Something Cheeky is a heartfelt romance that seamlessly weaves themes of identity, culture, romance, and expectations in this story of the complexity of personal growth – especially when you’ve found yourself with someone from your past.

Following Zoe Tran, a successful plus-size lingerie designer, who is living her dream at her own boutique, Something Cheeky gives the reader a loveable, diverse cast of characters. One such character is Zoe’s college best friend, Derek Bui, whose unexpected return sparks a whirlwind of emotions. Derek is pursuing their college dream to produce a Vietnamese Cinderella rock musical and he needs Zoe to design the costumes – but he also needs to process his long-term love for her. This exciting but high-stakes opportunity for Derek and Zoe becomes contentions when the very white producer requests to de-Asian many elements of the show. How Zoe and Derek respond to the challenge can make or break them.

The representation in Something Cheeky feels genuine and authentic, though I would have loved for Zoe’s demisexuality to be explored in a way that felt deeper. I would have loved more time to explore the romance between Zoe and Derek, but find the rapid tradition from former friends to reconnected lovers to be perfectly reasonably for two adults who clearly harbored feelings for one another for so many years. Frankly, the cultural aspects of the theater and larger community were far more interesting anyway!

A wonderful, quick read for lovers of culturally relevant stories with dynamic characters, a little spice, and romance.

4.5

I liked but didn't love Full Exposure when I read it in 2023, so I was excited to see more from Thien-Kim Lam and this blew my expectations out of the water.

Something Cheeky follows Zoe Tran, a plus size lingerie designer, and her college best friend Derek Bui, who reenters her life when he's preparing to create and direct a version of their dream musical and wants her to design the costumes. As such, this book heavily centers musical theater which I absolutely loved. It criticizes the lack of support and representation for minorities in theater (looking at you Miss Saigon), and more generally criticizes microaggressions faced in the workforce. Lam does an excellent job portraying some of the challenges Zoe faces being a plus size Vietnamese woman. There are chairs she has a hard time sitting comfortably in, when her and Derek get together she wants to keep it a secret because she knows people will assume she slept with him to get the job, and more. Zoe is also demisexual, and I always love to see aspec representation in media.

The relationship is very much he falls first, and I loved watching some of the hijinks that prevent him from confessing. I also appreciated that when the third act conflict occurs, it's primarily external, though I appreciate that the resolution shows clear personal growth.

One of the things I remember loving about Full Exposure, is how Lam incorporated the Vietnamese immigrant experience of New Orleans, and she does the same thing here but with the DMV. Zoe and her parents both have businesses in Eden Center, which is a historically Vietnamese strip mall in Falls Church and that was fun to see.

I mostly listened to the audiobook and I really liked the dual narration. I thought both Vyvy Nguyen and David Lee Huynh encapsulated their characters very well, and I will be looking out for more of their work too. I also didn't realize that Lam's debut Happy Endings was connected to the characters in this and in Full Exposure, so I'm looking forward to going back to read that.

I truly enjoyed this book. There were some hang-ups for me personally. I felt like the book was a bit drawn out and found myself questioning where things were going. Certain aspects of the book weren't always believable for me and I found it hard to suspend disbelief. The spicy scenes needed a little more work in my opinion as a few of them left me cringing a bit. Despite all of this I found the book enjoyable and if anything it sent me on a boba obsessed run for the last two weeks.

3.75
I loved all the representation in this book; plus size, AAPI, Vietnamese, demisexual, LGBTQ+! And all of it was done really organically throughout the story by the characters without ever getting preachy.

The theatre stuff was also really well done. To the point that the villain reminded me so much of an irl villain in my own theatre work that I had to set the audiobook aside overnight to not get triggered. Otherwise, I would have finished this book in one day. You can tell Lam really knows her stuff with how true to life the whole getting a production ready vibe was, including all the showmances. She even wrote a grand musical style finale and wrap up for all the storylines.

However, I had a hard time rooting for Derek throughout the book. He gets redeemed by the end in time for an HEA, but I was really frustrated by a lot of his actions (and inactions) and felt like he needed to grovel a bit more. I also struggled with the cheesy dialogue at times.

The audiobook production was great. I always enjoy duel narration. Both narrators, Vyvy Nguyen and David Huynh, were awesome, and I have to give a special shout out to Huynh for not making the women's voices unbearable.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio/HarperAudio Adult for the ARC audiobook of this title in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ALC.

I looked forward to and was happy to get this advanced copy because I’m a theatre nerd, and wanted to read a different culture that wasn’t my own. On that end it went great. Especially on audio where I could hear the actual pronunciation of the Vietnamese words. Also appreciated the plus size FMC not being self loathing.

What did work for me was the dialogue, and also chemistry between the FMC and MMC. Derek was such a pushover, where was the character development? I feel like there was minimal redeeming with him, like did he deserve Zoe? Did he stand up for anything? Plus the dialogue felt very blah, there was no tone separation in my opinion. I needed that because there’s a lot of side characters, we are hearing from almost the whole ensemble and it felt one note.

Really wish this had more romance and whimsy like the cover. Where were the descriptors? They were working with fabric in a Vietnamese rock musical…where were the colors? Such a bold character in Zoe yet I felt robbed of really SEEING the story. The romance felt lacking because I needed more glances and moments. For them to be best friends, it definitely seemed like they barely knew each other to be in love so quick. Also…no epilogue?

Overall enjoyed the theatre bits and it was very nostalgic in that aspect. Loved the Vietnamese representation, and a fat positive FMC. Also think those demisexual folks will like to know they are represented too.

4.5⭐️ rounded up

This was sweet, steamy, and poignant as heck. I loved the friends to lovers vibes and the way Zoe and Derek transitioned to a romantic relationship. Derek’s pining was honestly quite adorable and I liked Zoe’s representation as a demi-sexual. The fact that she’s also an empowered plus size badass working to help other women feel empowered and sexy makes me love her all the more. She’s stubborn as heck which is sometimes a problem in the story, but I like that she stands up for herself and what she believes in. Derek is tough because he absolutely has the people pleaser tendencies and you just want to shake and hug him at the same time. He is also a lady pleaser though so definitely a plus on his resume ❤️‍🔥
Greg is obviously a turd and he just got worse and worse. But I feel like he was really useful tool to highlight the harmful of being insensitive both by ignorance and by choice. I actually feel like I learned a lot reading this as well.
I’m really glad I ended up getting this as an audiobook because I enjoyed ByVy Nguyen and David Lee Huynh’s narrations, and I think hearing them pronounce things throughout book was very helpful. They both did a wonderful job bringing the characters to life and projecting the emotions of the story into their own styles.
Overall it was a really great book and I want to go back to find Happy Endings now too!

Thank you HarperAudio and NetGalley for the listening opportunity!

🎧 Audiobook + 📗eBook: Something Cheeky

✍🏾 Author: Thien-Kim Lam- I read Full Exposure and gave it 4 ⭐

📅Publication date: 3/4/25 | Read: 3/4/25

Genre: Adult Fic, Multicultural Interests, Contemporary Romance

Tropes: friends to lovers, in love w/ BFF, body positivity

🗣️Narrator: Vyvy Nguyen and David Lee Huynh voice all the characters with standouts from Zoe, Derek, and Thao. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrators worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrators paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along.

🏃🏾‍➡️Run Time: 8:54

🌎 Setting: Washington D.C.

👆🏾POV: 3rd person dual Zoe and Derek

⚠️TW: SH, racism, 3rd act breakup

Summary: Estranged BFFs Zoe and Derek meet again after pursuing theatre in college. Derek asks her to join his musical as a costume designer to fulfill their dream of an all-Asian cast of a Cinderella rock musical. Derek has an unrequited crush that he wants to pursue while Zoe will try to redeem herself.

👩🏾 Heroine: Zoe Tran,27 owns Something Cheeky lingerie boutique

👨🏾 Hero: Derek Biu, 27 living in New York pursuing his directing career

🎭 Other Characters:
*Gregory Powers-Prestige Repertory artistic director, Derek's mentor
*Katie Mai-part of the musical
*TJ Nguyen-Zoe's BFF
*Boss Babes-Zoe's BFFs Trixie(roommate), Josie Parks (h from Full Exposure), Keisha (Trixie's bf sister), and Reina Guidroz
*Thao-Derek's co-writer and composer
* Mr. Bobbins-Zoe's cat

🤔 My Thoughts: I loved the Asian rep and speaking the Vietnamese language. I empathized with their plight to be represented by themselves. Zoe and Derek took a stand for themselves and the cast against racism. Their romance was sweet even though they had to hide it. Zoe had a lot of friends that supported her, and Derek had to learn about the nastiness in the industry.

Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice level 5/5🔥 🔥🔥🔥🔥

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon, HarperAudio Adult | HarperAudio , and Thien- Kim Lam author for this ARC and ALC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

I loved this story - worth the read for Zoe & Derek. It is always great to read about different types of sexualities, and the spectrums that exist. I loved that the female lead was also plus-size.

This was my first book by Thien-Kim Lam and I really enjoyed it! I loved Zoe and Derrek reconnecting. This was a good heartfelt read and I'm excited to read more books by this author. The only thing that I struggled with was the sex scenes. I'm not sure why they were a miss for me, but overall I enjoyed the book a lot!

I really liked this book. It’s sexy, sweet, full of depth and standing up for yourself and your community. I loved the Vietnamese and demisexual rep as well. However, I was not a fan of the female narrator. She felt very one note.

ALC Review: Something Cheeky by Thien-Kim Lam
Pub Date: March 4, 2025
Narrators: Vyvy Nguyen and David Lee Huynh

I loved this book!

I'm' not always a huge friends to lovers fan but I think it worked well here - I was really invested in the story and relationship almost immediately and didn't want to stop listening! So much so that I listened to it in one day.

The characters were diverse in race, sexuality, and body type. The sex scenes are well crafted and you can tell that the author is a sex educator.

I had erroneously assumed this was a debut novel since I hadn't heard of the author before and I read a LOT of romance - but to my delighted surprise, this is her third book so I will be getting her first two ASAP!

I loved the narrators - I'm really glad I listened to this via audio so I could experience their telling of the story. The addition of some Vietnamese was lovely and done so well!

Thank you to NetGalley, Thien-Kim Lam, and Avon & Harper Voyage Publishing a copy of this book in exchange for my review!

I was really excited about this book because its setting sounded incredibly intriguing – the idea of former best friends collaborating on a Broadway play that highlights Vietnamese culture truly captivated me. Unfortunately, the execution just didn’t live up to the promise. I admired Zoe’s strength as a character, but I wasn’t a fan of Derek. Their chemistry as a couple never quite clicked for me. Derek often came off as a pushover who didn’t really deserve Zoe. Although he constantly praised her and championed her talents, when it came time to stand up to his boss, he opted for the easy way out. He also proved to be a poor support for Thao during her stressful moments.

On a positive note, the audiobook—narrated by Vyvy Nguyen and David Lee Huynh—was a real highlight. I appreciated their commitment to correctly pronouncing all the Vietnamese words, a detail that truly enhanced the listening experience. I’m definitely looking forward to any future books they narrate.

Zoe’s life takes a turn when her college best friend, Derek, invites her to design costumes for their dream musical, a Vietnamese Cinderella rock opera. Secretly in love with Zoe, Derek sees this as a chance to rekindle their connection. As they collaborate, sparks fly, but creative differences arise when they face pressure to compromise their all-Asian vision. Will their love blossom, or will their disagreements shatter their dreams?

This is a cute reunion romance with likable characters. I wouldn’t call it a rom-com, but the tone is light and fun. I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Huge praise to HarperAudio Adult | HarperAudio for having not one but TWO Vietnamese narrators for this book. Vyvy Nguyen and David Lee Huynh were the perfect narrators for Zoe and Dereck.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult | HarperAudio for an ALC of this title.

As an Asian-American who is Vietnamese, I really enjoyed this book. It was fun being able to relate to the characters. I laughed out loud a few times listening to this book. I had never read one like this one before, and it was so creative! I would recommend this to those who like:
-Friends to Lovers
-Plus size FMC
-Vietnamese representation
-Theater setting

This book had me gripped from the very beginning! With a relatable and diverse cast of characters it had me invested right away. While I am not a POC, I was so happy that I could relate to the main character in the way that I am also on the asexual spectrum, as I refer to it. That is such an under represented part of the book community and I love how the main character accepts it as well as those around her. Also as someone who is a musical theater nerd and a cosplayer who sews her own costumes it really hit home and made me want to pick back up theater and costuming. I was able to get an ARC to the audiobook, in which the narrators did an amazing job, and the e-book so doing an immersive read while reading and listening to the book was amazing. Thank you Thien-Kim Lam for the awesome book and the chance at listening to and reading the book early.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc and alc.

I thought this was quite an enjoyable romance. I enjoyed the characters and I thought they had good chemistry -- especially since this was a friends to lovers story.

The audiobook was Narrated by Vyvy Nguyen; David Lee Huynh and I liked both of their voices, and I would consider listening to more books narrated by either of them at some point.

I would also be interested in checking out more books by Thien-Kim Lam in the future as well!!

This was a cute sweet ex best friends to lovers romance. The narrators did well I seemed to enjoy their narration more than the actual story. I feel like a lot of this book could’ve been left out and it would’ve made perfect sense. It felt too long which sounds crazy to say because it’s only 300 and some pages, but even then it just felt drawn out. the mentions of musicals here and there was kind of cute and I enjoyed that part but a lot of this is very heavy on musical and play wright knowledge very heavy with race and cultural tidbits. I found myself having to Google a lot of things to know what they were or what they were talking about. If you enjoy friends to lovers or musicals this would be a good read for you!!

Something Cheeky by Thien-Kim Lam is a friends to lovers romance novel. Zoe is a plus size Vietnamese lingerie designer and boutique owner. Derek, her college best friend who she has not seen in 6 years, tracks her down to design costumes for his Cinderella inspired rock musical. I enjoyed the Asian, LGBTQIA+, and plus size representation in this book. Overall, I this book was just okay. It seemed very surface level when I wanted the author to really dig in and help us develop more emotional feelings and connections with these topics she was discussing.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Audio, and the author for the audio-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This fun and heartfelt rom-com has great chemistry between Zoe, a plus-size, demisexual Vietnamese woman, and Derek also Vietnamese, her old college friend. Their journey to put on an all-Asian musical is filled with charm, humor, and just the right amount of drama. They fight against Derek’s mentor’s misogyny and racist remarks which adds stakes, but the story stays light and uplifting. This was a refreshing and cute read that celebrates love, friendship, and representation.

This fun and heartfelt rom-com has great chemistry between Zoe, a plus-size, demisexual Vietnamese woman, and Derek also Vietnamese, her old college friend. Their journey to put on an all-Asian musical is filled with charm, humor, and just the right amount of drama. They fight against Derek’s mentor’s misogyny and racist remarks which adds stakes, but the story stays light and uplifting. This was a refreshing and cute read that celebrates love, friendship, and representation.