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Making It Complicated

(I Heart Iloilo #2)

Clarisse David (Goodreads Author)

3.77 · Rating details · 43 ratings · 21 reviews

No promises. No expectations. Just one night on a paradise island that could mean everything.

Nineteen-year-old Cam has a metric ton of emotional baggage and is in no mood to unload them on anyone. After her parents' marriage imploded, stress-free is the only way she wants her life to be. And what could be more freeing than spending the summer on Boracay? Absolutely ...more

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133 pages

Published October 16th 2017

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· 43 ratings · 21 reviews

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Start your review of Making It Complicated (I Heart Iloilo, #2)

Nov 18, 2017 Nat rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: diverse-reads, pink-covers

I've been patiently biding my time for this companion to Keeping the Distance to release out into the world ever since I finished the first bookthat fateful night inFebruary. After nine faithful months, it finally came to my notice today that the sequel was already out, so I hurried on to catch up with these beloved characters.

Nineteen-year-old Cam has a metric ton of emotional baggage and is in no mood to unload them on anyone. After her parents' marriage imploded, stress-free is the only way ...more

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Oct 22, 2017 kb rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2017-faves, 2017-reads, filipino-authors, romanceclass

Just want to say first that this book and I share the same birthday, and that it was the extra icing on top of my cake! Here are my thoughts about this book and author!

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Oct 01, 2017 mith rated it liked it

Shelves: 2017-publication, arcs, companion, contemporary, in-betweeners, kindle-or-ebook, reviewed, school-setting

{you can also read this review on my blog}
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I adore Clarisse David and her writing. Her romances are always amazing, as well as the other issues her main characters tend to have. With fun characters and engaging stories, it's easy to fall in love with her books.

Cam's story was one I was super excited to read about. I loved Cam from Keeping the Distance because I could highly relate to her. Hunter, in the scenes he was in, was super cute and kind, too, so to see them get together? It was the {you can also read this review on my blog}
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I adore Clarisse David and her writing. Her romances are always amazing, as well as the other issues her main characters tend to have. With fun characters and engaging stories, it's easy to fall in love with her books.

Cam's story was one I was super excited to read about. I loved Cam from Keeping the Distance because I could highly relate to her. Hunter, in the scenes he was in, was super cute and kind, too, so to see them get together? It was the best. There was a lot I liked about Making it Complicated.

The first would be the band! I'm so glad that they weren't just sidelined--they were integral to the story and became good friends with Cam. Each of them had vastly different personalities and I pretty much loved all of them... but mostly Cal. Can he get a book? I'd love for him to get a book. He's such a mood.

I really liked Cam. Her character was one that resonated with me a lot, from issues in her family life, to just how she is as a person. I saw bits of myself in her, and I found her to be a very fresh main character!

I adored the romance too! It had a good amount of angst and some swoony scenes and a lot of adorable camaraderie. Hunter and Cam are a great couple and I really think they complement each other well. Their ups and downs, however, made me go a bit :/ because... well. I didn't entirely agree with how they resolved things...

That being said, there were some things I didn't like about this one. Small things, like how Cam kept repeating "in her 19 years"--I wasn't really sure why that was necessary, but like I said, small things. Another thing was how the whole best friend situation was handled... I'm huge on female friendships so to see this bridge between Cam and Melissa had me feeling really disheartened. It felt like Cam wasn't at all trying, even when Melissa was, and while I do get it--I've felt the same at times--it's just worse when you don't try.

Like I briefly mentioned, I wasn't a fan of the resolution. I won't say anything here, but it bothered me and basically toned down my general adoration for the book overall. I'll be happy to discuss it if you want, though!

So! Making it Complicated is a fun and adorable and short read that's definitely worth picking up! 3.5 stars. ...more

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Oct 08, 2017 natalie rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-devoured-in-2017, romance-class-reads, authors-of-colour

There's just something about these romance class band boys i sweaaaar. loved it. now i need book 3 (Jace will it be youuu???) and i need all the other boys of The Integers band to have a story, especially Cal.

i loved Cam's relationship with the guys!

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Oct 16, 2017 Kristy Mauna rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc-reading, contemporary, favorite-coming-of-age, favorites, highly-recommend, please-read-now, romantic, strong-friendships, strong-main-characters, swoon-worthy-romances

I absolutely loveeed Making it Complicated - an amazing coming-of-age story full of my three favorite things: family, friendships, and love!!

"Show me."
"What?" My eyes snapped back to his.
"Tonight. Show me how nice you can be," Hunter said, his easy smile belying the weight of his words, the dimple on his cheek a warning sign he was trouble.

This is the second book in the I Heart Iloilo series by Clarisse David, so if you've read Keeping the Distance (if you haven't then you should) then you'll ...more

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Oct 16, 2017 Lisa rated it liked it

Shelves: type-romance-class, type-galleys, 2017-read, author-of-colour, ch-of-colour, ch-great, em-aww-sweet, gr-romance-new-adult, theme-family, other-non-us-setting

Also on Romances Ever After.

It's a shame that as I get older I find myself unable to read and enjoy books in the YA and NA genres, simply because the characters are some ten years younger than me, so I have little patience for teenage angst. Fortunately, Making It Complicated was a smooth ride for me. It felt very short and I probably would have finished it in one sitting if school didn't get in the way (boo, school).

What I love most about Making It Complicated is how sweet the whole story is, Also on Romances Ever After.

It's a shame that as I get older I find myself unable to read and enjoy books in the YA and NA genres, simply because the characters are some ten years younger than me, so I have little patience for teenage angst. Fortunately, Making It Complicated was a smooth ride for me. It felt very short and I probably would have finished it in one sitting if school didn't get in the way (boo, school).

What I love most about Making It Complicated is how sweet the whole story is, and how it made me nostalgic for my teenage years. I love Cam a lot; she's very spirited and witty. She's also very young and it shows in her thoughts and decision making, and I love seeing her try to navigate her way through her growing feelings for Hunter, her dilemma about coming clean to her best friend Melissa about him, and the troubles she faces at home with her recently-split parents. By the end of the book, I felt like I've watched my little sister grew up.

The friendship formed between Cam and Hunter's bandmates is also one of my favourite things. They all have distinct personalities it's a wonder that they all survive that long in the same band. The scene-stealer for me is definitely Cal. There is more to that one than meets the eye, I feel. Give him a book, Clarisse!

Another thing that I love about this book is the setting of the story. Iloilo City sounds like the place I grew up in, hence the nostalgic factor. I legit googled the city while reading and the whole place looks amazing. Considering the Philippines isn't that far from where I live, maybe I should pay it a visit one day.

My only problem with this book is I expected it to also be Hunter's story. The blurb made it sound like we would have dual POVs, but instead we only got Cam's. I would've liked to be in Hunter's head too; I'd kill to know his thoughts during that one night in Boracay, and a couple of other interesting events that happened in the story. Since we only saw Hunter from Cam's POV, he seems a little too nice, I feel? Having his POV would have brought different layers to his character.

That being said, the absence of Hunter's POV didn't affect my enjoyment of this story because Cam is a pretty strong character on her own. All in all, Making It Complicated is sweet and entertaining, and I'm glad that I gave it a chance.

Galley received thanks to the author. ...more

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Nov 02, 2017 Inah rated it really liked it

3.5 maybe? Might still change. Totally different from Keeping The Distance which was great, while also incorporating elements from KTD.

Main issue was I didn't connect with Cam as much. But this book was overall enjoyable! Hi Eddie!

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Oct 19, 2017 Elena ( The Queen Reads ) rated it really liked it

SO GOOOOOOD. This was such a guilty pleasure read. It was short but sweet. I love all the new characters especially Cal so yep I'm waiting for his story. Full review to follow.

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Oct 03, 2017 Shealea rated it really liked it

Shelves: authored-by-filipino, arc-review

Unlike most NA contemporary stories, Making It Complicated did not introduce itself slowly, gently, and with caution. Instead, right from the beginning, I was, without warning, thrown into a whirlwind of fluttery feelings, summer vibes, hilariously brilliant banter, eloquently described sceneries, and undeniably explosive chemistry.

As much as I loved the interactions of Cam and Hunter, what I appreciated the most about the book was that there was enough space for Cam to battle against her inner ...more

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Aug 07, 2018 karla rated it really liked it

waaaaa I really enjoyed reading this book!

so, we meet Cam. 19 years old, just out of high school and in the middle of her parents fallout. *sigh* parents. why must we learn they're people with good and bad qualities instead of the idealized heroes we thought them to be? Cam is angry. so angry. and I get it, but honestly I thought she was kind of too rude and too dense sometimes, especially at the beginning. but that could also be because we're just getting to know her and her situation. I never waaaaa I really enjoyed reading this book!

so, we meet Cam. 19 years old, just out of high school and in the middle of her parents fallout. *sigh* parents. why must we learn they're people with good and bad qualities instead of the idealized heroes we thought them to be? Cam is angry. so angry. and I get it, but honestly I thought she was kind of too rude and too dense sometimes, especially at the beginning. but that could also be because we're just getting to know her and her situation. I never disliked her though! Cam is cool, I actually really liked her, and I understand her too.

so then we meet Hunter and he's a dream. and oh they're so horny for each other lol (view spoiler) I loved Hunter, I want a Hunter for myself. he's sweet and nice and understanding... ah, this fictional boys. they make my heart do funny things. talking about boyssss........ hELLO INTEGERS! they were so much fun! I loved them individually and the chemistry between them! and I loved how they became Cam's friends too! I MISS HAVING FRIENDS I FEEL SO LONELY *this is a cry for help* lol ok jk, but they're really a nice crowd and I wish I was part of it :P

so I said I understood Cam and yes I do but... I also understand her parents. especially her mom. (view spoiler) so yeah I understand Cam's feelings but also her parents's. a lot. I know when we're young -I'M ONLY 23 WHY AM I TALKING LIKE I'M 40?!!- we think "grown ups" have everything figured out but... they (we????) don't. like I said, I'm 23, but I might as well still be 15 tbh. however, that doesn't justify our fuck ups. Cam's parents fucked up and really left her alone to deal with their shit. that's not fair to Cam. you might feel like an insecure 15 year old but you're not 15, you have "grown up" responsibilities and you have to, well, be responsible, especially if someone else is affected by your actions.

anyway I really liked this book! I wanna read the one before this one and I want a book for each guy from the band!!!!!!!!!! can we have that? pretty pleeeeeeeease???? I hope they keep being friends even when college sets them in different ways. ngl, it was a bit of a bummer that they're not all in the same college. but this is fiction and it's beautiful and the ending was hopeful (in that naive way you're hopeful when you finish high school and feel like the world and all its opportunities are yours) so I wanna think it will all go great and so not like my social life!

---------------------------

aw, very beautiful and hopeful, review to come :) ...more

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Oct 16, 2017 Samantha Louise Borbe rated it it was amazing

It’s been a couple of weeks since I received the ARC of Clarisse David’s new novel Making It Complicated. She gave it to me in exchange of an honest review and here it is:

Making It Complicated is the 2nd installment of the I Heart Ilo-Ilo series and it revolved around Cam and Hunter, Melissa’s (from Keeping The Distance) best friend and childhood sweetheart. I’ve been waiting for this since I finished the first book. I had a crush on Hunter ever since I encountered his character in KTD. Well for It’s been a couple of weeks since I received the ARC of Clarisse David’s new novel Making It Complicated. She gave it to me in exchange of an honest review and here it is:

Making It Complicated is the 2nd installment of the I Heart Ilo-Ilo series and it revolved around Cam and Hunter, Melissa’s (from Keeping The Distance) best friend and childhood sweetheart. I’ve been waiting for this since I finished the first book. I had a crush on Hunter ever since I encountered his character in KTD. Well for one, he’s a drummer and he’s H-O-T. I really liked Cam’s character in the first book too so when I read that the 2nd book will be theirs, I knew I need to read it.

I was instantly hooked after reading the first few pages of the first chapter. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me scream out of too much kilig and frustration. It sure was a roller coaster of emotions! Everything was so on-point and I loved how it was written beautifully. Themes of friendship, family, and love (both of your own self and someone special) were very very visible and dominant throughout the novel.

The characters were so great! And I’m not just referring to the two leads but to the supporting characters as well. Good Lord! Cal (Hunter’s bandmate and friend) tested my loyalty to Hunter. Hahaha! I really liked him! And Eddie’s one of my faves, too. He’s been the Yin to the Yang of Cam’s crazy-comedic character. Scenes with the both of them bantering almost made me flip. I’ll never forget their epic exchange of texts!

This book is the perfect mix of angst and softness. I loved how the hardships of a family getting broken and things falling apart were depicted in this. For me, Cam represented teens going through the same thing. She gave a glimpse of how people who were experiencing the same thing deals with the confusion, anger and the overall chaos of emotions. Hunter on the other hand was the best counterpart for it with his kind, understanding and responsible character. He inspired Cam to overcome her problems and to fight her demons. He’s also a good example of a friend, a brother and a son.

The two lead characters complimented each other’s personality. They’re not perfect. They were flawed and that made their characters more loveable because they showed readers that you don’t have to be perfect or you don’t have to be in a perfect world to be happy. They taught the importance of keeping yourself together in times of hardships. They taught that happiness is a choice and that it will never ever be wrong if you choose to be happy in this crazy, crazy world.

All in all, this is a book worthy of everything you’ve got. Give it a shot and read it too!
...more

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Oct 17, 2017 Bookablereads Reviews rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-from-author, books-on-my-kindle, e-books

First of all, I would like to say thank you to the author, Clarisse, for sending me an eARC copy in exchange for an honest review. And this will not affect my thoughts or opinion about the book in any way.

To be honest, I never got the chance to read the first installment which is the story of Mel, bestfriend of Cam. But regardless of not having a chance to read it I still enjoy and understand the story as the second installment is about Cam. This is also my first time to read a book that is First of all, I would like to say thank you to the author, Clarisse, for sending me an eARC copy in exchange for an honest review. And this will not affect my thoughts or opinion about the book in any way.

To be honest, I never got the chance to read the first installment which is the story of Mel, bestfriend of Cam. But regardless of not having a chance to read it I still enjoy and understand the story as the second installment is about Cam. This is also my first time to read a book that is written by a Filipino author.

The story revolves around Cam, a photographer enthusiasts when she met Hunter, a hot drummer of the band "The Integers" and Mel's childhood sweetheart during her vacation at the beautiful land of Boracay. After a night of unforgettable experiences with Hunter, Cam decided it should be the end of it as she doesn't want the everything will be ok. But what Cam didn't expect is that they met again and she accepted the author to be the official photographer of Hunter's band.

Cam's character is a relatable one. You would love how strong she is in coping up with life after what happen to her parents. She also showed how she managed to handle her emotions and admitting her mistakes. I understand how at first she is scared to forgive her mother. It's normal to feel betrayed but later on she had the courage to face her mother and know what are the reasons why her mother left them.

Hunter is someone who you would want to be with. I love how he takes care of Cam and how he stay by her side all throughout. Funny and a loving brother and son is also a characteristic of him that you will admire him for.

The story depicted what are the real things that a family is experiencing every time the parents decided to separate. It shows what are the negative things that their children is suffering and going through.

The story taught us how to cope us with the things we experience with positive ways. It also taught us to always go what your heart is telling you and don't be afraid to try to do things that you want. And lastly, the value of relationship, friendship and family.

My rating would be 4.50 stars out of 5 stars. ...more

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Oct 19, 2017 Shaine H. rated it really liked it

I volunteer to give honest review. The digital copy was provided by the author. Thank you, Clarisse David.

I had to apologize for taking it so long to finish it and to post my review because I had moments that I don’t feel like reading or doing anything. But I assure you that this book is wonderful.

Before I start reading Making It Complicated, I made sure that I’ve read the first book in the series which is Keeping the Distance. I enjoyed the first book so much that I did not hesitate to start ...more

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Oct 20, 2017 Miel Salva rated it really liked it

Clarisse David now goes to my auto-buy authors. I love how she promotes Iloilo in her works. I believe DOT should tie-up with #romanceclass authors for this. And as someone who’s never been to Iloilo, I’m already itching to take the trip.

What are the things I loved about #MIC?

1. The lines. How can Clarisse pack all the feels in two to three sentences, I’d like to know.
2. The personal conflicts. #MIC tackles a sensitive issue about broken families. But Cam’s Mother’s issues struck me most–about ...more

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Jul 01, 2018 Bookbed rated it liked it

Shelves: 2018, bookbedreads2018, books-by-filipinos, featured

This book is featured on Bookbed! Read our post here.

Please note: We don't use ratings but for this purpose, we tag books with three stars by default.
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Jun 10, 2018 Yaiza rated it really liked it

Aunque es una historia de romance tiene un conflicto familiar que aporta un hilo argumental interesante y unos personajes secundarios muy majos (el grupo de Hunter son mis faves pero me gustaría que Mel hubiese tenido más importancia).

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Oct 18, 2017 thai rated it liked it

Shelves: authors-of-color, characters-of-color, non-western-setting, romance, summer

Okay, this was pretty cute. I loved Hunter, and even though Cam wasn't for me in the beginning, by the end I didn't hate her like I thought I would so yay! The first one is still my favorite but this was super enjoyable as well!

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Oct 21, 2017 Lynai rated it liked it

Shelves: 2017-books, ebook, filipino-books

3.5 stars. Angsty protagonist, drummer love interest, music bands, Boracay Island, Iloilo City.

http://lynaireads.luigiandlynai.net/2...

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May 20, 2018 Julia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2018, representation

This was such a cute yet angsty read at the same time. I could relate to Cam so much about my *anger at the world* and ugh I'm so in love with Hunter. PS: Please tell me the next book is about Jace!!

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Oct 19, 2017 Aira Irish rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-books

When I read the story, I felt like I'm with the characters maybe because I knew the places where they went to. Thumb ups for a swoon worthy treat of romance. It's cool to read stories that features the places like Iloilo. I'm looking forward for more from this author.

For the full review of this book visit my blog below.

https://thegirlontrack.wordpress.com/...

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Denise rated it it was amazing
Sep 02, 2018

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Lisa rated it liked it
Apr 15, 2019

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Oct 28, 2017 Mayumi Cruz rated it really liked it

4 out of 5 stars

After having read Prom Queen Perfect, I knew I couldn’t pass up the chance of getting an ARC of Clarisse David’s new book, Making It Complicated. And I wasn’t disappointed.

The author loves to write about flawed yet relatable characters and the struggles they undergo and overcome, making the reader feel each and every emotion they go through. This book has a lot of anger and angst. It was a bit differrent from PQP in that there was a lot more romantic innuendos emphasizing the ...more

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Caryssa rated it it was amazing
Jun 11, 2019

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About Clarisse David

Clarisse David

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Clarisse David is a Young Adult and New Adult author from the land of epic heat waves a.k.a. the Philippines. She graduated with a bachelor of arts in Literature, and cannot survive without red lipstick and books. When not hanging out on Twitter, she can be found working on her latest writing project.

You can find her on Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook. You can also send her an email at ...more