I did not finish this book... maybe I'm just not a fan of the author's writing, but just wasn't my cup of tea. The author writes about mixed race identity in a way that makes them exotic ("Her father was half white and half Mexican, while her mother was Japanese. She'd gotten the best of both her parents, with long dark brown hair...") which I've seen in her other book, Someone Else's Life. As someone who also lived in Oklahoma for five years, it also doesn't really seem like the book is contextualized (more like, let's pick a random state that's in the middle of nowhere). Oklahoma has its own rich history and Asian American communities. While the synopsis seemed interesting, the author seems to exoticize and decontextualize their writing.

Everyone knows someone who always has bad luck following them at every turn. It’s like watching Lindsey Lohan constantly trip and spill and get rained on in the movie Just My Luck.

Kimmie Park is that unlucky soul in Crazy Bao You by Lyn Liao.

While Kimmie’s happy making tote bags and wristlets for her Etsy customers, working her day job at craft boutique Let Her Rip is becoming intolerable, especially when the store’s owner Rip van Patten becomes too much to handle. So, one day Kimmie says adios with dramatic flair, twerking and dancing while making a speech to Rip about his treatment of fellow worker bees.

Unfortunately this little display, recorded by fellow coworker friend Michelle goes viral at the same time Kimmie’s Etsy business, My Crafty Bao, takes off. And that’s not the only bad luck she stumbles into. Kimmie posts a photo of her best friend Alicia modeling one of her creations to her store’s Instagram profile. Her followers love the photo, mostly because they think that Alicia — who is actually a part-time model — is Kimmie.

This is a bit of a problem considering she’s hit it off with recent customer Matt West via Instagram and he’s never seen her before. Now, he thinks Kimmie is Alicia. But who knew she would meet a firefighter from across the country online and connect with him while discussing a handmade tote bag for his grandmother?

Deferred Dreams and Cultural Identity
Lyn Liao also writes women’s fiction, and that’s evident through the heroine’s emotional journey of dealing with her fears of loss and guilt for pursuing her own dreams. Kimmie has been stuck in Oklahoma all her life despite wanting to go to New York City and study fashion at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) because of a fatal hiking accident her parents had when she was a teenager. A crippling fear that she would lose everything if she went after her dream kept her from boarding a plane or leaving Oklahoma and getting a fashion degree.

Another strong theme here as in most if not all of Liao’s books is cultural representation and the sense of belonging that one can achieve when connecting with their culture. Kimmie was given up for adoption to Korean parents, and while she knew she was adopted, she thought that her mother was Chinese. It turns out that her birth mother is Taiwanese.

Similar to Liao’s domestic thriller Someone Else’s Life (which is penned under the name Lyn Liao Butler), the main character — and the reader — explores her culture through, among other things, food. In Crazy Bao You, we’re not only exposed to Chinese baos, but many other Asian dishes as Kimmie not only relishes in the culture she grew up with but is now being exposed to a part of her that she didn’t know before.

Happily Ever After Romance
Even with all the serious issues and cultural representations, above all this is a romance, HEA included. NYFD Firefighter Matt West buys a tote from Kimmie’s Etsy store for his grandmother’s birthday. He meets Kimmie sight unseen in the zoomer version of online dating: sliding into someone’s DMs on Insta (and if you don’t know what I just said … get in the know, like Matt’s grandma). Kimmie doesn’t have a personal social media account, and other than this viral video — which she refuses to link to her Etsy shop because she’s embarrassed by it — Matt has never truly seen Kimmie. But he can’t help but fall in love with her personality, her wit and her charm, as they take their relationship from the ‘Gram to phone conversations.

The heat level here is sweet-steamy, which if you haven’t heard of it you’ll probably think it’s an oxymoron. I did. This means that while there is a little more than kissing on page, the book doesn’t have any open-door love scenes. In a lot of sweet-steamy books, the language is also somewhat risqué — there may be cursing and other colorful language. This heat level is perfect for those who love a romantic comedy but aren’t fans of too much steam. If you were comfortable with, for instance, Accidentally Engaged by Farah Heron, you’ll be comfortable here.

For readers who love to see the unlikely heroine come out on top and get a hot firefighter to boot, this book is for you. This cute romantic comedy will make you laugh and give you hope with its guaranteed HEA.

The title was the first thing I noticed about the book. The title is so cute and the book lived up to it. I really enjoyed the premise of an Etsy shop owner finding love through Instagram dms. It's a modern love story that I don't find myself reading a lot and I liked how the story played out. I would have liked to see some of the serious conversations flushed out a bit more, but overall I thought this was a fun book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lyn Liao Butler for access to an arc of the book.

I’ve never read a book by this author before but it was really cute rom com! I liked the relationship Matt had with his Nana and how Matt and his dad worked things out.

Some things I didn’t love was how long it took for Kimmie to tell Matt about who she really was and Matt’s nonchalant reaction to it when she did. It seemed like there was a lot of build up for a few paragraphs of resolution.

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I loved the title and the characters themselves, and I especially loved reading about the characters' jobs because i haven't read many books with main characters being an Etsy store owner or a firefighter. The catfishing trope and the instant love trope has mostly been a miss for me but I still wanted to give this book a try because of the characters but the pacing of the book felt off and the book just wasn't keeping me engaged in the story. The characters had some cute moments which I enjoyed and some other nice aspects like the found family trope with the FMC, her aunt, and her best friend.

Crazy bao you, a cute title and a good romance book.
I like the storyline of the book and how matt and Kim developed their relationship through various mishaps like catfishing , long distance and all. But the book was pretty much predictable but fun too. What I would've appreciated really is , IF the book had been edited a little bit more decently. The pacing was off for me and there were times when I was just browsing through the book.

It's a cute story and a fun romance to read on a simple day.

Delicious food, a stray dog and a hot, loveable firefighter... what more could a girl ask for?

This was such a sweet book! Kimmie was a relatable character with her awkwardness and ‘better safe than sorry’ attitude. Matt was such a sweetie with his big heart and devotion. The chemistry and the banter between them were really great. I love that the book promotes self-acceptance and the ‘brains before looks’ message. The Asian food content made me drool all over my kindle. Kind of want to eat some bao now. And give me a stuffed bao toy, too.
I liked how the conflicts were resolved and I was glad that Kimmie was able to overcome her fears and took risks to reach her dreams.
Also, Nana for president!

I recommend it to all the romance lovers who like a quick and easy read with a sweet story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book.

It was really interesting to see a romcom from this author, as I've only read her women's fic before! It was a cute read, with some lulls at times, but I enjoyed it overall! I always enjoy a dual POV, esp from a firefighter!? Some of the side characters were a bit easier on the mind than our FMC, but Matt was a full-on lovable golden retriever. I did feel like some of the conflict could've been resolved so much easier that it became a bit frustrating, but such is the trope. I liked the name of Kimmie's Etsy store and how it played into the book title so much though! Dim sum is life. Her immaturity at points felt more set for a younger character and put me off for a little. I feel like if there had maybe been a bit more focus on a smaller set of plot points, the story may have flowed a bit easier.

When Kimmie Park goes viral for twerking as she tells off her boss and quits her job she takes the opportunity to lay low and focus on her Etsy shop. However, when she posts pictures of her model best friend Alicia with the products, her customers think Alicia is “Kim.” One of those customers is Matt West, an FDNY firefighter, who she connects with online after he purchases one of her totes for his nana. As things heat up between them her lies weigh heavy on her shoulders. Will she be able to set the record straight before their relationship goes up in flames?

I think the best way to describe Kimmie is that she is a hot mess. The poor woman has been through the wringer and unfortunately, continues to make questionable decisions. While I found elements of the book to be unrealistic or a bit corny, there were entertaining pieces and it was a relatively quick read.

Thank you NetGalley, LLB, and IBPA for a copy to review.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC!

Potential spoilers are below since I critique the plot.

I was in the mood for a foodie romcom so here we are. The explanation of Bao as a “precious treasure” at the start makes the book so much better for me.

Bonus points for the FMC having the same name as me and bonus points for Matt being a firefighter cause that’s hot.

Honestly, I would’ve done the whole secretive persona plot differently. The viral video aspect wasn’t necessary to me. I felt like everything could’ve been associated with Kim not wanting to be public with her store. Kim could’ve just been running her online store without showing her face since her friend was the one modelling her merchandise. This all could’ve been avoided easily by explaining it all. Also, as one of the few people on here who like insta-love as a trope, this was a little too instant for me. It cooked faster than my instant ramen. I still liked them together, though. They had a lot of cute moments.

But like my instant ramen, I still enjoyed it.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.
This is my first title by this author and will read more in the future.
Will recommend this to anyone looking for a cute romance novel.
This book was such a cute romance novel which i really enjoyed.
5/5

This was a cute read. Kimmie was a likable character but had so much going on. Maybe a little to much for a fun read.

My biggest con to this book was dragging out the lies! Not a huge fan of books where everything could have been avoided with communication and honesty. Especially when trying to appeal and make the character be in her 30s.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review.

I love how this setting and situation seems somewhat unrelatable but wondering if Kimmie will be able to let go of her fears or lose the man of her dreams and the opportunity of a lifetime is highly related and encouraging. I felt that Kimmie's dilemma and desire to keep thing the way they are rather than have to tell the truth so vulnerable. I would highly recommend this to others.

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC of Crazy Bao You by Lyn Liao!

I read this in one sitting, that’s how engaged I was with this story and these characters. Kimmie Park is a former retail clerk/Etsy seller of handmade bags and accessories, when she goes viral thanks to a video her coworker took of her telling off her racist boss in a very imaginative way. She’s horrified by the attention it’s garnered her and as a fellow introvert, I relate. I would take a page out of Blast From the Past and literally bunker underground for 35 years to get away from that kind of attention.

Matt West is an FDNY firefighter who slides into Kimmie’s DMs after ordering a tote for his grandmother off Kimmie's Etsy and then seeing a stunning picture Kimmie posts on her Instagram.

Problem is that picture is of Kimmie’s best friend Alicia, not Kimmie. I’m not usually one for a cat fishing trope, but this one didn’t drag on the entire book and I liked how the author incorporated other conflicts into the story instead of only relying on the catfishing. The layering of the conflicts worked very well with this story,

I also loved the idea that your soul mate is likely not someone down the street, but across the country (or the world).

This book was fast paced, fun, and flirty with good sexual tension and some deeper themes of transracial adoption, trauma, grief, and loss. What I enjoyed is that I assumed I knew where the plot was going, and to a point I was correct, but the author pushed the story in other directions I wasn’t anticipating and that was pleasantly surprising. This is a new to me author, and it looks like she has a few books on her back list that I look forward to reading as well.

A fun read, the story of Kimmie and Matt. They connect online, but she is not who he thinks she is, so what will happen when he wants to meet? I loved both characters and that it was told from both points of view. Looking forward to more books from this author.

Crazy Bao You follows a young woman, Kimmie, and New York fireman Matt as they meet by chance online. Kimmie worked in a clothing boutique store but recently went mega viral after losing her temper with her boss, Rip, becoming known as the ‘Let her Rip’ girl. So, after losing her job and anxious to leave the house after everyone knowing who she is she decides to focus all her energy on her small Etsy store.
Matt enters the equation after purchasing a bag from Kimmie for his grandmother, He is training to become a firefighter after leaving the family business following his mothers traumatic death. His father is the CEO of a retail chain and is desperate for his son to return to the family business but Matt isn’t having any of it. Determined to get out of this funk and repay the efforts firefighters made when attempting to save his mother, he puts up with some uncomfortable colleagues and a pestering, unsupportive father, He finds her instagram and starts following her, coincidentally after Kimmie and her best friend Alicia do a photo shoot with some of her products, leading to Matt mistaking Alicia for store owner Kim. The two begin a friendship/relationship online with Kim living in Oaklahoma and Matt living in New York.
They speak on the phone, have some attempts at FaceTime and when Matt proposes going into business with her on his fathers behalf she is excited - but nervous at the thought of admitting who she actually is.
I’m not 100% keen on the catfishing trope but I think Lyn Liao added points that soothed what happened. Such as Matt feeling more attracted to real Kim when he she was Alicia, feeling her online personality United her real character better, and overall he was really relaxed about it. I am also glad the real identity crisis was resolved fairly quickly as romance books are prone to dragging out catfish plots.
The only reason I have not rated the book higher is because I didn’t really connect with the characters. I found the book pleasant and finished it but I didn’t find a deep level of empathy or connection to either main character.
Thank you for the eARC.

This was okay. A L O T was going on in it, and sometimes it was hard to keep track. I liked the chemistry between Kimmie and Matt, but wasn't crazy about how long it took for her to tell him what was going on.

I enjoyed getting to watch the characters grow, and I will definitely be checking out more books from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley, Lyn Liao, and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of this book

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. This was such a comforting rom com to read 🤗 I loved the characters and how they went from complete strangers DMing over the internet to full on obsessed with each other in real life. There's a good mix of sweetness, comedy, backstory/trauma, tension, food descriptions, dogs and self-development (to name a few)

There were times where Kimmie felt immature and indecisive for her age, especially when it came to some of the decisions she made with Matt. Matt on the other hand was a great book boyfriend and incredibly supportive, even when Kimmie was acting up. But it was nice to see them work through everything and to see where they end up at the end of the book

The pacing overall was ok but towards the end there is a lot going on and I wish there had been more of this angst spread throughout the book rather than crammed into the final 10%. Also, there are parts that could have been edited out as some scenes contained too much information and didn't help the writing to flow imo.

I think my favourite thing about this book is its premise as it's so unique, and somehow believable yet unbelievable at the same time (in a good way!). It's a fun read that doesn't take itself too seriously. And yay for more Asian characters in books 🥰

This was such a cute and light read. I had such a fun time reading about Kimmy and Matt’s love story. I loved Kimmy’s personality but I wished she would have told Matt about her looks sooner. I understand that things happen but I feel like it happened way too often before she told him. That part got a bit annoying for me. Matt is definitely book boyfriend material. He is so sweet and caring and I love his relationship with his Nana. I want Nana to be my grandmother. I loved the play on words in the title. It is so fitting for the story line.

My favorite things about this book:
-depicts great female friendships
-dual POV
-hot firefighter 🔥
-awkward but loving FMC
-cinnamon roll MMC

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the Advanced Copy of this book.

Easy quick romantic comedy that had me giggling a few times. Good book to get out of a slump. Will read more from this author