Fake Dates and Mooncakes

by Sher Lee

Heartstopper meets Crazy Rich Asians in this heartfelt, joyful paperback original rom-com that follows an aspiring chef who discovers the recipe for love is more complicated than it seems when he starts fake-dating a handsome new customer.

Dylan Tang wants to win a Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake-making competition for teen chefs—in memory of his mom, and to bring much-needed publicity to his aunt’s struggling Chinese takeout in Brooklyn.

Enter Theo charming, wealthy, with a smile that makes Dylan’s stomach do backflips. AKA a distraction. Their worlds are sun-and-moon apart, but Theo keeps showing up. He even convinces Dylan to be his fake date at a family wedding in the Hamptons.

In Theo’s glittering world of pomp, privilege, and crazy rich drama, their romance is supposed to be just pretend . . . but Dylan finds himself falling for Theo. For real. Then Theo’s relatives reveal their true colors—but with the mooncake contest looming, Dylan can’t risk being sidetracked by rich-people problems.

Can Dylan save his family’s business and follow his heart—or will he fail to do both?

Genres: Romance, LGBT, Young Adult, Contemporary, Queer, Audiobook, Fiction

268 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 16, 2023

About the author

Sher Lee writes young adult novels with Asian characters. She lives in Singapore and has an abiding love for local street food (including an incredible weakness for xiao long bao). She has two adorable corgis, Clover and Spade.

Her debut YA rom-com, FAKE DATES AND MOONCAKES, is published by Penguin Random House (US) and Macmillan (UK), and has been translated in Spain, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Brazil, and the Czech Republic.

Her YA fantasy, LEGEND OF THE WHITE SNAKE, is published by HarperCollins (US) and Macmillan (UK), and will be translated in Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, and Brazil.

Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.

Reviews

[Noah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m going to try to map out my thought process with this book because it did NOT leave a good first impression on me, and if I’m honest, a good lasting impression either! Seriously, it’s been a minute since a book made me angry to the point of using two exclamation marks in a row! Three now, no... four!! Okay look, just know that I spent most of my time with this book reading every word with a knitted-brow, like, I was on some Clint Eastwood type shit. Alright, let's set the scene, shall we? So, we open with our main character Dylan helping his aunt deliver take-out from their Chinese restaurant, but problems arise when on the last delivery of a very long day he suddenly gets berated and belittled by a dick bag customer named Adrian for getting the order wrong. It's whatever though, right? Because after this he can just go home, but it just so happens that this asshole is the best friend and ex to the love-interest, Theo. Adrian is the source of a lot of the conflict throughout the novel and we’re clearly supposed to hate him, which... yeah, I did, but I also thought it reflected terribly on Theo himself! It's like whenever there's a popstar with a large LGBT+ audience and they consider themselves an ally, only to then end up dating some dude who carries the most unsavory of views. Anyway, a lot of this drama and tension is quickly waved away by Theo being all like, “oh well, my bestie Adrian was the one who was acting like a jerk, not I! I wanted nothing but peace!” Yeah well, who exactly remained friends with the jerk!?!? You did! And if you're so damn pure, then why would you stay friends with someone so toxic, let alone live with them? Sorry, but who you surround yourself with is reflective of who you are. No getting around it. Now, this might sound a little weird, but would have liked this a little more if Theo was the one who started off as the jerk character, because that way he would have at least had something resembling a character arc. In my opinion, it’s worse to have all this half-assed false drama that can all be pushed onto a convenient, yet unimportant villain character, as this only helps to absolve Theo of any and all accountability. Maybe that way he could have learned how to become a better person through Dylan? I don’t know. Something needed to change and it would have been nice if somebody called him out! Moving on, it turns out that there's more than enough anger to go around, because would you look at that... I thought that all the other characters were annoying too! All of Theo’s random family members? Didn’t like them and didn’t bother to learn their names. But what about Dylan’s family? Well, they fared a little better, but his cousin Megan does out him in her first appearance which was incredibly jarring to me.

I mean, I’m pretty sure Dylan was out and proud anyway because he doesn’t get angry about it or mention it in any way, but it is something I noticed. Personally, I wouldn't like someone casually outing me... like I just did to myself right there, but there's a difference in me saying something and somebody else doing so. I know what I'm comfortable with. As for the story, I really wish I were less knowledgeable about common romance tropes so this book would have felt a little fresher and less like it were just going down the same tired checklist. Every now and then I would be like, “Yup, there’s the one bed they'll have to share. Sure, 'fake dating,' why not? Oh cool, we're 80% in, time for the break-up chapter! I know this one!” Okay wait, let's put a pin in that, because I actually need to go back to talking trash about Theo for a second. Another thing about him is that every time Dylan is thrown into some other insidious plot created by his shitty family, Theo is all like, “Let me protect you! Let me worry about this and that!” But why would anyone trust this dude? It’s not like he’s "handled" anything else in this dumbass book. His only real solution is waving around his wallet and offering to buy Dylan expensive stuff! It's like how that one Twitch streamer constantly screams slurs out and then whenever he's called out on it, he immediately tries to donate to queer focused charities or whatever, and it's like... what a vapid and cynically hollow response. And similarly, Theo is depressingly shallow as well. I mean, most of this book is just Dylan being thrown to the sharks and dealing with it like a pro, and then Theo being an impressed onlooker. He. Didn’t. Do. ANYTHING!!! Um, I’ve been pretty negative about this, so I’m going to try to find some middle-ground. I like the title? Hooray for rhyming titles! What else? Hey, I think the cover’s cute too. Okay, that’s enough positivity. I honestly really wanted to like this book, and I think at its best it’s that Alicia Keys song, “You Don’t Know my Name,” and at its worst it’s… something not as good, like a song from one of her later albums? Oh wait, I've got it, Fake Dates and Mooncakes is the literature equivalent of Alicia Keys missing the first note of "My Boo" at Usher's Super Bowl. Look, If I were in a better mood, I’d probably rate this higher, but I'm not, so I won't. After a while I think I just realized I spent all my time hate-reading this book and impatiently waiting for it to be over. I do want to try eating some mooncakes though! So, silver linings and all that or whatever.

[Mariana ✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5 * – insta love ruins yet another story…….



Basically, these 2 boys met, were immediately attracted to each other, started trauma dumping on their 2nd conversation and pretty soon after they already liked each other. 🙄😑🥱 I have like 70 notes about this book, and they’re mostly just me being like: “Why are you already in love?”, “You’re strangers. Stop acting like this”, “Too soon to have a crush (y’all met yesterday).”, “This is weird. You don’t know each other!”.

I HATE insta love! Not only is it super unrealistic (you can’t convince me you like someone you’ve talked to like 3 times in total!), but it’s also a terrible way to write a romance, because it literally means that there’s no development! We never get to see these characters getting to know each other, falling in love, figuring out that their love is reciprocated, etc, because we speedrun all of that and they somehow like each other despite practically being strangers! I’m soooo sick and tired of insta love! Abolish insta love from all books!!!

This book also had other annoying things, besides the insta love, like a stupid 3rd act conflict (they get together, less than 20 pages later break up for a stupid reason, and then another less than 20 pages and they’re together again 😑😑😑). The writing was kinda weird at times, too. Also, I didn’t really care about the other things happening in this book (though that might just be because I was annoyed at the insta love).

With that said, if you’re into underdeveloped romances, and you enjoy some cheesy scenes between 2 people who are basically strangers that you’re somehow supposed to believe are in love with each other, read this book! The cheese will be delivered, and at least it’s a fast read. I just personally didn't love it.


(review written on 19/05/2023)

-----------

(21/05/2022)

god this sounds soooo cheesy..... 🙄🙄🙄

.....

[Nikola · Rating 4 out of 5]

To była naprawdę świetna rozrywka. Bawiłam się pysznie!

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aww, look at this cover. Isn’t it stunning? I adore it so much, and it made me want to read the book badly. So my heart beat a little faster when I found the ARC in my email. Because what if my expectations were too high?

I shouldn’t have worried, though. Fake Dates and Mooncakes is as optimistic as Heartstopper, as fluffy as A Little Bit Country, and as vivid as Lose You to Find me (Erik J. Brown, not out yet). When I started reading, a smile grew on my face. Butterflies whirled through my belly when Dylan and Theo were in The Hamptons, and that first smile never left my face. Those two boys were so adorable together! I loved Dylan's bond with his family, but my heart ached at times because of Theo’s relationship with his dad. I wanted to hug him at those moments and I was so happy Dylan’s family welcomed Theo so warmly. What made this story extra special was the presence of Chinese culture, especially the food. All those descriptions made me drool!

Sher, I swooned over your perfect debut and am eagerly waiting for your next book. I need it now! Thanks so much for letting me read Dylan’s and Theo’s story early!

I received an ARC from Random House Children’s Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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[Charlie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fake Dates and Mooncakes is a book that I've been excited to read for months. I will always gobble up any queer story that features the fake dating trope. The beautiful cover made my excitement skyrocket, so when I received an ARC, I was completely ready to dive into the story.

The wedding was definitely the strongest portion of the novel. We've all had to show up to a family function we didn't really want to go to, and dragging someone along with you to share in the pain is part of the fun. Terri's meltdown was a fun moment. The insane dynamics of rich families will never cease to amaze me. I felt for Dylan as he struggled to navigate an infuriatingly strange new world.

I have always wanted a Corgi so I was incredibly jealous of Dylan's little companion.

I personally do not see the Heartstopper comparison. I think a lot of achillean books are being compared to Heartstopper simply because... they feature two young queer protagonists. I wish books would stop being compared to popular titles because it creates unrealistic expectations.

There were a few themes that I felt could have been explored more, particularly grief. I felt like I was often being told about what the characters had lost, but never shown. For this reason, I struggled to fully connect with the characters. A few moments were brushed over that could have been expanded for the benefit of developing the characters. I felt like Dylan had a real purpose and drive, he knew what he wanted and knew what to do to achieve his dreams. I think Theo lacked the same drive. I wasn't sure what his purpose was beyond being Dylan's love interest. The secondary characters and their families really brightened the atmosphere. I adored Dylan's aunt, and loved Theo's crazy family so much that I wish we spent more time with them. There were some really great descriptions of food that were very detailed. Food descriptions in books have never really enticed me but I enjoyed learning about mooncakes. I was highly anticipating the baking competition and it fell flat.

Thank you to the author & Random House Children's for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I post about queer books on: Instagram Twitter TikTok

[Astra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know like everyone says don’t judge a book by its cover, but we all do 👀. I get way more tempted to read a book if I like the cover, and this cover is one of my absolute favorites with all the pastel colors. The fake dating bit was my favorite and the end was very heartwarming. If you just want a good sweet story with an interesting but also fun plot I would definitely recommend this book. (4.5)

[Mai H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am making my way through my YA backlog, and while I meant to read this book for API month, it sort of fell through the cracks, so here we are.

You can read the synopsis for yourself, so I won't bore you with that, but this is a sort of youngish CRAZY RICH ASIANS (the book/movie is actually mentioned), but gay.

The boys are super cute, obviously, but I could've done with less of Theo's friend Adrian. And his butler. And his dad. And a lot of his family. Rich people problems. Dylan is a precious cinnamon roll that must be protected at all costs.

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Underlined

[Flo Camus · Rating 2 out of 5]

[2.0⭐] 𝙇𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙩𝙖 𝙙𝙚𝙡 𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙧 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙙𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙤: 𝙐𝙣𝙖 𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙖 𝙙𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙨𝙤𝙨 𝙮 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙤𝙨 𝙙𝙚 𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙖 es una novela juvenil contemporánea escrita por Sher Lee y publicada en 2023. La historia sigue a Dylan Tang, un adolescente que trabaja en el restaurante de su tía en Brooklyn y que está decidido a ganar un concurso de pasteles de luna tanto para honrar la memoria de su madre como para dar visibilidad al local que está en decadencia. Todo da un giro cuando aparece Theo Somers, un chico rico, guapo, encantador y lleno de privilegios, que tras una generosa donación al restaurante, convence a Dylan de fingir ser su pareja para asistir juntos a una boda familiar en los Hamptons. 


Lo primero que quiero decir es que, a pesar de mi nota baja, sí aprendí más sobre la cultura china con este libro que en muchos otros espacios. No soy una persona que disfrute particularmente de cocinar (ni de leer sobre cocina), pero debo admitir que me gustó lo detallado del libro en cuanto a las preparaciones, sabores y la importancia simbólica de cada plato. Me sorprendí descubriendo recetas, tradiciones y pequeños gestos culturales que me parecieron bellísimos. Incluso, anoté un par de nombres de comidas que quiero probar en algún momento. En ese sentido, el libro se siente como un homenaje muy sincero a la comida como expresión de afecto y herencia, algo que me pareció sumamente encantador.

Ahora bien, todo lo demás: meh. La historia no me emocionó y eso es lo mínimo que espero de una novela romántica, aunque sea juvenil. El mayor problema que tuve fue lo precipitado que se sintió todo. El romance entre Dylan y Theo es el clásico instalove que simplemente no logro disfrutar. Se conocen, coquetean y en menos del 15% del libro ya estamos hablando de citas, regalos de cinco mil dólares (¿no será mucho?), promesas intensas y miradas que lo dicen todo. ¡Cinco mil dólares! ¿Quién regala eso a alguien que acaba de conocer? Esa clase de situaciones me sacaban por completo de la historia porque no podía evitar pensar lo irreal que era todo, incluso dentro del género. No hubo espacio para que los personajes construyeran algo creíble y eso, para mí, le quitó todo el encanto. Para mí, los protagonistas carecían de una verdadera conexión emocional.

Además, siento que el tono general del libro era demasiado “puber”. Entiendo que es una novela juvenil, pero había momentos en que las referencias a Blackpink, el k-pop, TikTok y demás me hacían rodar los ojos y no es que tenga algo en contra de esos elementos, pero su uso se sentía más como una estrategia de marketing que como una parte natural de la historia. 
Eso sí, puntos extras por mencionar a Jackson Pollock. No me lo esperaba para nada en esta historia y, como me gusta mucho su arte y el movimiento al que perteneció, fue una pequeña alegría verlo aparecer ahí, casi como un guiño para quienes tenemos otros intereses más allá del idol coreano.

Otra cosa a favor es que los capítulos eran cortos, lo que hizo que la lectura fuera muy rápida y ligera. El estilo de narración es sencillo, y eso lo hace ideal para quienes buscan una lectura cozy, sin conflictos demasiado intensos ni giros dramáticos. En mi caso, venía de una lectura bastante densa que me había dejado emocionalmente agotada, así que estaba buscando precisamente algo así: una historia tierna, reconfortante, que me dejara el corazón calentito, pero me temo que este libro no lo logró. No consiguió hacerme sentir nada profundo. No me encariñé con los personajes, no me conmovió la relación, no me pareció entrañable la evolución. 

Además, el ritmo no ayuda. Todo es tan rápido que no hay tiempo para que el lector procese nada. En un capítulo están en Brooklyn, al siguiente están en los Hamptons, de nuevo en Brooklyn, luego Theo viaja de la nada a Singapur para conseguir un ingrediente y conocer a los abuelos de Dylan. ¿Perdón? ¿En qué momento se volvieron tan intensos? Siento que si el libro se hubiese tomado más tiempo en desarrollar la relación, en construir tensión emocional y en profundizar en las motivaciones reales de los personajes, podría haber sido muchísimo más efectivo y emotivo, en vez de parecer tan precipitado e intenso.

Honestamente, hay momentos que parecen sacados directamente de un fanfic adolescente de Wattpad. Las resoluciones de los conflictos son excesivamente fáciles, los personajes secundarios están para decir “¡ay, qué adorables son!” y reforzar lo mucho que se gustan los protagonistas, en lugar de ser individuos con agencia propia. Es como si todo estuviera diseñado para que el lector sepa que esto es un romance cute, pero no para que realmente lo sienta.

Algo positivo: el libro es cozy. Nunca sentí ansiedad, estrés ni angustia. Siempre estuve tranquila, como quien se toma una taza de té sin esperar que esa taza le cambie la vida y eso no está mal, hay veces en que necesitamos lecturas así; lecturas que no exijan, que simplemente nos dejen pasar la tarde. El problema es que, incluso buscando eso, sentí que me quedé corta, que ni siquiera en su ligereza logró ser plenamente disfrutable.
Quizás influyó también que mi lectura anterior fue muy buena y eso hizo que este libro me pareciera aún más plano. Ya sabía que no iba a encontrar una obra maestra aquí, pero esperaba algo que me hiciera sonreír, que me dejara con esa sensación de “ay, qué tierno fue esto” y no, no lo sentí. Todo pasaba demasiado rápido como para que pudiera conectar y, vuelvo a repetir: muerte al instalove. Me repele. No puedo conectar emocionalmente con relaciones que no tienen bases y, por más que lo intenté, esta no fue la excepción.


Finalmente, puedo decir que 𝙇𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙩𝙖 𝙙𝙚𝙡 𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙧 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙙𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙤 me pareció una novela simpática, con buena ambientación cultural y descripciones culinarias deliciosas, pero demasiado apresurada, superficial y dirigida a un público adolescente que busca más clichés que profundidad. No la odié, pero tampoco la disfruté, es una historia tierna y ya.

[rêverie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

i adore this book so much, the setting was perfect (i was in nyc while reading this!!) and both the main character and the love interest are written soo well + the plotline/cuisine/culture >>>

[podczytany · Rating 4 out of 5]

udawane randkowanie🙇🏻‍♂️>>>>

Uwielbiam w tej książce balans pomiędzy wątkami. Ani razu nie miałem wrażenia, że czegoś było za mało, że czegoś tu brakuje.

Dylan i Theo to niesamowicie uroczy bohaterowie, którzy zdecydowanie dorównują Nickowi i Charliemu z HS🤭 Ich relacja była delikatna, przepełniona troską i wzajemnym zainteresowaniem.

Strasznie podobało mi się przewijanie w tej historii aspektów z kultury chińskiej, zarówno za pomocą różnych przysłów jak i różnorodnych dań. Aspekt odkrywania własnych korzeni z pomocą bliskiej osoby wygrywa wszelkie nagrody mego serca🫦 Na wzmiankę zasługuje również rodzinny klimat tej książki!!

Ocena: 4,0.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a perfect 4 star read and is exactly that as is seen here because of two reasons:
1. Cute but overly familiar young adult romance regardless of the gender rep.
2. Like the book more because of the cultural/food rep, amazing side characters.

And yes, I was wishing for more intimidating characters as they were supposed to be.

Well… the cover is soooooo cute.

[Lance · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. Charming, cute, and wholesome, Fake Dates & Mooncakes is everything a YA contemporary romance should be.

[Anniek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent comfort read with perfect rereading potential. This was so cute and so fun, and I loved the focus on food and family.

[Bon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't been this conflicted on a review for a minute.

On the one hand, this is a very cute, diverse, contemporary YA Achillean romance.

Dylan is a well-rounded protagonist with goals, little quirks like funny t-shirts, and an adorably prickly rescue corgi, who moves beyond his recent family tragedy to support his aunt and cousins who took him in. I loved his tidbits about Singaporean-Chinese culture, the linguistic inclusions, and of course the food. Sooo many mouthwatering mentions of food. Cousin Megan and her love of BLACKPINK was an endearing side character, and the family's struggles to keep their restaurant going really grounded the plot.

On the other hand, I had a lot of issues with the circumstances surrounding the main pairing, even if their scenes together were super cute. On a good day, I don't love a rich+poor pairing, and I must not have read this on a good day; that trope overtook even the fun of the fake dating in this story for me. Theo constantly solves problems with money, and a lot of the would-be touching plot points are really just the result of throwing money at an issue. He constantly buttoned Dylan into pricy clothes and dragged him to decidedly uncomfortable high society events, putting Dylan under intense tabloid and familiar scrutiny.

Theo also maintains a close best-friendship with the utterly terrible character Adrian. I literally had whiplash because Theo would be really cute, and then something would happen, and the problem would be shrugged off as someone else's fault because Theo the Rich Cinnamon Roll couldn't really be a tactless, naïve idiot, could he? He's also fairly one-dimensional - nice, genuinely eager to learn more about his mother's Chinese side of his heritage, but otherwise a basic rich kid archetype who plays tennis and violin.

A frustrated three stars.

[Carlos Peguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

te da lo que promete: una historia de amor simple, cuqui y divertida que te lees en una tarde. me ha parecido un poco rollo que estén nombrando marcas de lujo cada dos páginas. aunque al final me he emocionado un poco y se me ha saltado una lagrimilla (estoy sensible). no puedo esperar a que alguien compre los derechos para adaptar esto porque como película romcom funcionaría genial

[Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fake Dates and Mooncakes is an Achillean Young Adult Contemporary Romance novel that utilises all of your favourite tropes – fake-dating, supportive family members and there’s only one bed – to make for a truly wonderful and joyous reading experience. The story follows Dylan, a seventeen-year-old boy, who helps his aunt run their family business (a Chinese takeout called Wok Warriors) after his mom’s death a year before. While delivering food, he meets rich-boy Theo Somers, the son of a powerful business man, and the two hit it off. Theo finds out about Dylan’s aunt’s struggling business and Dylan finds out that Theo needs a date for his cousin’s wedding in the Hamptons. The only solution…? To fake-date.

The most compelling aspect of this story for me was the bond between Dylan and Theo. Their immediate connection, Dylan’s shyness and Theo’s open, easy going nature made for an extremely enjoyable read that made you swoon and laugh in equal parts. Dylan’s obliviousness to Theo’s advances never once felt contrived or forced but rather like an authentic reaction from a boy who’s never been kissed and always tried to avoid too much attention. By contrast, Theo’s openness, flirtatious moves and general suaveness made for a great foil to Dylan while also portraying how Queer boys contain multitudes. The representation of gay boys is really, really strong in this book as both of our main characters are represented as fully formed people with imperfections and flaws while also being likeable and interesting. Both Dylan and Theo are the products of their experiences, upbringings and heritages and that shines so brightly the entire way through the novel.

Seeing Chinese culture explored so openly and how each story of ancient history is told was absolutely fantastic to read. The way Sher Lee was able to weave Eastern values, morals and traditions into this story made it a really special read and made each and every character feel authentic. This links to the next strength of the book which may be hinted at in the title: the presence of food. Food plays a vital role in this story not just forwarding the plot in terms of a central aspect revolving around Aunt Jade’s takeout place and the Mooncake competition that serves as the climax of the novel but also in teaching and embedding Chinese culture into the very fabric of the story. Mooncakes in particular are used as a way through which Dylan and Theo connect not just with one another but with their shared culture.

The side characters in this novel are all very strong with Megan and Aunt Jade (and of course Clover the dog!) being particular stand-outs. The emphasis this story puts on family is amazing, especially when paired with the discussions of grief that Dylan and Theo have about their mothers and the family that they each fell into respectively following.

Lee’s writing style was digestible and accessible which made it very easy to fly through this book in just two days. You’ll want to read every page over and over again due to the cuteness, fluff and delicious food packed in every sentence.

I can’t recommend Fake Dates and Mooncakes highly enough if you’re looking for a very easy to read, fun, swoony and tropey romp with two Queer boys making and eating Chinese food.

[Megan Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am very hungry now!

Fake Dates and Mooncakes is a sweet book packed with an adorable romance (with fake dating!), an exploration into Chinese culture, family ties, the most mouthwatering descriptions of food, and the best corgi™. This one is pretty short too, so it's one that you can read in a couple of sittings when you need something sweet as a pick me up. Not only is Fake Dates and Mooncakes filled with heartwarming moments, though, it also discusses grief and how difficult some families can be.

Warning: do not go into this on an empty stomach! I made this mistake and I don't think I've ever been so hungry in my entire life. Dylan's aunt owns a Chinese takeout restaurant and oh my gosh, the descriptions of the food are amazing. They are so detailed that I could practically smell the food. My poor stomach was desperate to try the different dishes. I've also never had a mooncake before and I feel like I need to remedy this immediately.

As for the story itself, I really enjoyed it! Dylan and Theo are drawn to each other pretty much right away. Usually, that's not my favorite, but the fact that Dylan and Theo's circumstances are so different and keeping them from acting on their feelings added that extra bit of tension that I'm always looking for. Both Dylan and Theo are super sweet with the perfect amount of chemistry. I love the fact that they're also awkward with each other. It makes the fact that they're teenagers exploring a relationship feel all the more real and genuine.

Additionally, I love the family ties in this book! First of all, Clover is the best girl and deserves all the treats. Second of all, I'm very excited to finally meet a character named Megan who is not a horrible person. I may not be into K-Pop, but Megan and I are definitely very similar with her love of K-Pop and my love of metal bands. (Her trying to get tickets for BlackPink reminded me of how stressful getting Bad Omens tickets is recently haha). Also, I just love the way Dylan, Megan, Aunt Jade, and Tim all support each other. They bicker like family, but when push comes to shove, they're going to show up.

It was an interesting contrast to see Theo's family dynamics versus Dylan's. His relationship with his father is really strained, and while he's close with some cousins and aunts, overall, his family situation is really rocky. I loved this because it shows that while some of us are lucky to have our family from birth, others have to find their family elsewhere. Just because we're related to someone doesn't automatically mean we have to be close or have a relationship with them. We have a choice. Just like Theo has a choice in Fake Dates and Mooncakes, even if that's something he has to learn along the way.

Overall, I really enjoyed Fake Dates and Mooncakes! The exploration into Chinese culture was wonderful, and while I was familiar with some of it already, there was still lots for me to learn!

If you're looking for a light and fun book, I definitely recommend you check this one out!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a physical ARC and a digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

And a huge thank you to Sher Lee for including me on your street team! I've absolutely loved promoting this book and working with you has been fantastic! ❤️

[Wardibonlang Pakma · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

One of the cutest books I've read this year. The plot needed some more development, but everything else is so lovely!

[kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute cute cute cute CORGI cute cute cute cute cute cute cute cute cute cute cute cute cute cute cute cute cute cute cute cute cute FOOD cute cute cute cute cute CUTE cute cute cute cute cute cute cute cute cute cute

[gauri · Rating 3 out of 5]

hmm a cute book with great culinary imageries, i enjoyed reading about Dylan and Theo and all their fake dating escapades and cultural displays. at the same time, i couldn't be invested in the story completely because the writing style was very straightforward and the typical insta love + third act breakup path didn't sit well with me.

thank you to Sher Lee for the ARC!

[hi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m so dumb I didn’t realise the characters were seventeen year old boys when I read the synopsis (yes, it is written "school" but please bear with me: I thought they were talking about actual classes your can take while being an adult? Like a cooking class idk omg). Joke’s on me (I swear they look like they are in their twenties/thirties in the cover??).
Even if they are kids, the trauma dump on their first date wasn’t necessary. AND the way the conversations flow is… weird: "Thank you for saving my cousin. Here, take this super expensive Burberry shirt. Also, I hate my dad."
The whole purpose of the story sounded like "how many stereotypes can I add in 250 pages". Well, the answer is: all of them. A whole fricking recipe of stereotypes.
The corgi was a very very good pup though, cheers to her.

Moral of the story: one (aka me) should learn to read a synopsis.

[Hannah B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable and extremely cinematic!! Warning: don’t read on an empty stomach I was SUFFERING. I loved the story so much and the fake dating at the wedding really took it up a notch. I’d have liked even more of that!! I think the weakest link was the relationship (which still worked since I enjoyed the general plot just as well). I really felt them towards the end, but Dylan was talking about falling in love and stuff so early when I barely even heard them have a long conversation. I also wanted a bit more closure with Adrian because he was such a dick and Theo didn’t do much about it???

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

[erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

“we’ve come this far. we can fight this.” Girl you’ve known each other for two weeks sit down

[Aricka Decker · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Our worlds are as far apart as the sun and the moon.” “They align every now and then,” Aunt Jade points out. “Eclipses are pretty memorable.”


4.5⭐️

I was pretty hesitant going into this because it had mixed reviews but I actually really enjoyed this. I thought Theo and Dylan were cute and to me it wasn’t insta-love. It showcased the tingly feelings a teenager gets when they get a crush on someone and how they can blossom from a crush (their exterior) into actual feelings. This was a very ya cute version of Crazy Rich Asians (just like Dylan referenced when going to the wedding). I loved learning about their cultural traditions and stories and recipes that the book had to offer. This also was actual a little emotional, giving us a glimpse of grief, heartbreak and abandonment without being over the top for me. I thought that Adrien would be a bigger drama piece in this story but he was simply just an asshole kid who needed better shit to do. The drama really was all due to a certain pompous father. Ugh 😩 sir sit down and let two teen boys fall in love. I also really enjoyed Dylan’s family and their connection and teamwork as they try to overcome their struggles in making Wok Worriers into something. But most of all learning about the traditions around mooncakes (which I’ve never had) and Dylan trying to live up to being the son his mother would be proud of was a great journey. I ship Theo and Dylan and I think even though they come from very different places in life they really mesh well and compliment one another. I got a bit teary eyed during this book, I really had a good time. Sweet and innocent ya romance hits too good sometimes. 🥹

[G_occasionally_reads (hiatus cause work) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this novel, but I ended up wishing I had spent my time at the dentist or plucking my hair off my scalp one by one...

"I'm not ashamed my family runs a takeout, but are you sure you want yours knowing? Especially since we don't have any Michelin stars?" "You're my fake date, but I never expected you to come with a fake identity," Theo replies. "I don't think it'll hold up, anyway." I cross my arms. "What's that supposed to mean?" "You looked at me like you thought Jackson Pollock was a kind of Atlantic fish." Oh, oops. "Yeah, well, art history isn't offered at my school."

You are in for:
🥮 M/M YA romance
🥮 fake dating trope
🥮 single POV
🥮 a lot of talk about Chinese food - I googled every single name, and they looked so mouth-watering 😋
🥮 a bunch of cool Chinese traditions 🇨🇳

BUT ALSO...
🥮 too many mentions of Theo's Ferrari. Did you watch Gossip Girl (the original series, I mean)? Well, take Serena and Dan and make their 1st-season romance M/M, and you have the context.
🥮 Dylan's detailed descriptions of people's attire, including brands ("Here, put this on. It'll keep you warm." I glimpse the Burberry label" ... 10 lines after "I'm still wearing Theo's Burberry shirt." Did we forget the brand in 12 seconds? No), and constant comparisons ("Maybe my polo shirt and chinos aren't good enough for her?").
🥮 descriptions of everything rich (including multiple mentions of Cartier cuff links) that were cute for the first 30 pages but got old quickly.
🥮 total lack of focus/reflection/exploration of important themes, such as grief.

Overall, the characters and their background stories lacked depth; the chemistry between Dylan and Theo is basically non-existent (and seems to be more related to each other's wanting the other's life than actual chemistry).

[Lenore ⸆⸉ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was amazing! RTC hopefully tomorrow




—————————————-

Pre-read thoughts

This sounds so cute! kinda reminds me of Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie

[Dini - dinipandareads · Rating 2 out of 5]

TL;DR: Fake Dates and Mooncakes was high up on my list of anticipated YA contemporary romances this year and I was beyond thrilled to get a digital ARC! Sadly though, for various reasons, this book really didn't work out for me. I loved the cultural and food aspects of the story and Dylan's family was great as well. That said, the romance was instantaneous and I didn't really feel their romantic connection. The writing also read on the younger end of YA, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I'm not sure that's what the author intended and it also clashed with the more sexually suggestive overtones between Dylan and Theo. I wanted to see more of the mooncake competition but that played a woefully small part in the story. Overall, I'm sad that this didn't end up being what I expected because I was genuinely looking forward to loving it!

There's no getting around it: the beginning of this book was rough. The writing was not what I expected as it read on the young end of YA but it also read very stilted and awkward with a lot of "telling" and no "showing". It felt like the story only skimmed the surface of these characters and their stories, which certainly made for 'easy reading' but left me wanting more in terms of depth and emotional connection. It was easy to see which parts the author felt the most comfortable and confident writing about because those were the parts that had the most detail. I really appreciated the food and cultural aspects of this story—it honestly made me so hungry while reading!—and they were one of the best things about it, but this could've been a cultural/culinary book because of how detailed the author gets about the recipes and their cultural significance. While I liked it, it only left me wishing that the other parts of the story could've received just as much attention (and it probably should've)!

The premise of this book was really interesting but it was the follow-through that was lacking. The reasons why Dylan and Theo got together were ultimately flimsy and felt disingenuous because there was so little interaction between them, to begin with, that the jump to more felt unrealistic. Dylan was an okay character but what I enjoyed most was his relationship with his aunt and cousins. I appreciated how much respect he had for his culture and how he carried the memories, language, and love for food with him, but I also wished that he had been less of a pushover when it came to Theo; though perhaps I'm biased though because I didn't like him. He lacked personality and every interaction with him felt bland and emotionless. There were things he said and did that left me feeling grossed out and made it harder to care about his character. If you're not a fan of instalove then you probably will feel the same way as I did about their romance. I didn't feel their connection because they go from strangers to "falling in love" very quickly and what made it harder for me to believe their chemistry is that I didn't really believe that Dylan actually liked Theo as a person either, he simply found him overwhelmingly hot.

Overall, it was just a big miss for me. While I know that as an adult I'm not the intended audience for this book. but I do read a lot of YA, although admittedly less in the contemporary/romance sphere these days. That said, if I'm being honest, I don't think I would recommend this to the young readers in my life if I were asked either. This had a promising premise and the potential for more was there, but the execution fell flat. Special thanks to the author and Underlined for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review! 2 stars

[jess.manora · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was sooooo cute OMFG! 😮‍💨

[målin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been hungry for 3 hours reading this please someone give me a moon cake