Twelve Hours in Manhattan — Books, Beauty, & Buys

By: Maan Gabriel
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: She Writes Press
Pages: 312

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Two worlds. One heart. Twelve hours.

Bianca Maria Curtis is at the brink of losing it all when she meets Eric at a bar in Manhattan. Eric, as it turns out, is the famous Korean drama celebrity Park Hyun Min, and he’s in town for one night to escape the pressures of fame. From walking along Fifth Avenue to eating ice cream at Serendipity to sharing tender moments on top of the Empire State building, sparks fly as Bianca and Eric spend twelve magical hours far away from their respective lives. In that time, they talk about the big stuff: love, life, and happiness, and the freedom they both seek to fully exist and not merely survive.

But real life is more than just a few exhilarating stolen moments in time.

As the clock strikes the twelfth hour, Bianca returns back to the life she detests to face a tragedy that will test her strength and resolve—and the only thing she has to keep going is the memory of a man she loves in secret from a world away.

First Impressions

Ooooo! This cover is pretty. I’m also a total sucker for books that have a secret celebrity too. It kind of sounded like an adult version of one of Maureen Goo’s books, so I was totally sold.

What I thought

This book was a little bit of a letdown and I don’t know if it’s because my expectations were too high or what.

Bianca is a Filipino-American living in Jersey and interviewing for a job in Manhattan. She meets a bar at a stranger and they hit it off. She recognizes that he’s a famous Korean Drama (K-drama) actor and lets him know. But because of their connection, they spend 12 hours together. When their 12 hours are over, they each return to their respective lives. Or at least, they try to.

I expected this book to be a lot about the 12 hours they spent together and less about Bianca’s life and then their eventual reconnection. The beginning was cute. It had their 12 hours together and each chapter was titles by the time, so you knew how much longer they have left. I enjoyed Bianca and Eric/Park’s initial connection, but will warn it then turns it over the top insta-love. I understand the chemistry attraction and meeting someone and immediately feeling like you know them. But then to not see them again for two years and yet somehow know you’re both in love? I struggled with that a bit.

The book takes an almost concussion inducing turn after Bianca gets home. The stuff revealed about her real life is wild, and while I did enjoy it, it took me a second. Between the cover and what I thought was the premise, I felt like I had to digest that this was going to be a very different book.

What I liked about this book were the relationships. I liked Bianca, Eric, and her friends Pam and Marco. I didn’t like the 17 different storylines. There was one weird one with her friend Miguel being in love with her that literally had nothing to do with anything in the story. It could’ve been eliminated and made zero difference. I tend to get irritated with those kinds of plotlines when there is so much else going on. I definitely feel like the editor could’ve done a better job.

The ending was another whirlwind and I was a little confused. There was something about Bianca being used in some way but I’m still not sure how she was used or why it was effective? And then her third act conflict with Eric made little to no sense and I wasn’t quite sure why they stopped talking. I did read an advanced copy so, again, I hope the editor went back and fixed the ending a little bit. There was just too much going on and not very clear or well written at all.