Frank talk about monthly cycles, IVF, money, and personal values are part of an unconventional co-parenting agreement in Malaysian author Ho’s sensitive portrayal of two people who long to be parents but are not able to follow the usual route of love and children with a committed partner.

Starred Review: https://www.booklistonline.com/Lucie-Yi-Is-Not-a-Romantic-/pid=9762882

If you are looking for something to read that will leaving you with a sweet feeling all while (possibly) teaching a lot about other cultures, this book is for you.

Lucie is reeling from loss in more ways than one and as she is entering her late 30’s she decides to take matters into her own hands and have a child on her terms. But naturally, hijinx ensue.

I went into this thinking it would be a nice, light read to break up some of the more serious and/or spooky stuff I’ve read recently. I will say it has dark parts I wasn’t expecting that I get added a depth to the characters and relationships I don’t see in a lot of romance.

Where it fell flat for me was repetition of plot points and some slow moving pacing through the middle while Lucie and Collin were trying to figure out their feelings for each other.

TW/CW: pregnancy loss, infidelity, grief, mental health issues, strained friendship/family relationship

I was immediately interested when I saw the concept for this. Friends to co-parents to lovers is a fun concept when it’s executed well and I was super excited to read this. I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed that this book seemed to spend more time on Lucie and Mark than Lucie and Collin. I really enjoyed the first third or so of the book of them getting to know each other and starting their “arrangement,” but once Mark got involved I felt like things fell apart. I felt like Lucie going back to him came out of nowhere, since she so adamantly hated him at the beginning. I was internally screaming over how such a seemingly smart and independent character could go back to someone like him, and I felt so bad for Collin. I’m just not a love triangle fan at all, and this didn’t even feel like a love triangle so much as a choosing the wrong guy for no good reason while the other guy was just there. I did, however, enjoy reading about Lucie growing as a person and doing what she wanted to in her life. I was happy with the way things worked out in the end for her (and Collin). I also really liked her relationship with her friends, and even wish they had been more prominent.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book!

I'm just not sure how to write a review that makes the most of this book. I was ready to DNF at 85%, to tell you the truth. The storyline was interesting, but I could not connect with most of the characters, especially Mark. The idea of matching up sight nearly unseen to have a baby without the mess of marriage was intriguing, but it got a little stale after a while. Adding romance to this book by bringing back an unfaithful lover was just the icing on the poop storm this book was turning out to be.
Mark was just such a d*ck head, and Collin was sometimes a tad too sweet and naive.

This book did let me know how another culture, and especially how Lucie's family feels about unwed motherhood and divorce. Don't get me wrong; I know that there are still people in the USA who think of this subject in the same manner as some other cultures do. However, I have never read a book that spoke so plainly about it.

I truly started feeling apathetic about this book after about 50% but stuck it out as it was getting so many wonderful reviews...I should have given up then and not pushed myself. I am just not in the age bracket that this book needs to be marketed to. Also, I didn't particularly appreciate reading some of the agist comments the author had some of the characters spouting.

*ARC supplied by the publisher G.P. Putnam's Sons, the author, and NetGalley.

I really tried to finish this book but I couldn't. DNF! The main character Lucie wasn't very likeable and it became a challenge just to get through the chapters.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

I just have to say that this book is not worth the hype, there are some serious issues that cannot be ignored.

Basic premise: Lucie is older and is still reeling from her breakup and miscarriage. She feels pressure to settle down and have kids, but she's not convinced she will find love so fast so she joins a website that partners people up to be platonic parents. She meets Collin who is her opposite, they are intimate once, she gets pregnant (even though the doctor said this would be tough given the state of her uterus), and they move to Singapore. In Singapore, drama happens. She reconnects with the cheating boyfriend, Collin lies to her about his relationship with his Dad and he's I guess dating a lot of girls, and they both lie to her parents. Eventually they figure it out.

Honestly, the most unfortunate thing in this book is that Lucie is a horrible friend. She and her friend Weina treat their other friend Suzie terrible. They commandeer conversations making them about ONLY themselves and their babies, desire to have children. Suzie can't get them to stop for one minute and ask about her or talk about anything else. Lucie and Weina are literally so self-centered and selfish and it plays into age-old stereotypes that women lose themselves when they have children and can't think or talk or do anything else but mother. It's also a missed opportunity to utilize Suzie to have a much needed conversation that motherhood shouldn't be the end all be all and define a person and their purpose. We usually get stuck with stories about baby-crazy women, Suzie is more interesting than either of her friends.

Honestly, most of the characters are unrelatable. Why would Lucie get back with the cheating ex boyfriend, who was controlling, and barely registered that she had a miscarriage. I am fairly certain he's stalking her in this book too. It's such a dangerous story to tell and an unhealthy one at that. Lucie eventually makes the "right" decision to be with Collin but even that doesn't quite sit right. Collin and her fight all the time. She manipulates and lies to him. He disregards her opinions and makes snide comments semi frequently. They aren't really suited for each other and I'm just not buying that they make sense.

They also have a one-off conversation that contains some pretty offensive language and outlooks on adoption that I found distasteful–perpetuating another stereotype that adoption is not a good option for people.

All in all, I expected a better book. I don't usually like to read books that align with stereotypes, especially when these stereotypes are harmful to women.

I enjoyed this Hallmark Channel-like story though the twists and turns the characters take were not as predictable. The introspection of the title character was sometimes a bit overwhelming as she tried to find her way but I found the outcome to be very satisfying. A light read I would suggest for the beach though some of the thoughts it provoked might be heavier than a casual reader would enjoy.

If you enjoyed similar stories/ you will enjoy this book. It took me a little to get into but did. It is refreshing to see stories like this...

this book did not work out for me and it's a pity because the start was very promising, but it all went downhill after lucie and collin moved to singapore and lucie reconnected with her ex, mark. mark is the main reason i did not enjoy reading this book, he was clearly manipulative (her friends even called him mark macgaslighter once... that's self-explanatory, i think) some of his behaviours were very stalkerish to me, and i really disliked how he talked to lucie, but lucie just kept going back to him because of their past and i kind of understood why she was doing that in the beginning but then it got really annoying, because she was also stringing collin along the whole time. the relationship between lucie and her parents was also explored, as well as what it meant for an unmarried woman to raise a child in singapore. a part of the story that i liked was the friendship between lucie, suzie, and weina, but the friendship and the very few moments between lucie and collin weren't enough to save the book, in my opinion.

arc provided by netgalley and penguin group putnam in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. It was amazing to see how heavy topics can be approached in a sensitive yet direct way, and I learnt so much about Asian culture and traditions. I loved the characters and their development. It did feel a little bit slow but overall it was a brilliant book.

This book was so unique and it kept me intrigued from start to finish that I finished it rather quickly. Can’t wait to read more from this author!

I loved this book just as much as I enjoyed Ho's last book, Last Tang Standing. Even though it's categorized and marketed as a romance — which I enjoyed! — what really resonated with me was Lucie's personal journey. Balancing a career and parenthood. Figuring out what's best for her vs. what other people want for her. And the pregnancy. SO accurate.

I also really enjoyed how she met Collin and their growing relationship and banter. If I had to nitpick one thing, I'd say that the love triangle aspect of it dragged on. But overall, I highly recommend this read if you enjoyed Last Tang Standing, love romances, or love intelligent, funny women who dare to break the mold and go after what they want!

Lauren Ho’s sophomore novel is very different from her debut but equally enjoyable. A single person using a co-parenting app to have a baby with support is such an interesting premise and I loved how it all worked out in the end. I particularly enjoyed the witty banter between Lucie and her friends, but my heart ached during all the scenes with Lucie’s parents. The romance was a love triangle, and my choice was clear from the beginning. Let’s say, I wasn’t disappointed!

It was a different read but I enjoyed it. The concept was awesome, Lucie signs up for a co- parenting website trying to find the father for yet to be born baby. I thought it was well written and I did finish it in one day.

This story about a woman using a website to find a co-parent was a little bit strange, unorthodox, and the ending is not surprising. However, the characters were likable, and the story an easy read, that I just enjoyed the experience of the book while on vacation. Lucie wasn't perfect, and she made a lot of mistakes. But you cheer for her the entire time. Really liked this story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for this advanced reading copy! This book was a great ride and a really fun break from my typical romances. I can already tell you I can’t wait to read everything else this (new to me) author puts out.

I love all kinds of romances, and this one was a great taste of something a little different. It wasn’t a true fall hard and fast romance with extremely obvious storylines (which… I love those, so no shame). But it felt like a true modern day romance that could happen to one of my friends. It was super refreshing and heartwarming. 5 stars for sure.

This story had a really unique and interesting concept. Unfortunately, the writing style was a bit hard to follow. I like the themes of balance and of parenthood changing things (both for better and worse), but honestly there were so many storylines at play here that made the story hard to follow and get into.

I was given an ARC of this book by NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP-Putnam. All opinions are my own.

This is such a great concept! Collin is perfect, but I had trouble rooting for some of the other characters, especially Suzie and Lucie. Lucie made choices that consistently negatively affected those around her but was never forced to confront this. Also, the happy ending felt a little rushed and not grand enough after so many pages of conflict, so I'm ending the book feeling disappointed despite generally enjoying it.

I really enjoyed this book! It was like a breath of fresh air with its light, witty, and compelling storyline. It was cute and light, and I highly recommend!

Lucie Yi is Not a Romantic by Lauren Ho is a very creative and new take on the modern world of dating, co-parenting, and pregnancy. The concept is very unconventional on how this pregnancy happens. It's like a dating site but for people wanting to co-parent together even if they are not in love or don't know eachother. The whole idea makes you stop and think there are so many different options of families in this world. Definitely a great read and highly recommend for something fun and different.