This was such an adorable romance!

I honestly feel delighted to have read a non-slow burn romance. It felt refreshing. It also felt extremely nice for the plot to not revolve solely around their romance or their sexuality, but instead around them discovering the other parts of themselves and their identity.

Omg this was so cute, I loved the atmosphere of cooking and also the food and it made me so hungry but also butterflies!

As a Vietnamese-American who also visited Saigon for the first time around the same age as Vivi, this book really hit close to home with all the references. I love a good food-related story and enjoyed this book overall!

I enjoyed the central themes to this story. There’s a heavy focus on love and chasing your dreams. Lan is a passionate writer but she’s grappling with grief and a deep sense of familial obligation. Vivi desires to know more about the country her parents are from yet her mother will never speak about. She also suspects she has family she knows nothing about but desperately wants to.

I liked both characters and the way their stories intertwined. I liked the way they supported and encouraged each other.

Overall this is a very sweet debut!

"A Báhn Mì for Two" by Trinity Nguyen is a heartwarming story for both adult and YA romance readers, particularly those who enjoy sapphic romance, incredible food, and rich cultural heritage.

The sweet, non-spicy, nature of this story was so refreshing and, while it took me a little while to fully invest in MCs Vivi and Lan, by the time Vivi made it to Viêt Nam and ran into Lan I was enthralled with both their individual and shared journeys. With moments of pure joy and utter heartbreak, Nguyen's writing is incredible descriptive and engaging. Thank you NetGalley and McMillan Children's Publishing Group for the ARC.

This was a cute book with two very emotional stories. One story is Lan, who lives in Vietnam with her mother and they run a banh mi stall. The other is Vivi, a Vietnamese- American from California that goes to Vietnam to find the reason her mother left so many years ago. These two young ladies find each other and discover Saigon through each others eyes. They do find a romantic connection with each other, but this was not a book that was big on romance. It was very sweet. As a Vietnamese- American who has only lived in the states and has only been to Vietnam once, I could see the city I saw in the story I was reading. The reference to the city and the market were perfect and had me right back there again! Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for a e-arc of this title.

many thanks to trinity nguyen for providing me with this e-arc. i reached out to her in exchange for an honest reviews, this doesn't affect my rating

warning: more ramblings than review. read at your own risk lol

somehow this universe has decided that i would have to read a book that talks about motherly love right before i move out of my mom's place, but i have to say that i have cherished this book ever since its announcement till the last sentence. for many years i have yearned for a sapphic vietnamese rep that takes place in vietnam, and trinity nguyen's book has been a wonderful gift to my bisexual vietnamese heart, even more so when i learned that, at the heart of this book, resides one of my favorite things about vietnamese culture: streetfood, particularly the relationship of food and love in vietnamese culture.

at first, it took me a while to get into this book, because i wasn't used to have so many vietnamese references, ones that can only be written by those that know vietnamese culture so intimately. for a long time one of my complains with diasporia literature is that the writing and the using of vietnamese terms often seem "inauthentic" to the lack of accent. nguyen's writing portrayed vietnamese culture in an incredible way that makes my heart yearns for my homeland, because she used non-westernized names for "ethnic" cultural terms, and that i deeply appreciated.

the thing is, the book is not exceptional by any mean as a "romance", with the young writer's prose and the insta-love, but ultimately this book is a love letter to vietnam, to its culture, to parenthood, to youth and to the love that exists in this world. per se i didn't concentrate properly on the romance aspect of vivi's and lan's queer relationship (although i deeply appreciate the existence of the rep) i find myself loving the representation of every forms of love that exists in vietnamese society and its many nuances. for many times throughout the years i have found myself in conflict with my mother, being raised in the "west" and experienced another kind of love than the one i could observe around me. but growing up i recognized the ambivalence in which a person can love in different socio-cultural context, and for that i am wholeheartedly moved by the way trinity nguyen wrote about parenthood, biological and otherwise that is constantly present in vietnamese society. the last sentence of the book moved me to tears, because in the end it's all about the people we care about in life, no matter the kind of relation we have, and how we express our love towards them. for that, i am grateful that this book exists.

What a beautiful story about love, self love, traveling, and finding yourself. This book immerses you into the city and you can’t help but feel like you’re walking the streets and enjoying the sights and sounds.

We will always love fellow blogs. Here we support other blogs and now I need the A Bánh Mì for Two blog! We love not only the influence she has as a food blogger, but also the ways she uses her influence to help out other spots and food stalls. A Bánh Mì for Two is a dual POV treat. From the start, I loved how Vivi navigates visiting Vietnam for the firs time. For her to go 'home' and feel both familiar and strange at the same time. To navigate the secrets her mother has been keeping, to learn about Vietnam, and to connect the dots of her heart.

I received an advanced copy for review. This is my own opinion.

Stories that center around food and family are some of my favorites, and combining them is, forgive the on the nose idiom, chef's kiss.

Vivi is American, born to Vietnamese parents, though her mother refuses to talk about her home. Lan is from Sài Gòn, where she works at her family's bánh mì stand. Vivi comes to Vietnam for a study abroud program, having lied to her parents about where she went. A Bánh Mì for Two, Lan's blog is a huge part of the reason for Vivi's trip, and when the two girls meet, they work together to find Vivi's family and work on a story for a writing contest for Lan.

Both girls' journeys reflect the importance of food and family and being honest with yourself, even if what you find may not be what you expected.

The romance is very cute and sweet, and this was a quick read! I loved reading about the girls' exploration of Sài Gòn. It was so descriptive and lovely, it was like I was there with them.

Thanks to Netgalley, Trinity Nguyen, and Macmillan for the arc!

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.