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No Two Ways
***CWs at the bottom***
AJ Felipe makes the most of being the head information security engineer for a local law firm with the help of her loyal team of nerds. Their job isn't really the most fun, but things take a turn when one of her junior security engineers decides to nominate her for a makeover show.
Enter Jackie Niño, the one-night stand AJ didn't expect to meet again—who also happens to be the makeup artist who's going to get her all dolled up on national television.
After the episode is aired, another ghost from her past comes back to haunt her: Axel Herrera, the ex-boyfriend who still thinks she left him because she's a lesbian.
Spoiler alert: She isn't.
Being bisexual is hard enough. How will AJ navigate new feelings while finding closure for old heartaches?
(Disclaimer: On-page F/F and M/F only)
***CW for a mention of transphobia, mentions of biphobia, and depictions of inappropriate workplace behavior.***
AJ Felipe makes the most of being the head information security engineer for a local law firm with the help of her loyal team of nerds. Their job isn't really the most fun, but things take a turn when one of her junior security engineers decides to nominate her for a makeover show.
Enter Jackie Niño, the one-night stand AJ didn't expect to meet again—who also happens to be the makeup artist who's going to get her all dolled up on national television.
After the episode is aired, another ghost from her past comes back to haunt her: Axel Herrera, the ex-boyfriend who still thinks she left him because she's a lesbian.
Spoiler alert: She isn't.
Being bisexual is hard enough. How will AJ navigate new feelings while finding closure for old heartaches?
(Disclaimer: On-page F/F and M/F only)
***CW for a mention of transphobia, mentions of biphobia, and depictions of inappropriate workplace behavior.***
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 2019
14 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
About the author
Chi Yu Rodriguez
8 books14 followersChi Yu Rodriguez is a bisexual author with many feelings. Sometimes these feelings find their way into a novella or fan fiction, but sometimes they don't come out at all and end up as unresolved tension or internal angst.
She prefers to make imaginary people go through these feelings for her pleasure, and they wrestle with her everyday.
She prefers to make imaginary people go through these feelings for her pleasure, and they wrestle with her everyday.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
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February 1, 2020A f/f romance set in Manila, with a bi heroine / narrator navigating how and whether to turn a hookup into something more when the girl she likes proves to be thoughtlessly biphobic. Thoughtlessly as in, she has a bunch of unexamined assumptions and she doesn't deal with them well.
This is set in a very real-feeling milieu, rather than the fantasyland where everyone either is evil or holds correct and perfect opinions, no middle ground. Jackie is very far from perfect but she is also willing to rethink (or even just think about) her assumptions, and we see how they arise from a society that's not massively embracing of queerness, still less complexity of identity. AJ wisely takes her time deciding if it's worth pursuing the relationship, but she also recognises and has to work through her own internalised stuff before they're both ready to move from no-strings to relationship. (It isn't a love triangle btw, despite the cover.)
A thing I really love about this is the lack of shaming. Hookups are fine, and so is the MC going out and getting absolutely shitfaced with her friends. It is still a relatively rare thing to see a romance where a young woman can get metaphorically slaughtered without risking the literal version, which probably reflects the strong strand of US puritanism in the genre: usually a sloppy drunk woman leads to some traumatic plot-altering event instead of, in this case, a headache and some embarrassment about saying something stupid. I swear, #romanceclass books are about the only place you can reliably see heroines drink without punishment. Refreshing.
This is set in a very real-feeling milieu, rather than the fantasyland where everyone either is evil or holds correct and perfect opinions, no middle ground. Jackie is very far from perfect but she is also willing to rethink (or even just think about) her assumptions, and we see how they arise from a society that's not massively embracing of queerness, still less complexity of identity. AJ wisely takes her time deciding if it's worth pursuing the relationship, but she also recognises and has to work through her own internalised stuff before they're both ready to move from no-strings to relationship. (It isn't a love triangle btw, despite the cover.)
A thing I really love about this is the lack of shaming. Hookups are fine, and so is the MC going out and getting absolutely shitfaced with her friends. It is still a relatively rare thing to see a romance where a young woman can get metaphorically slaughtered without risking the literal version, which probably reflects the strong strand of US puritanism in the genre: usually a sloppy drunk woman leads to some traumatic plot-altering event instead of, in this case, a headache and some embarrassment about saying something stupid. I swear, #romanceclass books are about the only place you can reliably see heroines drink without punishment. Refreshing.
July 19, 2020
Although this is billed as a romance, I felt that it focused much more on the day-to-day of AJ's life. Fortunately, this was also the part of the book I enjoyed the most - AJ was a fun character, and I really liked meeting her friends and family and seeing her in all of the various parts of her life. However, the romance didn't really work for me. I didn't feel as though the reader got to know Jackie well enough to understand why AJ was willing to keep trying with her despite her biphobic comments.
dnf
May 19, 2019DNF at 79% for biphobia. I was wary of this book from the love-triangle-esque blurb but hoped the blurb wasn't really what the book was about. Luckily, it isn't. There really is no love triangle.
However, the main love interest, Jackie, is biphobic and the main character, AJ, is bi. AJ has a low tolerance for biphobia and bounces on Jackie because of it after a terrific one night but they meet again later and Jackie apologizes for her behavior. But at 79% in the book she's still biphobic, possibly has alcohol issues, and I'm completely over it. Hook up with someone who isn't a garbage person, AJ. FFS.
However, the main love interest, Jackie, is biphobic and the main character, AJ, is bi. AJ has a low tolerance for biphobia and bounces on Jackie because of it after a terrific one night but they meet again later and Jackie apologizes for her behavior. But at 79% in the book she's still biphobic, possibly has alcohol issues, and I'm completely over it. Hook up with someone who isn't a garbage person, AJ. FFS.
October 25, 2020
when u wanna show biphobia in ur book but u skew so far u end up being lesbophobic. it's a no from me!
Rep: Filipino cast, bi mc, lesbian li, bi, gay & trans side characters
CWs: biphobia
Rep: Filipino cast, bi mc, lesbian li, bi, gay & trans side characters
CWs: biphobia
May 2, 2019
2013 me would have been really ecstatic upon learning that a book with a bisexual MC set in the Philippines exists. Although, present me was really excited when I learned that Chi Yu Rodriguez was indeed writing this book. I have to thank her for it.
No Two Ways tells the story of AJ Felipe, an information security engineer,who likes to take things casual in a no strings attached kind of way, until she meets Jackie, her one night stand turned make up artist in a reality show she ended up joining.
I loved AJ’s character, she’s headstrong and driven. She seemed to be the kind that won’t take shit from anyone. It was quite funny how I expected myself to relate with AJ being bisexual, but found more mundane things about her relatable, like commuting in Metro Manila traffic, or having one constant group of friends.
Not that I’m saying her being bi wasn’t relatable, which makes my second point, AJ’s personality wasn’t solely defined by her being bi, and again I thank Chi for that.
I wish I could say the same for Jackie and Axel. I just wish their characters were more fleshed out, although given the length of this novella, it would be quite the challenge. What I appreciated with their characters was their willingness to learn and understand AJ’s sexual orientation. Heck, Jackie even called herself out when she realized that she was being an ass about it. Sometimes, on-page character realizations are the things that make stories more heartfelt.
I hope that this won’t be the last time we’ll see these characters. We know how #romanceclass authors love to give their readers some easter eggs, like when Punky and Jazz made some sort of cameo in this book.
Overall, this book might be a quick read, but I found myself really immersed with the story. I sort of expected that this would be a love triangle, but I’m glad it didn’t go along that road. You all know how I feel about love triangles.
If you’re looking for a quick read with funny quips, cool friends, adorable family, and some steamy F/F romance (Yes, I wasn’t ready for all of that, I got caught off guard hahaha!), then I’m going to throw this book right at your direction!
No Two Ways tells the story of AJ Felipe, an information security engineer,who likes to take things casual in a no strings attached kind of way, until she meets Jackie, her one night stand turned make up artist in a reality show she ended up joining.
I loved AJ’s character, she’s headstrong and driven. She seemed to be the kind that won’t take shit from anyone. It was quite funny how I expected myself to relate with AJ being bisexual, but found more mundane things about her relatable, like commuting in Metro Manila traffic, or having one constant group of friends.
Not that I’m saying her being bi wasn’t relatable, which makes my second point, AJ’s personality wasn’t solely defined by her being bi, and again I thank Chi for that.
I wish I could say the same for Jackie and Axel. I just wish their characters were more fleshed out, although given the length of this novella, it would be quite the challenge. What I appreciated with their characters was their willingness to learn and understand AJ’s sexual orientation. Heck, Jackie even called herself out when she realized that she was being an ass about it. Sometimes, on-page character realizations are the things that make stories more heartfelt.
I hope that this won’t be the last time we’ll see these characters. We know how #romanceclass authors love to give their readers some easter eggs, like when Punky and Jazz made some sort of cameo in this book.
Overall, this book might be a quick read, but I found myself really immersed with the story. I sort of expected that this would be a love triangle, but I’m glad it didn’t go along that road. You all know how I feel about love triangles.
If you’re looking for a quick read with funny quips, cool friends, adorable family, and some steamy F/F romance (Yes, I wasn’t ready for all of that, I got caught off guard hahaha!), then I’m going to throw this book right at your direction!
May 20, 2019
BI REPRESENTATION BIIIIIITCH
Getting to know AJ has been delightful, she’s so chill and understanding, even when not everyone acts the same way towards her. Honestly, I would have snapped more than once. (THOSE TEXT MESSAGES DUDE! Believe me, you all wouldn’t like to read what I would have replied).
To me, AJ makes the book. She’s awesome. She’s also bisexual and her dating life gets complicated whenever she meets lesbians who are turned off by her bisexuality or straight guys who are way too turned on by her bisexuality, if you know what I mean. Both of them fail to see her as a person and see only her sexual preference.
WHICH IS A SHAME BECAUSE AJ IS AWESOME
She’s very mature and has very good relationships with those around her. I really liked her ex and was sad that he just appeared and then his moment was gone and bye bye go on with your life. I would like a book about him, honestly, there’s story material over there.
Also, I really liked the fact that AJ is queer AND religious. There’s often a heavy distance between those two (understandably), which must be very hard for those who are, like AJ, part of both communities. I think that portrayal in this book is very important.
There are other important “mini-moments” in this book but I won’t say them because you all have to read it for yourselves! It’s a very nice read with a very nice main character and, again, BI REPRESENTATION BITCH!
----------------------------------
BI REP BITCH!
review to come!
Getting to know AJ has been delightful, she’s so chill and understanding, even when not everyone acts the same way towards her. Honestly, I would have snapped more than once. (THOSE TEXT MESSAGES DUDE! Believe me, you all wouldn’t like to read what I would have replied).
To me, AJ makes the book. She’s awesome. She’s also bisexual and her dating life gets complicated whenever she meets lesbians who are turned off by her bisexuality or straight guys who are way too turned on by her bisexuality, if you know what I mean. Both of them fail to see her as a person and see only her sexual preference.
WHICH IS A SHAME BECAUSE AJ IS AWESOME
She’s very mature and has very good relationships with those around her. I really liked her ex and was sad that he just appeared and then his moment was gone and bye bye go on with your life. I would like a book about him, honestly, there’s story material over there.
Also, I really liked the fact that AJ is queer AND religious. There’s often a heavy distance between those two (understandably), which must be very hard for those who are, like AJ, part of both communities. I think that portrayal in this book is very important.
There are other important “mini-moments” in this book but I won’t say them because you all have to read it for yourselves! It’s a very nice read with a very nice main character and, again, BI REPRESENTATION BITCH!
----------------------------------
BI REP BITCH!
review to come!
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April 30, 2019"Kissing with no purpose other than to make out was one of the greatest things known to mankind."
•
This has got to be the (!)best(!) Chi Yu Rodriguez book. thus. far. and I've liked ALL of her released books so that's saying something! This is her first F/F romance novella after Five Inches Below the Knee in LoveQLC, and the first romanceclass book with a Bi MC. I liked that there was a note at the beginning about the queer representation bec truly, the experience is unique for each of us, and this paints a beautiful and relatable picture of how it is to be Bi in the country in this day and age.
•
AJ and Jackie's romance absolutely took the spotlight. A lot of things happen to AJ in the duration of the story but the #AJacks ship was securely kept front and center. I loved AJ's friends (special S/O to that AJ x Jen scene bec I cried!), her honest approach to the hook-up culture, and the way she handled Axel's reappearance in her life. I appreciate how much she's sure about herself, and I so loved that she was way past questioning and that she just loved herself more bec of it. I also loved that Jackie's own journey to acceptance is dealt separately to AJ's and that it had to go through a few more hoops before really getting there. I felt like the third act was missing something, but I haven't figure out what I want from it yet. LOL. Maybe I need to reread. 😅 STILL, it didn't make the ending less satisfactory to me so it's all good, and I love this book a lot!
•
"Whatever you tell me you are, I'm going to believe you. Because you know yourself better than anyone ever will."
•
*I got this free ARC for an honest review
*This review also appears as a bookstagram on my IG: @bentchbites
•
This has got to be the (!)best(!) Chi Yu Rodriguez book. thus. far. and I've liked ALL of her released books so that's saying something! This is her first F/F romance novella after Five Inches Below the Knee in LoveQLC, and the first romanceclass book with a Bi MC. I liked that there was a note at the beginning about the queer representation bec truly, the experience is unique for each of us, and this paints a beautiful and relatable picture of how it is to be Bi in the country in this day and age.
•
AJ and Jackie's romance absolutely took the spotlight. A lot of things happen to AJ in the duration of the story but the #AJacks ship was securely kept front and center. I loved AJ's friends (special S/O to that AJ x Jen scene bec I cried!), her honest approach to the hook-up culture, and the way she handled Axel's reappearance in her life. I appreciate how much she's sure about herself, and I so loved that she was way past questioning and that she just loved herself more bec of it. I also loved that Jackie's own journey to acceptance is dealt separately to AJ's and that it had to go through a few more hoops before really getting there. I felt like the third act was missing something, but I haven't figure out what I want from it yet. LOL. Maybe I need to reread. 😅 STILL, it didn't make the ending less satisfactory to me so it's all good, and I love this book a lot!
•
"Whatever you tell me you are, I'm going to believe you. Because you know yourself better than anyone ever will."
•
*I got this free ARC for an honest review
*This review also appears as a bookstagram on my IG: @bentchbites
Currently reading
June 24, 2023"Kissing with no purpose other than to make out was one of the greatest things known to mankind."
•
This has got to be the (!)best(!) Chi Yu Rodriguez book. thus. far. and I've liked ALL of her released books so that's saying something! This is her first F/F romance novella after Five Inches Below the Knee in LoveQLC, and the first romanceclass book with a Bi MC. I liked that there was a note at the beginning about the queer representation bec truly, the experience is unique for each of us, and this paints a beautiful and relatable picture of how it is to be Bi in the country in this day and age.
•
AJ and Jackie's romance absolutely took the spotlight. A lot of things happen to AJ in the duration of the story but the #AJacks ship was securely kept front and center. I loved AJ's friends (special S/O to that AJ x Jen scene bec I cried!), her honest approach to the hook-up culture, and the way she handled Axel's reappearance in her life. I appreciate how much she's sure about herself, and I so loved that she was way past questioning and that she just loved herself more bec of it. I also loved that Jackie's own journey to acceptance is dealt separately to AJ's and that it had to go through a few more hoops before really getting there. I felt like the third act was missing something, but I haven't figure out what I want from it yet. LOL. Maybe I need to reread. 😅 STILL, it didn't make the ending less satisfactory to me so it's all good, and I love this book a lot!
•
"Whatever you tell me you are, I'm going to believe you. Because you know yourself better than anyone ever will."
•
*I got this free ARC for an honest review and you can still get it for the preorder price of $0.99 on Amazon until Saturday!
**This review also appears as a bookstagram on my IG: @bentchbites
•
This has got to be the (!)best(!) Chi Yu Rodriguez book. thus. far. and I've liked ALL of her released books so that's saying something! This is her first F/F romance novella after Five Inches Below the Knee in LoveQLC, and the first romanceclass book with a Bi MC. I liked that there was a note at the beginning about the queer representation bec truly, the experience is unique for each of us, and this paints a beautiful and relatable picture of how it is to be Bi in the country in this day and age.
•
AJ and Jackie's romance absolutely took the spotlight. A lot of things happen to AJ in the duration of the story but the #AJacks ship was securely kept front and center. I loved AJ's friends (special S/O to that AJ x Jen scene bec I cried!), her honest approach to the hook-up culture, and the way she handled Axel's reappearance in her life. I appreciate how much she's sure about herself, and I so loved that she was way past questioning and that she just loved herself more bec of it. I also loved that Jackie's own journey to acceptance is dealt separately to AJ's and that it had to go through a few more hoops before really getting there. I felt like the third act was missing something, but I haven't figure out what I want from it yet. LOL. Maybe I need to reread. 😅 STILL, it didn't make the ending less satisfactory to me so it's all good, and I love this book a lot!
•
"Whatever you tell me you are, I'm going to believe you. Because you know yourself better than anyone ever will."
•
*I got this free ARC for an honest review and you can still get it for the preorder price of $0.99 on Amazon until Saturday!
**This review also appears as a bookstagram on my IG: @bentchbites
December 19, 2019
Peguei No Two Ways pra ler porque queria algum romancinho sáfico pra passar o tempo, mas não deu muito certo. Tem um tw no comecinho avisando que tem bifobia no livro, mas eu não estava esperando que ele se arrastasse pela HISTÓRIA INTEIRA. Jackie, o interesse romântico de AJ, é uma lésbica que desiste do possível relacionamento das duas quando descobre que AJ é bi. Até que elas se encontram de novo quando AJ decide participar dum programa de makeover na TV. Aí elas começam a sair e se conhecer ENQUANTO A JACKIE ESTÁ SENDO EXTREMAMENTE BIFÓBICA. AJ, POR FAVOR. ARRANJE ALGUÉM QUE NÃO TE MANDA MENSAGENS BÊBADAS CHATEADA PORQUE VOCÊ É BISSEXUAL, MULHER!!!!!!
Enfim, não só a bifobia se arrasta pelo livro inteiro, o plot principal, da participação de AJ no programa de TV, é completamente esquecido em churrasco e só retorna bem no finalzinho. Dava até pra falar que No Two Ways é, na verdade, a trajetória da AJ finalmente se aceitando como mulher bissexual, mas isso se perde um pouco quando ela INSISTE EM FICAR COM UMA MINA BIFÓBICA!!!
Não obstante tudo isso, a única cena de sexo explícito nem é assim tão boa. Enfim, acabei passando raiva no final. Triste um pouco, mas continuarei lendo romances filipinos porque o saldo ainda é positivo.
Enfim, não só a bifobia se arrasta pelo livro inteiro, o plot principal, da participação de AJ no programa de TV, é completamente esquecido em churrasco e só retorna bem no finalzinho. Dava até pra falar que No Two Ways é, na verdade, a trajetória da AJ finalmente se aceitando como mulher bissexual, mas isso se perde um pouco quando ela INSISTE EM FICAR COM UMA MINA BIFÓBICA!!!
Não obstante tudo isso, a única cena de sexo explícito nem é assim tão boa. Enfim, acabei passando raiva no final. Triste um pouco, mas continuarei lendo romances filipinos porque o saldo ainda é positivo.
May 11, 2020
From other reviews, this short novel seems very polarizing: A bisexual woman and and a bi-phobic lesbian negotiate a mutual attraction. I found KJ Charles' review very helpful; he praises this book not so much for its exploration of sexual identity but for not punishing its protagonists for hookup culture or binge drinking. Perhaps because I came to it from this angle, it didn't give me all the proverbial "feels," but I did feel like I learned something about the perspective of a particular person who looks at the world in a very different way from me.
I also appreciated how AJ (the sole viewpoint character here) also explores how her initial realization of her bisexuality impacted the heterosexual relationship she was in at the time, and I liked that her job - an infosecurity manager - plays against gender stereotypes, and was believably described. I thought the makeover reality show subplot was fun (if a little long on coincidence).
I also appreciated how AJ (the sole viewpoint character here) also explores how her initial realization of her bisexuality impacted the heterosexual relationship she was in at the time, and I liked that her job - an infosecurity manager - plays against gender stereotypes, and was believably described. I thought the makeover reality show subplot was fun (if a little long on coincidence).
June 17, 2020
3.5 stars
"It was so weird being face to face with such a huge part of my past. Especially since we both consciously tried to leave begind what we'd shared."
"There was a time when I would do everything in my power to convince people to see me the way I wanted to be seen. But as I got older, I realized that if they didn't want to make an effort, there was nothing I could say or do to change their mind."
"It was so weird being face to face with such a huge part of my past. Especially since we both consciously tried to leave begind what we'd shared."
"There was a time when I would do everything in my power to convince people to see me the way I wanted to be seen. But as I got older, I realized that if they didn't want to make an effort, there was nothing I could say or do to change their mind."
May 4, 2019
Otherwise the story was very lovely to read. AJ is a great character and I was rooting for her and Jackie to work it out at the end. No Two Ways was a quick but enjoyable read. I would defiantly recommend this story to anyone looking for a good contemporary romance featuring a bisexual female character.
Full review at MarissaLongo.com
Full review at MarissaLongo.com
June 1, 2019
It pains me to change my rating for this novella but the more I think about it the more I dislike it.
AJ is a kick ass security engineer from the Manilla, Philippines who is also bisexual and confronts biphobia on the regular. One night AJ has a one night stand with Jackie and doesn’t expect to ever see her again. However, as most romances go, they inevitably meet again and have to confront their lingering feelings.
The Filipina bi rep is the representation I signed up for and it was glorious! Rodriguez is also bisexual so yay for own voices! AJ is a wonderful protagonist to follow because she is driven and has a wonderful group of queer friends. I absolutely loved her found family because they support each other while binging tv and these sections are laugh out loud funny.
So the reason that I ended up disliking this novella is the romance. AJ and Jackie were painful to read about. Jackie is a lesbian and she’s extremely biphobic. The secondary love interest, Axel, is also irrelevant and a blip in the larger story. Why this random side plot was even included is a mystery to me. I didn’t care about Axel at all.
I’m going to share my highlights and notes because there are some great things in this novella. The story telling and tone were great and that’s why I didn’t DNF it. There is a generally positive message of acceptance and I know that the Philippines needs more stories about acceptance within the LGBTQ and greater community.
AJ is a kick ass security engineer from the Manilla, Philippines who is also bisexual and confronts biphobia on the regular. One night AJ has a one night stand with Jackie and doesn’t expect to ever see her again. However, as most romances go, they inevitably meet again and have to confront their lingering feelings.
The Filipina bi rep is the representation I signed up for and it was glorious! Rodriguez is also bisexual so yay for own voices! AJ is a wonderful protagonist to follow because she is driven and has a wonderful group of queer friends. I absolutely loved her found family because they support each other while binging tv and these sections are laugh out loud funny.
So the reason that I ended up disliking this novella is the romance. AJ and Jackie were painful to read about. Jackie is a lesbian and she’s extremely biphobic. The secondary love interest, Axel, is also irrelevant and a blip in the larger story. Why this random side plot was even included is a mystery to me. I didn’t care about Axel at all.
I’m going to share my highlights and notes because there are some great things in this novella. The story telling and tone were great and that’s why I didn’t DNF it. There is a generally positive message of acceptance and I know that the Philippines needs more stories about acceptance within the LGBTQ and greater community.
April 20, 2019
* ARC was provided in exchange of an honest review.
Although I'm a fan of M/M fanfictions in AO3, this was the first queer novella I've read on a Philippine setting and I am very interested on how the author, Chi Yu Rodriguez, will handle the storytelling regarding this subject. This is also my first Chi Yu Rodriguez novella so I'm excited to see a new way of writing.
AJ Felipe is an interesting character and I'm proud to say that I learned a lot from her POV's and the author did a great job on writing down her thoughts and her views in life. I personally love on how it was distinguishably portrayed AJ as a bisexual, not just a lesbian or a straight person. Also, can I say that I love Jen so much? Her thoughts as the “token straight friend” from being the lesbian girl in high school says a lot that not everyone has the same experience, the same “phase” as everyone says.
About Jackie Niño, I personally don't like her at the beginning, but I love the effort she made to know about AJ and bisexuality as a whole. They had their cute moments (i love that Saturday morning at Bonifacio High Street the most!) and the spicy ones made me shy and flustered from reading it.
Axel Herrera plays an important part of the novella. Seeing a part of AJ and Axel's past is a vital part to AJ's sexuality, I guess? It made me understand a lot more about AJ. Their conversations are fun to read too. It's nice to read a conversation between ex-couples that doesn't involve screaming or hating.
Aside from AJ's struggles on being a bi, the book also discusses the reality of makeover shows, the hectic life of a security engineer and a peek in the life of a K-pop fan. It also shows how was it like to have a chaotic yet a fun queer barkada. Overall, I liked it. Even though it was a sensitive subject to write, the flow of the story and the transitions between scenes were smoothly delivered.
Although I'm a fan of M/M fanfictions in AO3, this was the first queer novella I've read on a Philippine setting and I am very interested on how the author, Chi Yu Rodriguez, will handle the storytelling regarding this subject. This is also my first Chi Yu Rodriguez novella so I'm excited to see a new way of writing.
AJ Felipe is an interesting character and I'm proud to say that I learned a lot from her POV's and the author did a great job on writing down her thoughts and her views in life. I personally love on how it was distinguishably portrayed AJ as a bisexual, not just a lesbian or a straight person. Also, can I say that I love Jen so much? Her thoughts as the “token straight friend” from being the lesbian girl in high school says a lot that not everyone has the same experience, the same “phase” as everyone says.
About Jackie Niño, I personally don't like her at the beginning, but I love the effort she made to know about AJ and bisexuality as a whole. They had their cute moments (i love that Saturday morning at Bonifacio High Street the most!) and the spicy ones made me shy and flustered from reading it.
Axel Herrera plays an important part of the novella. Seeing a part of AJ and Axel's past is a vital part to AJ's sexuality, I guess? It made me understand a lot more about AJ. Their conversations are fun to read too. It's nice to read a conversation between ex-couples that doesn't involve screaming or hating.
Aside from AJ's struggles on being a bi, the book also discusses the reality of makeover shows, the hectic life of a security engineer and a peek in the life of a K-pop fan. It also shows how was it like to have a chaotic yet a fun queer barkada. Overall, I liked it. Even though it was a sensitive subject to write, the flow of the story and the transitions between scenes were smoothly delivered.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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September 24, 2024I am very charmed at how much this novella has to offer in its exploration of contemporary queer lives in Manila - but as a romance novella it really falls flat? Which is an odd reading experience because I has a grand old time except for the part that I originally picked it up for.
Let's get the romance out of the way before I talk about the really good parts.
AJ is bisexual and often hooks up with people - and those people are sometimes not as accepting of her bisexuality. And the book explores that double standard with the lesbian love interest, Jackie. She says some bigoted things and AJ rightfully cuts her losses. Where it gets complicated, is the fact that they keep meeting, first for the reality TV shooting, then texting and later on, to have sex again. But still, 20 pages from the end, Jackie is still working through her prejudice and while I don't need either of them to be paragons of virtue, it does make it hard to root for their relationship.
But on the opposite side, those were also my favourite scenes? Messy, queer relationships. Friend groups that are not just all supportive and "found family" but ring true. Characters that have baggage and bring that into their relationships. Past breakups that still linger. General perception and stereotypes in Filipino culture. Those elements were delightful, interesting and added another layer to the otherwise character-focused story.
Let's get the romance out of the way before I talk about the really good parts.
AJ is bisexual and often hooks up with people - and those people are sometimes not as accepting of her bisexuality. And the book explores that double standard with the lesbian love interest, Jackie. She says some bigoted things and AJ rightfully cuts her losses. Where it gets complicated, is the fact that they keep meeting, first for the reality TV shooting, then texting and later on, to have sex again. But still, 20 pages from the end, Jackie is still working through her prejudice and while I don't need either of them to be paragons of virtue, it does make it hard to root for their relationship.
But on the opposite side, those were also my favourite scenes? Messy, queer relationships. Friend groups that are not just all supportive and "found family" but ring true. Characters that have baggage and bring that into their relationships. Past breakups that still linger. General perception and stereotypes in Filipino culture. Those elements were delightful, interesting and added another layer to the otherwise character-focused story.
February 10, 2020
“Yeah. I could question it a thousand times, but I’ll always end up with the same answer. I’m bisexual and there’s no two ways about it.”
A cute contemporary romance set in the Philippines about a bi girl who finds herself falling hard for her latest hook-up... who starts off as a huge biphobe. Which was what made me pick this up; I think we do need to acknowledge that biphobia doesn't always come from straight people, it can crop up in gay people as well and we need to examine and change that. And while I love that, and loved the setting, and AJ's group of friends, and her family relationships, my biggest problem with this book is Jackie. She gets let off the hook way too easy; after spending like 80% of the book holding her bigoted and misguided beliefs, she reads up on some stuff online, admits that she's been an asshole and... that's it? All is forgiven? It happened way too easily for me. In addition, we don't get to see enough of her relationship with AJ; their hookups were hot, but we were never painted a convincing picture of them actually falling for each other.
The book's savings graces are that it's very cute, sexy, doesn't slut shame and treats with issues that I think romance novels would do well to address more. But yeah, I wanted more out of this.
A cute contemporary romance set in the Philippines about a bi girl who finds herself falling hard for her latest hook-up... who starts off as a huge biphobe. Which was what made me pick this up; I think we do need to acknowledge that biphobia doesn't always come from straight people, it can crop up in gay people as well and we need to examine and change that. And while I love that, and loved the setting, and AJ's group of friends, and her family relationships, my biggest problem with this book is Jackie. She gets let off the hook way too easy; after spending like 80% of the book holding her bigoted and misguided beliefs, she reads up on some stuff online, admits that she's been an asshole and... that's it? All is forgiven? It happened way too easily for me. In addition, we don't get to see enough of her relationship with AJ; their hookups were hot, but we were never painted a convincing picture of them actually falling for each other.
The book's savings graces are that it's very cute, sexy, doesn't slut shame and treats with issues that I think romance novels would do well to address more. But yeah, I wanted more out of this.
May 9, 2019
Eye opening and engaging with a high heat level, “No Two Ways” is the story of AJ and how her bisexuality makes her life a little more complex than usual. When you’re tagged as either “not straight enough” or “not gay enough,” and you don’t really know how to situate yourself, having to deal with relationships is extremely difficult. Some people will think of you as “greedy” because you can be with both girls and boys, and sometimes, you just choose not to be with anyone at all—just to avoid complications.
I loved AJ’s story and reading about her life and struggles really enlightened me on what a bisexual woman goes through. I appreciated the encounter between AJ and her ex-boyfriend, specially that very emotional scene while they were dancing. I loved #AJacks, as their chemistry was unmistakable. I was pleasantly surprised at the heat level of the story, but no complaints from my side! AJ and Jackie’s progression from the initial hook-up, to the reality show make-over, to the tentative encounters at first, then the grand gesture at the end.
I loved AJ’s story and reading about her life and struggles really enlightened me on what a bisexual woman goes through. I appreciated the encounter between AJ and her ex-boyfriend, specially that very emotional scene while they were dancing. I loved #AJacks, as their chemistry was unmistakable. I was pleasantly surprised at the heat level of the story, but no complaints from my side! AJ and Jackie’s progression from the initial hook-up, to the reality show make-over, to the tentative encounters at first, then the grand gesture at the end.
December 22, 2019
No Two Ways was my first f/f romance and it’s also my first book with such prominent bisexual representation in the main character. I really loved this book for the story, the fact that it’s an own voices story, and how eye-opening it was for me. I learned quite a bit from this book and I’m so happy that I picked it up! No Two Ways was thought provoking, touching, and sweet. It made me laugh, made me heart ache, and I was really rooting for AJ and Jackie. It was fast and easy to read, though it did have its moments that squeezed my heart. No Two Ways was wise, beautiful, and had a lot of depth to it — I really loved reading it and I’m excited to pick Chi Yu Rodriguez up again!
~ Sonja, 4.5 Stars
~ Sonja, 4.5 Stars
December 17, 2020
3.5
CW Biphobia
I liked a lot of things about this book - AJ was a really fun and interesting character. I enjoyed seeing her work, her relationships, her family, and her friends. I wanted to read lots about her and her friends going out, and about her at home with her grandmothers. I was v happy for her that she got her HEA. The only issue really was that I never felt that I got to know Jackie, beyond her job and her issues with bisexuality. I wish I had learnt more about her and so I could be more invested in the relationship in itself, rather than as being happy because it made AJ happy.
CW Biphobia
I liked a lot of things about this book - AJ was a really fun and interesting character. I enjoyed seeing her work, her relationships, her family, and her friends. I wanted to read lots about her and her friends going out, and about her at home with her grandmothers. I was v happy for her that she got her HEA. The only issue really was that I never felt that I got to know Jackie, beyond her job and her issues with bisexuality. I wish I had learnt more about her and so I could be more invested in the relationship in itself, rather than as being happy because it made AJ happy.
January 9, 2020
I liked the main character, AJ, and how the book discussed her past and her current life, kind of just showing where she was at both with her friends and her bisexuality. But her love interest Jackie has very few definable traits except "biphobic", which made it really hard to root for them--I'm not saying a bi person shouldn't be patient with a romantic partner and try to meet them halfway, but when the biphobia is basically all we know about the person, it's just hard to see why AJ bothers.
Still an enjoyable read, but somewhat frustrating.
Still an enjoyable read, but somewhat frustrating.
November 20, 2019
I problem wasn't the writing, which was good. And I liked the main character and her group of friends. The huge letdown was the love interest, who is super biphobic and never really changes, and the MC just mostly tolerates it (she does leave the first time it's expressed...but then just keeps going back). The ex, Axel, would have been a much better choice--at least he had learned and tried to change in the meantime between their breakup and later meeting.
June 24, 2019
The #romanceclass books are all amazing, and this one lives up to the high standard.
I really connected with the main character AJ Felipe on so many levels as she negotiates a new relationship and work. There is tons of great dialogue and the discussions around being bisexual felt very real to me as a bisexual person.
Loved it!
I really connected with the main character AJ Felipe on so many levels as she negotiates a new relationship and work. There is tons of great dialogue and the discussions around being bisexual felt very real to me as a bisexual person.
Loved it!
May 22, 2019
I absolutely loved this book! It was so nice to see a reflection of myself and my friends in a book for once. The biphobia was a little hard to deal with but in context of the characters and their situation is made sense. Can't wait to pick up more from Rodriguez.
April 15, 2019
Preemptively giving this all the stars because I’m the most excited for this book!
May 13, 2019
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance, Queer Romance
Release date: April 27, 2019
BOOK COVER INFO
Cover Models: Rachel Coates, Gab Pangilinan, Gio Gahol
Photographed by: Chi Yu Rodriguez
Cover Designed by: Chi Yu Rodriguez
Title Art by: Carla de Guzman
Styling by: Alex Lapa
SYNOPSIS
AJ Felipe makes the most of being the head information security engineer for a local law firm with the help of her loyal team of nerds. Their job isn't really the most fun, but things take a turn when one of her junior security engineers decides to nominate her for a makeover show.
Enter Jackie Niño, the one-night stand AJ didn't expect to meet again—who also happens to be the makeup artist who's going to get her all dolled up on national television.
More complications arise after the episode is aired and another ghost from her past comes back to haunt her: Axel Herrera, the ex-boyfriend who still thinks she left him because she's a lesbian.
Spoiler alert: She isn't.
Being bisexual is hard enough. How will AJ navigate new feelings while finding closure for old heartaches?
(Disclaimer: On-page F/F and M/F only)
REVIEW
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC in exchange of an HONEST review.
An amazingly written, tender, and wise story about growth and personal development. AJ is such a great breath of fresh air. She is not your typical dalagang Pilipina. I love that she embraces her sexuality and is not afraid of who she is. She is very confident and the epitome of the girl boss. In addition, the romance aspect of this book was great in a way that it caused AJ struggles, which then lead to her personal growth and development.
This book has good writing. The storytelling, the tone, and the pacing are great and it does not make the story hard to read. I just wasn’t fan of the plot. There were just a lot of jumping around that confused me a bit and there were some scenes that were not really necessary for the plot. Overall, I still enjoyed this book. It sends a great message and I like that the author notes that the Philippines has not really accepted the LGBTQ community but only tolerates it. I also like that this book explores sexual harassment which is still prevalent and happening around the world.
I think this is the first local lgbtq book I have read and I commend the author for writing this amazing book. There is not a lot of representation in the Filipino media but this book gives me hope for the future. I really recommend this book to everyone because it will give you an insight on the lgbtq community instead of censoring them from media. This is also perfect if you are looking for a fast and easy read.
BUY LINKS
Amazon: bit.ly/NTW-Amazon
Print Pre-order (For #AprilFeelsDay2019): bit.ly/NTWPreorder
Print-on-demand (PH only): bit.ly/chiprints
Goodreads Link: bit.ly/NTW-Goodreads
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chi Yu Rodriguez has many feelings. Sometimes these feelings find their way to paper in the form of short stories and fiction online. Sometimes they don't come out at all and end up as unresolved sexual tension or terrible internal angst.
She prefers making imaginary people go through these feelings for her pleasure. Her muses hate her for it, and they repay her by being forever fickle.
She wrestles with them in her head everyday.
About #romanceclass
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What is your favorite lgbtq book? Be sure to follow my social media accounts to see bookish stuffs or chat about books, or be reading buddies.
XOXO,
Isabel
July 4, 2019
Yes
I don’t know what you need to hear in order to read this book but pretend you’ve heard it? This is so good.
I don’t know what you need to hear in order to read this book but pretend you’ve heard it? This is so good.
February 13, 2020
Amazing bi story
Absolutely loved it. The struggles of the main characters felt real and my heart really soared when they got together.
Absolutely loved it. The struggles of the main characters felt real and my heart really soared when they got together.
June 17, 2020
This was just super meandering and I didn't feel like the romance was developed enough.
June 27, 2020
Really liked, just wished we had the perspective of the love interest as well.
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