What do you think?
Rate this book
Midnights in Bali
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.
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.
Paperback
5 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
About the author
Carla de Guzman
25 books177 followersAuthor, occasional illustrator, full-time traveler.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 3, 2018
Actual Rating: 1.5 stars
Let's talk about what I like in this book first:
- I like Ava.
- The book cover is really gorgeous!
- It's a short read.
Now let me list down what I don't like in this book:
- It was too fast paced for my brain to process everything.
- Insta-love
- I just don't connect with Scott's character.
- I don't feel anything with the characters except Ava (but I only liked her in the first half of the book--before she met Scott)
- When the "big reveal" happened in the book, I was just...nonchalant.
- Instead of feeling good and 'kilig' towards Ava and Scott's romantic escapades and interactions, I just cringed so hard. -___-
Overall, I just didn't like this book.
Let's talk about what I like in this book first:
- I like Ava.
- The book cover is really gorgeous!
- It's a short read.
Now let me list down what I don't like in this book:
- It was too fast paced for my brain to process everything.
- Insta-love
- I just don't connect with Scott's character.
- I don't feel anything with the characters except Ava (but I only liked her in the first half of the book--before she met Scott)
- When the "big reveal" happened in the book, I was just...nonchalant.
- Instead of feeling good and 'kilig' towards Ava and Scott's romantic escapades and interactions, I just cringed so hard. -___-
Overall, I just didn't like this book.
April 8, 2018
Quick read. Needs a generous amount of suspension of disbelief. I had so many "Weh" moments. A bit heavy on the exposition, with the background stories revealed soap opera tell-all style. Probably because of the length, the characters feel like sock puppets of amalgamated chick lit tropes, rather than real people. I also found a typo (tut tut, copywriter). But a commendable first output from a new writer. Good atmosphere building, had a few funny lines, I appreciated that the sexy scenes weren't graphic and still stayed on the side of tasteful. This is more on the part of the publishing house, but I laughed that there were guide questions at the end. All in all fun, light, frothy read.
October 10, 2023
A quick and easy read with likeable characters.
December 27, 2018
They say bad things happen in threes: first, Ava had a bady day from work; second, her long time boyfriend broke up with her; and third, she did not get in to her preferred law school. Everything was not going according to plan and Ava is a girl with The Plan. Feeling lost, she impulsively booked a ticket to Bali. There she met Scott, pours her frustrations on him, who in turn helped her nurse her broken heart. But everything that happens in Bali will surely end, including her adventures with Scott, who is altogether not part of The Plan.
“Midnights in Bali” both broke my heart and made me laugh right from the very first chapter and my feels could not stop since then, so I stayed up late and never let go of the pages until I finish. I fell in love with it right away. The first chapter really made a great job on milking my sympathy for Ava. Here is a girl just trying to make it in the world, planning for everything to work out but still falling short, and I’m like, “Hey, I can relate to that!” . So then clouded with emotions and influenced by the power of suggestion (corny airline seat sale promos can be pretty convincing sometimes), she decided to run away from it all, and I’m like, “Okay, if I were in this situation I’d totally do this, too!”.
Ava’s love interest is the right mix of lovable and mysterious. I honestly had an instant crush with Scott. He can get me weak in the knees just by reading about him. I imagine hearing the sound of his sexy accent in his dialogues. Plus he knows how to do hairbraids -- I want my own Scott who will play with my hair and braid it. I guess like Ava, I got affected by the Scottish vacuum of charm. I never for once doubted Ava’s strong attraction to the guy even though he is a stranger and does not reveal much about himself.
The promise of Bali in the title did not disappoint. The novella transported me to the place with its rich description of its scenery, temples and delicacies. I’ve only seen Bali from watching shows featuring the place, such as The Amazing Race Asia, etc., but the place means nothing to me before. Bali now became some kind of a special place for me even though I’ve never been to, because of the things that happened there in the novella. It’s the same feeling that I have when being moved with a good kdrama set in such a beautiful backdrop.
The novella is not flawless. I noticed a discrepancy on Ava’s age: if she worked for a year after her pre-law course, she must be only be twenty-three years old but the novella mentioned in text that she is twenty-six years old. Also, if Ava is twenty-six years old, her sister Bee who is three years her junior and mentioned to be still in school would be a bit too old for college then. This is just me nitpicking but it did not have a major effect on my reading enjoyment.
“Midnights in Bali” reminds me a little of “That Thing Called Tadhana”, a well-received Filipino film. Both novella and film have women characters feeling lost following a breakup, taking a journey and meeting strangers who help them get over their heartbreak. The novella added a little extra by giving the male lead character more depth and sprinkling a couple of oh so sexy love scenes. Worth mentioning is the ending which is perfect for what everything the novella is trying to say about love: just leap and give into the thrill of unknown. Read this if you are in search for a quick read and you love some travel and adventure in your romance.
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | Bloglovin' | Pinterest
“Midnights in Bali” both broke my heart and made me laugh right from the very first chapter and my feels could not stop since then, so I stayed up late and never let go of the pages until I finish. I fell in love with it right away. The first chapter really made a great job on milking my sympathy for Ava. Here is a girl just trying to make it in the world, planning for everything to work out but still falling short, and I’m like, “Hey, I can relate to that!” . So then clouded with emotions and influenced by the power of suggestion (corny airline seat sale promos can be pretty convincing sometimes), she decided to run away from it all, and I’m like, “Okay, if I were in this situation I’d totally do this, too!”.
Ava’s love interest is the right mix of lovable and mysterious. I honestly had an instant crush with Scott. He can get me weak in the knees just by reading about him. I imagine hearing the sound of his sexy accent in his dialogues. Plus he knows how to do hairbraids -- I want my own Scott who will play with my hair and braid it. I guess like Ava, I got affected by the Scottish vacuum of charm. I never for once doubted Ava’s strong attraction to the guy even though he is a stranger and does not reveal much about himself.
The promise of Bali in the title did not disappoint. The novella transported me to the place with its rich description of its scenery, temples and delicacies. I’ve only seen Bali from watching shows featuring the place, such as The Amazing Race Asia, etc., but the place means nothing to me before. Bali now became some kind of a special place for me even though I’ve never been to, because of the things that happened there in the novella. It’s the same feeling that I have when being moved with a good kdrama set in such a beautiful backdrop.
The novella is not flawless. I noticed a discrepancy on Ava’s age: if she worked for a year after her pre-law course, she must be only be twenty-three years old but the novella mentioned in text that she is twenty-six years old. Also, if Ava is twenty-six years old, her sister Bee who is three years her junior and mentioned to be still in school would be a bit too old for college then. This is just me nitpicking but it did not have a major effect on my reading enjoyment.
“Midnights in Bali” reminds me a little of “That Thing Called Tadhana”, a well-received Filipino film. Both novella and film have women characters feeling lost following a breakup, taking a journey and meeting strangers who help them get over their heartbreak. The novella added a little extra by giving the male lead character more depth and sprinkling a couple of oh so sexy love scenes. Worth mentioning is the ending which is perfect for what everything the novella is trying to say about love: just leap and give into the thrill of unknown. Read this if you are in search for a quick read and you love some travel and adventure in your romance.
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | Bloglovin' | Pinterest
September 11, 2023
Honestly, 100-page stories are hard to pull off, so I understood why this one lacked with so many things I was expecting: the plot, character arcs, & relationship dynamics. It just didn't work well for me. The two stars were for my love for traveling — the way the writer described Bali was overwhelmingly beautiful.
January 21, 2017
I voluntarily reviewed a paperback ARC from the author.
Ava Bonifacio's life basically revolved around The Plan. The Plan which she created to keep her focused on life and set her eyes on the prize, somehow making her a woman with so much backbone. But plans don't always go the way they should be. Case in point, her boyfriend dumped her because he couldn't stomach the idea that she has plans (spoiler: I think he's a jerk) and her dream of going to law school came spiralling down the drain. A girl's got to do what she's got to do so with a sign that was an airline promotion, she went off to Bali to regroup. Only, life's got other plan for her like getting sucked into a certain Scottish vacuum of charm on the way there.
I really liked how this book just fell under the quick escape read category where the story's enjoyable, the characters a little flawed and believable and the setting that might as well rival some travel magazines.
Ava's characteristics were easy to relate with. She's determined, confident, a little anal because of her plan but I liked my MCs fierce, thank you very much. She's also a bit rigid to be honest. I admired how she was unapologetic when her ex broke up with her. And how she felt she could let go of herself when she's with Scott. Scott who was very adorable in every way though a little bit mysterious. Scott who was a total match to Ava's careful personality. Scott who was such a funny, happy-go-lucky guy having fun going places, doing touristy and not-so-touristy (wink wink) stuff with Ava. Until his walls came going up because of the thing he wouldn't tell anyone.
The pacing was quick but not rushed–you can finish the book in one go. The chemistry between Scott and Ava was comfortable, cute and at some point went a little hot. (Yay!) The mystery that Scott kept hidden was nicely done in a way that I wasn't able to predict what it was, though I would've liked the confession to come directly from him, not from his friends. It was painful and heartbreaking but not in the intense kind of way that you'd end up with swollen eyes from crying after you read, no. I would've liked the characters to have more depth (not that it didn't have that but I felt like there could still be more to them but because of the length of the book, it wasn't explored well). I would have liked more. Scott. And. More. Sex. (Fade to black so not included.) I couldn't connect to their choice of music because I'm not really big on that but the author made it a common ground for the characters so it was still good, not a filler. The story, overall, was truly fascinating and I really enjoyed journeying through Bali with the characters.
Midnights in Bali would successfully transport you to one of Indonesia's top tourist destinations, thanks to the author's firsthand experience on travelling around the place that the narrative and the setting were truly authentic. Bonus? You'd be buddy travelling with a charming Scottish guy–get ready to swoon.
Ava Bonifacio's life basically revolved around The Plan. The Plan which she created to keep her focused on life and set her eyes on the prize, somehow making her a woman with so much backbone. But plans don't always go the way they should be. Case in point, her boyfriend dumped her because he couldn't stomach the idea that she has plans (spoiler: I think he's a jerk) and her dream of going to law school came spiralling down the drain. A girl's got to do what she's got to do so with a sign that was an airline promotion, she went off to Bali to regroup. Only, life's got other plan for her like getting sucked into a certain Scottish vacuum of charm on the way there.
I really liked how this book just fell under the quick escape read category where the story's enjoyable, the characters a little flawed and believable and the setting that might as well rival some travel magazines.
Ava's characteristics were easy to relate with. She's determined, confident, a little anal because of her plan but I liked my MCs fierce, thank you very much. She's also a bit rigid to be honest. I admired how she was unapologetic when her ex broke up with her. And how she felt she could let go of herself when she's with Scott. Scott who was very adorable in every way though a little bit mysterious. Scott who was a total match to Ava's careful personality. Scott who was such a funny, happy-go-lucky guy having fun going places, doing touristy and not-so-touristy (wink wink) stuff with Ava. Until his walls came going up because of the thing he wouldn't tell anyone.
The pacing was quick but not rushed–you can finish the book in one go. The chemistry between Scott and Ava was comfortable, cute and at some point went a little hot. (Yay!) The mystery that Scott kept hidden was nicely done in a way that I wasn't able to predict what it was, though I would've liked the confession to come directly from him, not from his friends. It was painful and heartbreaking but not in the intense kind of way that you'd end up with swollen eyes from crying after you read, no. I would've liked the characters to have more depth (not that it didn't have that but I felt like there could still be more to them but because of the length of the book, it wasn't explored well). I would have liked more. Scott. And. More. Sex. (Fade to black so not included.) I couldn't connect to their choice of music because I'm not really big on that but the author made it a common ground for the characters so it was still good, not a filler. The story, overall, was truly fascinating and I really enjoyed journeying through Bali with the characters.
Midnights in Bali would successfully transport you to one of Indonesia's top tourist destinations, thanks to the author's firsthand experience on travelling around the place that the narrative and the setting were truly authentic. Bonus? You'd be buddy travelling with a charming Scottish guy–get ready to swoon.
Read
March 15, 2017I have always found the strangers-to-lovers trope as a fascinating read. In my opinion, it takes more than a week and a couple of steamy sessions for two people to actually be in love witn each other.
And that's another thing that I liked about Midnights in Bali. I don't remember ever reading about either Ava or Scott declaring that she or he was already in love with the other. Though they get along well and are good together, there were no exchanges of I love You's throughout the story. Instead, Carla allows these two to get to know each other on a deeper level and gives them the chance to be together. At least that's what I'd like to think.
And I looovvveee the Ava's and Scott's individual struggles and how they came to face them. I have spoiled a lot of things in this review and I'm choosing not to mention how they were able to resolve their problems.
Then...there's Bali.
I've never been to other Asian countries, but the way Carla described the place—the temples with the statues, the red brick roofs, kalachuchi and all that—it was as if I toured Bali too! The way Carla painted the image of the place in my head was so vivid I could actually imagine being there with them. I suddenly want to book a tour to Bali hahaha.
Midnights in Bali teaches us that The Plan doesn't always work. That we should be flexible for unexpected changes that will lead us to wonderful surprises, teach us valuable lessons or to simply get in touch with what our hearts truly desire.
Congratulations and thank you, Carla de Guzman for writing such a wondeful story of courage.
And that's another thing that I liked about Midnights in Bali. I don't remember ever reading about either Ava or Scott declaring that she or he was already in love with the other. Though they get along well and are good together, there were no exchanges of I love You's throughout the story. Instead, Carla allows these two to get to know each other on a deeper level and gives them the chance to be together. At least that's what I'd like to think.
And I looovvveee the Ava's and Scott's individual struggles and how they came to face them. I have spoiled a lot of things in this review and I'm choosing not to mention how they were able to resolve their problems.
Then...there's Bali.
I've never been to other Asian countries, but the way Carla described the place—the temples with the statues, the red brick roofs, kalachuchi and all that—it was as if I toured Bali too! The way Carla painted the image of the place in my head was so vivid I could actually imagine being there with them. I suddenly want to book a tour to Bali hahaha.
Midnights in Bali teaches us that The Plan doesn't always work. That we should be flexible for unexpected changes that will lead us to wonderful surprises, teach us valuable lessons or to simply get in touch with what our hearts truly desire.
Congratulations and thank you, Carla de Guzman for writing such a wondeful story of courage.
May 1, 2018
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."
More book reviews at https://girlinglassesph.wordpress.com/
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."
More book reviews at https://girlinglassesph.wordpress.com/
January 31, 2017
Received an ARC from the author herself.
I love how Ava has a one-track mind and how she does her best to do anything and everything once she decided to do something. But what I've learned from this book is that no matter how hard you try to plan ~things~, there will be times when life would just decide to surprise you and give you a detour from all those plans.
Although I love how this story is a HEA for the MC and LI. I feel that there could have been more from this book. Like more of the history and exposure for the secondary characters. I hoped for Ava's closure from her relationship with Matteo or that she kicked his ass for being an insensitive prick. How that ~thing~ that Scott went through wasn't just dropped like that. Idk, maybe it's just me?
But still, and as always, Romance Class books never fails to make me smile, teary-eyed and feel giddy. I hope you guys keep on writing and wishing for y'all to get as many of those books you can write be published ❤
I love how Ava has a one-track mind and how she does her best to do anything and everything once she decided to do something. But what I've learned from this book is that no matter how hard you try to plan ~things~, there will be times when life would just decide to surprise you and give you a detour from all those plans.
Although I love how this story is a HEA for the MC and LI. I feel that there could have been more from this book. Like more of the history and exposure for the secondary characters. I hoped for Ava's closure from her relationship with Matteo or that she kicked his ass for being an insensitive prick. How that ~thing~ that Scott went through wasn't just dropped like that. Idk, maybe it's just me?
But still, and as always, Romance Class books never fails to make me smile, teary-eyed and feel giddy. I hope you guys keep on writing and wishing for y'all to get as many of those books you can write be published ❤
January 25, 2017
This book is a quick read only because you wouldn't want to put it down when you started reading it!
This took me to Bali and the beauty of the island and its culture but more than the amazing depiction of the place was the love affair between the straight-laced Ava and the adorably charming and handsome Scotsman Scott McLeod. I find myself smiling a lot as I read their story. The chemistry between the two are funny and explosive - it was sexy (because of SCOTT!). It will pinch your heart and believe in a love that is hopeful, a future that is possible to seize if you have a someone like Ava to Scott or a Scott to Ava who will be there to hold your hand and jump right through with you in this thing called life (Yes, the cover was PERFECT!).
Worthy story to tell, this of Ava and Scott. A must read!
This took me to Bali and the beauty of the island and its culture but more than the amazing depiction of the place was the love affair between the straight-laced Ava and the adorably charming and handsome Scotsman Scott McLeod. I find myself smiling a lot as I read their story. The chemistry between the two are funny and explosive - it was sexy (because of SCOTT!). It will pinch your heart and believe in a love that is hopeful, a future that is possible to seize if you have a someone like Ava to Scott or a Scott to Ava who will be there to hold your hand and jump right through with you in this thing called life (Yes, the cover was PERFECT!).
Worthy story to tell, this of Ava and Scott. A must read!
May 15, 2017
A quick and breezy read that made me want to visit Bali, but a little too quick to give the story the space to breathe and develop. I loved Ava, the girl with The Plan, Scottish vacuum of charm Scott (verra much!) and their playful interactions, plus Carla de Guzman is always guaranteed to deliver an energetic, smart, travel-lusty and charming read. I could have easily read a hundred more pages of this especially since the conflict, when it comes, and the resolution, made me wish for a few more pages to really flesh out. That said, this is the perfect beach book to take along while working on your tan and imagining your very own Hot Scot.
July 2, 2018
Short but sweet and very enlightening coming of age and self development book. Full review here. Thank you Arvyn and Anvil Publishing, Inc. for the review copy.
https://thequeenreads.wordpress.com/2...
https://thequeenreads.wordpress.com/2...
January 11, 2017
3.5 or 4 hmmm not sure yet but I did enjoy reading this book. I just wished there was more to it!
February 3, 2017
Thank you to Miss Carla for the free book! I will post my review very soon. :)
February 24, 2018
Its a great story I've read so far
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews