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Circling Back to You
Julie Tieu, an exciting new and diverse voice in contemporary romance, returns with a hilarious and sexy new novel about colleagues who decide to take their relationship outside the office.
Cadence Lim has transformed from behind-the-scenes number cruncher to an integral part of the sales team at Prism Realty. But despite moving up the corporate ladder, her complicated relationship with her estranged elderly father weighs heavily and she can't seem to shake the desire for a new beginning.
At least Cadence can always lean on her favorite co-worker and co-conspirator, Matt Escanilla. A top broker with an unsuccessful love life, the forever single Matt is constantly being nagged by his loving Filipino family to settle down.
Their relationship takes a turn when a business trip lands them both in their hometown and Matt enlists Cadence as a pretend girlfriend for a family gathering. The new after-hours setting forces the two friends to see each other in a new light, and their previously buried feelings rise quickly to the surface. When competing promotions threaten to separate Cadence and Matt, these office besties must work together to round up their ambitions and families to pursue their overdue romance.
Cadence Lim has transformed from behind-the-scenes number cruncher to an integral part of the sales team at Prism Realty. But despite moving up the corporate ladder, her complicated relationship with her estranged elderly father weighs heavily and she can't seem to shake the desire for a new beginning.
At least Cadence can always lean on her favorite co-worker and co-conspirator, Matt Escanilla. A top broker with an unsuccessful love life, the forever single Matt is constantly being nagged by his loving Filipino family to settle down.
Their relationship takes a turn when a business trip lands them both in their hometown and Matt enlists Cadence as a pretend girlfriend for a family gathering. The new after-hours setting forces the two friends to see each other in a new light, and their previously buried feelings rise quickly to the surface. When competing promotions threaten to separate Cadence and Matt, these office besties must work together to round up their ambitions and families to pursue their overdue romance.
345 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 12, 2022
178 people are currently reading
20802 people want to read
About the author
Julie Tieu
7 books505 followersJulie Tieu is a Chinese-Cambodian American writer, born and raised in Southern California. When she is not writing, she is reading, on the hunt for delicious eats, or dreaming about her next travel adventure. She lives in the Los Angeles area with her high school crush husband and two energetic daughters.
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September 15, 2022
Sweet workplace romance meets friends to lovers troupe from the author of Donut Trap!
The things highlighted in this journey
Multi cultural big families- care-giving subplot
Diversity
Sweet, feel good friends to lovers theme
Quiet adorable San Francisco background
Fake- dating troupe
The book started quick paced, introducing us the main characters: Matt and Cadence work at the high performing real estate company: Matt is a broker and Cadence is an analyst.
As they start working as a team, their blooming friendship’s direction turns into something unexpected during their business trip where it’s headed on Matt’s hometown. Cadence finds herself as Matt’s fake girlfriend, meeting with his family members.
When they realize how deeply they feel for each other work related issues, a competing promotion threats the couple end their newly formed relationship. They also have to deal with some familial struggles.
I loved the sweet premise of the book. But the beginning started so quickly without making enough introductions about the characters and in the middle the story started dragging. I lost my interest. The conclusion was good but I think some parts could be omitted at the middle parts and the beginning could get strengthened with additional background stories of the characters.
I had hard time to connect with Cadence. At first with her shy and sweet attitude she was more likable but then she turned into a bossy bitch! Matt was more likable but his character needed more development.
So I decided to give three stars. I liked this book less than Donut Trap. This was still an enjoyable read but I expected a little more. I’m still looking forward to read the next work of the author.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
The things highlighted in this journey
Multi cultural big families- care-giving subplot
Diversity
Sweet, feel good friends to lovers theme
Quiet adorable San Francisco background
Fake- dating troupe
The book started quick paced, introducing us the main characters: Matt and Cadence work at the high performing real estate company: Matt is a broker and Cadence is an analyst.
As they start working as a team, their blooming friendship’s direction turns into something unexpected during their business trip where it’s headed on Matt’s hometown. Cadence finds herself as Matt’s fake girlfriend, meeting with his family members.
When they realize how deeply they feel for each other work related issues, a competing promotion threats the couple end their newly formed relationship. They also have to deal with some familial struggles.
I loved the sweet premise of the book. But the beginning started so quickly without making enough introductions about the characters and in the middle the story started dragging. I lost my interest. The conclusion was good but I think some parts could be omitted at the middle parts and the beginning could get strengthened with additional background stories of the characters.
I had hard time to connect with Cadence. At first with her shy and sweet attitude she was more likable but then she turned into a bossy bitch! Matt was more likable but his character needed more development.
So I decided to give three stars. I liked this book less than Donut Trap. This was still an enjoyable read but I expected a little more. I’m still looking forward to read the next work of the author.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
January 19, 2022
Special thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book.
I was fully prepared to love this book. It was pitched as an office rom-com, which is extremely my thing, so I went into this with a 5-star review on my brain.
However. While I did think the book was engaging and the story never lost me, I got a completely different book than the one I signed up for.
The premise is that Cadence and Matt work together – literally side by side – in a brokerage firm; he's a broker and she's an analyst. She's always had a crush on him, while he's gone out with pretty much every single lady in the building.
Cadence is guarded and extremely work-focused and doesn't have time for anything else, which is why, even though she really likes Matt, she's never really given him an in, even to be her friend. She actually tells someone they're just friends in the first chapter and it creates this whole awkward thing, because they have a good rapport and all, but, are they really friends if she keeps him at arm's length the whole time?
And Matt does want to be friends, the poor guy. He's always liked her – platonically – but never really considered anything more because she never even showed him an inkling that she would be into it.
The story culminates in a trip they both have to take to Los Angeles, which implies family drama and big work decisions and forced proximity (get iiiit) for both of them. And it's awesome! The story has a lot of moving parts and the romance is really sweet and I loved a lot of it.
Here were the issues I had with it:
– Firstly, I thought Cadence was unnecessarily mean a lot of the time, both to Matt and to her family. Regarding her family, there was a lot of talk about her father's mistakes when she was growing up, but we only ever got to see him on the page as an adorable 90-year-old man who wanted to tell the same story for the hundredth time, so it didn't sit right that Cadence rolled her eyes at him internally and lost her patience with him the entire time. And Matt was so considerate and thoughtful towards her from the beginning that it really annoyed me that she was always so brusque or sharp with him for no reason.
– I didn't really feel the intensity that I expected between Cadence and Matt. Even in the first chapter, when we get to see Cadence interact with Matt for the first time (not their actual first interaction, just the first time we get to meet them), I fully thought he was not the hero of the book, just some guy she had a crush on before she would meet the actual hero.
– Last thing, I promise: I… didn't really think this was a rom-com. I didn't laugh! Maybe it's me, but I really didn't think there was any scene that was actually designed to have funny elements, or funny dialogue.
I did really like the book and eventually got used to Matt and Cadence's dynamic. I just wish the romance was dialed up a notch.
I was fully prepared to love this book. It was pitched as an office rom-com, which is extremely my thing, so I went into this with a 5-star review on my brain.
However. While I did think the book was engaging and the story never lost me, I got a completely different book than the one I signed up for.
The premise is that Cadence and Matt work together – literally side by side – in a brokerage firm; he's a broker and she's an analyst. She's always had a crush on him, while he's gone out with pretty much every single lady in the building.
Cadence is guarded and extremely work-focused and doesn't have time for anything else, which is why, even though she really likes Matt, she's never really given him an in, even to be her friend. She actually tells someone they're just friends in the first chapter and it creates this whole awkward thing, because they have a good rapport and all, but, are they really friends if she keeps him at arm's length the whole time?
And Matt does want to be friends, the poor guy. He's always liked her – platonically – but never really considered anything more because she never even showed him an inkling that she would be into it.
The story culminates in a trip they both have to take to Los Angeles, which implies family drama and big work decisions and forced proximity (get iiiit) for both of them. And it's awesome! The story has a lot of moving parts and the romance is really sweet and I loved a lot of it.
Here were the issues I had with it:
– Firstly, I thought Cadence was unnecessarily mean a lot of the time, both to Matt and to her family. Regarding her family, there was a lot of talk about her father's mistakes when she was growing up, but we only ever got to see him on the page as an adorable 90-year-old man who wanted to tell the same story for the hundredth time, so it didn't sit right that Cadence rolled her eyes at him internally and lost her patience with him the entire time. And Matt was so considerate and thoughtful towards her from the beginning that it really annoyed me that she was always so brusque or sharp with him for no reason.
– I didn't really feel the intensity that I expected between Cadence and Matt. Even in the first chapter, when we get to see Cadence interact with Matt for the first time (not their actual first interaction, just the first time we get to meet them), I fully thought he was not the hero of the book, just some guy she had a crush on before she would meet the actual hero.
– Last thing, I promise: I… didn't really think this was a rom-com. I didn't laugh! Maybe it's me, but I really didn't think there was any scene that was actually designed to have funny elements, or funny dialogue.
I did really like the book and eventually got used to Matt and Cadence's dynamic. I just wish the romance was dialed up a notch.
March 15, 2022
3 stars
Workplace romance meets friends to lovers!
Thank you, Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC! This will be published July 12, 2022.
Matt and Cadence work for the same realty company and have the all too great banter/tease friendship, although, both want something more (secretly). An important deal for Matt to close which could offer him a promotion leads these two on a trip to LA—conveniently where both their families reside. Matt's family wants him to settle down while Cadence's family just wants her around more. Both settling in a two-bedroom suite, leads to their confession of feelings and the start of a romance. Only it's never that easy.
This book had a lot of potential and I was really hoping this would hit the mark, especially with the Asian representation. However, things moved way too fast, the plot got boring for me, and there were many things that felt like filler. It started off VERY strong but the momentum and desire to continue reading just kept slowly fading away. I made it to about 50% before I started to feel the wants of DNF'ing but I pushed through.
The ending was very sweet and honestly the type of ending we don't get very often and something I always crave. So props to that. Overall, this was still a good read.
Workplace romance meets friends to lovers!
Thank you, Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC! This will be published July 12, 2022.
Matt and Cadence work for the same realty company and have the all too great banter/tease friendship, although, both want something more (secretly). An important deal for Matt to close which could offer him a promotion leads these two on a trip to LA—conveniently where both their families reside. Matt's family wants him to settle down while Cadence's family just wants her around more. Both settling in a two-bedroom suite, leads to their confession of feelings and the start of a romance. Only it's never that easy.
This book had a lot of potential and I was really hoping this would hit the mark, especially with the Asian representation. However, things moved way too fast, the plot got boring for me, and there were many things that felt like filler. It started off VERY strong but the momentum and desire to continue reading just kept slowly fading away. I made it to about 50% before I started to feel the wants of DNF'ing but I pushed through.
The ending was very sweet and honestly the type of ending we don't get very often and something I always crave. So props to that. Overall, this was still a good read.
December 29, 2023
These characters had less chemistry than my first chemistry A level when I got 13%.
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December 4, 2021
I will never ever going to stop reading fake dating books, especially when the book is so well written and cute like this. It was wonderfully written, the characters and romance were great, I liked the setup and the story.
If you're looking for a light, fun, cute contemporary romance then this is the read for you! In meantime check out to check out Tieu's other novel, The Donut Trap.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for an honest review.
If you're looking for a light, fun, cute contemporary romance then this is the read for you! In meantime check out to check out Tieu's other novel, The Donut Trap.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for an honest review.
June 8, 2022
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
Initial thoughts: Cute enough but not very deep. There’s a fake girlfriend/boyfriend trope going on though the two characters are sleeping together so no idea why they need to fake dating? I don’t know. This didn’t hang together well at all. I found the both characters were a mess, but I disliked how Matt was manipulating Cadence because he in the end wanted her to move for him. I just felt ho-hum about the totally unrealistic ending with regards to HR and management.
"Circling Back to You" follows Cadence and Matt who work at Prism Realty. Matt is part of the sales team and Cadence does the numbers. Matt is focused on making Cadence his friend and Cadence just wants to be left alone though. However, when a deal is to be made with at tech billionaire (I think he's one) Matt is dispatched to Los Angeles to close the deal with Cadence being forced to help out with the numbers. The book claims this is a fake girlfriend/boyfriend romance, but not really.
So the plot is a murky for this one. Not a bad book, but honestly the fake boyfriend/girlfriend plot could have been dropped. These two end up hooking up with each other. Cadence going to Matt's home for a family event felt real dumb to me. Why lie about dating? It just felt like a nothing thing. And Cadence has her own plot points that felt like they got wiped away so we could focus on Matt's mess. The chemistry between the two of them doesn't really work for me and the work shenanigans' felt really shoe horned in after a while.
I will say that after a while the flow of the book became an issue. This book had like 4 endings. We would get to a great ending point and then there would be more pages. At one point I went, what else is there to say.
Initial thoughts: Cute enough but not very deep. There’s a fake girlfriend/boyfriend trope going on though the two characters are sleeping together so no idea why they need to fake dating? I don’t know. This didn’t hang together well at all. I found the both characters were a mess, but I disliked how Matt was manipulating Cadence because he in the end wanted her to move for him. I just felt ho-hum about the totally unrealistic ending with regards to HR and management.
"Circling Back to You" follows Cadence and Matt who work at Prism Realty. Matt is part of the sales team and Cadence does the numbers. Matt is focused on making Cadence his friend and Cadence just wants to be left alone though. However, when a deal is to be made with at tech billionaire (I think he's one) Matt is dispatched to Los Angeles to close the deal with Cadence being forced to help out with the numbers. The book claims this is a fake girlfriend/boyfriend romance, but not really.
So the plot is a murky for this one. Not a bad book, but honestly the fake boyfriend/girlfriend plot could have been dropped. These two end up hooking up with each other. Cadence going to Matt's home for a family event felt real dumb to me. Why lie about dating? It just felt like a nothing thing. And Cadence has her own plot points that felt like they got wiped away so we could focus on Matt's mess. The chemistry between the two of them doesn't really work for me and the work shenanigans' felt really shoe horned in after a while.
I will say that after a while the flow of the book became an issue. This book had like 4 endings. We would get to a great ending point and then there would be more pages. At one point I went, what else is there to say.
December 13, 2021
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
➼ four stars
Circling back to you follows two colleagues who decide to take their relationship outside the office. This was the perfect friends to lovers, grumpy sunshine book and just what I needed to read this month. It wasn’t perfect in every way but it still felt like a breath of fresh air.
First of all, Cadence and Matt were so fun to read about and their relationship is so wholesome. Matt was such a simp for Cadence while she was a bit cold towards him, but only on the outside. Also, the fact that the book had a dual pov was great because we got to read about both of their feelings and thoughts.
Additionally their families were a big part of the book as well. In my opinion Cadence’s strained relationship with her father and brother was interesting to read about and I liked how it was kind of resolved.
The only part of this book I disliked is the middle part. Nothing much was happening at that point and I was kinda bored. Next, the smut was so underwhelming. I’m not some smut fanatic but when there is smut in a book I want it to at least be good. I felt like in this book it was rounded down to a few sentences and there was no chemistry to be completely honest.
To summarise, this was a pretty good read and it deserves the rating that i gave it.
➼ four stars
Circling back to you follows two colleagues who decide to take their relationship outside the office. This was the perfect friends to lovers, grumpy sunshine book and just what I needed to read this month. It wasn’t perfect in every way but it still felt like a breath of fresh air.
First of all, Cadence and Matt were so fun to read about and their relationship is so wholesome. Matt was such a simp for Cadence while she was a bit cold towards him, but only on the outside. Also, the fact that the book had a dual pov was great because we got to read about both of their feelings and thoughts.
Additionally their families were a big part of the book as well. In my opinion Cadence’s strained relationship with her father and brother was interesting to read about and I liked how it was kind of resolved.
The only part of this book I disliked is the middle part. Nothing much was happening at that point and I was kinda bored. Next, the smut was so underwhelming. I’m not some smut fanatic but when there is smut in a book I want it to at least be good. I felt like in this book it was rounded down to a few sentences and there was no chemistry to be completely honest.
To summarise, this was a pretty good read and it deserves the rating that i gave it.
July 3, 2022
Sweet, fun, light, funny, relatable, real, honest, cute
Circling Back to You is one of my most anticipated romances of the year, especially after I read The Donut Trap (you can read my review here!) and loved it last year. Julie Tieu is a wonderful writer of light, fun, and sweet contemporaries, and Circling Back to You is just as delightful as her debut. Circling Back to You hits the nail on the head with this office romance. It tackles challenges that workplace friendships and romances are bound to have, maintains the so many comforting romance tropes, and adds in a wonderful family dynamic for both characters which gives everyone so much depth. I found myself not only rooting for the romance, which happens quite a bit in romances but also for each character individually. An absolute delight of a book!
Quick Summary: Cadence and Matt are best friends in the office. When work sends them on a business trip to their hometown, Matt asks Cadence to pretend to be his girlfriend for a family gathering. Given the opportunity to see each other in a new setting, they both start to change their perspectives on what their friendship really is. But just as they finally start to see their relationship for what it really is, promotions and new opportunities begin to arise that would tear them apart. Matt and Cadence must work together to get through these challenges together… or not.
Circling Back to You does a wonderful job of connecting the characters’ families into the romance. Too many romances are too isolated from the rest of the world but Tieu makes Cadence and Matt’s world so relatable and well-rounded. The way that the family dynamics affect the characters and their relationships ties so perfectly into the characters’ personalities, it gives the reader a perfect opportunity to get to know the characters. No family is perfect but our families help shape who we become, so it is a joy to read about Cadence and Matt’s families.
My favorite part of Circling Back to You is how both Matt and Cadence are both working to improve their lives from the beginning. They are both looking to further their careers, which eventually presents challenges to their friendship and romance, but it made the characters so much more relatable. Both of them are at the start of their careers and they are still working on climbing but Tieu is able to illustrate beautifully how much climbing the ladder can affect our personal lives. It is relatable, difficult, and important to read characters growing through this. So many people go through this stage in their life, or maybe they are still in it, and they might feel less alone by reading characters who also struggle with how much they are willing to let work affect their personal lives.
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Circling Back to You is one of my most anticipated romances of the year, especially after I read The Donut Trap (you can read my review here!) and loved it last year. Julie Tieu is a wonderful writer of light, fun, and sweet contemporaries, and Circling Back to You is just as delightful as her debut. Circling Back to You hits the nail on the head with this office romance. It tackles challenges that workplace friendships and romances are bound to have, maintains the so many comforting romance tropes, and adds in a wonderful family dynamic for both characters which gives everyone so much depth. I found myself not only rooting for the romance, which happens quite a bit in romances but also for each character individually. An absolute delight of a book!
Quick Summary: Cadence and Matt are best friends in the office. When work sends them on a business trip to their hometown, Matt asks Cadence to pretend to be his girlfriend for a family gathering. Given the opportunity to see each other in a new setting, they both start to change their perspectives on what their friendship really is. But just as they finally start to see their relationship for what it really is, promotions and new opportunities begin to arise that would tear them apart. Matt and Cadence must work together to get through these challenges together… or not.
Circling Back to You does a wonderful job of connecting the characters’ families into the romance. Too many romances are too isolated from the rest of the world but Tieu makes Cadence and Matt’s world so relatable and well-rounded. The way that the family dynamics affect the characters and their relationships ties so perfectly into the characters’ personalities, it gives the reader a perfect opportunity to get to know the characters. No family is perfect but our families help shape who we become, so it is a joy to read about Cadence and Matt’s families.
My favorite part of Circling Back to You is how both Matt and Cadence are both working to improve their lives from the beginning. They are both looking to further their careers, which eventually presents challenges to their friendship and romance, but it made the characters so much more relatable. Both of them are at the start of their careers and they are still working on climbing but Tieu is able to illustrate beautifully how much climbing the ladder can affect our personal lives. It is relatable, difficult, and important to read characters growing through this. So many people go through this stage in their life, or maybe they are still in it, and they might feel less alone by reading characters who also struggle with how much they are willing to let work affect their personal lives.
Bookish Brews | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr | Facebook
July 25, 2022
3.5 STARS.
Circling Back to You by Julie Tieu is a fun, heartwarming read that features an office romance, as well as the fake dating trope and the friends-to-lovers trope.
Longtime friends Cadence and Matt work together at Prism Realty. Cadence is the resident number cruncher behind the scenes, while Matt works in sales. When the two of them are tasked with traveling to L.A. to close the deal with a wealthy client, their relationship starts to change.
I really liked both Cadence and Matt and couldn't wait to see how their feelings for one another evolved as they finally saw each other in a different light away from the office. It was also a lot of fun to watch Cadence and Matt, interact with Matt's large close knit family while also pretending to be a couple so that Matt's family doesn't nag him about his love life.
While I enjoyed them in this environment, it did start to feel like the visit was taking up too much of the book so I found myself eager for them to leave so we could get back to the rest of the story.
I think one of the author's biggest strengths is in how she depicts the challenges of navigating a workplace romance. It all felt very realistic and something I could easily imagine playing out for a real life couple.
Even though I did have that one issue with the parental visit feeling too long, overall I still quite enjoyed this lighthearted office romance. I think it would be a perfect read for a day at the beach.
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Circling Back to You by Julie Tieu is a fun, heartwarming read that features an office romance, as well as the fake dating trope and the friends-to-lovers trope.
Longtime friends Cadence and Matt work together at Prism Realty. Cadence is the resident number cruncher behind the scenes, while Matt works in sales. When the two of them are tasked with traveling to L.A. to close the deal with a wealthy client, their relationship starts to change.
I really liked both Cadence and Matt and couldn't wait to see how their feelings for one another evolved as they finally saw each other in a different light away from the office. It was also a lot of fun to watch Cadence and Matt, interact with Matt's large close knit family while also pretending to be a couple so that Matt's family doesn't nag him about his love life.
While I enjoyed them in this environment, it did start to feel like the visit was taking up too much of the book so I found myself eager for them to leave so we could get back to the rest of the story.
I think one of the author's biggest strengths is in how she depicts the challenges of navigating a workplace romance. It all felt very realistic and something I could easily imagine playing out for a real life couple.
Even though I did have that one issue with the parental visit feeling too long, overall I still quite enjoyed this lighthearted office romance. I think it would be a perfect read for a day at the beach.
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2022
Not every book you read has to be a new favorite, with groundbreaking plots and gorgeously written prose. There's something to be said for the books that are like a PB&J - satisfying, comforting, familiar.
I related to a lot of different parts of this book. The hero, Matt, is Filipino like me. While I didn't grow up surrounded by extended family, I could relate to the pressure and perennial closeness you feel to the people you're related to. Also, the "nice to your face, rude behind your back" act his family had for girlfriends they didn't like.
Candace is what some would call an unlikeable heroine. She was actually very likeable and relatable to me but… she's not soft. She's not sweet. She's capable and smart and she knows it. She has pulled away from her family after the death of her mother and doesn't want to move home to take care of her dad, though it's what's expected of her. She's complicated, and her relationship with her family, her friends, her work … are not perfect.
So yes, I found her very relatable.
I read this book immediately after The Widow of Rose House, a historical romance with a paranormal twist that had really clever prose that fit the time period and style. This book was different, obviously, because it takes place in present day San Francisco. So I do think going from one to the other changed my initial thought of Circling Back to You, but by the end I found the easy to read writing and dialogue was part of the charm.
I didn't love the jump from friends to something more, because it almost felt too easy with too little lead up (she would barely admit they were close friends, and they didn't know each other outside of work). The plot was fairly predictable but enjoyable still, as Candace kicked ass and took names as she figured her shit out.
I related to a lot of different parts of this book. The hero, Matt, is Filipino like me. While I didn't grow up surrounded by extended family, I could relate to the pressure and perennial closeness you feel to the people you're related to. Also, the "nice to your face, rude behind your back" act his family had for girlfriends they didn't like.
Candace is what some would call an unlikeable heroine. She was actually very likeable and relatable to me but… she's not soft. She's not sweet. She's capable and smart and she knows it. She has pulled away from her family after the death of her mother and doesn't want to move home to take care of her dad, though it's what's expected of her. She's complicated, and her relationship with her family, her friends, her work … are not perfect.
So yes, I found her very relatable.
I read this book immediately after The Widow of Rose House, a historical romance with a paranormal twist that had really clever prose that fit the time period and style. This book was different, obviously, because it takes place in present day San Francisco. So I do think going from one to the other changed my initial thought of Circling Back to You, but by the end I found the easy to read writing and dialogue was part of the charm.
I didn't love the jump from friends to something more, because it almost felt too easy with too little lead up (she would barely admit they were close friends, and they didn't know each other outside of work). The plot was fairly predictable but enjoyable still, as Candace kicked ass and took names as she figured her shit out.
April 23, 2022
A huge thank you to the publisher for the ARC! Full review coming soon :)
July 12, 2022
This book really exceeded my expectations. Work place romances are not often done well but this was genuinely cute. I also don’t usually like the male love interest very much but Matt is an absolute gem!! We Stan considerate, non toxic love interests!! But also give me fake dating and I am IN!!
Circling Back to You is a workplace romance following Cadence and Matt. Cadence and Matt work together at a realty firm and aren’t much more than acquaintances at the beginning of the story. When Matt and Cadence go on a “work trip” together, their relationship takes an interesting turn. Matt is working his butt off to get a promotion and follow his career dreams. Cadence is an absolute genius with numbers and the key to Matt’s success.
The only problem is that Cadence is still grieving the loss of her mother and some messy family dynamics. Her heart is just not in it. But she’s willing to play along to help Matt out with both his sales pitch and his family. Cadence has agreed to pretend to be Matt’s girlfriend for a family event.
Circling Back to You focuses on loss, advocating for yourself, and unexpected relationships. This book is a perfect mix of tropes I love and a darn good romance!
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Circling Back to You is a workplace romance following Cadence and Matt. Cadence and Matt work together at a realty firm and aren’t much more than acquaintances at the beginning of the story. When Matt and Cadence go on a “work trip” together, their relationship takes an interesting turn. Matt is working his butt off to get a promotion and follow his career dreams. Cadence is an absolute genius with numbers and the key to Matt’s success.
The only problem is that Cadence is still grieving the loss of her mother and some messy family dynamics. Her heart is just not in it. But she’s willing to play along to help Matt out with both his sales pitch and his family. Cadence has agreed to pretend to be Matt’s girlfriend for a family event.
Circling Back to You focuses on loss, advocating for yourself, and unexpected relationships. This book is a perfect mix of tropes I love and a darn good romance!
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 19, 2022
Thanks Edelweiss and the publisher for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
Cadence has a little crush on Matt but never acts on it for several reasons, one of them being they're just friends, but then they have to take a work trip together to her hometown and things quickly start to develop.
Well, first the things I enjoyed: I loved their friendly banter. They tease each other all the time and I liked their dynamic a lot. I also liked Candence's personality, since she doesn't really fit the good girl stereotype of romance novels and she's more analytic and introvert in some ways.
The beginning was so good - I was really enjoying up to 40% of it - and there was a lot of potential, but then I was just not so into it for some reasons.
The main problem: the romance developed too quickly. It wasn't forced or anything, but it did feel too fast for my taste because I prefer more of a slow burn kind of romance.
Also, the book is not really a fake dating novel as the synopsis suggests which disappointed me a bit and Matt does something towards the end which I didn't like very much either.
Overall, it was good and fun at times, but it could've been much better and it was a bit of a let-down
Cadence has a little crush on Matt but never acts on it for several reasons, one of them being they're just friends, but then they have to take a work trip together to her hometown and things quickly start to develop.
Well, first the things I enjoyed: I loved their friendly banter. They tease each other all the time and I liked their dynamic a lot. I also liked Candence's personality, since she doesn't really fit the good girl stereotype of romance novels and she's more analytic and introvert in some ways.
The beginning was so good - I was really enjoying up to 40% of it - and there was a lot of potential, but then I was just not so into it for some reasons.
The main problem: the romance developed too quickly. It wasn't forced or anything, but it did feel too fast for my taste because I prefer more of a slow burn kind of romance.
Also, the book is not really a fake dating novel as the synopsis suggests which disappointed me a bit and Matt does something towards the end which I didn't like very much either.
Overall, it was good and fun at times, but it could've been much better and it was a bit of a let-down
October 18, 2022
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review
I love workplace romances so when I heard about this one I was honestly really excited. In the end it was okay/meh. I’m not a super big fan of friends to lovers which might be another reason I didn’t like this book that much. But overall this book was super cute and I really liked the ending.
I love workplace romances so when I heard about this one I was honestly really excited. In the end it was okay/meh. I’m not a super big fan of friends to lovers which might be another reason I didn’t like this book that much. But overall this book was super cute and I really liked the ending.
May 13, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an arc of this book! This was really cute but I didn’t like Matt for a good portion of this book, towards the end I loved him but he wasn’t my favorite. I loved Cadence though!
TW: death of a parent
TW: death of a parent
Want to read
November 23, 2021excited to see a filo male lead (plus that cover's cute!)
Read
December 9, 2022It was fine
September 17, 2022
4 stars!
I’m a sucker for a workplace romance and this did not disappoint.
I’m a sucker for a workplace romance and this did not disappoint.
August 8, 2022
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Circling Back to You is a dual POV, friends to lovers, workplace romance, and fake dating! Yes that's a lot of tropes and keywords, but I immediately wanted to put it on your radar if you were interested! Being dual POV is a fantastic choice because you can see Cadence's crush developing, while also seeing the ways Matt starts to see her in a different light. Those moments of recognition are truly some of my favorite moments! Plus their chemistry and the ways in which they are sort of opposites on paper? So fun!
And throughout Circling Back to You, seeing them get to know each other as people is fabulous. The pacing is wonderful because it never feels rushed or like there aren't enough moments of them together. We can see the ways they unfold around each other, start to open up about those real insecurities and doubts. While Cadence is my favorite - because we gotta love an organized heroine - I adored Matt's commitment and flair.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
Circling Back to You is a dual POV, friends to lovers, workplace romance, and fake dating! Yes that's a lot of tropes and keywords, but I immediately wanted to put it on your radar if you were interested! Being dual POV is a fantastic choice because you can see Cadence's crush developing, while also seeing the ways Matt starts to see her in a different light. Those moments of recognition are truly some of my favorite moments! Plus their chemistry and the ways in which they are sort of opposites on paper? So fun!
And throughout Circling Back to You, seeing them get to know each other as people is fabulous. The pacing is wonderful because it never feels rushed or like there aren't enough moments of them together. We can see the ways they unfold around each other, start to open up about those real insecurities and doubts. While Cadence is my favorite - because we gotta love an organized heroine - I adored Matt's commitment and flair.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
July 13, 2022
3.5 rounded up.
This was a sweet friends to lovers, dual perspective workplace romance between two Asian American co-workers who get thrown together on a trip. Forced proximity, fake dating, more steam than you usually get from this author and a lot of complex family dynamics had me speeding through this new book with pure enthusiasm. Great on audio too narrated by Natalie Naudus and Reuben Uy. Recommended for fans of Suzanne Park. Much thanks to NetGalley and Avon for my advance review copy!
This was a sweet friends to lovers, dual perspective workplace romance between two Asian American co-workers who get thrown together on a trip. Forced proximity, fake dating, more steam than you usually get from this author and a lot of complex family dynamics had me speeding through this new book with pure enthusiasm. Great on audio too narrated by Natalie Naudus and Reuben Uy. Recommended for fans of Suzanne Park. Much thanks to NetGalley and Avon for my advance review copy!
February 2, 2022
**Thank you for the ARC. All opinions are completely my own.**
2-2.5 stars. Feels like it is in the preliminary draft stages and sorely needs some serious reworking and stylistic editing.
I'll be honest - this was not a good read and it just was not for me. Before you say I'm a Negative Nancy, I'll let you know that I do not give out bad reviews lightly. In fact, I try to be as generous as possible within the limits of my honesty.
There were several issues that immediately jumped out at me as soon as I started chapter one.
WRITING STYLE/GRAMMATICAL ISSUES: I have a problem with the grammar in this book. We all know that if used correctly, grammar can greatly enhance the "flow" of a sentence. But within the first chapter, we encounter issues where the grammar just brings the entire sentence to a screeching halt, such as mixing past and present tenses together in one sentence (i.e. "A was running, B was laughing, and C walks."). There is also the misuse of "would/could" when it should be "will/can." In sum, not a big deal, but little issues like this start to pile up and ruin the flow of the story. Every time I thought, "Okay, this sentence has a nice flow, I like where this is going," it was immediately butchered by one of the above issues.
(EDIT: Also, I just realized the author's Goodreads biography blurb has the same issue: "When she is not writing, she is reading, on the hunt for delicious eats, or dreaming about her next travel adventure.")
Personally, when I write, I literally sit down, print out a physical copy of my draft, and make edits right there on the paper. Yes, this means that I have to go through a LOT of drafts when I do this. But each time I come back to my revised draft, I find something new to fix. This type of attention to detail and repetitive editing was something that this book sorely needed - and COMPLETELY lacked. There were so many trouble areas, issues, and sentences that could have been tightened up and made snappier, if someone had just sat down and fixed the grammar and tone of the story. Of course, I know that this story must have gone through many drafts - which only makes it more disappointing. Please - someone get a new pair of eyes on this and fix it up!
CHOPPY/UNEVEN FLASHBACKS: Not only was the grammar lacking, but there were also randomly inserted flashbacks in the middle of the plot that did not add to the storyline. I completely get the use of a well-placed flashback, but here, it seemed like the author just lobbed in flashbacks at random, instead of tying memories in cohesively.
BADLY EXECUTED HUMOR: I'll preface this by saying I enjoy a good laugh, I really do. We all know that to tell a joke, especially through writing, it's got to be a bit snappy and "release" the joke at just the right time, instead of building up and fumbling the joke. Unfortunately, a lot of the jokes in this book were really lame and dragged on for too long. There was nothing satisfying or snappy about the jokes here. Seriously, some of the jokes took like 2 paragraphs to build up, and even then, they weren't even funny.
TLDR; Honestly, I feel like this could still use a lot of work. Can someone please "circle back" to this book and give it the serious reworking it needs?
2-2.5 stars. Feels like it is in the preliminary draft stages and sorely needs some serious reworking and stylistic editing.
I'll be honest - this was not a good read and it just was not for me. Before you say I'm a Negative Nancy, I'll let you know that I do not give out bad reviews lightly. In fact, I try to be as generous as possible within the limits of my honesty.
There were several issues that immediately jumped out at me as soon as I started chapter one.
WRITING STYLE/GRAMMATICAL ISSUES: I have a problem with the grammar in this book. We all know that if used correctly, grammar can greatly enhance the "flow" of a sentence. But within the first chapter, we encounter issues where the grammar just brings the entire sentence to a screeching halt, such as mixing past and present tenses together in one sentence (i.e. "A was running, B was laughing, and C walks."). There is also the misuse of "would/could" when it should be "will/can." In sum, not a big deal, but little issues like this start to pile up and ruin the flow of the story. Every time I thought, "Okay, this sentence has a nice flow, I like where this is going," it was immediately butchered by one of the above issues.
(EDIT: Also, I just realized the author's Goodreads biography blurb has the same issue: "When she is not writing, she is reading, on the hunt for delicious eats, or dreaming about her next travel adventure.")
Personally, when I write, I literally sit down, print out a physical copy of my draft, and make edits right there on the paper. Yes, this means that I have to go through a LOT of drafts when I do this. But each time I come back to my revised draft, I find something new to fix. This type of attention to detail and repetitive editing was something that this book sorely needed - and COMPLETELY lacked. There were so many trouble areas, issues, and sentences that could have been tightened up and made snappier, if someone had just sat down and fixed the grammar and tone of the story. Of course, I know that this story must have gone through many drafts - which only makes it more disappointing. Please - someone get a new pair of eyes on this and fix it up!
CHOPPY/UNEVEN FLASHBACKS: Not only was the grammar lacking, but there were also randomly inserted flashbacks in the middle of the plot that did not add to the storyline. I completely get the use of a well-placed flashback, but here, it seemed like the author just lobbed in flashbacks at random, instead of tying memories in cohesively.
BADLY EXECUTED HUMOR: I'll preface this by saying I enjoy a good laugh, I really do. We all know that to tell a joke, especially through writing, it's got to be a bit snappy and "release" the joke at just the right time, instead of building up and fumbling the joke. Unfortunately, a lot of the jokes in this book were really lame and dragged on for too long. There was nothing satisfying or snappy about the jokes here. Seriously, some of the jokes took like 2 paragraphs to build up, and even then, they weren't even funny.
TLDR; Honestly, I feel like this could still use a lot of work. Can someone please "circle back" to this book and give it the serious reworking it needs?
December 6, 2022
⭐️.5/5 stars
I'm writing this review right after finishing this book so everything is fresh on my mind.
This book started so strong, but by the end I was so over it. I'm not sure how that happened! Let me bullet point to try and figure it out.
1. At first I thought Matt and Cadence were both sweethearts, but as the book went on I started to dislike a lot of things that Matt said/did. One, he made a rude comment about practical underwear that rubbed me the wrong way. Cadence does not exist to look pretty for you at all times! 🙄 Two, he constantly talked down on Cadence's after-work wardrobe which consists of really unfashionable unflattering clothes for some reason that she thinks works to counteract the severity of the fast fashion problem. Her comment annoyed me because it made no sense (she basically said she doesn't spend money on clothes no one else will see...idk like dressing for yourself isn't a thing??) but his comments are all about how you can't see her tight body under the baggy clothes. 😒 Three, he slammed a dresser drawer when they were having a heated argument because the conversation was not going his way and he held on to one of her duffle bags when she tried to leave and he didn't want her to. 🤢 I just generally thought he was sweet at the beginning of the book, but he annoyed me by the end (actually he annoyed me by the middle).
2. The last conversation that Cadence had with her dad and that Matt had with his mom before they reunited was NOT a good case for love. Cadence's dad mentioned that her mom stayed with him and would constantly say that he should be lucky she did because he couldn't get anyone else. Matt's mom said that you should fight through your incompatibility. I'm sorry....but no to both of these assessments. I fully admit that this might be a culture divide, but that's just not what I would want the older adults in my life to tell me about LOVE when convincing me to give it a shot. Sounds like not a good time!
3. Too much work BS. I know this is a workplace romance book, but I was hoping for a little bit more of a connection between Cadence and Matt that didn't revolve around work.
4. Not enough romance! Plenty of comments by both of them about how they were attracted to each other, but barely any swoon. I think there was the most swoon in the first 20% of the book when they both didn't show their cards.
All in all, a pretty meh read!
I'm writing this review right after finishing this book so everything is fresh on my mind.
This book started so strong, but by the end I was so over it. I'm not sure how that happened! Let me bullet point to try and figure it out.
1. At first I thought Matt and Cadence were both sweethearts, but as the book went on I started to dislike a lot of things that Matt said/did. One, he made a rude comment about practical underwear that rubbed me the wrong way. Cadence does not exist to look pretty for you at all times! 🙄 Two, he constantly talked down on Cadence's after-work wardrobe which consists of really unfashionable unflattering clothes for some reason that she thinks works to counteract the severity of the fast fashion problem. Her comment annoyed me because it made no sense (she basically said she doesn't spend money on clothes no one else will see...idk like dressing for yourself isn't a thing??) but his comments are all about how you can't see her tight body under the baggy clothes. 😒 Three, he slammed a dresser drawer when they were having a heated argument because the conversation was not going his way and he held on to one of her duffle bags when she tried to leave and he didn't want her to. 🤢 I just generally thought he was sweet at the beginning of the book, but he annoyed me by the end (actually he annoyed me by the middle).
2. The last conversation that Cadence had with her dad and that Matt had with his mom before they reunited was NOT a good case for love. Cadence's dad mentioned that her mom stayed with him and would constantly say that he should be lucky she did because he couldn't get anyone else. Matt's mom said that you should fight through your incompatibility. I'm sorry....but no to both of these assessments. I fully admit that this might be a culture divide, but that's just not what I would want the older adults in my life to tell me about LOVE when convincing me to give it a shot. Sounds like not a good time!
3. Too much work BS. I know this is a workplace romance book, but I was hoping for a little bit more of a connection between Cadence and Matt that didn't revolve around work.
4. Not enough romance! Plenty of comments by both of them about how they were attracted to each other, but barely any swoon. I think there was the most swoon in the first 20% of the book when they both didn't show their cards.
All in all, a pretty meh read!
January 2, 2022
Thank you so much to Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was an enjoyable read for the most part! I definitely liked Circling Back to You more than The Donut Trap, especially because it was marketed properly as a romance this time and because it was dual-POV. That being said, I still definitely feel like there were places for improvement, with the plot and its pace, as well as the character development. The story starts off smack dab in the middle of Cadence and Matt's relationship, with them already having known each other/being work friends and already having secret feelings for each other. I think it would have been nice to see the progression of how they got there instead of having the story start later on in their relationship.
I also agree with other reviewers that the middle chunk could have been more fast paced. While I enjoyed seeing the dynamic between Cadence, Tristan, and their Dad (Julie Tieu once again nails the discussion of being the child of Asian immigrant parents & the responsibilities that typically come along with it), I think the real estate plot was dragging on a bit. I would liked a little more actions or events to make that section of the story more engaging. Also, the explicit scenes between Matt and Cadence were so bland lol. It honestly should have been fade to black or closed door because they felt super rushed and underwhelming.
Some of my highlights of this novel were Matt's POV chapters, which were so fun to read. I also appreciate how open Matt and Cadence were with each other, which prevented any miscommunication. The reconciliation scene in the last 1/5 of the novel was also super sweet too. Overall, I'd give this about 3.5 stars, rounded up!
This was an enjoyable read for the most part! I definitely liked Circling Back to You more than The Donut Trap, especially because it was marketed properly as a romance this time and because it was dual-POV. That being said, I still definitely feel like there were places for improvement, with the plot and its pace, as well as the character development. The story starts off smack dab in the middle of Cadence and Matt's relationship, with them already having known each other/being work friends and already having secret feelings for each other. I think it would have been nice to see the progression of how they got there instead of having the story start later on in their relationship.
I also agree with other reviewers that the middle chunk could have been more fast paced. While I enjoyed seeing the dynamic between Cadence, Tristan, and their Dad (Julie Tieu once again nails the discussion of being the child of Asian immigrant parents & the responsibilities that typically come along with it), I think the real estate plot was dragging on a bit. I would liked a little more actions or events to make that section of the story more engaging. Also, the explicit scenes between Matt and Cadence were so bland lol. It honestly should have been fade to black or closed door because they felt super rushed and underwhelming.
Some of my highlights of this novel were Matt's POV chapters, which were so fun to read. I also appreciate how open Matt and Cadence were with each other, which prevented any miscommunication. The reconciliation scene in the last 1/5 of the novel was also super sweet too. Overall, I'd give this about 3.5 stars, rounded up!
December 8, 2021
3.5 stars
Delightful workplace romcom starring Asian MCs—YES to representation!—Cadence and Matt. They’ve sat next to each other at work for years, always found each other attractive but have never acted on it.
Cadence is the grump of the duo—analytical and reserved, preferring to keep her personal and professional lives separate. Matt is the charismatic commercial real estate broker who brings her coffee every morning, and is gunning for a promotion that will see him lead the new office in LA. When an important contract hangs in the balance with a particularly challenging client, they team up to try and seal the deal. This puts them spending two weeks together in close quarters, and you know what that means… 😉😉
I would rate Circling Back to You as low steam, but Cadence and Matt definitely have good chemistry. I found their flirty brand of teasing amusing and charming. The portrayal of stereotypical asian family dynamics—large unruly group of cousins, nosy aunties, meddling family matriarch, hard-nosed Chinese father etc.—felt immensely relatable to me, hilarious yet filled with so much love. This book is half set in San Francisco, where I live, so I really appreciated all the SF-specific jokes about “Karl” the Fog!
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Delightful workplace romcom starring Asian MCs—YES to representation!—Cadence and Matt. They’ve sat next to each other at work for years, always found each other attractive but have never acted on it.
Cadence is the grump of the duo—analytical and reserved, preferring to keep her personal and professional lives separate. Matt is the charismatic commercial real estate broker who brings her coffee every morning, and is gunning for a promotion that will see him lead the new office in LA. When an important contract hangs in the balance with a particularly challenging client, they team up to try and seal the deal. This puts them spending two weeks together in close quarters, and you know what that means… 😉😉
I would rate Circling Back to You as low steam, but Cadence and Matt definitely have good chemistry. I found their flirty brand of teasing amusing and charming. The portrayal of stereotypical asian family dynamics—large unruly group of cousins, nosy aunties, meddling family matriarch, hard-nosed Chinese father etc.—felt immensely relatable to me, hilarious yet filled with so much love. This book is half set in San Francisco, where I live, so I really appreciated all the SF-specific jokes about “Karl” the Fog!
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 23, 2022
It was supposed to give… but it did not give, what needed to be gave… to the highest… of giving.
July 8, 2022
4.5 stars
rep: Chinese-American protagonist, Filipino-American protagonist, Chinese-American side characters, Filipino-American side character; (Chinese-American author)
cw: mentions of death of a parent (mother)
The Donut Trap was one of my favorite releases of 2021, so I was unbelievably excited for Julie Tieu’s next book! After reading the summary for it, I was even more excited for it, and I loved it. Circling Back to You was a hot romance outside of the office that also explored complex family dynamics.
Matt Escanilla is up for a big promotion that’ll allow him to move to L.A. to be closer to his family, like he’s always wanted—but only if he makes this huge sale. Cadence Lim is ready to move on from their company but is unsure of her next steps; she’s roped into helping Matt when the client mistakenly dials her extension, and he takes a liking to her. They end up taking a business trip to L.A. that also coincides with both of their plans to visit family, and along the way, they must decide whether or not to give into the intense attraction that’s been lingering between them for years.
Not to compare them, but this book was a bit tonally different from The Donut Trap. For one thing, I would say Circling Back to You is more of a romance in the way you expect, especially with both Matt’s and Cadence’s points-of-view. Also, there were a lot steamier scenes; while the sex scene in The Donut Trap was closed-door/fadeaway, that’s not the case in this book.
The romance was amazing! Matt and Cadence were so great together; they’ve been work husband and wife for years, with their co-workers banking on them hooking up, but both of them has been unwilling to breach their friendship in case the other person didn’t like them. However, the L.A. business trip reveals a new side to both of them, and they can’t help but give into their attraction. I liked how supportive and caring they were of each other!
I really loved the characters! Cadence is willful and knows what she wants; I loved reading of her certainty and ability to achieve her goals. Matt also is working hard toward his promotion, and I liked how family-oriented he was. They really made a great couple, wanting to help the other succeed.
It was interesting seeing Cadence’s and Matt’s family dynamics juxtaposed. Cadence is fairly estranged from her family. Her mother died five years ago, and since then, her older brother Tristan has been living with and taking care of their father. She feels guilty for not being present in their lives but also doesn’t know how to bond with her dad, especially since she feels he didn’t properly care for her throughout her life. I liked reading about her navigating her relationship with Tristan and her dad while she’s in L.A.
Meanwhile, Matt has a large family who are all very close with each other. He loves them but is upset by the fact that all they care about is his love life, or rather, lack thereof. Even when he brings Cadence along (they’re together at this point), he’s annoyed that they immediately dig into when they’re getting married and when they’re having children. As much as a close family is nice, it’s also a bit irritating constantly being inspected. Even though he and Cadence have different dynamics with their respective families, it’s clear that they both hold a lot of love for them.
Cadence is Chinese American and Matt is Filipino American. I liked seeing both of their cultures casually being shown throughout the book! We always need more Asian representation, especially Southeast Asian representation, in the adult romance genre.
Circling Back to You was a heartfelt workplace romance. I loved the characters and watching them navigate their relationships with their families. This book is one of my favorites of 2022 already (I’m writing this review in 2021); if you’re looking for a great co-workers romance with great character arcs, I definitely recommend Circling Back to You!
ahhhh I read this in like one sitting omg it was so good!! co-worker romance (but no fake dating btw)
read on my blog
rep: Chinese-American protagonist, Filipino-American protagonist, Chinese-American side characters, Filipino-American side character; (Chinese-American author)
cw: mentions of death of a parent (mother)
**I received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley. These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**
The Donut Trap was one of my favorite releases of 2021, so I was unbelievably excited for Julie Tieu’s next book! After reading the summary for it, I was even more excited for it, and I loved it. Circling Back to You was a hot romance outside of the office that also explored complex family dynamics.
Matt Escanilla is up for a big promotion that’ll allow him to move to L.A. to be closer to his family, like he’s always wanted—but only if he makes this huge sale. Cadence Lim is ready to move on from their company but is unsure of her next steps; she’s roped into helping Matt when the client mistakenly dials her extension, and he takes a liking to her. They end up taking a business trip to L.A. that also coincides with both of their plans to visit family, and along the way, they must decide whether or not to give into the intense attraction that’s been lingering between them for years.
Not to compare them, but this book was a bit tonally different from The Donut Trap. For one thing, I would say Circling Back to You is more of a romance in the way you expect, especially with both Matt’s and Cadence’s points-of-view. Also, there were a lot steamier scenes; while the sex scene in The Donut Trap was closed-door/fadeaway, that’s not the case in this book.
The romance was amazing! Matt and Cadence were so great together; they’ve been work husband and wife for years, with their co-workers banking on them hooking up, but both of them has been unwilling to breach their friendship in case the other person didn’t like them. However, the L.A. business trip reveals a new side to both of them, and they can’t help but give into their attraction. I liked how supportive and caring they were of each other!
I really loved the characters! Cadence is willful and knows what she wants; I loved reading of her certainty and ability to achieve her goals. Matt also is working hard toward his promotion, and I liked how family-oriented he was. They really made a great couple, wanting to help the other succeed.
It was interesting seeing Cadence’s and Matt’s family dynamics juxtaposed. Cadence is fairly estranged from her family. Her mother died five years ago, and since then, her older brother Tristan has been living with and taking care of their father. She feels guilty for not being present in their lives but also doesn’t know how to bond with her dad, especially since she feels he didn’t properly care for her throughout her life. I liked reading about her navigating her relationship with Tristan and her dad while she’s in L.A.
Meanwhile, Matt has a large family who are all very close with each other. He loves them but is upset by the fact that all they care about is his love life, or rather, lack thereof. Even when he brings Cadence along (they’re together at this point), he’s annoyed that they immediately dig into when they’re getting married and when they’re having children. As much as a close family is nice, it’s also a bit irritating constantly being inspected. Even though he and Cadence have different dynamics with their respective families, it’s clear that they both hold a lot of love for them.
Cadence is Chinese American and Matt is Filipino American. I liked seeing both of their cultures casually being shown throughout the book! We always need more Asian representation, especially Southeast Asian representation, in the adult romance genre.
Circling Back to You was a heartfelt workplace romance. I loved the characters and watching them navigate their relationships with their families. This book is one of my favorites of 2022 already (I’m writing this review in 2021); if you’re looking for a great co-workers romance with great character arcs, I definitely recommend Circling Back to You!
original review:
ahhhh I read this in like one sitting omg it was so good!! co-worker romance (but no fake dating btw)
July 20, 2022
Review to come.
April 6, 2023
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Circling Back To You is a contemporary office rom-com that started off strong but personally fell flat for me as I was reading the book. Even though this was a cute read, it didn't deliver on the best friends-to-lovers and fake dating trope.
We have our two main characters Matt and Candence who both work at Prism Realty in cubicles right next to each other. Matt is a broker and Cadence is an analyst for the company. Cadence has had a crush on Matt for a while but never acted on it because seems to be a ladies' man in the office. A lot of people in the office are placing bets on when they would get together and jokingly call Matt Cadence’s work husband.
Through a deal with a potential client that seems like it won’t go through for Matt. Their boss orders them to go to their hometown for the new office and to solidify the deal with a potential client. Even though I feel that everything that Cadence can be done remotely, she was ordered to go to as well. On her vacation time which I personally would have said no to. Especially since she is complaining about her low pay and the lack of a bonus. Also, she was dealing with the anniversary of her mom's death. But there she goes to work on her vacation. I don’t understand why she needed to go, all the work she did. Could have been remote work as I said.
First off, the chemistry felt off between our two main characters Matt and Cadence. Other than their personal struggles with their family, you don’t get to see what really bonds the two other than they work cubicles next to each other in the beginning. When they finally hooked me, the impression I got was. Okay, that happened.
Secondly, there essentially was supposed to be a fake dating trope. But all we got was Matt not really being straightforward with his Lola about the girlfriend situation. When he was boarding the flight, he just asked a favor Cadence could just come with him to the family party? In return, he will give her the crossword puzzle answer and of course, she agreed. There wasn’t really anything about Cadence agreeing to be a fake girlfriend at Matt's family's birthday party. Unless I missed it, they literally hooked up way before they went to the party so is this really technically a fake dating trope?
When they finally hooked up, there wasn’t really any angst about them finally getting together. Cadence claims that she wanted to take it slow, but it was the next day they hooked up after she got drunk. So there was no build-up to the situation when two people in rom-coms finally get together.
This book wasn’t totally terrible but it fell flat for me. I wish there was more to the fake dating and the best friends-to-lovers trope.
December 14, 2021
I really enjoyed this one! I started it at school as a filler book, and ended up bingeing the entire thing instead of studying (oops). Not my fault though, the characters hooked me immediately!
They were both so well developed, and so loveable. In so many romances, the male lead is a dick, and it's excused because he's hot. This book dodged that, and I loved it so much for that. He was genuinely a good person. And Cadence was just as loveable. Her struggles were relatable, and she really called to me as a character.
I also really enjoyed the dual POV structure. It helped develop both characters, and made both of them feel like friends, not just paper figures. It also helped keep the story interesting, as you never got tired of the character you were reading.
Finally, I really enjoyed the workplace dynamic in this one. In some ways, it reminded me of The Hating Game, but I enjoyed it so much more. The workplace setting helped throw in some romcom elements and I loved it.
After hitting a mini book slump, I'm super happy I picked this one up! It was adorable, and the perfect book to binge.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
They were both so well developed, and so loveable. In so many romances, the male lead is a dick, and it's excused because he's hot. This book dodged that, and I loved it so much for that. He was genuinely a good person. And Cadence was just as loveable. Her struggles were relatable, and she really called to me as a character.
I also really enjoyed the dual POV structure. It helped develop both characters, and made both of them feel like friends, not just paper figures. It also helped keep the story interesting, as you never got tired of the character you were reading.
Finally, I really enjoyed the workplace dynamic in this one. In some ways, it reminded me of The Hating Game, but I enjoyed it so much more. The workplace setting helped throw in some romcom elements and I loved it.
After hitting a mini book slump, I'm super happy I picked this one up! It was adorable, and the perfect book to binge.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
December 30, 2023
while the cover is an absolute 10/10, the story itself unfortunately didn‘t work for me.
i loved the multicultural aspect of the protagonists (and their families), but i had a hard time trying to connect with any of them. cadence and matt‘s relationship seemed off. it might be that the story doesn‘t show enough of how they fall in love and why they are great together, or maybe it’s the lack of flirty banter, or maybe it‘s the pacing. i couldn‘t grasp their chemistry, and so there was nothing for me to root for.
this wasn‘t a bad book, it just simply felt more like a draft version that still needs an editor that gets the best out of it. but then again, maybe i‘m not the target audience?
i loved the multicultural aspect of the protagonists (and their families), but i had a hard time trying to connect with any of them. cadence and matt‘s relationship seemed off. it might be that the story doesn‘t show enough of how they fall in love and why they are great together, or maybe it’s the lack of flirty banter, or maybe it‘s the pacing. i couldn‘t grasp their chemistry, and so there was nothing for me to root for.
this wasn‘t a bad book, it just simply felt more like a draft version that still needs an editor that gets the best out of it. but then again, maybe i‘m not the target audience?
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