“It’s okay to mourn over yourself, because once you’re done crying and screaming, that’s when you’ll truly be free. […] You need to accept the person you’ve become. Love her. Be proud of her. Don’t live with regret. Don’t let insecurity eat you alive. You are worth it. Forgive her.”
In Maan Gabriel’s second novel, Twelve Hours in Manhattan, we meet Bianca Curtis, a woman who is on the brink of losing everything when she meets Eric at a bar in Manhattan where she’s dwelling on her misery. Eric turns out to be one of the most famous Korean actors at the time, Park Hyun Min, and is in town for one night only to escape the pressures of fame and celebrity life. The two of them spend the following twelve hours together walking along 5th Ave, getting ice cream, and even sharing moments at the top of the Empire State. During their time together, they talk about life, love, happiness, and freedom—the freedom that both of them so desperately seek, thus proving that sometimes confiding in a stranger and pouring out all your worries is all one ever needs to feel seen, heard, and understood. But not all that glitters is gold and after those twelve hours pass, and Bianca returns to the life she wants to escape from, a tragedy strikes that will test all her strength. Only the memory of the man she met one magical night will keep her going. Will life make their universes collide again?
Premise aside, Twelve Hours in Manhattan is a bit more serious and tragic than it’s made to look like with some extremely heavy topics and sad moments explored, so definitely check the trigger warnings before you dive into it as this is not a light-hearted rom-com read.
When part one—along with that magical night—ends, the event that turns Bianca’s life is jarring and gut-wrenching. It’s a huge emotional shift not also in the story, but narration wise and feels like a whole different book. It’s the catalyst that will spark a change in Bianca and help her experience the life she’s always dreamed of, not without the help of an incredible support system.
As for the characters, sometimes they felt a bit flat and whilst it’s easy to empathise with them, it’s also hard to connect with them at times on a deeper level, especially with Eric. The constant reminder of her being a “nobody” and him being the “big star” feels a bit repetitive and their connection feels a bit forced at times too, but it still makes for a nice read. The side characters are loveable, especially Bianca’s mother, who offers a great deal of advice on life, love, grieving, and forgiveness. As for Bianca and Eric’s relationships, the second chances are lovely and one can’t help but root for them so they get their chance at love and freedom. Their meet-cute pulls you in as it’s amiable and enchanting, and gives this K-drama feel to the story.
Despite the somewhat rushed ending, the story is engrossing and sentimental. Whether it’s ones career, obligations, people in one’s life, fame, or whatever else, it all circles back to that fear that prevents people from being truly free. A freedom that also comes from grieving and forgiving oneself from past decisions and experiences that can be traumatising. These are recurrent themes in the story and the novel goes back and forth to really delve into this the whole way through. Gabriel definitely knows how to keep the readers hooked and emotionally invested.
All in all, Twelve Hours in Manhattan is a story of second chances, love, acceptance, overcoming, and forgiving oneself—perfect for those who like fairytales and older k-dramas or a meet-cute romance with a darker undertone by exploring drama and pain.
Twelve Hours in Manhattan is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other book retailers, like your local bookstore.
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Synopsis | 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.
