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.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Banh mi for two was a nice surprise this week. It is very hard to characterize— while technically it is a YA queer romance, there is a fun element of “food love letter”and Vietnamese culture. All of that said, what stays with me is Vivi’s search for her family.

Vivi is doing a semester abroad in Saigon- her mother immigrated to the US from Vietnam and never spoke of anything from the “before times.” She struggles with not being American enough and not being. Vietnamese enough. Vivi feels “othered” in both countries. She lies to her mother and says she is studying in Singapore. After meeting Lan, they decide to help each other. I was really touched by her transformation and her journey to finding out where she comes from.

Lan’s story is about a food blog she was writing with her father, but has stopped updating since his death. Vivi helps Lan to start writing again and enter a writing contest, finding her confidence.

Then sparks fly!

Romance is by far the biggest category of books sold— and while I do enjoy them, mostly, I cringe at the S M U T. I fast forward or flip through those parts. I prefer to keep the bedroom door closed. And that’s why I LOVE young adult queer romance, they are SO squeaky clean and Hallmarkish in the love story.

I had to Door dash a Banh Mi sandwich -

Audiobook is well acted, I appreciate when a multiple POV story has two different narrators.

Thanks to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for the ARC. Book to be released today.

This book is so damn cute! It’s a sapphic coming of age story about two vietnamite girls who found each other. It’s full of vietnamite culture, food and family. I really like it. The audiobook is amazing and the two readers are so good!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

This audiobook had two narrators for each narrating character and they fit the characterization of time of each character really well. Their deliveries were so distinct that they really brought the characters to.life.

The story itself is so beautiful and heart wrenching. Both main characters had relatable struggles of filial piety and self discovery in connection to Vietnamese culture. On top of that, the descriptions of food ended up making me hungry everytime I was listening. The story was well paced and was overall really satisfying to listen to from beginning to end.

A Banh Mi for Two is a charming sapphic romance about two young adults falling in love, discovering family roots, and regaining the spark in blogging. Carolina Do & VyVy Nguyen nailed it with their narration by embodying the character's passion, humor, and enthusiasm. I loved the back-and-forth narration, switching with each chapter, and how it made the audiobook so enjoyable and heartfelt. It is narrators like these two that make me want to listen to more audiobooks!

The book was full of heart and I adored the story. I thought it was so unique to have a Vietnamese food blogger and one of her readers meet up in the beautiful place of Sài Gòn. Lan and Vivi are both at somewhat of a crossroads in their life. Lan is still coping with the loss of her father and the impact in has on her food blog. Vivi is searching for answers wanting to know more about her family history. Together they help each other find hope, love, and that extra spark they need to go after what they want. I think this is such a charismatic and engaging young adult read!

This was a sweet sapphic YA romance full of family, Vietnamese history, and self discovery! I was first drawn to this book because of the adorable cover, but was pleasantly surprised by the depth the author goes into regarding some difficult topics related to the history of Vietnam.

I found both Vivi and Lan to be very likable characters. They were both on different journeys to find themselves and found each other in the process. I love the idea of destiny and how these two came together. They were so sweet with each other.

This book will make you hungry! There are a lot of references to food in this book. Many foods I was not previously aware of. I’ve always wanted to visit Vietnam and after reading this book, I definitely want to. The food and culture are fascinating!

I definitely recommend checking out this fun YA romance if you’re in the mood for food, love, and family!

An incredibly moving and heartfelt YA Sapphic debut about family, love and food. Set in Vietnam, Vivi secretly takes a semester abroad class to better understand the country where her parents came from. While there she meets Lan, a Sài Gòn food blogger and street food vendor.

The two fall in love while exploring the city. At the same time Vivi gets to know the culture and customs of her heritage and connect with distant relatives. Great on audio with a beautiful sprayed edge paperback copy.

Highly recommended for fans of authors like Adiba Jaigirdar and Thanhha Lai. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

This is a sweet contemporary New Adult sapphic romance. Both women are defying their parents to an extent, while trying to discover their pasts. Both young women are entering adulthood, and their families are a significant part of their identities. There is a lot of discussion of food in this book, specifically Vietnamese street food, so prepare to be hungry! It wasn't at all comedic and was more journey of self-discovery, but in different ways - who they are in regards to their identity, families, histories, school/career. The author, Trinity Nguyen, did a great job writing for the audience to see the spaces. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of Saigon, and it was easy to picture and imagine the story taking place as I listened. 3.5 stars rounded up. Caroline Do is an excellent narrator.

I recommend this title for those who want new adult contemporary romance.