Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.

Unfortunately, I decided that this wasn’t the book for me and have decided to not finish reading.

I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to read this one and look forward to future books.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie by Jackie Lau!

This was a cute read. I enjoyed the fake dating and who doesn't love an argyle sweater. It was a sweet read.

Synopsis:

Writer and barista Emily Hung is tired of hearing about here mom rave about the great Mark Chan. In reality, he’s just a boring, sweater-vest-wearing engineer. But now that Emily is her family’s last single daughter, her mother is fixated on getting her married and she has her sights on Mark. There’s only one solution, clearly : convince Mark to be in a fake relationship with her long enough to put an end to her mom’s meddling. Unfortunately, lying isn’t enough. Family friends keep popping up at their supposed dates—including a bubble tea shop and cake-decorating class—so they’ll have to spend more time together to make their relationship look real. With each fake date, though, Emily realizes that Mark’s not quite what she assumed and maybe that argyle sweater isn’t so ugly after all…

Review:

This was a cute and uplifting read. Emily was a sweet and quirky FMC in an atypical career for an Asian family. I love these kinds of characters because that (South) Asian for me upbringing is super influential so its nice to see people breaking out of the mold. Mark sounds swoonworthy with his sweater vests and all - he's caring, respectful and romantic. I enjoyed all of the family characters in this book as well, it really was a cast of characters. It was a bit silly so it makes for a good chuckle.

3.5 stars rounded up 4.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for my digital copy!

Won’t lie, the title had me.

But this book? So cute 🥰

Fake dating. A questionable night. Meddling mothers. I am here for it all.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

Lau’s latest romance is based loosely on Bridget Jone’s Diary (which is based loosely on Pride and Prejudice). Meddling parents want to see their daughter Emily, a writer/tutor/barista, happily settled down like her sisters, and try to not-so-subtley fix her up with the lawyer son of a family friend into into her orbit at her sister’s wedding. Emily sees Mark Chan as a boring dweeb who won’t put down his phone. Things come to a head when her mother sets them up on a brunch date.

To placate their marriage-minded mothers, Emily and Mark make a pact to fake-date to keep their parents off their backs. Since their well-meaning family and friends keep popping up to monitor the progress of the relationship, they have to actually go out a few times, instead of just making up outings. Eventually, Mark starts looking pretty good, and afte they get together for real, the narrative shifts to a dual point of view, as if once Emily lets him in, we get to see him in a different way, too. Mark’s voice and internal monologue is distinct and a great opportunity to show how aligned they are in a number of ways, most especially on men pitching ideas to Emily, suggesting she write it and then share the royalties with them for germinating the concept. I’d have liked to see the dual narration from the beginning, but that’s just my preference, and I understand why the author made that choice.

Each chapter is prefaced with a funny quote, maligned from Shakespeare or the fake authors Wmily admires and follows on social media. The voice is great—breezy, matter-of-fact and sometimes naive, self-critical and tongue in cheek self-referential. Emily is a writer bemoaning having to market her work with a post about $15 cherry pie milkshakes when the novel is generational trauma… and it’s witty and funny. The feeling of getting “old” at 33, enjoying a quiet bar and getting home to bed before midnight is so relatable. She remarks on other best-selling authors with wonderful, subtle snark: one man brags about writing every day even as his mother is dying (he didn’t change his routine during his wife’s labor birthing his children, either) while another cranks out a new novel every other month because she likes to feel productive.

This has potential to be a culinary novel because food and wine is mentioned so many times: baked goods, gelato, a ten-course Chinese wedding feast—-it feels like a missed opportunity to not have included more sensory details. I don’t mind doing the work of looking up the Cantonese dim sum dishes, but a little more context and description—not a translation—would be welcome. Lau writes knowledgeably about the warmth and frustration of family, particularly sibling and mother-daughter relationships. It’s hilarious that as soon as Emily capitulates and starts dating Mark, the “just go out with him” pressure turns into “marry him” pressure. Emily’s voice provides a funny, real, (and sometimes cynical) view of the publishing industry from the lens of a writer struggling to make a living.

I think Jackie Lau is an author that grows on you. I thought Donut Fall In Love was a bit constructed and that only the food descriptions stood out… but have to say re-reading Love Lies and Cherry Pies four months after my intial read made me appreciate her skill a lot more. She gets better with every book.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #LoveLiesAndCherryPie via #NetGalley.

Thank you to Atria books for sending me this advanced copy of Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie by Jackie Lau.

I loved where this story ended, but the beginning was a bit slow. I love the fake dating trope, it is probably one of my favorites, but it just didn’t hit quite right. The FMC, Emily, is not super likable and the MMC, Mark is very lovable, but a little bland. There were some funny bits, especially with Mark’s cat! And I loved Emily’s family! It also opened my eyes to how difficult being a writer can be! Overall, 3 stars.

I wanted to like this book so bad but it was a little too YA for me and I didn’t end up finishing it

Vivian and Mark are such an odd couple, I'm not going to lie. On paper, it makes no sense (or on Kindle screen or through headphones, however you roll) that these two are together by the end of the book - but it also some WORKS? They couldn't be more different in a lot of ways, but some shared hobbies and interests and pure sexual attraction can make up for a lot apparently. These two ended up being the queens of compromise (and if you read it you will understand why queen is a perfectly solid moniker for Mark). The comedy aspect of the book was incredibly relatable and I loved that Mark worked through his anxiety and life struggles on stage and through his routines. Vivian is seen as cold and distant, but is really just riddled with anxiety (also relatable). Even with the comedy angle, there were several emotional conversations around culture and family that were crucial for these two.

I enjoyed Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie well enough but wished for more depth. The premise hooked me: Emily’s fake dating scheme with the oh-so-perfect Mark Chan to get her meddling mom off her back had all the ingredients for a fun, opposites-attract romance. Emily’s sarcastic resistance to her mom’s relentless matchmaking, like the time she pretended to be in a relationship with her best friend just to avoid another blind date, felt relatable, and her dry wit brought some good laughs.

But, honestly, I struggled with Emily’s mother’s overbearing interference—it bordered on exhaustion. Despite Emily’s apparent discomfort, her constant raving about Mark felt a bit too much, and I just wanted Emily to stand up to her rather than go along with the elaborate ruse.

Emily and Mark’s 'dates' were filled with enjoyable, tender moments, but their chemistry, for me, felt a bit tepid. Even as they began to dismantle each other’s preconceived notions, I found their connection lacking. Mark’s gradual revelation of his hidden depth and warmth was indeed charming, but it didn’t quite solidify their bond by the end.

Unfortunately, the resolution left me unsatisfied. After all the build-up, I hoped for a more substantial payoff—something with more punch or a greater sense of change for Emily and her family, like her mom finally accepting that Emily can make her own romantic decisions. Instead, it wrapped up quickly without much depth, which felt anticlimactic.

Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie is a delightful blend of romance and small-town charm that captures the essence of youthful dreams and the complexities of love. The story follows its relatable protagonist as she navigates the ups and downs of relationships, friendships, and the challenges of pursuing her passion for baking. The author's warm prose and vivid descriptions make you feel right at home in the quaint setting, while the characters are well-drawn and engaging, each adding their unique flavor to the narrative.

The plot unfolds at a satisfying pace, with just the right amount of twists to keep readers invested. While some of the themes may tread familiar ground, the heartfelt moments and witty dialogue elevate the story, making it both enjoyable and meaningful. Overall, Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie is a charming read that celebrates love and resilience, leaving readers with a sweet aftertaste and a smile.

I was thrilled to see Jackie Lau release a new book! While I absolutely loved Donut Fall in Love, this one didn’t quite capture me in the same way, though I still enjoyed it.

This story delves into more complex family dynamics, with a lot of meddling along the way, which isn’t my favorite, but it adds depth. The fake dating trope makes it a fun, light read, perfect for a quick escape. Overall, it’s an easy, enjoyable romance for anyone looking for something sweet and entertaining.

This was a fun read. I enjoyed watching the character development of Mark and Emily as they explored their fake relationship and it became a real relationship.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Emily, at her youngest sister’s wedding, is pressured by her mother to date Mark Chan. However, their initial encounter is far from love at first sight—they both detest each other, reminiscent of Bridget Jones’s interactions with Mark Darcy.

Undeterred, Emily’s mother persistently believes that Emily and Mark are meant to be together, leading to a series of hilarious and cringe-worthy hijinks that keep them constantly running into each other. Frustrated with her mother’s relentless pursuit, Emily decides to fake date Mark as a means of appeasing her.

I thoroughly enjoyed the interactions between Emily and Mark, even the awkward ones were laugh-out-loud funny and heartwarming. While her family members, particularly her mother, initially grated on my nerves, I eventually grew to appreciate her mother’s character. On the other hand, her sister Allison was a different story—she made me incredibly angry and frustrated, and my opinion of her remained unchanged even at the end of the book.

Overall, this book was a delightful play on Pride and Prejudice that kept me engrossed and eager to read more. It’s no surprise that I finished the book in a single day—the author has consistently delivered page-turning comfort reads, and this one is just that.

Unfortunately, this was a miss for me. The overbearing family was taken to such an extreme that they were almost caricatures. It went beyond an overinvolved mom and into stalking. The relationship between the main two characters wasn't really developed enough. It felt surface level. I think there's an audience for this. I'm sure many people can relate to the family dynamics in this one but it just wasn't for me.

I was given access to this arc to read thanks to NetGalley. A fun romance. Great read. Would read more by this author.

I'm a sucker for the fake dating trope so I enjoyed this one!

Emily and Mark had many cute moments and I loved that they started to fake date so that Emily could get her mom off her back. I loved the complicated family situations and the pressures that both of them felt due to their upbringing.

It was interesting to get a glimpse into the world of writing books and publishing. It did feel like an overkill to constantly hear about how broke she was, but maybe she was meant to be a little annoying? Mark felt a little flat for me at times and perhaps we needed some more chapters from his perspective to get more depth to him. Overall, I enjoyed the premise and how their romance came to be.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. I liked the plot but the execution fell flat. The dialogue felt stiff and unnatural and there were extra details that seemed unnecessary. However, I can see someone absolutely loving this book - especially those with overbearing parents that just want to get them married off.

This was fun but forgettable. It’s a fast read that’s light hearted and sticky sweet, but I was hoping for more substance with the main characters. The banter and puns were fine, but didn’t feel very clever or especially engaging.

REVIEW: Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie

In Love, Lies, and Cherry Pies, Jackie Lau offers a sweet and lighthearted romance.

Lau’s writing is accessible and infused with humor, making for an enjoyable reading experience. The bakery setting is delightful, and the descriptions of the pies are mouthwatering, adding a cozy element to the narrative. The chemistry between the main characters is evident, and their banter provides some of the book’s more entertaining moments.

However, while the premise is appealing, the story sometimes falls into predictable patterns of the romance genre. Certain plot developments feel formulaic, lacking the depth and originality that could elevate the narrative. Additionally, some supporting characters are underdeveloped, leaving their motivations and arcs feeling less impactful.

Overall, Love, Lies, and Cherry Pies is a fun and light read that will appeal to fans of contemporary romance. While it may not break new ground, it provides a cozy escape filled with humor and sweetness, making it a pleasant addition to the genre.

Thank you, Netgalley and Atria Books | Atria/Emily Bestler Books, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!