𝐕𝐢𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐬

Vibal Foundation proudly unveils Vida New Adult, its newest imprint dedicated to stories that capture the thrilling, confusing, and transformative years of early adulthood. 

The imprint was officially launched last Aug. 16 at the Ramada by Wyndham Manila Central in Binondo, with six titles that explore themes of love, identity, friendship, and self-discovery—perfect for readers navigating the defining years between 18 and 30.

Mina Esguerra

Vida New Adult’s editor-at-large is Mina V. Esguerra, known in literary circles as a writer and publisher of English-language romance and contemporary fiction. Her contemporary romance novellas have won Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards, and have been featured on NPR, Buzzfeed, the Seattle Review of Books, and more. Esguerra is also an advocate for Filipino authors and readers, and delivers lectures regularly on topics such as writing, publishing, guiding creative communities, and making the romance genre more inclusive.

The Vida New Adult Book Collection features Esguerra’s acclaimed 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘮 𝘎𝘰𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 trilogy, beginning with 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘮 𝘎𝘰𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦, in which scholarship student Hannah Maquiling is chosen to take on the divine mantle of the Goddess of Love at Ford River College. The trilogy follows her journey through emotional dilemmas, supernatural duties, and the complexities of human connection in 𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 and 𝘐𝘤𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦, culminating in a powerful realization about her role in a world where gods and mortals intersect.

Carla de Guzman

Joining the lineup is 𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦, a charming magical romance by Carla de Guzman, where modern-day “plant witch” Ana Kalaw must reckon with ancestral magic, a persistent former flame, and the unexpected blossoming of love. 

Celestine Trinidad

In 𝘎𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘍𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, by Celestine Trinidad, a chance encounter on a rooftop between a burned-out medical student and a man pretending to be a ghost leads to healing, hope, and new beginnings.

Katrina Ramos Atienza

Rounding out the collection is 𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥 by Katrina Ramos Atienza, a heartwarming coming-of-age tale set in a Philippine university, where young women wrestle with academic stress, complicated friendships, and the bittersweet messiness of first love.

Vida New Adult champions narratives that resonate deeply with readers—those finding their voices, carving out their spaces, and learning that the journey to adulthood is as awkward as it is empowering.

From left: Migs Almendras, Jade Albert and Jef Flores

After a fireside chat with the authors moderated by Mina as editor-at-large of Vida New Adult, there was also an entertaining live reading of selected chapters from the newly launched books by voice actors Jade Albert, Jef Flores, and Migs Almendras.