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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
This was a really cute romance with the perfect dose of complicated mother/daughter relationships and pure zaniness.
About to be senior Sharlot is whisked off to Indonesia when her mom finds her in a compromising position with her boyfriend. Sharlot has always had a lot of Qs about Indonesia but her mom has been cagey when it comes to answering them. With her mom’s “help”, Sharlot gets sucked into a fake relationship with George, an Indonesian-Chinese guy her age who is the heir to a massive business and well… that’s the zaniness. Fake relationship for the cameras as George’s family is about to release an app that he is the face of.
George is a hot, kind nerd. And his precocious sister Eleanor is a hoot.
This was very fun. Loved how Sharlot gets to learn more about her heritage, her mom’s past, and how upfront she is as a person. I am currently craving amazing coffee bc that was a huge part of the book.
Content guidance: slut shaming, homophobia
About to be senior Sharlot is whisked off to Indonesia when her mom finds her in a compromising position with her boyfriend. Sharlot has always had a lot of Qs about Indonesia but her mom has been cagey when it comes to answering them. With her mom’s “help”, Sharlot gets sucked into a fake relationship with George, an Indonesian-Chinese guy her age who is the heir to a massive business and well… that’s the zaniness. Fake relationship for the cameras as George’s family is about to release an app that he is the face of.
George is a hot, kind nerd. And his precocious sister Eleanor is a hoot.
This was very fun. Loved how Sharlot gets to learn more about her heritage, her mom’s past, and how upfront she is as a person. I am currently craving amazing coffee bc that was a huge part of the book.
Content guidance: slut shaming, homophobia
ngl this book is highkey a 3 star read but the indo rep ate and i laughed out loud several times,, the plot was kinda crazy and i need jesse sutanto to do more research on crazy rich indonesians because she got the tanuwijaya family acting like theyre new money rich instead of old money but other than that this was a rly fun and light read
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
I enjoyed this YA romance for its setting in Indonesia - I appreciated all the Indo-Chinese context for Sharlot and George’s families. The friendship sidekick situation with Eleanor (G’s sister) and Kiki (S’s cousins was v cute and fun to read - reminded me a bit of the friendship group in RED WHITE AND ROYAL BLUE. I thought that George’s dad, Eighth Aunt, and Sharlot’s mom were a little too 2D - they presented more as caricatures of stereotypes of Asian parents…some of this was dispelled at the end but still I didn’t feel like we really got a good picture of who they are. I enjoyed the romance and the CRA references but I think I’m over the crazy rich Asian scene personally.
3.5 ⭐️
This book was okay. I loved the characters and their banter but I don’t love the storyline or a couple things that went on in the story.
I was funny and cute but something was messing that I can’t put a finger on.
Sharply and George were a cute couple but I think that people around them made them feel like they weren’t enough and need t “fix” that about them.
I low-key kind of didn’t like the parent and how they forced them to do things because they act their age. The mom and dad did frustrate me but I see why they did to their kids it was just how they did things. I honestly think the parent could’ve handled thing better.
This book was okay. I loved the characters and their banter but I don’t love the storyline or a couple things that went on in the story.
I was funny and cute but something was messing that I can’t put a finger on.
Sharply and George were a cute couple but I think that people around them made them feel like they weren’t enough and need t “fix” that about them.
I low-key kind of didn’t like the parent and how they forced them to do things because they act their age. The mom and dad did frustrate me but I see why they did to their kids it was just how they did things. I honestly think the parent could’ve handled thing better.
thank you to netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
release day edit!
2.5 stars rounded up. this was a pretty fun young adult romance and i liked the individual characters! both leads' chapters were interesting to read about which i find rare in romances, and their perspectives were varied enough that i didn't feel like i was reading the same person's thoughts but similar enough that it made sense for them to be in a relationship together. however, i felt that their romance was very rushed. especially seeing as to how awkward the relationship felt in the opening chapters, it was really hard to believe that the two got together so fast and were on solid footing by the end of the book. i've read sutanto's adult dial a for aunties duology, and was interested in seeing how she adapted her writing style to suit ya but her themes and development seemed largely similar to her adult books. there's also a very very specific complaint i had with a big reveal used for shock which i'll specifically talk about on release day that prevented me from rating this higher.
release day edit!
Spoiler
wasn't a fan about how a characters' queerness was added in for what seemed like shock value... this happened in dial a for aunties and i was a little more forgiving because it was my first book by the author and also because i felt it made more sense in the plot. however, i really don't think there was any need for sharlot's mom to be queer because it didn't move the plot forward considerably. also i just find it strange that there were pretty much no queer characters in both this book and dial a for aunties unless they were being used as a plot device for shock value.2.5 stars rounded up. this was a pretty fun young adult romance and i liked the individual characters! both leads' chapters were interesting to read about which i find rare in romances, and their perspectives were varied enough that i didn't feel like i was reading the same person's thoughts but similar enough that it made sense for them to be in a relationship together. however, i felt that their romance was very rushed. especially seeing as to how awkward the relationship felt in the opening chapters, it was really hard to believe that the two got together so fast and were on solid footing by the end of the book. i've read sutanto's adult dial a for aunties duology, and was interested in seeing how she adapted her writing style to suit ya but her themes and development seemed largely similar to her adult books. there's also a very very specific complaint i had with a big reveal used for shock which i'll specifically talk about on release day that prevented me from rating this higher.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ebook ARC of this cute YA novel. I enjoyed reading about the different aspects of Indonesian culture entwined in the catfish turned love story. I also enjoyed some of the crazy family behavior that was also found in the authors other books- Dial A for Aunties. Overall, a sweet story with some fun antics!
At first impression of the introductions of our protagonists, I *almost* put this book down. It was a little too cringey and sex-focused from the first page. But as a Jesse Q. Sutanto fan, I had a feeling I should keep reading; I'm so grateful I kept reading (well, listening, as I listened to the audiobook).
I loved this book, it was definitely unexpected, in so many good ways <3
What I mistakenly characterized as cringey in the beginning, developed into an honest and beautiful coming-of-age novel featuring so many real, relatable, and flawed characters of many generations and walks of life. Our romantic leads are both children of meddlesome Asian parents who have a lot to learn about navigating the dating world, professional world, and seeing their parents/adults in their lives as full people with complex lives and trauma. I loved how George's character as a feminist young adult, vocally and actively working to dismantle toxic masculinity, and how that impacted his interactions with Sharlot.
In terms of representation; almost every character is Asian (Indonesian, Chinese, Chinese-Indonesian), setting is in Indonesia, closeted queer (bisexual, lesbian) adults, bisexual side character, commentaries on colorism and racism within Asian and Southeast Asian communities, toxic masculinity, intergenerational and international queer rights.
I loved this book, it was definitely unexpected, in so many good ways <3
What I mistakenly characterized as cringey in the beginning, developed into an honest and beautiful coming-of-age novel featuring so many real, relatable, and flawed characters of many generations and walks of life. Our romantic leads are both children of meddlesome Asian parents who have a lot to learn about navigating the dating world, professional world, and seeing their parents/adults in their lives as full people with complex lives and trauma. I loved how George's character as a feminist young adult, vocally and actively working to dismantle toxic masculinity, and how that impacted his interactions with Sharlot.
In terms of representation; almost every character is Asian (Indonesian, Chinese, Chinese-Indonesian), setting is in Indonesia, closeted queer (bisexual, lesbian) adults, bisexual side character, commentaries on colorism and racism within Asian and Southeast Asian communities, toxic masculinity, intergenerational and international queer rights.