I don't know when I last laughed so hard. This book emphasizes the comedy in rom-com.

Meddy is the only daughter of her mother and her mother's three sisters, her Aunties. In their Chinese-Indo culture, Meddy feels pressure to be a good daughter, stay with her mother, and join the family business.

Her family is equally supportive of her. When Meddy goes on an awful blind date that goes horribly wrong (as the introduction to part one says, someone may die), her Aunties all help to fix the problem. It's a series of hijinks where everything goes wrong and problems amplify. There is a romance as well, but it's secondary to the family drama.

The author's note talks about how Sutanto wanted to represent Aunties like her own authentically while not crossing over into stereotypes. I was impressed by how well she managed that balance. Each of Meddy's aunties was unique, and i loved the whole cast of characters.

TW: attempted sexual assault, car crash, dead body

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the eARC.

DIAL A FOR AUNTIES, by Jesse Q. Sutanto, has all the right ingredients for a madcap, over-the-top, entertaining extravaganza! This book is appealing to those who can suspend their sense of reality, and lose themselves in a fast-paced story that is part murder mystery, part rom-com, and full of Chinese-Indonesian family dynamics. The quirky central characters (especially the meddlesome aunties) are endearing and I enjoyed a peek into the extravagant weddings favored by the culture, (à la Crazy Rich Asians). Ms. Sutanto writes with a fresh voice, capturing the essence of protagonist, Meddy Chan, while effectively representing her mother and aunt’s generation for contrast. With a page-turning, zany plot, I found it almost impossible to put the book down… it definitely fits the bill for “just one more chapter” until the very last page is read.

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a fun romp that had me continuously laughing at the antics in this humor tales that boast a quirky cast of characters that never let you down for one minute. The narrative was visually descriptive with engaging dialogue that had me re-reading just to make sure I read what I read the first time. I could not help root for Meddy and her family. What an enjoyable and delightful tale.

You know Murphy's Law, where everything that can go wrong, will go wrong? Meddy Chan would like to have a word with Mr. Murphy....

Meddy Chan didn't want to go on the blind date her mother set her up on (and especially didn't ask for her to do so through an online dating profile in Meddy's name), but she definitely didn't expect it to end with her accidentally killing the guy. Panicked, Meddy turns to the four women in her life who are the biggest source of love, comfort, and headaches in her life: her meddlesome mom and her three aunts, who of course come to the rescue.

Fortunately, as Meddy and her aunts run a successful wedding business ("Don't leave your wedding to chance, leave it to the Chans!"), they're pretty good at making plans and working together, no matter how much bickering and snide commentary is involved. Overnight, however, things go from bad to worse when the cooler they put the body in is taken to the exclusive, high-dollar, over-the-top island wedding that is the Chans biggest event of their entire lifetimes. Can they make sure that the wedding goes off without a hitch and the dead body isn't found? And what will happen when Meddy comes face to face with the love of her life, the college boyfriend she broke up with four years previously... who is still as in love with her as she is with him.

"Dial A for Aunties" is a hilarious and heartfelt romcom debut from Sutanto, where her love for her Indo-Chinese family is practically palpable in the writing and interwoven with some of the funniest dialog and breathtaking plot twists. Also, plot twist: they're breathtaking because you are laughing and laughing hard. Because every time you think "It cannot possibly get any worse for Meddy and the Aunties", you are wrong. Very wrong. Because not only does it get worse, it gets worse at the worst possible times, often leading to hilarious shenanigans at the hands of the Aunties, leaving poor Meddy to try and pick up the pieces, cause distractions, and attempt to be the voice of reason (and fails because she's not Big Aunt; Big Aunt is Big Aunt for a reason).

Again, though, at the heart of this story is the love that Meddy has for her mother and aunts, and they for her and each other. They'll literally hide a body for each other (and keep hiding it throughout the most important day of their lives to boot). So even though Meddy sometimes has complicated feelings about her family and feels a bit smothered under the expectations of her, at the end of the day, family is family and they find ways to work through whatever problems life throws at them together and support each other.

A brilliant adult debut for Jesse Sutanto, and I look forward to reading her next works!

I. Could. Not. Put this book down. It's so off-the-wall, so quirky, and so much fun! In addition to all the hijinks and hilariousness with Meddy, Ma, and the Aunties, there's a strong sense of familial love...and a crazy-sweet romance. (no spoilers!) Get ready to laugh your head off! I can't wait for this book to release into the world!

This was a fun read! The characters are well developed, funny and great banter. The plot was original and would make a great movie!

Do you love family stories? What about murder mysteries? What about wedding drama? Want a will they/won't they that doesn't make you crazy?

IF yes to at least one of these, you're going to LOVE Dial A for Aunties. This is a fun book, with surprises all the way through. I recommend just jumping in, this book will speed by!

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This book is ridiculously fun! It is over-the-top but in the best way. How often can you find a truly amusing book? I get asked all the time and now I finally can recommend one. Yes, it is unrealistic and all that but you can't help but just crack up. Think Weekend at Bernie's meets Crazy Rich Asians. I loved all of the characters but the Auntie are the best!

Rating: 3.5 stars

This book was definitely the most unique rom-com I have ever read by far.

Meddelin Chan has grown up knowing about a curse that ultimately leaves the women in her family menless. She stays close to home unlike her cousins and remains close to her family, which includes her aunts and her mother, and helps with their wedding business as a photographer.

The family in this book is one that I really liked. They were always there for her even if that means concealing a dead body, ha. Just like any other family, they also meddle especially her mom who tries to find her a husband. All of this played into the plot well and made for some funny moments. I also liked the author’s note about how the character’s resemble her family in ways.

I did mention funny moments and although I laughed a bit, there were also times that should have been funny but they just weren’t for me and I am sure this is just because of my own preference on what I find funny. My sense of humor is kind of bland and I do think other readers will like the quirkiness of the story more than me. But it’s not like I didn’t like it overall. I’m complicated. 🤷‍♀️😂

The romance is one that involves a second chance at love with the one who got away. There is a bit of development for it as there are past-tense chapters to explain what happened between them and why it didn’t work the first time. There isn’t too much development in the present-tense but I think this is due to the other plot points which I didn’t mind.

Overall, I liked this one and am looking forward to more books by this author.

Oh my GOD. This book had me rolling on the floor laughing and sharing the plot with everyone around me. This is Crazy Rich Asians meets Weekend at Bernie's and sheer perfection. This is a comedic family-focused tale steeped in tradition and expectations. The relationsip between Meddy and her aunties was so realistic, and it shows in Jesse's bio at the end where she mentions how large her family is.

Basically this story is Murphy's Law - anything that can go wrong, will - and I couldn't stop turning the page.

If you loved Crazy Rich Asians, but wish it had a murder mystery thrown in, then this book is for you! This is a madcap adventure featuring a big wedding, surprise ex-boyfriends, and lots of aunties!

This was such an unexpected treat. This is a murder-comedy, which might sound strange but is sort of in the same genre as something like Clue or Weekend at Bernie's. It has a lot of super funny moments, while also diving into meatier topics like familial expectations, lost love, and culture. Meddy's mother and aunties were absolute gems. If you're looking for a lighthearted diverse read with a smattering of romance, pick this one up!

This books was such a wild ride, but I loved every second of it. Right from the start we're immersed in the complicated family dynamics Meddy has to navigate as she deals the expectations of her mom and aunties. Things quickly go sideways when she's pressured into a blind date that turns into an accidental murder. The hijinks that followed as her and her family tried to deal with it were hilarious. The second-chance romance between her and her college sweetheart was icing on the cake. This book was hilarious, fast-pace, and a good time.

Meddy has always felt the pressure to be a good daughter even if it means not pursuing her dreams. Instead she finds herself working in the family wedding business. When the blind date her mother set up goes horribly wrong her 4 Asian aunties leap into action to save the family. Unfortunately things don't go quite as planned and they end up trying to dispose of the problem in the middle of a million dollar wedding they are working on a private island. Add in the man that Meddy let get away as the owner of the resort.and the stakes not to mess things up become even higher. A story of family full of love, support, demands, chaos, and finding your place.

5 hilarious + witty + couldn't put down stars to this absolutely hysterical masterpiece by Jesse Sutanto! This book has been described as a "blend of the films: Crazy Rich Asians and Weekend at Bernie's" and I couldn't agree more.

Meddelin Chan is a wedding photographer in business with her three well meaning but incredibly meddlesome aunties and her mother. They have snagged a huge wedding at a new resort which is a lucrative opportunity for their small family business to flourish. Except, the night before the wedding, they accidentally kill who they think is the hotel's owner. Can they pull off the glamorous wedding of the century and not get caught? What follows is a story of unbelievable twists, turns and laugh out loud mix-ups. Turns out that disposing of a body at an island resort with two thousand wedding guests isn't the easiest task- but Meddy's aunties are up for any challenge. This story had me charmed from the first page and kept me guessing until the very end.

Pub day is April 27th- be prepared to laugh until you cry! Thrilled to say it's already been optioned by Netflix for a film.! Thank you so much to Netgalley + Berkley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Dial A For Aunties is so witty and such a fun and easy read. I actually laughed out loud on a few occasions. The chapters are short, which made the story easily digestible. However, it's the twists and turns that will truly keep you enticed. As the action picks up in the final few chapters, I basically breezed through the rest of the book as I wanted to learn how everything came together. Since the book is being turned into a film, I can't wait to see how they adapt the story for the screen.

This book is hilarious! Part rom-com, part mystery, part family shenanigans - it's impossible to classify other than laugh-out-loud funny. As long as you don't expect realism and are willing to go along for the ride, it's an incredibly fun read. I finished it in a day and wanted to spend more time with Meddy and her aunties.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f second chance romance
-friends to lovers
-amazing and vibrant cast of characters
-just so funny
-some weekend at Bernie's vibes

I loved this one so much. It was the perfect mix of romance and 'oh what do I do with this dead body'? The entire situation was just so well thought out and funny. Trying to dispose of the body of the man you went out with for one date, who your mother kind of catfished, ending up at your exes/love of your life's hotel, while your aunt and mother try to help you. It was the right mix of ridiculous and just grounded in love for family and asking for what you wanted. The author's note at the beginning of the book and set the mood for a beautiful story, I loved all the aunties and Meddy's relationship with her mother.

I have to give a special shout out to the love story in this one, which was more the b plot but was woven throughout. While we only got glimpses of Nate and Meddy's past relationship, I was immediately invested and adored Nate. A piney boy ready to risk it all for you, sawoon.

Rating: 5
Steam: 1

CW: uh the corpse being carted around, threat of sexual assault, racism

After reading and loving Jesse Q. Sutanto's The Obsession, I was delighted to get the ARC for her upcoming novel Dial A For Aunties.

This is a murder / comedy / family drama, all set at an over-the-top wedding. I read this one right after Knit, Purl, A Baby and a Girl, which was sweet new characters set to a very familiar formula.  In Dial A For Aunties, I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen next. NO IDEA. I kept wondering how Meddy and the aunties were going to get out of this one, but then something even crazier would happen.

Without any more spoilers than the back of the book, Meddy accidentally kills her blind date when she's defending herself from his advances. They're on a deserted road in the middle of nowhere, where he was planning to have his way with her, so when Meddy finds herself completely alone with a corpse, she panics and calls her mom and her mom's three sisters. They immediately spring into auntie-action.

The Chans are also putting on a massive wedding at the same time, in a family business where Big Auntie bakes wedding cakes, Second Aunt does bridal makeup, Ma does the flowers, Fourth Auntie is a singer, and Meddy is the wedding photographer. They'll need to hide the body, dispose of the body, concoct an alibi or five, and keep the massive wedding running smoothly. Oh, and there's also a jewel heist, a surprise return of an ex and a surprise queer romance coming.

Meddy's well-meaning aunties, their surprising resources in a crisis (Fourth Auntie's  absinthe comes in a little too handy...), and the general high-drama of a massive wedding result in a ridiculous dark comedy with family loyalty at the heart.

Recommended for everyone, but especially for fans of lady heists, like in Pretty Things, over-the-top weddings, family dramas, and dark comedies in general. Also, if you like this one, read The Obsession, too.