After the death of Evie’s beloved aunt, Evie learns that she must go on a matchmaking tour in Vietnam in order to inherit her aunt’s San Francisco house, which could keep her afloat financially for a long time. As a struggling poet who just lost her job (and her boyfriend), Evie needs the money, so she goes on the tour. There she meets Adam, the grumpy CMO of the tour company. The two have very little in common on paper other than their shared heritage, but they find shared joy in the experiences on the tour.

Adam and Evie’s Matchmaking Tour is a fun take on a road-trip romance. While it was an enjoyable read, I didn’t find myself gripped as I often do with rom-coms, though I did really enjoy the travel aspect of the book. I loved some of the side characters, namely Fen, and I liked Adam, but I had a hard time connecting with Evie and understanding her moves throughout the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC of this book.

I was so intrigued by this book based on the synopsis, title and cover. I’ve never read a romance novel with two Vietnamese main characters and the setting taking place in Vietnam. I enjoyed the tour itself a lot. I loved reading about all the places they went and the food they ate. Fen was such a great minor character. She was fun and interesting. The bestie we never knew we needed!

I felt like Adam spoke very American. For someone who seems to only have spent a year in America in which he went to school exclusively and didn’t have many or any American experiences, I found it to be a bit strange. Adam and Ruby needed wayyyyyyyy more conflict resolution than they did. Ruby was straight foul for her nonsense. It seemed to have been brushed under the rug.

The beginning and end were a bit shaky for me. The middle when they’re on the tour and Adam and Evie make their way together was so good. They had great banter. I wish we got more of it. There was a lot of chapters when they would have an amazing time and it’d cool off until another chapter or two.

I will also say this was written in third person. I’ve read a lot of first person books lately that it took me a little while to get used to at first. It’s an open door romance novel with a few spicy scenes. Overall a 2/5 on the spice meter for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for a digital copy of this book!

After having just traveled to Vietnam last month, I loved reading a book set there and really enjoyed the author’s descriptions of the places and food.

In this book, Adam and Evie meet on a matchmaking tour in Vietnam—Adam is the CMO of his sister’s matchmaking company and struggling with the high expectations from his wealthy family and Evie is still grieving the loss of her aunt, who stipulated that Evie had to go on the tour in order to inherit her San Francisco row house.

Ultimately, I wasn’t completely sold on the central romance, and it was a bit too hot and cold for me. I wish we had more insight into Evie as a character because their initial attraction didn’t really make sense based on the brief introduction to Evie we received.

While there were some tender moments throughout, the ending made it seem like having wealthy relatives is the only way to be able to do what you really want! Overall, I really enjoyed the setting and descriptions of Vietnam but didn’t fully buy into the romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Listen, there were some good things about this book, but there were also a few big misses for me.

To start on a positive note, I liked Evie. She was happy in a circumstance where the author really could have made her a boring mope. I also really liked the setting and learning more about Vietnam. It kind of made me want to pick up a nonfiction book about Vietnam or book a trip there.

Unfortunately for me, the relationship between Adam and Evie fell very flat. I didn't really find myself rooting for them. It went from nothing to something at a really awkward pace and then suddenly I was supposed to believe that it was love, not infatuation. I didn't really care if they ended up together or not (don't hate me) and that to me is really telling of a love story that is missing roots.

I enjoyed this one but it definitely felt more Western catered than the author's previous novel. For a book about traveling there was a surprising lack of descriptions of these destinations.

In the best way possible, this book took me by surprise. Although it initially appeared to be just another romantic comedy, it is much more than that. The author deftly explores deeper themes of cultural identity, familial expectations, and personal development through the romance genre. I enjoyed reading about some well-known sites, and I valued how heritage, legacy, and cultural differences were included, along with a variety of in-depth viewpoints on grief.

I read this book once it was published, and it fell a little flat for me. The things that I look forward to in a book based on travel weren’t there, and I didn’t find the romance to be compulsively readable. It took me a few days to slug through the book.

I've been in a ginormous reading slump lately so I really just couldn't get into this one. Nothing against the book, it just didn't have that spark that made me want to continue reading.

I loved this story! The writing style was sophisticated, and their tension was palpable. Traveling through Vietnam with descriptive details of the food, culture and scenery makes me want to jump on a plane right now for my own epic adventure. The book was entertaining with deeper themes of cultural identity, family expectations, and personal growth.

Thank you to and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

I loved this book! It was so sweet and scratched the rom com itch. One of the few I have recommended to my friends this year.

👉🏻For my friends who want an armchair luxury tour of Việt Nam mixed with a grumpy-sunshine romance.

Thanks, Avon and Harper Voyager, for the advanced review copy via NetGalley. (Available now)

This was as much a love story about Việt Nam as it was for Adam and Evie, and that completely worked. I could have read this faster if I hadn’t kept Googling the food and locations described.

To inherit her Aunt’s San Francisco row house, Evie must participate in an elite matchmaking tour of her father’s homeland. Adam is on the same tour, serving as CMO for his sister. Both are there under duress, think they have nothing in common, and begin sparing the moment they meet. “Two stubborn hearts, one whirlwind adventure, [this] is a story of how loving (and living) bravely can lead you to the most unexpected places—and the most imperfectly perfect loves.”

FYI, the author writes as Thao Thai (BANYON MOON), but this is her first foray into romance. Hopefully, it will not be her last because the luscious settings, fascinating side characters, and goal-worthy personal growth balance nicely with the romance, banter, and slightly spicy scenes.

I was so excited to work with Avon on this book, and couldn’t believe I was approved for it after the pub date—that’s how excited I was to read this. And it was totally warranted. I’d never read or heard of this author before, but the prose is stunning, and the idea is so Inventive! This book was everything I hoped it’d be.

4.25/5.0

I loved the travel aspect of this book so much. It was wonderful to follow Adam and Evie through Vietnam, and the writing was exceptional. The descriptions were so lush and evocative, I really felt like I was there with the characters. That said, the romance didn't work for me as well as the setting, and since this is a rom-com, the romance is a pretty crucial part of the story. It was hard to get behind some of Adam's actions in the story, and I have a hard time rooting for a romance when it feels like one of the characters doesn't respect that other. Still, I will definitely read whatever Nora Nguyen comes out with next.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Read if you like:
• women’s fiction
• epic travel romance
• forced proximity
• grumpy x sunshine
• he falls first
• Vietnam setting

Though I did not feel connected to the love story didn’t but I enjoyed how this book took me to travel around Vietnam.

3.4 ✨s. As someone before me has mentioned . . . There’s a lot to love about this book and a lot to not love . . . I thought the story was super fresh. I loved Evie, Auntie Hảo, Fen & I absolutelyyyy loved touring around Vietnam. However, I reallyyy did not love Adam, Ruby, or the rich parents making my life miserable trope thrown in there. Also not sure if I 100% believed in or supported the love story. Nevertheless the tour of Vietnam really makes up for a lot. What an unruly cast of characters together trying to find love, and a travel group I’d join any day!

*Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This is such a charming, light-hearted read that mixes romance, humor, and adventure. Adam is a skeptic when it comes to love but is going on a matchmaking tour to appease sister. Evie is more hopeful about love but is really just going to inherit her deceased aunt’s house. Thrown together on a whirlwind tour across Vietnam, the two clash, banter, and, inevitably, start to question their own beliefs about love. The chemistry between them is undeniable, and their banter is sharp and fun, making it easy to root for their slow-burn romance.

What really shines in this book is the author’s ability to capture the magic of travel while weaving in heartfelt moments. The vibrant settings and quirky side characters add to the overall charm without overshadowing the central love story. If you’re looking for a fun, feel-good romance with a bit of wanderlust thrown in, this book is a perfect escape.

Thank you to Avon, Nora Nguyen, and NetGalley for the eARC!

This was unfortunately not the romcom for me. I loved the concept, and I loved that it was set in Vietnam rather than the US or Europe. The book did a great job painting a picture of Vietnam, which I really enjoyed. I also enjoyed that a lot of the book involved the FMC Evie trying to find herself. However, I really did not like how hot and cold the MMC Adam was, and how on and off their relationship was. I would be FUMING if someone had sex with me and then wouldn't speak to me for days?? There were so many weird relationship dynamics and lies and miscommunications in this book that it drove me up the wall. As a result, I was not invested in the romance or the larger plot at all. I'm not sure that I can recommend this book, unfortunately.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Nora Nguyen for providing this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a fun twist on the standard Rom- com format as I thoroughly enjoyed the travel aspect of the story. The characters were interesting and unpredictable and the entire book was well written and laid out well, focusing on the importance of heritage and our sometimes unknown deep connection to it. My only critique would be the overly graphic love scenes, which in my opinion detracted from the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

This was an interesting romance novel, with a breathtaking setting as the characters travel Vietnam on a matchmaking tour. Evie is mourning the loss of her beloved aunt, who asks her to attend this tour in order to inherit a house. Adam's sister owns the matchmaking business, and reluctantly goes on the tour to understand the business and to get over a relationship. The will-they-won't-they relationship is the main driver of the book. Sometimes Adam's gruffness was frustrating. Otherwise, this is an easy read and I enjoyed it.

Adam & Evie's Matchmaking Tour is a story about second chances, taking risks, and finding love.

After the passing of her beloved aunt, Evie gets a letter explaining that to inherit her aunt’s house, she must go on a matchmaking tour in Việt Nam. And after she finds out her boyfriend posted her job online and she was in the process of getting fired, she decides to take a chance and see where the adventure takes her.

This was such a heartwarming read! I loved the opposites attract vibes, and I couldn’t help but cheer for these two. I can’t wait to see what Nguyen will write next!

3.25/5

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*