A sweet and family-centric contemporary romance!

Circling Back to You by Julie Tieu is a lovely book! I love the main characters and feel their familial loyalty is very relatable, especially as a reader of Filipino descent. All the equally wonderful and frustrating parts of coming from a large, nosy, but highly loyal family are done so well in this book. You can't help but root for Cadence and Matt's struggles. While I do enjoy reading about them and how they are navigating their issues, I'm not as invested in their romance. I don't feel the chemistry in their banter as much as I hoped when starting this book. But overall, still an excellent book I'm glad I read.

Thank you, NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, for the eARC.

Circling Back to You by Julie Tieu is a fun, heartwarming read that features an office romance, as well as the fake dating trope and the friends-to-lovers trope.

Longtime friends Cadence and Matt work together at Prism Realty. Cadence is the resident number cruncher behind the scenes, while Matt works in sales. When the two of them are tasked with traveling to L.A. to close the deal with a wealthy client, their relationship starts to change.

I really liked both Cadence and Matt and couldn't wait to see how their feelings for one another evolved as they finally saw each other in a different light away from the office. It was also a lot of fun to watch Cadence and Matt, interact with Matt's large close knit family while also pretending to be a couple so that Matt's family doesn't nag him about his love life.

While I enjoyed them in this environment, it did start to feel like the visit was taking up too much of the book so I found myself eager for them to leave so we could get back to the rest of the story.

I think one of the author's biggest strengths is in how she depicts the challenges of navigating a workplace romance. It all felt very realistic and something I could easily imagine playing out for a real life couple.

Even though I did have that one issue with the parental visit feeling too long, overall I still quite enjoyed this lighthearted office romance. I think it would be a perfect read for a day at the beach.

Picked this one up because I adored Julie’s debut novel The Donut Trap!
Work-place romance with a little bit of comedy. Laughed so hard at the Office references in the novel (being my favorite show). Themes of grief/loss and dating in 30s.
I did feel like the romance was secondary to the work. I felt at times I was reading about their work rather than a romance. There were parts of the romance I just didn’t buy into or understand. If it’s a I loved you since day one vibe, I need back story I need more than just telling.
Easy & fun read but wanted more.

I looooove this book! It was tender, heartfelt, and just so endearing. Matta and Cadence are so good together first as work spouses, then fake dating to lovers. The storytelling of working hard, family expectations, grief, reconciliation, and love are prominent. And can I say I'm not sure if it was supposed to be on undertone but what working hard contextually for immigrant children look different but it stuck out to me. I also appreciated the on display in terms of cultural differences between Filipino and Chinese families.

My only critique was the pacing at the beginning. To me the story picked up once they left for San Diego which is about 28% other than that it was so good.

I enjoyed this workplace romance with mutual pining. There's some complex issues with their family relationships, pressure from them being single at 30, major competition at work, the usual life issues getting in the way of relationships.

They feel like grumpy sunshine where she is the grump just cause she's so serious and analytical. Those characters always feel like the most vulnerable and complex to me. They usually are hiding a lot from those around them.

Rating⭐⭐⭐💫

Circling Back to You is a workplace romance set in a realtor’s office following Cadence who is a marketing guru and Matt, a realtor on the way up. They get paired together to try and land a big deal as they both head back to their home city of LA which of course means they have to share a hotel right??

When reading this book it felt a bit like reading the second book in a series without having read the first book. Characters are name dropped at the very beginning and not given an explanation of their relationship to the main characters. The side characters are one sided and flat and Cadence’s relationship to her family is really sad which is not what I expected out of a romance book.

What I did enjoy was the subtle calls to the character’s heritages such as Cadence’s father’s former shop, Matt and his lola and all the delicious sounding food. While this wasn’t my culture I really liked reading about other character’s cultures!

I also would have appreciated more spice in the time of Matt and Cadence getting together. I know they have history with working with one another, but when they finally DID get together it felt rushed and all of the sudden without the build up. I wished there was more backstory or quick little insights to their history together instead of everything being assumed.

Overall it took some getting into but by the end I enjoyed reading their story but I don’t think I would reread it again.

Such a cute work place romcom featuring an Asian American love story. Enjoyed the banter between Matt and Cadence. The family fielty is front and center in Cadence’s relationship with her father and brother, as well as Matt’s relationship with his extended and immediate family

This sweet romance had a heavy focus on family, found family and life as adults. I enjoyed the the cultural representation of this story, Matt's family was a joy to read.

The banter between Matt and Cadence kept the story moving for me, although parts did drag a bit for me. The San Francisco setting was so fun and different from other books I have read recently. I appreciated how everything came together and would recommend this to friends of friends to lovers/ workplace friends to lovers.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for a digital copy to review.

Such a fun story! I'm not typically a fan of romance novels or the fake dating trope in general, but this one brings a fresh perspective to the genre!

This is a wonderful romance that addresses 2 very difficult topics, navigating workplace romance and fundamental family dynamics. That sounds pretty heavy, but Julie Tieu makes it fun and delivers the messages. Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel.

I really liked the Chinese and Filipino representation in this book, as it’s not often we see Asian MCs in romance books, I thought this was a cute story, but it did fall a bit flat for me in the middle, I really liked Matt and his character!

Circling Back to You by Julie Tieu

I was initially interested in this book because I had been reading quite a few office romances that I enjoyed and thought this one sounded good. I tried reading it, put it down, picked it up, put it down, and just couldn't get into it. I'm not exactly sure what it was, but I just didn't connect with the characters and their story. I was bored and found myself skimming. Maybe It wasn't the right time for me to read it. The writing was fine, so I will still rate this book 3 stars although it was probably a little lower for me personally. I think there will be plenty of readers who may like it, so be encouraged to give it a try.

My thanks to Avon/Harper Voyager and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book and give my opinion of it.

This one gave me extreme feels and some. It was a fast easy and satisfying friends to lovers in the workplace trope which are some of my favorites. Julie Tieu is engaging and has a firm hand on her characters which makes her characters alot more relatable. I can't wait for her next novel.

This book was so cute and well written. I loved it and enjoyed reading it. Thank you Netgalley and publishers for allowing chance to read and review. I'll also try to post on blog sometime in future.

I appreciated the plot of this story but the pacing fell a little short for me. I think that it was really slow in the beginning and picked up halfway through. Circling Back to You is a refreshing story about two co-workers secretly harboring crushes on each other that are put together on a work trip. Within that work trip they learn more about each other and finally confess their attraction. A lot happens in that two weeks that could either bring them closer or further apart.

I liked the writing style. There was comedic relief but the serious portions were well done as well. I loved where we left Matt and Cadence at the end. I will admit that Cadence was a little frustrating at times but she came around. Also really appreciated the cultural representation present in the story.

CIRCLING BACK TO YOU – Julie Tieu
Avon
ISBN: 978-0-06-306984-8
July 12, 2022
Romantic Comedy

San Francisco & Los Angeles, California – Present Day

Cadence Lim and Matt Escanilla are competitive co-workers at a real estate firm in San Francisco and are undecided if they are friends or foes. She is about to leave on a two-week vacation to visit her elderly father and brother as they honor the four-year anniversary of her mother’s death. But Cadence’s employer insists that while she is in Los Angeles, she must work with Matt on wooing a rich investor to hire their company to help him purchase a piece of property. Since Matt has relatives in Los Angeles also, it will be a working vacation for both as they scout potential real estate locations and meet with the investor. They were supposed to have separate hotel rooms, but instead, they’re sharing a two-bedroom suite. Will the closeness bring the two together?

Cadence has a complicated relationship with her father and brother. She went away to school and later settled in San Francisco with a job she loves. Her mother had worked hard to support the family, and it eventually killed her, leaving a grieving family behind. Her father needs someone there to keep an eye on him, and it’s her brother who has taken on the responsibility. Cadence doesn’t feel like she is even wanted in her own family. Matt has a big family that includes lots of cousins. He feels sort of like an outlier because he isn’t married. But right now his big goal is to win this deal because it will lead to him being the favorite to land the chance of a lifetime: manage a new branch of the real estate company as they expand to Los Angeles.

Matt has always teased Cadence because she is serious about things. She is all work, though Matt himself has worked hard himself, she seems to be putting pressure on herself to succeed. The chance to work together on securing the contract of the rich investor wasn’t something either expected. Matt soon learns about a property at a good location, which would be perfect for what the man wants, but there’s a complication involved that involves Cadence and her father. How will he approach her and what will her reaction be? Meanwhile, living together in a hotel suite and sharing so much leads to an attraction they didn’t expect—nor can resist.

CIRCLING BACK TO YOU is a fun and enjoyable tale of co-workers finding out how much they’re attracted to each other while working together. Yet, much like life, things are complicated between them. Matt really wants the job in Los Angeles, and for Cadence, it seems like it could be a good fit for her too if she wanted to transfer, but what about her relationship with her family? Along the way, she begins to see her father in a different light, even as she navigates their complicated relationship. As for Matt, he is still feeling pressure from his family to marry and settle down. How will they react when he shows up for a party with Cadence by his side? It was certainly one of the funniest scenes in this tale.

If you love a cute and funny tale taking place between co-workers, then CIRCLING BACK TO YOU will tickle your funny bone. Matt and Cadence are likable characters and readers will soon be rooting for them to make it to a happily-ever-after. Don’t miss this enjoyable tale.

Patti Fischer

I'll start by saying this book was SO cute; it was the perfect workplace romcom! It has so much heart and I loved Cadence and Matt together. Their banter was adorable! I liked that this book had realistic adult problems (i.e. jobs/career, family). The different family dynamics were wonderful to see. The differences between Cadence's family and Matt's family were so interesting and important to showcase.
The way that Tieu was able to make me nostalgic for a place I've never lived in (San Gabriel) was amazing. The sense of community she was able to describe in this book made me feel so at home. And of course, the Asian American representation was so great!
This was overall such a fun, lighthearted read and I can't wait to see what's next for Julie Tieu!

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Harper Voyager for the ARC of this!

A cute workplace rom-com with a diverse cast and a meddling Grandma, this was such a fun read. I loved the character’s chemistry and the pacing of their relationship. I did have one small issue, I won’t quote in case it’s not in the final publication, but there is a queer couple who want to adopt as side characters, and the couple discussions had about it made me cringe. Adoption is so that children who need families can find them, not for families who need children, and the focus on how horrible it would be for them if the birth parents were reunified/changed their mind (unclear) or wanted to be in the baby’s life was so uncomfortable to me. Since it was a very minor plot point I didn’t take off any stars for it, but thought it deserved mentioning. Overall, I thought this was very entertaining, like The Hating Game with less, well, hating.

This is a charming friends to lovers, fake dating, office romcom. It didn’t really deliver, I thought the chemistry between the two main characters felt forced. The ending was good, but the book lagged in the middle. I still enjoyed it but I was expecting a little more. 3.5 stars.

Synopsis:
Julie Tieu, an exciting new and diverse voice in contemporary romance, returns with a hilarious and sexy new novel about colleagues who decide to take their relationship outside the office.

Cadence Lim has transformed from behind-the-scenes number cruncher to an integral part of the sales team at Prism Realty. But despite moving up the corporate ladder, her complicated relationship with her estranged elderly father weighs heavily and she can't seem to shake the desire for a new beginning.

At least Cadence can always lean on her favorite co-worker and co-conspirator, Matt Escanilla. A top broker with an unsuccessful love life, the forever single Matt is constantly being nagged by his loving Filipino family to settle down.

Their relationship takes a turn when a business trip lands them both in their hometown and Matt enlists Cadence as a pretend girlfriend for a family gathering. The new after-hours setting forces the two friends to see each other in a new light, and their previously buried feelings rise quickly to the surface. When competing promotions threaten to separate Cadence and Matt, these office besties must work together to round up their ambitions and families to pursue their overdue romance.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

Cadence is Matt's work wife, with just a partition separating them. Cadence is an analyst with mad excel skills, and Matt is a master at closing a sale. Matt is looking to make a move to LA to be closer to family, but in order to do that he needs to win over a big account.

They travel back to their hometown to get the deal back on track. Cadence earns not only Matt's respect but the respect of the big client. I loved how much Matt not only stuck up for her with some of the toxic male colleagues but also supported her when she won over the client.

While in town they strike up a deal to fake a relationship to his overbearing family who want him to settle down. However the act starts to feel a little too real.

Cadence is also struggling to deal with her relationship with her father and brother. Since her mother passed she hasn't really been back. However the need to repair their family is important to them all.

When the trip ends, they have to decide where they want their relationship will go.

A fun friends to lovers, office romance with some heavy moments that were handled so well.