within the narrative was sometimes unclear, and the sudden breakup in the third act felt somewhat forced and disrupted the natural flow of the story. Additionally, the five-month gap left me feeling a bit perplexed, and there were moments where the writing felt rushed, preventing me from fully savoring the nuances of the plot.
Overall, "Five States of Courting" provided me with heartwarming moments of laughter and genuine romance, despite its shortcomings. With a bit of fine-tuning in pacing and character development, I believe the book has the potential to become an even more delightful read.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC of this book.
While the instant connection between the protagonists initially caught me off guard, I found myself drawn into their gradual blossoming relationship and the endearing romantic moments scattered throughout the story. The narrative's use of a third-person perspective felt impersonal, but that did not bother me as much as I thought it would.
However, the novel did stumble in a few areas. The handling of time within the narrative was sometimes unclear, and the sudden breakup in the third act felt somewhat forced and disrupted the natural flow of the story. Additionally, the five-month gap left me feeling a bit perplexed, and there were moments where the writing felt rushed, preventing me from fully savoring the nuances of the plot.
Overall, "Five States of Courting" provided me with heartwarming moments of laughter and genuine romance, despite its shortcomings. With a bit of fine-tuning in pacing and character development, I believe the book has the potential to become an even more delightful read.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC of this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2024
i rly loved reading abt the cultural dynamics of an interracial relationship especially since being in one myself i was able to relate to a lot of the sentiments shared by the mmc. the five stages of courtship are a representation of dating culture within Filipino families and I think the concept of a non-Filipino love interest going through these stages to win the girl’s heart and her family’s approval is so sweet and demonstrates a special intentionality in displaying love through acts of service.
unfortunately throughout the courting stages of this story, i was not sold on the chemistry between the leads. their attraction was very quickly birthed and stifled again after a misunderstanding on the fmc’s part leads to the mmc getting basically dared to go through the “five stage process” to prove he was worthy of a date with the fmc. he accepts the date but under the premise that he was no longer even interested anymore and just wanted to prove he could succeed so the courting process started off on strange terms.
his journey of efforts made it seem like the interest was all one sided and some of this is due to the moderate distance that must be kept during the courtship but once the fmc started to somewhat reciprocate, the mmc was still put into positions to prove himself worth, apologize and feel less than despite jumping through all those hoops. there was a lot of “telling” the readers the characters were madly in love with each other, but it wasn’t shown so much through the writing.
if you’re looking for a quick read and don’t mind a 3rd act breakup, i’d still recommend as there are some high points:
• Filipino representation
• lgbtq+ rep
• cute/funny dialogue
• cosplay culture
• fun supporting cast
• mmc has a dachshund 🥹🫶🏻
thanks so much to netgalley, the author and union square & co for the digital arc in exchange for my honest thoughts!
unfortunately throughout the courting stages of this story, i was not sold on the chemistry between the leads. their attraction was very quickly birthed and stifled again after a misunderstanding on the fmc’s part leads to the mmc getting basically dared to go through the “five stage process” to prove he was worthy of a date with the fmc. he accepts the date but under the premise that he was no longer even interested anymore and just wanted to prove he could succeed so the courting process started off on strange terms.
his journey of efforts made it seem like the interest was all one sided and some of this is due to the moderate distance that must be kept during the courtship but once the fmc started to somewhat reciprocate, the mmc was still put into positions to prove himself worth, apologize and feel less than despite jumping through all those hoops. there was a lot of “telling” the readers the characters were madly in love with each other, but it wasn’t shown so much through the writing.
if you’re looking for a quick read and don’t mind a 3rd act breakup, i’d still recommend as there are some high points:
• Filipino representation
• lgbtq+ rep
• cute/funny dialogue
• cosplay culture
• fun supporting cast
• mmc has a dachshund 🥹🫶🏻
thanks so much to netgalley, the author and union square & co for the digital arc in exchange for my honest thoughts!
July 8, 2024
I was underwhelmed. These characters are in their thiries and act like middle schoolers. Being a half-Filipino I was excited to learn about the 5 stages because this is not something my family partakes in. My disappointment sunk deeper and deeper with how forced it feels to talk about and showcase the Filipino heritage and traditions. This story is also highly based on the region on Luzon, which differs from the more Southern Islands. While I grew up with many of the traditons, I would say I grew up with none of the traditions in the novel. Manila is alot more rigid in their lifestyle and it shows in Dalisay's character. I find her to be uptight and her "maturity" comes off as entitled and immature.
Evan is a redeeming character. He is funny and realistic and "whole-asses" his challenges. Dalisay basically shuits down his honest attempts at the stages and she bullies him thorugh much of the first third of the book.
As for the romance aspects, I see where it is trying to have a crush fall into real love but it feels so surface level, even when they start to open up to one another. The connections and the growth are not there for me and I don't find myself saying "awe this is cute".
Learning about culture is the main idea of The Five Stages of COurting Dalisay Ramos and I think that hit the nail on the head. There is a decent amount of compare and contrast between SEA and US culture as well as generational culture. If you enjoy very niche stories, this is great, it teaches alot with some aspects of a romance.
Thank you to Love Notes PR & Union Square Co. for the free ebook in exchange for my honest review.
Evan is a redeeming character. He is funny and realistic and "whole-asses" his challenges. Dalisay basically shuits down his honest attempts at the stages and she bullies him thorugh much of the first third of the book.
As for the romance aspects, I see where it is trying to have a crush fall into real love but it feels so surface level, even when they start to open up to one another. The connections and the growth are not there for me and I don't find myself saying "awe this is cute".
Learning about culture is the main idea of The Five Stages of COurting Dalisay Ramos and I think that hit the nail on the head. There is a decent amount of compare and contrast between SEA and US culture as well as generational culture. If you enjoy very niche stories, this is great, it teaches alot with some aspects of a romance.
Thank you to Love Notes PR & Union Square Co. for the free ebook in exchange for my honest review.
June 30, 2024
ARC Review: This story had everything I look for in a Rom-Com. The awkward first encounter, the best wingmen of friends, family tension, steamy love scenes, and the big second chance (which I absolutely loved the second chance romance trope and how it was used in this book). And of course, the happy ending! This book was filled with humor, culture, and quirks. And I LOVED IT!
Since Evan had to go through five stages of courting, I will give the top five things I enjoyed about this book.
1. The way Evan respected and loved Dalisay ~ Having a character not be ready for intimate relationships is rare in romance books these days, and being in that same boat I loved the way the author wrote the feelings and standards that Dalisay had. I also loved that Evan respected and loved her to respect what she wanted.
2. The Courtship Ritual ~ This was so unique, I for one had no idea that this was even a thing. I loved learning a part of a culture. This ritual was full of humor and romance. I admired every aspect of it. I have new expectations now haha!
3. Dalisay's confidence in what she wants ~ I love a strong girl who knows what she wants in her future partner and won't settle for less! PERFECTION!
4. The narrator nailed the character's voices ~ I was given the ARC audio of this book and the narrator nailed the characters! She did amazing on the accents too making it clear to understand and sound realistic.
5. The cultural aspects of the characters ~ I loved seeing the heritage reflected in both Evan's and Dalisay's lives. I loved the traditional and strong family values in Dalisay but I also loved the modern and independent values in Evan. This was a unique opposites-attract aspect that I admired the contrast to.
Big thank you to the RBmedia Recorded Books and NetGalley for the awesome opportunity to dive into this audiobook! Thanks for letting me join the adventure early!
Since Evan had to go through five stages of courting, I will give the top five things I enjoyed about this book.
1. The way Evan respected and loved Dalisay ~ Having a character not be ready for intimate relationships is rare in romance books these days, and being in that same boat I loved the way the author wrote the feelings and standards that Dalisay had. I also loved that Evan respected and loved her to respect what she wanted.
2. The Courtship Ritual ~ This was so unique, I for one had no idea that this was even a thing. I loved learning a part of a culture. This ritual was full of humor and romance. I admired every aspect of it. I have new expectations now haha!
3. Dalisay's confidence in what she wants ~ I love a strong girl who knows what she wants in her future partner and won't settle for less! PERFECTION!
4. The narrator nailed the character's voices ~ I was given the ARC audio of this book and the narrator nailed the characters! She did amazing on the accents too making it clear to understand and sound realistic.
5. The cultural aspects of the characters ~ I loved seeing the heritage reflected in both Evan's and Dalisay's lives. I loved the traditional and strong family values in Dalisay but I also loved the modern and independent values in Evan. This was a unique opposites-attract aspect that I admired the contrast to.
Big thank you to the RBmedia Recorded Books and NetGalley for the awesome opportunity to dive into this audiobook! Thanks for letting me join the adventure early!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2024
I was full on ready to give this book 4 stars because it was such a fun romcom buuut... the third half of the book kind of ruined that for me. I hate a third act break up and it just feels like a waste of time. (My opinion!) However, I do think that so much of this book is worth reading. I loved learning about the Five Stages and all of the Filipino traditions. I did not know anything about that and that was so fun to read! I think a lot of people will love this book so please don't let me review persuade you not to!
I loved the found family that they had and I wish we could've gotten to know Nicole even more. I would've loved to watch both of the sister's navigate their love stories! I did love that this was a dual POV. I am starting to think that is the only way I will devour romance novels.
There were parts of this book that felt like it did not flow well but overall I think this is a solid summer read and it comes out July 9. :)
Thank you NetGalley and Union Square & co for an ARC for my honest opinion!
I loved the found family that they had and I wish we could've gotten to know Nicole even more. I would've loved to watch both of the sister's navigate their love stories! I did love that this was a dual POV. I am starting to think that is the only way I will devour romance novels.
There were parts of this book that felt like it did not flow well but overall I think this is a solid summer read and it comes out July 9. :)
Thank you NetGalley and Union Square & co for an ARC for my honest opinion!
August 10, 2024
A nice quick one! If you like YA romance then this may be your thing, it’s got love, challenges, and an interesting looking into Filipino dating culture!
The books didn’t fully land the mark with me, I will be honest I almost dnf’d, the story was cute and I liked the chemistry between the MC’s but I just kept turning to other things instead of finishing this, but I pushed through and ended up enjoying the story but not my favorite! 3.5 ⭐️’s
Thank you to the Author Melissa De La Cruz for writing this, and to the Narrator Amielynn Abellera as well, I appreciate you sharing it with me!
Big Thank you as well to RB Media and NetGalley for my no cost audiobook copy of “The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos”.
I received this advance review copy at no personal cost and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The books didn’t fully land the mark with me, I will be honest I almost dnf’d, the story was cute and I liked the chemistry between the MC’s but I just kept turning to other things instead of finishing this, but I pushed through and ended up enjoying the story but not my favorite! 3.5 ⭐️’s
Thank you to the Author Melissa De La Cruz for writing this, and to the Narrator Amielynn Abellera as well, I appreciate you sharing it with me!
Big Thank you as well to RB Media and NetGalley for my no cost audiobook copy of “The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos”.
I received this advance review copy at no personal cost and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 7, 2024
This is a thoughtful and insightful guide that takes readers through the journey of relationships while weaving in cultural wisdom. Growing up with limited understanding of my Filipino heritage, this book was especially meaningful, sparking a sense of connection to my roots. Ramos introduces readers to Filipino customs and values with warmth, making me want to dive deeper into my culture. I found myself not only reflecting on relationships but also re-searching aspects of my heritage I had mo idea about before.It was a sweet slow burn with a HEA.
July 2, 2024
I truly enjoyed this book! I was drawn into the exploration of differences in courting in other cultures. It was intriguing how the characters navigate their cultural differences, their different approaches to love and dating, and the compromises they make to foster their connection. This could be one of any multicultural couples trying to navigate their differences and balance the modern and traditional expectations and it was really sweet to read about.
July 14, 2024
I was fortunate enough to receive a physical arc of The Five Stages of courting Dalisay Ramos from the publisher as well as the audio courtesy of NetGalley.
I will state this book has taken me over a month to complete. I alternated between formats and that helped a bit but overall, it was just underwhelming. It wasn’t bad by any means but it just left me wanting more. I didn’t love the chemistry between the characters. I enjoyed the inclusion of the 5 stages, it was interesting to read but they kind of felt rushed 🥺 I wish I could have had more about the five stages.
I will state this book has taken me over a month to complete. I alternated between formats and that helped a bit but overall, it was just underwhelming. It wasn’t bad by any means but it just left me wanting more. I didn’t love the chemistry between the characters. I enjoyed the inclusion of the 5 stages, it was interesting to read but they kind of felt rushed 🥺 I wish I could have had more about the five stages.
October 23, 2024
2.5 - wanted to love it so bad! it was fun seeing Filipino traditions represented, but the pacing was a little bit all over the place. MMC was delightful but i realllllly struggled with FMC. sure - tradition or whatever, but she was kinda rude. it was sooo cheesy at times. cute concept, execution is lacking.
December 30, 2024
2.5 stars. Cute, but not entirely relatable for me because I don't know anything about the five stages of courting. (Neither does my mom.) As it was, I had a hard time connecting with the characters. The writing style also felt overly simplistic and unnecessarily descriptive at times, almost like it was YA/NA, which didn't help.
October 19, 2025
giving filipino romcom movie!
July 14, 2024
I felt skeptical of this one for quite awhile into it. The first five steps was funny and cute so I was surprised there was so much of the book left when they were over. I did not appreciate the way the FMC made her issues into his issues though. In my opinion, he felt guilty for their breakup and it was definitely her problem. She was terrible to him. However, the book redeemed itself a bit when he did the second round of 5 steps which was even cuter than the first.
June 16, 2025
A very cute and easy read! Didn’t expect to finish it in two sittings but i definitely jumped into a romance to feel something again 😅
But oh, to be woo’d and pursued!!! The cultural nuances and Dalisay as a character made it very easy for me to self insert 🙂↕️
But oh, to be woo’d and pursued!!! The cultural nuances and Dalisay as a character made it very easy for me to self insert 🙂↕️
January 6, 2026
it was a cute romance novel. nothing much more to say besides that. wouldn't read again. recommend if someone wanted an easy romance novel to read.
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