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Lucie Tomas: Finding Summer
Summer vacation ended before it had even begun.
When tragedy strikes with the sudden passing of her father, fifteen-year-old Lucie Tomas grapples with grief and financial turmoil while holding on to her writing aspirations. Torn between her duty to her family and her greatest dream, she faces a crossroads and the uncertainty of tomorrow.
From the familiar comforts of the parochial town of San Ysidro to the daunting clutches of the faraway Metro, Lucie embarks on a journey of sacrifice, courage, faith, and self-discovery.
She learns that through tender bonds of friendship, deep connections, and ties of kinship, no sacrifice is too great for the ones you love.
When tragedy strikes with the sudden passing of her father, fifteen-year-old Lucie Tomas grapples with grief and financial turmoil while holding on to her writing aspirations. Torn between her duty to her family and her greatest dream, she faces a crossroads and the uncertainty of tomorrow.
From the familiar comforts of the parochial town of San Ysidro to the daunting clutches of the faraway Metro, Lucie embarks on a journey of sacrifice, courage, faith, and self-discovery.
She learns that through tender bonds of friendship, deep connections, and ties of kinship, no sacrifice is too great for the ones you love.
320 pages, Paperback
Published August 8, 2026
About the author
Ana Marie Dollano
2 booksAna Marie Dollano writes poetry and short stories, weaving her sentiments into meaningful language, inviting the reader into her world of gentle persuasion. Her poetry has been published in Three Line Poetry, The 2020, The 2021, The 2022 and The 2023 Poetry Marathon Anthology. Her short story Noche Buena is included in Paperkat Books’ Pasko Na Naman (It’s Christmastime Again) Vol.2 ebook anthology in 2022. Lucie Tomas: Finding Summer is her debut novel.
She believes that words have the power to touch hearts and shape worlds.
She believes that words have the power to touch hearts and shape worlds.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 24, 2026
Life happens, and suddenly we need to pause our dreams.
This is one of those stories about the journey of acting on your dream while growing up.
I enjoyed reading how Lucie faced and handled the obstacles she encountered in the Metro and also there is a bit of mystery sprinkled that kept me turning the chapters to find out what happens to Lucie at the end.
If we’re talking about highlights, for me it was any interaction she had with the side characters, Merta and Beth :)
The takeaway I got when I finished this book? If a dream means something to you, you need to keep giving it meaning in your life.
This is one of those stories about the journey of acting on your dream while growing up.
I enjoyed reading how Lucie faced and handled the obstacles she encountered in the Metro and also there is a bit of mystery sprinkled that kept me turning the chapters to find out what happens to Lucie at the end.
If we’re talking about highlights, for me it was any interaction she had with the side characters, Merta and Beth :)
The takeaway I got when I finished this book? If a dream means something to you, you need to keep giving it meaning in your life.
September 20, 2026
Lucie Tomas: Finding Summer has the vibe of a 90s series, like My Daddy Long Legs (Judy Abbott) or Anne of Green Gables, but made Filipino. The depiction of province life in here was so immersive and vibrant, especially with the mentions of biko, fiestas, tsismis, and pamahiins. It’s cozy, mostly. Ms. Dollano’s rich prose makes even mundane scenes, like a visit to a shop or a day at work, interesting to read.
But it isn’t only provincial charm. There’s a part where Lucie leaves her town for Metro and you could tell right away the contrast, which felt like a good representation of adolescence, but more about in terms of responsibilities. You’ll root for Lucie as challenges and unexpected events change the course of her life. You’ll watch her deal with grief and forgiveness, and weigh her personal goals against her duties to family. Most of all, you’ll see her grow from a curious, hopeful teenager into a more confident version of herself.
The book’s ups and downs arrive as unexpectedly as they do in real life, and that’s part of what makes them feel real. Life is like the two seasons of the Philippines, where after the rainy season, summer always comes. For me, that summer symbolizes hope, and the book carries that idea through to the end.
But it isn’t only provincial charm. There’s a part where Lucie leaves her town for Metro and you could tell right away the contrast, which felt like a good representation of adolescence, but more about in terms of responsibilities. You’ll root for Lucie as challenges and unexpected events change the course of her life. You’ll watch her deal with grief and forgiveness, and weigh her personal goals against her duties to family. Most of all, you’ll see her grow from a curious, hopeful teenager into a more confident version of herself.
The book’s ups and downs arrive as unexpectedly as they do in real life, and that’s part of what makes them feel real. Life is like the two seasons of the Philippines, where after the rainy season, summer always comes. For me, that summer symbolizes hope, and the book carries that idea through to the end.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews