First off this book made me so hungry! The food descriptions were mouth watering! I also loved the richness of the culture and scenery of Saigon. The romance and family drama all spun together nicely. Very cute romance!

I am an absolute sucker for stories that center cultural foods. One of my all time favorite comfort foods is Pho Ga (chicken pho), so I couldn’t wait to read A Báhn Mì For Two, which is a sapphic contemporary romance that takes place in Saigon and is all about the best Vietnamese street food!

I loved both Lan and Vivi.

Lan (a Saigon native), uses her food blog to spotlight other street vendors. Lan struggles with grief after the death of her father and feels lost in trying to find her creative spark to write again. Lan puts her family’s needs ahead of her own even to her own detriment.

In the surface, Vivi (a Vietnamese American study abroad student) seems like everything in her life is perfect, but she’s desperate to learn about her Vietnamese heritage that her mother refuses to discuss.

I loved how Vivi and Lan come together to help each other with their own personal struggles while embracing all that Saigon has to offer. They were such a great balance for each other.

If you’re looking for a sweet coming of age story that explores sexuality, familial struggles, and TONS of incredible food then pick this one up!

Thank you Fierce Reads and Macmillan Audio for providing a review copy.

What a sweet and savory story set in Saigon! (The alliteration is REAL!) Love this beautiful story that’s a juxtaposition of two girls finding themselves in the present while uncovering their truths of their past. (That sentence was gold 😂) I adored the love letter to Saigon and Vietnamese culture...in particular food culture because what’s more unifying than food? Nothing!

Viviana is from the OC in LA who heads to a semester abroad program to learn about her mom’s secret family…while her mom thinks she’s in Singapore. She meets Lan, a pessimistic street vendor who secretly runs a popular food blog that’s coincidentally one of the reasons Vivi comes to
Saigon. When they run it each other and Vivi manages to win Lan over, she agrees to help her family. The two girls fall in love with Saigon in new ways and each other in a sweet and wholesome story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this adorbs story that was so authentic, heartfelt and wholesome. Thank you #trinitynguyen for this story that needed to be shared.

Thanks to #netgalley and #henryholtandco publishers for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

Lan, an anonymous food blogger has struggled with writer’s block after losing her father. Vivi and her best friend Cindy are secretly studying abroad in Vietnam to unravel her mom’s family history.

When Vivi discovers a journal left behind in a park, she is certain that it belongs to her favorite food blogger! Lan and Vivi develop an adorably sweet relationship rich in delicious food and self-discovery!

I had the opportunity to listen this through Netgalley and it was a breath of fresh air! Truly a delight that made me hungry for Vietnamese cuisine!

I found this book to be super interesting. I loved learning about Vietnamese and Vietnamese-American culture. I really liked how food, specifically street food, was a focus for this story. I haven't been to Vietnam. I have been to China, and the street food was a major highlight for me. The YA finding yourself style romance was sweet and endearing.

The narration was fine. Nothing specifically stood out to me in either direction.

Thank you NetGalley, Trinity Nguyen, and Macmillan Audio for this audiobook ARC.

This book was beautiful and cute.

It is set in Vietnam, what I really loved. I think I have never read a book, set in Vietnam.

I loved how the author would write about all the street foods, but also about the country and traditions and history.

And yes, the book made me hungry for Vietnamese food

We see characters grow, characters finding themselves but also characters who solve family secrets.

I loved seeing how Vivi and Lan first became friends and slowly fell in love. It was sweet and beautiful.

I loved how Vivian and her mom would find back to each other and really talk. And that Vivian gets the chance to learn about her mom's history.

I also loved how Lan and her mom would solve their problem. It was beautiful what the mom said to Lan.

If you love:

Sapphic representation

Set in Vietnam

Food

Daughter mother relationships

You should read this book!!

This story is fine but bland. It's missing something. I stopped reading at 60% because I just stopped caring. The most interesting part is the search for relatives, but barely any time is spent on that. And I've never heard of a student being able to do a semester abroad before they've done any semesters at home first, or not having to attend some classes or something while they are on that semester. It doesn't feel like a whole book. It's just the romance with none of the supporting scenes that complete a story.

Real Rating 4.5

I have been waiting to read this for so long. I am a sucker for pretty covers, and as soon as I saw this one and then learned it was about food, I KNEW this was basically written for me lol No for real, this had all the makings of a Nikki book and I called it as soon as I heard about it.

Ok so the romance was so cute! Their meet cute was adorable and I always love the secret identity thing. In this one it’s over a blog that serves as so many people’s guide to getting food around Vietnam. (As a fellow blogger I thought this was so cool!) I thought it was the cutest thing that brought the two of them together. It was a lot more emotional than I was expecting, but I loved it all the same.

I really just wanted to hug Lan. I knew she was taking care of her mom, but I felt so sad for her. I could tell she didn’t give herself time to grieve. She took his passing hard and got up for work with her mom every day. She was so strong, but I was upset with her because she needed more. And then there was Vivi who also deserved more. Her mother wouldn’t tell her anything about her history. It clearly stemmed from a bad situation, but it wasn’t something that Vivi was willing to let go of. She deserved to know where she came from and more about her history. I thought she was also so strong. I can’t believe these were two teens. They were stronger than me as an adult lol And yes, I understand that this may be the product of their cultures. (I am not Vietnamese, so I won’t speak on that, but I don’t think it’s a stretch to say I was sad for both of these girls and I admired their strength)

Watching the two of them fall for each other had to be my favorite part tho. I loved the different foods they tried together, and I loved the apprehension that Lan had when Vivi told her that her parents didn’t know where she was. I loved that they helped each other with the things most important to them, like the family part and the food blogging contest. It felt like they were doing so much, but still found love in each other. And that was how I knew it was real. I did wish they had a little more time together at the end tho. It was a slow burn, but they were so cute as they were flirting, but they were never official. I wanted to see more of them official, to celebrate with them.

This was a super cute book that I knew I was going to love. I don’t think there was one bad thing about this book. The narrators were amazing, the story was super cute, and the theme of family and love throughout the book were amazing. Definitely a book that I knew was going to love. I hope that y’all pick this up and y’all like it too!

Cute story about finding yourself and exploring who your family is. A Banh Mi for Two gives you an adventure through Vietnam and explores a past you didn’t know about.
The characters, descriptions of food and the environment, wonderful friends, and so much more bring this YA to life and is perfect for someone looking for an adventure to Vietnam.
Both the narrators did a fantastic job and brought so much life to Vivi and Lan. I’m excited to see what Trinity Nguyen does in future writings if this is just her first novel.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Trinity Nguyen for this advanced listener copy.

I initially picked this one up because I really enjoy stories that show me a perspective unlike my own, so I wasn’t expecting to relate to it on such a deep level. I really related to Vivi’s family situation and it made me feel so seen to read about it. It actually made me very emotional, which I think is the sign of a good book. I loved all of the talk and descriptions of food, hearing about the history of Vietnam and I loved the sweet romance (it was a little insta-lovey, but still cute). The audiobook was also great, so I definitely recommend listening to this one. If you enjoyed “A Pho Love Story” or “A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow,” I think you’ll really like this one!

I can’t just pass as a foreigner, but I can’t blend in with locals either. It’s a constant tug of war within me. — Trinity Nguyen

A Bánh Mì For Two 🎧
By: @thetrinitytran
Narrated by: @carolinakaydo @cest_la_vyvy
Publisher: @macmillan.audio
Download: @netgalley

My Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As a second generation Asian Canadian, I can totally relate. There’s always a sense of wanting to find a place you fit into, but always feeling like an outsider.

I didn’t know what to expect, but I saw good ratings and thought I’d give the audiobook a try. I must have devoured this audiobook in 3 days. Short and sweet, Trinity Nguyen did well with the storyline of this novel. It’s a cute YA love story about a Vietnamese American, Vivi who travels to Việt Nam and meets her favourite food blogger, Lan. The two young foodies explore Sài Gòn with different objectives. Vivi is desperate to find out more about her family in Việt Nam and Lan tries to find inspiration to write and enter a food blogging contest. In the process, they fall in love.

The narrations by Carolina Đỗ (Lan) and VyVy Nguyen (Vivi) were excellent and made me want to keep listening. They really brought the characters and story to life. They sound exactly how I would picture the characters. Lan’s tone came across as reserved and mellow, while Vivi’s tone came across as bubbly and energetic. One thing I loved about this audiobook, was hearing the correct pronunciation (rather than me guessing while reading it).

A Bánh Mì For Two is short, sweet and a great mid-autumn festival read.

Publish Date: August 20, 2024.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan for this ALC.

#MaEiRecommend #NetGalley #MacmillanAudio #audiobook #bookreview #ABánhMìForTwo #TrinityNguyen #CarolinaĐỗ #2SLGBTQ+ #YA #AugustReads #August2024 #romance #contemporary #travel #foodies #StreetFood #MidAutumnFestival #SàiGòn #ViệtNam 🇻🇳

This is a truly stunning novel that explores the fun of visiting a new city, the excitement of first love, and the debts that we our our family. Both lighthearted and deeply emotional, this book is a must read for any and all readers. Follow Vivi as she studies abroad in Vietnam, her mother’s birthplace and home before she immigrated to America. Alongside her, Lan works tirelessly to run her family’s Bánh Mì stall and rediscover her talent for writing. As both girls help each other in their pursuits, their relationship blossoms and changes both of their lives for the better.

Thank you so much Colored Pages Book Tours, Fierce Reads, & Trinity Nguyen for sending me a physical copy for tour! And thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for sending me an advanced listener’s copy! 🥰🫶
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A Bánh Mì for Two is a new all-time favorite! (My favorite read of August so far!) I adored this book for its characters, the descriptions of scenery, its heart, the exploration of family dynamics, and all the wonderful food mentioned! I love queer foodie books! 😊 This book is set in Vietnam in the city of Sài Gòn and while reading, it felt like I was there with the MCs - Lan and Vivi. This book has the perfect balance of wholesome fluff and dealing with real issues involving family expectations, immigrant parents, the future, the past, and writer's block. I absolutely loved the romance between Lan and Vivi and I feel like they have similarities which helped them connect, and their differences help to balance each other out. I loved coming along with them on their street food journey, as they fell in love, and as they both got a new perspective of Sài Gòn. 💕
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I listened to the audiobook and both narrators did such a fabulous job bringing Lan and Vivi to life, so if you enjoy audiobooks, check this one out! 😍 And did I forget to mention this is a debut!?! I absolutely can not wait to read anything Trinity writes from now on! If you want a sapphic, foodie, Vietnamese love story be sure to read this one as I can not recommend A Bánh Mì for Two enough! 😊
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A Bánh Mì for Two, by Trinity Nguyen is out NOW!

I really loved this book! I've been telling everyone who likes romaznce they have to get their hands on this book. A good food romance is sooo hard to come by in my opinion and this one hit every mark for me. I loved the family components too and now I want to go find some yummy street food!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy.

This was really cute. Though while it was cute, it also had important things to say about culture and tourism and finding your roots.

Lan lives in Sai Gon where she writes a popular food blog and helps at her family's street food cart. Vivi's family is from Vietnam, but she has never been, until she does an exchange program through school (without her parents knowing).

Lan and Vivi meet and become friends, with Lan helping Vivi to track down her family and Vivi helping Lan to write an article to enter a travel tourism contest.

I really liked how the Vietnamese language was used in the book and how it was explained; in terms of using specific forms of verbs when referring to different people/genders. It came across as informative, without it being teach-y, if that makes sense?

There was also some fun criticism of clueless tourists, when they are asking why things have French names or look like French buildings, etc, and Lan is just like 'uh, maybe check out Vietnam's history before coming here?'. I appreciated that Lan didn't give the tourist the answers and put it back on them to actually know something about the place they are visiting.

Also, I'm not sure that I've ever wanted to eat banh mi as much as I wanted to while reading this book!

Let me start off by saying as a foodie myself, a book that has a plot that focuses on food culture and a romance that blossoms while giving an in depth exploration of food and culture is always going to be a winner for me. Especially when you have Sapphic main characters in a sweet story about exploring the different perspectives, priviledges, and learned/inherent biases we each have based on the life we have respectively lived. But confronting those differences and nuances, there is room to have honest connections that form beautiful relationships and cultural understanding and barriers are easier to manuver because everything has a history, even food. That topic, location and so much more are explored throufgh the dual oerspectives of lan and Vivi and you can't help but to root for them as they learn about each other and engage in conversations that are very real for couples who can never shy away from their differences or ignore the pains of the past, but instead have honest communication to learn and grow. So powerful and impactful for such a short YA read.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the e-arc!
This book is amazing as expected! I mean how could it not be amazing with such a stunning cover! This is such a unique and amazing read. Vivi and Lan while studying abroad and really connected over their history and the delicious street food in Vietnam. The themes and overall story are a lot more emotional and heartwarming than the cover suggests. You go into the story wanting something sweet adorable and beautiful and it really has so much depth and emotion. This really is a fantastic story and I literally devoured it and then devoured a bunch of food because this book definitely makes you hungry.

I am a 1st-generation Asian (Vietnamese and Chinese) American, and I really enjoyed this book. I always find comfort in reading books I can relate to culturally. SO many yummy foods were mentioned and Vietnamese heritage. Neat and heartwarming storyline of learning of your heritage.

I enjoyed listening to these narrators; definitely give this one a listen; the 2 narrators really added to the story! Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio | Macmillan Young Listeners for the ALC.

A Bahn Mi for Two is a sweet story about romance and self-discovery. It would be best suited for younger teens, maybe 13 - 16 or even a little bit younger. The characters carry the story well but don't inspire much sympathy of interest. The metaphors and messages are very on the nose and not in any way subtle which is why I suggest it for a younger range

A Bánh Mì for Two is a very sweet young adult story of love and familial obligation and finding yourself- as well as cultural exploration through food.

Lan is a young Vietnamese woman, working hard to support and provide strength for her mother, as they continue to work through the loss of their father/ husband. She’s also the secret author of a popular food blog with a worldwide audience, and yearns to get out and explore that world.

Vivi is a young Vietnamese-American woman whose mother has refused to ever discuss her life in Vietnam- until, frustrated and wanting to learn more of her history, Vivi goes to study abroad in Vietnam, while telling her parents she’s in Singapore.

Vivi and Lan meet, and, as they get to know each other and fall in love, they also help each other learn more about themselves and their families.

This is a very sweet story, but also very much a young adult story- perfectly delightful if that’s what you seek.

Carolina Do and VyVy Nguyen did an excellent job of providing two distinct voices for the audiobook narration.

Many thanks to Trinity Nguyen, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the gifted copy. All opinions expressed are my own.