4 stars!

"Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie" is another hit for Jackie Lau! I loved this 30-something fake dating romance between Emily and Mark. Emily's mother wants her to get married so badly. Emily is the oldest of five daughters, and all of her younger siblings are established, married, and/or have kids. Her mother has her sights set on Mark for her. Emily thinks Mark is uptight at first and judges him unfairly, but he's really just reserved and a bit quiet. They agree to fake date to get their parents off their backs. The more they get to know one another, the more they see they were wrong about each other. False feelings eventually lead to real ones, and Emily cannot fathom falling for someone her mother picked for her. Like in many of Lau's other books, she infuses some much-needed humor with the romance and sneaky dating shenanigans. There is also a hefty dose of family troubles and the emotions they bring, courtesy of her nosy mother and meddling sisters who always assume their time is more valuable than Emily's simply because she is a barista by day and a struggling author by night. I enjoyed this book for the most part, though I do think that Emily was a bit too judgy at first. She and Mark seem diametrically opposed to one another, so it seems as if her mother has chosen poorly for her... until it's obvious that they are perfect together and everything clicks into place. Eventually, when their feelings become too big to keep lying about, they have to figure out how to handle the ensuing, chaotic family dynamic they have put themselves in. I will admit, I was a little taken aback when the book randomly shifts into Mark's perspective halfway through the book. I do like dual POVs, but I found it a little jarring to all of a sudden be taken into Mark's thought process out of nowhere, once we had finally established a rapport with Emily. Even when we get Mark's POV, I do think his character could have been a bit stronger. I feel like there are only one or two noteworthy things about him (he has a cat, and he wears sweater vests). Nevertheless, I did like this book! I think it's a cute, fast read, and I have a hunch mostly everyone will enjoy it. I loved the self-deprecating humor Lau always brings to her novels. She also has a lot to say about aging (how things got more expensive, how people get paid less, how some don't see certain professions as actual work, how it's insane that there is a certain time when you "should be married"), as well as how ridiculous it is for media and the like to blame millennials for any of the issues facing them right now (when we really have Ronny Reagan to thank for that!). A great read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Jackie Lau, Atria Books, and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie, Jackie Lau, 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really enyyjoyyyyed this book. Emily’s mom wants her to get married, and she’s got the perfect guy in mind, Mark Chan. If Emily hears his name once more she’s going to scream. Emily decides the best way to get her mom off her back is to actually date Mark Chan. She makes up a few fake dates, but they realize they’d better go on some actual dates. As they date, Emily finds out that Mark is actually nicer and funnier than she ever imagined.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really wanted to love this one but I realized by 30%, that it was not the book for me.

I was struggling to vibe with the writing style and I found myself losing interest.

I heard from many friends that they loved the book but I definitely felt like I wasn’t the right audience.

Thank you NetGalley & Atria Books for letting me give this a chance.

I related to Emily SO HARD in the first page - 33 years old, happily unmarried, but being interrogated by her precocious 5-year old niece. For her mother, it seems impossible that anyone could be happy in Emily's shoes. But she has her own path - that of a published author!

Now.... books about author characters fall very low on my favorite trope list. In fact, its a major turn off for me. But I stuck around because page one also had a Pride & Prejudice reference. I think this book redeems itself in two big ways: first, Emily is a heroine character. Sure, she has to work as a lowly barista and live with a roommate to afford rent in Toronto. But she's proud of her career. She's happy to put in the work and make the necessary sacrifices, because she knows that this is what she wants to do with her life.

Secondly, this is not a book about a book. You are not jumping in and out of two stories. Instead, you're watching Emily handle the reality of people she knows reading her book. She's terrified that family will think her characters are passive aggressive imitations of them. Her mom has opinions about the adult scene she wrote. In fact, this anxiety creates one of the best reveals at the end of the book that made the entire journey worthwhile. That being said, there are many fictional references to the today's publishing landscape. Writers and influencers may find it fun to read or a little too self-aware.

I would still highly recommend it for the splendid fake dating. Even though it is bizarre to fake date someone your mom tried to set you up with, it was written so smoothly that I had to side with Emily. Sounded like a good plan to me. I wanted to hug the male love interest because you could just tell that he was being misjudged. Honestly, it made me cheer for them even more! Mike Chan is so supportive and understanding. He is what my dreams of made of, certainly.

The development from faking to feeling was so tender-hearted. Millennials will feel very seen in this approximation of modern dating. It's a mature yet optimistic love story about seeing beyond first impressions, and a family drama worthy of the Bennet's that will lift you up in the end. The slow-burn pays off in open-door spice and a delightful HEA.

A delightful rom com that blends humor, family dynamics, and a dash of Canadian charm. I loved the Canadian content and the heartwarming ending.
Many thanks to Atria and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

A cute novel that is centered around fake dating. I enjoyed the development of Emily and Mark's relationship. They also added an mother daughter emotional factor. Overall, I would recommend this book if you are looking for an easy read romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC of this book in exchange for my review. Below are my honest opinions and thoughts.

This is my only my second book by Jackie Lau (I previously read Donut Fall in Love) and I will definitely be reading more of her books. I enjoy her writing style and there were several moments throughout the story that had me laughing so hard that I was snorting. There were some swoony, kick my feet and grin moments throughout as well. Fake-dating is a trope that I really enjoy, and I think it was done well in this book.

I enjoyed watching Emily (FMC) evolve throughout the story. She is a writer, barista and tutor struggling with imposter syndrome and feeling like she's failing as an adult. Even though she has a published novel, she's worried she isn't going to make it as an author and is broke and living with a roommate. She's the oldest daughter and her four younger sisters are already all married, successful in their careers and starting their families. Her mother means well but is meddlesome and trying to set her up with Mark Chan who is quiet and reserved. I loved the slow burn and how she really didn't like him at all when she first met him. They tried to fake-date but Emily felt like her mother had people spying on her and reporting back to her mother, so they decide to fake-date for real. I loved how supportive Mark was of Emily and how he allowed himself to be vulnerable with her and open up. Their relationship felt organic and natural and didn't seem rushed to me, which I was happy about. The book was well paced, and I enjoyed the characters a lot. Watching Emily grow into herself and build her confidence was inspiring.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. Read if you enjoy:
Dual POV
fake dating
family drama
rom com
slow burn
protective MMC

I finished this book two weeks ago and have put off writing this review since. I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately for me, I have realized (through reading this book) that if I think one of the characters is TOO mean or judgmental toward the other character and cannot figure out ANY reason that the other character would like them, I can't buy into the romance. And that's really what happened here. Emily is very opposed to dating Mark because her mom keeps talking about him and she's just not interested in her mom setting her up with this man. So when they meet at her sister's wedding, she takes everything he says in the worst way and continues to judge him. She does that during the entire first half of the book. The second half is better, but unfortunately, with the set up we got, I just wound up not really enjoying the reading experience overall. I would say that you should pick this up if you like:
- unlikeable female main characters
- adulthood is hard (millennial angst)
- very involved family members
- misunderstandings
- the meta concept of the main character being a writer

OK this was just the cutest! In an attempt to get her mom to stop matchmaking Emily decides to just tell her mom she's dating the most recent guy she's pushed on her. He is going along with it quite willingly. They were just fake fake dating then proof was needed so they start going on real dates and real feelings start. But she thinks it's one-sided. Can I tell you how much I squealed when I realized that he went along with this cause he knew it would be the only way she would actually date him because they were so opposite. She thought he was uptight but it turns out she didn’t know him at all. But her sister ugh it reminded me of a time my sister pulled that on me, just to deflect from herself. Why do the older sis always think the younger one has it easy? Just cause they don't have kids yet. Also side note her moms selecting criteria and method was the best and so thoughtful but I will let you read that for yourself.

Such a cute book cover and name! It’s a fun and delightful read. I breezed through it and recommend it!

Emily Hung feels as though she can never match up to her family’s expectations. She’s thirty-three and is working three jobs in order to keep up with Toronto prices. Her mother won’t stop bugging her about meeting Mark Chan and when Emily does she’s not impressed. Then she gets set up with Mark a second time and suggests they pretend to date in order to get their parents off their back. But when Emily’s mom keeps asking for details about their dates it’s seems like the only option is to actually go on one and be seen. When their “fake dates” go better then expected Emily and Mark consistently start seeing each other. Even though Emily wants the real relationship with Mark she’s been pretending to have she doesn’t think it’s a good idea if her family found out it started as a lie. Will Mark and Emily come clean or will the familial pressure tear them apart?

I appreciated how open and honest Emily was about being single in your thirties and keeping up both with the cost of living and familial expectations. I also enjoyed how Emily and Mark had to get to know each other slowly and learn there was much more to each other than their first impressions. I think most of us know a first meeting isn’t usually a true reflection of who we actually are as a person. I really enjoyed this romance!

Thank you Atria/Emily Bestler Books and NetGalley for this ARC read!

I was unaware of this author before seeing this book on my monthly Atria influencer email, so I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to get. But I love romance and romcom reads so I of course enthusiastically clicked yes to reading it.

Being that it is AAPI/BIPOC Heritage month here in the US I wanted to be sure I was reading and reviewing books from authors who are writing own voices books. Something I have been trying hard to do this year is intentionally read diversely so, I was delighted to see that this book is written by an AAPI author.

Jackie Lau you have a new and devoted fan for the rest of your life and I plan to read everything you write from here on out! Thank you for writing such relatable and real characters. For putting true to life issues in your books and for honestly writing one of my new favorite books. I have already ordered a paperback copy so I can read it again this summer.

This book is going to appeal to fans of Abby Jimenez and Emily Henry.

This book is a delightful, funny, sweet read with characters you cant help but to love and route for! 5 stars all around!!

Heat Factor: It’s medium spicy. It’s spicy in my heart.

Character Chemistry: Most of the book, they’re oil and water. But then they’re perfect.

Plot: Emily is an author—a normal one, who is also struggling a little. Her mom throws her friend’s son at her repeatedly, so finally Emily decides to start a fake relationship with him to end the pestering…only the relationship fails to stay fake.

Overall: This is such a sweet book with fantastic characters.

If Jackie Lau has a new book out, I’m probably going to want to read it. You know how I can’t remember authors or books after I’ve read them? I don’t have this problem with Jackie Lau.

I think it’s because Jackie Lau is a master at creating a cozy little bubble of a book that is fully developed and ready for you to just pop into and forget everything outside of said bubble. I love bubbles like that.

In this one, we have Emily—she’s an author who would be considered actually pretty successful. She has an agent and a book deal and several published books, she’s just also successful by today’s metrics. Which means she has a book deal, a roommate, and a job in a coffee shop. Emily is kind of an undercover badass because she’s pursued this profession despite knowing she’s disappointed her parents with her unimpressive resume.

Mark is on the opposite end of the spectrum—he’s successful, owns a condo in Toronto (he did get some help from his parents, but it’s still impressive), and always wears sweater vests (which is adorable, let’s be real).

So when Emily’s mom pesters her nearly to death about how perfect Mark is, Emily snaps and decides she’ll play along to get her mom off her back and convinces Mark to fake date her.

Obviously, I loved the backstory, setting, supporting characters, and general ambiance of this book. That’s the bubble. I absolutely loved the family dynamics at play—although this is absolutely a romance, Emily has to work through a lot of these family dynamics to truly step into this next phase of her life, and I love that she’s able to do that in a more complex and developed way—it’s not just cutting off her parents. And I love that Mark’s development is so quiet and reserved.

I think Mark’s development required the author to split into dual perspective instead of single, and I still kind of wish that hadn’t happened. It happened so late into the book it was a little jarring. I felt like I was already tight with Emily and then out of nowhere I had to socialize with Mark. On the other hand, his development was so subtle that I can see why it was done.

I will also say that I like how the author’s intimate scenes fit the characters. Some characters just aren’t going to rattle the windows and scandalize the neighbors, you know?

Anyway, I really loved this and honestly hoped we’d have a series on our hands because I wasn’t really ready to say goodbye.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

I enjoyed this delightful and laugh out loud novel by author Jackie Lau. This is my first book by this author and it was the lighthearted romcom I needed. Highly entertaining!

Likes:
Romcom
Funny and lighthearted
Fake dating trope
Books about books

Thank you to Atria/Emily Bestler Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel. The cherry pie is less of a character than I was expecting which was perfectly fine. I feel like I got a bit thrown off with a review from Goodreads saying this was meant to be a Pride and Prejudice re-telling because it was not. Yes there is a mistake in first impressions but that does not automatically makes a book P&P. Pretty quick and sweet and I did enjoy the ending and how not everything had to then be perfect. Quick cute read. 3 stars.

Thank you to Atria Books for the advanced reader copy and to Simon Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

Emily is her mother's only remaining single daughter. At Emily's younger sister's wedding, her mom has a strong agenda to set her up. And she knows just the right man: Mark Chan. Emily is equally sure that she will never hit it off with a guy her mom chooses. But after getting tricked into a date, she suggests a fake relationship.

I'm always so here for fake dating, and this was a blast. This is a true rom-com with funny moments sprinkled throughout. And I also really loved the more emotional moments and family dynamics.

Emily is a writer working on her next book, as she also works as a barista. The book incorporates absolutely amazing meta-level thinking about publishing, writers, and appropriate points of view for various genres. (This one started first person POV from Emily's perspective.) I especially appreciated the supposed quotes at the start of each chapter. They got progressively funnier, as the book continued.

If that's not enough, for all my cat lovers, there is an amazing cat with her own Instagram page.

I found this so lovely and heartwarming and just an all-around fun book.

Okay, so the second half of this was better for me and I was really wavering on 3.5 stars. The reason is the first half of the book. I have a hard time with angsty characters that are angsty about every aspect of their lives. I read books to enjoy and relax and you can't do that with Emily carrying on and on about her life. Mark was a good character, but I would have liked to get to know him better. Overall, a cute story, but too much in Emily's head brought it down for me. I personally wouldn't be able to handle an overbearing mother, but she made for a great character in this book.

Thank you to Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Fake dating WITH cherry pie? Sign me up! I enjoyed meeting Emily and Mark, but the story got lost along the way. There was plenty of family drama and even a cat name (Margaret) Ms. Muffins. There were so many cute details, but I couldn't get into it.

This was a cute read! I've heard a lot about Jackie Lau but hadn't had the chance to read her and am happy to have had the opportunity to start with this one! I enjoyed the fake turned real dating plot, as well as the references to Toronto. I also enjoyed the switching perspectives that began in part two but wish it could have extended to the whole book. Overall, I would recommend this book and am looking forward to reading her others!

Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie was exactly the fun rom-com I wanted to dive into after a tough work day. Emily has four sisters and she is the only one who isn’t married. At 33, her mom has started really putting on the pressure and is now trying to set her up with Mark. Emily wants nothing to do with it and has no interest in Mark when they meet. But then she realizes if they agree to fake date, she can stop the pressure from her mom.

I am always here for a fake dating story and this one hit on all the points I enjoy. I listened to the audiobook and the narration was great. Fun read! Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free ebook.