I used to be obsessed with office romances but I think that phase is long gone. I loved the idea of workplace romance when I was younger but I think they just become to similar after you have read quite a few. Sadly, I had to DNF this one.

Distinctly Californian Asian American romance in workplace setting, which was fun as context. I didn’t love the writing or the characters though… I was entertained but felt at a distance from the story.

I love a romcom that involves multicultural families, heartwarming friendships, and a charming San Francisco backdrop. As someone who has a non-American family background and has lived in San Francisco, this premise really had me so excited! The store wasn't perfect by any means, but it really got me with the general setting and family vibes. Matt and Cadence, colleagues at a high-powered real estate firm, unexpectedly find themselves posing as a couple during a business trip to Matt's hometown. As their fake relationship deepens into real feelings, work challenges and family dynamics threaten their happiness. While the premise is sweet and engaging, the story's quick start lacks character depth, and some middle parts drag. The ending was really sweet though, so overall a 3 stars from me!

This was definitely cute, but not one of my favorites. I am glad that I tried it though because I will definitely be picking up this author again.

Circling Back to You by Julie Tieu is a delightful and heartwarming read that is perfect for fans of lighthearted, emotional, and humorous contemporary romance, particularly those who enjoy workplace romances, stories about Asian Americans, and friends-to-lovers tropes, as it masterfully weaves together themes of family, ambition, and self-discovery in a relatable and endearing way.

Nothing sadder than the title being better than the actual book 😭 Plus I like some angst! Give me the angst!

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Circling Back to You was a pretty cute workplace romance. In this, you will meet Matt and Cadence. Together, they work at a real estate company and are sort of friends. He's a broker, and she's an analyst. When they get put on the same project, their friendship becomes stronger and deeper.

Upon entering Matt's hometown, they somehow end up being a fake couple when meeting his family. I don't think either were prepared for how much his family would actually like her, or vice versa. It also gets super complicated when their family problems and feelings for each other start to mingle with work-related issues. Promotions and possible new jobs can be hard to balance when trying to form a new relationship.

Other than that, I did actually like these two and how their romance developed. I also really liked getting to see them interact with their families. The only thing that was a little annoying was the overall pace of the book. It kind of lagged somewhere in the middle, and I don't really know why or how to explain it.

In the end, this was a cute book, and I will definitely want to read the next one that Julie writes.

Real rating: 3.5

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

Cadence Lim is a great analyst for Prism Realty. But she wants more in her career and is struggling to deal with a difficult relationship with her father. Her closest work colleague, Matt Escanilla, is a good friend but also dealing with his own family struggles, with the pressure of his Filipino family to settle down. They have to go to Los Angeles for a business trip, but also end up spending time with their families. Together. Seeing each other in this new setting means they can’t hide their feelings any longer. But competing promotions might put a damper on any chances for a future together.

review

A workplace romance infused with family and food.

I really enjoyed that Matt and Cadence had to figure out how to navigate a relationship transitioning from work friends to something more. Their completely opposite personalities and styles was also fun to read about, since Matt was so much more bubbly and outgoing, while Cadence was very private. Their families, although frustrating and very meddlesome at times, were ultimately really there for Matt and Cadence and I love to read about family gatherings and the food and traditions that are so important to them. I definitely want some Filipino food now!

On the downside, this book did not capture my attention the way The Donut Trap (Julie Tieu’s previous release) did. I felt like Matt and Cadence were a bit one-dimensional and I didn’t get super attached to them. The conflicts were also frustrating to read about and didn’t really let me see how they grew as individuals or as a couple. I didn’t really understand most of their motivations (like why did Cadence share literally no details about her life to anyone at work, despite saying they were some of her best friends?).

This book was written to exist in the current modern world, with references to masks and employees wanting to work remotely more, but it felt a bit unrealistic at times. When Matt got the flu, there was zero concern that it could be COVID-19 and, as far as I can tell. He never took a test or anything before just returning to work and Cadence only put a mask on after spending several hours with him and then immediately went to interact with other people. If the coronavirus pandemic is a part of a book, I want it to feel accurate to the experience.

in conclusion

Despite these frustrations, I did enjoy the book as a whole. The end was definitely the best part, since we really got to see Cadence and Matt as their new selves and they had a better understanding of what they wanted out of life. If you enjoy workplace romances, you should give this one a try. I’m looking forward to seeing what Julie Tieu releases next.

I looove stories that focus on diversity and own voices rep! (and I also love a workplace romances!)
I had a hard time connecting with Cadence though. Her character felt a little one dimensional. This was a very wordy book that at times I felt myself becoming bored and uninterested in finishing.

You ever read the right book at the right time? That's Circling Back to You at this very moment for me. I put this off for 2 years based on other's reviews and that's where I went wrong. This book was very relatable to me given the profession of Matt, the office slang/politics, microaggressions, aging stubborn parents and the pressures of settling down.

CW: Death of a parent and Grief

If you are looking for something that could be classified as cookie cutter cute romcom with good banter and cultural references to the Chinese and Filipino community I'd highly encourage this. Definitely a solid choice for a palate cleanser.

Didn’t necessarily enjoy the workplace romance though i was interested in the friends to lovers trope. The fake dating was somewhat entertaining too but fell flat by the end

This is a cute story. I enjoyed the dual POV, the characters and learning more about their culture. .

The relationship between the two felt more like a friendship from the start. Either I overlooked or the book lacked connection in parts of the book such as them getting together. I could see the potential of the two MC getting together and feel it could have been written better.

I did enjoyed this book and would read more from the author. The characters and character development are there, just a few connections lost on me,

I am reviewing this way past it’s release, but Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Recently dived into a work friends-to-lovers romance with fake dating vibes and a multicultural big family twist. It's my first time trying this author, and I'm happy to report I liked the book. Meet Candence and Matt, colleagues at a real estate company who find themselves back in their hometown, uncovering family secrets while working on a project together. The beginning threw me a bit off balance, feeling like I was playing catch-up. Candence's initial attitude made it hard to warm up to her, but as the story unfolded, their dynamic grew on me. Despite a rocky start, I ended up enjoying the book. Sweet ending – a solid three stars.

TL;DR:
- 3.75 stars
- Content warnings: death of a parent
- Workplace friends(ish) to lovers romance set in San Francisco with two Asian American leads.

Loved:
- I am a bay kid through and through and if you set a book in San Francisco, I will eat it UP. Unfortunately a huge chunk of this book was set back in LA, where both the lead and love interest were from, so it wasn't as SF as promised. The SF parts were cute though.
- As an Asian American (though different nationality than Matt and Cadence, who are Filipino and Chinese respectively) I will also always gobble up any books that make me feel represented in my favorite genre. A lot of what is done well about this book are the very realistic depictions of family dynamics in Asian American families. Very spot on, IMO.

Less into:
- Cadence spent a lot of the book angry, as is her prerogative!, but there wasn't a ton on paper for us to understand why so we could go with her on the ride. It just felt unnecessary and out of proportion at times.
- The pacing of the book felt a little bit off to me; one second they were barely friends, the next their love for each other was LEAPING off the page, halfway through a new character trait was introduced that made one of them nervous/untrustworthy, etc. I think with more consistent POV switching it could have been resolved but it just felt choppy at times.

Overall a cute romance! I picked it up and finished it in one day!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

If Julie teau writes I devour. Please tell me how much better an office romance could get? The diversity, but the banter and angst and the tensionnnnn. Too damn good.

This book was a bit of a mixed bag for me. It's not making it to my all-time favorites, but it kept me turning the pages. It's about Matt and Cadence, two pros at a top-notch real estate firm in San Francisco. Matt's the charming broker, Cadence the sharp analyst. They start off as great work buddies, and slowly, there's a spark. Alongside figuring out their feelings, they also face some work and family challenges.

If you're into stories where office colleagues slowly fall for each other, this one's got that vibe (it's more of a 'friends-to-lovers' deal, not 'enemies-to-lovers'). Plus, it's cool to see diverse characters with interesting family traditions. And for those who like a backdrop of San Francisco/LA, and stories with big families and caregiving, this book checks those boxes. The dual narration from both male and female perspectives adds a nice touch.

Now, about the pace - it kicks off fast, like you've skipped a few chapters. I'm usually not into long-winded beginnings, but here, I felt a slower start might've added more. As for the characters, Cadence was hard to pin down. She started off as shy and then turned pretty blunt and bossy, which made it tough to see the chemistry with Matt. Matt, on the other hand, was sweet but lacked a bit of depth.

So, if you're into a slightly unconventional rom-com with a realistic 'are we or aren't we dating' plot, give it a whirl. Just don't expect too much fire from the romance department!

Work friends to lover romance, fake dating, multi cultural big family. This is my first book by this author and pleased to say I enjoyed this book.
We have our FMC Candence and our MMC Matt, both working for the same real estate company and for their own reasons find themselves in there hometown where both their family resides. Eventually both work together on a job that helps them discover more about their family and themselves.

I will say that at the start of the book I felt thrown into the story and I was playing catch-up for the first couple chapters. While the two characters have known each other before the start of the book the first interactions could have fooled me, Candence to me was someone I had to learn to like she was unnecessarily mean to Matt and even her dad, sure were told that her father made mistakes while she was growing up but where we see the dad in the story his just an adorable little old man.
I will say after the first couple chapters and knowing the characters and the dynamic I really enjoy this book. Ending was sweet solid three stars.

I love a workplace romance and I love a fake girlfriend situation so this had all the tropes for me. Julie Tieu doesn't miss and wrote such a fun and flirty romance with Circling Back to You.

I loved this book!!! I was literally laughing out loud in some parts. 10 stars for Matt and Cadence. Friends to lovers romance plus workplace romance yes please! I finished this book in 1 day. So happy we had multiple POVs. The cover of this book is so cute love the colors. The relationship between Matt and his grandmother is so precious. Quick, cute, rom com.