Join me as I dive into the delicious world of Chinese cuisine and romance with Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee! From impromptu cooking sessions to family drama, this book has it all. And let's not forget the cheesy rom-com moments that left me in a sweet coma. Don't miss out on this heartwarming read!

Thanks to the publisher and TBRand Beyond Tours for providing me the free DRC of the book<3

What do you get when you have Dylan from Brooklyn and Theo who is rich and in my opinion makes the cutest couple EVER set in New York and The Hamptons which really become actual characters thanks to Sher's amazing writing skills. The you add a competition and lots and lots of food which made me very hungry indeed.

This book is everything it made me laugh and cry sometimes at the same time. If you are hankering for Heartstopper vibes then this is the book you really need to read. Just checkout out the cover and tell me that you don't get them much needed vibes.

For all the above reasons Fake Dates and Mooncakes is getting 5 massive stars. Thank you to TBR Tours & Beyond and the Publishers for allowing me to read this wonderful book before publication.

*Thank you to Random House Children's, Underlined, TBRBeyond Tours and NetGalley for providing me this book in exchange for an honest review*

I loved this book. It was so cute. The romance between Theo and Dylan was really cute. The world building was excellent. I loved the family drama and the dynamic of the family was really relatable. It was an excellent book.

I've been reading a lot of complicated high fantasies with intricate worldbuilding, and honestly, reading this book was like a breath of fresh air among them. It's under 300 pages, which I would call on the short side, but it's packed with a LOT of emotion in that short time. I absolutely love Dylan as a main character - he's incredibly caring, loves with the entirety of his heart, and is such a good person that honestly? Sometimes it even blew me away. Even with the grief that permeates some of the pages Dylan managed to make me smile for most of them whether it was with his hilarious t-shirts or his awe being introduced to Theo's life - two characters who couldn't be more different, yet somehow fit anyway. I absolutely love reading about billionaire boyfriends and clearly that's not limited to Adult books, though Theo felt like a little brother I wanted to protect. For how much money he has, I loved that he felt grounded in reality, and I love the shared culture he had with Dylan. Every single page of this book was seeped in that, and I felt like I was learning something new even with the whirlwind romance going on.

A friend of mine described this book to me as "unrealistic", and honestly, that may be true, but isn't that why we read fiction? I absolutely enjoyed all the over the top events.

I loved this book! YA m/m romance. I liked both Dylan and Theo, they were good characters. The plot line was fun and interesting, I do love fake dating though. Definitely will recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: death of a parent (past, cancer), death of a parent (car crash, side character, past), grief, blackmail, family tensions, classism, financial stress, discussions of a character with alcoholism and drinking related car crash

This very much felt like a YA queer Crazy Rich Asians. Dylan is all in helping his aunt's Singapore take out business that is barely staying afloat. A chance meeting leads him to Theo, the hot kid of a billionaire of his dreams. So soft and just an adorable crush as he very much felt like a fish out of water as he learned more about Theo's world.

This was such a cute story. The Chinese culture and just amazing food descriptions, read with a snack trust me. With fake dating and an emphasis on family I really enjoyed this one. How Theo and Dylan's family lives were contrasted and how everyone came together to help Dylan, who was so selfless, with his very own dreams. The secondary characters were so fun, and this just had so many escapist elements

Steam: 1

5 Reasons to Read

Family

I loved the family dynamic between Dylan, his aunt, and cousins. The support and love they have for each other is so powerful! Theo’s immediate family may not provide the support he needs but he soon finds one when he gets to know Theo’s.

Family Drama

Oh the drama! I can definitely see how this was pitched as Crazy Rich Asian’s because Theo’s family dynamics are all about the drama. There’s definitely love and support but the relationship between Theo and his dad is A LOT!

Love

I loved seeing the love Theo and Dylan have for one another unfold from beginning to end! It was perfectly done!

Dreams

Dylan wants to following in his mother’s footsteps towards becoming a vet but his heart is in the kitchen. The Mooncake contest is the best way to figure out whether or not he should follow his heart. Theo’s path has always been set for him by his father. He’s to go to law school and take over the family business but the love of art and music keeps calling to him. Do they choose to follow their dreams or stick to what is expected of them?

Mooncakes

Mooncakes sound delicious! It was so fun seeing Theo and his Aunt Jade work in the kitchen together as they prepare for the Mid-Autumn Festival Mooncake Contest. There’s more meaning behind those mooncakes than just prize money!

Now I’m off to Google when the Mid-Autumn Festival is happening near me and if they’ll have Mooncakes!

Until I pick up a YA romance novel, I always forget why I love them, but this one again reminded me of all the best things I love about them. I love the sweet romance, the belief that anything is possible, the family drama and so much more. It’s like seeing the world through a child’s eyes again. Theo and Dylan are a perfect example of opposites attract, as they come from two different worlds, but still try and find a way to make it work.

Theo spends the bulk of the book fighting against his dad, which ends up backfiring in the worst way, but I loved watching him reconnect with his family throughout the book. I loved the Asian culture sprinkled throughout the book, it taught me so much about the tiny details.

I would have never guessed this was Sher Lee’s debut novel, it was written so well, you can tell Sher Lee is meant to be an author!

I really adored this book. I picked it up on a win but it was so cute. It had so many elements that just worked for me! I loved the romance at the heart and the lgbtq+. I also loved how there was both a "save the"element and also a fun cooking side plot. I also thought this was such a cute romance and it had some harder issues def dealing with greif throughout the read!!! Def would read more by this author in future def a new favorite romance!!

Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee

The cover is gorgeous 🥰

Dylan wants to help his aunt save their takeout restaurant when he gets to know how much they are struggling. For this he wants to win the Mid Autumn festival.

Amidst all this a delivery pisses of the customer whose friend Theo comes and apologies to Dylan which results into fake dating and rich Asian drama.

For this book tour I had to give top 5 reasons to read and favourite quotes, I felt as if the entire book would have come here that is how much I loved it. Plus, the stunning cover, love love.

Top 5 reasons to read this ~
✿ This queer romance is delightful, adorable, swoon worthy and I perfectly agree with the Crazy Rich Asians comparison. Dylan and Theo with their chemistry had me rooting for them since the start.

✿ The importance of family and values highlighted here had me emotional.

✿ The talk about food, had me craving variety of dishes and getting to know Chinese culture was good.

✿ The fake dating, one bed trop and slow burn done at it's best with beautiful writing (it might be instant slow burn) I binge read this.

✿ The side characters, every single one of them were amazing, supportive and showed how true happiness for your family looks like. Plus a corgi!

This book and the author pulled my heart strings. It was emotional and had me shedding tears with also giving out big smiles with tears. I want Theo's POV too. This was cute cheesy and fun.

Favourite Quotes ~

✿"Our worlds are as far apart as the sun and the moon."
"They align every now and then," Aunt Jade points out. "Eclipses are pretty memorable."

✿"He’s so handsome that my brain cells fall out of formation for a whole moment."

✿"I suck in a sharp breath. Smart move. First, disable my executive function by frying my brain with his touch. Then add a little flattery to sweeten the deal."

✿“The trick is to mix and match in way that doesn’t seem as if the pieces were put together at the last minute.” Theo meets my eyes in the mirror. “We want them to look like they were made for each other.”

✿"but no celebration about family is complete without remembrance."

"yǒu yuán qiān lǐ lái xiāng huì."
‘We have the destiny to meet across a thousand miles.’

Please pick this up, I highly recommend it.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Fake Dates and Mooncakes is a cute queer debut YA romance. Coming out in the middle of AAPI Heritage Month, I love how it honors Chinese culture and all the little nuances of the experience from different people’s perspectives. As the title suggests, food is prominent, and it’s impossible to read a chapter without craving some of the delicacies described.
Dylan is an easy character to like and root for, and I really like his investment in his family’s Chinese takeout business, not to mention his interest in crafting the perfect mooncake. He’s a bit oblivious when it comes to love, but it comes off as charming, rather than annoying.
Theo’s a great love interest, and I like how he was into Dylan right away, even if Dylan didn’t really notice at first. Theo’s family dynamics are a bit more complex, coming from a wealthy, mixed-race family, and I appreciate the sensitivity with which those aspects were explored. It brings some conflict to the budding romance, but I appreciate how Dylan provided Theo with the support he needed to navigate these issues.
This is a fun read with a lot of heart, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for multicultural queer romances, especially if they also love reading about food.

FAKE DATES AND MOONCAKES by Sher Lee tells the sweet and romantic story of Dylan and Theo. The use of the fake dating trope combined with the wealth class differences between the romantic leads makes for a nice plot with layers. The moments that shine the most, though, are those involving the Mooncake contest, which Dylan enters to honor his late mother. The way his family and Theo, along with some of his family, come together to help is really beautiful, and the bits of Chinese and Singapore culture, history, and mythology that get tied into the mooncake contest are enjoyable. This debut author dreamed up a lovely story, but I wish the narrative were less explanatory and that Theo had been called out for his occasionally manipulative behavior. Perhaps in the effort to keep a lighter tone, the story also misses opportunities to address the wealth gap in a more meaningful way. Still, it's a charming debut, and it has moments that truly tug at the reader's heartstrings.

I was drawn in by the cover!! So pretty OMG!! This story was pretty good, the beginning was slow but still such a fun story! The romance was wonderful!!

It's truly an adorable, heart-warming and touching story about family, grief, Chinese cultures, delicious food and sizzling romance!

The plot flows smoothly and the writing style is easy to read which makes it so hard to put down. Detail descriptions of the foods successfully makes me feel hungry and crave for those foods as I read this book.

I also love the Chinese culture representation about the family traditions and foods, like the xiao long bao and the legends behind the mooncakes itself. The story also brings out the 'Crazy Rich Asian' vibes with Theo's relatives glamourous lifestyle.

The main characters (Dylan and Theo) are so adorable and I like their growing chemistry with one another as the story progresses.
At first glance, they look completely different but after getting to know each other, turns out they’re not so different after all.

The secondary characters - Dylan's family and Theo's relatives are also very well developed and really liven up the story.
I love seeing the strong bond and easy-going interaction in Dylan’s family, they care for each other and really support one another. I also like how welcoming they are to Theo.

Not just a fluffy and funny romance, this book also has its touching and emotional moments like getting to know Theo’s family and past as well as Dylan’s grief over losing her mother.

Overall, for a debut novel this is a fantastic story with a satisfying ending and a small shocking surprise.
It’s highly recommended for readers who are looking for a light hearted cuisine queer rom com story with fake dating and found family tropes!
I'm really looking forward in reading the next book from this author in the future!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: Death of a parent, grief, abandonment, brief mention of car accidents, racism, dementia, addiction

Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tour, Netgalley, author and publisher for giving me an e-ARC of the book and for having me on this book tour. I’m leaving this review voluntarily!

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

My Review:

I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via TBR and Beyond Tours in exchange for an honest review and place on this blog tour – thanks!

I just have to start this review by acknowledging I am still not over how gorgeous this cover is!! peaches.obviously is one of my favourite artists and they brought Dylan & Theo to life so well here. Everyone needs to go check out their art.

With that out of the way, let’s get into the book! Fake Dates and Mooncakes is a short and sweet book, just as sweet as the mooncakes that Dylan and his Aunt Jade are on a mission to recreate. With this sweetness comes a layer of cheesiness, but I have to say that I really enjoyed reading a mlm YA with all the fun and stereotypical rom com cliches. This book would make a really fun movie and I hope that it gets that treatment in the future.

The characters are the heart of this book and Lee did a wonderful job at making them all loveable and fully fleshed out- even the side characters. Dylan and Theo’s respective families made the book feel more realistic and I enjoyed the emphasis on family that this book had, despite its very romance leaning title.

By now, I am certain my love of books with cooking/baking competitions is quite evident. I expected the competition to play a larger role in this book, considering all of the stakes that there were surrounding it. However, it was reallocated to a very minor role in the grand scheme of things. I would have loved to have a bit more of the competition; but I do understand why it was done the way it was.

All in all, this was a really fun book, with some surprisingly deep themes, that I think will capture the heart of all those who read it. It certainly did for me!

Fake Dates and Mooncakes releases May 16th, 2023

Fake Dates and Mooncakes is one of my favorite YA reads so far of this year!

Dylan wants to win the Mid-Autumn Festival moonake competition in memory of his mom. Also, he needs to win it to get people in the door at his aunt's Chinese takeout spot.

Theo Somers is a loveable rich teen who makes Dylan see stars. They however; live a complete opposite lifestyle which makes Dylan say "dream on" whenever anyone mentions his crush.

Theo needs Dylan to attend a family wedding, which he does. But that's not where the feelings stop. With the mooncake competition and everything going on, can Dylan balance life and love?

Sher Lee's debut young adult romcom novel, Fake Dates and Mooncakes, is one YA lovers and contemporary romance readers in general should keep an eye out for. I loved the quirky banter put between characters and the cultural notes that were spread throughout. Be cautioned, have a desert ready on hand while reading!

Cheesy and cute!
Fake Dates and Mooncakes was such a quick and fun read that I did not want to put down. After Dylan and Theo have an awkward meet cute, their story of finding each other and Theo learning about his heritage through Dylan and his family warmed my heart. Even though this story is cliche, that's what made it so fun. All in all, Theo and Dylan finding each other and never having to hide their feelings or be ashamed about loving each other was so refreshing. I am looking forward to reading Sher Lee's next novel. Maybe even a Theo and Dylan novella??

Thank you netgalley for the arc!

Lee has whipped up an adorable YA queer contemporary romance about two Asian teens from different worlds. Dylan Tang is an aspiring chef who enters a Mid-Autumn mooncake competition, in honor of his mom, and to try and give more publicity for his aunt's restaurant. On the other hand, Theo Somers is rich and perfect in every way and Dylan instantly falls for him.

So when Dylan attends Theo's family wedding as his fake date, he falls into more than just romance. With rich family drama and trying to stay afloat with his own family's struggles, Dylan lets his heart guide him as he tries to hold everything together.

The mouth-watering descriptions of Chinese cuisine is divine and the historical context about mooncakes and Chinese mythology gives Dylan and Theo's relationship shape throughout the narrative. Dylan has a tight-knit family, including Clover the Corgi, which highlights supporting characters who are lighthearted and hilarious, while balancing with themes of loss and grief.

As I finished the last sentence of this debut novel by Sher Lee, I couldn’t help but whisper to myself, “That was so cute!!”

This charming love story tackles topics of the self-doubt with having a crush, the importance of family, and perseverance in the face of struggles. Sher Lee gifts us sweet moments to make us swoon, and moments of heartbreak we feel deep down in our souls, all while seamlessly incorporating Singaporean and Chinese food and stories. This book really makes you feel like you’re another member in Dylan’s family, rooting for him and Theo right alongside his aunt and cousins.

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is one of the cutest books I've read this year. I loved Dylan, his family, and his romance with Theo. Dylan is sweet and close with his family and he works hard to help their Chinese takeout succeed. I was rooting for Aunt Jade to be featured on tv and get the recognition she deserved for her delicious sounding food.

Dylan and Theo have a fake dating-to-lovers romance and it was a lot of fun. The boys come from vastly different backgrounds, but have important things in common that help them bond. Theo was supportive of Dylan's quest to make the perfect mooncake and Dylan showed Theo affection and family love that he was missing.

An adorable story and fantastic debut!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Underlined and NetGalley for the copy.