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alexutzu's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
4.0
If you are in the mood for romance books (this rarely happens to me), this is a good one that blends some nice relationship building with cultural elements, while also being rather cute and without spicy content.
😍 The good:
The discussions about traditions related to life, love and death, as well as some of the heavier topics and quotes were a great addition. The character development was interesting to follow and somewhat wholesome, while the story had some plot twists that made me want to read more.
😅 The not-so-good:
The romance side was obviously rather predictable and overly cheesy, though this is a characteristic of the genre. The female main character didn't have the best personality out there though, being overly paranoid and competitive, judging her love interest quite a lot. The book also dragged at times, as the middle part was not that interesting and many things were crammed in the end, but my interest was already lower until I got to that point. The narrator was not the best out there either.
😍 The good:
The discussions about traditions related to life, love and death, as well as some of the heavier topics and quotes were a great addition. The character development was interesting to follow and somewhat wholesome, while the story had some plot twists that made me want to read more.
😅 The not-so-good:
The romance side was obviously rather predictable and overly cheesy, though this is a characteristic of the genre. The female main character didn't have the best personality out there though, being overly paranoid and competitive, judging her love interest quite a lot. The book also dragged at times, as the middle part was not that interesting and many things were crammed in the end, but my interest was already lower until I got to that point. The narrator was not the best out there either.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Racism
amberinpieces's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
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? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Death of parent, Infidelity, and Death
elizabethgreads's review against another edition
funny
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
2.5
It was a fine read from a plot and character perspective. That being said the pacing at times felt a bit off which lead to me letting my library loan end and not picking it back up again for 6 weeks.
It was a nice lunar new year romance but not a memorable book over all.
I enjoyed the funny banter but could have used more sensory descriptions at times it was hard to picture settings. That author did a great job with food descriptions and every time a food was describe I wanted to try it.
It was a nice lunar new year romance but not a memorable book over all.
I enjoyed the funny banter but could have used more sensory descriptions at times it was hard to picture settings. That author did a great job with food descriptions and every time a food was describe I wanted to try it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Death, and Infidelity
Minor: Toxic relationship
kdailyreads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
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
4.5
I really enjoyed this book! I think you would enjoy it, too, if you also like:
- the movie You’ve Got Mail
- Meant to Be Mine by Hannah Orenstein
- Beach Read by Emily Henry
- the movie You’ve Got Mail
- Meant to Be Mine by Hannah Orenstein
- Beach Read by Emily Henry
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Infidelity
vivboyd98's review against another edition
funny
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Infidelity
bedtimesandbooks's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Classism, Infidelity, Racism, and Death of parent
meredith_williams_'s review
emotional
funny
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
4.5
In “Lunar Love” two rival matchmakers in LA make a bet that their businesses can find love for the one another. This was a really fun romcom with great Chinese-American cultural representation. The story had a nice balance of family relationships and romantic relationships. I look forward to reading more from this author!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity
erinmjustice's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Infidelity
decklededgess's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
trigger warnings: death of family member, gentrification, death of parent, infidelity mention, toxic relationship mention
Wow this was such an unexpectedly soft book. Steeped in Chinese culture, this book uses the Chinese Zodiac as a propeller for the plot. The two main characters have companies that use the Zodiac to help people find relationships. Olivia has a 50 year old family run matchmaking company, and Bennett has a startup dating app. They butt heads over the concept of tradition and culture despite both of them having near identical cultural backgrounds and upbringings. This adds a delicious tension to their rivals dynamic.
I loved the competitive aspect of the story as well, where they give each other the challenge of finding a love match using their own methodologies to prove who has the better matchmaking strategy. It brought in an interesting element of forced proximity that naturally allowed Olivia and Bennett to grow together and learn about each other while still pitting them against each other.
The family aspect of the whole story was really lovely as well. It grounded the story in love and culture, something I find a lot of "founder of dating app" romance books lack. The book was sweet, rich in love and culture, and poetically written as well. A stunning novel!
Wow this was such an unexpectedly soft book. Steeped in Chinese culture, this book uses the Chinese Zodiac as a propeller for the plot. The two main characters have companies that use the Zodiac to help people find relationships. Olivia has a 50 year old family run matchmaking company, and Bennett has a startup dating app. They butt heads over the concept of tradition and culture despite both of them having near identical cultural backgrounds and upbringings. This adds a delicious tension to their rivals dynamic.
I loved the competitive aspect of the story as well, where they give each other the challenge of finding a love match using their own methodologies to prove who has the better matchmaking strategy. It brought in an interesting element of forced proximity that naturally allowed Olivia and Bennett to grow together and learn about each other while still pitting them against each other.
The family aspect of the whole story was really lovely as well. It grounded the story in love and culture, something I find a lot of "founder of dating app" romance books lack. The book was sweet, rich in love and culture, and poetically written as well. A stunning novel!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Death, and Death of parent
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