Lan is a famous food blogger in Vietnam but has stopped writing after her father's passing, Vivi is a Vietnamese American girl who is a huge fan of Lan's blog and dreams about discovering the Vietnam her mother refuses to talk about, the two coincidentally meet and a sweet romance begins. Lan is the perfect daughter, always willing to help her mother and take care of the family food stall. She is also a popular food blogger who writes about Vietnam. She has stopped posting ever since her father's passing and is dealing with the grief of losing her father while trying to keep her family afloat. Vivi is a Vietnamese American who has never been to Vietnam and her parents refuse to talk about their lives living there before they moved to America. Vivi is also a huge fan of Lan's food blog and was inspired to lie to her parents and travel abroad to Vietnam for her freshman year of college program. Vivi is determined to find out why her parents left while also exploring all the places her favorite food blogger talks about. Yet when Vivi and Lan run into each other sparks begin to fly and the two girls help one another. Vivi will help Lan with her writing contest and Lan will show Vivi around Vietnam and help Vivi piece together her mother's past. Together they explore Vietnam, fall in love, and grow. This was such a sweet little read and I loved how heartwarming it was. As a Vietnamese American kid myself, this one really just tickled my heart. I love the exploration of Vietnam, the way the language and culture was interwoven, and of course, all the delicious food. The romance between Vivi and Lan was just adorable and I would absolutely recommend this book.

Release Date: August 20,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Such a lovely story about the delicacies, heartbreak, and strength of Vietnam through the eyes of two young women.

Lowkey sobbed for the last 15%. “Burden of being a loyal child to your parents” hit just a little too hard.

This was a sweet sapphic YA romance full of family, Vietnamese history, and self discovery! I was first drawn to this book because of the adorable cover, but was pleasantly surprised by the depth the author goes into regarding some difficult topics related to the history of Vietnam.

I found both Vivi and Lan to be very likable characters. They were both on different journeys to find themselves and found each other in the process. I love the idea of destiny and how these two came together. They were so sweet with each other.

This book will make you hungry! There are a lot of references to food in this book. Many foods I was not previously aware of. I’ve always wanted to visit Vietnam and after reading this book, I definitely want to. The food and culture are fascinating!

I definitely recommend checking out this fun YA romance if you’re in the mood for food, love, and family!

I’ve been mutuals with Trinity for years, and I’m so happy to be able to review her debut! I’ve been so excited to read this book for YEARS; it seemed tailor-made to be one of my favorite things and it did not disappoint. Gorgeously written, A Bánh Mì for Two is a sweet love story about two girls falling in love as they (re)discover the magic of Sài Gòn.

Lan has been working herself ragged caring for her mother and running their bánh mì stall in the bustling streets of Sài Gòn. Whenever she manages some free time for herself, she writes on her blog A Bánh Mì for Two although she hasn’t been feeling very inspired to write lately. Meanwhile, inspired by her favorite blog, Vivi has come to Sài Gòn on a study abroad trip, which would be against her mother’s wishes if she knew Vivi was there. She’s determined to find her mother’s family and learn the history that her mother won’t tell her. When she meets Lan and realizes she’s her favorite blogger, they agree to help each other, slowly growing closer.

A Bánh Mì for Two was such a gorgeously written story; I’m so excited to read more from this author! Both Lan and Vivi have their own respective character arcs that we follow, and I really liked both of their points-of-view. Lan has become a bit dispirited with her life with so many worries. When Vivi comes into her life, she learns to fall in love with her city again, as Vivi herself is discovering the magic of Sài Gòn for the first time.

As a Vietnamese American myself, I related a lot to Vivi in particular. Part of the reason why she went to Sài Gòn — by lying to her mother by the way, I could not strong enough to keep that up — is to connect with her mother’s family, whom she didn’t even know existed before. A lot of Vivi’s conversations with her mom are so heartfelt, and I felt so seen in a way I haven’t really before.

I personally have not been to Sài Gòn, but the author does such a good job at setting the scene so that you feel like you’re there. The sights, the scents, the sounds, everything is described with so much love. I also got so hungry reading this book with all the food descriptions, and I generally am someone who does not love to read a lot of those lol.

The romance was really cute too! Vivi and Lan have an instant attraction, but they do get to know each other more over the course of the book. Seeing a city through the lens of someone you like is also so romantic, which helped set the scene. Food is definitely a love language between them, and I loved reading about Lan taking Vivi around and showing her her favorite spots.

Overall, A Bánh Mì for Two is a love letter to Sài Gòn with food as a love language, between family and romantic partners. I loved the writing and the characters, and I can’t wait to read more from Trinity. If you’re in the market for a quick, cute read that also explores some deeper themes, I can’t recommend A Bánh Mì for Two enough!

I got an ARC of this book.

I am only going to review the last twenty pages of the book.

There are three major plots: Vivi wanting to learn her mom’s history, Lan entering a contest, the romance. In the last twenty pages all three crumble and then are resolved. ALL THREE. How? There is not enough time for any of them to really get the attention they deserve. It felt like a huge slap in the face. The pacing of the ending destroyed this book.

The mom plot is resolved in the most fantastical way. Like. I can’t explain it without giving it away too fully. Just if the solution costs a thousand dollars when there are enough references to money being sent to other places, it feels either like there are plot holes with how much money this family has or there was no thinking involved.

The contest plot was frustrating. I was expecting this or another ending, but the wording pisses me off. If you are invited to APPLY for something, that does not mean you are given something. So the way everyone reacted was based on the chance to apply to something that is publically available and didn’t require an invitation. They acted like it meant it was hers. That is not how applying works. What?

The romance is also not resolved well. They have a huge fight, with terrible things said. There was then only two pages to resolving it. They confess their love. They talk in circles. There is no resolution. Then the book ends super abruptly. The last line is perfect, but it needed so much more around it to make the rest feel complete.

It was a cute and fast read. I was really enjoying it, but that ending just was not great. Without the ending, it would have been 3.5-4 stars. It needed some more fleshing out to really hit those emotional notes to make it a 5 star read. Instead the ending just shattered any hope that there was resolution or anything. So much was just dropped. I am so mad.

I adored this book! A YA F/F romance between a food blogger in Sai Gon, who also helps out at her family's banh mi food stall, and a college freshman who arranges a study abroad program in Viet Nam so she can find out about her family history (although her family thinks she's actually in Singapore). The sights and sounds of the city come alive in the pages, and it's a perfect length to delve into the family issues of these two women and watch them fall in love. I look forward to the author's next book! Thanks to Netgalley and Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks for the advance digital copy!

This was such a beautiful book. I liked that we got to see Vietnam from two points of views. Someone who has lived there her whole life and is lost after the lost of her father, and someone from the diaspora who knows nothing about her home country and feels this need to connect with her culture.

These two girls connect and share these cute experiences. One trying to see the a future after being in a dar place and the other wanting to connect to her culture and find out more about her family in Vietnam. It thought it was overall so cute. I loved these two girls and their love.

Overall I want everyone to read this.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Such a sweet sapphic romance full of heart! I totally fell for the characters, the setting, and the food!!

Oh my. First, don’t go into this book hungry, esp if you don’t have a Vietnamese cafe near by!! Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

This is a love story. A love story to a city and its food and its people. It’s a love story about self love and a love story between Vivi and Lan.

Having traveled to Saigon, A Bahn Mi for Two, took me right back. I could hear the motorbikes, smell the diesel fuel and the street food. It truly made me want to go right back!

Watching Vivi and Lan met, their relationship blossom and then in turn their confidence in themselves grow was truly a pleasure.

I wish there had been a little more, maybe an epilogue or something to see how everyone was doing.
Overall, this was a great read.

Trinity Nguyen's Banh Mi for Two is a love letter to so many things! To Việt Nam and its food, to Sài Gòn and its multifaceted culture, to first generation immigrants, and immigrant parents, and to kids who go through all kinds of grief on their journey toward growing up. It's also a love letter to queer love, as Lan and Vivi — a Vietnamese food blogger and a Vietnamese American exchange student — fall for each other because of the ways they're the same and the ways they're so very different. The way Trinity Nguyen writes about food is the way I imagine Lan writes about food: so visceral, so fresh, so much history and love for every ingredient. This was such a sweet story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks for the opportunity to read this book and provide an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

This felt like a fanfiction in the best way possible. A beautiful love letter to food and culture. It’s also about family and acceptance. I was attached to Lan and Vivi from the beginning. Both girls felt stuck for different reasons and come together to help each other grow and heal. Lan is still grieving her father’s death and has put the burden of helping out her mother’s food stall on herself. She feels like she’s the only one who can take care of her mother and make her father proud. Vivi is off on her own to visit the place her mother fled from and refuses to tell her about. She’s on the search for the family she never got to know growing up.

Their meeting was such an adorable little meet cute. Again, the fanfic vibes were off the charts. My face hurt from how much I was smiling at them. This book had me crying, laughing, and wishing I could try some delicious street food. I also liked how little sprinkles of history were put in. I learned a lot I didn’t know about. I also liked how accepting everyone was of Lan and Vivi. It was so sweet. I thought it was funny how this is about Vivi studying abroad and I never see her going to class. I think they mentioned homework once. A super unimportant part of the story. This is a toothrotting books filled with love and food and now I dream of meeting someone to tour food stalls with.

I loved this! Very often I am craving a sapphic romance that is 1. Not boring. 2. Not written by a man. And 3. Not about 2 white girls with nonexistent problems. This book fulfilled those needs and so much more.

The best aspects of this book are the setting and the characters. It is clear the author has a deep sense of knowledge and love for Việt Nam and they express that so richly through their writing. Nguyen did a phenomenal job of transporting the reader to Sài Gòn through their detailed and loving descriptions of the food and atmosphere of the city. I am immediately not a foodie, but this book had me craving all the food as it was described with such vivid detail, my mind was able to conjure up the tastes and images of the food with ease.

Another aspect of this book that shined were the characters. A common problem I have with most sapphic romances is one or both of the main characters are either incredibly boring or the worst person to ever be written, which makes it hard to root for their blossoming romance. Not only were Lan and Vivi well developed, but I found myself deeply invested in their conflicts and rooting for their success. Their problems felt like and are real problems that affect real people and are not just something preposterous fabricated for a fake sense of drama.

While the book does have a decent set of stakes so you’re not bored, it also delivers on providing a cozy romance without all the stress of “omg I’m gay what do I do,” which we all need a little break from sometimes. Overall, I loved this and can’t recommend it enough if you would like a well developed, engaging, and beautiful written story about two women and their love for each other, their family, food, and Việt Nam.

A Banh Mi for Two" by Trinity Nguyen is a delightful and heartwarming story that beautifully weaves themes of love, culture, and self-discovery. Nguyen's vivid descriptions of Vietnamese cuisine, especially the titular Banh Mi, serve as a flavorful backdrop to the unfolding romance and personal growth between Vivi and Lan. Vivi and Lan are richly developed and relatable, making their emotional journeys compelling and authentic. This book is a charming and flavorful exploration of love and culture, leaving readers both satisfied and hungry for more.

Representation matters. I wished this book existed when I was a teen. High school me needed this book.

A sapphic romance set in Sài Gòn between Vietnamese local, Lan, and Vietnamese American, Vivi. The dual POV was a spot on choice as we get to see Sài Gòn from a local and tourist's perspective. Vivi has been obsessed with the blog A Bánh Mì for Two for the longest time. Her parents do not speak of Việt Nam, her dad left when he was very young so he doesn't remember, but her mom left when she was older and will not speak of it whatsoever. Vivi's only choice to learn about Việt Nam is through the internet, where she stumbles upon A Bánh Mì for Two and reads every post to connect to her homeland. Her and her best friend, Cindy, devise a plan to secretly take a semester abroad in Việt Nam; their families believe they are in Singapore. Lan secretly writes A Bánh Mì for Two, but ever since her dad's sudden passing four years ago, the words just don't come as fluidly as they used to. All she can muster are photos of street food for the blog's Instagram, which require minimal words. Both their lives are upended when they literally crash into each other on Vivi's first day in Việt Nam. Vivi promises to help Lan write an article piece for a traveling magazine contest, in return, Lan promises to help Vivi find her family. As they venture Việt Nam together, back tracking Vivi's mom's past through old photos and eating the local food, the girls are falling for each other.

Be ready for your stomach to grumble while reading. An amazing way to experience a different culture is through their food. From Lan's experience as a street food seller, she knows where all the best food spots are and every mention of the cuisine, my stomach just grumbled more and more. It came to the point where I was desperate for some Viet food, I went to the market and got banh Ướt to satisfy a small part of my cravings.

I was born and raised in Southern California, two cities over from Little Saigon. When Vivi spoke of Little Saigon, it was pure nostalgia for me. Vivi's struggle with identity is the same struggle I went through, what I'm still going through. Am I too Vietnamese to be considered American? Am I too American to be considered Vietnamese? It was to the point, I rejected Vietnamese customs in high school, because I just wanted to fit in. Least to say is that I really needed this story 14-15 years ago. I am beyond excited and appreciative that A Bánh Mì for Two will be on shelves soon. I hope this book reaches young Vietnamese Americans, who desire to see themselves in media.

I was drawn to A Banh Mi for Two being a Vietnamese-American, and that aspect of the book did not disappoint. I loved the familial relationships and the girls struggling with their own identities. The descriptions of street food and food in general was so much fun.

I am not the target audience for this book, so the love story being eh for me doesn't really say much. I just love some Own Voices authors and a picture of Vietnam outside of the Vietnam War. I would read completely different books just about Vivi and her mom or Lan and her mom. The love story was underdeveloped and a little too fate-driven for me.

As much as I want to support Vietnamese and Vietnamese diaspora writers, and as much as I love a story about the challenges of being the daughter of immigrants, there are certain aspects that just won't do it for me.

The first is that, despite being set in the wondrous city of Saigon (my current city of residence), A BANH MI FOR TWO is woefully vague in its descriptions of place. The Saigon of the book is flattened into something generic that could be in any country:

"Our window stares out onto the streets, offering a view of Sài Gòn with its colorful buildings, pagodas, and skyscrapers. I feel so small, like a droplet in this vast city. The sun glows as people hustle back and forth in the streets, most wearing some kind of hat to shield themselves from the heat."

What do the buildings look like? How about telling us a bit more about the juxtaposition of crumbling three- or four-story apartment buildings with the corridors on the outside hunkering in the shadow of skyscrapers looming like glassy, angular sequoia trees over them?

"But this noise is what makes Sài Gòn, Sài Gòn."

HELLO?? WHAT NOISE??! Tell me about the honks of motorbikes spanning the range from short, squeaky beep-beeps to long caterwauls. Tell me about the tinny, prerecorded cries of street vendors played through loudspeakers as they push their wares, messages so soothing and melodic and recognizable that they've been remixed into music concerts.

"The scents of the grimy street and grilled meat surround us..."

I want more description than "grimy." Tell me about the heavy scent of fish rotting in the dirty canals. About walking down a path lined with jasmine bushes and catching the whiff of urine mingled throughout.

At times, the descriptions are downright inaccurate:

"I look out the plane window, and my heart flutters at the cityscape beyond the tall trees."

This is Tan Son Nhat Airport we're talking about, so there aren't tall trees around the airport, just buildings.

"I watch the student's white áo dài flutter as she walks."

Okay, but the students only wear their white áo dài on certain days of the year, so is this consistent with the story's timeline?

"People speed by on motorbikes, grunting over potholes. They laugh with friends at food stalls and dodge traffic like experts."

If they are dodge traffic like experts, you can bet they're dodging those potholes. Getting stuck in a pothole is actually possibly dangerous and expensive here; you'd avoid them as much as possible. Now, grunting over the annoying speedbumps--that'd make more sense.

The book is better with its descriptions of food, and the bevy of emotions surrounding children of Vietnamese immigrants' struggle with their identity and their relationship with their parents.

"Custard pudding. Salty and buttery puffs. Lạp xưởng sticky rice. Mung bean pancakes. Pork floss served on piping-hot congee during days when I'm sick sprinkled with black pepper and dried onions. Flavors so distinct I see the food even with my eyes closed. Textures that shaped so much of my childhood."

Damnnnn, Trinity Nguyen knows her food. I wanted to put the Kindle down and walk away to find some to eat. (I did put the Kindle down, but for other reasons.)

Vivi's chapters were stronger than Lan's, and I empathized with her desire to better understand the story behind her ethnicity, which her mother refuses to talk about. I laughed at the way in which Vivi's mom mixes Vietnamese and English in her speech:

"Is that a pimple? Tch, Mommy biết Asia can be so stressful on you."

This is literally how my parents and I talk too (in Mandarin, not Vietnamese), lolll. They couldn't produce an English-free sentence except with a lot of effort. Language plays an important role in immigrant parent-child relationships. Vivi's realization that she "hadn't ever listened to Vietnamese without a sad tone" was a simple yet powerful way of reckoning with the generational trauma wrought by the Vietnam War.

Unfortunately, Lan's chapters were weaker. Lan's conflict was a much more generic one about a daughter caught between filial duty and wanting to strike out on her own. There were a few other throwaway lines about other aspects of life in Vietnam that could have been interesting, such as Western tourists' casual racism; or the way in which language, particularly switching between Vietnamese and English, can carry negative connotations; or the very real phenomenon of white man-Vietnamese woman dynamics. Unfortunately, the book did not explore those further, except as backdrops to the rather more dull main arc of Lan and Vivi's friendship-turned-romance.

A BANH MI FOR TWO reads very young, and perhaps the lack of distinct details about setting would bother someone with less firsthand knowledge of Saigon less. If you enjoyed recent YA releases like Dear Wendy, you'd appreciate this one more than me.

A sweet and savory debut, A BÁNH MÌ FOR TWO is a love letter to Vietnamese food, family, and self-discovery through reconnecting with your family history. On a secret school trip, Vivi runs into the food blogger who inspired her trip, and vows to help her writing, in exchange for help finding her family. The story unfolds leisurely, with a satisfying emotionally-charged end—a lovely debut that is well worth the read.

I really enjoyed this sweet coming-of-age sapphic romance. Vivi and Lan were great characters and I really was rooting for both of them. The scenes of them jaunting around Saigon with Lan teaching Vivi about her heritage and the delicious sounding street foods were some of my favorites.

There were some deeper moments for both of them as they dealt with their respective challenges. Lan thinks she must take care of her mother and food stall since her father died and give up on her own dreams; Vivi is sick of her mother lying to her about Vietnam and her history and she solves this by lying to her mother in turn.

I do think Vivi's story especially is wrapped up a little too easily. I would have preferred a little more of a meaty resolution between Vivi and her mom.

I really enjoyed how the author brought Saigon and its food and culture to life in this book.

The audiobook narrators were good, although their delivery sometimes felt a little flat. Overall though I really enjoyed listening to it and would recommend it.

*Thanks to Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks and Macmillan Young Listeners for providing an early copy for review.

A Banh Mi for Two is equal parts sweet and thoughtful, as it follows to young women figuring out their space in the world while falling in love. Vivi has taken the risk to study abroad in Vietnam to find out her mother's roots behind her back. Lan is feeling the burden of responsibility four years after her father's death and with an ailing mother. But, they both connect over a love for street food and the blog that brought them together. The novel offers wonderful insight into what it is like from the non American perspective of thriving Vietnam post war, while while giving equal measure of sapphic romance.

This was a really sweet sapphic romance about two Vietnamese girls, one raised in Sai Gon and one in California, who meet and fall in love over a semester in the city. I really liked the atmosphere of this book — the city truly leapt off the page — and the food descriptions were vibrant and so mouthwatering!