Thanks for the ARC!

So, this had a couple tropes I enjoy reading, like older main characters (33 and 32 I think) and also family drama that mostly gets resolved.

I'm someone who tends to dislike fake-dating because it's a little too nonsensical usually, but I think this wasn't so bad. It still didn't make logical sense to me that they needed to fake date but I can get over it because the rest of their relationship was really cute. Mark was such a sweet supportive guy, I wish he got a little more POV time, but in the end it worked out really well.

Overall, very cute and light romance.

What a fun read. Mark and Emily have complimentary neurosis. She is a writer and he is an engineer. Her mother is pushing them together and Emily is very opposed to the meddling. In an effort to stave off her mom, she convinces Mark to fake date. Which he agrees to (which seems odd). Honestly about half way through (it has all been Emily’s POV at that point), I thought “goodness, what is wrong with this woman, and why does this man keep trying to spend time with her?” But thankfully the book switches to alternating POVs and the charm of the match becomes more obvious. There is a great resolve with her mom (that I won’t spoil, but I loved it). Overall I look forward to reading more Jackie Lau and felt Love, Lies and Cherry Pie was a lovely way to spend a weekend.

This is my first time reading anything by this author, so I didn’t know what to expect. I’m so glad I read it! I love romances with characters who feel real and are not like stereotypes I’ve seen in other books. The family drama for both Emily and Mark added an interesting subplot and added so much to the characters arcs. Definitely read!!!

I have read and enjoyed other books by Jackie Lau. This one is focused on a main character that obsesses about her mother's approval, her writing career, the housing market in Toronto, and her fake boyfriend. It was too much in her head, and then about halfway through, we get the fake boyfriend's POV. Not her strongest work.

A (very) light romp through the romantic life of 33-year old, published (but not to the point of financial stability) author, Emily Hung. The second and only unmarried daughter in a clan of five, Emily finds herself subject to the intense machinations of a dragon mother seeking to attach her to any available man. Specifically, Mark Chan — he of the sweater vest (it is cold in Toronto!) and dullish personality.

What follows is fairly predictable but well-executed and fun as she and Mr. Sweater Vest find that there is more to the other than initially obvious. I did like that she allowed Mark to have a few chapters from his own Point of View so that he was not just a cardboard “Perfect Man.” Those get annoying. Ms. Lau calls her works “soft and steamy romance,” and I found the steamy parts to simultaneously steamy and tasteful. :-)

I’m not really a Romance reader but I enjoyed this — a nice palate cleanser from some of my recent reads.

Emily is going through it: her writing career is stalling a bit and her mom is desperate to get her married. To get her off her back, she decides to fake date Mark. He’s who her mom has been trying to set her up with, but Emily isn’t interested in something real….at first.

It was cute reading as Emily started to fall for Mark for real. And I liked when we got to the chapters with his POV. The addition of his cute cat was a fun bit as well.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie by Jackie Lau. I received an ARC from NetGalley to read and give an honest review.

As usual, I find romcom's by Jackie to be well worth the read. Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie was no exception. One thing I found, was that I recognized several things the characters mention, most especially, the specific chocolate donuts...(Ms. Lau has posted pics of it on Twitter...)

Mamma seems to be very interfering...until later in the book when you learn just WHY she was pushing Mark Chan toward her daughter.

The book has some great moments, lots of food, and definitely family looking out for family.

Sometimes...Mother does know best!