WHAT happens when two people find their way back to each other, but one is still legally bound to someone else?
For Davao-born and raised author Glecy Kim, that question forms the core of When We Were Us, her debut contemporary romance set in Bukidnon.
The novel follows Archer, a man who returns to his hometown to attend his father’s funeral and burial, intending to leave again for the city. But his plans change when his father leaves him with one final request: stay until the 40th day.
During this period, Archer reconnects with his childhood friend, Sienna—a single mother to Abi. What began as a return to familiar grounds slowly brings an old, unspoken attraction to the surface. The complication? Sienna may have moved on emotionally from her failed marriage, but she is still legally married to someone else.
While exploring the vague space between emotionally and legally free, When We Were Us also dives into loss, identity, and the versions of ourselves we leave behind as we grow up. Archer is forced to marinate in the provincial life he thought he had outgrown, while Sienna represents the resilience required when life decides to change direction.
“Most times you don’t get the life you planned for. But that doesn’t mean you don’t get your happy ending. Sometimes, you just have to recalibrate. As they say, ‘Change the plan, not the goal.’”
From Texas to Bukidnon
“Bukidnon was the obvious choice for this story because of its own cowboy and rodeo culture. As a Mindanaoan, I wanted to depict the region in a way for people to see the beauty and richness here,” Kim says.
Originally written for a Western audience, When We Were Us was rewritten several times to bring the story home. By integrating Western romance tropes through a Mindanaoan lens, Kim highlights the rich culture, traditions, and family dynamics of the Philippines while keeping the story universally accessible. It marks the beginning of Northridge Heights, her fictional world composed of people scattered across the Mindanao region. The series will launch with its first two books released back-to-back, giving readers two interconnected standalone stories on the same day.
Owning the Pen
Publishing When We Were Us is a major milestone for Kim. After spending more than a decade ghostwriting, she is finally putting her name on a novel.
“I started ghostwriting as a part-time job when I was a teenager. Over the years, I learned a lot while working with different people in the industry. I always saw publishing as daunting, because it meant letting people read my stories and see the way I see life. It took me a lot of self-arguments before finally deciding to put my stories out into the world.
“When We Were Us isn’t only about people remembering their roots and finding love along the way. It’s an ode to my younger self—because at some point, I thought I was unstoppable. I was reckless and quite delulu, too. This book is a reminder of who I was, the version of myself I lost, and what it made me become. And I think that, too, is a universal language of adulting.”
Book Details
Title: When We Were Us
Author: Glecy Kim
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Slice of Life / Cowboy & Small-town Romance Setting: Bukidnon, Mindanao, Philippines
Series: Northridge Heights (Book 1)
Release: October 2026
Formats: Kindle (KU available) and Paperback
Availability: Amazon (more to be announced)
About the Author
Glecy Kim is a romance author based in Davao. She writes stories exploring love, resilience, and self-discovery against the warmth of small-town life and the cultural richness of the Philippines. When not writing, Glecy can be found reading across genres, watching films, dramas, and animation in search of new inspiration.
