Meet the author

Carina Gaskell has been writing stories since she could hold a pen, and dreaming them up even before that.Raised in the province in a house full of love and books, it’s no surprise that the 25-year-old Manila-based author would go on to carve out her own space in the romance genre writing cozy, feel-good novels.Her stories feature sweet and swoon-worthy heroes, strong (and artistic!) heroines, and a lovable cast of side characters. She loves indulgent wish-fulfillment romances, Happy Ever Afters, and the concept of soulmates—both romantic and platonic.Her favorite love story is that of hers and her partner's.

True North (Invincible Summer #1)

A young woman jilted by her ex-fiancé is given a second shot at love when her meddling relatives contrive ways to pair her up with her handsome neighbor in this laugh-out-loud contemporary romance novella that will sweep you off your feet.After Sophie’s long-term boyfriend decides he doesn’t want to marry her, she flies back home to her native Philippines with her tail tucked between her legs. Forget romance. With the help of Ninang, her wealthy grand-aunt on her mother’s side, she picks her pieces back up and throws herself headfirst into her dream project: opening a coffee shop on the famous beach resort island of Dalisay.But there’s a catch. Ninang agrees to help fund the cost of starting a new business, if and only if Sophie hosts her younger sister, Narra, and their cousin, Layla for the summer. Fresh out of college, Narra and Layla have come to Dalisay for three months of fun and romance, and they refuse to leave Sophie out of it.Enter Archie Hastings. A smooth-talking, motorcycle-riding Brit, he moved to the island to work at a non-profit and nurse a heartbreak of his own. When Narra indulges in a little too much fun and romance, he’s there to help Sophie save the day, only to find himself pulled into a scheme to get Sophie—and by extension, himself—laid.Sophie just wants to be left alone. But love has a funny way of sneaking up on you, and this summer, on the beautiful sunny island of Dalisay, where the white sand is soft like powder and the blue sea impossibly clear, it might just catch her off-guard.

Second Chance Books

Only three things stand in the way of the life Nell had always envisioned for herself: a bookstore, its book club, and the boy of her dreams.When Nell's brother-in-law walks out on her pregnant sister, it falls on Nell's shoulders to cover their mountain of bills. To do so, she must convince the owner of a secondhand bookstore to sell his property so she can earn a commission.But when she visits the store, two unexpected things happen: the owner offers her a job sorting the shelves—extra income!—and her childhood crush, Thomas Whelan, turns out to be the only other employee there. Only a fool would turn that opportunity down.When Thomas reveals he needs help with his love life, it seems all too perfect: get an in with Tom by helping him prepare for his dates, recruit him towards her cause of convincing their boss to sell, get paid, and live happily ever after.Except the more time she spends with Tom, the more she gets attached: to him, to the bookstore that soon might not even exist, and its customers.Set in a small town in the throes of gentrification, Second Chance Books is a novel that explores the power of love, literature, and community when it comes to changing and saving lives.

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Content Warnings

Readers who are sensitive to any of these elements, please take note and read with care.

Second Chance Books

This book contains mentions of suicide (past, off-page), death of a parent (past, off-page), infidelity (past, off-page, not between the lead characters), leaked nudes (past), physical violence (past), pregnancy complications (present, not between the lead characters), addiction (past), and drug use (past).NOTE: Off-page means the scene does not happen in explicit detail. It may be mentioned as something that occurred, and the aftermath may be discussed, such as in the case of a death of a parent in which grief follows.This book does not go into explicit detail about any of the mentioned subjects, especially those that are labeled as "present".

True North (Invincible Summer, #1)

This book contains graphic language, sexually explicit scenes, alcohol use, mentions of a past partner’s infidelity, mentions of a controlling ex-partner, and a character healing from having an engagement called off.