Read if you like:
💋Second Chance Romance
💋Enemies to Lovers
💋Fake Dating
💋Forced Proximity
💋Opposites Attract
💋Friends to Lovers

With its mix of classic romance tropes, including enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, and family drama, this novel delivers a fun, emotional ride filled with relatable characters and witty banter.

The story centers around Nina, who’s navigating the complex terrain of family expectations and her own desires when she crosses paths with her ex, Mason. Forced into a fake-dating situation due to circumstances beyond their control, the two are thrown back into each other’s lives, leading to plenty of awkward, humorous, and undeniably romantic moments. Chao does a fantastic job of building the tension between Nina and Mason, creating a slow-burn romance that is both frustrating and utterly satisfying.

The enemies-to-lovers trope is executed perfectly, as Nina and Mason's initial animosity gradually gives way to rediscovered chemistry. Their interactions are laced with humor, but also deeper emotional moments as they confront past wounds and learn to trust each other again. The fake dating element adds a fun layer of complexity, as they both try to navigate their feelings while keeping up appearances, but it’s their shared history and unresolved feelings that make their journey of rediscovery so compelling.

In conclusion, *Ex Marks the Spot* is a fun, touching, and ultimately uplifting romance that will have you rooting for Nina and Mason every step of the way. If you’re a fan of second-chance love stories, fake dating, and emotionally resonant rom-coms, this book is a must-read. Gloria Chao has crafted a story full of heart, humor, and a romance that feels real, making it the perfect escape for anyone looking to smile, laugh, and swoon.

Thank you so much to the publisher for my gifted ARC!

I enjoyed this one! I loved learning about the culture, loved the treasure hunt concept, and the romance was sweet!

Academic rivals and exes have to work together to uncover a secret treasure that connects both their families... that is if they can even stand to be near each other, but if working together means finally facing what went wrong in their relationship, maybe there is more at the end of this treasure hunt than a treasure. Gemma's entire life has been about her and her mother against the world, her mother has hidden her past and refuses to tell her about anything relating to her grandparents or her dad, in fact she refuses to tell her anything about her ties to taiwanese culture. Yet when a mysterious man shows up at Gemma's door telling her that her grandfather whom her mother had told her had died, is recently passed and leaves her map of his things, Gemma is determined to get her inheritance. One problem: in order to complete said hunt she has to go to Taiwan... and that means asking for help from her ex and her academic rival, Xander. Gemma and Xander can barely stand to be in a room together yet to her surprise he helps her... and when she discovers more clues she realizes she needs more of Xander's help because the clues include to him and his family..... now Gemma and Xander must run around Taiwan and find the clues to find the truth about how their families are related and why their families hate each other.... while facing their own feelings for one another. This was definitely a unique YA story about your own cultural roots, relationships, and family relations. It definitely focuses on the journey of Gemma as she wrestles with her difficult family relationships and discovering herself. The romance is extremely light and doesn't really happen until 70% into the book. Overall if you are looking for a YA book that focuses on family secrets and discovering your cultural roots, give this a go.

Release Date: December 31,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

There are so many things to love about this book. The characters, the Taiwanese culture, the adventure, and the mouth-watering descriptions of the food!

I thought this book was going to be all romance based on the title, not that that would be a bad thing, but the title actually has another meaning - Ex Marks the Spot of a breathtaking adventurous journey of self-discovery through an international treasure hunt.

Gemma Sun has always believed her mom was her only living family. When a strange man shows up at her high school graduation and later, her home, she’s catapulted onto a journey to discover her cultural roots and learn about her recently departed grandfather. Along the way, she learns lessons about life, love and family that only a journey of this magnitude could reveal.

I did not want this story to end. I miss the characters already. This is such a quick, enthralling and entertaining read. I highly recommend it to readers of all genres.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group/Viking Books for Young Readers, and Gloria Chao for the opportunity to read this early DRC.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Colored Pages Book Tours and Viking Books for providing this eARC!

A treasure hunt, the adventure of a lifetime to get to know her Gong Gong posthumously, all alongside her ex, Xander Pan - Gemma Sun is such a wonderful main character to follow in this stunning book!

The importance of family, truth, and making sure to have fun in the overwhelming chaos of life are beautifully explored.

I highly recommend checking out this wonderful book!!

3.5 rounded down. So I started this off not feeling it. I thought Gemma was acting a little spoiled *I have a right to know where I came from; I deserve to know my grandfather* girly, if your parent deemed it unsafe; respect it. If you're an adult, go do your thing without dragging your mom through the mud. Her reason from estrangement was 100 percent valid. Not Gemma saying there's nuance there and he made mistakes because he was a product of the hardship he experienced. That statement could literally be applied to anyone. Hitler not getting into art school, guess the genocide was just a side effect of the hardship he experienced. And true story, my history teacher was an Andrew Jackson sympathizer and said the EXACT SAME words about him.

Parents make their decisions to keep their kids safe and Gemma was being a lil ungrateful hooligan (this was not written by doormat mom). I'll die on this hill because you don't need to have to know your family to feel whooe. You don't need to know your grandparents if they treated you or someone else like crap. And that's why I'm deducting a star and a half for this because it's truly sending the wrong message to the youths meant to be reading it imo. It's clear this author must have a great relationship with her family, but some of us don't lol ☠️

Once Gemma got me to Taiwan, I was thoroughly entertained. Very National Treasure -esque. The culture presentation was so wonderfully incorporated into the writing. I love how the author included language, history, food, and places. I googled each location, and lm tell you... I need to go see the Jade Cabbage at the National Palace Museum now w my own eyes. The sort of inheritance hunt was very well done and quite culturally rich.

Not Gemma getting diarrhea tho. Not Gemma spilling her grandpa's ashes onto her partner lmao lmao lmao. Maybe I should give the star back for all that 😂

And in the end, the grandfather never noted the words "I'm sorry" throughout his series of elaborate puzzles and notes. I mean... There was even an entire journal. Where was the apology? Did I miss it? WHY WAS THERE NO APOLOGY. Closest thing we got was "I never stopped loving" which seems like the same creepy manipulative gas lighting shit some estranged narcissistic person would do.

I'm clearly triggered lol. This book was good. Just couldn't get past the relationship issues personally. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House LLC for early access this title is exchange for an honest review. Please note my review is based on uncorrected text.

The cover art is stunning - I gave it five stars!

The book blurb seems interesting.... Unfortunately, there was no option to change the font to make the letters bigger. The text was so tiny that I couldn't read it despite wearing glasses. I have no idea why it's this way. Usually, I can change the font of the books on Netgalley without any problem....

always a sucker for a YA enemies-to-lovers story!! Although it took me a bit to immerse myself fully in the story, this was so cute and adventure-filled. i will never get sick of seeing Asian representation in books. Seeing Gemma discover who she is and the roots of her family and culture was so beautiful. I LOVED the tresure hunt concept. If you miss classic YA stories but want to go on an adventure, pick up this one :)

Ex Marks the Spot by Gloria Chao is an absolute gem of a YA adventure! Gemma’s life flips upside down when a mysterious man delivers two surprises: news of her late grandfather and the start of a treasure hunt tied to her inheritance. The catch? She must travel to Taiwan and team up with her ex-rival, Xander, to unravel the clues.

This story is a perfect blend of thrilling puzzles, heartfelt exploration of family and cultural identity, and a swoon-worthy romance. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Taipei, it’s a journey of discovery, growth, and second chances. If you’re into adventure-packed stories with heart, you’ll love this one! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I am typically happiest reading angsty ya books so no one should be surprised that I love this. We have teenage enemies to lovers with beautiful Taiwanese representation. It has a hunt, puzzles, learning about the past as well as chance for Gemma to learn about her culture and perhaps find love.

This is well worth picking up.

Read if you enjoyed: Asking For A Friend, Betting on You or To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before

Pub date: Dec 31

Thank you penguinteen for the earc, I loved this as much as I thought I would!

It has always been Gemma and her mom, that’s all she’s ever had for family. Then a will is delivered to her door and she discovers that her mom has kept secret an estranged grandfather whom she’ll now never know. When the opportunity arises to find out more about her Taiwanese heritage, albeit with her ex and nemesis Xander, she doesn’t hesitate. This starts a journey of not only her own history, but of her entire culture that was largely unknown to her. Some doors are opened, other are closed, but Gemma comes away with a whole new perspective on life, family, and what relationships really mean.

The discovery of family and friendship of all forms in this novel is truly great. Going through Gemma’s experiences, the reader is easily able to empathize and connect. The puzzle that is her grandfather’s legacy mixed with the rivals to lovers storyline is enjoyable and keeps you turning the pages. A fun read. 4 stars.

Review based on a digital Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by Penguin Young Readers Group - Viking Books and NetGalley. Thank you!

Ex Marks the Spot:⁣
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Thank you @prhaudio @penguinteen for my gifted copies! #PRHAudioPartner⁣
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Puzzle, decoder, cryptogram friends unite! This was such a fun book that I could appreciate all the fun puzzles and riddles along the way. ⁣
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Gemma and Xander are basically rivals. As co-valedictorians, there’s zero love lost between the two. Gemma has her mother, Xander basically has the world. But when Gemma finds out her grandfather has passed, she begs Xander to get her into his program TARP so she can go to Taiwan and find out about her grandfather. Hopefully, she can find out about herself along the way.⁣
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This book has really good complicated dynamics, and for that I loved it. I know the exact feeling Gemma feels when others are able to embrace their culture instead of assimilate. I love that her new friends were not full of judgement and embraced her openness. ⁣
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The journey to find the end of the puzzle was everything. I loved the clues, how they were spelled out, the play on words, everything. I didn’t really see the romance aspect, but it also doesn’t deter from the beautiful story either. ⁣
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Audio was wonderful. Yu-Li Alice Shen does the solo narration and it was wonderful listening to all the different places, pronunciations, and overall banter between Gemma and Xander. It’s a short audio, which I was able to start and finish in the preparation of getting all the presents wrapped for Christmas. There is a PDF that should accompany it, and I think that would be helpful with some of the puzzles. I couldn’t picture it in my head, so I’m glad I had a digital copy to refer back to.⁣
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Overall, I loved it. A solid YA read. Out 12/31.⁣
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QOTD: What day is it? JK. But really, what are you reading?

A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group/Viking Books for Young Readers for sharing this adventurous YA novel's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ex Marks the Spot is a puzzle solving, inheritance chasing, chance in a lifetime trip whirwind read that has similarities with The Inheritance Games and Anna and the French Kiss.

Gemma Sun is a less privileged high school student raised by a single mom whose estranged grandfather just died. She is given a letter from him with clues to finding her inheritance and manages to score one last spot on a trip to Taipei the summer before college. The wrinkle in the plans is that she has the travel in the same group as her ex, privileged golden boy Xander.

Ex Marks the Spot is a coming of age, adventure seeking, finding yourself and your culture wonderful ya novel bridging the gap between high school and college.

Sure the enemies to lovers, family secrets, cultural exploration tropes are all present, but for me, these tropes were fresh and worked.

Chao made me believe I was in Taiwan with her lush prose and detailed mouth-watering explanation of the culinary delights. She also writes teenagers in a believable way.

This was a fun, quick, charming read!

Gemma just graduated high school, and is now facing upcoming college tuition bills, which she and her single parent mom don't have any savings for. When her grandfather, whom she'd been told died years earlier, dies at that time, leaving a treasure hunt in his will, Gemma knows this will be the answer to her financial troubles. But the clues lead her to Taiwan, another expense she can't afford, and a place & culture that her mother ensured she knows nothing about. But Gemma needs the money. Even if it means begging a few favors from her enemy/ex boyfriend, who happens to be leading an all expenses paid trip to Taiwan...

This book was a great mix of character journey, riddles, and Taiwan culture.

Gemma and her mom always struggled to make ends meet. So, Gemma is desperate to find whatever treasure her grandfather's clues will lead to. Desperate enough to beg her ex boyfriend to add her to his group trip to Taiwan, the very place her grandfather's treasure hunt leads to.

I enjoyed all the Taiwanese cultural aspects. Gemma knows nothing about her Taiwanese roots, not even the language or cultural norms, so everything is explained for the uninformed reader in a natural way. The descriptions of the places Gemma & her group toured made me want to visit Taiwan, see all those sights, and eat all those foods. (Seriously, there should be a food craving trigger warning.) This book gave me a great cultural immersion without leaving my seat.

The story flowed nicely between Gemma's touring the country & her treasure hunt, mixing the two plots where possible, and diverging from the tour group when necessary. Her new friend in the tour group had interesting small side plots. I really appreciate that they weren't just flat characters along for the ride. I also like how Gemma's money struggles felt very realistic. How she was always mindful of her spending while everyone else splurged like normal tourists.

Mostly, I enjoyed all the layers of secrets buried not just in the clues her grandfather led her to, but also in her journey to solve them. Gemma discovers that her grandfather's early death wasn't the only lie she was told. As she solves each clue, more truths are revealed, giving Gemma a glimpse of the grandfather she never got to meet. The treasure hunt itself was very well done. The are lots of plays on words in humorous & interesting ways. Just like was done with the book title.

Family, secrets, American-Taiwanese culture, maybe even some romance... The treasure hunt leads Gemma not just on a riddle solving journey, but also on a journey that will dig up her family's past, uncover skeletons, and on a journey that will teach Gemma some truths about herself and her own past, future, and current relationships.

e-ARC from NetGalley.

Chao just keeps getting better and better, and this book may just be her magnum opus.

Ex Marks the Spot follows Gemma, a Taiwanese-American girl, as she manages to snag a last-minute spot on a fully funded student trip and ventures to Taiwan on a treasure hunt left to her by her estranged grandfather. Only, she's on the trip with her ex ... and there being money at the end of this hunt is the only hope she has for paying for college ... and her mother never wanted her to learn anything about her heritage, so she doesn't know Mandarin or Chinese food or anything about the culture ... and no one knows that's why she's here.

Everything about this book worked. The character dynamics. The back stories. The setting. The humor. The angst. The exploration of Taiwanese culture and the basis of the miscommunication - I was just as confused as they were, so I can't even judge them for it.

But it was the treasure hunt! Oh, the treasure hunt! Absolute, complete, and pure genius! I don't know how she came up with it, how she made it work, how she even figured out the puzzles to design them in the first place.

I loved this! I have no notes. No complaints. Just affection in my heart.

My thanks to NetGalley and Viking/Penguin Random House for the ARC of 'Ex Marks the Spot' in exchange for an honest review.
A whole lotta stuff going on here. Childhood sweethearts-to Hight School enemies-to-maybe back to Sweethearts......an international treasure hunt loaded with confounding clues, riddles and Mandarin language symbols.....and a something-of-an-outcast teen girl coping with the treasure hunt, the sweethearts to enemies, an extra player to make it a romantic triangle....and her frustrating quest to connect with her Taiwanese culture and discover her own identity. I'm already fully exhausted from all that on her behalf.
Gemma's late grandfather left her the treasure hunt clues which lead to Taiwan and possibly a much needed inheritance to help with her upcoming college tuition. . But the only path to Taiwan is through that ex-sweetheart/current enemy Xander, who's organized a summer tour through that country for himself and other Asian students. Sparks fly, incredible complex treasure clues get revealed through the stunning landscapes, mountains of mouth-watering Taiwanese cuisine are consumed. and deep family secrets rock Gemma and Xander's worlds together.
Truly intricate, maddening treasure clues, but if you're no puzzle fan (like me), you might feel tempted to skim through those section and go right to the emotional moments. And as much I'm impressed at the cleverness of the hunt on display, it's Gemma and Xander's journeys to self-revelations that make up the story's beating heart and that 's what really kept me turning the pages to the end.
As our leads delve into the world of their grandfathers, the book evokes some beautiful picture-postcard imagery and enough delectable food to make you want to schedule an immediate flight out. . Ambitious and entertaining.

I loved learning about Tawain and its culture as Gemma explored the country for the first time to try and feel connected to a grandfather she never knew. She searched for clues from a scavenger hunt that her grandfather left behind for her in hopes it will lead to an inheritance. On her journey, she learned more about herself and her family while making friends and recruiting her sworn enemy to help her figure out the clues. The scavenger hunt itself was sometimes complicated regarding the clues, and the explanations were glossed over with Gemma stating she pretended to understand the logic as Xander explained it to her. I also did not care for the sudden romance that sparked up from nowhere between Gemma and Xander; she spent four years hating him and suddenly decided she liked him. Besides these two things, this was a cute read. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.

I am in awe of how beautiful this book is. Ex Marks the Spot is an excellent story that explores deep topics while still maintaining a fun, whimsical feel.

First and foremost, Gemma feeling disconnected from her culture is so realistic and handled with such care. This is the part of the story that stuck with me the most, as well as feeling like you must hide your true self in order to be liked by others. These topics are so important to discuss and I think Gloria Chao did an amazing job with this book.

These characters were so well done. Every character offered something to the story. They were fleshed out and did not feel one-dimensional. Gemma is an absolute lovely character. She wasn’t always perfect, she made mistakes, and couldn’t see that things weren’t always black and white. I enjoyed reading her growth over the story! Xander is a very interesting character. He was easy to understand and feel for. Trisha and Val were close favorites for sure!

The plot is developed so well. I was fully invested and didn’t want to put this book down! The puzzles were so fun and while I did predict the ending, it was executed so beautifully that I couldn’t be happier!

Overall, this revived my love for young adult romances. Before this I had felt like I was outgrowing YA romances, but this was such a refreshing read. The banter was just perfect. The plot was intriguing and exciting. The characters were so lovable and funny. I was smiling, laughing, and even shed a few tears while reading this. I will definitely be looking into this author’s other work!

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ex Marks the Spot by Gloria Chao was a great story!
This contemporary YA was so engaging and very entertaining.
With fun characters and engaging plot I was hooked till the very end.

My gosh, this book was absolutely everything <3

Ex Marks the Spot is a truly masterful combination of academic-rivals-to-lovers romance, an exciting inheritance puzzle, and a profound exploration of Chinese diasporic identity. There is something to love for everyone, from the hilariously relatable main character to the heartfelt examinations of complex familial relationships. I can see some cultural identity-related parts being a bit hyper-niche for readers looking for strictly YA romances or mysteries, but I personally never felt this was the case as Chao excels at explaining (without info-dumping) certain cultural elements.

The romance between Gemma and Xander was so enjoyable! Their chemistry was genuine and never felt forced, and although their rivalry ultimately springs from a misunderstanding, it felt authentic to the high school setting. Chao is just so good at adding emotional stakes to every situation, and the misunderstanding was never trivialized or portrayed as silly because of the clear emotional fallout it caused. Gemma’s hurt from such an embarrassing incident was a very realistic reaction for a ninth grader, and I especially related to the way she occasionally overthinks or comes to certain conclusions. As an academic overachiever in high school, I really identified with both Gemma and Xander. It was incredibly satisfying seeing the way they gradually rebuilt trust and came together as more mature and empathetic individuals.

I’m not the biggest fan of puzzles, but wow did I love the puzzles in this book! Perhaps because of the added cultural elements, but all the puzzles were tricky without being unrealistically difficult or trivial. I definitely felt a bit clever figuring out a few of the puzzles even with my limited knowledge of Mandarin, but I thought Chao did a fantastic job of explaining solutions for readers who don’t know Mandarin. Aside from the setting, the puzzle was such a clever way to introduce non-diasporic readers to Chinese/Taiwanese culture without feeling overbearing or superficial, and Gemma is the perfect protagonist to experience them through. Her complicated relationship with her family’s culture, from being unable to speak Mandarin to not understanding superstitions, was very authentic and relatable. This is the kind of diasporic representation I need in the YA space! The book’s core themes of cultural estrangement and reconciliation resonated deeply with me, and Gemma’s ultimate realization that she doesn’t need to fit into either “world” because everyone’s lived experience is different made me quite emotional. This was something I struggled with relentlessly throughout high school, so seeing this represented on page genuinely made me teary-eyed.

The representations of intergenerational trauma, reconciliation, and familial relationships were fantastic. Again, this is the kind of nuanced diasporic representation the YA romance/contemporary space desperately needs. Not only did I relate to every single relationship, Chao continuously subverts racial stereotypes. Gemma’s mother was a fascinating character I’d love to know more about, but even with her limited time on page, I loved that she went against every stereotypical Chinese tiger mom stereotype. Her past trauma genuinely made me hurt for her because I know so many other women who experienced similar things. Even though she could be misguided at times, her unyielding love and support for Gemma resonated deeply with me. Similarly, even though he never once makes an appearance on page, Gemma’s Gong Gong quickly became one of my favorite characters. The final reveal had me fighting back tears—what a cathartic and hopeful conclusion to such a painful life.

As a member of the Chinese diaspora, Ex Marks the Spot is the book I needed when I was younger. Sure, it’s not the “perfect” book (I had very minor issues with the large cast of characters and some of the middle pacing), but it was one of the most perfect books emotionally. Expertly balancing an up-market concept with heartfelt explorations of cultural identity and belonging, Ex Marks the Spot is easily one of my favorite reads of the year.

5/5 stars
Thank you to Viking (Penguin Teen) for the physical and e-ARCs! All thoughts and opinions are my own.