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!

4.5* rounded up.

This book is so sweet. The romance itself follows the usual Young Adult beats, and was enjoyably fluffy. However, the way that both girls' lives change as a result of these shared few weeks was really beautiful.

Above all, this story is a love letter to Sài Gòn---from the sites to the architecture to the history. I got so hungry reading this book. Lan's story is all about loving the city while wanting to leave and explore, while Vivi is coming to her mother's childhood home for the first time.

It's really difficult to write about dark/heavy topics without writing a dark, heavy book, but Trinity Nguyen does a great job walking that line. There are definitely sad parts, and the characters are forced to confront the history of the country and their parents' experiences. Even so, the book is really hopeful, and follows themes of maintaining a connection to the characters' pasts while also looking forward. Several of Vivi's chapters in particularly made me choke up, especially a conversation she has with a mentor about the history her family has kept from her. It's really beautiful.

The pacing is a little fast at times, and the end is somewhat abrupt. This worked for me, personally, because I don't necessary feel like the romance is an HEA, or even the focus of the book. It feels like these girls encourage each other to do hard things and grow in ways that will change their lives forever, even if they go their separate ways in the end. I read so many YA romances that imply that the relationship only matters if it lasts; but it's enough to leave a lasting impression. <3

If you want a sweet sapphic romance that will leave you craving fish sauce, and a story about two girls who find themselves, I highly recommend this one. Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. My thoughts are my own.

THOUGHTS

This book is cute. The romance is soft and sweet, and Trinity Nguyen's love for Sài Gòn comes through on every page.


PROS
Sài Gòn Love: Nugyen clearly loves Sài Gòn. The city as she paints it is vibrant, full of color and life and spectacular food. Explored through the perspective of both a local, who adores her city, and a foreigner come back to reconnect with the city of her mother's birth, the nooks and crannies of this city are replicated on the page with such affection. It is always nice to read a book so strongly rooted in place that you can hear, smell, and taste the city--and that's exactly what Nguyen provides.

Heavy Expectations: Both of these girls have some pretty heavy expectations they're shouldering--expectations that their parents have, yes, but that they've also set for themselves. Vivi wants to know about her heritage, about the Vietnam her parents knew and left behind, and she's willing to skirt her parents' expectations to find that--even when she feels the weight of her lies. Lan wants to be there for her mother, to support her family, to take on the legacy of the family food truck... but she also wants more than that. Both of these girls want so much, and they're not sure of how much they can want, how much they can dream. They wrestle with that, and I appreciate it.

Quest For Heritage: Vivi really wants to know where she comes from, to know her heritage, and she can't get that from her mom. Her mom doesn't want to talk about it--maybe, as Vivi realizes, her mom can't talk about it. But Vivi really does need to know, for herself and her own growth. And I love that this is one of the perspectives used to explore Sài Gòn, because we don't just get to see the wonders of the city through the eyes of a tourist. Vivi is a tourist, but she is a tourist looking to reconnect with her very recent, very tangible heritage. And that love, that longing, bleeds through onto these pages in a really lovely way.


CONS
One-Dimensional Mother: One of the relationships here that I wanted more of was Vivi's relationship with her mother. It is clear Vivi loves her mom, despite the fact that she's come to Vietnam without her mother's consent (and without her mother even knowing). But it is very frustrating to listen to their conversations, because Vivi gets cut off every time she broaches the subject. And I know this is because of her mom's own baggage when it comes to Vietnam, but... I wish we had explored that more. It does get wrapped up in the end, but so briefly it almost feels like an afterthought. I just really wanted more of this relationship to make it onto the page.

Study Abroad?: So, Vivi's on a study abroad program... but we never actually see her studying or going to class or anything. Which is fine. I get that this is a romance, and that's the main point. But still. Stuff like this bothers me.

Too Similar: Dual POV books can be great, and I do think there are a lot of strengths to the two points-of-view here, too. But there's one major drawback here, and that drawback is that Vivi and Lan sound... so similar to each other. When Vivi is still settling into the city, their narratives are different enough that it is easy to distinguish who is speaking. But by the end of the book, if you forget to check the POV at the start of the chapter, well, it can be a little difficult to parse because they both sound the same. Their voices aren't distinct, and in a first-person narrative, they really, truly should be.


Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
8/10
Fans of Abigail Hing Wen's Loveboat, Taipei will love jet-setting with Vivi. Those who enjoyed immersing themselves in Sheba Karim's The Marvelous Mirza Girls will love how the love of Sài Gòn bleeds through these pages.

Here's what I loved!

The unconditional acceptance of Lan and Vivi’s love story - We need more 100% positive depictions of sapphic romance in YA literature. Both Lan and Vivi face challenges throughout this book, but none of them are because of homophobia.

The fact that this is a food book - As someone with a desire to explore Viet Nam, I loved getting a glimpse into Sai Gon. All of the food mentioned had my mouth watering. As a whole, the setting is expertly written. I truly felt as if I had flown to Viet Nam alongside Vivi.

The dialogue in Vietnamese - I am a firm supporter of including dialogue in other languages when it makes sense for the story.

On Trinity Nguyen’s “review” of A Bánh Mì For Two on Goodreads she says that, while this book does discuss tough topics like the war and the refugee experiences that ensued, this book is first and foremost a rom-com.

I completely agree. Don't get me wrong, there is so much sadness to this story. But ultimately, I finished A Bánh Mì with a happy heart.

Bottom line: This is a summer must-read!

This is a delightful "clean" sapphic romance about two ~18-year-old girls falling in love over food in Saigon. Vivi is Vietnamese American and, while she's lived in Little Saigon her whole life, she knows next to nothing about the real Saigon. Her mom, who grew up in the post-Vietnam war years, refuses to talk about it, and her dad immigrated too young to know much, so she signs up for a study abroad program and spends a semester in Saigon without telling her parents.

There she meets Lan, the author of her favorite food blog. Together they explore Saigon as Lan writes an essay for contest. A local having her eyes reopened as Vivi sees the city for the first time.

Both girls experience a lot of character growth as they define new roles for themselves in their families.

This book is not only a very enjoyable story, but also a great addition to American YA literature. In the book, Vivi points out an important fact: in the US, Vietnam is often only thought of as the location of a violent and controversial war, and those thoughts still only tend to center Americans and not Vietnamese people. It was a great change of pace to read about Saigon as a vibrant, modern city full of life and delicious street food.

I listened to the audiobook and found it really enjoyable to hear the (presumably) correct pronunciations of the Vietnamese foods and names.

While the romance was a little cheesy (I mean, of course it was! That’s kind of the point), what really made this book resonate was how both Lan and Vivi are trying to honor their parents (Lan honoring her dad’s wishes and Vivi trying desperately to understand her mom) while also learning to understand themselves and grow beyond where they’d been raised. Both of them had such believable circumstances with Vivi’s desperate search for her mother’s past overshadowed by her mother’s trauma and shame (as well as the particular perspective America has on post-war Vietnam) and Lan’s desperate need to care for her mother and be the perfect daughter.

What really struck me was how immersive the writing is: the streets, festivals, and markets of Saigon come alive on the page as Lan and Vivi weave through stalls, pet festival lions, and, of course, eat all the amazing food. Plus the particular way food is used in the story - the way each street food vendor has a story and how every meal is meant to be shared - just made each moment more special.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc! what a cute story! i also love that the first edition is going to have those pretty edges hehe. I've looked forward to this one for a long time and it did not disappoint! such a cute one!

For a book that looked like a cute queer romance, I sure felt a lot of emotion!

Lan has writer's block, so she busies herself with her family's banh mi stall in Sai Gon after her father passed away. Vivi lied to her parents about a study abroad program so she can go to Sai Gon and find out what her mom ran away from. Lan and Vivi decide to help each other only to find themselves catching feelings fast.

This is an incredible story about family, generational trauma, grief, and filial duty. AND it's a cute queer romance. I love Vivi's journey to find her family, and I related so much to Lan's grief. The romance is adorable, and the side characters are meaningful. I can't wait to read more from Trinity Nguyen!

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

🧼 - squeaky clean new adult queer romance. A daughter of Vietnamese immigrants goes to study abroad in Vietnam and meets and falls for her long-time favorite food blog. The story covers family traumas and their effects on young adults' life pathways. It was cute and probably worth a read if you are a fan of YA/New Adult reads.

Tropes:
•Vacation flings
•Fish Out Of Water
•Destiny

This was everything and more! It made me cry at the end! I just love love so it caught me in my feels. The way the author brings in trauma and the effects of trauma on the world around someone is beautiful. I could see the city and smell the food. I was fully entranced. This book was very nicely paced and ended exactly how I wanted it to. The bravery to be true to one’s self is so hard and the author did a wonderful job at showing all the stages to get there.

5/5 stars for family, trauma, love. I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS STORY ENOUGH!

**Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily!

I gobbled this book up in one day! I loved learning about Vivi and Lin and was gushing along with them as they fumbled their way into love. Vivi wants to know more about her heritage and lies about her study abroad plans to do so. Then we have Lin, a hard worker and foodie locale blogger, who has to regain her ambition for telling stories while also taking care of her mom.

This story and their struggles felt so real, especially with Vivi’s mother. I was a bit sad at how quickly it ended and the events transpired but I think Trinity Nguyen did very well for squeezing all of those details and emotional impact into so few pages. I loved this story and where the characters left off. I think a cute novella of Lin’s travels would be very cute as well ( or maybe that’s just me not being able to move on).

Lastly, the title and the reasoning behind Lin calling her blog the same name was so freaking cute. Can someone please make this into a movie???

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks for the DRC! Please get this made into a cute romcom movie.