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iyaa's review
3.0
I was quite nervous to start reading this book because I've come across many YA romance novels before, and only a few have managed to capture my interest. Most of them felt clichéd, easy to predict, and lacked originality. This particular book follows the "fake dating" and "enemies to lovers" storyline. The last fake dating book I read was "Adorkable," and that gave me a headache. Surprisingly, this book has a somewhat similar plot (funny enough, some parts of "Adorkable" were at the end of this book, lol.) but it feels more unique and endearing.
What stood out to me in this book was its deep immersion in Thai culture. However, the highlight for me was the main character's bond with her twin sisters. All the characters were well-developed, yet they could have had more depth. Many of the situations felt far-fetched and unlikely to happen in real life. The romantic connection between the leads was sweet, but it didn't resonate strongly with me.
Would I suggest this as a top-tier fake dating book? Probably not. But if you're interested in exploring a book that delves into a vibrant culture and offers a light read, then this could be the one for you.
What stood out to me in this book was its deep immersion in Thai culture. However, the highlight for me was the main character's bond with her twin sisters. All the characters were well-developed, yet they could have had more depth. Many of the situations felt far-fetched and unlikely to happen in real life. The romantic connection between the leads was sweet, but it didn't resonate strongly with me.
Would I suggest this as a top-tier fake dating book? Probably not. But if you're interested in exploring a book that delves into a vibrant culture and offers a light read, then this could be the one for you.
silver_anchor4's review
2.0
The pacing felt off and I couldn't get invested, but it was entertaining for the first half.
theaisaslowreader's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
ayah_reads's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.75
My third YA romcom in the span of two weeks asdfghjki who is she.
This book had a hilarious premise and great follow through with it. It's a peak ethnic experience for parents to go from banning dating to wanting to you be married and the response for the MC to fake date is wild and works so well 🤣
This gave us childhood friends to enemies to lovers and it's dynamic I don't think I've really read before but loved it because you have all the tension of enemies to lovers with this added bonus of emotional depth and friendship that comes from someone being an important part of your life previously in a platonic way.
And of course these two had me kicking my feet at some scenes 🤭🤭🤭
Once again BIPOC romcoms proving they are the best - I loved how being Thai was threaded throughout the whole novel, casual representation at it's finest, and I also really liked learning more about Thai culture.
What I loved as well was how central family was and how it was so obviously written with so much love and care. I think it could have been easy to play into toxic ideas like Winnie being jealous of her sisters or her parents being see as the stereotypical overprotective Asian parents, but instead there's so much nuance and depth, fundamentally all of these relationships are from a deep familial love and it was lovely to then see Winnie's arc amongst that. And I love that her relationship with Mat also runs alongside her needing to have her arc.
The pacing of the relationship was a little funky at times but overall had fun time with this one and thought it was done very well!
(still a little torn on this rating, part of me thinks it's 4 stars but another part thinks that it's just below - maybe more so a 3.95 rating???)
This book had a hilarious premise and great follow through with it. It's a peak ethnic experience for parents to go from banning dating to wanting to you be married and the response for the MC to fake date is wild and works so well 🤣
This gave us childhood friends to enemies to lovers and it's dynamic I don't think I've really read before but loved it because you have all the tension of enemies to lovers with this added bonus of emotional depth and friendship that comes from someone being an important part of your life previously in a platonic way.
And of course these two had me kicking my feet at some scenes 🤭🤭🤭
Once again BIPOC romcoms proving they are the best - I loved how being Thai was threaded throughout the whole novel, casual representation at it's finest, and I also really liked learning more about Thai culture.
What I loved as well was how central family was and how it was so obviously written with so much love and care. I think it could have been easy to play into toxic ideas like Winnie being jealous of her sisters or her parents being see as the stereotypical overprotective Asian parents, but instead there's so much nuance and depth, fundamentally all of these relationships are from a deep familial love and it was lovely to then see Winnie's arc amongst that. And I love that her relationship with Mat also runs alongside her needing to have her arc.
The pacing of the relationship was a little funky at times but overall had fun time with this one and thought it was done very well!
(still a little torn on this rating, part of me thinks it's 4 stars but another part thinks that it's just below - maybe more so a 3.95 rating???)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment
atrailofpages's review
4.0
This was such a cute and fast read!
I thought the premise was funny having Winnie pretend date to learn about it before the real deal. And of course her pretend date being her enemy Mat just made it even better!
I loved the witty banter between her and Mat. I loved watching them grow from hate to realizing they never hated each other, they just needed to talk and realize their feelings for each other, or more like Winnie did.
I also love how family is incorporated in here. Winnie thinks she has to be the perfect Thai daughter in order to make sure her parents love her and it takes her awhile to realize she could speak up and state her opinion just like her older sisters did. I absolutely loved her relationship with her sisters! I have sister myself and I always love reading books that include sisters or family in the book.
It was a very easy and fast read for me and I think it’s the perfect book to read if you’re in a slump or just need to break up between books. I totally recommend this book
I thought the premise was funny having Winnie pretend date to learn about it before the real deal. And of course her pretend date being her enemy Mat just made it even better!
I loved the witty banter between her and Mat. I loved watching them grow from hate to realizing they never hated each other, they just needed to talk and realize their feelings for each other, or more like Winnie did.
I also love how family is incorporated in here. Winnie thinks she has to be the perfect Thai daughter in order to make sure her parents love her and it takes her awhile to realize she could speak up and state her opinion just like her older sisters did. I absolutely loved her relationship with her sisters! I have sister myself and I always love reading books that include sisters or family in the book.
It was a very easy and fast read for me and I think it’s the perfect book to read if you’re in a slump or just need to break up between books. I totally recommend this book
alannar2422's review
5.0
Okk but like wow. After reading Malice, I knew I would read any book from Pintip Dunn. I did not expect to like it this much. Reading this, I was laughing, smiling and feeling heart pain. I could completely relate with Winnie and the strict parents thing. I learned so much from this book and it inspired me in so many ways I did not see coming. Mat was a great character, Matt & Winnie were an even better couple. I loved learning about the Thai culture, and reading the food descriptions had me drooling for some Thai food ;d I cannot wait for other books from Pintip Dunn! I have a few more books of hers to read ;D highly recommend this book
maddie_lewis28's review
5.0
Omg I loved this book so much!!!! It was so cute (and a little cheesy) but it was so good!!! Let me just show you how good it was. Last night I started reading at like 11:30 and I was at page 40 or so and I ended up finishing it all at 3 am. I just couldn’t stop!!! I’m very tempted to put this in my list of favorite books because even though it’s not on the same level as Crescent City, it’s good in its own way. This book was just so cute and I could definitely see myself in Winnie, which I usually can’t do with the fantasy books I read because I’m not as cool as those characters. The last 20 or so pages scared me a little because things went wrong but the ending was just so perfect and I loved it!! I loved the relationship that Winnie and her sisters had and I also found it cute funny how *****SPOILER****** her mom based the dates off of classic rom coms and how at one point one of her sisters said her life was a rom com. *****END OF SPOILER*****
All in all I greatly enjoyed this book and am so glad I finally read it (it’s been on my shelf since it first came out in August) and it was a great way to help me move on from crescent city.
Oh I forgot to mention this but I also really liked Mat. I haven’t read a rom com in a while and also haven’t read a friends to enemies to lovers in a while but I loved teje progression and I loved his and Winnie’s relationship and their banter. They were just so cute!!!
This book brought me back to my middle school reading days and I’m so happy it did! Also I was reading fantasy books for a while but I think this book has made me want to go back to reading realistic fiction for a while haha.
All in all I greatly enjoyed this book and am so glad I finally read it (it’s been on my shelf since it first came out in August) and it was a great way to help me move on from crescent city.
Oh I forgot to mention this but I also really liked Mat. I haven’t read a rom com in a while and also haven’t read a friends to enemies to lovers in a while but I loved teje progression and I loved his and Winnie’s relationship and their banter. They were just so cute!!!
This book brought me back to my middle school reading days and I’m so happy it did! Also I was reading fantasy books for a while but I think this book has made me want to go back to reading realistic fiction for a while haha.
go_maggs_go's review against another edition
3.0
This was completely different from the other books I've read by this author, but I really liked it. I loved reading about Winnie's culture (especially all the descriptions of food!) and I loved how her mom modelled all of the fake dates after rom coms (my preferred movie genre). I especially loved the relationship between Winnie and her sisters. I don't have any older sisters, but if I did, I'd want them to be like Bunny and Ari!
mybookishlife2's review against another edition
lighthearted
3.0
Okay, yes, this is a 3 but not a bad 3.
This book was super cute and good. A little frustrating but we are dealing with a young teenage girl here and let’s be real, we’ve all been there or will be soon enough.
I love the love the family shows each other in their own way. ESP the sister bond the 3 of them share. And the dad with his articles is so cute but even cuter that he puts them into practice.
Winnie, girl, you frustrated me.
Lol, but seeing her grow into her own was great. I also definitely called that she was more herself with him than anyone else.
Omg and Kavya, we LOVE a supportive loyal friend and she was great.
This book was super cute and good. A little frustrating but we are dealing with a young teenage girl here and let’s be real, we’ve all been there or will be soon enough.
I love the love the family shows each other in their own way. ESP the sister bond the 3 of them share. And the dad with his articles is so cute but even cuter that he puts them into practice.
Winnie, girl, you frustrated me.
Lol, but seeing her grow into her own was great. I also definitely called that she was more herself with him than anyone else.
Omg and Kavya, we LOVE a supportive loyal friend and she was great.
briannethebookworm's review
4.0
As the youngest Tech daughter, Winnie knows that she isnt allowed to date in high school. Her older twin sisters weren’t allowed to until they went to college, and Winnie has accepted the rule like the good Thai daughter she is. When the twins return from college complaining that their dating inexperience has caused them to struggle to navigate the mission to find a husband, their parents shockingly agree to change the no dating rule for Winnie in the hopes that she will be able to find a husband faster after graduating. The only catch is that her parents get to pick her fake boyfriends, and naturally they choose Mat Songsomboom, Winnie’s ex-best childhood friend. Winnie can barely stomach a conversation with him, and she has no idea how she can pretend to date him. As they are forced to spend time together, Winnie begins to chip away at his guarded outer shell and uncover the real reasons Mat and her stopped being friends in the first place.
This was a cute enemies to lovers type book for teenagers! I loved that the book featured Asian main characters and that the plot centered a lot around Thai cuisine. Winnie was very close with her older sisters, and it was cool to see them work together to break down the cultural barriers between them and their parents’ generation in order to become a closer family. There were many movie references to more old and current movies like Always Be My Maybe, To All the Boys I Loved Before, and When Harry Met Sally. Definitely recommend!
This was a cute enemies to lovers type book for teenagers! I loved that the book featured Asian main characters and that the plot centered a lot around Thai cuisine. Winnie was very close with her older sisters, and it was cool to see them work together to break down the cultural barriers between them and their parents’ generation in order to become a closer family. There were many movie references to more old and current movies like Always Be My Maybe, To All the Boys I Loved Before, and When Harry Met Sally. Definitely recommend!