Reviews with content warning for Racial slurs - A Pho Love Story

Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

littlewishling's review

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wonderful! I love a forbidden romance and this was just that in the midst of restaurant rivalry and family drama. I also feel like I learnt lot about the experiences of Vietnamese Americans that I never would have known before.

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what_karla_reads's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

4.5/5 stars
0 spice/YA romcom

This was a cute romcom with Romeo & Juliet vibes between two rival Pho restaurants and the Vietnamese families that run them. I loved the MCs and how they didn't continue the cycle of rivalry and instead tried to be open and friendly despite their family's animosity for some unknown reason.

Tropes:
Rivals to friends to lovers
Artist FMC
Writer MMC
Forced proximity
Secret relationship
Vietnamese culture/rep
Family drama
Dual POV

Despite the romcom aspect, there are some pretty heavy topics mentioned. Both families experienced immigrating to the US because of the war in Vietnam. Both families had to deal with the hardships, racism, prejudice, and pressures to make a successful life in the US. The family dynamics are very relatable and have a clear sense of community amongst their friends. I really enjoyed listening to the language used and all the different foods they ate. I got a really big craving for pho now lol

Overall, I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy YA/clean romances with the angst of a secret romance. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narrators.

Trigger/Content warnings:
Racism/racial slurs

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kelly_e's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

Title: A Pho Love Story
Author: Loan Le
Genre: YA Romance
Rating: 3.25
Pub Date: December 28, 2021

T H R E E • W O R D S

Juvenile • Dramatic • Hearty

📖 S Y N O P S I S

For years, the Mais and the Nguyens have been at odds, having owned competing, neighboring pho restaurants. Bao and Linh, who’ve avoided each other for most of their lives, both suspect that the feud stems from feelings much deeper than friendly competition.

But then a chance encounter brings Linh and Bao in the same vicinity despite their best efforts and sparks fly, leading them both to wonder what took so long for them to connect. But then, of course, they immediately remember. Can Linh and Bao find love in the midst of feuding families and complicated histories?

💭 T H O U G H T S

I stumbled across A Pho Love Story at a local garage sale over the summer, so I picked it up. When I needed a quick simple read, I decided this was a good choice. I knew little about the premise aside from it centering around food. And I definitely wasn't aware it is a modern Romeo and Juliet retelling.

It will come as not surprise that the food was my favourite part! Loan Le does a fantastic job with the food descriptions, leaving me hungry and salivating. The food aspect also adds a layer of cultural background and the meaning of food. Unfortunately though the feuding family trope feels like it something I have read too often.

There is excellent character growth for both Bao and Linh from start to finish. And their romance felt believable - growing slowly over time. In my opinion, it was a breath of fresh air to read a healthy and supportive depiction of teenage love, as opposed to a toxic one. I also appreciated the exploration of parental expectations versus following your own dreams; the immigrant experience; and how family histories shape our present.

I am definitely not the intended audience for this one, and to me that was evident. It was nothing exceptional, and I likely won't remember a few months from now. However, I could definitely see the merits for a younger audience and would recommend it to the 13-18 year old age group.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of the feuding families trope
• foodies

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Think about what you want. What you want to make and add to the world."

"There's so much in your life that you can't control...So maybe you can use this chance to do something for yourself"

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escapismforlife's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Bao and Linh must be protected at all cost. Their relationship forms so naturally. In spite of the obstacles they face from their parents Vietnam restraurants rivalry.

A Pho Love Story is the best first young adult love story I picked up finally since fall 2022. It was complex and layered with each chapter in their alternate point of views revealin something new. A story which had more depthful history of each others immigrant family. Not to mention how they discovered and embraced what they wanted to do for themselves. Which did not leave their culture behind in the process.

I felt on the verge of emotional overload by the end of this story. Just from the things they discover and the family dynamics. It was beautiful in the most unexpeted of ways to finish this one. This was a solid and quick contemporary story that has a strong teen romance at the center of it all. A solid first book from a new author this year.

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chasingpages1's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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rachelizx's review

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inspiring lighthearted tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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karaisreading's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.25

the premise of this book was so good.
romeo and juliet has been done to death, but opposing pho resturants? families who hate each other? secret relationship? y/a?
SPOILERS AHEAD

the beginning of this book started off so strong. the connection didn't feel forced, and i really, REALLY love nerdy relationships. something about it is just so charming. panicked inner monologue makes me smile so big bruh and it works really well with y/a.
but then, linh and bao somehow have a perfect opportunity to be together, conveniently they are paired up for a newspaper article?? thing??
and then suddenly, bao's passion in life is writing and linh and him are falling. falling falling falling and it was too underdeveloped.

LIKES:
the vietnamese culture, the family dynamics, the immigrant representation, the inner monologue, (how they fall for each other), the love for art, the chef and his wife :D

DISLIKES:
i feel like the plot relied too much on the BIG PROBLEM between the two families, but there were too many external factors: example, the aunt? she was a really random part of the story, and was only incorporated because she does art and miraculously knows the nguyen family and OH WAIT there's all this crazy backstory WOAHHH!!!
also linh's sister evie was there for one scene and i feel like she could've been written out entirely.

just some parts of the plot were very random and i felt didn't fit in the story very well. but i did enjoy this book.

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