I’ve been wanting to get my hands on this Random House novel by Filipina author Samantha Sotto ever since I first heard about it, but well, you guessed right, I didn’t have the time to go to a bookstore (I’m not making an excuse, I’ve really been very busy). Thank God my features editor, Geolette, generously lent me her autographed copy (she got to interview Samantha for an article!). After more than a month, I finally got around to finishing reading this wonderful piece of fiction! :)

Before Ever After is not your typical love story. Although it does remind me a bit of the Twilight series (but just because of the twist I didn’t expect), the book tackles the various forms of love—romantic love, parental love, love for friends, and love for life—very well. The transition from the present, to the past, to sometime else, is very smooth, and there’s something to learn from each character. I also love the fact that the story takes you to different places—and of course, I would definitely love to try the baked eggs and cheese! :)

Here are some of my favorite quotes from this book:

“[Sundials] are the closest we can come to grasping what time really means. It moves on whether you wind it or not. It doesn’t have a snooze button you can hit to bargain for an extra five minutes. The earth turns, the sun rises and sets, and there is absolutely nothing you and I can do about it. If we accept time for what it is, how it flows and how we flow with it, I doubt very much that we would continue wasting loads of it by constantly checking our watches. The gnomon’s shadow falls where it falls—and so do we. Are we early for this moment? Are we late?” -Max

“But isn’t that the point? Isn’t that what everyone hopes for? To find a passion so great that it scares the hell out of you?” -Dex

“That is why I taught you to trade, because that’s what life is—a barter of choices and consequences. Nothing you have is without a price paid by yourself or someone else. Some days you will get more than what you paid for, and on others, you will pay more than what you should.” -Nonno

“I’m sorry, but you just can’t fit fabulous into a backpack.” -Brad (See? That’s why I don’t like backpacks! Haha)

“I said you weren’t inconsequential. No one is. We change at least one person’s life just by being born. If you don’t believe me, go ask your mother. The fellows who write history books may not think that’s so special. I happen to disagree. Isabelle and her family may be long gone, but because they lived, regardless of how small their lives may have been, I believe they are worth remembering, even if only by strangers.” -Max

Check out Before Ever After, it’s so worth your time, trust me. :) It’s romance, history, travel, and comedy all rolled into one. Happy reading! :)