PUBLISHED UNDER MANILA POP Young Love Series #3: Journey Rae Sobral Journey Rae Sobral or Joey has always been a hopeless romantic. She thinks that love is always about a butterfly-filled stomach and a fluttering heart. Hindi pa man n'ya nararanasan ang magmahal nang totoo, marami na s'yang iniisip na pakiramdam ng tunay na pagmamahal. She has always believed her ideals on love. . .not until she fell for him. As Joey finds conflict with her feelings, she found herself falling deeper in love with the guy she has always had concealed feelings for. Will Joey finally discover the difference between her ideals and real love? Or not? Started: September 11, 2021 Ended: October 25, 2021 Cover illustration by: @Zirree

PUBLISHED UNDER MANILA POP Young Love Series #2: Neariah July Serrano Art is subjective. As an Arts and Design student, Neariah July Serrano has always thought that the most beautiful form of art is love---unpredictable, sometimes cunning, sometimes inspirational, and sometimes destructive. But most of the time, love feels like it completes a person. Love is unpredictable. This is what she believes in. Because when she fell for her friend, she hasn't thought about falling for someone else. . .yet she did. As July continues to encounter obstacles with her friend whom she's been crushing on since the school year started, she found herself suddenly falling in love with another guy. Will July finally be loved this time around? Or will it be like a cold day in July? Started: July 6, 2021 Ended: September 8, 2021 Cover illustration by: @Zirree

Nadia de Marco knew what she wanted in life and that is to be the most powerful woman in the country. Growing up in the Philippines, she knew that it would be an uphill climb. There is misogyny everywhere, but instead of fighting it, she decided to use it to her advantage. That is probably the upside of being undermined, being almost invisible-people will never see you coming. While she was watching everyone's moves, no one was watching hers. Things were going according to plan until Avery Brienne Eliseo came into the picture. Suddenly, she got an enemy. And unlike Avery who has her cousin by her side, she has no one. And she needs to have someone. She's been looking for so long until she found Archibald Reign Gallego-the perfect partner in crime... or so she thought.

PUBLISHED UNDER MANILA POP Young Love Series #1: Mearah June Escalera Romantic love is different for every person. For Mearah June Escalera, she believes that only those who are unique and special can experience it. Love is certainly not for someone like her--an average girl who, if in a movie, can only be an "extra." Hinding-hindi s'ya magiging pasok sa criteria ng pagiging "main character." As June continued believing that no one can ever see her as someone special, she found herself being confessed to by the guy she least expects to have interest in her. Will Mearah June realize that she's capable of being loved? Or will she continue believing that she's not worthy of being the "main character"? Started: June 24, 2021 Ended: July 5, 2021 Cover illustration by: @Zirree

Switching to a condo would be a huge shift in Eloise Danielle Madrigal's life, the Iska from UP Manila. From living in her aunt's home, she will independently live near her school. From growing up with so many hands to help her, she will face a new life alone. Since Eloise wasn't familiar with commuting from Padre Faura that well, the cousin of her block mate, Graham Anthony Laurel, will surely be of help. This walking GPS guy that was a first-year Thomasian had quite a temper as he taught Eloise. It seems as though one of them needed to teach the other beyond directions, would Graham find a calm and kind way to tell Eloise that her head was in the sand?

Anjel Delo Santos, a Lasallian, craved affection from her parents. It wasn't easy getting it. She had to be brilliant because her parents were intellectual people who yearned for recognition in their own fields. College was her opportunity of being brilliant. As Anjel walked on the streets of Malate, she will see a disappointed-looking River Alexandre Abad. As a fan of River, who is a DLSU student, she couldn't help but be concerned with the basketball player's state. While they get to know each other, would their eyes appreciate the silver lining in the midst of the nimbus clouds around them?

WATTY'S SHORTLIST 2023 Stuck in the never-ending responsibilities as one of the breadwinners of the family, Calisse Abigail Guillermo, an Iska from UP Manila, seeks to find true comfort between drinking and smoking. But she never does. Her desire to find consolation in everything is not found within the consumption of toxins. When she meets fellow smoker Chance Luy, a UP med student, in the bustling street of Pedro Gil, she thanks the heavens for a chance to meet him. Chance is your worn-out med student who is stingy. As they ponder about life, would they find solace as they share a moment of smoke?

Imogen Harrison has been dating campus heartthrob Parker Yapchengco. But no one knows about it. Bagaman pumayag si Imogen na ilihim nila ni Parker ang kanilang relasyon ay hindi nawawala ang kanyang mga agam-agam tungkol dito. Buti na lang at madalas siyang damayan ni Shiloah Suarez, ang bagong transferee sa kanilang eskuwelahan na kabaliktaran ang ugali kay Parker. Will she be selfish and stay with Parker while keeping Shiloah by her side? Or will she break up with him for good and choose someone she can be with in public?

(Trope Series # 3) Arielle was contented living her quiet life. She's got a job that pays well, a place to live, eats three times a day, and had friends that she genuinely enjoys being around with. Life's good as far as she's concerned. It may be boring for some, but she's at peace and contented and that's what's important. Until she met Zion. He's hot and funny and kind-and he wants her. So when he asks her to be fuck buddies with him, against all logic and rationality, she said yes. It's just temporary and for fun. As long as she knows her boundaries and consciously stops herself from being attached, she'll be fine. It's all for fun and experience... so how bad can it be, right?

(Yours Series # 4) Marian Eliana Nicolas just wanted to be left alone. She knew that she's not exactly the kindest person-definitely not the first person who'd come into mind if you get in trouble. She knew she's not likable. She made her peace with that. Gusto lang naman niyang magpinta at maka-graduate. Until she met Felix Chase Viste, iyong intern ng kuya niyang doctor. She was intrigued, to say the least. She almost thought that she was immune to catching feelings dahil sanay naman siyang maka-kita ng gwapo, pero wala naman siyang pakielam-until Chase. And because she doesn't like the word regret, sinubukan niyang makipagkilala kay Chase. She thought she'd find something not to like, but she was dead wrong. She liked everything she learned about him. But she was tired of figuring out kung ano ba sila. She wanted to ask what they were. Pero handa ba siyang malaman?