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You, Me, U.S.
Best friends Jo and Liza are as opposite as night and day. Sex worker Jo swears by the worry-free, one-day-at-a-time dance through life. Salesclerk Liza has big plans for her family's future, and there is nothing bigger than a one-way trip to the U.S. But an almost-kiss, a sex dare, and news of Liza's engagement to her American boyfriend unveil feelings Jo and Liza never thought they had. Deciding between staying together and drifting apart puts Liza's best-laid plans and Jo’s laidback life in jeopardy.
When love clashes with lifelong ambitions and family expectations, someone has to give in.
Question is: who?
When love clashes with lifelong ambitions and family expectations, someone has to give in.
Question is: who?
157 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 15, 2019
17 people are currently reading
845 people want to read
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March 15, 2019A really striking f/f romance set in the seedy side of Manila. Shop assistant Liza is desperate for a green card marriage to get her and, crucially, her family, to the US, and is on her fifteenth online boyfriend accordingly. Her best friend Jo is a failed singer turned sex worker. They are scrabbling to make ends meet, living lives that grind them down. Then Liza finally snags a sincere American man who flies over to meet and treat her, and quickly proposes. And suddenly things start to shift as Liza and Jo slowly face up to their desire and love for each other.
It's exquisitely done. The yearning and fear are palpable and compelling, conveyed with some haunting lines: I read this novella in a single sitting because I was completely submerged in the atmosphere and the women's story.
The conflict is as real as it gets. Liza's fiance is a perfectly decent man who is willing to give her and her family, including younger brothers, a life far in excess of anything they could hope for in Manila. This is not a trivial or easy choice to be made on the basis of glib moralising about true love: it's a horrible bind for both women. Jo has never risked offering herself, rather than her body, to anyone; Liza has been seeking the dream of escape and overseas comfort and safety all her life.
The characters do not behave in your standard romance manner (a reminder of how puritanical a lot of romance is, with definitions of 'cheating' that sometimes seem to include ever having sex with anyone but your fated mate). Liza sleeps with her American while grappling with her feelings for Jo; Jo has both paid and for-fun sexual encounters ditto; the book is completely nonjudgemental of this, emphasising women's right to do what they want with their bodies.
This is a sometimes seedy, painfully realistic romance with people who have cheap highlights and smoke and drink till they throw up and don't look good in the morning, and the book is all the stronger for it. It's one of the most intensely real-feeling romances I've read, with powerfully absorbing atmosphere and emotion. (And, I should say, it isn't depressing, despite the often sordid setting and problems. This one shows love blossoming where it takes root, not just in the luxury homes of billionaires.)
I had an ARC copy from the author. There are a few editing issues, which I found trivial in the context of how much I liked this.
It's exquisitely done. The yearning and fear are palpable and compelling, conveyed with some haunting lines: I read this novella in a single sitting because I was completely submerged in the atmosphere and the women's story.
The conflict is as real as it gets. Liza's fiance is a perfectly decent man who is willing to give her and her family, including younger brothers, a life far in excess of anything they could hope for in Manila. This is not a trivial or easy choice to be made on the basis of glib moralising about true love: it's a horrible bind for both women. Jo has never risked offering herself, rather than her body, to anyone; Liza has been seeking the dream of escape and overseas comfort and safety all her life.
The characters do not behave in your standard romance manner (a reminder of how puritanical a lot of romance is, with definitions of 'cheating' that sometimes seem to include ever having sex with anyone but your fated mate). Liza sleeps with her American while grappling with her feelings for Jo; Jo has both paid and for-fun sexual encounters ditto; the book is completely nonjudgemental of this, emphasising women's right to do what they want with their bodies.
This is a sometimes seedy, painfully realistic romance with people who have cheap highlights and smoke and drink till they throw up and don't look good in the morning, and the book is all the stronger for it. It's one of the most intensely real-feeling romances I've read, with powerfully absorbing atmosphere and emotion. (And, I should say, it isn't depressing, despite the often sordid setting and problems. This one shows love blossoming where it takes root, not just in the luxury homes of billionaires.)
I had an ARC copy from the author. There are a few editing issues, which I found trivial in the context of how much I liked this.
June 4, 2019
This one really hit the spot. There were so many things that resonated with me. From its Manila setting, the harsh reality of the "American Dream" and of the characters and their struggles.
I'd say it's part romance, part coming of age story between 2 best friends: Jo & Liza as they each navigate their lives and confront their growing feelings for each other.
Set in Manila, Philippines this book further proves that the world is sleeping on books written by Filipino authors. I highly recommend everyone to follow the #romanceclass tag on Twitter and Instagram for more books like this.
I'd say it's part romance, part coming of age story between 2 best friends: Jo & Liza as they each navigate their lives and confront their growing feelings for each other.
Set in Manila, Philippines this book further proves that the world is sleeping on books written by Filipino authors. I highly recommend everyone to follow the #romanceclass tag on Twitter and Instagram for more books like this.
April 17, 2019
This is a tough book to describe. As a romance, it didn't really work for me at all. As a piece of fiction, though, I found it really enjoyable in large part due to the fact that it's not a book I've read before; it's its own creature, with a fascinating setting and fresh, compelling leads you just never see in mainstream publishing.
Because the blurb never mentions it, and it's only obliquely referenced at the end of the sample, it's worth noting that the story is set in the Philippines (Manila, to be precise.) There's a fair amount of slang that Google and I never did figure out, but it wasn't a big enough issue that I docked stars for it.
My biggest issue is that it was categorized as romance, but the romance didn't really begin until the last page--it spent virtually the entire book as a friendship with the potential for romance--and it had a kind of problematic element [to me] in the epilogue that left me feeling like the romance wasn't going to be terribly long-lived. As fiction? That's not a problem. As romance? Kind of a problem.
Regardless, I liked the leads a lot. How often do you see a sex worker as a main character without her job being shamed, used for reader titillation, or shown as a tragedy the character heroically overcame for inspiration points? Jo's a sex worker. She likes it. She has problems, but the job isn't a big one and it's presented in a very matter-of-fact way. It isn't glamorized or demonized, it just is.
Liza's character is a little more familiar, but she had her own issues and, like Jo, I really cared what happened to her. Everything about the book felt far more real and immediate than most fiction (romantic and otherwise) I've read, so much so that it almost had a pulse. It's a far cry from all of those f-f books with CEOs and doctors. This is street-level existence, and all the better for it.
That said, I could use a sequel? I'd really like to see just how things work out for our leads. Because I have questions.
4.4 stars for originality and quality of writing. Worth your time if anything above piqued your interest.
Because the blurb never mentions it, and it's only obliquely referenced at the end of the sample, it's worth noting that the story is set in the Philippines (Manila, to be precise.) There's a fair amount of slang that Google and I never did figure out, but it wasn't a big enough issue that I docked stars for it.
My biggest issue is that it was categorized as romance, but the romance didn't really begin until the last page--it spent virtually the entire book as a friendship with the potential for romance--and it had a kind of problematic element [to me] in the epilogue that left me feeling like the romance wasn't going to be terribly long-lived. As fiction? That's not a problem. As romance? Kind of a problem.
Regardless, I liked the leads a lot. How often do you see a sex worker as a main character without her job being shamed, used for reader titillation, or shown as a tragedy the character heroically overcame for inspiration points? Jo's a sex worker. She likes it. She has problems, but the job isn't a big one and it's presented in a very matter-of-fact way. It isn't glamorized or demonized, it just is.
Liza's character is a little more familiar, but she had her own issues and, like Jo, I really cared what happened to her. Everything about the book felt far more real and immediate than most fiction (romantic and otherwise) I've read, so much so that it almost had a pulse. It's a far cry from all of those f-f books with CEOs and doctors. This is street-level existence, and all the better for it.
That said, I could use a sequel? I'd really like to see just how things work out for our leads. Because I have questions.
4.4 stars for originality and quality of writing. Worth your time if anything above piqued your interest.
June 30, 2025
I loved that this felt more like women's fiction/contemporary fiction with a sapphic friends to lovers subplot than a category romance. Jo and Liza are two women with their own dreams, goals, and problems separate from the love story -- and throughout life's ups and downs, they've got each other's backs. Them ending up together felt like both of them coming home; there's nobody else better suited for each other. The novel was also very atmospheric and lived in with real, gritty descriptions of Manila from an actual resident. Jo and Liza are two poor women trying to make it in the big city, and the sacrifices they made for themselves and their families were painfully realistic. Sometimes you really do have to choose between love and success, but love is what makes life worth living. Definitely one of the best Filipino romances I've read and highly recommended.
August 16, 2019
Read this in one sitting on an overnight flight. Bautista is an exquisite writer. I’ve never read another romance like this. In fact, I suspect some people may not consider this a romance, and instead fiction with romance subplot, but I certainly do because the relationship between Liza and Jo is central to the book, even though they spend the majority of it not together.
I don’t want to get into the plot but I’ll tell you what I loved:
-First, the sex worker rep was really good (IMO, granted I’m not a sex worker). And it’s depicted on-page, which... I don’t know if I’ve EVER seen that in a romance? Or at least one where the LI isn’t the client? It’s written as just a job, and while there is one scene where Jo is shamed for this by a date, the book doesn’t shame Jo for this at all. She’s a sex worker for pretty much the entire duration of the book (she never really quits from what I can tell).
-Second, I really loved how this book took on class and the non-American take on the “American dream” that Liza wishes for so deeply that she’s actively looking for an American husband so she can get a green card. Again, there’s no shame in this. And even when Jo doesn’t want Liza to go, she understands that Liza is making that choice for her family. There’s also a kind of wink wink at what the American dream really is, and I kind of read this as... does it really exist?
-And of course, the friendship between Liza and Jo is so strong. There is so much angst as they develop feelings for each other and it’s just.... !!!!!
Please note this book does involve Liza cheating on her American boyfriend with Jo. And Jo has sex (both in her profession and in her personal life) with other people throughout this book. That will be a no-go for a lot of people.
CW: there are some references to domestic violence (a secondary character)
I don’t want to get into the plot but I’ll tell you what I loved:
-First, the sex worker rep was really good (IMO, granted I’m not a sex worker). And it’s depicted on-page, which... I don’t know if I’ve EVER seen that in a romance? Or at least one where the LI isn’t the client? It’s written as just a job, and while there is one scene where Jo is shamed for this by a date, the book doesn’t shame Jo for this at all. She’s a sex worker for pretty much the entire duration of the book (she never really quits from what I can tell).
-Second, I really loved how this book took on class and the non-American take on the “American dream” that Liza wishes for so deeply that she’s actively looking for an American husband so she can get a green card. Again, there’s no shame in this. And even when Jo doesn’t want Liza to go, she understands that Liza is making that choice for her family. There’s also a kind of wink wink at what the American dream really is, and I kind of read this as... does it really exist?
-And of course, the friendship between Liza and Jo is so strong. There is so much angst as they develop feelings for each other and it’s just.... !!!!!
Please note this book does involve Liza cheating on her American boyfriend with Jo. And Jo has sex (both in her profession and in her personal life) with other people throughout this book. That will be a no-go for a lot of people.
CW: there are some references to domestic violence (a secondary character)
July 11, 2020
2019 Ripped Bodice Summer Bingo: f/f contemporary
B+ lightning review: https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2...
Link to live tweeting here: https://twitter.com/ardentlyaarya/sta...
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
B+ lightning review: https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2...
Link to live tweeting here: https://twitter.com/ardentlyaarya/sta...
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
February 16, 2025
[like a 2.75 rlly]
I dont have enough words to describe how little i care about this book. Was it good? Nah. Was it bad? not really.
The main issue I have with it is that it fails at making me care about the characters, at showing me they are people and not just… well, characters.
When they realized their feelings and did something about them i felt nothing, no excitement, no dissatisfaction, no nothing. Good for them i guess, but what do I care, type of thing. You know how hard it is to not make me giddy at sapphics in love? very.
The POV’s also weren’t great. We get both of their perspectives but we get way more information from jo than from Liza. Most of Liza’s chapters felt like fillers (and this is a novella), not in any point of the book they explain to you why she ended up liking Jo, she just suddenly did and because they’ve been best friends for a while you are supposed to understand it. Best friends always fall in love with each other, right? 🤩
I don’t know, to me the falling in love stage was just not there for any of them, maybe a little more from Jo’s side, but still not enough for my liking. Even though they’ve been best friends for a while it kinda felt like… insta love?
Basically, this had a lot of potential and instead fell flat. Funnily enough I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if it had been a fanfic 🧍🏻
(and just as a last thought, truly just me being kind of a hater, I can’t take this title seriously)
I dont have enough words to describe how little i care about this book. Was it good? Nah. Was it bad? not really.
The main issue I have with it is that it fails at making me care about the characters, at showing me they are people and not just… well, characters.
When they realized their feelings and did something about them i felt nothing, no excitement, no dissatisfaction, no nothing. Good for them i guess, but what do I care, type of thing. You know how hard it is to not make me giddy at sapphics in love? very.
The POV’s also weren’t great. We get both of their perspectives but we get way more information from jo than from Liza. Most of Liza’s chapters felt like fillers (and this is a novella), not in any point of the book they explain to you why she ended up liking Jo, she just suddenly did and because they’ve been best friends for a while you are supposed to understand it. Best friends always fall in love with each other, right? 🤩
I don’t know, to me the falling in love stage was just not there for any of them, maybe a little more from Jo’s side, but still not enough for my liking. Even though they’ve been best friends for a while it kinda felt like… insta love?
Basically, this had a lot of potential and instead fell flat. Funnily enough I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if it had been a fanfic 🧍🏻
(and just as a last thought, truly just me being kind of a hater, I can’t take this title seriously)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2019
You, Me, U.S.
by Brigitte Bautista
When I saw the author's announcement for the ARC of her latest book, an f/f romance, I jumped at the chance to get on the request list. I read Brigitte's first book, "Don't Tell My Mother", which I loved, and similarly adored her short story, "Lemon Drop Friday" from the #romanceclass anthology, "Start Here", on which I have also contributed as an author.
"You, Me, U.S." has Filipino characters and is set in Metro Manila. Brigitte Bautista's Manila is gritty and cinematic. It's mean-streets Manila, a city where tough women like Jo and Liza were able to sharpen their life skills. Both may have come from the province, but the city was where they had their hearts broken, where both came into their own. It's back alleys and police raids, it's goto and pares houses. It's an almost kiss at a staff party. It's after-hours at the department store. It's finding love in a hopeless, hapless place.
I've come to recognize the snappy exchanges between the author's main characters and their love interests in her stories. The ease of the exchange between the characters, as they quip and quibble make it apparent that the wonderful women inhabiting the author's stories have words at the center of their love language. How the characters communicate through turns of phrase says so much about where the relationship is at -- whether it's an intimate friendship or one that suddenly turns flirty and playful. It's the words, but also how the characters say it.
Unlike "Don't Tell My Mother", "You, Me, U.S." introduces a more mature story. We meet Jo, a sex worker whose best friend Liza turns up at her door suddenly having no place to stay. Liza works as a department store sales girl. Both are decidedly blue collar and come from modest backgrounds; Liza's being more fraught with familial obligations many Filipino readers would recognize. Liza's desire to provide for her family "a better life" drives her motivations. Jo, on the other hand only looks out for number one; she's come to terms with the fact that though she has some talent in singing, she'll likely never be a pop star.
I loved Jo and Liza, separately and as a couple. Jo is brash and unapologetic about her life choices. She has sex for a living, and she seems to enjoy it, as she has some control over her pick of clients and is now self-employed. I liked reading about her on the job. She refers to her clients as "ads" because she finds them on online postings. I liked having little glimpses of Jo's ads because they were all so human. I enjoyed it in a voyeuristic way because the inner, sex lives of ordinary Filipinos is such a mystery. I appreciated that sex work takes all kinds, and not just one type of person.
On the other hand, Liza's character and motivations were handled with so much consideration. Many Filipino women have dreams similar to Liza's, the same objective- to marry a foreigner so she can get out of the country and give her family in the province "the American dream". It's common, but the author is unafraid to go deep. Liza has had her share of heartbreak from past online relationships, but she is relentless at pushing for one that will work. It's easy to get frustrated at a character who never lets up no matter how many times she fails at finding love on a dating app, or even to dislike a character so hell-bent on finding a foreigner boyfriend, but because I understand Liza's motivations, I never felt this way towards her. Similarly, it's easy to play her failed relationships and heartbreaks for laughs, but the author does not do that here. Instead, the failed relationships are treated with wry compassion, and with Jo's support, Liza emerges from her heartbreaks bruised but never broken.
When Liza finally gets that relationship that hits all her requirements, the possibility of her leaving Jo's life becomes very real. Jo and Liza's love for each other is obvious to me on the first chapter, but these characters take their time realizing it. It's a slow burn and it takes its time with both characters. There's really no "bolt out of the blue" moment; rather, a slow erosion of feelings that reveal what is really at the core. Both women have turned up in each other's lives to save each other, and their friendship is so intimate that to me there was no question about their being right for each other. While there may still be work to be done and issues to be addressed when they finally do, I'm satisfied knowing that Jo and Liza will face the next challenges with eyes wide open, and holding hands.
by Brigitte Bautista
When I saw the author's announcement for the ARC of her latest book, an f/f romance, I jumped at the chance to get on the request list. I read Brigitte's first book, "Don't Tell My Mother", which I loved, and similarly adored her short story, "Lemon Drop Friday" from the #romanceclass anthology, "Start Here", on which I have also contributed as an author.
"You, Me, U.S." has Filipino characters and is set in Metro Manila. Brigitte Bautista's Manila is gritty and cinematic. It's mean-streets Manila, a city where tough women like Jo and Liza were able to sharpen their life skills. Both may have come from the province, but the city was where they had their hearts broken, where both came into their own. It's back alleys and police raids, it's goto and pares houses. It's an almost kiss at a staff party. It's after-hours at the department store. It's finding love in a hopeless, hapless place.
I've come to recognize the snappy exchanges between the author's main characters and their love interests in her stories. The ease of the exchange between the characters, as they quip and quibble make it apparent that the wonderful women inhabiting the author's stories have words at the center of their love language. How the characters communicate through turns of phrase says so much about where the relationship is at -- whether it's an intimate friendship or one that suddenly turns flirty and playful. It's the words, but also how the characters say it.
Unlike "Don't Tell My Mother", "You, Me, U.S." introduces a more mature story. We meet Jo, a sex worker whose best friend Liza turns up at her door suddenly having no place to stay. Liza works as a department store sales girl. Both are decidedly blue collar and come from modest backgrounds; Liza's being more fraught with familial obligations many Filipino readers would recognize. Liza's desire to provide for her family "a better life" drives her motivations. Jo, on the other hand only looks out for number one; she's come to terms with the fact that though she has some talent in singing, she'll likely never be a pop star.
I loved Jo and Liza, separately and as a couple. Jo is brash and unapologetic about her life choices. She has sex for a living, and she seems to enjoy it, as she has some control over her pick of clients and is now self-employed. I liked reading about her on the job. She refers to her clients as "ads" because she finds them on online postings. I liked having little glimpses of Jo's ads because they were all so human. I enjoyed it in a voyeuristic way because the inner, sex lives of ordinary Filipinos is such a mystery. I appreciated that sex work takes all kinds, and not just one type of person.
On the other hand, Liza's character and motivations were handled with so much consideration. Many Filipino women have dreams similar to Liza's, the same objective- to marry a foreigner so she can get out of the country and give her family in the province "the American dream". It's common, but the author is unafraid to go deep. Liza has had her share of heartbreak from past online relationships, but she is relentless at pushing for one that will work. It's easy to get frustrated at a character who never lets up no matter how many times she fails at finding love on a dating app, or even to dislike a character so hell-bent on finding a foreigner boyfriend, but because I understand Liza's motivations, I never felt this way towards her. Similarly, it's easy to play her failed relationships and heartbreaks for laughs, but the author does not do that here. Instead, the failed relationships are treated with wry compassion, and with Jo's support, Liza emerges from her heartbreaks bruised but never broken.
When Liza finally gets that relationship that hits all her requirements, the possibility of her leaving Jo's life becomes very real. Jo and Liza's love for each other is obvious to me on the first chapter, but these characters take their time realizing it. It's a slow burn and it takes its time with both characters. There's really no "bolt out of the blue" moment; rather, a slow erosion of feelings that reveal what is really at the core. Both women have turned up in each other's lives to save each other, and their friendship is so intimate that to me there was no question about their being right for each other. While there may still be work to be done and issues to be addressed when they finally do, I'm satisfied knowing that Jo and Liza will face the next challenges with eyes wide open, and holding hands.
Read
November 7, 2019I really appreciated the sex worker rep, Jo's emotional armor, & the spareness of the prose style in this. I will likely review later, but I want to think about it a bit more first.
October 7, 2024
2 ★ Struggling to understand why only 4 pages in and the main character decides to sell SKIN LIGHTENING products. I swiftly closed the book and sighed. I literally do not care. Out of all the products and THAT’S what you choose to sell. No ma’am. Peace out.
Read
June 28, 2025"Touch where it burns, provoke and prolong what feels good, stop when it hurts."
•
This is coming out next week !!! and I have to be one of those people who screams at everyone to GET THIS! LOL. I loved it! It was a little heavy and gritty compared to what I usually read, but then again it reflects a different Filipino experience that I knew existed, but haven't read in fiction, much less in romance, like this.
•
Jo is a sex worker (and this part of her is dealt without prejudice throughout the book; it's just her job, as it should be) and Liza is a saleslady who stuck in contractual hell and her only prospect of salvation is marrying her American fiance. This self-sacrifice is hard-hitting (and were the reason for most of my tears. Anything with family issues shoots me straight to the heart.) They share Jo's rented apartment for most of the story, and this is where their apparent attraction blossoms into a full romance. •
I have to be honest, I went into this dreading the aspect of cheating described in the blurb. But Brij's masterful writing made it seem like the cheating was a mere technicality in the grand scheme of things bec the protagonists fcking deserve each other. They've been through so much, individually, that I wanted them to be together and be each other's respite. They cannot be faulted for their baggages and these in turn heightened the stakes of the relationship. I ~hated that the HFN didn't come sooner (give my bby's a break!) but it made so much sense that they had to work out their issues separately before returning to finally be in each others arms. I also want more of the HFN, but I'm still adding this to my 2019 faves,
•
"Here, under the slates of the ever-changing lights of the perya, they kissed. The kiss was the night, the world, and the universe. It was fireworks, It was "Bingo!" and shrill shrieks towards the gods of fortune."
•
*I received a Free ARC for an honest review from the author.
*This review also appears as a bookstagram on my IG: @bentchbites
•
This is coming out next week !!! and I have to be one of those people who screams at everyone to GET THIS! LOL. I loved it! It was a little heavy and gritty compared to what I usually read, but then again it reflects a different Filipino experience that I knew existed, but haven't read in fiction, much less in romance, like this.
•
Jo is a sex worker (and this part of her is dealt without prejudice throughout the book; it's just her job, as it should be) and Liza is a saleslady who stuck in contractual hell and her only prospect of salvation is marrying her American fiance. This self-sacrifice is hard-hitting (and were the reason for most of my tears. Anything with family issues shoots me straight to the heart.) They share Jo's rented apartment for most of the story, and this is where their apparent attraction blossoms into a full romance. •
I have to be honest, I went into this dreading the aspect of cheating described in the blurb. But Brij's masterful writing made it seem like the cheating was a mere technicality in the grand scheme of things bec the protagonists fcking deserve each other. They've been through so much, individually, that I wanted them to be together and be each other's respite. They cannot be faulted for their baggages and these in turn heightened the stakes of the relationship. I ~hated that the HFN didn't come sooner (give my bby's a break!) but it made so much sense that they had to work out their issues separately before returning to finally be in each others arms. I also want more of the HFN, but I'm still adding this to my 2019 faves,
•
"Here, under the slates of the ever-changing lights of the perya, they kissed. The kiss was the night, the world, and the universe. It was fireworks, It was "Bingo!" and shrill shrieks towards the gods of fortune."
•
*I received a Free ARC for an honest review from the author.
*This review also appears as a bookstagram on my IG: @bentchbites
November 12, 2020
I read this book based on a recommendation by KJ Charles. I rated it a 5 because I haven't encountered a novel quite like it recently. This book is a contemporary love story between two twenty something women in Manila. One is a sex worker, and the other a shop girl with dreams of marrying an American and immigrating to the US. This is a friends to lovers, slow burn romance that is gritty and not what you expect in a traditional romance novel. The prose is beautiful and the story compelling. It reads almost more like fiction than romance, but I would argue that the romance is actually quite compelling. I appreciated reading about women embracing their sexuality, although some might struggle with the significant amount of sex between other partners throughout the book. Overall a captivating read that upends tropes and tells a fresh, vibrant story.
September 5, 2020
Refreshing, touching, well worth a read
Jo is a bisexual sex worker in Manila and Liza an on and off sales girl who plans to marry a rich American guy and move to the U.S. They're the best of friends, sharing every high and low, supporting each other no matter what. In spite of Jo having had to give up her dream to become a singer, she is fairly content with what she does. Liza seems to be getting closer to fulfilling her goal and thereby securing a new life for herself and her family. But neither could have predicted the sudden turn their lives would take.
I thoroughly enjoyed this well written novel, set in a world so different to mine. Reading about the tough but colorful lives of queer millennials in Manila, was educational, but above all entertaining and engaging, which is exactly what I look for in a book.
The characters grew on me to the point where I smiled indulgently many times, got frustrated sometimes and had to blink a few tears away near the end.
So glad I took a chance on this one.
Jo is a bisexual sex worker in Manila and Liza an on and off sales girl who plans to marry a rich American guy and move to the U.S. They're the best of friends, sharing every high and low, supporting each other no matter what. In spite of Jo having had to give up her dream to become a singer, she is fairly content with what she does. Liza seems to be getting closer to fulfilling her goal and thereby securing a new life for herself and her family. But neither could have predicted the sudden turn their lives would take.
I thoroughly enjoyed this well written novel, set in a world so different to mine. Reading about the tough but colorful lives of queer millennials in Manila, was educational, but above all entertaining and engaging, which is exactly what I look for in a book.
The characters grew on me to the point where I smiled indulgently many times, got frustrated sometimes and had to blink a few tears away near the end.
So glad I took a chance on this one.
November 19, 2020
This story is beautifully written and the romance has an incredibly slow burn to it. It’s not so slow as to be frustrating, however, and it works because Jo and Liza have to grapple with their feelings. Most friends-to-lovers romances I’ve read drive the tension with “but what if she doesn’t feel the way I do? I don’t want to ruin our friendship!” While there’s a bit of that, the tension worked especially well for me because it’s more about Liza having to decide what to do about Christopher. Her decision doesn’t just impact her, it affects her whole family who’s also hoping for that new life in the United States. This brings higher stakes into the romance in a way I’m not sure I’ve seen before and really liked.
Full review: https://www.thelesbianreview.com/you-...
Full review: https://www.thelesbianreview.com/you-...
October 10, 2020
THIS IS THE WOKE FILIPINO ROMANCE BOOK Y’ALL NEED IN YOUR LIFE BOOTS THE HOUSE DOWN.
There are so many discussions this book could start off: the fetishization of Asian women by white men; the sex industry and the dehumanization and abuse of those who work in it; the issue of contractualization or “endo”; the harassment of women. Brij Bautista really hits all the spots with this book, which is simultaneously a hard-hitting social commentary and an ultra-sweet romance.
Jo’s origin story is quite common in the urban poor areas of Manila. She came to the city looking for fame and fortune as a singer, only to fall into prostitution when no other work materialized. Sex work is fun, interesting, and easy money for wild and carefree Jo, who doesn’t believe in love or ‘The One’.
Liza is almost the exact opposite. A victim of supermarkets and department stores’ “endo” schemes (look it up, it’s a horrible practice that violates a metric shit ton of labor laws – and is also why I am SOOOO ANGRY with Fil-Ams who equate their Filipino-ness with liking Jollibee), Liza has always dreamt of marrying an American and being able to bring her family to the U.S.
Despite their differences, Liza and Jo are the best of friends. That all changes after an almost-kiss that leaves both their feelings in shambles. An added complication is the fact that Liza’s American boyfriend, Chris, has finally popped the question, promising to bring Liza and her whole family to the U.S. with them when they get married.
Gosh, you guys. I don’t even know where to start my review for this book. But it was just so wonderful that it honestly deserves my best effort, so here we go!
The relationship between Jo and Liza just felt so natural, and the chemistry was perfect. Best friends to lovers is my FAVORITE TROPE EVER, and Brij Bautista did it beautifully. I especially loved the whole self-searching journey Jo goes on towards the end of the book before she decides if she really wants to get together with Liza or not. It’s so in keeping with her cynical character that suddenly realizes her philosophy is wrong and she’s actually capable of love!
Another thing I loved about the romance in this book is the inevitable discussion of sacrificing one’s dreams in favor of your family’s ambitions. This is a common theme in most novels set in the Philippines. In a country where poverty is the norm and people often (misguidedly) decide to rely on their children to bail them out of poverty by becoming rich and/or famous. This is the case for Liza, whose family is relying on her to marry an American in order to get them all to the States. The book doesn’t shy away from discussing the fact that Liza being together with Jo instead of her American fiance essentially means tanking her family’s dreams, not to mention the realization on the part of Liza’s mother that putting this burden solely on Liza isn’t right.
If you’re looking for a compelling read that’s all about finding hope in the most hopeless of situations, finding love when you least expect it, and the eternal compromise between happiness and ambition, this is definitely the romance for you.
Read my full review here.
Find more from me:
Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube
There are so many discussions this book could start off: the fetishization of Asian women by white men; the sex industry and the dehumanization and abuse of those who work in it; the issue of contractualization or “endo”; the harassment of women. Brij Bautista really hits all the spots with this book, which is simultaneously a hard-hitting social commentary and an ultra-sweet romance.
Jo’s origin story is quite common in the urban poor areas of Manila. She came to the city looking for fame and fortune as a singer, only to fall into prostitution when no other work materialized. Sex work is fun, interesting, and easy money for wild and carefree Jo, who doesn’t believe in love or ‘The One’.
Liza is almost the exact opposite. A victim of supermarkets and department stores’ “endo” schemes (look it up, it’s a horrible practice that violates a metric shit ton of labor laws – and is also why I am SOOOO ANGRY with Fil-Ams who equate their Filipino-ness with liking Jollibee), Liza has always dreamt of marrying an American and being able to bring her family to the U.S.
Despite their differences, Liza and Jo are the best of friends. That all changes after an almost-kiss that leaves both their feelings in shambles. An added complication is the fact that Liza’s American boyfriend, Chris, has finally popped the question, promising to bring Liza and her whole family to the U.S. with them when they get married.
Gosh, you guys. I don’t even know where to start my review for this book. But it was just so wonderful that it honestly deserves my best effort, so here we go!
The relationship between Jo and Liza just felt so natural, and the chemistry was perfect. Best friends to lovers is my FAVORITE TROPE EVER, and Brij Bautista did it beautifully. I especially loved the whole self-searching journey Jo goes on towards the end of the book before she decides if she really wants to get together with Liza or not. It’s so in keeping with her cynical character that suddenly realizes her philosophy is wrong and she’s actually capable of love!
Another thing I loved about the romance in this book is the inevitable discussion of sacrificing one’s dreams in favor of your family’s ambitions. This is a common theme in most novels set in the Philippines. In a country where poverty is the norm and people often (misguidedly) decide to rely on their children to bail them out of poverty by becoming rich and/or famous. This is the case for Liza, whose family is relying on her to marry an American in order to get them all to the States. The book doesn’t shy away from discussing the fact that Liza being together with Jo instead of her American fiance essentially means tanking her family’s dreams, not to mention the realization on the part of Liza’s mother that putting this burden solely on Liza isn’t right.
If you’re looking for a compelling read that’s all about finding hope in the most hopeless of situations, finding love when you least expect it, and the eternal compromise between happiness and ambition, this is definitely the romance for you.
Read my full review here.
Find more from me:
Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube
November 13, 2021
The gays won and I hope they stay winning. Jo and Liza truly deserve only the best and happiness.
April 21, 2019
An entrancing novella from the Philippines, written by an author who’s a member of #romanceclass, a hashtag I had not heard of but which is huge in the Philippines. This is a HEA (or HFN at least) novella, focused on women who have sex with women and with men, who have sex for money or for marriage, and all of this is presented in a liberating unjudgemental way. It’s just no big deal. The sex is hot and consensual (a requirement for #romanceclass). The prose and the setting are gritty and real so the romance is all the sweeter for being tempered by real-life economic imperatives. Feelings are handled in a mature way: there is self-reflection, there is the acknowledgement that words don’t solve life.
Very nice.
Format: Kindle, good formatting, no typos.
Read for the Goodreads Reading Women 2019 challenge, rubric “novella”.
Very nice.
Format: Kindle, good formatting, no typos.
Read for the Goodreads Reading Women 2019 challenge, rubric “novella”.
did-not-finish
June 7, 2019Not sure quite why I couldn't finish this. It was really well written, but it just didn't engage me. It took me weeks to get through half of it, even though it's a pretty short book. And I just wasn't feeling the chemistry between Jo and Liza at all, so I had no investment in the romance--maybe friends-to-lovers is just not my thing.
February 10, 2020
Wait, what? An f/f story that doesn't settle into cooing cuddles by 50% and proposals and babies by the epilogue? Two main characters who are allowed to be flawed and realistic and beset by genuinely impossible choices? A story where there's no villain other than life? A positive portrayal of sex work? I don't know what this madness is but I am here for it and I am definitely keeping an eye on this author.
(There were a few editing errors that really should have been caught, but I was so wrapped up in the story I didn't mind too much. It also doesn't really fit the mould - which I personally find too restrictive - of romance, since it's more about the characters as people and how their very complicated relationship fits into their lives. Again, 100% didn't mind, but it's definitely not an easy escapism story or a quick trip to happy smoochies.)
(There were a few editing errors that really should have been caught, but I was so wrapped up in the story I didn't mind too much. It also doesn't really fit the mould - which I personally find too restrictive - of romance, since it's more about the characters as people and how their very complicated relationship fits into their lives. Again, 100% didn't mind, but it's definitely not an easy escapism story or a quick trip to happy smoochies.)
August 9, 2021
mayhaps i cried like a bitch
October 3, 2024
Jo + Liza
-sapphic romance
-friends to lovers?
-smex worker
-pacific islander rep
-third person pov
this had so much potential to be an epic friends to lovers story but it was a bit drawn out on their own stories…& then they kinda expose their feelings…& it ruins everything or whatever..& then liza comes back to get her girl for her to be like nah i’m gonna continue to be alone for me, also rightfully so…but said she’d possibly come back to liza, really making it seem like the expectation was to be back together but then….SHE GOES AND HAS A ONE NIGHT STAND WITH SOMEONE FAMOUS OR WHATEVER ANDDDD CALLLSS LIZAAA TO TELLLL HERRRR???? nahhhhh. i was livid. like what the helllllll…& liza’s just like uhh okay? nooo wayyy. thats wild.
-sapphic romance
-friends to lovers?
-smex worker
-pacific islander rep
-third person pov
this had so much potential to be an epic friends to lovers story but it was a bit drawn out on their own stories…& then they kinda expose their feelings…& it ruins everything or whatever..& then liza comes back to get her girl for her to be like nah i’m gonna continue to be alone for me, also rightfully so…but said she’d possibly come back to liza, really making it seem like the expectation was to be back together but then….SHE GOES AND HAS A ONE NIGHT STAND WITH SOMEONE FAMOUS OR WHATEVER ANDDDD CALLLSS LIZAAA TO TELLLL HERRRR???? nahhhhh. i was livid. like what the helllllll…& liza’s just like uhh okay? nooo wayyy. thats wild.
April 7, 2019
Loved the complexities of Jo and Liza. loved how Jo and Liza's sexuality was so normalized. It wasn't ever shown to be a problem for others.
Also at no time was Jo's profession as a sex worker ever demonized by the author, which I appreciated. Too many times I find little snide commentary that slip in painting sex workers in a terrible light but this was never the case here. There was one moment when one of Jo's dates learns what her job was and they aren't happy about it but i felt like Jo's reaction to that rejection was well done.
Jo and Liza's feelings are allowed to build and grow and at no time does Liza ever shame Jo for her job. In fact throughout the book they're with other people. Jo sleeps with her clients and Liza has these online relationships hoping for it to end with her being able to go to the U.S. I was also not sure how with Jo still agreeing to go on her trips and not being sure if/when she'd return, how it was all going to work out for Liza and Jo but the author made it work in my opinion!
Also at no time was Jo's profession as a sex worker ever demonized by the author, which I appreciated. Too many times I find little snide commentary that slip in painting sex workers in a terrible light but this was never the case here. There was one moment when one of Jo's dates learns what her job was and they aren't happy about it but i felt like Jo's reaction to that rejection was well done.
Jo and Liza's feelings are allowed to build and grow and at no time does Liza ever shame Jo for her job. In fact throughout the book they're with other people. Jo sleeps with her clients and Liza has these online relationships hoping for it to end with her being able to go to the U.S. I was also not sure how with Jo still agreeing to go on her trips and not being sure if/when she'd return, how it was all going to work out for Liza and Jo but the author made it work in my opinion!
February 9, 2021
This is a complicated messy book that both fascinated me and drew me in. Friends to lovers is a difficult trope to pull off, and when the two friends have such opposing goals in life, it's even harder. I liked the ending, and how they worked to figure themselves out as much as learning to love each other. Plus 'the mistress' was a brilliant character who glued the whole thing together in an unexpected, self-aware way.
February 9, 2020
Every so often a book comes along that subtly redefines the genre, and you wonder if everyone else has already registered this fact? Or if no one sees it yet, you need them to...like NOW. Anyone? See my tweets at: https://twitter.com/jen_hallock/statu...
March 30, 2025
An unusual and well -written romance between two friends that felt melancholy yet refreshing. Ultimately, it did not strike me emotionally, likely because of the structure but still a very interesting read for romance readers.
May 8, 2019
3.5 stars
Quite lovely romance about finding the line where the dreams we've been chasing meet the reality we live.
Content warnings include: cheating, sexual harassment, mild violence, sex work, sex on-page, hate against sex-workers; mentions of intimate partner violence/domestic abuse.
Liza and Jo, both living in Manila, have been best friends for years now. While sex worker Jo has come to terms with her dream of becoming a pop star never becoming reality, Liza is working hard towards her dream of marrying a rich foreigner, moving to the U.S. and giving herself and her family a better life. After countless breakups with her online boyfriends, Liza now finally found The One.
But as things move closer to her dream coming true, the friendship between Jo and Liza is beginning to shift.
You, Me, U.S is a relatively fast read with a writing style that manages to be lyrical in how down to earth it is.
I appreciated how short the book was - novella length I think - because I wasn't able to really focus on it. Had it been longer I might have lost interest, which is more my own fault than the book's I think. Yet I also wish some parts had been longer, as there are quite a few dumps of "oh btw here's all the background information to understand this scene", and some big events are just described over two pages instead of shown in their own scenes.
Quite lovely romance about finding the line where the dreams we've been chasing meet the reality we live.
Content warnings include: cheating, sexual harassment, mild violence, sex work, sex on-page, hate against sex-workers; mentions of intimate partner violence/domestic abuse.
Liza and Jo, both living in Manila, have been best friends for years now. While sex worker Jo has come to terms with her dream of becoming a pop star never becoming reality, Liza is working hard towards her dream of marrying a rich foreigner, moving to the U.S. and giving herself and her family a better life. After countless breakups with her online boyfriends, Liza now finally found The One.
But as things move closer to her dream coming true, the friendship between Jo and Liza is beginning to shift.
You, Me, U.S is a relatively fast read with a writing style that manages to be lyrical in how down to earth it is.
I appreciated how short the book was - novella length I think - because I wasn't able to really focus on it. Had it been longer I might have lost interest, which is more my own fault than the book's I think. Yet I also wish some parts had been longer, as there are quite a few dumps of "oh btw here's all the background information to understand this scene", and some big events are just described over two pages instead of shown in their own scenes.
March 12, 2025
Hermosa historia, me termine enamorando yo de ambas.
July 8, 2025
Will post my review soon, but in short: I loved this book!
October 20, 2025
How can I find a Jo for myself? 🥹
Di ko maexplain yung naramdaman ko sa story, ang daming nangyari, ang ganda rin ng mga kwento ng bawat tagpo. And I somehow loved how it ended. Gusto ko yung pinili muna ni Jo yung sarili niya after masaktan. Ganon naman kasi talaga dapat wag sunggab nang sunggab 😂 and they lived happily ever after. 🏳️🌈
Di ko maexplain yung naramdaman ko sa story, ang daming nangyari, ang ganda rin ng mga kwento ng bawat tagpo. And I somehow loved how it ended. Gusto ko yung pinili muna ni Jo yung sarili niya after masaktan. Ganon naman kasi talaga dapat wag sunggab nang sunggab 😂 and they lived happily ever after. 🏳️🌈
November 19, 2025
finally leaving a better, more articulate review on this as — what i’d say is — very good authority on the subject 🤓: lesbian, filipino, lives in the philippines, maintains the much-needed awareness on socio-political issues in the country. you could say i’m v much the target audience for this book
ang di ko lang ma-checkan na box sa target audience / relatability criteria ay na never ako nahulog sa best friend.. ok ba ‘to pang bragging rights
foremost, you, me, u.s. is an amazingly captivating and relatable read for filipinos and a great way to learn about real life and issues in the philippines — or at least manila — for foreigners. every detail in the book is not only realistic but commonplace for us, from the many social issues depicted to the more specific details of jo and liza’s lives like selling whitening soaps (among others) to get by or .. you know, going to an event for rich people and it being, of course, in greenbelt
(badly want to write this in filipino but i’d also like others to be able to read this review and give this book the chance it deserves)
i normally would never describe anything this way, but i unfortunately don’t know a better word i can use for this rn: this book is the perfect ‘woke’ representation of a lot of women’s daily lives in the country. my problem with a lot of books that attempt to achieve this is that a lot of the time it just comes off as ticking off a checklist for 🔥wokeness, whether in the way characters are introduced (e.g. western books bringing in characters for no reason besides to mention that they’re asian, non-binary, neurodivergent,) or in the way issues are squeezed in one after the other; you, me, u.s. has no such problem. jo is just gay, and liza is .. well, that one tweet that’s like. i’m probably [gay] but i have a lot going on so i don’t really have time to think about that rn. in listing the problems and situations in their lives that reflect social realities in the philippines, and make this a greatly immersive read: off the top of my head, there’s 1. the american dream (and 1.5. mga afam na ang target ay pilipina) 2. sex work 3. the cultural value of utang na loob and all the negative effects it can have, and maaany more
in regard to their romance, jo and liza’s story is a perfect friends-to-lovers that emphasizes 2 very real (i keep repeating this word but. whatever) and important truths: 1, that you HAVE to be relatively stable and secure in yourself before pursuing romance, much more with an already significant figure in your life, and 2…. kahit sino pang landiin at kausapin mo, minsan sa kaibigan ka talaga babagsak. prepare yourself accordingly
aaand i’ve run out of juice (although i Know i have more to say). let me come back to this next time
basta! MABUHAY ANG PILIPINA MABUHAY ANG SANGKABAKLAAN at mabuhay ang mahalagang subsector nito na nahulog sa kaibigan
foremost, you, me, u.s. is an amazingly captivating and relatable read for filipinos and a great way to learn about real life and issues in the philippines — or at least manila — for foreigners. every detail in the book is not only realistic but commonplace for us, from the many social issues depicted to the more specific details of jo and liza’s lives like selling whitening soaps (among others) to get by or .. you know, going to an event for rich people and it being, of course, in greenbelt
(badly want to write this in filipino but i’d also like others to be able to read this review and give this book the chance it deserves)
i normally would never describe anything this way, but i unfortunately don’t know a better word i can use for this rn: this book is the perfect ‘woke’ representation of a lot of women’s daily lives in the country. my problem with a lot of books that attempt to achieve this is that a lot of the time it just comes off as ticking off a checklist for 🔥wokeness, whether in the way characters are introduced (e.g. western books bringing in characters for no reason besides to mention that they’re asian, non-binary, neurodivergent,) or in the way issues are squeezed in one after the other; you, me, u.s. has no such problem. jo is just gay, and liza is .. well, that one tweet that’s like. i’m probably [gay] but i have a lot going on so i don’t really have time to think about that rn. in listing the problems and situations in their lives that reflect social realities in the philippines, and make this a greatly immersive read: off the top of my head, there’s 1. the american dream (and 1.5. mga afam na ang target ay pilipina) 2. sex work 3. the cultural value of utang na loob and all the negative effects it can have, and maaany more
in regard to their romance, jo and liza’s story is a perfect friends-to-lovers that emphasizes 2 very real (i keep repeating this word but. whatever) and important truths: 1, that you HAVE to be relatively stable and secure in yourself before pursuing romance, much more with an already significant figure in your life, and 2…. kahit sino pang landiin at kausapin mo, minsan sa kaibigan ka talaga babagsak. prepare yourself accordingly
aaand i’ve run out of juice (although i Know i have more to say). let me come back to this next time
basta! MABUHAY ANG PILIPINA MABUHAY ANG SANGKABAKLAAN at mabuhay ang mahalagang subsector nito na nahulog sa kaibigan
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