I really love the cover for this book, and I'm happy to say that the story lived up to the expectations set by the cover.

Winnie was a lot of fun to follow because her character voice really animated the story. The reader is fully immersed in her head, experiencing the joys and pains of first love, the highs and lows of adolescence, the hopes and fears that drive Winnie's decisions. She struggles to assert herself, inhibited by insecurities, and that aspect of her personality and character arc really resonated with me because I had a similar struggle when I was her age.

If you love childhood friends to enemies to lovers as a trope, then you'll probably enjoy the romance in this book. It's full of electric-charged romantic tension and barely suppressed yearning. Beyond simply physical attraction, Winnie and Mat have a long shared history together that complicates their feelings for each other. This is as much a story about rekindling friendship as it is a romance. Moreover, Mat plays an important role in pushing Winnie to be honest and communicative about her desires.

Central to the conflict and character development is Winnie's family, her relationships with her parents and with her sisters. The love they share is evident in their interactions, which are a mix of good-humored teasing and more serious discussions. Even as Winnie defies some of her parents rules, she does try to understand where they are coming from and fears losing their love. While she adores her sisters, she also feels trapped in their shadow and unable to shine on her own. These complex feelings enrich the narrative.

One of my favorite aspects of this book is its celebration of Winnie's heritage. It's a love letter to the food, the language, and the traditions of Thai culture. Winnie's narration is loaded with cultural references that lend it a unique texture, which is the kind of thing that I love about own voices books. Thai culture is an inextricable part of Winnie's identity and facilitates her bonding with Mat as well as Taran, the rival love interest who is also Thai American. Her culture isn't an obstacle to overcome or a burden to relinquish.

Last but not least, I really enjoyed how the author sprinkled in references to contemporary Asian American media, including To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Never Have I Ever, and Always Be My Maybe. Each reference felt like a special Easter egg for me as someone who's watched all of the films/shows mentioned and knew exactly what it was alluding to. It's always fun when pieces of media are in conversation with each other, even peripherally.

Thanks to netgalley for the arc of this title. I’m always looking for diverse selections for my classroom and I was so excited to find a novel that focuses on Thai teenagers. The story was cute and fun as well. This will be a great addition to a classroom library.

This is a RIVALS-TO-LOVERS, FAKE-DATING teen rom-com with Thai-American main characters that will have you swooning.

I really liked the plot.
First of all, the plot is SO appealing! Winnie and Mat were childhood best friends who became rivals in middle school. Since then, they haven’t had a single civil conversation. Now, Winnie has to date Mat in order to “practice dating” under her mother’s terms.

But they’re lovers, so of course there’s a ton of snark and sass in their conversations. It was super fun to read their conversations full of banter and witty remarks.

All the first love feels.
Since this is the first time Winnie is dating, we go along with her and feel with her. It was SO ADORABLE to watch her experience dating and being with someone she likes for the first time.

I was honestly smiling wide for about twenty minutes sometime during the book because it was hella cute.

Thai culture representation!
First, ALL THE FOOD. There were so many food descriptions and they were written so well, I was drooling even though I did not personally know of those dishes. It intrigued me enough that I looked up images of the dishes that were mentioned.

Second, the Songkran festival occurs during this book which gives the readers a glimpse into the traditional Thai festival with their amazing food and dances.

There were many other bits and pieces of Thai culture sprinkled throughout the book as well.

All the relationships!
The main relationship that I appreciated seeing was the sisterly bond. Winnie is really close to her sisters but her relationship with them is not completely normal as she is forever like a third wheel to their twin bond. I’ve never seen this portrayed in books before so it was interesting to see the relationship dynamics in that situation.

Asian kids have complicated relationships with our parents. Even if we love our parents, we will not tell them everything because they have completely different ideals about what’s right. Asian parents also have contradicting ideals like what is shown in this book where Winnie’s parents don’t allow dating but expect a fiance within months of going to college. They want the best for us but their idea of the best can be very different.

The plot in this book was one such scenario. I liked how an Asian expectation was taken and put into a rom-com context which is generally not seen in Young Adult books. And while it was light-hearted, the author did explore how differing views can widen the gap between parents and children.

Minor Goan representation!!
Okay so this was the one part of Asian representation in this book which I became very excited about. Winnie’s best friend Kavya is Konkani which is a small group from the west coast of India. Konkani is also the official language of Goa, a state in India.

I like that the author did not go half-way with this representation even though Kavya is only a supporting character. The author introduced who the Konkani people are and also brought in a bit of the culture through food highlights.*

*Pintip Dunn really loved torturing me with all the food descriptions while I’m stuck at home and unable to order.

Overall
It was a light-hearted and cute read which is very easy to read. I finished it in about two days, I think.

If you’re looking for a book that will put a smile on your face, pick this up. If you’re looking for rivals-to-lovers with funny car decorations, pick this up. If you want to know about Thai culture while also getting a cute story, pick this up.

From the start, the tone of is really light and amusing, only teetering on somber during the more emotional parts of the story. The book has a lot of funny moments, especially reading from Winnie's perspective as we see her parents do a complete 360 from not letting her and her sisters date to demanding why they don't have fiances yet! It was also so fun to see Winnie's mom set her up with these fake dates based on iconic rom-com films.

There are a lot of tropes and cliches in this book with fake dating being one of them, and I don't want to divulge the rest in fear of even slightly spoiling the story. I understand that this may be a hit or miss for other readers, but I personally I enjoyed this aspect here.

Another thing I adore about this book is how realistic it is. I may not be Thai, but being raised by traditional Filipino parents in a similar dynamic as Winnie, most of the scenes really spoke to me. Coming from a family with two siblings as well, Winnie's story really spoke to me even beyond the romance aspect. The book shows how Winnie blooms as a person outside of her parents' and sisters' shadows, but instead as her true self. This is something really inspiring to read about and added a lot to my reading experience. Also, I would also like to appreciate how various Thai food and the Songkran Festival were incorporated in the story, giving it more authenticity and introducing Thai culture to the readers.

Now let's talk about the characters. First of all, I just love how Winnie feels as a character because, again, she feels very real. She has her own flaws and her character development is heartwarming to witness. Then there are her twin sisters who I adore as well! Their love for their little sister is so wholesome and just seeps right through the pages. It's also refreshing to read about a book with such a lovely sibling dynamic, where the siblings don't always have to compete with each other. Meanwhile, I would have loved to get to know Kavya more as her own person as she is such a character and it's sad to see her just be the sidekick best friend of the protagonist for the story.

Although I'm not quite sure how to feel about the ending to this story, I still really enjoyed reading this. Dating Makes Perfect is not your typical picture perfect YA contemporary, which makes it all the more appealing! If you're a fan of cute reads and the fake dating trope, then definitely try this one out.

I spent the whole time reading this book sighing, swooning and just smiling. And even after finishing the book, it’s like someone put a hanger in my mouth because of how big my smile is. I can’t believe this is the first time I picked up a book by Pintip Dunn! This will definitely not be the last.

In Dating Makes Perfect, we follow the story of the youngest Tech sister, Orrawin (also called Winnie to her close friends and family) who was thrust into fake dating her ex best-friend. The tech sisters doesnt date but her mother thought that it would be nice for Winnie to learn about dating before actually being in a relationship. What could go wrong? I love each and every one of the characters in this story. EVERY CHARACTER! Winnie is such a relatable protagonist, despite being a Thai-American, I still felt a lot of her struggle being Asian myself. Its so comfortable being the good girl, always being obedient even though in some way its costing your happiness. Winnie really won us over by being an authentic teenager without the toxic and unhealthy traits. She’s the definition of a likeable character. And Mat! Wow, how do I even find words? In fact, I won’t even try. All the characters in this book are engaging and very lovely. There will be nothing bad to say every characters are well written. I also just want to highlight how the author penned the parents. They’re asian parents AND they’re not evil and yet, still authentic. This is how its done!

I really enjoyed the banter between Mat and Winnie, this book contains one of the BEST and the most charming exchanges I’ve ever read. The chemistry between the two just oozes out of the pages and cant be suppressed! I swear, Pintip Dunn can write a whole book about first kisses and nothing else, I’LL BE ON BOARD! I know, I can’t stop taking about the romance, but l also just want to say the Dating Makes Perfect is more than that. It’s also about family, about growing up and about sisterhood. The relationship between Winnie and her sisters is one of the reason why I really adored this story. Winnie envied and admired her big sisters, which is perfectly normal as being the youngest one. This book is also rich with Thai-American culture and its not just used in a surface level or some sort of a prop, which I really liked. All those thai food mentioned! The festival that the author included! Pintip Dunn created a well thought out multi-cultural storyline.

There was some sort of a reveal at the very last few pages of Dating Makes Perfect that I really liked, however, it also left me with this feeling that I wanted it to be explored more which caused the one less star of my rating.

Overall, I highly recommend Dating Makes Perfect for every romance junkie out there. Read it for the lovable characters, addictive writing and Thai culture insights. You will inhale this irresistible book like crack.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy of the e-book which I voluntarily read and am reviewing. This review is based on thoughts and opinions that are strictly my own. Any spoilers are not done on purpose.

1.) Perspective/Narrative Voice

The story is told from Winnie's point-of-view. Her voice is relatable, humorous at times, and easy to believe as that of a teenage girl's. All this, along with its conversational tone, help the story flow consistently and make the pages go right by.

Score: 5/5

2.) Characters (this is not a comprehensive list)

-Winnie: The book's protagonist, she is relatable, funny, and super likable. Generally, her character feels well fleshed out and three-dimensional. She's similar to a lot of YA contemporary main characters who are girls, in that she has one of those "every other girl around me is prettier/I'm so plain and regular/I know nothing about makeup/etc." mindsets. While it isn't at all heavy-handed and is a very realistic mindset for a teenage girl to have, I kind of wish she were a bit more confident in herself. It would've been a breath of fresh air in this genre. Again though, I know it's a realistic mindset and it's mainly my personal desire for more confident heroines coming through.

-Ari and Bunny: They are Winnie's older (twin) sisters and I absolutely adore the bond between all three of them! It's great to see that while Winnie is jealous of them at times, she's still very much their biggest fan and they are equally hers.

-Winnie's Parents: Both are overprotective but their love for their daughters really comes through and they have their own distinct personalities. Winnie's dad is so funny at times in his cluelessness that sometimes leads to awkward situations. There's one particular scene with him that had me actually laughing aloud (I think it'll be clear which, once you read it).

-Kavya: Winnie's best friend, she has such a fun and supportive personality and I love that for Winnie. She reminds me of a lot of best friends you come across in contemporary YA but I don't consider it a bad thing because it's the kind I love.

-Mat: He reminds me of the kinds of YA contemporary romance love interests we're seeing a lot of, in that he's popular + confident without being an actual jerk/mean and he's quite sweet at times (think: Peter Kavinsky). The romantic tension between he and Winnie is so palpable and offers some slowburn (which I looooovvveeeee). More love interests like him please!

-Taran: This character feels a bit shaky at times. In some moments, he seems like a genuine and decent person who make mistakes once in a while, but in other moments, he'll do something that feels like the reader is supposed to view him in a much more negative light.

Score: 4.8/5 (.2 of a point off partly due to Winnie's and Taran's characterizations)

3.) Plot/Storyline

As far as plot goes, the whole friends-to-ex-friends-to-maybe-more concept/trope isn't new, but it is beloved for a reason and is handled well here. The tension/conflict between the characters is realistic enough, though it does fall a little into the "this could probably be fixed/avoided with some communication but we move...." (not to the point of being annoying to me though).

Score: 4.5/5 (.5 of a point off because it wasn't the most original but had some unique elements going for it).

4.) Setting/Worldbuilding

While we may not read contemporary romance for in-depth worldbuilding, every novel requires some level of world-building. There are a lot of really clear and strong descriptions but to me, the neighborhood/town that the story takes place in doesn't feel expansive to feel like a real and concrete place/area.

Score: 4.5/5 (.5 of a point off because I would've liked a better sense of the physical setting, not just a some rooms/areas here and there)

5.) Ending

The ending is pretty much to be expected but it's really sweet to read and left me so happy!

Score: 5/5

**Miscellaneous:

-The story incorporates Thai-American culture through clothing, language, and food. As I’m not Thai-American, I can’t speak on how well this is handled (as mentioned before, this is #ownvoices), but I love how it’s handle in a way that doesn’t feel forced. There’s so much attention paid/description given to the different foods and it was GREAT (even if the dishes were unfamiliar at times)!!

-How gorgeous is the cover???!!!

***Overall Score: 23.8/25***

This was such a fun and lighthearted read with a romance that was easy to root for. If you love YA contemporary romance, you’ll likely love this story as well!

An absolute gem of a novel. Sometimes I read books that take me by complete surprise and this one did exacty that. This has fake-dating, enemies to lovers, and friends to lovers all wrapped in one swooney package and reminds me of a young adult “The Hating Game” mixed with “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.”

The perfect non-steamy romance with an adorable book boyfriend. A charming and sassy five star read I’d recommend to any YA lover!

Blurb: The Tech girls aren’t allowed to date, but Winnie’s twin sisters’ strike a deal with their parents and now Winnie has to go on a series of practice dates with her former best friend and long-time enemy Mat Songsunboon. Chaos and practical jokes ensue and Winnie can’t really tell anymore if it’s loathing she feels flr Mat or something more complicated.

This book pretty much has everything I look for in a five star read: a cast of characters I want to befriend, mouth-watering cuisine descriptions, real world problems and depth, connections that make my heart flutter, and humor. This one has it all and is a complete breathe of fresh air, refreshing and invigorating. I need more Pintip Dunn!

Dating Makes Perfect is a teen dream in my book. Pintip Dunn takes high school senior Winnie Tech on a high school love life adventure. This love story is like a mixture of Twilight and To All the Boys I Loved Before. It’s the story of a girl with a dream of always wanting to date and when that chance comes it has a list of rules that must be followed, including her frenemy Mat Songsomboon. Dating Makes Perfect will bring a smile to your face and a little bit of envy to your heart.

Winnie's parents didn't want her or her sisters to date while they were in high school. Winnie's older twin sisters are now in college, not knowing how to date guys. The twins tell their mom the struggle it is going to be to find them a boyfriend and ends up changing their mom's mind on dating. But changing the mom's mind means that Winnie is going to practice date. Not only is Winnie going to learn how to date for when she is older she is going to fake date her childhood friend turned enemy. But when fake dating Mat turns into potentially falling for a new guy who just moved to town will Winnie follow her mom's rules or will she write her own?

Pintip incorporates her Thai heritage into this amazing story. Not only does Pintip show a family that values the importance of being educated to become successful, but she shows a family who has moved to America from Thailand and is learning that things need to change. I love learning more about the Thai culture and seeing how important family is, as well as having a higher education.

Dating Makes Perfect is the perfect book for any YA reader. The characters are all fun and someone you can relate to one way or another. I love the chemistry that builds between Winnie and Mat. They remind me of my own life and it's fun to see the outcome with the choices they made. Dating Makes Perfect is full of family values, high school choices and most importantly dating! I will recommend this book to any high school teen or anyone who reads YA books for its realism and fun rollercoaster that will leave a smile on your face.

I'll admit, I wasn't expecting to love this book as much as I did. I'm so glad I got the chance to be a part of this blog tour!

Winnie the most adorable, innocent character. I just want to hug her and help her through all of this. I love though, that bag the same time she is super independent and strong girl. I love that she is so tied to her family and their traditions. Her father is the sweetest old teddy bear - I can picture him telling all the dad jokes and providing all the educational materials needed.

The dynamics of the The Tech Sisters had me wishing I had older sisters to share moments like those with. I reminded me of a more grown up, relatable version of the sisters in To All the Boys I've Loved Before. Honestly, I'd get along better with the Tech sisters. They were so close and seemed to look out for one another, but they were still realistic in their personalities and flaws.

I was definitely on Team Mat the entire novel - did not trust Tavan one bit! Mat you could tell there was something behind his actions and it was just a matter of time before we were shown them.

The plot was so interesting and had me curious what would be next. Winnie's mother would pick dates for Winnie and Mat to go on based on Rom-Com movies. I loved so many of the movies she used, but oh my some of the scene's she picked lol - Winnie and/or her sisters had to inform her mom of the inappropriateness of the scenes. Besides, the sometimes less than wholesome origins of the dates, the actual dates seemed like so much fun and I loved how we learned a little more about Winnie and Mat and their childhood friendship. I wish we got to see a little more of Winnie's art and her project, but that was almost left as a side thought (not even plot) - but it was something that I was just intrigued by.

I was very happy with the amount of Thai culture within this book. There was inclusion of different festivals, traditions, gods, and food! Oh, do not read this book hungry because there is so much food sprinkled throughout - festivals = food, dates = food, and family get-togethers = food lol. For someone who has very little knowledge of her Asian heritage, I found all the inclusion of the Thai culture very interesting and I ended up Googling the gods and which one represented my date of birth (Mangala) and my lucky colour (pink!!!).

Overall, this was a perfect, cute read that I was so thankful for. Pintip's writing was easy to pick up and I was able to read this within a day and enjoyed every minute of it. If you enjoyed To All the Boys I've Loved Before, but wanted more culture or characters that felt a little more mature/stronger, then I highly suggest you pick this up! I'd also suggest it if you liked When Dimple met Rishi - for the couples feeling and the culture involvment (although different).

This book was super super cute!
I liked that while obviously it was a romance, it was also mostly about a young girl finding herself. I really enjoyed being immersed in Winnie's life and culture. While it can be great to see yourself in a character sometimes, it's also awesome to learn about cultures different than your own and see a new perspective. One of my absolute favorite things about this story was how rich it was in Thai culture. Dunn writes beautifully about Thai traditions, values, so many glorious dishes, and she even touches on the struggle of being a Thai-American living in the US. I really appreciated getting that closer look into something I didn't know a ton about.

A great addition to any YA collection!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Please see below for my link of Dating Makes Perfect by Pintip Dunn:

https://wordsofmysteryblog.wordpress.com/2020/08/11/blog-tour-dating-makes-perfect-by-pintip-dunn/

This is the rom-com you need in your life.

The story was so cute and wholesome all the way through. I loved all the characters and thought the plot was so much fun!

It also includes an ownvoices Thai-American main character. Dunn writes about the Thai-American culture in a beautiful and lively way that invites the reader in.

I've been trying to figure out why I just loved this book so much. And I think a huge part was that the pacing was so good. There was never anytime I felt the story dragged, and still, there were slower times where the characters just interacted and we got to know them. I was immediately hooked by the story. And every time I picked it up to read more, the story re-caught my attention within a few sentences. It was also so much fun. There are plenty of references to other rom-coms in the most enjoyable way ever. The relationships in the book felt real and fleshed out, both the family relations and friendships.

Sometimes I struggle to fully love rom-coms, because many plots rely on characters making morally gray decisions(in terms of what is or isn't cheating, consent, obsession, etc.), but I didn't at any time feel that way with this book. And the characters actually communicating and opening up with each other was great!

Dating Makes Perfect is the ideal book to pick up if you're in the need of a fun, lighthearted, enjoyable read. Highly recommend!

I LOVED this book!!!! When I was reading this book, I kept thinking of DIRTY RICH ASIANS for some reason. The characters were so relatable. The plot was a little cliche BUT I LOVED it. I'm a sappy, romantic. I really enjoyed reading a story from a different perspective. I highly recommend this story to everyone. You won't be disappointed.

This was a really sweet YA enemies to lovers/childhood friends story. I loved reading about Winnie and her culture. The relationship with her sisters was really sweet. This is a great feel good summer book that many teens would enjoy.

Enemies become best friends and more in a super cute back-and-forth, which leaves giggles, smiles and all sorts of good feelings

Winnie is the third of three Tech sisters (Tech because their last name causes difficulty for most Americans to pronounce). Her older, twin sisters are perfect in every way, leaving her in shadows she can never surpass. There's only one problem. The older sisters insist they won't get married for at least twenty years thanks to not being allowed to date in high school and having no 'guy' experience. The parents realize that their rule of not dating in high school (but yet, they expect their daughters to be married quickly thereafter) might have backfired. So, Winnie gets the chance her sisters never did; she should date. Of course, the usually dating process in the US won't do. Instead, they want her to 'practice' date...which would be weird but okay. Unfortunately, they choose the one guy Winnie would rather die than date. They choose her worst enemy.

This book is sweet and oh-so-cute. The setting—parents from India trying to maintain the ethics and culture in the US—might strike some readers as odd, since the idea of marriage is a bit different. But that makes the story that much more fun. The girls aren't really against their parents' ideas...not completely. But on the other hand, they do have some of their own ideas they stand up for. There's a wonderful sense of family as especially Winnie struggles to find her own way when stuck between the very two different worlds. I love the fact that she never loses respect for her parents and the traditions, but tries to weave everything together as best as she can.

The romance side of this one is simple adorable. Winnie's dislike for Mat, her arch-enemy, has history, and it's easy to understand why things have run amok between them. But the chemistry is also there from the very start. It's hilarious to watch the two go back and forth as they try to handle the situation. All along there are the other issues surrounding her family and friends. It slides together nicely to form a tale, which is easy to read and simply a delight to join in on.

I haven't read a YA novel for a very long time. Quite honestly, I'm afraid if I start diving into YA, I'll go down a rabbit hole and never come out again! Same goes for children's fiction, too. Sometimes thinking about everything I want to read overwhelms me and I panic and hyperventilate. I kid you not.

Sometimes, however, the book universe magic happens, and I'm given the opportunity to read a novel that ends up being so utterly charming and lovable it actually changes the course of my reading plans for the rest of the year. In a bizarre, whirly-gig 2020, what's another shift in my universe? So yes, I'll be incorporating YA into the remainder of my 2020 reading choices.

Dating Makes Perfect had me from the first few pages. I can't say that about a lot of books. Most of the time I have to read about 50 or so pages before I get invested in a story-but Winnie and her family are so engaging I was sucked in immediately. Winnie's older twin sisters are off in their first year of college-and dating a lot. It's a bit of a backfire on Winnie's parents, who forbid their daughters from dating in high school. They wanted to spare their daughters some heartache and also respect their Thai culture. Now Mom wants her daughters to get married and have grandbabies STAT but they've announced since they couldn't date in high school, they're going to spend YEARS dating. Oops. So Mom and Dad have decided Winnie can practice date in high school, so she's ahead of the game when she goes to college.

This is great, only they've picked the young man Winnie has to practice date: Mat. Ugh. Mat and Winnie had been friends all their lives, until about four years before, when suddenly, they went from friends to enemies. And there's a new cute boy who just moved to town that Winnie has her eye on...this could spoil things.

Mat and Winnie have such great chemistry and they sizzle on the pages. Of course their past friendship break up is based on lack of communication and hurt feelings. Mat's willing to go along with the fake dating so he can take a trip after graduation--a trip that rests on his cooperation. Dates are pretty simple: driving Winnie home from school, meeting her at a local festival, accompanying Winnie clothes shopping. However, as they spend more time together, it's apparent both have deep feelings for each other. Can they untangle those feelings and repair their broken friendship? How can Winnie reconcile her feelings for Mat with her desire to obey her parents and be a good Thai girl?

I absolutely loved the incorporation of Thai culture into the story. I appreciated reading about a first generation Thai-American and the difficulty in navigating honored traditions and modern life. Winnie grows by leaps and bounds in this novel, from a young woman who is afraid to go against her parent's wishes, to a young woman who owns her voice and shows her family and Mat just what she wants. Heck yes, I even got a little sniffly a few times.

This novel will be published in August in the U.S. I've already talked to a few co-workers about how much I loved it, and I will certainly be recommending it to friends and family.

A big thank you to Entangled and NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy.

Rating: 5/6 for a completely delightful novel full of characters you will fall in love with very quickly. The weaving of Thai culture with modern American life was so good! I will definitely read more of Pintip Dunn. The chemistry between Winnie and Mat was palpable, and their romance was realistic and full of humor, tears, and great conversations.

Available in August in paperback, audio, and ebook.

A cute read with likable characters.

The book had a slow start to it, where everything just felt hallow, like I was scratching the surface. Once the story really got going I finally felt the emotions of the characters. Its was as if it took them a while to warm up and let it all out.

I did really enjoy the comradery between the sisters. It felt real, like something my sisters and I would say.

Overall, this was a pleasant read with a fun story.

My review will go live on the Book Confessions blog on 8-14-20

This was a perfect summer read! You know the kind, something light and quick and fun. Honestly I haven't been feeling much YA lately but this was the ideal choice for dipping a toe back in, I was able to read it all in two sittings.

The relationships in this book were wholesome and cute. I liked that while obviously it was a romance, it was mostly about a young girl finding herself. I also really enjoyed being immersed in Winnie's life and culture. While it can be great to see yourself in a character sometimes, it's also awesome to learn about cultures different than your own and see a new perspective. One of my absolute favorite things about this story was how rich it was in Thai culture. Dunn writes beautifully about Thai traditions, values, so many glorious dishes, and she even touches on the struggle of being a Thai-American living in the US. I really appreciated getting that closer look into something I didn't know a ton about.

*this review is also on Goodreads as I've linked the review as well*
*I read an advanced copy (ebook) of this book*

Well this is the 2nd book of Pintip Dunn's I've read & I swear she always finds ways to make stories I wouldn't normally think I'd be into, in fact very entertaining & interesting. This book reminded me alot of the book The Best Laid Plans by Cameron Lund (a book also released in 2020 & I enjoyed as well) except Dating Makes Perfect is the Asian (Thai to be specific) version of it & fake dating in different ways as in Winnie's case the fake dates are set up by her parents after finding out their older twin daughters in college might not get married for decades due to lack of experience.

I really felt this book due to the fact my grandmother was born & raised in South Korea & she pretty much raised me & is my best friend. In the same case though that every person who has Asian-American parents (or grandparent in my case) understands what it's like to feel the pressures & expectations in that culture. I constantly find myself reminding my grandma we're not in South Korea anymore & things aren't always the same here or for the new generations (I'm sure all Asian-Americans understand how well that goes over haha). Even though this is about Thai Asian-Americans there was still so many things I found myself relating to right down to the food (which is very vividly described in this book!).

Unlike Winnie though, my grandma just expects me to marry a rich man & accomplish her dreams that she didn't (she married my grandpa thinking he had money when he was stationed in the military in South Korea & learned when they arrived in the United States that my grandpa was in fact.. not rich, though she accepted that in time) & puts the pressure on me & my sister instead. What I'm grateful for is that she didn't ever think setting up fake dates & planning them herself was a good idea, but Winnie on the other hand was not so lucky & to make it worse she was set up on fake dates with her sworn enemy.

I'm not going to lie, I didn't really like Mat at first, but he did grow on me as the story went along & by the end I was hoping they would be able to get through their past issues & fix the special bond they once had as kids. There is a tiny aspect of a love triangle with another Thai boy named Taren, but I was grateful this didn't take over the entire plot of the story as I tend not to like the love triangle thing in books & Pintip found a very good balance with this in my opinion.

I feel like in many different ways this book is enjoyable & relatable to many people & not just Asian-Americans, but don't get me wrong Asian-Americans will be able to feel a close connection to this book as I'm a 3rd generation & I still closely felt connected to this book.

Overall, I'd have to say that I really enjoyed this book & I believe many others will too! It's not just about dating or romance relationships, it's about friends, family, daily life struggles as a teen (which we all either are currently living or will always remember what that was like), high school, so on & so forth. You just got to give it a chance & you never know, you could end up being grateful you read this book & loving it in its own special way like I did! =]

I loved Dating Makes Perfect. It was hugely entertaining with a fresh take on the RomCom formula. A teen who has to go on practice dates? Brilliant. Plot turns and twists kept things interesting. Winnie is a heroine to root for, and her family and love interests are all interesting and engaging characters. Warning - you will crave Thai food during and after reading this book.