Delicious food, a stray dog and a hot, loveable firefighter... what more could a girl ask for?

This was such a sweet book! Kimmie was a relatable character with her awkwardness and ‘better safe than sorry’ attitude. Matt was such a sweetie with his big heart and devotion. The chemistry and the banter between them were really great. I love that the book promotes self-acceptance and the ‘brains before looks’ message. The Asian food content made me drool all over my kindle. Kind of want to eat some bao now. And give me a stuffed bao toy, too.
I liked how the conflicts were resolved and I was glad that Kimmie was able to overcome her fears and took risks to reach her dreams.
Also, Nana for president!

I recommend it to all the romance lovers who like a quick and easy read with a sweet story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book.

It was really interesting to see a romcom from this author, as I've only read her women's fic before! It was a cute read, with some lulls at times, but I enjoyed it overall! I always enjoy a dual POV, esp from a firefighter!? Some of the side characters were a bit easier on the mind than our FMC, but Matt was a full-on lovable golden retriever. I did feel like some of the conflict could've been resolved so much easier that it became a bit frustrating, but such is the trope. I liked the name of Kimmie's Etsy store and how it played into the book title so much though! Dim sum is life. Her immaturity at points felt more set for a younger character and put me off for a little. I feel like if there had maybe been a bit more focus on a smaller set of plot points, the story may have flowed a bit easier.

When Kimmie Park goes viral for twerking as she tells off her boss and quits her job she takes the opportunity to lay low and focus on her Etsy shop. However, when she posts pictures of her model best friend Alicia with the products, her customers think Alicia is “Kim.” One of those customers is Matt West, an FDNY firefighter, who she connects with online after he purchases one of her totes for his nana. As things heat up between them her lies weigh heavy on her shoulders. Will she be able to set the record straight before their relationship goes up in flames?

I think the best way to describe Kimmie is that she is a hot mess. The poor woman has been through the wringer and unfortunately, continues to make questionable decisions. While I found elements of the book to be unrealistic or a bit corny, there were entertaining pieces and it was a relatively quick read.

Thank you NetGalley, LLB, and IBPA for a copy to review.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC!

Potential spoilers are below since I critique the plot.

I was in the mood for a foodie romcom so here we are. The explanation of Bao as a “precious treasure” at the start makes the book so much better for me.

Bonus points for the FMC having the same name as me and bonus points for Matt being a firefighter cause that’s hot.

Honestly, I would’ve done the whole secretive persona plot differently. The viral video aspect wasn’t necessary to me. I felt like everything could’ve been associated with Kim not wanting to be public with her store. Kim could’ve just been running her online store without showing her face since her friend was the one modelling her merchandise. This all could’ve been avoided easily by explaining it all. Also, as one of the few people on here who like insta-love as a trope, this was a little too instant for me. It cooked faster than my instant ramen. I still liked them together, though. They had a lot of cute moments.

But like my instant ramen, I still enjoyed it.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.
This is my first title by this author and will read more in the future.
Will recommend this to anyone looking for a cute romance novel.
This book was such a cute romance novel which i really enjoyed.
5/5

This was a cute read. Kimmie was a likable character but had so much going on. Maybe a little to much for a fun read.

My biggest con to this book was dragging out the lies! Not a huge fan of books where everything could have been avoided with communication and honesty. Especially when trying to appeal and make the character be in her 30s.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review.

I love how this setting and situation seems somewhat unrelatable but wondering if Kimmie will be able to let go of her fears or lose the man of her dreams and the opportunity of a lifetime is highly related and encouraging. I felt that Kimmie's dilemma and desire to keep thing the way they are rather than have to tell the truth so vulnerable. I would highly recommend this to others.

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC of Crazy Bao You by Lyn Liao!

I read this in one sitting, that’s how engaged I was with this story and these characters. Kimmie Park is a former retail clerk/Etsy seller of handmade bags and accessories, when she goes viral thanks to a video her coworker took of her telling off her racist boss in a very imaginative way. She’s horrified by the attention it’s garnered her and as a fellow introvert, I relate. I would take a page out of Blast From the Past and literally bunker underground for 35 years to get away from that kind of attention.

Matt West is an FDNY firefighter who slides into Kimmie’s DMs after ordering a tote for his grandmother off Kimmie's Etsy and then seeing a stunning picture Kimmie posts on her Instagram.

Problem is that picture is of Kimmie’s best friend Alicia, not Kimmie. I’m not usually one for a cat fishing trope, but this one didn’t drag on the entire book and I liked how the author incorporated other conflicts into the story instead of only relying on the catfishing. The layering of the conflicts worked very well with this story,

I also loved the idea that your soul mate is likely not someone down the street, but across the country (or the world).

This book was fast paced, fun, and flirty with good sexual tension and some deeper themes of transracial adoption, trauma, grief, and loss. What I enjoyed is that I assumed I knew where the plot was going, and to a point I was correct, but the author pushed the story in other directions I wasn’t anticipating and that was pleasantly surprising. This is a new to me author, and it looks like she has a few books on her back list that I look forward to reading as well.

A fun read, the story of Kimmie and Matt. They connect online, but she is not who he thinks she is, so what will happen when he wants to meet? I loved both characters and that it was told from both points of view. Looking forward to more books from this author.

Crazy Bao You follows a young woman, Kimmie, and New York fireman Matt as they meet by chance online. Kimmie worked in a clothing boutique store but recently went mega viral after losing her temper with her boss, Rip, becoming known as the ‘Let her Rip’ girl. So, after losing her job and anxious to leave the house after everyone knowing who she is she decides to focus all her energy on her small Etsy store.
Matt enters the equation after purchasing a bag from Kimmie for his grandmother, He is training to become a firefighter after leaving the family business following his mothers traumatic death. His father is the CEO of a retail chain and is desperate for his son to return to the family business but Matt isn’t having any of it. Determined to get out of this funk and repay the efforts firefighters made when attempting to save his mother, he puts up with some uncomfortable colleagues and a pestering, unsupportive father, He finds her instagram and starts following her, coincidentally after Kimmie and her best friend Alicia do a photo shoot with some of her products, leading to Matt mistaking Alicia for store owner Kim. The two begin a friendship/relationship online with Kim living in Oaklahoma and Matt living in New York.
They speak on the phone, have some attempts at FaceTime and when Matt proposes going into business with her on his fathers behalf she is excited - but nervous at the thought of admitting who she actually is.
I’m not 100% keen on the catfishing trope but I think Lyn Liao added points that soothed what happened. Such as Matt feeling more attracted to real Kim when he she was Alicia, feeling her online personality United her real character better, and overall he was really relaxed about it. I am also glad the real identity crisis was resolved fairly quickly as romance books are prone to dragging out catfish plots.
The only reason I have not rated the book higher is because I didn’t really connect with the characters. I found the book pleasant and finished it but I didn’t find a deep level of empathy or connection to either main character.
Thank you for the eARC.

This was okay. A L O T was going on in it, and sometimes it was hard to keep track. I liked the chemistry between Kimmie and Matt, but wasn't crazy about how long it took for her to tell him what was going on.

I enjoyed getting to watch the characters grow, and I will definitely be checking out more books from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley, Lyn Liao, and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of this book

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. This was such a comforting rom com to read 🤗 I loved the characters and how they went from complete strangers DMing over the internet to full on obsessed with each other in real life. There's a good mix of sweetness, comedy, backstory/trauma, tension, food descriptions, dogs and self-development (to name a few)

There were times where Kimmie felt immature and indecisive for her age, especially when it came to some of the decisions she made with Matt. Matt on the other hand was a great book boyfriend and incredibly supportive, even when Kimmie was acting up. But it was nice to see them work through everything and to see where they end up at the end of the book

The pacing overall was ok but towards the end there is a lot going on and I wish there had been more of this angst spread throughout the book rather than crammed into the final 10%. Also, there are parts that could have been edited out as some scenes contained too much information and didn't help the writing to flow imo.

I think my favourite thing about this book is its premise as it's so unique, and somehow believable yet unbelievable at the same time (in a good way!). It's a fun read that doesn't take itself too seriously. And yay for more Asian characters in books 🥰

This was such a cute and light read. I had such a fun time reading about Kimmy and Matt’s love story. I loved Kimmy’s personality but I wished she would have told Matt about her looks sooner. I understand that things happen but I feel like it happened way too often before she told him. That part got a bit annoying for me. Matt is definitely book boyfriend material. He is so sweet and caring and I love his relationship with his Nana. I want Nana to be my grandmother. I loved the play on words in the title. It is so fitting for the story line.

My favorite things about this book:
-depicts great female friendships
-dual POV
-hot firefighter 🔥
-awkward but loving FMC
-cinnamon roll MMC

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the Advanced Copy of this book.

Easy quick romantic comedy that had me giggling a few times. Good book to get out of a slump. Will read more from this author

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Kimmie quit her job after the viral video that was recorded of her and devotes herself completely to her Etsy store. She hides from the outside world because she is more than embarrassed by the video and doesn’t want her Etsy store to be linked to it. When she gets to know one of her buyers, Matt, and he assumes that she is in the pictures on her Instagram channel, she feels bad and keeps asking if Matt also likes her inner values – or just her outer appearance. Every time she wants to tell him the truth, something comes up. It seems jinxed, but when Kimmie finally travels to New York with her friend, she has to tell him the truth and hope he keeps his word….
Kimmie is a likeable young woman who doesn’t like the attention she gets from the video at all. Which I can more than understand – I wouldn’t feel any different. In her Etsy store and the work for the products, the young woman goes on and I really liked that.

Matt wants to give his grandmother a beautiful bag and so becomes aware of Kimmie’s Etsy store. Initial vendor-customer communication quickly turns into more – they end up writing to each other on a daily basis. Matt quickly realizes that feelings have developed on his end, but why won’t she ever talk to him via Face Time? At the same time, he realizes how well her Etsy store would fit in with his father’s business – where he worked before deciding to become a firefighter. His father is thrilled and wants Kimmie to fly in to New York to meet her in person. But Matt is in for a surprise during her visit, as Kimmie is not the person he thinks she is….
Matt makes a nice and sympathetic impression – he loves his job as a firefighter and is really into it. Even though his heart beats partly for the work he did in his father’s company. His close relationship with his grandmother is sweet – and the good lady is a blast. Still on Instagram and doesn’t count as old school.

The writing style is kept simple and easy, so that you can read the story without comprehension difficulties. The story is dual POV (Kimmie and Matt), which gives a good insight into the respective emotional and mental world.

I liked „Crazy Bao You“ because it was not only about the love story that developed between Matt and Kimmie. Even though I had to say that everything happened a bit too fast for me – after what felt like a week or two, Kimmie was ready to move to New York with him because he is her great love. You can see their feelings after a few messages, which on the one hand was really sweet, but on the other hand was difficult to understand. But maybe that’s just me and because I haven’t had that happen to me in my life so far.
What I also liked was the subplot around Kimmie’s biological mother coming into her life after a long time and asking if the Kimmie would like to get in touch with her.
All in all, a nice book for in between.

A really cute story, this story focuses on a mistaken identity romance. Kimmie is an Etsy seller and Matt buys a purse from her for his grandmother. Kimmie posts a picture of her friend wearing one of her items and doesn't think about it but everyone mistakes her beautiful friend for her. And she doesn't correct them because it is bringing in interest in her company. Matt is a firefighter but also the son of owner of a premier women's store so, through a series of events, they "meet" and fall for each other even when they haven't met in person. I enjoyed both the characters though the fact that there were so many obstacles to Kimmie telling the truth became a little tedious. But overall, cute characters, love the focus on food (as an Asian American, I approve!) and the sweet romance made this one story I enjoyed reading.

I loved reading Kimmie and Matt's story. I originally requested this book because of the Oklahoma setting, but quickly realized how fun all the characters and there stories were. A great, fun read!

I love a cute story and this one is about bao. An etsy store owner and a firefighter. Sliding into the DMs. Oklahoma and New York. Kimmie and Matt both grew up in different worlds but have a connection together because they both lost someone they loved. Viral meme and misunderstanding they both overcame it together.

This story really didn't work for me. The writing was not the best and made situations and storylines that I normally like or wouldn't mind into ones where I either a) rolled my eyes or b) got so annoyed by because they were really repetitive and annoying. It is unfortunate as I was really looking forward to reading this one as it sounded super cute, but it didn't work out that way.

Kimmie has her own Etsy shop, but her most recent claim to fame is a viral video of her telling off her jerk boss while twerking. She didn't know anyone was filming it and she hates that it went viral so she wants nothing to do with it. She doesn't want to tie her Etsy store to it or really have anyone recognize her anywhere. She also has pretty much just shuts herself off in her house as she is afraid to travel after losing her parents when they traveled. Plus she found out she was adopted once they were gone and her birth mother has contacted her to see if she wants to connect. These are all things that sound like a story I would want to read, but the writing doesn't treat them well enough to really deal with them and also rushes a lot of it. I just...it didn't work.

Matt lives in NYC and is almost a firefighter there. He bought something from Kim's shop and when he sees her picture on Instagram he decides to send her a message. Only the photo is not Kim and one of the main storylines of this book - Kim thinks everyone will hate her if she tells them the photo is really her friend. Now there are a lot of super easy solutions to this that don't even involve revealing who she really is. I told my husband about this and he was like why didn't she just immediately say her friend is the face of the brand? Like yeah. That would have been my first thought too. Or simply say that it is your friend modeling the wears....like you don't have to post a photo of yourself to do that?? It made no sense. And so for way too long Matt and Kim are talking and falling for each other, and Kim is stressed because she knows he will hate her once he finds out she doesn't look like her friend. And everyone everywhere will hate her. No one will want to do business with her once they find out what she really looks like (this one was...she goes to meet Matt's dad who owns a company that wants to partner with her and sell her stuff, but oh noes! He will hate her once he sees what she really looks like! And when they all do meet for the first time it was completely ridiculous and not in a good way. I don't know why everyone was constantly like we must keep making everything worse! That will be better! HUGE eye roll here and the logic made no sense to me).

Kim's stressing about Matt hating her because she has been lying to him (which yeah this whole thing got out of control and she really lies to him about little things that were ridiculous) so she keeps trying to tell him and he keeps either a) misunderstanding because they were just joking about something similar to what she says or b) something interrupts like the fire alarm. It happened so many times I was like come on! I am done with this! I really almost dnf-ed it because it annoyed me so much, and maybe I should have because it didn't really get better.

Now this ties into another thing I didn't like about the story - everything was WAY too convenient and coincidental in a way that was not believable for me. Like the people closest to Kim drop everything and decide to move back to Oklahoma to be with her when the video of her goes viral? Like if it had been written better then sure I buy a bff would be there for you when you need her, but this wasn't. This was just like oh, that's convenient for the plot...and that was also Matt's reaction when he finds out Kim has been lying to him was just like no big deal. Who cares which...if you really care that would be an easy thing to clear up, but to not care at all was a bit...convenient. I would at least need a second. Oh well. This obviously wasn't the book for me.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for a copy of this book

3.5 🌟

I love Lyn Liao Butler's fiction, but it fell a little short for me with her rom com. I've read a lot of Insta-love tropes, but it felt like some pieces were missing or barely glazed over in this story. I would have loved to see a little more chatting before they went straight to flirting at least a better transition.

The rest of the story flowed better. I liked seeing the personal growth and the relationship growths for Kimmie and Matt with each other and the other people in their lives.

It was a cute story and had a fun HEA