I had to dnf it around chapter 2 when I came across one too many "teaching moments". It feels like the target audience are white readers because the author kept explaining Chinese culture to me. You don't have to explain that you call non relatives auntie/uncle, almost all BIPOC do that which makes me wonder, why are you explain it? (for the white readers?) Show me the character making xiao long bao, otherwise leave it as is and we'll do the work googling it. And once the author had to explain what Hungry Ghost Month is, I realized this book wasn't for me. Sorry.

When both of his aunt's delivery drivers are out, Dylan takes a break from the kitchen at her takeout restaurant and makes a delivery run--one that ends with disaster, when the final customer chews him out for his lateness and for the incorrect preparation of his food.
But the next day, the customer's friend shows up at the takeaway to apologize. Theo is gorgeous, and incredibly rich, and, seems interested in Dylan. And when he helps out the takeaway, Dylan wants to return the favor--which Theo lets him do, in the form of being his plus-one to a family wedding.
And when Dylan isn't pretending to not have feelings for Theo--or pretending to pretend to have feelings for him--he's working with his aunt on recreating his grandmother's mooncake recipe--although Theo becomes a part of that as well, supporting Dylan as he enters the contest he was supposed to do with his late mother.

Fake Dates and Mooncakes is sweet, and adorable, but also gets into the complexities of family dynamics, friend dynamics, and how hard it can be to be with someone from a completely different world than you.

Tw for alcoholism that comes up with a side character, and parental death backstory.

Thank you Random House Children’s and NetGalley for the ARC!

Maybe reading this book in the middle of the night when I crave for something to fill my tummy was not a good option (yet I continued). The description for the food is really tempting, to the point that I think smell it wafting across the room.

And the story is as delicious as the food! We love some fake dating scene, and not to mention how cute and adorable all those moments they shared, my heart more often than not screamed in glee for most parts. It's poignant, obviously the book that will make you feel warm all over.

Fake Dates and Mooncakes is a novel that I had been highly anticipating since I first heard about it and it did NOT disappoint!

I was absolutely hooked from the start. It was so so cute, funny, wholesome, and also handled emotional topics (such as grief) in a beautiful way. It was rich in culture and imagery and totally captivating.

Although the main conflicts of the story had pretty quick resolutions, I would say overall it was amazing and such a cute, fun read. Also, the ending was beautiful and I loved it so much.

A big thank you to Sher Lee and Underlined / Random House Children’s and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Can’t wait for my physical copy to come in 💕

I really loved this book. The characters coming from different backgrounds and going through the process of understanding each other, the added history and traditions of Chinese and Singaporean cultures. I loved the story around the moon cakes and the importance to both characters.

Full Review:
https://theweatherwriter.wixsite.com/blog/post/book-review-fake-dates-and-mooncakes-by-sher-lee

Warning: don’t go into this read on an empty stomach because you will find yourself searching for xiao long bao, only to learn that the closest restaurant to you that makes them is almost 200 miles away. Seriously though, get yourself a snack because the Chinese and Singaporean foods featured in this book are mouthwatering.

Now, I loved this read. We get fake dating, rescue pups, mooncakes, and two families that really just couldn’t be more different. Dylan Tang comes from a middle class background, spending his evenings working with his aunt and cousins in their takeout restaurant Wok Warriors (love the name). They’re very close knit and Dylan wants to give his aunt the world since she has taken care of him since his mother passed away. Theo Somers on the other hand? His father is about as distant as it gets, his best friend is a real piece of work, and the DRAMA that just encompasses the whole family is super entertaining (there’s a wedding that takes place in the book where a sister marries her sister’s ex.. the drama).

Between the drama, sweeping romantic gestures, and the heartfelt, tender moments this book was exactly what I needed.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the gifted eARC of this book. This is my honest review.

I will prioritize any book with fake dating right there in the title, but I honestly didn't expect this one to be as cute and immersive as it was. Even though Theo could materially want for nothing, the difference between his cold relationship with his father and the close knit family Dylan has makes you understand why Theo is attracted to Dylan and wants to be in his orbit.

The love of food in this book inspired me to try the cuisine because I couldn't read the description of xiao long bao without trying one. I haven't tried mooncakes, but based on the author's description, they sound delightful. And the way the mooncakes brought the whole family together, including the last-minute gift from Theo, really made this a full circle story.

The book starts with a little kerfuffle for Dylan concerning a food delivery gone wrong, with a customer, Adrian, who had an over-the-top reaction about the inclusion of spring onions in his food. He threatens to sue, on the premise that he could be fatally allergic, which I don’t think Wok Warriors could be liable for, considering no mention that the “allergy” was specified. Adrian also dares to call the chef “blind or illiterate” and that was just plain rude. His outburst was really despicable behavior and it really had me questioning Theo’s character by proxy, because why would you want to be friends with or hook up with someone like that? Adrian was just one of a handful of irrelevant characters that were unnecessarily rude. Regardless, this is the first interaction between Dylan and Theo.

Theo later visits Wok Warriors to apologize on behalf of Adrian. I, personally, would not have accepted an apology from him since it’s not his apology to give, but Adrian’s. I would absolutely accept Theo’s money though lol. This interaction also highlights how disconnected Theo is from his mother’s culture, as he lets Dylan know that his mom passed away when he was young. As a mixed-Asian person with his only living parent being his white father, he is detached from his culture and Dylan helps Theo learn more, but a lot of this is done by telling and not showing.

Theo asks Dylan to be his fake date to a wedding in the Hamptons, and Dylan accepts, <spoiler>only to find out that Theo never received an invitation and that they were wedding crashers, albeit welcomed at the function </spoiler>. Honestly, the interaction with Herbert in chapter 10 made by blood boil. The microaggressions Herbert spewed made Asian people seem so monolithic. His Sinophobia was also showing when he was talking negatively about the use of MSG in Chinese cuisine. Thankfully, Theo corrected Herbert, which was one of quite a few instances that Theo saves the day.

I loved Dylan and his family dynamic. I also really enjoyed the cultural aspects of the book, such as cuisine and rituals, but I’d like to reiterate that it was more telling than showing. There was a lot that should have been a bit more developed, such the complicated relationship Theo has with his dad. I do think there are a few too many references, such as the MANY references to BlackPink, Fresh off the Boat, Crazy Rich Asians, luxury brands, and so on. Overall, I thought this book was pretty cute and wholesome. You should pick it up if you enjoy queer romance, Crazy Rich Asians, and food.

Thank you for to the Sher Lee, Random House Children’s, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of this book in exchange of an honest review!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Fake Dates and Mooncakes.

I got to say don’t read this book on an empty stomach because you will be salivating nonstop. The food descriptions are incredible and the love and care the author put into the atmosphere of the kitchen was lovely. It’s just one facet of the lovely world and character building done by the author. The culture and family felt so real and alive, reading this felt like being welcomed into someone’s home.

Overall a lovely, enjoyable read with good representation and an engaging storyline. Sometimes I felt like the plot remained too surface level and felt like a series of events more than hitting the emotional points we skirted past. Due to this I never felt truly engaged with the actual plot of the book.

One note - from the description I didn’t realize just how YA this book would be and it did read quite young with rather simple writing. From the cover art and description I hadn’t realized, which is entirely my mistake so I can’t blame the book for it.

All in all, a cute read with a cover to die for. If you love YA romance, don’t miss this!

3 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“ When everything seems to be going wrong, the best thing to do is to stay calm and make mooncakes”

Fake dates and Mooncakes is exactly what you need if you want a light and fluffy queer romance. The romance is sweet and felt like a warm hug.

Dylan was a great MC that had a great family structure and truly developed character where you understood where his decision came from.

Theo was a charismatic MC with a crazy rich family. ( which is where the comparison to Crazy Rich Asian came from)

Learning the cultural aspects of mooncakes and other cuisines which made me feel like I was always learning something new of the culture and felt like I was apart of the family with how Dylan and his family interacted.

My only complaint would be I wanted it to be more fleshed out. I love a good cooking competition and I which I had more of it. And I felt like we could’ve taken out the butler plot twist and added more filler chapters to add more little moments between Dylan and Theo.

I also wish there was more talk about grief either with the families of Dylan or Theo or between the two of them with having to lose both of their mothers. I just felt like I was told and not shown their grief with their loss.

I feel as though my complaints were minor to the story and really didn’t take away from my enjoyment! This is an amazing debut novel from this author and I hope many young adults read this upon release and enjoy it as much as I did.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this ARC!

**Thank you for the ARC. All opinions are completely my own.**

3-3.5 stars. A truly average read. Nothing special.

This book was A-OK...that's about it. At least it was a short and easy read.

However, all of the characters were incredibly underdeveloped. The main character was boring and flat - not to mention, he acted like an insufferable walking encyclopedia by spouting random unsolicited facts that totally killed the vibe. The romantic interest is pretty mid and follows the rich neglected son trope.

On the bright side, at least the plot was straightforward and easy to follow.

TLDR; Very much meh. Recommended to those who enjoy predictable romances.

DNF at 25%
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately i was not interested in continuing the book as i an not a fan of insta love and it feels like one of the characters doing so much for the other one only a few days after they met is too much.

This book is so stinkin’ cute! I’ve never had a mooncake before but I want them (and even more Singaporean food) after reading this book!
Dylan is such a sweet boy who is humble and has such great loyalty to his family. Rightly so because his family is adorable; they are fun, clearly close-knit, and so supportive! The difficulties they went through obviously made them even closer.
Theo has almost no one, but he has money. Seeing these two worlds collide was certainly interesting and I agree with the Crazy Rich Asians vibe. However, even though Theo’s family is crazy rich, they are not crazy mean. His dad - eh - it’s a work in progress throughout the book.
The storytelling throughout this book is perfect. I love the interplay of generational stories and cultural lessons without them being too much. I felt like I learned more about Singaporean culture, but it was all explained so well. The food was described so well without the book sounding like the author was trying to sell recipes.
The ending was sweet and even though it could be categorized as “miscommunication,” it was explained really well and communicated well too. I wasn’t left frustrated by the 3rd act plot line.
Overall, a really cute read that had me smiling the entire time! 4.75⭐️, 0.5🌶

Ok ahhh this book was SO cute and wholesome?? I was grinning throughout, I loved it smm.

It's a (YA) fake dating to lovers situation, plus a healthy dose of found family and grand gestures and cute dog moments, and literally every scene was perfect. Plus, the book had so many good Chinese food descriptions (front and centre being mooncakes), and now I wanna go eat some of the dishes 😭

I'd say if you liked the wholesome stuff in Red, White & Royal Blue and/or Heartstopper, I'd definitely recommend you pick up this book!

TWs - death of a parent for both MCs (off-page, but grief mentioned frequently) (by cancer, and by road accident), estranged parent for both MCs, almost drowning in the ocean (on page, but they're rescued)

--- ty to the author, published and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

Dylan Tang works at his Aunt Jade’s takeout establishment making delicious and fragrant Singaporean Chinese food. On a fateful day when Dylan has to step out of the kitchen and deliver orders, he meets hot and rich Theo Somers. With overdue rent notices and a lack of customers, their takeout Wok Warriors is struggling to stay afloat. Theo gives the takeout five thousand dollars in the guise of a grant. Wanting to return the favor, Dylan agrees to fake date Theo at his cousin’s wedding. Despite Theo’s grant the takeout still needs more to keep on running. The way out of this is to win the moon cake contest hosted by celebrity chef Lawrence Lim and includes a cash prize and a feature on the winner’s chosen restaurant on his show. Through family, fake dates, and mooncakes, will Dylan make it to the contest and sort out his feelings for Theo?

This book is so cute! I love that it’s fast paced because it works so well in <i>Fake Dates and Mooncakes</i>, I was hooked from the very first page. All the characters are so fun to read about, and even though Dylan and Theo are from different worlds, they just fit in so well with each other! From fake dating at the wedding to making mooncakes at the contest and the banter between family to restoring a family recipe, every part of the book is exciting. If you love cute C-Drama’s, fake dating, yummy food, and the sharing-a-hotel-room trope, then you’ll love <i>Fake Dates and Mooncakes</i>!!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children’s for sending me a copy of this book for an honest review!

I received this book from NetGalley as an Arc for free to review. These opinions are my own. Dylan and Theo are both likable MCs. I can’t say fake dating isn’t over done, but this was cute. The homage and honoring of the Chinese and Singaporean cultures by Dylan is something that’s not seen very often in popular culture, let alone a queer story. There definitely could have been more plot development and more back story given for the characters and some of the problems resolved a little too easily for my liking. However, I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others.

With the gorgeous cover and adorable title, I was extremely excited to get my hands on this.

Fake Dates and Mooncakes focuses on our main character, Dylan, as a delivery mishap inadvertently leads to a fake date with Theo. It's a cute and easy read with just the right amount of fluff to keep you entertained as a reader. Unfortunately for me, these kinds of fast-burn instant-attraction romances don't do it for me. While I understood their attraction and chemistry, I wasn't as invested as I wanted to be, partially because I didn't find Theo as a love interesting very compelling. Everything between them happens so quickly and without reason other than "he's cute". I could see how someone who LOVES fast-paced relationships or perhaps wants something quick to fall into will enjoy this.

The other issue I had was we spent a lot of time on unnecessary plots when I wanted the main focus to be the actual competition the book gets its name from. About 80% of the story is about Theo's family dynamic, which I wouldn't have minded if the contest and its importance to Dylan weren't brought up earlier. There's some miscommunication tropey stuff and pop culture references that normally doesn't bother me, but the sheer amount was A LOT.

What I loved was the many touches on Chinese culture, and the vast and detailed descriptions of food coming from Dylan who obviously has a passion for cooking and his culture. I really liked Dylan's character, which is rare in YA books to prefer the protagonist but I found him rational and kind. I loved his family and their importance, his pride in his culture and food, his romanticization.

In all, this is a fun rom-com to capture your attention for a couple of days (two in my case) and drift you off into another world. And the cover is simply to die for.

This book was a quick, easy, cute read.

There are so many things that I enjoyed in this book. It explored themes and cultures that I don't see often represented and I'm so glad this book exists for younger people who don't often see themselves in media. Growing up half white, and not knowing a lot about the other half of your culture really resonated with me and I really like how this was explored with Theo. The family aspect of this book was really heartwarming, Dylan's family felt so loving and accepting, especially in contrast with Theo's family (with a couple of exceptions).

Besides being MM, this didn't give me the same vibes as Heartstopper. Some of the character development seemed a little shallow and I didn't feel a lot of chemistry with Dylan and Theo's interactions. Theo felt like "stereotypical hot, rich dude" and a lot of this book had cheesy things but I could definitely see this as a super cute movie.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend if you're looking for a short, cute, YA romcom read.

This is such a cute YA Rom-Com. The blend of the romance with the competition, plus the class differences give a good amount of romance but conflict that makes sense and actually propels the story forward. Heartstoppers meets Crazy Rich Asians is a perfect comparison. I loved both of the MCs (even when they were not behaving the most likable).

THIS BOOK WAS SO CUTE AND CHEESY!!!

I literally ended up binge reading this in a couple hours. There was no stopping it, it was just so cute and addictive and fun! And the best part about it was that most of it was about food! Starting this one right before bed was not a good idea though, because I was having really crazy urges for some Singaporean food and had no way of satisfying them :(

I initially requested this book on Netgalley because of its adorable cover (i mean look at it!!!) and because it's queer and i will quite literally read anything that is queer. And I was not disappointed! This book was exactly cute cheesy queer romance my heart needed! My favorite part of the book was definitely the wedding plot!

Anyway, this book is described as Heartstopper meets Crazy Rich Asians and that is very spot on! If you like either of the book series or their adaptations, I would recommend checking this one out!

read this book if you want a book with:
- books about food
- queer romance
- fake dating
- rich vs poor
- family relationships
- mentions of grief