Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
3.5 stars rounded down

This book had a lot of thought put into it, and you can tell. The treasure hunt in this book is directed by clues the grandfather left behind, and there's soooo many parts at play + interactions between the clues, plus their connection to the Taiwan culture. It's very impressive. You can also tell the author had a lot of passion for this book. From the culture to the setting to the characters and their growth. It's has multiple good messages, especially when it comes to how people experience their culture and the influences it can have on people.

There were things that bothered me, though. The writing is a bit on-the-nose and quick at times, but I also acknowledge that this is a YA book and that these elements aren't necessarily bad since it is aimed for 13-18 year olds (with the writing style working better for the lower end while still having the ability to touch the entire age range). So, this is definitely just a personal experience with the book being said by a 28-year-old adult. The characters can also be frustrating at times, but, well, they're teenagers. Some bits are unrealistic, but that tends to happen with all fiction.

All of this to say, I may mark it as 3.5 stars, but most of my gripes are personal and just because I've semi-outgrown some things about YA fiction. 15-year-old-me probably would have found this much closer to a 4.5 star read.

So, if you're looking for a strong YA book with good themes and a fun adventure, I definitely recommend!

Ex Marks the Spot is a fun coming of age rom com about a young girl discovering who she is, learning about her family history, and rediscovering love. This is a great read!

Gemma's mom hasn't been completely forthcoming about Gemma's grandparents and their family history. Despite being Taiwanese-American, Gemma doesn't know anything about Taiwanese culture, the language, or her grandparents and where they came from. When she's given the chance to learn about her family, she takes it, flying all the way to Taiwan. On the trip is also her ex-boyfriend, Xander, whom she can't stand. But when Gemma's grandfather leaves her a mysterious puzzle to solve, the only person who can help her solve it is her ex. As they go on this journey of discovery together, Gemma finds her feelings for her ex changing.

This is a great story about discovering your family roots and discovering who you are in the process. Gloria Chao does a wonderful job of weaving Chinese culture and way of life into the story. Her descriptions of the different locations in Taiwan and the mouthwatering food had me wanting to hop on a plane to visit myself.

Gemma and Xander are both great characters with strong emotional arcs. We see both of them grow and change during the course of the story. It's also fun to watch them as they go through each step of the puzzle trying to figure out how to solve each puzzle and what comes next.

Great read!

This love letter to Taiwan follows Gemma, a just recent high school graduate, as she learns about her roots and digs into a whole bunch of family secrets--all with her Ex! When Gemma discovers that her grandfather (Gong Gong--she never knew was even alive!) just recently died and leaves her with a clue to start a treasure hunt to discover her possible inheritance, she must leave her single mom and go to Taiwan to find more clues. Her only way there is through an exchange program (TARP) hosted by her ex, Xander, and his family, whose grandfather hated hers. Once in Taiwan, Gemma has to follow her grandfather's painstaking clues all over, with the help of her TARP friends, and Xander, discovering Gong Gong's secrets, his tie to Xander's grandfather, and more about the culture and family secrets her single mom has hidden with her. The clues & puzzles were intricate and well designed, and I was glad to have Gemma and Xander to solve them, as their complexity was beyond me. I loved the description of the Taiwanese gems like the Night Markets & the famous rocks at Yehliu Geopark, as well as all the scrumptious food--it's no wonder author Chao spent her summers in Taiwan with her own grandparents. The attention to detail was immersive. I did want more tension between Gemma & Xander for the first 2/3 of the book, and I would probably put this in my realistic section more than the romance one, as it's much more a story of growing up, reconnecting with one's roots, and self-discovery than just straight romance. An enjoyable read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin for the advance copy.

Gemma and Xander have to team up to solve a puzzle to see if it leads to an inheritance.
I thought this was going to be fun but it was really boring to me. I didn't even notice the puzzles. I didn't really notice anything.

Ex Marks the Spot has rivals, second chance romance, family secrets, scavenge hunts, and - of course - exes! Beginning, it asks us what happens after we turn the final page of a rivalry? And what happens when it seems to be a one sided rivalry? But Ex Marks the Spot quickly turns into a story about family secrets and discovering ourselves. It's about knowing sometimes we have to loosen up, take a second chance, and also give the ones in our lives a second change. Xander and Gemma are utter opposites, on paper, but what happens when they actually share more than they think?

This is such a cute & fun adventure! Think ‘Loveboat Taipei’ but better! More mystery, less drama, family secrets, enemies to lovers… 🗺️🧭📍

I loved the vivid setting of Taipei and description of all the food 🤤

Chao touches on different aspects of the Asian American experience and self discovery. She shows how culture and history can help shape a person.

“I am a mix of all my experiences” 💌

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP, and Gloria Chao for providing me this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review! ◡̈

This is A Book That Transported Me to Taiwan & made me call my mom 💖

Why is it that NA Books are just so transformative today! This book was so beautifully written that I feel like I have just been on a two week journey with Gemma, Xander, & all the other TARPers along with the most amazing characters. Like any good Journey, I have learned so much, not just about Gemma and Xander's reunion...what a beautiful second chance slow burn story they had 😍 but also about the way that Asian American see themselves. This push and pull of growing up that any college freshman faces is one thing, but add to that the cultural & the familial push and pull along with the identity aspect of language as self as connection to the past & present is something that I never considered before. Seeing Gemma experience Taiwan as someone who is almost fully estranged from her cultural heritage & learng through an Inheritance 'Treasure' Hunt was awe inspiring, insightful, and dare I say educational. Gloria Chao brought so many emotions to this book but always stayed focused on the joy of discovery and healing of hearts. I loved that this book as all told from Gemma's perspective yet was balanced with Xander's 'seemingly privileged' position which brought its own limitations and expectations to the story. Add to that the hidden love story of X (no spoilers here 😁) and this is a book that will bring you to tears and have you calling your parents and grands to chat.

A fully bright 5 🌟 stars for a book that anyone from 18 to 80 will love reading. Filled with amazing characters & love stories & friendhsips & food descriptions that will have you Googling for a Taiwanese Restaurant because you have to experience Gemma's Treasure Hunt, for yourself, THIS IS A BOOK TO KEEP!

Thank you Penguin Teen, Net Galley, Colored Pages Tours, and the author for sharing this amazing book with me!

This book really took me by surprise. I ended up being much more invested in this book than I expected. Especially because at the start I was kind of struggling to get into this one. I feel like the set up of this book wasn't the most interesting. I also thought that at the start our main character was extremely unlikeable. I don't know if that's the point but I definitely did not get along with her. I just feel like she was very self involved, and SUPER negative for no real reason. Her whole conflict with Xander seemed completely in her head from the start, and it just confused me. She also kept going on and on about how her mind just works differently, and how she's just "on a different wavelenght", but she's just really into different kinds of puzzles. There's quite literally nothing different about her.
However, once they got to Taiwan, and we really get into the scavenger hunt (especially once Xander joins in on the fun) I really started to get into this one. I just think it was a really fun read. I loved the TARP crew, and my main complaint about the rest of the book after the initial set up is that I wanted more of them. I just thought they were a really fun bunch of side characters, and I love how they pushed Gemma out of her comfort zone. I also liked the different activities we did with our TARP crew. I just thought they were really fun settings, and also really helped to show the Taiwanese culture as well.
Of course, the scavenger hunt is the absolute star of the show. I actually loved the different puzzles that made up the different clues to get to the different destinations. I thought they were all really creative, and I loved seeing our characters figure it all out. I do have to say that I thought the different reveals of the hunt were really predictable (although that might be because I just see gay people everywhere), and I did think that it made the characters see a bit dumber than we're constantly told they are because they were so shocked by it. However, I still feel like the journey was really well executed, and I really loved how it portrayed Gemma finding herself while learning more about her grandfather. The conclusion of the hunt also definitely made me tear up a little, because it was all just so well crafted.
I also quite liked the relationship between Gemma and Xander. They were really quite cute together. Like I mentioned before I never really bought their rivalery because it just seemed so incredibly one sided, but once Gemma finally got her stubborn head past that we actually got so many great scenes of the two of them together. So yeah, it definitely isn't the main focus of this book but I still really loved the addition.

While it is common to compare books that are barely similar as an attempt to hook the readers of that other book, this book does bear some similarities to Jennifer Lynn Barne's The Inheritance Games to which it has been compared. They both involve solving puzzles as an important part of their plots. In this case, a small series of puzzles build upon one another ultimately leading to the resolution of an important part of the story. Although these are not puzzles the reader can solve especially without knowledge of the Tawainese language and culture, they keep the story intriguing and interesting. You do not need any specific knowledge of these things to enjoy the book and you can learn quite a lot about them and the country of Tawain itself through reading it. Thus, the book is like a Tawainese travelogue which is one of the nicest things about it. If you are looking for that, you will really enjoy this book.

If you are more interested in the romance, you may be disappointed. Gemma and Xander are a cute couple but remain antagonists throughout most of the book only becoming a romantic couple fairly late in the story. There are some nice nonromantic relationships in the book, however. Gemma develops some heartwarming friendships with the other members of their travel group. Plus, it is touching how her relationship with her mother grows and changes throughout the story, particularly in the end.

4.5 stars

This is a perfect example of the kind of YA stories I miss and want to read more of! And it's one of the few stories I'd rather listen to than read (if only for the pronunciation -- I'm a language nerd).

The characters all feel age-appropriate. They sound and act like 18-year-old recent high school grads. And the adults were all flawed, realistic adults. The academic enemies-to-lovers and inheritance scavenger hunt are just unhinged enough to remind me of the early days of YA. It made me smile. And Gemma and Xander are so sweetly earnest and adorable.

I love the story of learning about your heritage and culture. And I loved how each character on the TARP trip had a unique relationship with it. It's also very cool to see these young people realize their parents and grandparents are <b>people</b>. Taiwan felt like its own character in all this. Gloria did such a lovely job with the setting that I felt like I could see all the action and activities playing out.

The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is for how Gemma's "different wavelength" was handled. She's so obviously neurodivergently-coded -- why couldn't that just be said? Her mom assimilated them so much that I doubt it would be out of character. It just struck a weird cord with me every time it was brought up. For a book that's all about understanding yourself and where you come from, it felt like something of a missed opportunity.

That said, it's a wonderful book and I'm recommending it to everyone!

<i>Many thanks to NetGalley, Viking Books, and the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Gemma has a talent of looking at things differently. Puzzles, anagrams just makes so much sense to her. So when her late grandfather that she never knew was still alive until recently, gave her a box. She just knew there's so much more to it. The problem is, she needs to go to Taiwan to actually finish all the clues. With no money to travel, She swallows her pride and asks help from her nemesis and ex, Xander.

I haven't read all the Gloria Chao books but I think this is the best book she wrote. I might be biased because I really like puzzles, and scavenger hunts. However, the fact that this was a book in a different country with the perspective of a second-generation Taiwanese-American who never experienced her Taiwanese side was truly enthralling. The relationships Gemma has with the different characters of the book is not just relatable but also realistic. The author truly makes you understand what Gemma was feeling. And she done it well.

Readers also get a glimpse of Taiwan. I've never been to Taiwan, except for a layover in Taipei, but the way the book describes places was a genius way to introduce something unfamiliar. Also learning a bit more of the culture was also so nice. This was definitely an adventure through the pages.

Though I don't know Mandarin, it was so fun and intriguing to at least guess the puzzles and what was coming next to the characters. This book was the type where you can solve with it making reading interactive. But it was still fun for me though I don't know the language.

Overall, this was a ride. I loved everything about it and I didn't even take a deep dive on the love story even though the title is all over it. The angst was there. And I would like to see what Xander was thinking in this book. But all I can say is - chivalry i s not dead on this book at all.

Great book, so happy I read it. If anything. i think it sucks this can't be an audiobook.

thank you to penguin for the ARC!

this is pretty much your classic YA romance, but with the fun twist of a treasure hunt, plus the cultural references i enjoyed in AMERICAN PANDA. my favorite part of the book was definitely the discussion on connecting with one's roots and family (and of course the descriptions of travel and food). without spoiling, some of the puzzles and characters' actions did feel a bit far-fetched to me, but it didn't really detract from the book. gemma and xander's relationship was honestly my least favorite part (maybe i've just outgrown YA romance?), but they were ultimately a pretty cute couple. if you want a light YA with a lot of heart, this is definitely one to check out.

The cultural context was interesting, but the storytelling elements/pace were pretty predictable and felt a little generic.

Rating: 4/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

This book is about Gemma who has been raised by a single parent from Taiwan and Xander, her old friend/crush who is also from Taiwan parents. Gemma has graduated and then finds out that her grandfather, who she has never met, has passed away and has left her and her mother something. She is determined to find out what he has left them, but Gemma’s mother doesn’t want to. With college right around the corner she is hopeful that it is money so that her mother doesn’t have to worry but she finds out that it’s a puzzle that she has to figure out but, she finds out that she will have to go to Taiwan and the only way to do that is to go with the TARP group and she will have to kiss butt to Xander to make sure that she can go.

I thought this was a sweet YA romcom, about two Taiwanese teens who live in America and want to learn more about their culture and for Gemma to find out what the treasure is that her grandfather has left her. The more that the plot starts to come out the cuter the book gets. I liked that the author gave us back history about the characters and then we got to see them work together. I loved that we were able to go on adventures with the characters to see what the next piece of the puzzle was. I liked that we got to see the characters understand more about their parents and to see the group talking about how their families act and to see the growth of the characters develop throughout the book as well. I thought the pace of the books was done just right. I didn’t feel like it was lagging at all. I found the characters easy to connect with and they were likable.

I liked the banter between Gemma and Xander, but I really loved when Xander didn’t like when the other boys would flirt with Gemma, it was funny to read. I found with both characters their way of slowly healing the riff that came between them to have been sweet. I loved watching them work through their past and their families' past to heal their friendship/more. I do love a second chance romance, and this was a perfect book to start the year with. Watching them on this journey was fun, with a lot of emotions and a cute YA romcom with a lot of adventures in it and banter that you will be dying of laughter.

I want to thank NetGalley and Penguin for the opportunity to review this book.

Ex Marks the Spot is the book I needed growing up as a kid whose parents came from Taiwan but grew up in the States. It is a Bildungsroman that captures the experience of growing up in American and not being American enough, yet visiting the “homeland” and not being Asian enough. I loved every moment of it!

Gemma graduates high school without knowing much about her own family history, but is sent on a wild treasure hunt - including to Taiwan - when an estate lawyer approaches her with her late grandfather’s will. The middle of the book feels very Inheritance Games-ish, with lots of twists and puzzles to figure out. With each new puzzle is a different piece of Gemma’s past that we learn about.

In the meantime, Gemma must reconcile with her ex, and current enemy Xander, as he holds the key to some of the clues, such that their fates are entwined. It’s a slow burn enemies to lovers trip for them, but also wholesome and cute.

My favorite parts were visiting all of the top spots on Taiwan - including the Palace Museum and all of the major cities, and ALL OF THE FOOD. I was consistent hungry reading this. Taiwan doesn’t get enough representation in literature, and I loved how much the beautiful island shone through as its own character in this book! I’m looking forward to the next one from Gloria Chao!

Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Group/Viking Books and Gloria Chao for the ARC.

ex marks the spot is a wonderful book that talks about understanding your culture and heritage, and that, sometimes, there might be more to people than you think. this book shows that the world is not all black and white.

going into this, i thought romance would be the main plot, yet i found that it was instead a sublot. the main focus of this book is gemma's self-discovery journey/treasure hunt. while i usually like the romance of a book to the main plot and get slightly bored if it isn't, that did not happen with this book. i was soo hooked to the treasure hunt! i was always on the edge of my seat, trying to figure out the next clue and absolutely dying to know what happens next. i simply never wanted to put it down!

the way this treasure hunt was made is absolutely brilliant. its truly genius and deserves a round applause for the way it was crafted. i found all the clues to be so intriguing, and it was amazing how each clue was connected to the next. the past really did always affect the future (if you know, you know hehe).

and that plot twist... WOW!! i was absolutely SHOOK I TELL YOU SHOOK. i was laughing while reading that scene because of the way it blew my mind. never would have EVER have seen that coming. (absolutely loved the twist though, it brought in so much more nuance).

the chemistry between xander and gemma was a really slow burn and i enjoyed it. i loved their little moments as they figured out the clues together, and all that they went through for each other. it was really cute.

last but not the least, i loved the whole learning about your heritage part. i adored how each of the side characters interacted with each other, how they made jokes about being asian/being taiwanese, and i related to it so much because i always love having similar experiences with others when it comes to my upbringing, because it's something many don't understand unless you share the culture. i also just loved learning about the taiwanese culture, it really was educating hehe.

who doesn't want to read a scavenger hunt around taiwan????

this book is a perfect mix of mystery, discovery, and romance. it reads very ya and thats completely okay because it is a ya book, i do just think my time for this story has passed. i loved the elements of the story that were gemma exploring taiwan because it felt like i was exploring right along with her. i also loved how fast paced the beginning of this story was. even if that was a bit unrealistic i didn't mind because the story just moved right along. i probably couldn't explain to you every hint of the scavenger hunt but i really enjoyed reading the adventure gemma and xander went on. maybe its me being dumb but i still can't figure out if she got money at the end. like i know the whole point was understanding her family and rebuilding the relationship with xander, but college is expensive and i would be slightly pissed if i did all that for seemingly nothing.

*thank you net galley and viking for the ARC*

This started out slowly for me and I wasn’t a fan of Gemma in the beginning but as the story went on and the quest became apparent, she transformed into a more likable and relatable character. I loved the puzzles her grandfather put together and the journey through Taiwan was a neat way to see it. The ending was perfect for the story and had all the heartwarming scenes you want to close out the story.

I love an enemies to lovers story, throw some family secrets in, and have it set in Taipei!?! Yes please! I enjoyed the story and would read more from the author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Gloria Chao’s Ex Marks the Spot is a heartwarming and adventurous tale that blends treasure hunting, cultural exploration, and the sparks of rekindled romance into a delightful read.

Gemma is a relatable and determined protagonist whose journey is as much about self-discovery as it is about unearthing a hidden inheritance. The story’s treasure hunt premise adds a playful layer of intrigue, taking readers on an exciting adventure through Taiwan's vibrant landscapes and cultural heritage.

Xander, Gemma’s ex and reluctant travel companion, provides both comedic tension and heartwarming moments as the two navigate old wounds and unexpected feelings. Their chemistry is a slow burn that keeps the romantic subplot engaging without overshadowing the story’s deeper themes.

What truly stands out is the book’s exploration of family and identity. Through Gemma’s journey, Chao beautifully weaves in reflections on reconnecting with cultural roots and understanding the complexities of familial relationships. The vivid descriptions of Taiwan’s traditions and scenery enrich the narrative, making it both an emotional and immersive experience.

While some of the treasure hunt’s clues felt a bit predictable, the overall charm and emotional depth of the story more than make up for it. Ex Marks the Spot is a compelling read for fans of contemporary romance and heartfelt coming-of-age tales.