This book starts out with a meddling mother, and fake dating to mollify her.

However, after spending so much time together the main characters feel a bit of a spark and things progress from there.

This book is sweet and well written, with a very slow burn at the start. I think it would make a nice light beach read this summer

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book to read and review.

If you’re looking for a feel good, fake dating read then don’t miss out on Love, Lies and Cherry Pie by Jackie Lau! This story is full of fun, romance and hijinks. Emily an author/barista is the last single daughter in a family of five girls and her mom is convinced she needs to date Mark, the perfect guy. Girl meets boy and neither seems impressed, constantly pressured by her mother she embarks on a fake dating relationship with Mark and sparks fly. I loved the characters especially Mark and Emily. Emily and her mother have such a relatable dynamic and it was fun to watch the meddling play out. Major points to the author because not only did I find the story enjoyable but I loved the cat!

"Jackie Lau, author of the "full of heart" (Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author) The Stand-Up Groomsman, returns with a charming rom-com about a young woman's desperate attempts to fend off her meddling mother...only to find that maybe mother does know best.

Mark Chan this. Mark Chan that.

Writer and barista Emily Hung is tired of hearing about the great Mark Chan, the son of her parents' friends. You'd think he single-handedly stopped climate change and ended child poverty from the way her mother raves about him. But in reality, he's just a boring, sweater-vest-wearing engineer, and when they're forced together at Emily's sister's wedding, it's obvious he thinks he's too good for her.

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. He reluctantly agrees.

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..."

Never judge a guy by his sweater.

One thing about me, I love a fake dating situation. Throw in a meddlesome mother, a strange sister dynamic, and a love interest who is just a sweetheart and this makes for a very interesting read. I loved the banter in this and felt like these characters were so likable and easy to root for. They just felt so fleshed out and realistic.

Shoutout to Jackie for giving us a TRUE slow burn. It’s the YEARNING FOR ME!!

This one was really cute! I am always a sucker for a fake dating book, and this did not disappoint. I loved the complexity all the family drama added to the story. I loved how the more Emily talked to Mark she realized he wasn't actually that bad. This one had so many laugh out loud moments.

Really cute, really engaging, really “real” - I felt a lot of Emily’s struggles! Mark is so mysterious for much of the book, so I loved when we finally got to figure him out in the second half. Loved it!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Such a cute story! I loved the characters and how much they all made me giggle. Mark and Emily are truly so cute together even before they were together. I’m also a huge sucker for the medaling Chinese mother angle and it was perfection. I adored how Mark was willing to be himself, even if there was so hesitation. Emily was such a relatable character for me and I really enjoyed her inner monologue. Overall, a quick, funny story that made me fall in love and appreciate the characters (other than Allison, strongly dislike her)

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for this eARC!

This was a fun rom-com with enjoyable characters. Mark wasn't as fleshed out as I would've liked, but it was easy to root for him and Emily. The dialogue was fun, and I enjoyed the multiple POVs. I really enjoyed Emily's meddling mother. Emily's struggles will likely resonate with many readers.

As a struggling author, Emily Hung is the child her mother is most worried about. This includes badgering her into meeting Mark Chan, the perfect boy her mother can’t stop pushing on Emily. At her wit’s end, Emily decides to ask Mark if he’s interested in a fake-dating scheme. While they fake-date, Emily starts to realize that Mark isn’t the stuck-up and perfect guy she thought he was. Can this fake relationship turn into a real one?

I love Jackie Lau’s sweet romances! Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie is the perfect lighthearted read for readers seeking a Pride and Prejudice inspired relationship. I can clearly see Emily’s resemblance to Lizzy and Mark’s to Darcy. One of my favorite parts was Emily’s relationship with her mom and her sisters. They all love each other fiercely, but don’t always know the best way to express it. Jackie Lau will make readers want to take a vacation to Toronto! Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie is ideal for readers looking for fake-dating, complex family dynamics, and sweet romance.

Thank you to Jackie Lau, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Instagram, Storygraph, Amazon, Barnes & Noble etc.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

"Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie" by Jackie Lau is a quick-paced romance(ish), with a strong adult coming-of-age storyline. I enjoyed that both of the main characters, Emily and Mark, are Asian and that their family dynamics play heavily into the plot and their character development; it felt sincere and heartfelt. However, I wish there were more chapters from Mark's perspective because his stoic, quiet personality made it hard for me to fully buy into the romance between him and Emily. For the most part, Emily felt like a realistic thirty-three-year-old woman, and I appreciated that. 3.5*

3.5 Stars.

🥧 The vibes:
- fake dating
- Enemies to lovers
- Family dynamics
- Cat dad MMC 🐱🖤
- Opposites attract

🥧 My thoughts:
In this one, we have Emily and Mark who have been heavily pressured by their respective parents to meet and date eachother. They meet and it couldn’t go worse. Emily thinks that Mark is stuffy, boring, and judgmental. He’s just the type of man that her mother would insist she be with, and Emily absolutely refuses to give Mark a chance. After continued pressure by their parents to settle down and get married, Emily convinces Mark to fake date to hold off their parents’ intrusions.

🥧 Oooof. Emily is so unlikable at the start of this book. I found her to be extremely judgmental, very rude, and tactless. I couldn’t believe how horrible she was to Mark. And then the repetitive theme of Emily being an author and thinking every single person is against her for being an author. She thinks everyone pities her but sometimes it felt like it was just Emily who needed to put on confidence pants and just own her choices. This book focuses heavily on Emily’s insecurities and self doubt.

🥧 After 30% in I was sold and having such a wonderful time- smiling at Emily and Marks interactions. And then when a new POV is introduced- I fist pumped the air like a fool.

🥧 Though it took me time to get into this one, I enjoyed Mark and Emily so much more once the ball got rolling. I wish we had more of them together and thriving because those were my favorite parts.

‼️ Further explanation for the rating: ‼️
Themes felt repetitive at times. Emily was difficult to love for me. It may be personality - but sometimes she seemed overly victim mentality that I just wanted her to snap out of it. I wanted more of Emily and Mark and less self doubt 🙈. Lastly- sister Allison was the worst. And I’m sorry to have very little grace for her ugliness towards Emily.

Release date: May 7, 2024.

Thank you so much to Jackie Lau, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the gifted copy.

*note- posted on Storygraph, Instagram, goodreads, and barnes and noble. Links provided. Will be posted on Amazon after release date when Amazon allows me to.

Review on Instagram stories - will be saved under the “story reviews” highlights permanently.

4 stars

Emily and Mark are a fake match that become a great match, and their story is so much fun to read.

Having any privacy is difficult these days thanks to social media, and that issue is really compounded by meddlesome family members. In Emily and Mark's case, it's mostly Emily's too interested mother who pushes her daughter into this fake dating scenario. After all, a person can only take so many invasive questions about their love life in their early 30s. Who can blame her?!

Fortunately for readers, Mark agrees to Emily's quirky fake dating scheme, but even more auspiciously for all parties involved, the fake dates turn to real feelings fast, and how could they not? There's a lot to like about both of them, and they're pretty adorable together.

I really liked both of the main characters, the mutual respect they (usually) show for each other, and the generally charming nature of their banter. I did crack up at some hilarious details from their intimate experiences (especially with the acknowledgement that "somehow" something that usually takes a sec is instant), but hey, fiction can include ideal versus real scenarios sometimes. This is an engaging read, and I'll be back for more from this author.

She's a child of immigrants feeling pressure to succeed . The romantic story was okay.


****************I received an ARC for my honest review from NetGalley.*****************

Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie is a rom com based on Emily, a woman born of Chinese immigrant parents, and Mark, who is her mother’s choice for a romantic partner. Emily is a writer, as we’re constantly reminded of, and Mark does something for a living. I couldn’t tell you what because his life isn’t as discussed.

I’ve read only one book by this author, the Stand Up Groomsman, and I didn’t like it at all. This book is much better, and I actually liked some of the characters. Emily was hard to handle through much of the book because she’s so judgmental and focused on the same three topics in her head.

At about the 60 percent mark, the book turns into dual perspective with Emily and Mark. It seemed like a whole different person wrote the last 40 percent of the book, and the chapters were written like they were the same person. I couldn’t tell them apart.

There’s so much talk about toxic men, but we never see Emily’s friend, who is living with her new boyfriend for the first time, get called out for being toxic. She absolutely was, and I couldn’t stand her character. Emily’s mom, however, made this book. I absolutely loved her! My mom isn’t anything like her, but we were also born in another country and moved to North America. I couldn’t help but like the mom.

All in all, this book was entertaining and fun to read. The author is growing in her writing, and I’ll read more books of hers in the future. I’m not usually a fan of the constant miscommunication trope, but I had fun.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

Can I get a Mark in real life please and thank you! If you are in the market for a sweet, fake dating romance, with very low stakes, but absolutely delightful then this is the book I recommend to you. Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie (let’s take a moment to acknowledge this adorable title) is everything you want on a cozy weekend reading on your couch. Emily and Mark are two well developed characters each with their own POV who completely balance each other out. I read this book in one sitting and absolutely adored it.

Thank you #netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars
This is a fun, entertaining read. Mark and Emily are intriguing, complex, interesting, relatable, entertaining, fun, strong characters. I enjoyed them as individuals and as a couple. Their romance, with its twists and turns is fun to read. I loved both the family and friendships in this story and the ways in which they play out and affect our main characters. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. The story is easy to read and get into. This is my first book by Lau and I’m looking forward to read more from this author.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This fun romcom by @jackielaubooks is set in Toronto and follows a struggling writer, Emily, who watches as the last of her 4 sisters gets married and is trying desperately to ward off her overly involved asian mother who is desperate to set her up with the illustrious Mark Chan. The only problem? Mark Chan seems pretty uninterested and very uninteresting. But, when Emily's mother goes as far as tricking Emily into a date with Mark, Emily realizes that maybe making her family think she is actually dating Mark will get them off her back and let her focus on her writing. But is a fake relationship doomed to implode? Or will Mark and Emily catch feelings? And is Mark actually more interesting (and interested) than he appears? Well you'll just have to read it to find out!

I loved a lot about this book, the characters were super well done, the Asian family dynamics (especially in a first- and second-generation Canadian family) were interesting and funny. I liked that the life of a struggling author was prominent throughout (it reminded me at times of Yellowface, though a completely different storyline), and also I felt the early thirties familial and societal expectations of marriage and children very relatable! The only thing that kind of bugged me was that it changed from FMC single POV to dual POV with the MMC midway through... I kind of got why the author did it, but it was a little strange and I think it could have been single POV. Otherwise I was fully on board with the writing style and plot all the way through!

This one is definitely a slow burn but it gets fairly spicy once the action does start to happen. It is also pretty funny and so fits the rom and com criteria. It was fun and I would definitely recommend it. I know Lau has a a few other books so I will definitely be checking them out!

Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher @atriabooks for giving me the chance to read and review this one!

All the great tropes: fake dating, enemies to lovers, and Pride and Prejudice connections. Yes, please!

Emily’s mother wants her to marry – she’s the only one of her five daughters that has not tied the knot. She’s also in her thirties which her niece refers to as old. She keeps hearing her mother talk about Mark Chan, and she wants nothing to do with him. Uncoincidentally, Mark is invited to Emily’s younger sister’s wedding, and they don’t have a memorable first encounter. Emily has strong feelings about him because of what her mother has said, and because of her mother’s overzealous interest in Emily’s love life.

After a second mom-set-up meeting with Mark Chan over brunch, Emily has the idea to fake date Mark to keep her mother from meddling any further. He’s in! Through fake dating, both Emily and Mark begin to realize that their first impressions were incorrect. And just like Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, they slowly open to the possibility of one another.

I loved this book! The interactions between characters, the humor, slow burn romance, and all the Pride and Prejudice connections made this one of the best reads this year.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jackie Lau, and Atria Books for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Love, Lies and Cherry Pie features another meddling mother trying to get her daughter married. Emily Hung is a writer. She is currently published and working on her second book. Emily is doing okay but is currently living with her friend and roommate Paige as well as working as a coffee place to make ends meet. When Emily's mom pushes her toward Mark Chan, her immediate reaction is to shut it down. He is the opposite of the kind of guy she would ever be interested in in spite of the fact that he is attractive. Eventually, Emily comes up with a fake dating plan to keep her very nosy mother satisfied, and she can focus on her writing.

This is a sweet story and Emily and Mark are very different people. They view their fake dating through very different lenses and this added a really unique element to the story. Mark is so gentle and I loved that he has a cat who he has created an instagram account for. Emily conveyed to readers an interesting behind the scenes look at the publishing industry, particularly how being published doesn't mean you can necessarily quit your day job. These two have some very sweet moments and the conflict wasn't overdone. I will be checking out more books from this author because I enjoyed her writing style and the way she developed the story.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced review copy.

For the most part, I enjoyed this fake dating rom-com. I've never read Jackie Lau before, but after reading this book, I definitely plan to check out her backlist. This one had a strong start for me. It kind of fizzled out a bit after the beginning, only to pick up steam toward the end.

Emily Hung is a 33-year-old author and part-time barista with four sisters who are all married. Since Emily is the last single daughter, her mother is dead-set on making a match. Her mom relentlessly tries to set her up with a guy named Mark Chan, and even invites him to Emily's sister's wedding. They agree to fake date to get Emily's mom off her back, only the more time they spend together, Emily realizes Mark isn't the judgmental, boring engineer she thought he was — he's actually a great guy.

I have to admit after being really into the book for the first 25% or so, it dragged a bit from 25% until 50%. I wanted more chemistry and tension between the leads, more "this is supposed to be fake but I think I might be into him." The best part of fake dating for me is when the characters realize things aren't so fake anymore and decide to act on their attraction for real. However, there needs to be some tension for the payoff to feel earned.

I thought maybe there would be more tension once Mark's POV kicked in halfway through the book. I thought it was an interesting choice to bring in his POV at the midpoint, but I'm not sure it added much. His chapters were mostly short and didn't provide a ton of insight into his character. I thought being in his POV could help explain what his motivation and stakes were for agreeing to the fake dating scheme, but unfortunately those things never materialized. I absolutely loved his cat, though, and wish her Instagram account were real.

All in all, I'd say this is 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. It's a cute romance, and Lau's writing was fun despite some of my issues.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.