So now what? Are we a thing? Do I want us to be a thing? Would it be so wrong if I say that I do? What do I do with these feelings, exactly?
Synopsis
Miri dela Merced’s film director grandfather and Pabs Paglinauan’s studio head grandmother had a huge falling out that ended Lolo Ikong’s career. At seventeen, Miri finds herself in the same summer film internship program as the down-to-earth film studio heir Pabs, whom she’s decided to automatically write off, just because of his lineage. As Miri gets a crash course in her expectations vs the reality of what it's like to work on a real movie, her true feelings for Pabs become harder and harder to ignore. In between attending outdoor screenings of classic Pinoy movies and battling monster production assistants together, can flipping the script on a decades-old grudge be only a few sequences away?
My Review
Title: Flipping the Script
Author: Danice Mae P. Sison
Genre: YA/Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 2019
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Omg the cuteness! In Danice Mae P. Sison's debut YA contemporary romance Flipping the Script, we meet Miri, a film nerd who is just about to start a potentially life-changing film internship the summer before her final year at high school. Miri comes from a long line of filmmaking royalty; her mother was a beautiful actress in her prime, and her grandfather was a director who made fantastical adventures that, due to a falling out with the production company, have sadly been lost and Miri hasn't even been able to see the films. Still, she wants to follow in her Lolo's footsteps and learn everything she can from this internship to help her further her film career. She is shocked to find out that the host for the internship is none other than the company that she believes tanked her Lolo's career.
Over the summer, Miri bonds with her fellow interns, gets yelled at a lot by their intern supervisor, and, despite her resistance, starts to warm up to a fellow intern, Pabs. Pabs and Miri have a cringeworthy but so good meet-cute that I won't spoil here, but it nonetheless causes her a lot of anxiety having to work alongside him all summer. Add to this the fact that he happens to be the heir to the production company that has caused her family so much grief, and she decides it's better to play it cool with him and not get too close. In spite of all this, Pabs is still super sweet to her and understands why she low key hates his family, and the trials of the internship and their mutual love for film starts to bring them together.
I loved the shared interests between Pabs and Miri, and the respect they both have for each other and what they want to do with their future film careers. It was adorable to read about them nerd out over film restoration equipment, squee over classic films, and go to outdoor film screenings together. As a fellow movie nerd, I immediately connected with all of the movie magic throughout the book, and the whole time I was reading their story I just had a huge smile on my face. This is the perfect story to read when you're looking for a sweet, summer love story that is cool, funny, and charming all at the same time. It will definitely want to re-watch your favorite movies and maybe see them in a new light.
I also appreciated the growth of the main characters throughout the book. I love Miri, but she is definitely not perfect and has a lot of growing up to do before she's ready to really become a filmmaker. Pabs, meanwhile, needs to learn how to stand up for himself and be his own person apart from his family. I thought the journey they went on was realistic and I would love to read more about these characters. Their fellow interns were a great example of supportive friendship and forming bonds with people who are completely different from you but who share a passion for the same thing. Overall, I recommend Flipping the Script if you love contemporary stories with strong setting, funny, relatable characters, and nerding about movies. Plus, if these types of books are your jam (they're definitely mine), check out other #romanceclass books here.
Get your copy of Flipping the Script here (PH version), here (International Version), or here (Kindle version).
Happy reading!
About the Author
Danice Mae P. Sison realized she wanted to be Harriet the Spy when she was very young. Since then, she has been digging out from real life experiences, pop culture obsessions, and her growing TBR pile of young adult and romance books for inspiration. She works in pay television as a channel manager, and has previously contributed as an author on the anthology Start Here. Flipping the Script is her first book.
Note: I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and participation in the Flipping the Script Blog Tour.
