This was definitely adorable and I definitely enjoyed the little romance sprinkled in between the bit of mystery. I do think I wanted more of a treasure hunt with more interactivity but I do love a good journey of self discovery and frenemies situation. I loved the cute little interactions and the "Loveboat Taipei" vibes! Definitely w ould recommend for YA readers that enjoy a dash of romance, a little treasure hunt that ends with a great journey to self discovery, plus the magic of friendship :) I especially love the incoporation of being a bit scared and detached from your own culture and getting to discover that (PLUS THE FOOD)

This is such a cute treasure-hunting romcom! It must've taken so much plotting and planning for Gloria Chao to write this, and I am seriously impressed! Plus, the romance was pretty cute (although it did feel like it took a while for the romance to get going). Now I definitely want to visit Taiwan!

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

I really enjoyed this book! A great look at the immigrant experience and how it's different for each family. Whereas Gemma wasn't even taught the language versus her mother who was forced to be the perfect Asian daughter.
This also had a great point on regrets and learning to let go of grudges. Of what happens when you're too stuck in the past to see what has changed.
I also really enjoyed the puzzles!
Great book!

This was such a fun read!! I was instantly hooked from the first page. Gemma has such an interesting way of expressing herself. She's witty and awkward, but also incredibly passionate, and we can see this during the whole of the book, which is full of family, love, and messy cardboard dogs that just won't go away.

Quote: "I think about how before this trip, I wanted to have a bigger family so badly. It had just never occurred to me that you not only can’t choose how much family you have but who they are."

YA adventure/romance/mystery is making a comeback, and I am here for it!

Gloria Chao introduces us to the world of Gemma, a recent high school graduate that is struggling to connect with her Taiwanese culture. And also figuring out how to pay for college. But suddenly, her future opens up when an unknown man shows up with her recently deceased grandfather's will. His will leaves clues for a treasure hunt that could possibly lead to an inheritance. There's just one major problem: the hunt takes place in Taiwan. And the only way to get there, is by enlisting the help of her number one enemy - her ex-boyfriend Xander.

Once in Taiwan, Gemma embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. Solving ingenious puzzles, traveling to foreign places, and eating the yummiest food, Gemma discovers that this treasure hunt will uncover more than just her possible inheritance. Grappling with mixed feelings about Xander, her culture, and her own familial relationships, Gemma realizes that there is much more to her life - and the lives around her - than she ever knew.

I loved this book. I am a puzzle fanatic, and this story was up my alley. Admittedly, I would not have been able to solve many of these puzzles as quickly as the characters did, but it was still fun! The romance between Xander and Gemma was incredibly sweet without being too corny. The way secrets were uncovered seemed very organic and the author did an amazing job in letting the story just naturally flow.

I did figure out the main "twist" pretty early on, but I don't think it was due to it being "obvious," more so that I just read quite a bit. Also, the conclusion did seem pretty clunky, and I had to re-read passages to understand what was occurring. In order to close-out the main storylines, many subplots had to be closed out, as well, and all those endings did get tangled a bit.

Nevertheless, I immediately recommended this book to my niece that also loves a good mystery. And I would love to read more from this author. Much gratitude to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced read. All opinions are my own.

A sweet enemies to lovers story with full of Asian culture representation and treasure hunt. I felt so hungry just by reading about mouth watering food items in the book. It also talks about the self discovery part while getting to know about your family roots.

If you love fun sweet breezy romance with a hint of mystery solving, this is it.

Ex Marks the Spot was super fun and had a cool premise—like rivals-to-lovers meets National Treasure with a Taiwanese twist—but it didn’t totally hit that unputdownable level for me. The treasure hunt was interesting, and I loved getting glimpses of the culture and setting, but the vibes felt a little more cute and casual than heart-racing or swoony. Gemma and Xander had some good moments, but I never felt super invested in their chemistry. Overall, it was a solid read with a unique concept, just not one that completely stole my heart.

First the cover for this is just so cute. I love it. I cannot help but grab for a cute cover. Gemma is such a strong determined character. So much so that she forgets to have a little fun. Xander on the other hand is fun and always laughing. Does he take anything seriously? This YA contemporary romcom is full of banter, laughs and a few serious moments. Some parts get a little deep and are so well written. I enjoyed how the story unfolded and all the twists were revealed. I will tell you there was one part that I was so shocked I had to stop reading for a minute. I will definitely be reading more by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for allowing me to read the arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is going to be a bit of a vague review because I want to share so much of the story, but I don’t want to spoil anything.

The story is all about relationships. Gemma and her mom, Gemma and her cultural identity, Gemma and her fellow Tarpers, Gemma and Xander, Gemma’s grandfather and Xander’s grandfather. They are all intertwined and develop over the course of the story.

I loved the scavenger hunt that Gemma’s grandfather put together for her, and that she had to include Xander to help her through it. We get to see all of these little pieces of Taiwanese culture as the characters solve puzzles and unravel their history.

There are so many secrets and misunderstandings that are brought to light throughout the story, but I think they way things resolved themselves was perfect.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC for review consideration through Net Galley on behalf of the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a charming read that will likely resonate even more with its intended YA audience.

For me, the pacing felt uneven—it dragged at times yet didn’t delve deeply enough into the most compelling aspects, like the romance between Gemma and Xander or Gemma’s personal backstory.

Raised by her single mother with little connection to her Taiwanese heritage, Gemma has always believed that all her relatives had passed away. When she discovers that her maternal grandfather only recently died and left her something in his will, she’s both furious with her mother and intrigued. The will suggests a hidden treasure, so she finagles her way onto a school trip to Taiwan—accompanied by her longtime rival, Xander—to follow the trail of clues.

The novel leans heavily into the treasure hunt, with an abundance of puzzles, riddles, and discussions about clues. I listened to the first half on audio, and I found that the deciphering process, along with Gemma’s journal entries, didn’t translate well to the format. (Not to mention the questionable choice for her best friend’s voice—grating doesn’t begin to cover it.)

As for the romance, Xander and Gemma’s dynamic is built on a misunderstanding, leading them to spend a significant chunk of the book not even liking each other. To make things more frustrating, Gemma gets involved with someone else on the trip, which means the moments of chemistry between her and Xander—easily one of the highlights of the novel—are far too fleeting.

That said, if you love treasure hunts, puzzles, and coming-of-age stories that explore identity, family, and cultural heritage, this book has plenty to offer. The descriptions of Taiwan are breathtaking, immersing the reader in its beauty and vibrancy. However, some of the life lessons are a bit heavy-handed—I would have preferred more subtle storytelling rather than outright explanations.

My favorite part of the book is a major spoiler, so I won’t go into details, but it ultimately shaped my rating.

Its an adventure for an ambitious girl who doesnt know she wants to see the world yet! The great part is we get to see it happen...with her ex

4/5⭐️ I thoroughly enjoyed the book! It was a great scavenger hunt filled with puzzles and riddles left by Gemma’s grandfather to get his inheritance was a great idea to bring a love story together! Gemma had to learn about her family that she was shunned from by her mother only to lead to more questions than answers! But it came full circle at the end and it was beautiful!

3.5/5 Stars

At Gemma's highschool graduation, a lawyer informs her that her grandfather has passed away, leaving her an inheritance. She must solve a string of puzzles to find it, only problem is that she needs to travel to Taiwan to do it. Gemma and her mother struggle for money, and with college tuition looming over her head, she decides that this treasure hunt may be the answer she needs. When her mother refuses to pay for the trip, she must turn to Xander her ex-boyfriend, the leader of TARP, a student program traveling to Taiwan that has a last minute spot open.

This was a fun romance, but I don't think it will stick in my head too long. Gemma and Xander not only have a lot of history between the two of them, but their families are intertwined deeply. I liked that they had to work together to solve the puzzles her grandfather left. I liked that Gemma was able to learn more about her culture on the trip, and discover more about herself as well. I loved all the talk about the different foods as well! Makes me want to go and try them all! The romance is slow-burn, and it felt more like a one-sided enemies to lovers, or at least a very mild on one-side, strong on the other, but it was still enjoyable for the most part. I liked when they started working together, and they did have some chemistry after they stopped bickering.

I'm waiting for the Netflix adaption. Ex Marks the Spot is a swoony, adventurous YA romance that blends family secrets, a thrilling treasure hunt, and a heartwarming journey of self-discovery. Gemma’s life is turned upside down when she learns that her grandfather, whom she believed to be dead, has recently passed away, leaving behind a mysterious treasure hunt and a potential inheritance. To solve the puzzles and uncover the prize, she must team up with her ex, Xander—her biggest high school rival.

Set against the vibrant streets of Taipei, the novel is a rich exploration of family, culture, and identity, as Gemma embarks on a journey not only to discover a treasure but to reconnect with her Taiwanese heritage. The romance between Gemma and Xander is a slow-burn rivals-to-lovers arc that adds emotional depth to the story, while the treasure hunt itself is filled with clever puzzles that keep the pages turning.

This book was so interesting! I didn’t get the chance to read it before but if I knew how good it is, I would definitely have picked it up before. It was amazing! So so good! I definitely recommend!

This one was really cute! Family history, a treasure hunt, and a cultural heritage trip make this book a delightful romp, especially with the addition of a rival who might not be so bad after all…😉
If you love YA full of puzzles and games, don’t skip this one!
I received an advance copy from the publisher, all opinions are my own, and a review was not required.

I really loved this book! I don't think I've read anything set in Taiwan yet, so that was really fun. So far this is my favorite book by Gloria Chao yet!

I really enjoyed this YA mystery/romance especially because I am a Taiwanese American, and I related to the main character not being as familiar with my heritage as I would like. Unlike her, I do have many family stories about my parents growing up in Taiwan, but I have only been to Taiwan twice in my life and don't speak any Mandarin (that was the language my parents used when they didn't want us to know what they were saying), and my Taiwanese has mostly been lost.

Gemma goes to Taiwan initially because of what she thinks is a treasure hunt for her inheritance from a grandfather she thought was dead years ago. Her mother has been estranged from him but always told her he died long ago. She essentially lies her way onto a sponsored trip to Taiwan, which, it turns out, is run by her arch enemy--yep, this is an enemies-to-friends romance story. But while the romance part of the story is there, I liked more that she learned about the heritage that had been missing her entire life, including some surprise twists about her family. I liked that she started out as a high achiever in school who made success her identity and the only thing that was important to her, but traveling to Taiwan with a wide group of kids helped her see that there were more things to life that were important besides school and work. I liked that she saw Xander only in one way, but others (and the trip) helped her see that perhaps she wasn't always right.

Overall, I had such fun with this story and enjoyed the physical, spiritual, and emotional journey that Gemma took on her trip to Taiwan. I would definitely recommend this to fans of Love Boat Taipei, The Inheritance Games, and Love from A. to Z.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Ex Marks the Spot"
By Gloria Chao


This is an adventurous and sweet, coming-of-age YA story about Gemma Sun, an American girl of Chinese descent who was raised by her single mom. Gemma's mom preferred to assimilate and so her daughter has always felt a sense of loss in not knowing her heritage and the Chinese culture more. When Gemma is presented with a path that will take her to Taiwan on a journey to know her late grandfather better, she secretly holds on to hope that some sort of inheritance will be waiting for her. Getting to Taiwan means sucking it up and asking her ex & school rival, Xander Pan, for inclusion in the summer heritage program he developed. But getting there is only the first battle and Gemma must face the reality that she will need help, which means trusting others and letting people in - including Xander.

Amidst the creative puzzles, delicious foods, learning Chinese characters and the Mandarin language. Gemma discovers so much beauty in Taiwan. She also discovers much deeper connections between her family and Xander's & it brings them together as a team, shedding light on their past in the process.

I loved this engaging story & peek into Gemma and the TARPers experiences as second generation Chinese-Americans. I thought the conversations between the participants was a good reflection of the variation that exists between families who have immigrated. I love reading books that offer an "own voices" perspective. This is an excellent YA book (very sweet, almost middle grade) that I plan to share it with my teen/preteen kids.

Thank you to Penguin Teen/Viking Books for Young Readers for the gifted copy on #NetGalley!

This book was a pleasant surprise.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as it was a quick read and a good time.