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12dejamoo's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I liked this book. I liked it a lot.
And like, a hell of a lot happens. Normally I'd be rating this low and saying it rushed through things and tried to pile too many ideas into one book, but it had this undeniable charm which just made me forgive any of its flaws.
I guess really ideally this would be a bit longer, if only to spend more time with these two. But just in general it was so great.
I loved Dylan and Theo. They were both such distinctive, rich characters. And the supporting cast were also all excellent. Terri and Megan and Aunt Jade and Tim, hell, even Adrian. They were just great and so well characterised. Okay, yes, Aidrian was a bit of a caricature, but in a fun way. I liked all the scenes of cooking. Even though the mooncake competition doesn't take much of the book runtime, the multiple scenes of them prepping and discussing and planning mean the mooncake storyline is present throughout and it doesn't feel like it was tacked on the end.
Throughout the book you get these explanations of Malaysian and Chinese culture, about food and cooking, about running the shop etc. which just mean you are never in the dark about things and honestly you're kind of learning but in a fun, easily packaged way.
I do really appreciate that they didn't spend one thousand years dancing around one another. Like, yes, it was a 'fake date' in the strictest sense, but they both quite obviously liked one another from the start. It was a breath of fresh air in the fake dating genre.
I'm sure there are more flaws that I'm missing but honestly I don't care because I had a good time and this book made me happy.
And like, a hell of a lot happens. Normally I'd be rating this low and saying it rushed through things and tried to pile too many ideas into one book, but it had this undeniable charm which just made me forgive any of its flaws.
I guess really ideally this would be a bit longer, if only to spend more time with these two. But just in general it was so great.
I loved Dylan and Theo. They were both such distinctive, rich characters. And the supporting cast were also all excellent. Terri and Megan and Aunt Jade and Tim, hell, even Adrian. They were just great and so well characterised. Okay, yes, Aidrian was a bit of a caricature, but in a fun way. I liked all the scenes of cooking. Even though the mooncake competition doesn't take much of the book runtime, the multiple scenes of them prepping and discussing and planning mean the mooncake storyline is present throughout and it doesn't feel like it was tacked on the end.
Throughout the book you get these explanations of Malaysian and Chinese culture, about food and cooking, about running the shop etc. which just mean you are never in the dark about things and honestly you're kind of learning but in a fun, easily packaged way.
I do really appreciate that they didn't spend one thousand years dancing around one another. Like, yes, it was a 'fake date' in the strictest sense, but they both quite obviously liked one another from the start. It was a breath of fresh air in the fake dating genre.
I'm sure there are more flaws that I'm missing but honestly I don't care because I had a good time and this book made me happy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Alcoholism
Bad/absent parenting, flooding, money troubles, almost drowningmaki576's review against another edition
4.5
4.5⭐️
It was very sweet and cute, at some moments I even laughed out loud💕
Made me smile,laugh,cry and look at the non existence camera in my room with a shocked expression
I’m a sucker for cute familial relationships an this was a 10/10 on that scale
Only reason it’s not a 5⭐️ is because I wish it was longer. The start felt rushed and I wish we saw the characters become friends before they started fake dating.
I found it a bit odd how the characters saw each other like one time and then went to a wedding as fake boyfriends😐
Idk man that just made me annoyed but the rest of the story made up for it🤭
It was very sweet and cute, at some moments I even laughed out loud💕
Made me smile,laugh,cry and look at the non existence camera in my room with a shocked expression
I’m a sucker for cute familial relationships an this was a 10/10 on that scale
Only reason it’s not a 5⭐️ is because I wish it was longer. The start felt rushed and I wish we saw the characters become friends before they started fake dating.
I found it a bit odd how the characters saw each other like one time and then went to a wedding as fake boyfriends😐
Idk man that just made me annoyed but the rest of the story made up for it🤭
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Addiction, Car accident, Death of parent, Dementia, and Mental illness
20sidedbi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Alcohol, Abandonment, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, and Death of parent
Minor: Racism
torismazarine's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Addiction, Alcohol, and Car accident
Minor: Cancer
graciffer's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
This had me kicking my feet, giggling, crying, and there was an audible “shut UP” from me at a certain sweet moment - you’ll know when you get there.
Insta love isn’t always my jam, but this was just too good. Perfect balance of drama, heart melting, and happy moments. The way the story discusses grief and remembrance was also top notch. All around beautiful story.
Insta love isn’t always my jam, but this was just too good. Perfect balance of drama, heart melting, and happy moments. The way the story discusses grief and remembrance was also top notch. All around beautiful story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
Moderate: Alcohol, Toxic friendship, and Alcoholism
Minor: Bullying and War
litoreads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Toxic friendship, Racism, and Classism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Cancer, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Sexual content
novelty_reads's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-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
3.5
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a cute book and it was also one of my most anticipated books of 2023.
The second I heard Crazy Rich Asians meets Heartstopper I was immediately sold. As you probably know, Heartstopper is one of my favourite books and so I was almost certain I would adore Fake Dates and Mooncakes. Not to mention, I was promised food and corgis!
The plot centres around Dylan who just lost his mum not too long ago. He enters a mooncake competition featuring a traditional recipe his mum used. Meanwhile, he becomes the fake date of Theo, a customer of his aunt's takeaway business and is thrust into a world of wealth and privilege.
I really liked all the characters although I must admit I was second guessing Theo all the time, genuinely wondering if he was just leading Dylan on. There didn't seem to be a purpose for his character apart from being Dylan's love interest. I blame that on the fact that there were a few missed opportunities to expand on his characterisation. I think if we got to know Theo deeper as a character, the chemistry between him and Dylan would've grown and then we would've seen that Heartstopper comparison we were told in the blurb.
Family was what made this whole book rather than the romance. I loved Dylan's family's dynamic and I liked the glimpses we got into Theo's family too. Overall, this was a good book. Not a perfect one, there was definitely room for improvement, but there was a lot of heart.
ACTUAL RATING: 3.6 STARS
This was a cute book and it was also one of my most anticipated books of 2023.
The second I heard Crazy Rich Asians meets Heartstopper I was immediately sold. As you probably know, Heartstopper is one of my favourite books and so I was almost certain I would adore Fake Dates and Mooncakes. Not to mention, I was promised food and corgis!
The plot centres around Dylan who just lost his mum not too long ago. He enters a mooncake competition featuring a traditional recipe his mum used. Meanwhile, he becomes the fake date of Theo, a customer of his aunt's takeaway business and is thrust into a world of wealth and privilege.
I really liked all the characters although I must admit I was second guessing Theo all the time, genuinely wondering if he was just leading Dylan on. There didn't seem to be a purpose for his character apart from being Dylan's love interest. I blame that on the fact that there were a few missed opportunities to expand on his characterisation. I think if we got to know Theo deeper as a character, the chemistry between him and Dylan would've grown and then we would've seen that Heartstopper comparison we were told in the blurb.
Family was what made this whole book rather than the romance. I loved Dylan's family's dynamic and I liked the glimpses we got into Theo's family too. Overall, this was a good book. Not a perfect one, there was definitely room for improvement, but there was a lot of heart.
ACTUAL RATING: 3.6 STARS
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
dodgeremerson's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Cute YA romance. Does not give you anything beyond what it promises, but it's an enjoyable read. I found the two boys (Dylan and Theo) very sweet and the ending is very heartwarming.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Abandonment, Mental illness, and Cancer
Minor: Alcoholism, Cultural appropriation, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Racism, Alcohol, Cancer, Terminal illness, and Car accident
foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
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? No
4.75
So extremely cute! I was crying happy tears all throughout the end. 100% would recommend this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Classism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Cancer
bookishlucy's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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
4.75
This book was highly enjoyable. In under 300 pages, Sher Lee made me fall in love with Dylan and Theo. I laughed when they laughed and cried when they cried.
I can only highly recommend this to everyone! It's a quick read which will hit you right in the feels. I'll definitely keep an eye on any other releases by Sher Lee.
I can only highly recommend this to everyone! It's a quick read which will hit you right in the feels. I'll definitely keep an eye on any other releases by Sher Lee.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism and Addiction