WRITTEN BY CHARLIE ST. CYR
Boyfriend Mo?
One guarded heart. One determined grad student. And a love story that might need subtitles.
Devonté, a Black American grad student from New Orleans, has one major distraction this semester—and her name is Tala. She’s brilliant, reserved, and all business—a no-nonsense Filipina from the San Francisco Bay Area who’s as guarded as she is captivating. He’s been crushing on her since day one, but winning her over will take more than charm and Southern smooth talk.
Armed with determination, a crash course in Filipino culture, and an overly invested (and occasionally unhinged) co-worker, Devonté sets out to prove he’s more than just talk.
But between Tala’s fiercely traditional parents and a past she keeps under lock and key, cracking her defenses may be more complicated than any thesis. Can Devonté’s persistence, heart, and a few hilarious cultural missteps earn him a place in her world? Or will this love story get lost in translation?
One thing’s for sure: when the Bay meets the bayou, sparks—and laughs—are guaranteed.
About the book
This fiction book is a cross-cultural, multilingual romantic dramedy that explores love, persistence, and the courage it takes to break down emotional walls. At its heart, it’s a sweet, witty, and deeply heartfelt story about what happens when two people from vastly different worlds try to make love work—sometimes awkwardly, sometimes hilariously, but always with sincerity. While words may occasionally get lost in translation, their connection shines through in every laugh, gesture, and shared moment. Think of it as a rom-com with emotional depth, cultural nuance, and plenty of laughs along the way.
It’s the first book of Charlie’s Lost in Translation, Found in Love series. A heartfelt novel series that celebrates the beauty of diversity, language, and connection. Through fun, emotional, and deeply human storytelling, each book explores the lives and loves of characters from underrepresented communities around the world. From cultural misunderstandings to unspoken truths, this series reveals that love doesn’t require perfect translation—it just requires an open heart. Because sometimes, what’s lost in translation is exactly where love is found.