No Two Ways

No Two Ways by Chi Yu Rodriguez
Contemporary F/F Romance, LGBTQ+, Filipino Lit
April 27, 2019

AJ Felipe makes the most of being the head information security engineer for a local law firm with the help of her loyal team of nerds. Their job isn’t really the most fun, but things take a turn when one of her junior security engineers decides to nominate her for a makeover show.

Enter Jackie Niño, the one-night stand AJ didn’t expect to meet again—who also happens to be the makeup artist who’s going to get her all dolled up on national television.

More complications arise after the episode is aired and another ghost from her past comes back to haunt her: Axel Herrera, the ex-boyfriend who still thinks she left him because she’s a lesbian.

Spoiler alert: She isn’t.

Being bisexual is hard enough. How will AJ navigate new feelings while finding closure for old heartaches?

(Disclaimer: F/F Romance, On-page F/F and M/F only)

CW: mention of transphobia; mentions of biphobia; depictions of inappropriate workplace behavior

Metro Manila, Philippines

Mekati, Philippines

Mandaluyong, Philippines

Pasig, Philippines

Greenbelt, Philippines

The Fort Strip, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines

BCG (Bonifacio Global City), Metro Manila, Philippines
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Bonifacio High Street

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Bisexual rep
#OwnVoices (Filipino, Bisexual)
Full LGBTQ+ Filipino characters + 1 token straight (or maybe not so straight) character
On-page F/F sex (as well as M/F)
Content warnings in beginning of book, courtesy of author
Author’s preface of bisexual experiences and views may not be the same for others, which is true
MC is a girlboss
K-drama references
Queer Lola’s (grandma’s) in love
Filipino family
Acknowledgement of how the LGBTQ+ community is really “accepted” in Philippines
Filipino food

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Utang naloob = a debt of one’s inner self; debt of gratitude
ano ba = what?
grabe, sarap = very delicious
Siyempre, masarap = of course, it’s delicious
ayoko na = I give up; I don’t want to do it anymore
tabi tabi po = ‘excuse me’ in reference to filipino superstition when entering/nearing areas where ghosts or goblins live
ano pa nga ba = what else?
kolehiyalas = female collegian
anak = child
Po, Tita = ‘po’ used before someone’s name is a term of respect for older people; ‘tita’ is auntie
lola = grandma
lolo = grandpa
kuya = term of endearment for older brother or male relative
walang = no
balita ko = I heard
alam ko = I know
tangina = expression of feelings
yaya = care taker
pababa na po = going down
chismosa = gossip
tuksuhan lang naman = only joking; teasing

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“I do get sucked into a Pinterest blackhole a lot,”
She laughed, and the bed dipped as she sat beside me again. “You? Pinterest?”
I draped myself over the pillows so I could wrap my arms around her waist, nuzzling against the softness of her back.
“I’m more of a Twitter kind of girl.”
“Ooh, she likes drama.” J’s hand slid under the sheet around my waist to rest over my bare hip. “Are you a stan of something then?”

–Chi Yu Rodriguez, No Two Ways (Loc 106-112)

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“The token straight friend has arrived!” Ren yelled.

–Chi Yu Rodriguez, No Two Ways (Loc 272)

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For the most part, the Philippines seemed accepting of the LGBTQIA+ community. But I always knew that there was a thin line between tolerance and acceptance, and my country rarely crossed it.
Being gay was still mostly used for comic relief, and being a lesbian was commonly brushed off as a phase. Never mind being bisexual; trans, ace, enby, or any other part of the spectrum.”

–Chi Yu Rodriguez, No Two Ways (Loc 744-746)

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It was never the most comfortable experience explaining my sexuality to other people. Being bisexual was literally not black or white.

–Chi Yu Rodriguez, No Two Ways (Loc 1100)

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“You can’t assume whether a person’s straight or not just by how they act or present themselves.”

–Chi Yu Rodriguez, No Two Ways (Loc 1116)

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“If I were to meet a person and they were put off by a woman wearing pants, then no thanks.”

–Chi Yu Rodriguez, No Two Ways (Loc 1180)

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I was secure in my faith as I was in being bisexual.

–Chi Yu Rodriguez, No Two Ways (Loc 1587)

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I didn’t waste time on people who chose to judge or question my sexuality. If they had a problem with me being bisexual, it was always an easy “good riddance.”

–Chi Yu Rodriguez, No Two Ways (Loc 1605)

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I’d always felt uncomfortable about sharing the permanent parts of my life with temporary people.”

–Chi Yu Rodriguez, No Two Ways (Loc 1900)

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“Sexual harrassment is sexual harrassment. Just because your friends think it’s all in good fun, doesn’t mean everyone else will.”

–Chi Yu Rodriguez, No Two Ways (Loc 2000)

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Chi Yu Rodriguez has many feelings. Sometimes these feelings find their way to paper in the form of short stories and fiction online. Sometimes they don’t come out at all and end up as unresolved sexual tension or terrible internal angst.

She prefers making imaginary people go through these feelings for her pleasure. Her muses hate her for it, and they repay her by being forever fickle.

She wrestles with them in her head everyday.

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