While this book isn’t something that I would normally pick up, it was a deeply interesting and emotional story of the family of a young woman coming of age after immigrating to the United States. There are big dreams and harsh truths, and this kind of uneasy tension between the desires of the main character and what’s happening with the people, family and friends, around her. In some ways it feels like a story I’ve read before, and yet distinctly the unique story of Queenie. The best part for me was how well the story flowed, as we follow Queenie from 17 to mid-20s, and everything that happens around that. There’s a little bit of cynicism, but also a degree of hope that I think is important. I think it’s a book I could come back to when I’m older and have a completely different view of it. If you are a literary coming-of-age reader, I think this is a great book. All in all, something you might have to sit with a little bit longer.

For me, this book taps into themes that are increasingly common in coming-of-age and intergenerational trauma novels, particularly those that explore the immigrant experience. While I usually appreciate stories that delve into these themes, this book felt like it leaned heavily on familiar narratives without offering new perspectives.

The story follows Queenie, a 17-year-old whose family emigrated from the Philippines to the United States. Facing financial hardships, Queenie’s family can only afford to send one child to school, and Queenie ends up working instead. Through her experiences, she learns the harsh realities of sacrifice and the struggles of migration. Queenie’s parents’ marriage deteriorates as her father clings to his past role as the provider, a role he can no longer fulfill, creating tensions that ripple through the family until he ultimately leaves their lives.

While Queenie’s journey is undoubtedly relatable, the book felt bogged down by the weight of trauma without a clear sense of direction. It’s a character-driven novel, but the characters themselves didn’t feel fully realized, and there wasn’t much of a plot to ground the narrative. Life happens to Queenie, but I struggled to connect with her as she drifted through these experiences. When she starts selling certain services, we get graphic depictions of the events, yet little reflection on her feelings or mindset afterward. The narrative felt disjointed, and the abrupt ending left me unsatisfied, as if the story had missed the chance to provide a cohesive conclusion to Queenie’s journey.

For readers, particularly Filipino immigrants, who may see parts of themselves or their family members in Queenie’s story, this novel could resonate more deeply. I appreciated the cultural elements and enjoyed researching some of the traditions mentioned, which enhanced my immersion in the story. However, I wished these cultural moments had been woven more purposefully into the narrative, providing a clearer sense of what the author intended to convey. In the end, I found myself wanting more depth, purpose, and connection from this read.

2.5 rounded up

Queenie, along with her brother and father immigrate to NYC to meet their mom who has been here for a few years working hard to get her family here. But as the family adjusts in a small apartment, things aren't the same as they were in the Philippines. Queenie's mom has changed, her dad doesn't understand how things can be so different, and her brother becomes distant and shut down. Queenie has dreams of going to college but she's forced to work to pay off the debts her mom incurred to get her to NYC.

This is a great coming of age book, wandering lost in a new city finding your way. Friendships, relationships and family ties are all explored within the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

The ending of this made me unsure how I really feel
, AND this was so complex and heart wrenching. I really enjoyed the conversation around immigration, racism and misogyny but I can’t get over the ending

Love Can't Feed You is about the American Dream and what it takes for some to get there. I found the story unique and the characters strong. While it was a bit slow for me at times it has a nice flow to it. It is a great story for anyone who has ever felt like they do not fit in.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC. I could not connect with this book. The characters, the story just left me flat . Very disappointing based on my expectations from the description. This review is unbiased and my own opinion.

This is a lovely yet heartbreaking poignant look at immigration and The American Dream. Ma, Papa, Junior and Queenie leave Manila for New York Ma gets a job as a nurse and Queenie who is 17 hopes to get her GED and go to college. In the meantime she works as a home-health care aid for an old woman whose family is odd and doesn't always understand her Chinese-Filipino customs. But her parents split up and Queenie is adrift in a city where she feels alone and forgotten. After a series of different jobs she realizes she must "grow up" and adapt like all of us who move and want things to stay the same.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

LOVE CAN'T FEED YOU builds the character of Queenie through her experiences, past, present and dreams of the future. Growth is about change and the tension in Queenie's family, especially her father's, is resistant to change. Queenie has immigrated to the United States and sees the world through a lens of hope for the future. When her expectations are not met, readers will see how the reactions of the generations are so different. The book builds as we see Queenie's family move forward with determination. The ending is not truly an ending, no one's story is finished. Is there to be another book?

Love Can't Feed You by Cherry Lou Sy is a remarkable coming of age story.
A very well done story, and a very entertaining story, I highly recommend this one.
Cherry Lou Sy does an incredible job with the characters in a way that makes them wholly unique and unforgettable.

Thank You NetGalley and Dutton for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Man…I really wanted to love this more. But by the end I was frustrated at what point this novel was trying to string together. The ending is so abrupt and it feels as if we never got any sort of character development with Queenie. This book also featured harmful stereotypes that got zero pushback from the characters.

I did like how short the chapters are, and there are certainly some thoughtful passages on the immigrant experience - especially when it comes to the intersection of racism and misogyny. Mel might be a terrible mom, but this book did make me pause and wonder at how differently Queen and Mel experienced America. One found her freedom and one became lost.

As a Filipino American I always want to seek out and uplift Filipino stories, but unfortunately this just didn’t work for me.

Unfortunately didn't love this book. I loved the synopsis when I requested it but it was far away from the promise of the story it could have been.

Not sure why there was so much focus on dysfunctional sex. And I was so confused when it ended so abruptly.

Really too gritty and didn't progress to anything. Wouldn't recommend.

Queenie comes to New York City with her dad from the Philippines to reunite with her mom who has been there for years. The book follows her through several years of trying to find her way. The family and Queenie are so broken that it was hard to like this book. The time jumps in the book were also jarring. This book has some good parts and lots to discuss, but it could have been stronger with better editing.

Thank you Dutton Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This one, unfortunately, disappointed me, and I had to DNF about 10% in. While the writing was very strong, the story itself felt disjointed and rushed. I had such a hard time following where it was going that I couldn’t get invested in the plot at all.

A coming of age story. New York, and her mother, are not what Queenie expected or hoped for before she arrives at the age of 17 from the Philippines along with her father and brother. Her immigrant experience sees her sidelined into menial jobs, including one as a caretaker where she meets Zeus, who will later change her life. Her parents' marriage spins out of orbit, as does her father and her only secure relationship is with Yan, who has his own issues. Her mother, well, she's something else. This pulled me in with great writing and vivid imagery (although know that there are several times when Sy or someone else vomits). That said, and as others have noted, the last chapter is abrupt, especially in light of the way this had meandered. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A good debut and I'm looking forward to more from Sy.

I enjoyed this book even though a lot of times I didn’t know what the plot was anymore…But this is an immigrant story and this is exactly how you feel when you don’t know where exactly you fit in.

Great debut!

Wow, what an interwoven family drama. There were so many twists and turns. The family is at the core, but there are others who play an important role in Queenie's life. Her mother definitely wasn't my favorite person. She cares for her family, but she does it out of obligation because she wants more for herself. I don't blame her for wanting more, but she doesn't help Queenie much and a lot of the family burdens then end up falling to Queenie.
The writing in this flows well and keeps you reading.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

The book was slow to start. It did pick up later on, though. You have to be really okay with diving into the idea of assimilation and culture struggles coupled with coming of age issues. Decent read.

Emotionally traumatic and intriguing novel.

Queenie immigrates to New York with her father and brother to live with her mother, who has been in the country for several years working to be able to bring her family to America in hopes of living the "American dream," only for her family to fall apart and separate, leaving Queenie to wonder if it was really worth it. Queenie also goes through a journey of self-discovery between sexuality and femininity, as well as what she considers being a good Filipino girl entails.

I enjoyed this story way more than I thought I would, though I will admit it's a slow read in the beginning, but for me, it picked up after hitting the halfway point. I truly enjoyed the third act and the way it was sort of poetically written. But I was slightly disappointed with the way it abruptly ends, leaving me craving something more.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.

there is sometimes a book that i read that i find it difficult to get through, not because of the writing or anything like that, but because i feel so saddened by the world that our main character has to live in. this was my experience reading Love Can't Feed You. def a difficult read, but if you can do it, i would read this book

This debut novel shows promise, but the author's descriptive writing could be further developed to bring the scenes and characters to life. While exploring the complexities of the immigrant experience is important, the characters here might benefit from more agency and clearer motivations. Additionally, the abrupt ending leaves some loose ends that could be tied up more satisfyingly. I look forward to seeing how this author grows in future works.