A review by bookswithsoumi
Happy Endings by Thien-Kim Lam

funny lighthearted fast-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

 
Views and opinions are my own. Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. 
 
I was so excited when I was approved to read this book. Interracial romance all about Vietnamese and soul food? Sign me up! A strong female lead with an even stronger female entrepreneur friend group? Even better! It is so refreshing to read a romantic-comedy in which both the leads are people of color, which is the main reason I wanted the eARC. 
 
The premise of the story is that Andre moves to his hometown of D.C. to run his late mother’s restaurant after ending a two-year relationship with Trixie through a Post-It Note. This is a second-chance romance that explores how Trixie and Andre rekindle their relationship after Trixie moves to DC. I thought the two leads’ dynamic was very cute and realistic. Trixie is literally goals: she’s headstrong and doesn’t want Andre or any other distraction getting in the way of her sex toy business. Speaking of sex toys, I really liked the sex scenes because they were so different than what I have read before. The use of sex toys was worked seamlessly into the scenes. 
 
Trixie had a ton of growth before the book to become an independent woman and continues to grow throughout the book so that she can be successful. I saw some reviews that Andre was too unlikable, but I thought he was caring and had a good relationship with his younger sister, which I appreciated it. 
 
My disappointment with the book lies in the fact that although it is an Own Voices book, there was little discussion about how race affects Andre and Trixie’s life together. There was plenty of discussion of how Trixie’s Vietnamese heritage affected her childhood and career choice, and I appreciate how she wants to break the mold of a typical Asian immigrant daughter by wanting to start her own sex toy business. I was hoping for a more nuanced look how race may have affected their breakup. Andre’s friend even wonders if being black made Trixie’s parents not like Andre’s influence on Trixie. But Andre denies this early in the story and says that Trixie’s parents just thought his ideals were “too American.” Was that just code for Trixie’s parents for being “[too] black?” Do you see how I want unpack this more!? But this is on me for expecting nuanced racial discussion in a rom-com. 
 
Additionally, the book is set in DC, but there is nothing unique about the setting that makes me interested in the characters’ surroundings. I feel this book could be set in any American town, big or small, and nothing really would have changed. I’ve read many books where the setting itself, be it DC, NYC, or any-town-USA, plays a major role in the plot. 
 
I would say to give this book a chance! It’s very light-hearted and you will love all the characters’ sex-positive discussion of sex toys and of food! I need some New Orleans style soul food after reading this book. My criticism is pretty personal and shouldn’t deter you from the book 
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