Jackie Lau’s Not Your Valentine reminded me how much I love novellas! This was a fun, sexy read. It featured the popular grumpy-sunshine, friends to lovers, and fake dating tropes. One can easily consume this in one sitting.

This was my first introduction to Lau’s writing. I found her style to be the perfect balance of vulnerable and entertaining. Helen’s grumpy personality and skeptical disposition kept me laughing out loud. In the same way, her feeling undeserving of love grounded the story in reality.

Lau has a new fan! I will be checking out her previous publications. In fact, I already have my eye on The Standup Groomsman.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Kobo Originals for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Kobo for an ARC of this book, in exchange for honest feedback.
This was my first book by Jackie Lau and it was a super cute, and a fast read! I’ve read other books with similar storyline/idea, but this book was different in the sense that the main characters had history. I found Helen and Taylor to be really likable. Helen is quirky and I loved the little touches to her quirkiness, like the “Helen Tsang Scale of Excitement”! There was a little bit of spice in the book, but nothing crazy. Upon completion, I found myself wishing it was longer, but was also glad that the storyline was not stretched too far.
I am giving this book 3 stars. While it was super cute, it didn’t really “excite” me. I would still recommend for anyone looking for a quick and cute book to read around Valentines Day!

This was promising at first. I felt like an early 2000s rom-com. But once you hit the 60-70% area, it lost me. I was under the impression this was going to be all fluff no spice, so it took me by surprise. But it is all personal preference.

Also, it is a novella, so I wasn't expecting the plot to be groundbreaking, but it did feel a bit flat at times.

I would recommend this to people looking for a palette cleanser between books or to get their minds off things.

This was such a cute little story and I flew through it. Fake dating, friends to lovers, and spice 🥵🥵 Helen was such a relatable character and Taylor was so easy to fall for. I loved that they had history together and everything seemed to happen very naturally. Plus, Helen’s friends and family make you love them both together even more.

Jackie Lau did a lovely job with this quick read and I’d recommend it to anyone wanting a sweet (and spicy) story on or around Valentine’s Day!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I love her books and this one is no exception I loved this friends to lovers fake dating thing it was great definitely would read again

After being underwhelmed by Donut Fall in Love, despite the interesting plot, I was hoping this novella would be better; unfortunately it was not what I had hoped. I barely made it halfway before giving up, not just on the book but also, most likely on the author. Maybe one day I'll try the The Standup Groomsman.
The writing was my biggest problem. Nothing about it felt enticing or interesting. It felt like it was being written for the sake of completing this book, without any real thought or depth.

This book was so cute, the perfect valentines read. The only thing I could ask for is for it to be a bit longer, I needed more. Yes it was predictable but I loved it, I shipped both Helen & Taylor from the start and I really liked that they were just two normal people. Normal jobs, normal looks, just a sweet couple. I very much enjoyed the smit too again I just wish there was more of it.

Overall I would say this was 4.5 ⭐️ and I’m ready to read more from this author

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC to review

Grumpy/sunshine? Fake dating? Friends to lovers? Check, check, check! Jackie Lau knows how to write the perfect slow building relationships, mix one dry witted character who relies on hiding their softness in sarcasm and clouds of grey and another who is reliable, overly lovable, and sees the world in a ray of color. Not Your Valentine is full of fun, banter and steam and will not let you down this romantic Valentine season💕

3.5 stars.

This is cute — usually “fake-dating because of social media virality” isn’t my favorite premise, but this worked for me because 2) the viral moment happened a year ago and 2) only the heroine (and not the hero) was involved. I really liked Helen’s dry inner monologue, but the single POV left me wanting re: Taylor’s arc.

Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

After a painfully public breakup at a restaurant the previous Valentine's Day -- and the viral fallout -- Helen Tsang has sworn off dating for the New Year. But since she's also really tired of seeing pity on the faces of her friends, family, and even the guy at the bubble tea shop, she toys with the idea of creating a fake boyfriend to keep everyone off her back.

When her school friend Taylor Li follows up on his New Year's text of "we should hang out soon," Helen thinks maybe Taylor would be willing to be her fake boyfriend, at least to get her through Valentine's Day. And when he agrees, she starts thinking about him in ways that aren't so fake-romantic after all...

Jackie Lau truly excels in three things:
1. She creates unabashedly grumpy characters (both male and female, though the female grumps are especially relatable) who have a soft heart and room to grow.
2. She writes sex scenes that show how the characters truly delight in getting to know one another physically as well as emotionally (and are confident about putting toys to good use).
3. She packs so much character development and heartwarming plot into a story that even a novella like this feels as satisfying as a full novel.

This sweet holiday treat throws together many of my favorite tropes -- grumpy (her)/sunshine (him), fake dating, friends to lovers, a dash of "only one bed," having sex to "get it out of my system" (spoiler alert: this never works to get someone out of your system) -- and mixes it all up with teasing and inside jokes, a supportive family, great friends, and a lot of unspoken yearning. 4.5 stars rounded up.

And not going to lie, I went with zero expectations and I was so pleasantly surprised! There were a couple of grammar mistakes I noticed, which I hope get fixed on the final version. But, besides that, the writing is super easy to get into and I read this pretty much in one sitting. It's cute, and adorable and if I had sworn off romance I think this might make me believe in it... A little bit!

A cute, easy read that could get you out of a reading slump - only took 2/3 hours to read! Fake dating trope that leaves you longing for them to work out. By the end, I wanted to know more about how their future looks together. A little spice too which is always welcomed!

I love Jackie Lau's books and this latest was no exception!! A grumpy/sunshine, friends to lovers, fake dating, anti-Valentine's day romance featuring two Asian Canadian MCs that had me laughing and swooning in equal parts as Helen tries to make her friends and family happy by pretending she has a new boyfriend. Especially after her Valentine's day breakup went viral last year, leaving her staunchly anti-romance and VERY much anti-all things hearts and flowers and Valentine's day. But her high school friend Taylor slowly has her changing her mind as she finds herself growing more and more attached. Much thanks to NetGalley and the author for an early digital copy of this new novella that makes a perfect Valentine's Day read!

I never get tired of Jackie Lau. Tropes, family hilarity, tasty desserts, and two holidays for the price of one! We'll be reading The Stand-Up Groomsman for book club in May and I look forward to recommending this when everyone asks for further Jackie Lau recs!

Many thanks for the opportunity to read and review.

A really fun fake dating, friends to lovers novella!

Helen Tsang had a very memorable, very public breakup last Valentine's Day, when her then-boyfriend told her "it's not me, it's you". The viral video has resulted in everyone Helen knows giving her looks of pity since she's not dating again. So this year she decides to enlist her long-time friend Taylor Li to be her fake boyfriend and help her prove that she's moved on. But fake dating Taylor turns out to be extremely easy and Helen might realize she wants all his sunshine and corny couple behavior in her life after all.

First off, I find Helen extremely relatable, even as I also spent most of the book telling her that she's being an idiot. She just doesn't want to have to constantly be justifying herself for everyone and she wants to live her life on her own terms. The friendship she and Taylor have is very genuine and they are very supportive of one another despite being very different. Like the rest of Jackie Lau's books, this one was also steeped in Asian-Canadian culture and all the food traditions you can enjoy in Toronto (are these place real? can Jackie Lau plan my next trip to Toronto?)

Overall, I really recommend this book if you enjoy fake dating or friends to lovers stories. Or if you have enjoyed any of Jackie Lau's other books. It's short length means that we didn't get as much character/plot development as I might have liked, but it was still a great read and I was really rooting for their relationship.

Jackie Lau knows how to write a grumpy/cinnamon roll. While I think this book took awhile to get started Helen and Taylor's hea was so worth it. The last half of this book reminded me so much of why I love friends to lovers. Taylor gets Helen and doesn't try to change her and vice versa. Oh and the weekend in the cabin 🥵 get it. I also think Jackie Lau really does a good job of discussing discrimination within and towards the Asian community and I also confronts fetishism. We get that here from a male perspective and how it impacted his self esteem and motivations to date. She also snuck in something unexpected with how Helen views a certain body part that I thought was quite interesting.

CN: dating anxiety, online bullying, breakup, fetishism, divorce, body insecurity

This was such a cute read. I love that Tyler did all the little things for her even when they were fake.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kobo Originals for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Before, I told myself that I didn't want romantic love. I claimed to have sworn it off, but secretly, somewhere in the jagged cracks inside me, I yearned for it. Sure, I might think that a heart-shaped cake with sprinkles is a travesty, but I still want what it represents."

Helen Tsang is in a romantic rut. Understandable, considering her last breakup went viral on Valentine's Day. A year later, everyone from her family and friends to the guy at her favorite bubble tea shop is still shooting her pitying glances, leaving Helen desperate for a fix. She asks long-time friend Taylor to play the part of her faux boyfriend at the start of the new year, with plans to continue their relationship through Valentine's Day. However, Helen never expected their corny texts and fake dates to break her anti-love mentality.

Not Your Valentine is a quick, easy read for any reader searching for a palette cleanser between books. The plot is simple, the romantic exchanges cute and fluffy; ideal if you've recently finished a novel with more a complex plot or world-building. The main character is easy to relate to—who can blame her for swearing off romance after a horrible breakup, with the words, "It's not me, it's you" lingering in her mind, fueling her doubts that she is in fact, worthy of love?

However, I expected more from Jackie Lau after reading Donut Fall in Love, which offered complex characters with distinct motivations that drove the story forward. While Helen's "anti-love," "anti-Valentine's Day" mentality is relatable, she's a difficult character to like. The first-person narration feels awkward, especially when Helen's mind jumps from one concept to another, or when she begins mixing metaphors. There are quite a few cringe-worthy lines that left me skimming in a rush to get beyond her messy thought spirals. Unfortunately, the novel also lacks twists or surprises to encourage readers to keep flipping pages; the ending is evident the moment Helen's plan comes to light. The romance and overall plot are both rushed as well, as if a key scene is missing.

If you’re looking for a heart warming and Kindle melting read to warm things up on Valentine’s Day, look no further. Jackie Lau has outdone herself for spice and character chemistry with this one, but she also tells such a lovely story about Helen who has been burned in the past and has given up on love entirely. Taylor is such a lovely MMC. He endears the reader right from the start and proves that you don’t have to be a dominant alphahole to rock someone’s world. (A refreshing perspective!!)

Add Jackie Lau’s customary food descriptions (food is always a secondary character in her novels!) and cast of wonderful and realistic supporting characters and the result is an absolute hit. Check it out this wonderful friends to lovers romance. You won’t regret it.

This is a very short and sweet holiday rom com novella (about 120-ish pages) that obviously touches on Valentines Day, and less obviously but equally importantly weaves in some Lunar New Year too (both of our MCs are of Asian descent).

I was immediately drawn to this one for the cute and colorful cover art – then I saw it was a short story by Jackie Lau (whom I recently read for the first time with The Stand Up Groomsman) and I knew I had to try it.

The story is a quick, easy read – as I mentioned it’s a short story but it manages to pack in some excellent elements and tropes:

• Friends To Lovers (they’ve know each other since HS, are in late 20s)
• Fake Relationship
• Sunshine Grump (He’s the sunshine, she’s the grump)
• Authentic Characters with real looks, quirks and flaws

The two MCs were each relatable and likable in their own ways, I liked that Helen (our female MC) was not made out to be a cookie cutter image of the romcom heroine. She’s a bit grumpy, and not all bubbles and sunshine – and that is embraced and a-okay. It was a refreshing change of pace to have characters that felt real – no perfect height, body, etc.

I liked the chemistry between the two and the change that happens between them. I enjoyed reading about their dates and found the backstory for each (especially in terms of prior relationship / rejection experiences) to really lend an air of truth to how things were unfolding between them. (Fair warning this is sweet in the romance but surprisingly steamy.)

Overall a really fun holiday novella, I look forward to reading more from Jackie Lau in the near future. Thank you to Netgalley and Kobo books for the opportunity to read an early copy!