We love a good sports romance and highly recommend you check out Gihigugma, Ace of Hearts by Melanie King-Smith!
Gihigugma, Ace of Hearts
Release Date: September 30, 2025
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
- Found Family
- Filipino/Asian Immigrant Experience (Own Voices)
- Sports Romance (Tennis)
- Strangers to Friends to Lovers
- Love Triangle
- Dual POV
- Sweet/ No Spice
- Coming of Age
Crazy Rich Asians meets Bend It Like Beckham in this outrageously fun, Filipino-flavored romance.
When Jomar’s tennis ambitions crash into Mitchelle’s wounded heart during one charmingly disastrous karaoke night, they’ll discover that the biggest matches aren’t played on courts—but in learning to love despite the ghosts of the past.
Jomar Montalbano thinks he’s ready for anything. A rising tennis star from the Philippines, he lands in London with one suitcase, one college scholarship, and zero idea how to survive without rice. He’s counting on a few wins—but definitely not falling for Mitchelle Tanner.
She’s the quiet girl with a vintage camera, a craving for halo-halo, and a smile that hides as much as it shows. Half-American, half-Filipina, and fully impossible to read.
He’s used to power and control—but around her, he’s completely unstrung.
From vulnerable confessions in a darkroom’s glow to rallies that feel like Wimbledon wins, Jomar discovers that love—like tennis—is all about timing, risk, and knowing when to fight for the point.
Set in London’s rainy alleys and sunlit parks, woven with island warmth and humor, Gihigugma, Ace of Hearts is an adventure about home, heart, and the courage to choose love against all odds.
Love at eighteen isn’t always a mistake. Sometimes, it’s a miracle.
This story contains: social alcohol use, mild profanity, depictions of past romantic trauma, and competitive sports pressure. While handled with care, please prioritize your wellbeing. The story ultimately celebrates healing and joyful connection.
HEAT LEVEL: Sweet – Kissing only, no explicit content, YA-appropriate
SETTING: London, UK (Filipino immigrant/diaspora community)
THEMES: Belonging, identity, cultural heritage, finding home, first love, friendship
AWARDS: 2025 International Firebird Book Award Winner (Young Adult Fiction)
ACHIEVEMENTS:
#1 Amazon Bestseller – Young Adult & Teen Clean & Wholesome Romance
#1 Amazon Bestseller – Young Adult & Teen Asian & Pacific Islander Fiction
Featured at Frankfurt Book Fair 2025 (Philippines was the Guest of Honor)
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