Fake Dates and Mooncakes (eARC) — 4 ⭐️

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 —
🥰 Feel-Good Story
🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQIA+ Rep
🥸 Fake Dating
💒 Wedding Related
🔐 Closed Door Romance
🍽 Foodie Inspired
🔥 Slow Burn Romance

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐟 —
📺 You enjoy cooking shows
👩‍🍳 You’ve worked at a restaurant
👚 You like punny t-shirts
👰‍♀️ You’ve crashed a wedding
🛍️ You like shopping at markets

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 & 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: I saw a review that said “Heartstopper meets Crazy Rich Asians,” and I couldn’t agree more! This adorable, short rom-com will have your heart bursting! The whole story was cute, wholesome, and predictable, but isn’t that the charm of YA romance?! Also, I enjoyed learning about the history of mooncakes, and I could totally see this book making a great movie.

Can we talk about how this book cover is EVERYTHING!?!?! 😍😍😍

𝐓𝐖: drowning, alcoholism, abandonment, death of parent (past), grief

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House, for providing me an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3.75 ⭐️ rounded up

This was super cute and a quick, easy read! It was predictable and a very cliche fake dating plot but I still enjoyed it! My main gripe was it was very hard to believe high schoolers would be doing some of these things. Staying in a hotel together at 17 years old for entire weekend? I can't even imagine 🤣😆

This book has been a highly excited and antipacted book all throughout book instagram. A lot had to with the cover, which is absolutely gorgeous. The overall book is a sweet and fluffy romance that can draw a lot of readers in. The faking dating was definitely strong and exciting to read.

3.5/5 stars

This was such a sweet, feel-good romance. It seems like a lot of the gay YA romances I read are super focused on identity and coming out (which are very important!) but it was nice to read a YA gay romance that was focused on other themes, like friendship, love, and grief. I really enjoyed this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Had really high hopes on this book because I’d love a good Chinese queer romance.

Unfortunately Fake Dates and Mooncakes doesn’t have the cute fake date moments I’m looking for, the romance part was a bit weak, and overall cliche. There were some Chinese saying referencesbut I’m not sure they’re best used in this story.

Did not hate it but it wasn’t a memorable book either.

i adore this book so much, the setting was perfect (i was in nyc while reading this!!) and both the main character and the love interest are written soo well + the plotline/cuisine/culture >>>

Overall had decently written main characters and it worked really nicely together! Would recommend for a fast and fun read.

Loved this story and how it weaved characters, culture, and contests! A great "window" book for my students!

mm - contemporary romance - Asian MCs - Asian author - young adult - no steam - pov: first single - autumn vibes - holiday romance (Mid-Autumn Festival) - food industry - class gap - celebrity - fake date - only one bed - ARC - 5 stars. This book is the closest to casually queer I have ever seen in a contemporary romance. The story was so sweet and heartwarming, the class gap and celebrity aspects were really well done. It was such an immersion in Chinese food and culture!

A saccharine sweet baking romance with the absolute cutest characters and the biggest feet-kicking romance in YA. Adorable.

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

I thought this book was just okay. It wasn't the book for me.

I was very excited to read a copy of this book, because of the cute cover and queer representation. However, I really struggled with the tone of the writing and connecting to the characters. The writing is clunky, and it feels like there's a lot of info-dumping. While I did love the food references, it wasn't enough to maintain my interest. I did DNF this one.

Representation: Queer Asian MCs

Rating: 4/5 Full transparency, I read this in May, and while I remember enjoying it while reading, I now don't remember much of what actually happened. I do remember being annoyed with Theo trying to throw money at problems, and waving away their best friend's behavior. That in itself should've been confronted. I enjoy the fake dating trope, and this did feel a little scripted in how it hit all of the trope beats exactly. It wasn't anything amazingly special, but I have a soft spot for cheesy romance, especially when it's queer.

Sher Lee's "Fake Dates and Mooncakes" excels in exploring food, culture, and grief. The vivid descriptions of delicious food tie seamlessly with the main characters' complex relationships with their cultures and their experiences of grief. The narrative critiques the oversimplification of rich characters in fiction, emphasizing the need for nuance. Despite a rushed conclusion in the last 50 pages, the book, with its sweet romance, is recommended, especially for those interested in Asian representation in YA romance and for food enthusiasts.

4.25 This was such an adorable YA romance corgis, baking competition this was just up my alley. This book follows Dylan who recently lost his mom and was taken in by his Aunt Jade. Aunt Jade runs a takeaway restaurant called wok warriors but is really struggling financially . Dylan meets Theo when a food delivery went wrong. Theo came to the restaurant the next day to apologize and gets to know Dylan he finds out they need money to keep the takeaway open he try’s to donate it has a small business grant. Dylan figures it out so Theo comes up with a deal to take Dylan as a date to the wedding in the Hampton then they’ll be even. As expected feelings start to be had and it is just adorable.

I really enjoyed this book it was exactly what I needed it was just so cute and cozy.The writing was very fast paced and engaging and I really enjoyed learning more about Asian culture. I really appreciate that this book was able to explain a lot about the history behind mooncakes and still kept me flying through the pages. I enjoyed this so much I basically read it in one sitting. I really hope to pick up more from this author in the future. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee is a charming and heartwarming young adult romance that will leave readers with a smile on their faces. The novel follows Dylan Tang, a teenage Chinese-American boy in Brooklyn, who wants to win a mooncake-making competition in memory of his late mother and bring much-needed publicity to his aunt's struggling Chinese takeout.

Enter Theo Somers, a wealthy and charming boy from a completely different world. Despite their different backgrounds, Theo and Dylan are drawn to each other, and Theo convinces Dylan to be his fake date at a family wedding in the Hamptons. However, as their pretend romance turns into something real, Theo's crazy rich family drama threatens to derail everything.

The author has done an excellent job of creating relatable characters and a plot that is both engaging and heartwarming. The chemistry between Dylan and Theo is palpable, and their love story is sweet and romantic. The book is also a celebration of Chinese culture, food, and traditions, which adds depth and richness to the story.

Fake Dates and Mooncakes is a well-written and enjoyable young adult romance that deals with important themes such as family, love, and identity. It's a perfect read for anyone who loves a good romance with a side of mooncakes!

This was genuinely just a joy to read and I'm so sad it took me this long to get around to it! This was the perfect entertaining, charming yet unserious read I needed. Crazy Rich Asians will forever and always be my favorite movie and this was so reminiscent of all the things I love about that movie. I loved the family dynamics and all the descriptions of foods were making my mouth water. Definitely the most wonderful palette cleanser book I can see myself going back to several times. Loved!

Fake Dates and Mooncakes is supremely precious. It's swoony, full of mouth watering food scenes, and has a disastrous meet cute. Lee's debut is charming from start to finish and I read this one in a matter of days. Falling in love with Fake Dates and Mooncakes isn't difficult. I loved Dylan's family, their support, but also how badly they need to win this competition. With the stakes against them and all of Theo's wealth and status, can they really be something real?

5 / 5 ⭐️'ˢ

“Fake Dates And Mooncakes” By Sher Lee

📕 Edition: Audiobook

This was such a cute read that whisked me into a whirlwind of emotions! 📚😍 Full of romance, cultural celebration, and the power of family. Dylan's dedication to honor his mom through the mooncake competition was heartwarming, and the struggles his family faced added a layer of relatability.

Theo and Dylan's chemistry was electric, set against the backdrop of two vastly different worlds colliding. The fake dating trope took an unexpected turn, weaving a genuine connection that tugged at my heartstrings. The glitz and glamour of Theo's world juxtaposed with the authenticity of Dylan's life made for a captivating dynamic.

Amidst the rich-people drama, the impending mooncake contest added a layer of urgency, highlighting the importance of balancing personal desires and familial responsibilities. Lee beautifully portrays the complexity of navigating love, family, and ambition.

A sweet, endearing tale that captures the essence of love and the essence of honoring one's heritage. 🌟🌙

Thank You @netgalley and @getUnderlined for providing me with this ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was such a cute rom-com LGBTQ+ YA romance. I love the main characters and Theo and Dylan. I like the idea of the fake dating and all the drama that goes along with it. Normally that is not my thing, but it worked for this book. The only thing I wish Sher Lee highlighted a little bit more of is the Mooncake contest. I loved the idea of a baking competition, but I thought it was put on the back burner until the end. I can not wait to read more by this author in the future.

Sher Lee’s debut novel Fake Dates and Mooncakes is a surprising book. For starters, I never would have known about it or given it a chance had I not seen it as part of a blog tour. The comparisons between Heartstopper and Crazy Rich Asians convinced me to give the book a chance, and I’m very glad I did. If you like Casey McQuiston’s Red White and Royal Blue, this book has elements that are reminiscent of that too.

The food in this book is ah-mazing, and an integral part of the world. As a warning, you probably shouldn't read this book while hungry. One of the biggest parts of the story is Dylan’s family restaurant (run by his aunt Jade), and how he is entering a contest to help gain some publicity to save it. The mooncakes Dylan makes in the book are a labor of love, and it’s obvious that the author put a lot of love into the research and details that go into the various recipes presented in the book.

The characters and interactions were also surprising. I was not expecting some of the character plot twists. Theo and Dylan are adorable, and they have a very unique meet- cute moment. The side characters like Aunt Jade, Megan, Tim, and of course Clover are also integral to the story. The one hesitation I have was the whirlwind of insta-love and fake dating, which kind of put me off a bit (they are admittedly not my favorite tropes), but overall it didn't impact my enjoyment of the book too much.

Put together, Fake Dates and Mooncakes was a very entertaining read. A perfectly balanced recipe complete with lots of humor, heart, and romantic moments. The narrator, Joshua Chang, did an excellent job bringing Dylan’s perspective to life with his performance in the audiobook narration. As a standalone novel, I think the author wrapped up the storyline very nicely at the end of the book. I’m definitely intrigued enough to check out whatever the author writes in the future (she has a new young adult fantasy, Legend of the White Snake, set to release in 2024).

Thank you to the author, the publisher, the team at TBR and Beyond Tours for providing me with a complimentary review copy of this book as part of my participation in the tour. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review Fake Dates and Mooncakes immensely. Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way.