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Love At First Run

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After getting her heart broken, 23-year-old Diana Gomez is afraid to fall in love again. But when her office crush Paul invites her to join a running club with him, she goes for it.

What she doesn’t know is that to be a part of the club, she actually has to train for a half marathon—and that she’ll meet Joshua, the handsome club veteran who becomes her unofficial running buddy.

As if it isn’t hard enough to do speed work, interval training, and long runs after work and on weekends, she has to deal with her feelings for both boys and face her fears of falling in love.

Will she reach the finish line without getting herself (or her heart) injured? Journey with Diana as she reaches running milestones, overcomes obstacles, pushes herself to the limit, and discovers the strength within her… one kilometer at a time.

135 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 30, 2018

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About the author

Angel C. Aquino

4 books5 followers
Angel C. Aquino is a freelance writer, editor, and content creator based in Manila, Philippines. She brightens up her tiny corner of the world by writing stories filled with positivity, hope, and love.

Before becoming a romance author, she was the managing editor of several publications, such as Candy Magazine, Runner’s World Philippines, and Good Housekeeping Philippines. Her short story, “The Bucket List” was published in the Summit Books anthology, Coming of Age.

She is now the author of two romance novels, Love at First Run and Feels Like Home, both available on Amazon. To receive updates on upcoming projects, sign up for her newsletter at tinyletter.com/angelcaquino.

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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for Inah (Fueled By Chapters).
478 reviews118 followers
June 12, 2018
Love at First Sight is a light, fun, and sweet read. It starts with Diana smacked right in the middle of a fun run event, with her colleagues which led to her joining a running club because her office crush, Paul, invited her.  

I actually loved the aspect where we see Diana's journey in life, both in running and her personal life. It's such a great feat to read a book like this, and let readers enjoy the character's journey. I like Diana's character, she's level-headed at times, but most of the time she would question her choices, which in turn makes it realistic I guess? I just really didn't like how she felt whenever she's describing Amaya, like I get it. You're jealous of her, but let's not get that internal misogyny going.

Romance-wise, the slow-burn kilig really got me good. I like Joshua's character but I think it could've been explored more, especially that with that age gap (SEVEN YEARS! I could imagine the possibilities hahaha!). Still, for a book that's around a hundred and fifty pages, I got what I was mostly looking for. I just wished Diana wasn't always painted as a damsel in distress every now and then.

Another thing I liked about the book was the running aspect, which was really interesting. I'm actually familiar with it since my dad's a runner too, and he shares stories about them. And yes the Milo Marathon and Skyway Run exists because my dad actually ran in them. He once ran 42 kilometers for Milo Marathon, with cramps of course haha! So I guess knowing things about running made it easier for me to read this book, but really the author made a great effort in researching and actually giving knowledge about the sport.

Overall, despite some issues I had with the book, it was a great and enjoyable read. Obviously, I'll recommend it to people who reads in the #romanceclass circle, but I guess if you're not familiar with the community, this is one good book to start with!
Profile Image for Bookbed.
205 reviews11 followers
May 5, 2018
"An engaging, inspirational sports romance, Love At First Run by Angel C. Aquino will have you hopeful about that perfect—nay, right stride… in life and in love." Continue reading our review here.

Please note: We don't use ratings but for this purpose, we tag books with three stars by default.
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22 reviews2 followers
June 12, 2018
Loved the book! It’s a good, light read that helped me cope with the rainy weather. It takes me back to the days of crushes and first dates and helped me relive the “kilig” moments! 😊
Profile Image for Kate.
430 reviews245 followers
October 9, 2020
Like most great contemporary romances, what takes Love at First Run to the next level of storytelling is the journey that the main character undergoes, outside of the love subplot. Diana basically just exists, going to work, going home, and repeating the cycle over and over again. Not that that’s a bad thing, mind you; but Diana is clearly looking for something more, and she ends up finding that ‘something’ in running. The concept of self-improvement is one that’s very present in this book, and it’s something that I really appreciated. There is no actual enemy in life, after all – just your previous self. The only person you have to be better than is who you were yesterday. This is the lesson that Diana learns by getting into running.

I absolutely adore how Diana’s journey is portrayed. Of course, she starts out running because of a guy she’s interested in. But she sticks with it because she begins to enjoy it. She begins to see how running gives her a better creative headspace for her job, how it increases her energy levels, how it de-stresses her, how her muscles are leaner and she doesn’t get tired so easily, and just generally how regular physical activity is good for her body. Her monologue at the end of the book, when she was doing the Condura Skyway half-marathon, is just so inspiring. She talks about self-improvement, about self-care and doing things that make you feel good. If nothing else, pick up the book to read that part.

Read my full review here.

Find more from me:
Blog || Instagram || Twitter || YouTube
Profile Image for Jaclyn.
2,194 reviews5 followers
September 29, 2022
Re-read Sept 29, 2022 - such a lovely, uplifting comfort read! Yummy food descriptions 😋 + sweet, caring hero 🥰 and a heroine who overcomes obstacles to achieve a personal goal. 👊🏼

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I absolutely loved Love at First Run! The romance is super sweet, and Angel C. Aquino is a master at the slow burn kilig, a Filipino term that refers to the giddy thrill of romance. I often found myself screaming at my iPad for the characters to just kiss already, dammit! Or yelling at Diana to just admit her feelings already, because dear god, she shouldn't risk this guy getting away. The characters had adorable chemistry right from the start, and I love how their friendship developed almost effortlessly, because it shows how perfectly they fit together as friends beyond the initial attraction. The sizzle between them going unfulfilled for so much of the book made me want to skip to the end at times, but I admit the ending was worth the wait.

Full review on my blog: https://literarytreats.com/2018/04/27...

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Thanks to the author for an electronic advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Arli Pagaduan.
13 reviews2 followers
May 5, 2018
Love at First Run - I read it in one sitting! Running, romance, and the desire to be a better person kept me turning pages and pages after I reached the end. The characters felt real, and I liked seeing them grow throughout the story, especially the heroine, Diana Gomez. The romance pace too, for me, was perfect. It didn't feel rushed or forced. Another thing I appreciated was that the author included things about running and its benefits too. Reading this made me feel the runner's high and inspired me to really be consistent again in donning my running shoes and putting in some miles. I love how books do that - how they can inspire us to do better. Lastly, the premise is simple and straightforward, and sometimes, that's what sets apart a good book from a poorly written one. The author centered on this young girl and her relationship with friends and running, and from there grew other relevant events - no more other unrelated details or information. I recommend this to people who like to run and people who want to try it someday! It will inspire you to be fit and healthy and still get ice cream after a long marathon. ;-)
Profile Image for Amanda.
574 reviews62 followers
July 21, 2018
3.5 stars, rounding up

Really cute book about a woman who joins a running club at the insistence of her coworker/crush but stays for herself. Running is basically my worst nightmare so I loved the early scenes with Diana struggling but persisting. She receives a lot of encouragement from Josh, a fellow runner. Despite his experience, he never makes her feel bad for falling (literally), cramping, or wanting to give up. It’s so obvious he likes her but he can also tell she likes someone else. Honestly, that part got a little frustrating. I was like DIANA, COME ON! The book is really about Diana learning more about herself and becoming more confident. And it never turns into a body-shaking or EVERYONE MUST EXERCISE! story, which is nice. Running becomes a hobby and a passion.

I did cringe at the brief references to Kenyan runners at one point. Yikes, like... an editor should’ve caught that and taken it out. Even if theoretically complimentary, it was lazy stereotyping in an otherwise cute book.
Profile Image for Mina.
372 reviews7 followers
November 2, 2018
"I have takem a risk, remember?And it didn't work out."

"Well, you'll just have to keep taking risks until it does. That's how life and love works."
2 reviews
May 18, 2018
A light, fun read that is both sweet and inspiring, with just the right pace and realism. I couldn't wait to find out who Diana would eventually end up with (I was sorely tempted to take a peek at the end), and at the same time I was so inspired by her self-improvement journey. I hope the author writes more books!
Profile Image for Fay.
Author 5 books36 followers
July 10, 2018
Diana Gomez joined a running club because of Paul. Spending more time with her office crush seemed like a great idea, even if she had to exert extra effort to keep up with the members of the club. The early morning call time is not exactly her thing, and all the running she had to do drained the energy she never expected she would spend.

It doesn’t help that her co-worker Amaya keeps on flirting with Paul, somehow defeating the “purpose” of Diana’s membership to the club. But then Joshua enters the picture and suddenly, running didn’t seem too hard anymore. Having Joshua as a running buddy made the challenges easier to bear, and Diana eventually finds herself wondering if she’s ready to fall in love again.

Why I love this book:

Diana is so relatable. Aside from our shared love of sweets, I saw myself in Diana because I am totally the girl who would join a running club because my crush invited me to even if I hate waking up early and I don’t really like running. I mean, c’mon friends. I know I’m not the only one.

Since I see myself in Diana, her experience with the Finishers inspired me to consider joining a running club in the future. (Not yet today, I’ll start with regular exercise at home first!)

The book shows the value of hard work. Running speed doesn’t matter because the important thing is doing everything you can to finish the race. That applies to both marathons and life, I guess.

It’s about taking risks and being open to possibilities. Because maybe learning to overcome fear means taking the first step.

Other things I love:

-The presentation of the chapters. In Love at First Run, the chapter titles are Kilometers, and the book has 21 (referencing the 21-kilometer distance of a half marathon, which Diana took part of in the book). I found that very cool. 🙂
-The book’s local setting. The familiar places in the book made my reading experience more enjoyable.
-The zombie run scene. So fun to read and very iconic. Maybe for a live reading of the book? (*wink, wink*)
-Sweet, innocent moments that bring instant kilig. Here’s something you might not know about me: I’m a sucker for hand-holding. I love reading how different authors make it happen because to me it’s a simple thing that could mean everything. ❤

Love at First Run is about the (literal and metaphorical) marathons we have to run in our life. Through this book, we get reminded that life is not a race where only the winners get a medal. Life is a shared journey with the people who matter to us, and we should live it at our own pace.

The road could be hard to navigate, but we have to power through. We have to keep going. And most of all, we need to remember that it’s not really important to finish first. It’s more important to finish happy. ❤

Full review on my book blog: https://bibliophilesoprano.wordpress....
Profile Image for Jennifer.
344 reviews30 followers
September 28, 2018
I am not a fan of the love triangle trope (even in real life, ha!) but this book changed my mind! In Love At First Run, you wouldn't feel that the other character was left with a broken heart because the MC didn't end up with him (which made me like the love triangle trope in this story).

Diana was a very relatable MC. I loved her journey from not being a sporty girl to a 21km run finisher! She may have had struggles but she showed her persistence by attending the trainings even though she was dragging her feet (at first) to get there. And of course, who could forget about her running buddy, Josh? He was such a sweet character and it was hard not to root for him from the start! Paul may have had his moments but I didn't fall for his charm. I actually liked all the characters here and yes, even Amaya! All the side characters made this book even more interesting!

This book actually inspired me to try and join a running club next year and who knows, I might be able to meet a Joshua too!(wishful thinking!) Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book! A fun, light and swoon-worthy read!

"And second of all, the thought of falling in love only to have my heart broken again was too scary to think about."

"So what? You are so naive! Stop overthinking this, and for once, just take a risk!" Kat waved her spoon dangerously close to my face.
"I have taken a risk, remember? And it didn't work out."
"Well, you'll just have to keep taking risks until it does. That's how life--and love--works."

"It hadn't been easy to keep coming back, but somehow, it was even harder to stay away. Maybe it helped knowing someone was there to help me stand up after every fall."

Soundtrack: Unlonely by Jason Mraz
Profile Image for J.R. Alcyone.
Author 2 books65 followers
July 7, 2021
Really wish we could do half stars -- this book was really a 4.25 for me, and I would round it up to 4.5 if I could. (On Amazon, I'll give it a five because of the different scale.) A very likable, light, and cute romance novel that at ~150 pages was a quick read. I was looking for a good palette cleanser after some darker/heavier books and this fit the bill perfectly. The only reason I didn't rate this book a little higher was I didn't really "feel" the chemistry between the two love interests. But that could have been just me and it didn't really detract from the rest of the book. I would definitely read another novel by the author, and I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a light and sweet sports/running romance novel.

Recommended.
Profile Image for Akisha.
54 reviews7 followers
December 18, 2018
An enjoyable read!

I gave this book a 3 stars because contemporary romance isn't really my cup of tea anymore but I was surprised that I actually enjoyed reading it. Can't say that I liked our main character because I found some of her actions annoying for me plus I can't relate to the whole concept of the book. Running and such but I think some readers (especially runners and sporty ones) will totally adore this book. Despite of these things, I still enjoyed reading the book.
Profile Image for Angie.
2,348 reviews255 followers
May 13, 2020
YES!
+Filipino Romance set in Manila!
+Diana joins a running club that her crush sent out to their office, even though she's never run in her life.
+Cute coach takes an interest in Diana, but what about her crush?!
+Diana actually starts to like running and feels more confident in herself.

NO!
-I didn't feel any pull toward either love interest. I just wanted Diana to be happy!
Profile Image for Ollie Z Book Minx.
1,820 reviews17 followers
January 2, 2019
I was a lil worried that this was gonna be all about her getting pretty (read: thin) through running and am so so glad I was wrong! This is very new adult and has a bunch of time inconsistencies but other than those minor flaws, it’s super fun. Makes me want to lace up and run!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews

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