This book was absolutely amazing! So damn good! I loved it from start to finish. One warning though you will absolutely be so hungry when reading this book as they keep talking about delicious food. It was the absolute cutest and wholesome read I have read in a while and I am so excited to get my physical copy so I can reread it and tab it!
Dylan and Theo were such great main characters and I love them to bits. They had so much chemistry for their fake dating and they knew it😂. Dylan’s family runs a Chinese takeaway in Brooklyn and when he meets Theo they decided to work together for the Mooncakes competition as Theo wants to learn more about his heritage. I also really loved the side characters like Dylans family was so adorable! Would love to read just short stories about their day. All you need to know is this book has great food reference, fake dating, wedding crashing, food competition and most importantly it has an adorable dog!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy!

Fake Dates & Mooncakes was a book I've been looking forward to ever since I first saw the adorable cover! The author is incredibly kind and I've really enjoyed sharing this book often on my bookstagram and other socials.

This story is exactly what you imagine it to be just by the name, summary and cover. Its cute YA contemporary with a teenage romance that faces a variety of trials and struggles. While Dylan's attraction to Theo is almost instant (physically) there is perfect development where the feelings from both boys is more fleshed out and natural. So no "insta-love" really in my opinion! The book is also packed with cultural nods and information that I really enjoyed reading and learning from.

Dylan has a lot on his plate and the pressure and struggles just keep piling on with one thing after another. Enter Theo who has a seemingly perfect plan to help them both achieve what they're after. Their close proximity and working together throughout the book allows them to share some really sweet moments together that help them bond over their pasts and future goals and dreams. This book packs in a lot plot wise and things are constantly moving which keeps you engaged and eager to see what will happen next.

I really enjoyed this one, it was the perfect blend of what I like out of a story and I cant wait to see what Sher Lee writes next!

These last few weeks I wanted something sweet and cute to read, without too much useless drama. And that's when I saw this book. Author Sher Lee has been super sweet and allowed me to get my hands on an ARC of the book - thank you so much!

I really enjoyed reading Dylan and Theo's story and learning more about Chinese/Singaporean cuisine and culture. And sure, the story was kind of cheesy, and some plots twists were predictable, but I enjoyed it nonetheless, it was exactly what I needed right now ❤️

I don't know if it's just me, but it seems like all the books I'm reading lately make me crave food. After reading the first quarter of Fake Dates and Mooncakes, I was craving Xiao long bao so much that I ordered them for dinner (luckily there is a great place that delivers to my house!). Now I just need some mooncakes.

Halfway through the book I realised Dylan reminded me of my teenage self. Like him, I wasn't interested in sports. Or arts. And I overanalysed everything - as he does. For example, even when a guy was clearly into me, I kept thinking he was not and overanalysed all their gestures or things they said to me😆 it was so funny to see someone else do the same! Another thing Dylan and I have in common are the bad puns - I loved his bad puns so much, they always make me laugh😂

Now I would love to have Dylan's recipe for the mooncakes and try to make them too!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It pains me to write this as I hate leaving negative reviews, but I didn't enjoy this book.

Overall, I think my biggest issue is that it all felt underdeveloped. From the characters to their relationships to the pacing, I don't think any of it came together the way it needed to. Dylan and Theo's relationship developed incredibly quickly, and I don't think that left enough time for us as readers to see their developing feelings for each other. It wasn't quite instalove, but it was incredibly close to it. I don't think they had chemistry and I never found myself invested in their relationship. This is unfortunate considering that about 80% of the book was focused on the fake dating aspect portion of the plot. My favorite part of the book by far was Dylan's relationship with his family and the mooncake competition subplot, but those barely got any attention. Despite a few scenes where they practice for the competition scattered about, that part of the book only encompassed the last few chapters. It made the pacing feel really off. I felt like I was reading two different books at times.

I also think the conflicts Dylan and Theo experienced throughout their relationship felt a bit contrived, considering they're teenagers and the book took place over the course of a few weeks. Theo's dad is portrayed as an almost over the top villain, who attempts to sabotage their relationship using Theo's friend and threatens to ruin a family's livelihood to protect his reputation (which apparently a high school student who's known his son for like 2 weeks is a huge threat to), but then changes his mind incredibly quickly and gives Dylan's aunt enough money to start her restaurant. I found this to be a bit confusing considering how often Dylan's inner monologues focused on the class disparity between he and Theo, and how uncomfortable it made him. They never had a serious conversation about that, and by the end of the book I guess he didn't care anymore. I also thought it was strange that they never really addressed how awful Theo's best friend was to Dylan, and how he helped to try to sabotage their relationship? They just stopped mentioning him entirely.

All in all, this wasn't for me. I really did enjoy Dylan's relationship with his family, and I absolutely loved how much I learned about the cuisine and culture, but that was overshadowed by Theo's family drama, which I simply wasn't interested in.

Thanks to NetGalley & Random House Children's for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

A very wholesome baking story mixed with "Crazy Rich Asians" rich people drama. And delicious sounding food!

I can't say the characters and story is incredibly complex--but it all works well for the story. It's really just a rom-com novel, which is fine. I was engrossed in the romance and the making of the tasty sounding Mooncakes!

I'd say the only thing I didn't like was how Theo was still best friends with that lowkey racist rich friend, Adrian. Very weird to me. Still, it was an enjoyable read.

This was such a cute read! I loved the relationship between Dylan and Theo, and Dylan's family. The fake-dating aspect was super cute, a really nice twist on the usual trope. Also, I now want mooncakes and I blame this book. Can't wait to read more from Sher Lee!!

Thank you netgallery for an Advanced Readers Copy of this book!

“Fake Dates and Mooncakes,” while displaying the most adorable cover, follows Dylan Tang who recently lost his mother, who was his partner in the Mid-Autumn Festival mooncakes-making competition. He works alongside his Aunt and longs to make enough money to support her and the business. In an awkward series of events, Dylan runs into Theo - wealthy and picture perfect. Despite the alternate worlds that the two boys live in, they find their paths constantly intertwined as Theo invites Dylan to be his plus one at a family wedding. Filled with fluffy and vibrant romance, “Fake Dates and Mooncakes” is a lovable run for the fake dating trope and the reality of opposites attracting when they have more in common than they think.

While Dylan was lovable and had wonderful qualities, I found myself getting bored as he was constantly bringing up his grief in the most random moments without letting us feel for him, he merely showed us. I also found Theo’s random interactions to be very forward and uncomfortable. The idea was cute and had potential, but I think the characters fell flat and then plot seemed too predictable to have a purpose.

Book boyfriends have been spoiling the market since forever but Theo seriously takes it to new heights. Or rather, literally 😉

Gosh this was so cute! I was charmed from the start and loved the supposedly bad puns (I think they are good! lol!!) had me cracking up. Add in:

❤️ Mouthwatering descriptions of food
❤️ Wonderful side characters
❤️ A swoonworthy romance
❤️ Humour and banter
❤️ Exploration of grief that give you all the feels
❤️ The beautiful odes to Singapore culture
❤️ Lots and lots of heart

I had so much fun learning about my own culture. Did you know how mooncakes came about? Apparently they were created during a time or turmoil, which is just so fascinating to me. I never knew how much work went into making mooncakes and now I'm craving one.

A delightful read that will leave you hungry... and for more! I'm so proud of the fact that this is written by a Singaporean author and can't wait to see what she delivers next!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 4/5 stars.

This is, what I would call, a palate refresher. It's quick, short, and horribly cute and just enough drama to keep me turning the page. It definitely relates to Crazy Rich Asians, and Dylan and Theo are absolutely adorable. The plot is really mostly fluff. There's some underlying plots that could have been developed more, but it's mostly about Dylan's family, his grief for his mom, and the mooncake festival tied in with fake dating and schemes and him and Theo.

To be fair, I don't think it's probably a 4 star book for plot...but it made me go AWWWW and it's a cute and fluffy but still somewhat drama filled book...

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC!

- this was so cute! I had so much fun reading it, especially all the scenes with Clover!
- there were a couple places where I had to really suspend my disbelief, but the whole Crazy Rich Asians-esque plot of working class person falling for an uber wealthy guy with a heart of gold was fun to cheer for.
- I loved how sweet Theo was. While there were parts that showed he wasn’t always thinking about how Dylan may react, he always listened to Dylan and defended him.
- the way that family was so well tied into all aspects of the plot felt so warm and inviting.
- I love reading books with cooking/food at the center, but this one really stood out! Between the scenes at the restaurant and the mooncake competition, it was hard not to be hungry while reading.
- I wish the book had been a little longer so there could have been more development of Theo and Dylan’s relationship, but the short length also meant that it was an easy read to devour due to the quick pacing. It’d be a great book to read on a vacation!

Fake Dates and Mooncakes was such an exciting, captivating read, bringing a strong sense of comfort. The descriptions of food were tantalising and all of the characters were endearing and loveable. The fake dating aspect in this plot was fantastic and so much fun to read. I loved reading about the mid-autumn celebrations in this book and the lead up to the mooncake competition. This book discussed the various mythologies, cultures, and practices of ancient China with the language and dialects itself interwoven in the book. The way Sher Lee incorporated Eastern beliefs, morals, and customs into the narrative made it a truly unique read and gave each character a genuine sense of identity. Reading about the wedding was so much fun and I'll never get tired of marvelling at the bizarre dynamics of wealthy families and all the drama. Dylan was attempting to navigate a frustratingly unfamiliar new world, and I felt for him. He had a strong sense of purpose and motivation, he knew what he wanted and how to go about getting it. The closeness between Dylan and his family was so heart-warming and wholesome. The pain still clinging to Dylan from the passing of his mother was evident but I truly appreciated that he didn't let it take him down but instead, channelling his sorrow into a drive to help his family however he could while honouring his mother's memory through his deeds. Despite having limitless wealth and luxury at his disposal, Theo was a very grounded and laid back person. The plot and story were additionally greatly enhanced by the supporting cast and their families. Being the outcomes of their experiences, upbringings, and heritages, both Dylan and Theo brought so much realism and this is apparent throughout the entire book. We watched as Dylan and Theo attempted to overcome challenges brought on by a wealth and class gap, I really admired their commitment to each other. Despite coming from quite different backgrounds, they were able to connect over many things. There was such a tender yet sophisticated bond between Dylan and Theo. I liked how Dylan and Theo both developed as people as well as how they did so separately.

This was so cute! I adored both Theo and Dylan. This is reminiscent of Crazy Rich Asians, Dylan is working at his Aunt’s takeout and enters a mooncake competition to try and help save it. Theo is a rich kid who asks Dylan to be his fake date to a family wedding.

If you are a YA romance fan I think you’d really enjoy this one.

Let me start by saying this: I absolutely love the cover, especially the corgi. I loved that you got to take a look into the Chinese culture and that food was a big part of the story. Unfortunately, this book was a miss for me due to putting it down to focus on other reads and not being able to connect to the characters.

This book was such a cute queer Asian tale of falling in love and also doing what you can for your family. I loved the premise - Dylan, our main character, wants to save his family restaurant from closure and enters into a mooncake competition with his aunt. He has a strange, to say the least, meet cute with Theo, who wants to help Dylan and his restaurant and offers to provide a grant to keep them afloat. The catch? Be a date for his estranged cousin's wedding. Dylan and Theo's relationship throughout all this was so cute and swoony, I really really enjoyed this. It was just a nice read to unwind with this weekend.

Wonderful and wholesome! If you're a fan of Crazy Rich Asians, then this book will be right up your alley.

I was so excited for this book simply because of the cover with the cute little Corgi on it. I am a corgi mom and had to see where the Corgi came into this story.
Though I chose this book because of the cover the super cute romance story won me over. Dylan was a great main character and I was glad he got the happy ending he deserved. I also loved that that Theo and Dylan found not only each other but essentially a family with each other.
Now the title of this book has Fake Dates in the title and though they do go on a small fake date you could tell from the beginning this fake dating wouldn't last long. They liked each other way to much. So I wish it had been a little more fake dating then we got but it was good.
This was a great first book from Sher Lee and I can't wait to see what she comes up with in the future.

This is now one of my favorite queer romances! It even made me cry, and my wife will tell you I rarely cry. I greatly enjoyed the Chinese culture and stories included, as well as the disarming of stereotypes around Asian cultures. All the characters were so well developed, and the wrong side of the tracks trope didn’t feel forced, it felt natural. I didn’t want it to end! This may be the author’s first novel, but it certainly won’t be her last.

I loved Fake-dating tropes after reading Love Hypothesis. Before getting into the review, let me say I love the book cover so much. The colours and the artwork are so gorgeous, and the cover is one of the main reasons I picked this book.

I love Dylan's family. They were all super supportive towards each other and always stuck together. Dylan is staying with his aunt Jade who runs a takeout restaurant. The bond between his aunt and him was so beautiful. She saw him as her son and cared for him so much.

Megan (Aunt Jade's daughter) and Dylan's conversation entertained me throughout the book. Megan was such an extrovert and never stopped teasing Dylan whenever she got time, which was most of the time. Their cousin bonding was so perfect, and I loved it so much.

When Dylan accidentally met Theo, he instantly fell for him. They both were so cute, but I didn't feel a strong connection between them. Theo's personality could have been explained better. He was just portrayed as a wealthy and handsome boy. I also felt the fake dating trope wasn't at its best.

Dylan and Theo are in their senior year, but not once was there a scene when either of them are in school or doing school-related stuff at home. Here and there, the author mentions Dylan juggling between school and work. But it doesn't seem like that. It's more like he was a full-time worker in the takeout restaurant.

The plot was making the best Mooncake to win a competition. Dylan wanted to join in honouring his mother. Even though the result was so predictable, it was a beautiful process to see how much hard work he put into winning the competition.

One of the highlights of this book was the abundance of delectable food references throughout its pages. As a person who loves food references in books, I loved these parts the most.

Overall it was a cute one-time read (with excellent food references).

This was so cute! Is it super realistic? No but sometimes that’s the type of book you need. It was a quick, light read full of family, food, romance and an adorable dog.

Dylan and Theo come from two completely different worlds but their relationship still felt authentic. The way they supported each other throughout the book was heartwarming. The family dynamics between Dylan, Jade, Megan and Tim were wonderful and the type of family I wish I had. And the food! Literally all of the food descriptions sounded SO GOOD. I want to try everything mentioned because it all sounded delicious!

What is it with sucky fathers in the books I’m reading lately? Theo’s dad Malcolm isn’t great and I know the book kind of tried to redeem him at the end but I’m still mad at him lol. Adrian was just mean and blew the whole “green onion” situation way out of proportion. Who hasn’t gotten food that was messed up before? It happens to me literally all the time and way worse than what happened here. It’s not as big of a deal as I feel this book was making it out to be. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

“Clearly, the universal love language is food.”
Fake Dates and Mooncakes follows teen chef Dylan, who aspires to win a mooncake-making contest in honor of his mom who passed the previous year. Taken in by his aunt, he lives alongside his cousins (and an adorable corgi named Clover) above the family’s restaurant, Wok Warriors. One day, a food delivery mishap leads him straight into an unexpected adventure with the devastatingly handsome and unbelievably rich Theo Somers—who just so happens to need a date for an upcoming wedding. If you’re a fan of the fake-dating trope, mooncake-themed puns, and heartfelt heart-to-hearts, this is definitely a read for you.
The characters are really what makes this story such a charming read. Dylan as a protagonist is easy to root for as he is empathetic, sentimental, and dedicated to his family above all else. His cousin, Megan makes appearances throughout the book and truly lights up the page with her snarky jokes and expressive sense of fashion. At the wedding, we encounter a zany cast of characters with expensive taste and a tendency towards drama. The love interest Theo, however, felt the most lacking in intrigue. His romance with Dylan picks up remarkably fast and, therefore, their arc lacked build-up for me. Additionally, Theo has a miraculous tendency to show up at the right place at just the right time on many instances throughout the story, and I found the serendipity of it all to be unconvincing. In regards to the plot, I felt my enjoyment of the story was thwarted by the predictability of what was to come next, and I found some of the romance arc’s obstacles to be more frustrating than engaging—especially in the second half of the book. While this book is chock-full of heartwarming quotes and amusing jokes, the dialogue felt clunky at times. Overall, this book is worth the read if you enjoy a light-hearted romance and a wild wedding weekend, but I personally found several glaring moments that took me out of the story.