Gloria Chao’s young-adult romance is perfect for the age range. The message and themes written throughout are absolutely gorgeous and so necessary. Ex Marks the Spot is a wonderful coming-of-age romance.

First, Gemma is a good protagonist. She’s cut off from her culture and history, so the struggles she faces and her perspective are real and powerful. It adds a layer of meaning to the treasure hunt she’s on, the interactions she has with other characters, and the experiences she has traveling over all. It’s a beautiful perspective done in the perfect voice for readers.

However, as characters, her and Xander both come off a little young at times. Typically this happens most when Chao is trying to remind readers these two are supposed to be rivals. It makes sense for some aspects of the book, but, overall, did make parts of the plot drag and Gemma a little annoying as a main character.

The background characters and settings were great, and did help adjust reactions as well as introduce other elements and voices of the diaspora in unique ways. They were really fun to read, and I enjoyed getting to learn about who they were and how they related to being Taiwanese and American.

As a romance, this was cute. It hits the tropes in a really sweet way, the hunt for clues was fun, and there was a little bit of tension from external forces that wasn’t just related to the treasure hunt itself. The additional second love story was a gorgeous element that truly made so many points within worth it and created a needed underlying story to connect everything and give a satisfying ending.

Speaking of, the ending itself was fantastic! As a romance, we expect the HEA, but we also get a great plot twist that helped resolve secondary issues and create a conclusion that just worked.

I loved Chao’s approach and absolutely recommend for those who love banter, a mystery, and sweet love stories about characters who find themselves as they find each other.

First off, I would like to start off my review by thanking NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for sharing an ARC of “Ex Marks the Spot," by Gloria Chao.
I loved so much about this book. To start, the storyline was attention grabbing and informative. There was a lot of information about Taiwanese history and culture in the book. It was done in a way that it did not feel forced, but kept me learning lots. I feel that all of the characters were developed perfectly and consistently throughout the entire book. It kept my attention engaged at all times and I would not change a thing. I have already recommended this book to my friends and family, and I will continue to!

This story follows Gemma on a thrilling journey of self-discovery, uncovering family secrets, and embracing her roots in Taiwan. Packed with twists, puzzles for readers to solve, and a rivals-to-lovers romance, it celebrates culture, family, and identity. With treasure hunts, mystery, and romance, this book is a fun, engaging adventure that’s hard to put down.

this book was a quick read this book had me hooked if you want a second chance misunderstanding family rivalry and a treasure hunt this is the book for you. finding oneself, and finding out family history is all in this book with a little love story added in.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review.

This book was an interesting ride, but I ended up feeling a little disappointed by the treasure at the end of the journey. I was definitely expecting there to be an actual financial windfall of some sort that would really change Gemma's life, but she did not received a life changing amount of money. That doesn't mean her life wasn't changed by the treasure hunt though.

Although I couldn't personally solve any of the treasure hunt clues, they seemed fairly simple for the characters, which makes sense when you consider that Gemma and Xander are only 18 and her grandfather wants her to figure out the solution and riddles to get to know him better. I feel like if I knew Mandarin and some Chinese history, I'd probably have been able to figure some of them out.

Overall I give Ex Marks the Spot 4.2756 out of 5 stars.

Gemma's only family has been her Mom, with ex boyfriend Xander coming close once upon a time. When a mysterious stranger shows up after high school graduation, bringing news of a long lost grandfather that has passed on, Gemma realizes that her Mom has been keeping secrets. The emissary gives Gemma a box, with clues to a treasure hunt from her grandfather. To complete the hunt, Gemma has to go to Taiwan, but she is lacking the funds to go. The only person who can help her is Xander, who has conditions Gemma must meet before he will assist. Will the trip help Gemma in more ways than she expects?

Ex Marks the Spot is a YA novel with a little mystery and a bit of romance. The treasure hunt is featured prominently in the plot, with the deciphering of puzzles and clues as a primary focus. Much of the story has roots in the past, from the connection between Xander and Gemma to the one of their extended family. The descriptions of Taiwan, its culture, and the food are well done, but the treasure hunt itself gets pretty tedious. Gemma's note taking is repetitive and really unnecessary. There are romance aspects that seem to be there only for the plot to move forward. Gemma's money issues regarding college are not fully realistic, as someone in her situation would have financial aid and scholarships.

Everything gets wrapped up in a neat bow at the end of the novel, but I wish that the author had left a little to the imagination instead. Overall, the target audience might like Ex Marks the Spot for its coming of age and romance aspects.

Disclaimer: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to read and review this book was entirely my own.

This is a story about Gemma figuring out who she is, where she comes from, and where she’s going. It’s an epic adventure full of twists, family secrets, and a rivals-to-lovers romance. It also showcases the beauty of Taiwan and what family, culture, and roots can mean. The puzzles build upon each other, and some can be solved by the readers.

This book is such a fun little adventure! Treasure hunts, family secrets, enemies-to-lovers—it has all the ingredients for a great time. Loved it.

First time reading from Gloria Chao and I enjoyed it!!!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC for an honest review, and I liked this one.

Ex Marks the Spot is a cute and heartwarming enemies-to-lovers story that explores what it's like trying to connect with your cultural roots while also solving a thrilling treasure hunt. As Gemma and Xander untangle the past and rediscover each other, they also reconnect with their heritage in meaningful ways—something that deeply resonated with me. The story’s rich themes of Asian identity and family reminded me of summers spent visiting Asia and the warmth of time shared with my grandpa. It’s a cozy, emotional read that left me smiling, a little nostalgic, and full of appreciation for love in all its forms—romantic, familial, and cultural.

Fun adventure book but didn’t love it. Was really excited about the setting of Taiwan and a great enemies to lovers trope.

first of all, the premise? a second-chance romance set against the backdrop of a treasure hunt-what’s not to love about that setting?

the book was full of riddles and clues that kept me turning the pages. i wish i knew Chinese to solve those plus the Taiwan setting with the lively streets and history, the food descriptions were written so good. watching gemma learn about her family and her roots was one of the highlights for me. it’s emotional, messy, and heartfelt.

but it felt like one or the other was just missing. the characters sort of fade into the background. it made the pacing felt a bit uneven. there were moments when i was completely hooked but then... some sections dragged. while i loved the idea of gemma and xander reconnecting after all those years, i didn’t feel their chemistry as much as I wanted to, i wanted more moments that made me go, “yes, these two belong together!” also, the side characters? i wanted more depth, especially since the setting had so much potential.

overall, Ex Marks the Spot was a fun read with a unique concept and some great moments.
3.5 stars

pick Ex Marks the Spot, if you like
♡ rivals-to-lovers romance
♡ hidden family secrets
♡ a treasure hunt
♡ vibrant streets of Taiwan and
♡ mouthwatering food

Ex Marks the Spot is a delightful blend of adventure, romance, and cultural exploration. Gloria Chao masterfully weaves a narrative that is both entertaining and emotionally resonant. The treasure hunt serves as a compelling backdrop for Gemma's personal growth and her reconnection with her Taiwanese heritage. The dynamic between Gemma and Xander is engaging, with their rivals-to-lovers arc adding depth to the story. Chao's vivid descriptions of Taipei immerse readers in the setting, making the city feel like a character in its own right. The puzzles are cleverly designed, adding an element of intrigue that keeps the pages turning. Overall, this novel is a heartwarming and adventurous read that celebrates identity, family, and the courage to embrace one's past.

If you like a good enemies to more young adult romance with an adventure then this is a great book for that. I enjoyed the love story along with the treasure hunt. Definitely worth the read.

*This review has been added to goodreads*

Okay, this book was such a surprise gem 💎✨ If you love treasure hunts, enemies-to-lovers tension, and globetrotting with a side of emotional growth, Ex Marks the Spot is your next must-read!

Gemma’s story pulled me in right away, her journey to Taiwan is filled with rich cultural threads, clever clues, and some seriously swoony chemistry with her ex-rival Xander (yes, forced proximity fans, this one’s for you 😏). What starts as a quest for inheritance quickly becomes something deeper, a journey into her roots, her grief, and the possibility of letting love in again.

The Taipei setting was vibrant and immersive, and the puzzles sprinkled throughout made this feel like The Inheritance Games meets Loveboat Taipei, but with so much heart. And honestly? I loved watching Gemma navigate not just the physical journey, but the emotional one too.

If you’re in the mood for a YA romance that’s adventurous, heartfelt, and a little bit nerdy in the best way, Ex Marks the Spot is totally worth the read.

I was lucky enough to read/ listen to this one (thanks to PRH Audio and Penguin Group) while traveling in Mexico City which added to the sense of adventure this book brings to life!

“I love my mother—she’s my whole world—but sometimes I wish my world were just a little bit bigger.”

actual rating: 3.75⭐️

Spoilers ahead, you have been warned.

This book was incredibly rich in so many aspects; culture and self-discovery being the main things I want to highlight in this review because it stood out to me from the first few chapters.

A little summary for those that want the gist of this light-hearted but impactful story. Gemma Sun, a Chinese-American first generation soon-to-be college student receives a mysterious message from her grandfather that sends her on a treasure hunt through Taiwan. Her motivations for embarking on this treasure hunt are mostly monetary because she believes that her grandfather left money behind with the inheritance—which she needs a lot of money with her pending tuition bills. In order for her to Taiwan she convinced her ex-boyfriend, Xander, to let her participate in the TARP summer program that is going abroad to Taiwan. What else, oh and there’s tension between Gemma and Xander’s family because of their grandfathers’ history.

Now that I have laid out the foundation of this story I must comment on how detailed and well thought out the treasure hunt was and allowed for me to understand a lot of Chinese-Taiwanese lore, Mandarin phonics, and Taiwan landmarks. Even further, I really loved how Gemma flourished as a character in Taiwan with the other TARPers. Gemma has always felt a bit out of place and has always seen patterns in things that are patternless to most people. That’s why this puzzle is the perfect bridge to not only connect with her grandfather but also her culture, her identity, and with others that share the same struggles as her. The feeling of “Being too Chinese for America yet too American here” is the most relatable thing that any first-generation immigrant deals with—I am Dominican American and I felt that in my soul. It’s a hard act to balance especially for Gemma because she didn’t grow up learning the language or the traditions. But the other TARPers really help her bridge that gap as best as they can while Gemma as she puts together the puzzle is expanding her family’s heritage. But also her realizing things about herself that she definitely inherited from her grandfather such as her love for painting or a good puzzle. It was just all so beautiful to read.

The romance leaves little to be desired but I am honestly not mad about it—it was very simple and for a book like this where the main topics of conversation take priority and are pushing the story forward I actually prefer the romance to take a backseat so we can focus on those themes.

This book was published on December 31, 2024 and it’s taken me this long to finally read it and I have to say I am mad at myself for not reading sooner.

Thank you to NetGalley & PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

this one just sounded right up my alley but in the end, i found it just okay, if not a bit boring at times, really. the setup is a little complicated to explain but essentially it follows gemma, who lives with her mom, and as far as she knows her mom is the only family she has. but one day a man shows up on their doorstep with the news that her grandfather has just passed away and that he left behind a scavenger hunt of sorts. the whole thing is a shock to gemma, considering she thought the grandpa she never met long gone, and her ties to taiwanese culture with it, too. gemma and her mom's financial situation isn't great, and gemma is convinced her grandpa has left them an inheritance, which she'll find at the very end of the scavenger hunt, so she convinces her mom to let her go, and begs her ex xander to take her along on his taiwanese heritage trip thingy (the name was too long okay i don't remember). so begins gemma's trip and the scavenger hunt, and mayhaps also some chemistry between the exes...

i think gloria chao just tried to do a little TOO much with this one. i've loved her other novel, "rent a boyfriend" (though i read that one ages ago), and this one just felt like it was trying to hit all the spots at once. second chance romance, financial struggles, family history & lies, feuding families, high school to college transition, trip to unfamiliar place, scavenger hunt... and it was also just a little too silly and over the top at times. the characters were mostly well built, and i think the relationships between them (whether that be gemma & xander or gemma & her mom) were explored well, but i think they required a bit more depth that got overshadowed by the other stuff.

the scavenger hunt was really fun though! i want someone to give me a scavenger hunt to do across taiwan too, please?? if you know me, you know just HOW much i love puzzles, and i did have a lot of fun figuring it out along with gemma & xander, though gemma's stubbornness did get on my nerves a little at times.

overall, this was an okay, or maybe slightly above average (though i might just be saying that because i loved the setting & main plot so much...) young adult contemporary! i think it would have benefitted a lot from a restructure that cut some of the themes handled, to make the others better-handled, but it was not unbearable by any means. ignore that this took me way too long to read, but i'd recommend if you're looking for a quick ya read with some emotional family-related scenes and a unique & fun main plot!

✨ The right book at the right time—and an instant five-star read for me. This fun YA novel checked all my favorite boxes:
📖 Enemies to lovers
📖 Second chance romance
📖 Rival families & family secrets
📖 International travel
📖 A high-stakes scavenger hunt with riddles & clues

Are you sold yet? Because I was.

While the romance is great, the real star here is the thrilling scavenger hunt and layered family mystery. Every new riddle and clue adds depth to the past, and the puzzles? Absolutely brilliant—steeped in culture and language, yet totally accessible for readers without prior knowledge. The author makes sure you can follow along and learn. It’s so much fun!

Plus, the book is set in Taiwan—where I’m actually headed for spring break on a school trip! Experiencing this vibrant setting on the page before I see it in person? Perfection.

📍 If you need a book to get lost in—or a cure for your reading slump—this is it.

This book was honestly adorable (and made my crave Din Tai Fung!!). The relationship between Gemma and Xander felt realistic, rife with the miscommunication, anxieties, and tension of teenagerhood. The treasure hunt unspooled at a lovely pace, providing reasons for the characters to move forward.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book started off a lil rocky; the info dumping was a lil much. BUT I ended up enjoying it a LOT more than I thought I would! This book has so many layers. The cultural heritage, the identity within that heritage, family trauma and secrets, etc. I LOVED how much Asian culture was shown in the book. The Taiwan setting was written very well, and I really appreciated experiencing that! The second chance romance was also done well; everything from the awkward exes stage to the reconciliation was realistic to me and I can see how others would relate. The puzzles and clues were fun, but I had NO idea how half of them got solved. It was still entertaining tho, and I loved having everything come together. The big reveal SHOCKED ME BUT IN SUCH A FREAKING GOOD WAY. AND THE ENDING HAD ANOTHER BIG REVEAL THAT WAS EVEN BETTER. This was a really good read, and a quick one too! I highly recommend!

Even though this book is a romance, it’s so much more than that. It’s self discovery, it’s a treasure hunt, it’s a family history, and it’s about self acceptance. Gemma is bit different from everyone else, I actually related to her a lot, and through out the book we watch her learn to accept herself even though it was never the focus. The way secrets and family histories were handled was also incredibly well done, with the book placing a lot of emphasis on nuances and how not everything is black and white. The story itself was very interesting, I finished it in one day and I liked seeing Gemma and Xander’s character development. Out of all of Gloria Chao’s books, I think this one is my favorite.

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)