The best way I can think of describing this book is "a wild ride." I was at the edge of my seat wondering how Meddy and her aunties were going to get away with murder, literally, but also found myself laughing out loud (something that does not happen for me often) and cheering on some potential romances. The only thing I will warn going into reading this is to be prepared for some ridiculous-ness - I believe it's fully intentional and if you're prepared for some crazy antics from the start, you'll enjoy this book. It's unlike anything I've ever read.

Meddy has lived under her mother and aunt’s expectations her entire life. She broke free of the Chinese-Indonesian culture expectations during college, but broke up with the love of her life and settled back home. When she accidentally kills her date she was set up with, her mother and aunt’s step in to help her.

This was such a cute and fun little story. I really had fun reading it and I bet it was even more fun for the author to write! I’m very glad that I read her author’s note and I think it’ll be important that reader’s review it ahead of time. The stereotypical dialogue may make some readers uncomfortable, which is why the author addresses it ahead of time. I love the idea of a family curse passed down, how family members hold onto tradition, but in the end, they just want what’s best for their loved ones. Meddy’s mother and aunt’s are hilarious! I loved their witty banter and sibling rivalry.

“.. I feel the weight of their expectations, as if I have four mothers and all of their hopes and dreams have been placed on my shoulders. I’m basically driven by a mixture of caffeine and familial guilt.”

Dial A for Aunties comes out 4/27.

Dial A For Aunties takes us on a journey of a few days, where Meddy Chan accidentally kills the blind date her mother set her up on, instills the help of her mother and 3 aunties to hide the body while they figure out how to handle it while working a super fancy wedding that weekend that will elevate their family wedding business. And Meddy's college boyfriend Nathan, who she abruptly left because she didn't want to disappoint her family and move across the country with him, shows up and wants her back.

It's a mess...BUT IN THE BEST WAY. This book has absolutely no sense of reality and that is why it is such a great damn book! I've seen so many reviews that disliked it because it wasn't realistic...so?! Do you read Fantasy? Sci Fi? Do you watch ridiculous tv shows? Sometimes ridiculousness is needed! Stop questioning the logic behind every single decision and let yourself be entertained!

This book was cute, funny and so sweet, and while I love a romance (and Nathan is a great love interest), it was Meddy's relationship with her family that was the star. They were hilarious and loyal as hell and their interactions brought a huge smile to my face on every page.

If you love a crazy, dramatic yet hilarious escape, READ THIS!

The perfect choice if you enjoy a hilarious mystery - like the show Dead to Me or the book Finlay Donovan is Killing It with a spice of Crazy Rich Asians. I am not a fan of thrillers or horrors but these mystery comedies are a hit for me. I think I found a new favorite niche genre that I love - like contemporary romance mystery comedies???

This book will have you laughing the whole way through as you devour this book to find out what happens in the end with these crazy family antics. I read this book in one day because I truly could not put this book down! I love crazy family drama books so obviously I was a sucker for this one.

I had read a few other 5 star reviews of this book before I went in so I had pretty high expectations for this one but I still loved it. I highly recommend if you are looking for a fun bingeable read that will have you laughing but also warm your heart.

Thanks a MILLION to the publisher for an ARC of this absolute GEM in exchange for an honest review.

I read this book in one sitting. I started it at 1 AM and it is now 4:15. I have a Zoom class in 6 hours and 45 minutes and I literally do not care because this was a total RIDE and worth the the zoning out I’ll be doing in class later on.

The humour? Elite. The family dynamics? On point (truly startling how similar Indian and Chinese family dynamics are tbh). The romance? Swoon worthy! I want a Nathan!!

This book will keep you on your toes the ENTIRE time. No joke. I can guarantee you will not be able to guess what happens when you flip the page.

The plot was fast paced, the characters were amazing and easy to connect to, and I seriously don’t have a bad thing to say about this book.

Truly cannot recommend this book enough and I am just so happy I found this on NetGalley because it had quickly become one of my favourite contemporaries.

This book was a WILD ride. I signed on for a modern romance and got much, much more. You really do have to suspend your disbelieve a bit when reading this, but it was fun and humorous, and touching.

I am unsure if there will be a wide audience for this one, but I will definitely recommend it to my readers who enjoy New Adult, Romance, and AAPI titles. This one was a winner for me, and I hope others enjoy it just as much as I did.

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto is humorous standalone novel. We meet our heroine, Meddelyn (Meddy) Chan, who is a wedding photographer for her family’s wedding business. Meddy lives with her mother, and is also constantly surrounded by her three aunts, none having husbands. Meddy does get frustrated when they are always trying to fix her up with a potential husband, and is shocked to learn her mother set her up for a date, using an online site, pretending to be her. Of course, the ladies all have a number of language barriers (Chinese, Mandarian, Taiwanese, etc), which does cause confusion at times, especially for Meddy, who knows some but is more Americanized.

When Meddy agrees to go on the date, she meets Jake, who was nice at first, but when he started making advance suggestions, she tries to leave, and he insists to take her home. While in the car, he starts getting very hands on and forcing himself on her, and to her defense, Meddy uses a taser that she always carries with her on Jake; the car crashes, and Jake ends up dead. Meddy runs home and tells her mother, who in turn calls the aunts to come and help them hide the body.

What follows is a wild insane and crazy adventure with the ladies trying to move the body, and at the same time make sure the big expensive wedding they are planning for the next day goes as planned. Unfortunately, every step along the way to hide the body, is a disaster (trunk, cooler, frozen body, etc.). At this point, the story gets even weirder, absurd, and humorous, though I did find it a bit over the top, as well as a little repetitive. While this is going on, Meddy meets her old college flame, who she stills loves, but she left to help her family with their business; now he is a part owner of the hotel where the wedding is. This is a difficult review to write, as everything was constantly going back and forth.

Dial A for Aunties was a wild and funny story, with the aunts and Meddy’s mother playing a major part in their humor. Meddy also a very good character, as she was in the middle of this all. Jesse Q. Sutanto did write a hysterical story, even if I thought it was a bit much. If you enjoy wild antics, crazy aunts & mother, hiding bodies, and an overall wedding romp, you need to read this book.

I had been looking forward to reading this book ever since I first read the back cover copy. The author's introduction/author's note at the beginning of the book solidified my impression that this was going to be a good book. I enjoyed the dual timelines between the heroine's college life and current life, both progressing along in the story, and I enjoyed the prologue setup, though it was entirely telling rather than showing. On to the story and what caused me to rate it two stars.

I was uncomfortable with how after graduating from college, Meddie breaks up with the love-of-her-life (and the hero of this story) Nathan. She has made up her mind that she cannot abandon her mother and aunts and move away from home. So when Nathan gets the job in NYC, she tells him that she has stopped loving him, all so he wouldn't sacrifice his NYC job for her. He is utterly shocked. It is one thing to be self-sacrificing, but quite another to lie like that and break his heart. Why did she not opt for an honest conversation where she lays out all the reasons she cannot move? Instead, she chooses to break up with him in the worst way possible. He had hoped to marry her. I thought she was very insensitive to his feelings and immature in how she handled the situation.

My belief in her immaturity was solidified by what happens with her ill-fated date with Jake.

Yes, Jake was totally behaving like a creep and a threat to her in the car, and she was justified in being scared by his behavior. But tasering him while he is driving fast is a surefire way to getting both of them badly hurt or killed. Luckily for her, despite the car wrapping around a tree, she is OK and her car is dented but OK, but Jake is so badly hurt that she thinks he is dead. I was then horrified that instead of using his phone to call 911; or walking to get help; or somehow maneuvering him out of the way on the roadside, driving to get help, and returning with the help, she stuffs him in the trunk of her car.

Then she drives home to her mother and lets her mother and aunts take care of her and the situation. She shows no maturity even at 26, no remorse, and no conscience. I read in horrified fascination as she, her mother, and her aunts all eat and joke and laugh while Jake lies unconscious or dead in the car trunk. Then they drive him over and put him in a cooler, which the next day, gets put on a boat to an island, and so on.

I know we are supposed to be laughing along with all these shenanigans, but my sympathies were all with Jake and none with Meddie. I kept on hoping Jake would wake up soon and go on home, chastened by what has happened to him. Instead, the horror kept going on.

I had hoped so much from this book. The author paints a wonderful picture of her aunties at the beginning, and I had hoped they would do madcap stuff, which they did, except, I did not want them do to it with a "dead" body. That was just not funny.

(BTW for a 5'2" petite girl to lift a deadweight grown man, who outweighs her by a lot and is much taller than her, is impossible. So that whole thing of her moving him from the driver's seat into the trunk is completely unbelievable. I know we're supposed to suspend disbelief at this point, but it is a bridge too far for me. Implausible things I can take in stride, but this is impossible.)

This was a fun read, overall. I liked Meddy, as well as her meddlesome aunties. Some plot points were a bit over the top and unbelievable. The pace was active, but there was a bit too much going on sometimes. I heard rumors about this being picked up by Netflix. I think I would enjoy it more as a show, as then I could truly experience the aunties' antics. The cast of aunties totally stole the show. This had the feel of some of my favorite 80s movies: Clue and Weekend at Bernies. If you're looking for a diverse, lighthearted, quick read, this is a book to check out.

These contemporary romance mysteries are everything to me, I've been absolutely LOVING them lately & this book went right to the top of my love list along with Killer Content & Finlay Donovan is Killing It.

With incredible characters, the sweetest second chance romance and a fantastic setting of a wedding on an island resort this book had the ultimate recipe of a book I knew I would love and it did not disappoint. Meddelin Chan and her at times overwhelming Aunties made me laugh so hard, anything that could go wrong did so with spectacular fashion, soon met by MORE crazy antics, hilarious moments and such a fun cast of characters. I devoured this book, and am already so excited to add this book to my shelves when it releases.

& the surprising twist had me SO excited, and that ending made it even more worth all of the moments leading up to it. This book was the perfect blend of love, family and mystery, I need ALL the books like this one, all the time, I cannot wait to see what Jesse Q. Sutanto writes next!

A MUST read, thank you so much to Berkley publishing + NetGalley for providing me an eARC in exchange for my personal thoughts.

THIS BOOK WAS SO FUCKING FUNNY. How the hell did the author manage to make something so morbid so entertaining??? 😅

The only thing I didn't enjoy about this book was the insta-love and how too in-love the two characters involved in were, even though they'd been separated for years. But then again readers are kinda warned right at the beginning. The first chapter's commentary is :

"There might be insta-love and also someone might die. We'll see."

These commentaries or whatever they're called were so entertaining 😂👌I can guarantee you will LAUGH OUT LOUD while reading this book.

I loved the family relationships, the mother and aunts were SO hilarious and it's obvious they deeply care for one another even if they're constantly bickering. Also what happens when your mom (who doesn't really understand the younger generation's way of texting) tries to set you up. Yup. Oops. 😂💦🍆

ALSO it was so great to read a book with Asian parents who support an artistic career path for their child, instead of pushing for some high profile careers (like medicine or law)

AND even through all the morbidity and hilarious mess, I loved how the main character discovered herself and grew through it all.

P.S. The groom. Jesuuuuus I hate the guy lol (it's the point).

This book reminded me of Crazy Rich Asians in some ways, like because of the lavishness of the wedding, drama, and the importance of family. So if you loved that one, you'll definitely love this book 🙌

Let me start off by saying , that if you like soap operas you will probably love this story . It’s equal part unbelievable and entertaining, this would make a really great movie. It’s a story that’s a bit ridiculous , so don’t over think or over analyze , it’s fiction, it’s a novel. Enjoy .
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Basically, our main Meddy accidentally kills a guy and then her family helps her cover it up, all while trying to pull off a wedding. Y’all, it’s quirky, frustrating , and a fun quick read.

Thanks to the publisher to my gifted copy.

Flew through this cute but different Murder rom com? The characters were hilarious, the plot was engaging!

This romcom — about an Indo-Chinese wedding photographer who accidentally kills her blind date and enlists the help of her mom and three meddling aunties to cover it up — had me in stitches! I laughed so hard and enjoyed every moment of the story.

What you’ll find in Dial A For Aunties:
🎂 big family drama,
🌿 plenty of shenanigans,
📱 a strong dose of hilarity
🥰 ... and a heartwarming story of appreciating family
💝 (with a lighter romance element).

I think fans of My Big Fat Greek Wedding would really enjoy it. Loved the nods to the author’s Indo-Chinese background, as mentioned in the author’s note that prefaced the book. I’ve been reading a lot of darker stories lately, and while they’ve been great, it was refreshing to binge this addictive romance. Huge thank you to Berkley Romance & Berkley Pub for providing a free e-galley of the book! Out April 27!

As someone with a large family, and lots and lots of aunties, this one was A RIDE. Utterly fun and entertaining the whole read through. I will say that you do need a certain measure of suspended disbelief when reading this, since it's pretty out there. There was also a point where this book was going to way too many directions, and Sutanto needed to bring it all back in before the end, but it's a light one and if you are looking for a lighter, zany read, this is a solid choice for you!

This was a fun novel about family and Chinese Indonesian culture. I'm going to review it for the Asian Review of Books closer to the publication date, so it will appear on that site in late April.

At one point whilst reading Dial A for Aunties, I said to myself, “Self. You are one sick cookie for laughing at the description of a dead man being carted around in a cooler by a bunch of middle-aged Chinese-Indonesian women.” However, Jesse Q. Sutanto makes it impossible to keep a straight face in this gorgeous mashup of cozy mystery/romcom/second generation immigrant experience. The poignant foreword to this book packs a punch and stays with me still, as Sutanto explains the dialect used by the aunties in the novel. “I’m aware while writing this that I’m straddling a very fine line between authenticity and stereotype, and it’s my hope that this book defies the latter.” Indeed, it does. Meddy, the heroine of the book, has a lot on her plate. She accidentally kills a blind date, is dealing with unspoken resentment at the cultural expectations of her mother and aunts and has just run into the love of her life who she let get away after graduating college. Most of this occurs against the backdrop of an elaborate Chinese-Indonesian wedding and an attempted robbery. If it sounds banana pants, it is, in the best way possible. This book is so much fun – five stars all the way.

I went into this book not being totally sure what I was in for. What I got was a hilarious and unique romantic comedy, heavy on the comedy, that had me laughing throughout. It had an element of murder mystery, family drama, and a little love story sub plot.

The story follows Meddelin (Meddy) Chan, a Chinese-Indonesian woman who is a wedding photographer in the family business with her mom and Aunties. Meddy gets set up on a blind date with someone who turns out to be actual human garbage. They get into an accident and when she comes to, he is dead. She panics and goes to her mom and aunties for help. What ensues is the most ridiculous and hilarious adventure to dispose of a body, which goes awry in every way possible.

There is also a love story at play when Meddy’s college boyfriend, A.K.A., the one that got away, unexpectedly makes a return to her life. It just happens at the worst time possible, when she is trying to, you know, dispose of the body of a man she accidentally killed.

I loved this book so much. I was so invested in this family. The way Meddy relates to her parents and Aunties is so sweet and funny. The way the aunties relate to each other, the hierarchy at play, it’s just pure comedy. I also love that there is this deep dive into Chinese-Indonesian culture, which was so interesting.

Okay, so within the first few chapters it's very clear that this book is going to be a ride. And it totally was. Pure entertainment, with a dead body and everything. I pretty much tore through it. However, I'm having trouble rating it higher, purely because of the ending. Sutano had so many plots going in so many directions, and it was great, but all of a sudden the book was ending, and everything needed to come together... and it did? But not in a way that was satisfying to me. If you're looking for a rollicking good time with a dash of family drama and some Weekend at Bernie's shenanigans, this is definitely the book for you, despite my discontentment with the ending.

Ok this is my favorite book I’ve read in a while. It had major Dead to Me vibes (show on Netflix. I likely will choose this book for a summer reading group as it was a perfect addition to the women’s fiction world. Thanks so much for the opportunity to read this early !