Keep the Faith

by Ana Tejano

When Faith’s five-year relationship ends right before she leaves for a typhoon-stricken town in Iloilo, she chooses not to make a big deal out of it. She’s not a stranger to heartbreak after all – she deals with it every day with her disaster relief work. How can she be broken up about her lost love life when she’s surrounded by people who literally lost everything?

All she wants now is for her life to go back to normal. Never mind her unanswered questions about the breakup, or that (not so) tiny ache in her heart whenever she sees her ex. She’s okay now and maybe she’s even starting to like Nico Tamayo, the attractive new guy at work.

​​​​​​​With new possibilities on the horizon, Faith thinks she is well on her way to moving on. But when her past comes calling back to her, will all the good things in her present be enough to keep her on the path? Or will she finally learn that there's more to heartbreak and recovery than what she knows?

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Adult

210 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 31, 2016

About the author

Ana Tejano (@itstimeana) has loved words since she started reading books for fun in elementary school. From writing short stories in her free time as a kid, she got published under her full name in various Philippine print and online publications including Didache, In His Steps, Fish Magazine, Family Time, The Female Network, and The Top Knotters. In 2014, she self-published her first romance novel, Fall Like Rain, written during the first batch of #RomanceClass. Her books and stories are all zero heat and always with happily ever afters.

Ana was part of the Filipino ReaderCon core committee from 2010 to 2015, handling the event’s content and social media strategy, and the first Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards in 2012. When she’s not writing romance and reading books, she works as a marketing manager for a multinational tech company, serves in CFC Singles for Christ, and fangirls over BTS. She’s working on her next book(s) and promises they will be done soon. Ana lives in the Philippines with a five-year-old shih and spitz mix and three rowdy aspins.

Reviews

[Yna from Books and Boybands · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The grace is not about forgetting, but knowing you can start anew.”


Read this via Season 3 of #RomanceClass podcast. What a great project! Review to come.

[Kim at Divergent Gryffindor · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

Man, I love Ana Tejano's writing style! And also? I need french fries!

[Shealea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keep the Faith offers a refreshing and heartwarming take on Christian romance. Truthfully, I tend to avoid most religion/spirituality-related titles (note: not exclusively romance) because the very few that I’ve read in the past were pretty preachy. Keep the Faith was thankfully a delightful exception. Nick and Faith’s relationship was wonderfully wholesome and endearing. I liked how the author was able to present a mature (and very believable!) romantic development without heavily relying on sexual tension and lustful agendas. Seriously, I can never look at French fries in the same light ever again.

Despite technically being a contemporary romance novel, the narrative concentrated more on Faith’s growth as an individual rather than the romantic progression between her and Nico – an angle that isn’t very common for the genre but nonetheless fascinating to read about. More than just a story about two people falling in love, the novel talked about a range of holistic themes: finding fulfillment, learning acceptance, dealing with insecurity, identifying personal priorities, and healing in general. I loved it.

Truth be told, my reading experience with Keep the Faith was initially bumpy. The writing in the first chapters was, at times, awkward and a number of passages (which I highlighted in my reader) could have been phrased better, in my opinion. However, once I breezed through the first few chapters, the writing style greatly improved – the wording was more fitting, the transition from one paragraph to another flowed more naturally and consequently, it became much more effortless to immerse myself in Faith’s story. As a whole, the plot is simple and fairly predictable but the story, without a doubt, packs quite a punch as it perfectly captures the confusion and turmoil caused by heartbreak. Keep the Faith is definitely a novel I’ll soon be rereading.

🌻🍃 More bookish content on Shut up, Shealea 🍃🌻
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[Sheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first ebook purchase! Love that it's from a fellow Filipino and book club friend! :)

So many things to like about this book:

1. The cover!
- Another win. Though this has a totally different feel from "Fall Like Rain," it totally captured the elements and feel of the book. Light and hopeful.

2. The Characters!
- Nico: the good guy swoon worthy type. Almost too perfect but I liked how he was honest with Faith when he needed to be.
- Faith: your typical relatable female friend. Maybe a bit stuborn at times but definitely all good intentions. I like how her after the breakup coping mechanisms was easily relatable.
- Faith's family: I was so glad that Faith had such a great family to fall back to when she was ready to break apart and how her family was just there like a safety net, ready to catch her at any moment.
- Meah: I feel for her! The friend who gives all the relationship advice but isn't in one. Do I feel a spin off story soon?

3. The prose!
- Clean, well crafted with just the right words of wisdom here and there.

It's always refreshing to read a Filipino romance novel and this one was no different. :)

Around the Year in 52 books: A book with a beautiful cover - 20/52

[Paula M · Rating 4 out of 5]

review to be posted!

[Maria Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cutie love story with Development work, Ilonggo phrases and Hebrews 11:1.

I was captivated with the nuances of an Ilonggo hottie as a character to the book. Sana ganun din ang soulmate ko, charot.

[Nicka Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let’s start by how much feels this book gave me! I just have to say that recovering from a broken heart is not easy. The story actually gave justice to this specific topic. And now as a result, I WANT MY OWN NICO TAMAYO!!!!!

I started reading this when I was on my way to work, you know trying to entertain myself while I was stuck in Metro Manila’s traffic. Even though I was only on the first chapter I couldn’t help but smile. The scene when they set eyes on each other, sparks flied! *literally* Kinilig ako

The author’s way of writing was truly beautiful. I’ll be adding Ana Tejano as one of my favorite Filipino authors, so from now on any book she releases is an auto buy for me!

“The thing about heartbreak, I realized, is it’s not really about waiting for things to stop hurting before you start moving. A broken heart can and will heal in time, but for time to actually do its job, I needed to acknowledge what I had lost, and move on.”

“The grace is not about forgetting, but knowing you can start anew.”

Where do broken hearts go? To relief and rescue operations. (Ang corny ko!)

The story didn’t only focused on Nico and Faith’s love story but also on how Faith was able to recover from her recent break-up. I loved how this story has a religious(Christian) aspect to it, it had a deeper meaning to and I think that it made me understood the story more. The main character’s growth throughout the book is what I admired the most. She was determined to leave the past behind and start anew. She wanted to give herself a second chance in finding love, a love that didn’t expect she would find in the most unexpected person she’d ever met.

This book reminds me of Lady Gaga’s single “Million Reasons”, when I heard the lyrics “Every heartbreak makes it hard to keep the faith” then from that very moment I knew that this song is perfect for this book! Please do listen to it and tell me what you think of it 😉

Do I recommend this? HECK YES! So if you don’t know where to start your #romanceclass journey you better start with Keep The Faith! You won’t regret anything. I will be considering to reread this book as soon as I buy a physical copy of it!!!

[Camille Lopez]

This book is so good and uplifting in all sides. Not your typical daily dose of cheesiness but it's more mature and relatable.

I can quote a lot from this book and the wisdom the characters shared in this story is very realistic. I love this kind of books not so dreamy. I think I wanted to stop at the last chapter before ending it. Because I will definitely miss the amazing characters of this book.

I totally ship on you Nico and Faith! Always Keep the Faith!

[Inah (Fueled By Chapters) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've literally just finished this book about five minutes ago. AND I LOVED IT SO MUCH! This is my favorite work of Ana Tejano so far. My heart still flutters just by thinking about how lovely this book was.

For starters, Faith is a community development worker. She basically saves the world for a living, something that's really inspiring. I think it is one of the reasons why I could relate to Faith a lot, I do enjoy participating in volunteer works and community service activities too. Another thing I quite enjoyed about Faith's character was her innocence and a little naivete when it comes to Nico.

Nico *sigh*. I don't know about you but this guy is definitely a keeper. He's kind, patient, and really hilarious. Swoon alert. Also, French Fries?????? This might be the best pet name ever.

I really liked how this book featured more about Faith's journey to moving forward and coming in terms with herself, rather than focusing on the romance too much. The romance is there and it's really adorable to see everything unfold, but the journey towards reconciliation and being okay overall, that was really a joy to read.

Rain and Meah were in the book too, just as much as Faith and Meah was in Fall Like Rain. And I'm really excited to read Meah's book!

I think Ana Tejano's writing flows very well and captivates the readers attention very well. This book definitely confirmed my love for her writing.

[Shelumiel Delos Santos]

This is my first foray into #romanceclass titles and I want more!

Here are some initial thoughts:
- NICOLAS TAMAYO WHERE ART THOU?!
- Faith is frustrating in parts but relatable and definitely fleshed out. Her emotional journey is well explored for a short book, examining not only her romantic relationship but also the different relationships she has with other characters. However, there is one particular scene where I was like, GIRL I CAN'T WITH YOU. YOU KEPT TELLING EVERYONE YOU'RE OKAY AND YOU'RE MAD THAT THEY DON'T BELIEVE YOU AND THEN YOU TURN AROUND EXPECTING YOUR EX TO SEE THAT YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY NOT OKAY. WHAAAAAT????
- Yes good Filipino representation!
- How Nico caught Faith cyber-stalking him is cute.
- I like that the sort of "bad guy" didn't turn out to be a jerk? Like, he is flawed, yes, and an ass for [doing something] the way he did but he got called out for it and the author didn't try to redeem him by way of a ridiculous excuse.
- I also like how involved the family, best friends, and co-workers are.
- NICOLAS TAMAYO UGH MY HEART.
- Give me some French fries!
- I command the author for the closing chapters. How the resolution to the main conflict didn't necessarily solve all the problems and tie everything up neatly.
- "Five years of love, and they only fit in such a small box." I mean. I'm not gonna tear up over this!
- Friendship drama!
- I'm glad this is my first Romance Class book.
- PS. No, really, NICOLAS TAMAYO.

[Mish · Rating 5 out of 5]

"For now, all I needed to do was to keep moving, because at the end of the day, uncertainty were simply an exercise in faith."

First of all, I'd like to thank the author for sharing this freebie!

I love everything in this book! Maybe it broke my heart and made me shed a tear, but it just showed how hurtful a break up can be. AND THAT THERE IS A GOOD GUY OUT THERE WHO'S WILLING TO WAIT FOR YOU. ❤️ Can I have a Nico Tamayo???

Those who are in the process of accepting or moving on should read this. It'll help you understand things and not lose hope. :)

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This felt more like it was Faith’s journey getting over her ex and learning to move on. My heart hurt for her and the denial she was in. Anyone who has been through a breakup with unresolved feelings can probably relate. But it made her moving on with Nico much sweeter and more believable. I like that they built a friendship first and it was soooo obvious he liked her that I was like girl... come on. But I appreciated that Faith wanted time for herself first. Also liked the disaster relief angle of her work—super interesting.

[Neil Franz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.75 stars

[M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review and as a part of the Keep the Faith blog tour! Stay tuned! Read my full review on my blog soon

This story follows the main character's journey on having hope even in a devastating times and yes, having faith with life even if it's ruining everything that she worked hard for.

What I love about this novel was the feels you get when you read this and the lessons that you will learn. It will give you hope and a strength on how to deal these kind of chaos in your life. Also, I love how this is not an INSTA LOVE. The romance took its time and pacing and it was worth waiting for! And yes, I'm satisfied with Faith's time will heal decision before the Epilogue.

And can we talk about Nico? The good guy Nico who, like Faith and the other development worker, has an inspiring passion to help other people. I think one of the key features of this novel was the passion that majority of the characters had and I am touched with it!

"But it wasn’t the kind of tears that I had been shedding the past days; not tears of hurt or pain, but gratitude—for the love that had stayed even when I had focused on the one that I had lost."

[Liana Smith Bautista | Libervore Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

***This review was first posted on book blog Will Read for Feels.

I’ll admit I was a little dubious about reading Ana Tejano’s Keep the Faith. I was delighted to learn that it would feature the same barkada (group of friends) as her debut novel, Fall Like Rain, because I’ve been waiting years to see more of one of the characters. But knowing that there would be a Christian factor to the romance made me pause because, to be honest, that is just so not my thing. Still, I had friends assure me that the religious aspect was more a matter of circumstance than an active factor in the romance. So I dove in.

The first thing I need to say is that, I have a feeling that the religious elements of this novel felt a little oppressive to me, but I also have a feeling that had I grown up in a traditional Filipino Catholic household, I suspect a lot of it would have seemed “normal.” I had to ask some friends of mine if some of the traditions mentioned in the story were legit. Like the whole family really going to mass on Sunday was actually a thing, and whether your parents would check up on you to see if you went to service on your own if you didn’t get to go with the family—yes, I was told, many families make a big deal out of Sunday masses. It took me a while to adjust to the way God and faith (even outside of puns on the main character’s name) were mentioned so frequently and so casually.

I did eventually roll with it, and I will say that there were two characters I was just sold on in this novel. The first was supporting character and BFF Meah, who’s been my girl since Fall Like Rain, and whose first appearance in the book had me crowing “Yes!” and singing “Meah, meah, ma-meah, banana fana fa-feah” and making me instantly glad my husband had his earphones at the time. Seriously, anytime I see this author at an event, I have to ask her when a Meah book will make it into my waiting hands. No-nonsense, cut-the-crap-and-face-up-to-your-emotional-BS Meah is my favorite of the main character’s gal pals, which was the same thing I said about Fall Like Rain. I am not at all surprised that I am saying the same thing about Keep the Faith.

What did surprise me was how much I liked the love interest, Nico, who had me at “history major.” And while I wished he’d shown off more of his history geekdom in the story, he was just generally a good guy. If it was almost to the point of a male Mary Sue, I still didn’t hold it against him because he was this gorgeous, well-toned bastion of good sense and emotional stability against which Faith crashed her waves of screwed-upness time and time again. And he still held true until the end.

Although, in hindsight, I have to wonder if the absolute swoonworthiness and book-boyfriendable quality of Nico’s character didn’t serve to highlight the flaws in Faith’s. I had a hard time relating to her and at times actively disliked her. Her multiple protestations that she was “fine” had me convinced early on that she would suffer a massive breakdown, and by midway I wasn’t just expecting it, I was anticipating it. I think I would’ve liked to have her breakdown a little bit more. I hated her a little over her treatment of Nico, and I was viciously satisfied when her cocoon of denial fell apart and she bled all over the pages—figuratively, not literally.

I have to admit that I got a lot of satisfaction from schadenfreude, and that was one element I really enjoyed in this book. It was like eating a yummy, gooey, chocolatey cake of smug satisfaction and not having anyone judge me because nobody knew about it until, well, now.

Once I was done with this read, I asked myself, what would I have wanted to change if I could? I think the first was that I had some issues with some of the grammar and syntax, particularly in terms of verb tenses and some of the phrasing. However, this wasn’t so significant I couldn’t sit back and enjoy the story or the characters. The second thing I might’ve changed was to add a little more Nico to the story. I felt like the story was more of Faith’s journey toward healing rather than a love story between Faith and Nico. Which would’ve been fine, frankly. But it was categorized a romance, so I was expecting more romance.

I think I would have loved this novel a lot if I’d been Catholic. Or even vaguely Christian? Instead of a religious unitarian and functional atheist. I didn’t have a bible to look up the passage frequently referred to in this book, but never quoted, except for a loose translation in Ilonggo, which I don’t speak. As it was, I liked it a fair bit. There were moments when I swooned over Nico and just wanted to hug Meah. There were even moments when I wanted to pat Faith on the shoulder. And Keep the Faith definitely delivered on feels.

But I still can’t wait for Meah’s book.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A huge thanks to the author for giving me the chance to read and review her book, and also for including me in this blog tour.

Moving on from a relationship is never easy, especially if it is was a long-term one. When Faith’s relationship with her boyfriend of five years ended, she was heartbroken as much as the next girl but there were more important things to deal with. Like her work as a community development worker and future disaster relief missions. Like her new office mate, Nico, who happens to be not only be attractive but also a really nice guy.

It was a real surprise that I enjoyed reading this so much because I don’t usually read full on adult romance novels, well this one wasn’t only focused on the romance and that’s what I really liked about it. The story follows Faith’s journey post-five-year-relationship, we get to see her go through the stages of heartbreak and moving on, and we also see her fall for the new guy, Nico. Along those, we also get a dynamic friendship and family aspect, a look through the environment of working as a community development worker, and a commendable character development arc.

Faith is the most passionate character I’ve known, her drive and passion to help people is so inspiring and admirable. I loved that she graduated from a STEM course but didn’t felt happy on her work there so she followed her heart looked for something she loves. I must admit that there was a point when I hated her for her decisions, seriously this girl can be frustrating at times but it was a bit forgivable considering her hurt. While Nico is the nice guy that you can’t help fall for. He’s the nice guy that often get taken for granted.

There was no case of insta-love here, the romance escalated in the right pace. And it definitely had its sweet moments that will give you major feels. That being said, the story focused both on the romance and Faith’s character development. And I really enjoyed how real Faith’s struggles were and that she dealt with them not in a perfect way but in a realistic one. The overall conclusion including the epilogue was satisfying, I was happy at her decisions and the way she came in terms with her life.

This seriously felt like a movie, I felt the familiarity and warmth that a good romantic movie brings that includes all of its predictability and clichés.

Keep the Faith is quick romance novel the will teach how to go for what you’re passionate about in life, how to let yourself hurt and then heal, how to find love again and ultimately, how to keep your faith during the tough times.

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A short read filled with lots of FEELS. I really enjoyed reading this despite it being an adult novel.

I can't help but to describe this as a "wholesome" read, irdk but it felt like it. Maybe it's because of the passionate MC, great friends and family relationships, adorable romance, and all that life lessons about love and career paths. I really liked those parts but overall, the plotline was very predictable. It's a story that I've read/seen already but still a good read.

Full review soon!

[claridge | booknomnom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review also available for viewing on my blog: booknomnom.wordpress.com

Before we begin with my review, let me ask you one thing? Why do we read?

We often take for granted the reason why we read things. Maybe, you want an escape from the mundane of life. Maybe, we seek to find a piece of our souls in one of the books we peruse. Maybe, we seek worlds greater and far more dangerous than ours. Or the contrary – finding a safe place to be who you are and finding the freedom in between the lines.

For me, the answer is a variety of all these things I mentioned.

But until I started reading Philippine Romance Literature in English, I never really thought that maybe I read because I am seeking a part of myself in the books that I read. Until Ana Tejano’s book, I never realized how much it meant to me, as a Filipino reader, to relate to the characters of the book I am reading that we share the same kind of culture, of environment, of hopes, doubts, and fears, more than just sharing the universal feeling of falling in love.

Reading Keep the Faith felt like jumping into a pool of cool water at the height of Luzon summer heat: refreshing, in a way you didn’t even know your body is craving for that sweet relief.



Tejano’s book is about Faith Alvarez and how she tries to cope with life after her break-up with her boyfriend of five years. The story starts with her coming from a long relief mission in Iloilo, one of the island provinces in the Visayan region. For those unfamiliar with Philippine geography, Iloilo is uhm, really far from Manila. A few years back, Typhoon Haiyan struck the westernmost part of the region, destroying a lot of homes and taking a lot of lives as well. I am guessing that Haiyan is where we are getting this experience from.

But anyway, moving on.

So Faith is a development worker. She basically saves the lives of people who suffered from calamities and turned her passion into a career. But James isn’t exactly on board with her on that. He breaks up with her. He tells her, “He can’t do it anymore.”

(I agree with Nico; that reasoning is complete bullshit.)

Nico Tamayo is her love interest. He is also a new hire who sleeps on Faith’s desk while she was away at Iloilo. He is… God, where do I even begin with Nicolas?

*stuffs my mouth with a handful of French fries*

Nico Tamayo is the stuff of my dreams! (There, I said it!!) The first shot of him that endeared me to him was not the scene where he was first introduced. It was this scene where he was lighting candles at church, candlelight framing him. And GOOD GOD CAN YOU JUST IMAGINE A MANLY MAN, WITH THE ARMS THAT CAN LIFT MY EMOTIONAL UNAVAILABILITY, PRAYING TO GOD SOLEMNLY?

Goodness, yes. Yes, I am in love with Nicolas Tamayo and I am not even ashamed.

(He’s so perfect.)

So let’s go back to character analysis. Nico is perfect. And to a fault, I would say. He is a History major, passionate with his cause of championing education and children, like Faith, he is too giving, too forgiving. You can’t find anyone like Nico anymore. He is a rare and endangered cinnamon roll. And I guess, this may pain me to say, but yes, he does lack a little flaw to his character.

I love him, but I’d love to see more human fault in his character. (I’m sorry, Nico. I still love you, though.) The only time that he gets to be a little darker than his perfect, perfect self is at the precipice of the point of ritual death. (You’d know where this is when you read it! I loved that scene. I milk all the angst and heartbreak of that scene for all its worth.)



Faith Alvarez is a character that my reading mind can easily slip into. I wouldn’t say I can totally relate to her. I think she’s far too giving and selfless for me to properly relate with. But I think what draws me into her is how this tiny detail of her character that just resonates with me: how she seems so fine, she thinks she’s moved on, that she can do it again—live alone.

But she’s actually way in over her head. And I don’t know about you, but I’ve been there. This shared experience with her just made it easy to slip into her mind. Maybe it’s all the signs of denial she exhibits at the beginning of the story. Maybe, like her, I want to believe wholeheartedly that she’s already moved on. That she’s okay.

But it’s just so easy to fall back into bad habits. It isn’t easy to let go. Five years is a long period of time to overcome in just a snap of your finger. Holding on, when all you’ve done for the longest time is to hold on, is a conditioning that is difficult to break.

I love how the book did not go to the easiest and most used path where the main character and the new love interest just gets into a relationship really quickly, like this new hope of love magically heals all the heartache and pain that the previous one had inflicted upon. It doesn’t happen that way in reality.

I love how, no matter how really perfect Nico is, Faith was every bit realistic and dynamic as a character. She believed, she fell in love, she fooled herself, she hurt, she cried. Through her readers break and find it in themselves to find the strength to move on.



I really appreciate the pace and how the story handled this concept of moving on. Lately, this concept has been all the rage in Philippine Cinema. And reading this book is actually a little cinematic for me as well. Like, I can totally see it adapted for the big screen.

This vividness of the images and the story, for me, says more about how easy it was for me to resonate with the story because it’s just so very Filipino. More than just the settings, the way Tejano wrote the entire thing is engaging and captivating. And the little details of the life we live here in the Philippines? Our weather, our priorities in life, Metro Manila traffic, the disasters we always experience—all these tiny details perfectly, perfectly captures what and how it is to be a Filipino.

And books like Tejano’s Keeping the Faith is why I keep on reading and seeking myself.

Links to Purchase:

Amazon - http://bit.ly/ktfnovel
Smashwords – http://bit.ly/ktfsw
Barnes & Noble – http://bit.ly/ktfnook
Kobo – http://bit.ly/ktfkobo
iBooks – http://apple.co/2afU4ff

[Marta · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Keep the Faith” was like a breath of fresh air after everything I’ve been reading lately, that it’s usually fantasy and heavy writing. I needed to read this. The simple and straight-to-the-point writing style was very much appreciated, and made this book a light read to entertain myself during my holidays (I read most of it at the beach). I think many people can relate to Faith and her story, as break ups aren’t exactly an alien concept. Even people who have never experienced a break-up with a boyfriend/girlfriend could relate, as this is a story of loss and it’s the story of someone recovering and how that isn’t done overnight. I liked that it showed that people change, and that changing is totally normal and okay, and that even though it takes time, we’ll be fine. I also really liked how family and friends were so important. Faith’s friends and Faith herself were very likeable, relatable, funny, sarcastic, sassy and very, very human. They made mistakes, and they had fights and arguments. However, they always had each others’ backs. And the never ending teasing! 😂

[laura (bbliophile)]

this was okay. idk. it was just okay.

[Arystine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Faith Alvarez works in disaster relief operations, being assigned to calamity-stricken towns every now and then. She devoted herself to work after her relationship of five years ended. She really does not know the nitty-gritty reasons why her ex broke up with her. In the process of moving on, she became close with the gorgeous new office mate, Nico Tamayo, with the lilting Ilonggo accent. However, Faith still holds on to her ex. She still hangs out with their common friends, and is obsessed in cyber-stalking him. With Nico by her side, Faith wonders if his special attention is really enough to make her forget the past.

This is the first contemporary Christian romance that I have read and the writing style of the author, Ms. Ana Tejano @itstimeana is refreshing and consistent with the main characters’ spirituality and philanthropic missions. The book also tackles grief from relationship that has ended. I feel so much for Faith as she dealt with the break-up especially when she kept herself updated with her ex’s social media posts. I was brokenhearted for her when it seems as if her ex is moving on ahead of her. Every person whose heart got terribly broken would resonate with Faith, would chide her for foolish decisions due to unresolved issues, and hug her because the pain still lingers. Faith may be frustrating at times but who here was not, at some point, blindsided when it comes to love?

This is also a slow-burn romance which is one of my favorite tropes.😊 And I love sweet, Ilonggo Nico, the epitome of the guy whose shoulder you can lean on. The story is heartwarming and uplifting. It’s about recovering from break-up grief through grace and faith, and finding the right person at the right time. While this is a light read, there’s something about the writing style of Ms. Tejano that would make you cry along with Faith in her emotional journey.🥹


“A broken heart can and will heal in time, but for time to actually do its job, I need to acknowledge what I had lost, and move on. However, I knew it was going to take a while-that the road would be littered with bumps and possibly smaller heartbreaks..”

[Jem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my God I enjoyed this one so much. It was such a fast read that It's hard to keep up with the emotions.

Okay, Faith. Faith's dedication to helping people is something I really admire. She has a good heart at the very core, a heart that tries to be strong for others but really a heart is just a heart, and there's only so much it could take. This is what makes Faith so relatable. We pretend we're okay, we try to keep things the same way, we try to hold on, hurting ourselves and others around us over and over again. But her story of moving forward is different in a way that it feels like art, so beautiful and heartfelt. Also, it's so refreshing and satisfying that she took a few months to completely move on and set her path before she told Nico she loves him too, knowing that she did it for herself and for Nico's sake too.

Nico, oh Nico. This guy is really the guy you hope to be with someday. He, who you can talk to and never be bored of. Funny. Patient. Kind. Understanding. (also really Hot with dimples) ANYWAY, ISN'T FRENCH FRIES JUST THE MOST ADORABLE PET NAME EVER?

I also like Faith's friends and family, they're a good bunch of support system to have in times of need.

My favorite parts were the closure, her self realizations and the reconciliations. I love those so much.

I honestly think that James should have been honest about the reason for their breakup earlier. Not knowing why your relationship crumbled really hurts, and you spend so much time with whys. His words and actions were confusing, tbh.

Meah and Faith's reconciliation affected me so much, but what made me tear up was the mother-daughter moments, especially when her mom gave her a box to get rid of James memorabilias (tough love, we need it sometimes) and especially when she said I'm proud of you.

This is another #romanceclass I enjoyed so much, I'm super in love with these books.

[Charmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that broke the usual notions that I’ve had with Filipino books. This book made me think a lot, especially when it comes to dealing with pain when it comes to heartbreaks and getting over it.

I love Faith’s character journey because it shows that one doesn’t simply get over a breakup in such a short time. Not only that, I like how her family has a huge part in supporting her heal.

What bothered me was how the weather forecast metaphors and “biting my lip” were repeated throughout this book. The “biting my lip” thing reminds me of Bella from Twilight that every time I encounter this line, my thoughts shift to Bella biting her lip.

This book taught me that one of the ways to truly heal, one has to spend some time with oneself and let some things go.

[Bookbed · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Keep the Faith will make you appreciate the ups and downs of heartbreaks. It will remind you of the limitless amount of kindness we need to constantly share and receive. Keep it in your bookshelf for rainy days! I sure would." Continue reading our review here.

Please note: We don't use ratings but for this purpose, we tag books with three stars by default.
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[Reads in Heels · Rating 4 out of 5]

First listened to this via the #RomanceClass Podcast! The episodes are still up if you want to check them out. I completely forgot to add this in my Goodreads until I checked the podcast again recently, but that's not to say I didn't enjoy it. Honestly I did expect that I wouldn't like it as much, because of the religious elements, but it really wasn't off-putting. Plus I love the characters and their profiles. Pretty sure this is the first time I've read a contemporary book starring a community worker.

You can order either the paperback or Kindle version here.

[Agay Llanera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I'm craving artery-hardening fries.

I love how the MC is in disaster relief--the first time I've read a romance with this component. And it does make sense, especially since we live in disaster-prone country. Why didn't anyone think of that? Brilliant. I also like how Faith dealt with the disaster both outside and inside her. Though it's important to put personal grief in perspective, especially in the light of a national calamity, it doesn't mean that the pain is any less real. <3

[Kris Mauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

"So, what do you say, French Fries? Go out with me tonight?"

PolCy on the cover should be a good enough reason for you to buy this book.. But if you need more convincing, I'll let you all know that I absolutely ADORED this book. I'm such a fan of Ana Tejano's writing. Her characters and stories are always refreshing to read in our world.
If you're in the mood for a sweet romantic story then pick this one up! <3

[Caryssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The thing about heartbreak, I realized, is it’s not really about waiting for things to stop hurting before you start moving. A broken heart can and will heal in time, but for time to actually do its job, I needed to acknowledge what I had lost, and move on. However, I knew it was going to take a while—that the road would be littered with bumps and possibly smaller heartbreaks that would punch me in the gut and make me grieve again.

[Vlack Grey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy in exchange for a honest review (part of the Blog Tour).

It was such a heartwarming story. And you can definitely relate to most of the parts. I like how the story develop and how the characters interact with each other.

I really like the character of Nico. He's so compassionate and mature. This type of guy was my ideal one.

It was a good story. :)

[Kate (The Bookaholic Blurbs) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review over at The Bookaholic Blurbs!

I loved Keep the Faith. I LOVED IT SO SO DAMN MUCH MY WHOLE LIFE ACHES. Strikingly executed and emotionally direct, it's a story that will touch your heart in unforgettable ways. READ THIS NOW!

Thank you Ana for sending me the Kindle copy!

[Kath Lau · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. Review to come. You can listened to it at #RomanceClass Podcast.