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Twelve Hours in Manhattan

A Novel

Published by She Writes Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

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.

About The Author

Maan Gabriel is a mom, wife, dreamer, writer, and advocate for women’s stories in literature. She earned her BA in communications from St. Scholastica’s College in Manila and MPS in public relations and corporate communications from Georgetown University. She has lived in Manila, Brussels, Dakar, and Mexico City. During the day, she works in strategic communications. She is the author of After Perfect; Twelve Hours in Manhattan is her second book. Gabriel, along with her husband and son, currently calls suburban Washington, DC, home.

Product Details

  • Publisher: She Writes Press (April 18, 2023)
  • Length: 312 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781647423964

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Raves and Reviews

“In a book drawing on K-dramas and a chance encounter with the famous, the main protagonist is endearing, and her backstory offers an emotional jolt. . . . Gabriel’s (After Perfect) sophomore novel offers great hope and a grand happy ending.”
Library Journal

“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.”
Nerd Daily

“This complex love story gracefully dives into the world of two lonely souls awakened from a deep sleep of heavy burdens.”
InD'tale Magazine

“Maan Gabriel takes you on a dizzying roller coaster of emotions with Twelve Hours in Manhattan. The story between Bianca and Eric is as engaging and layered as a K-drama, and Gabriel skillfully tackles difficult topics to do with family, love, and duty as well as balancing one’s own deepest desires.”
—Lily Chu, author of The Stand-In and The Comeback

“Sweet and delightful, this melting pot of meet cute and modern fairytale hopes to bridge two different worlds into a belated romance. Gabriel’s endearing storytelling style highlights the joys and struggles of starting over in life.”
—Mari Jojie, author of A Hundred Silent Ways

Twelve Hours in Manhattan completely swept me away. Maan’s beautiful, character-driven storytelling was a warm, immersive experience.”
—Elle Cruz, author of How to Survive a Modern-Day Fairy Tale

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More books from this author: Maan Gabriel