this is a contender for prettiest cover ever - just gorge!

overall this was a fast read with some major highs and some pretty low lows, so i feel like it’s probably a 2.5 (which makes me sad!!!!!! the potential was potential-ing!)

i loved the foodie elements of this one and the family storyline. however, the romance did not work for me entirely :( this was a severe case of insta-love, that turned into immediate oversharing and angst. i’m an insta-love hater because it always brings the chemistry down for me, but if that’s not the case for you, proceed!

there were plenty of cute moments and the characters were mostly likeable, but the pacing just bugged me so much! theo especially deserved more time to develop because everything we got of him i super loved.

would recommend if you’re an insta-love advocate looking for some ya fluff that will make you soooo hungry!

thanks so much to the publisher and netgalley for the early e-arc of this one!

I love a romcom where food is a main character, and this one was super charming and fun. I’m always a fan of fake dating and the family dynamics were delightful.

Really sweet story with great representation. The comparisons to Crazy Rich Asians and Heartstopper are perfect and would highly recommend to fans of those two novels

Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee was absolutely adorable, an utter delight of a debut, and I highly recommend it!

I really loved this book and it’s depiction of non-euro American queer romance. The added language and cultural details just really help solidify the book in real life. I enjoyed learning about the customs around moon cakes as much as the overall love story.

The only reason this book isn’t getting five stars is because it does steer into so standard romance tropes such as insta-love that make it feel a little formulaic. That said, I will be looking for more from this author in the future.

Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee is a contemporary romance. Dylan Tang wants to win a Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake-making competition for teen chefs—in memory of his mom, and to bring much-needed publicity to his aunt’s struggling Chinese takeout in Brooklyn. Enter Theo Somers: charming, wealthy, with a smile that makes Dylan’s stomach do backflips. AKA a distraction. Their worlds are sun-and-moon apart, but Theo keeps showing up. He even convinces Dylan to be his fake date at a family wedding in the Hamptons. In Theo’s glittering world of pomp, privilege, and crazy rich drama, their romance is supposed to be just pretend, but Dylan finds himself falling for Theo. For real. Then Theo’s relatives reveal their true colors—but with the mooncake contest looming, Dylan can’t risk being sidetracked by rich-people problems. Can Dylan save his family’s business and follow his heart—or will he fail to do both?

Fake Dates and Mooncakes is a romance that made me very hungry. Before I get to the characters- the food descriptions and information has me craving a whole variety of authentic Chinese food. I loved the exploration of the food and culture of Dylan's family, and how it was made clear how (just like any other culture) personal experiences, regions, dialects, and more have huge impacts on everything involved. I was glad to get a better understanding of one (fictional) family's world and how that fits into the larger whole. I loved Dylan and his family, and would gladly read more about them all. I do have to say that I could not connect as much with Theo Part of it was the family and money, which I could never relate to even though readers do get to see how far from perfect it all is. I think it was more because we rarely got a good look at the real Theo, his actual thoughts and feelings aside from a could big, important moments. I would love to have gotten a chapter or two from his perspective. However, that being said, I really enjoyed the read and look forward to devouring whatever the author cooks up next.

Fake Dates and Mooncakes is a wonderful romance and I look forward to more from the author.

As a thank you to Netgalley and the publisher (Underlined part of Penguin Random House) I shall provide this review of Sher Lee’s debut YA rom-com novel Fake Dates and Mooncakes. To start off I enjoyed this novel and the emotional experience it gave me. It hit all the right areas that I enjoy in romance novels ex. Fake dating, single bed circumstances, Cinderella story elements and total escapism in love at first sight. The novel's central plot follows Dylan Tang, and his family’s struggling Chinese takeout restaurant in Brooklyn. Dylan is an aspiring chef in his own right and recently has lost his mother. Dylan hopes to keep her memory alive by joining a Mid-Autumn Festival moon cake-making competition. The only issue in this is the recipe in question is lost to his memory and becomes an on-going thread throughout the novel. As Dylan meets his romantic interest Theo Somers, does the plot thicken including Dylan becoming his fake date at a family wedding in the Hamptons. Will Dylan develop feelings for Theo ? Yes. But you knew that already, ha! It is the journey my friends that makes this story that much more enjoyable and to take it in small chunks. The romance, the plot and characters made this enjoyable for me . This is one I shall definitely have on my bookshelf. This is one author whose books I shall anticipate as must reads. I recommend the audiobook as I followed along with my e-ARC. The audiobook is narrated by Joshua Chang, and highly suggest you listen to it asap. It is on Libby if you have access to that. Thank you SF public library! Overall I gave this novel a strong five out of five stars on goodreads and cannot recommend it enough.

This was a cute and sweet romance! I think it was just generally too much in too short a book. I wish the scenes had been longer and more descriptive overall, as well as included more dialogue. There was a lot of explaining and not just immersing me, showing me the scene. Cute romance, but I really wanted more overall.

This book was SO cute! It was somewhat predictable, but I loved watching Dylan and Theo's relationship evolve over the story. I loved the New York setting, the fake dating and I'm a sucker for a grand gesture. I also loved the relationship Dylan had with his family and how easily Theo fit into it.

Oh my gosh I’m so glad I read this through NetGalley! Thank you so much NetGalley for letting me read this!

I was so close to finishing this book but then the deadline hit. I wish I had the ability to read fast because I wanted to know what the ending was. I feel so robbed not knowing what happens at the end. I need this book in my life asap.

If you are debating on reading this, do it! The writer’s way with words pulls you in instantly and soon you’re rooting for these characters to become an actual couple. (Something about this trope is just endearing to me for some reason lol.)

This book had me squealing at all the cute moments that happened. I almost wanted the pacing in the beginning of the book to slow down a bit, but I’m glad the author kept a certain set pace for the rest of the book.

I cannot stress enough how much I love this book. Read it!

Thank you NetGalley and author for this ARC!


I loved everything about this book, it was cute and fun. The characters made the love story so enticing. I would read this book multiple time! Thanks again!

“Keep calm and make mooncakes”
I am a sucker for food and baking stories and i this one was cute and delicious. I loved the fake dating element but also how they couple grew together in the end. I also love how it highlighted some Chinese cultural history, stories, and food throughout it. Not only were Dylan and Theo a cute couple you could tell that cared about each other even when it seemed liked it was the end.

This was a fun YA romance, featuring my favorite trope, fake dating! It was well written, and the characters were great. Overall, I would definitely recommend to those who think it sounds good!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

I unfortunately had a hard time connecting with this book and the characters.

It’s compared to Crazy Rich Asians, but I didn’t get the depth or humor, just the details about the rich items they had.

The discussion and making of the mooncakes was the best part.

Overall, this felt a little flat. The romance never worked for me.

Dylan and Theo are both just too cute for words! A familiar romance story taken to a new perspective.

a heartwarming story about remembrance and reunion. with a side of cute romance.

loved the writing and the characters. the romance part though was kind of undercooked, almost rushed, but still had quiet the effect on me. loved the information author shared through her characters regarding the Mid-Autumn festival. and yeah, this book had me craving for Chinese dishes until the very last chapter.

This is the cutest romcom about Dylan, who recently lost his mom to cancer and spends his time working in his family’s takeout restaurant in Brooklyn as they try to stay afloat financially. Early on in the story he meets Theo, who is hot and perfect and also super rich. He agrees to be Theo’s fake date at his cousin’s wedding in the Hamptons, despite having a real crush on him, and hilarity and cuteness ensues.
This was a lovely heartwarming story about food and family and finding love. I read it fast and would recommend it to anyone who wants a cute queer romance this summer.

Very charming book about a young teenage boy who uses baking to connect with his family and culture in order to save his family's restaurant. The romance aspects were also very nicely done. Overall 4.25/5

To put it simply this book was adorable! I have come to realize that if the book has anything to do with cooking/backing, cafe, competition, or whatever it may be; I have a weakness for it. A Mooncake competition was fun to read and learn about. Dylan and Theo are so characters who stole my heart right away. You can't help but swoon and want joy for these two. This is a insta love, but it's what I wanted in this book. With over-the-top cute moments and cheesy scenes, it's easy to get lost. Fast to read. It's one of those books you can enjoy on a summer afternoon and end the day with a smile. The food descriptions, holy, it's worth the read; I will be looking out for more by this author.
It's a sweet queer love story; from fake dating to a Mooncake cooking competition a dash of family drama and a scoop of charm.

Dylan wants to participate in a Mooncake contest in honor of his mother and to help his aunt out.

Theo is the complete opposite of Dylan. Rich, privileged and very charming.

Both of their worlds meet and Dylan finds himself to be Theo’s Fake Date on a wedding. However Dylan is starting to feel things for Theo and he definitely shouldn’t because Theo is just a distraction that he certainly doesn’t need!

I don’t even know where to start. This was such a great read and the story had it’s grip on me since the very beginning. “Fake Dates and Mooncakes” is for sure a very cute and fast-paced read. I would also go so far and say that it is a feel-good story even though we have the theme of grief in it.

I loved the immediate connection between the two boys and couldn’t stop laughing at some of the puns. The side characters, especially Dylan’s cousin (Megan) and aunt were so incredible and loveable. You just can’t get enough of them.

I binge-read “Fake Dates and Mooncakes” and my thoughts are so over the place. I can only say how much I loved this book and that everyone should read it.

Thank you Sher Lee for this amazing story! I can’t wait to read the next stories by the author.