A big thanks to the author and Putnam Books for the digital galley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Have you ever read a book that resonated with you? Because that is what I felt while reading Last Tang Standing. This laugh-out-loud novel portrayed the pressure that women, especially Asian women, experience regarding familial responsibilities, career choice, and finding and settling down with the perfect partner whom one’s ancestors could boast and be proud of.

The story follows Andrea Tang, a thirty-three-year-old MA lawyer, who according to her own mother, almost winning at life. She was one step close to becoming a partner at her firm, and the only thing that hindered her for finally living the ‘perfect life’ was her lack of marriage and kids. Being the dutiful daughter that she was, these expectations were hard to ignore. As well as the men in her life: Suresh Aditparan, her annoying rival at work, and Eric Deng, a wealthy entrepreneur. Would Andrea succeed in pursuing a successful life that would please her family while also being true to herself?

Oh boy, what a fun ride! This book perfectly fits the description as Crazy Rich Asian meets Bridget Jones’s Diary. There was no such thing as dull moments because every second I spent reading this novel was enjoyable. The stead pacing was good, and despite its epistolary narration style, the author still managed to show not tell the scenes and emotions evoked by the characters. I also liked Lauren Ho’s writing style: humorous with a bit of sarcasm. She was able to smoothly switch the mood and atmosphere between light and fun moments to serious ones. She also gave Andrea, the main character, a commanding yet friendly voice which kept me hooked and felt more connected with the story. Romance wise, there were lots of tensions going on between the love interests. A slow-burn romance and hate-to-love trope were there. Even I had a hard time choosing who I wanted for Andrea.

I like how culturally diverse the characters are. What more is, they all felt so real. Andrea was a reliable, funny character. My personal favorite, of course, is Linda, Andrea’s cousin and best friend, who has Filipino blood. I’m also happy that all the characters here had their purposes, not two-dimensional, and especially not for just the sake of diversity.

The book discussed the weight of familial expectations which is very common to Asian families. Asian families teach and ingrain in the minds of their children that they need to study hard, go to a good school, pursue a high-paying job like for us, Filipinos, a nurse, an engineer, or a doctor because children’s endeavors in their school are very much regarded as an investment, not only in their children but also in the subsequent financial stability of the family itself. Parents define the law, and children are expected to do their requests and demands. Filial piety or respect for elders is also very important. That’s why I can really relate to Andrea. It’s hard to please others when you yourself aren’t happy about those requests and demands. You can’t just ignore them fully since you feel this sense of obligation. However, Last Tang Standing highlighted that we should not be swayed by other people’s opinions and decisions, even when they were good intentions, because, in the end, we are the one who has to live with those choices and consequences.

Overall, Last Tand Standing by Lauren Ho is a hilarious read with serious undertones that reminds us all of our success is different. Also, it has multicultural characters that readers will love. I highly recommend this book. I am looking forward to reading more of Lauren’s work.

4.5 stars!

Andrea Tang is a thirty year old successful lawyer, but in the eyes of her traditional Chinese/Malaysian family, she cannot be truly successful without a husband and kids.  Andrea is competing for a partner positions with Suresh, a transplant from the London branch of the firm, engaged to Anousha, but having some confusing chemistry with Andrea.  There are many additional characters like Linda, Andrea’s best friend.  There were some very funny parts in the book focusing on Andrea’s attempts at finding the right man.  I did feel the book would appeal to a younger audience than older, but all in all, it was a fun read.  Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

LAST TANG STANDING is a hilarious and honest story about Andrea Tang, a Chinese- Malaysian lawyer living in Singapore. Even though having a successful career, her life is not "perfect" as her family pressures her to get married and have kids. So here starts the story with Andrea trying to find someone through dating apps and blind dates.

I enjoyed a lot reading LAST TANG STANDING! The big family gathering at the beginning of the novel was so familiar and relatable - the matriarchal strong symbol represented by Tang family's grandma; all the wealth and elder respect that Asian culture highlights is so true and I kept nodding while thinking "yes yes yes, this is it!". I can also totally empathize with the mental and emotional torture from older relatives as they keep pressuring about the subject of marriage and kids - we used to be regarded as "rude" for being too much direct in our thoughts from Western eyes.

It was so pleasant to read and I felt nostalgic while reading the Chinese cultural references - the status symbol everywhere shown by the red color, porcelain vases, orchids and peacock, as well as the traditional Chinese food during festivities that made my moth water. 

I loved how Ho writes the friendship between Linda, Andrea and Valerie - this dynamic is built only when you have a long-time relationship and it felt intimate and organic. It reminded me of the friendship with my best friend, when we don't think twice before speaking our thoughts and share raw moments.

Moreover, Ho covers serious topics of interracial marriage mixed with racism and tiger parenting. I found the approaches very accurate and they are issues deeply ingrained in the cultural context.
Andrea's love story was cute and realistic - at times I was rooting for one candidate while partly for another one; I was eager to read about her interaction with both Eric and Suresh.  

The writing is easy and humorous with a bit of satirical tone; I enjoyed the structure in form of diary and thought that it helped with the flow.
My only critique is that the pacing was quite uneven since the middle part was a bit dragged and monotone, however, the pace picked up towards the end. Most importantly, Andrea was a well-developed and flawed character that I wanted to know more and cheer on. Ultimately, I was absorbed in the setting and captivating characters. 
I do recommend this novel!

[ I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review ]

This was pitched as Bridget Jones Diary meets Crazy Rich Asians and I would definitely have to agree with that sentiment. It was fast paced, funny and taught me alot about the Chinese-Malaysian culture and how pressured women feel that they have to get married young or by their thirties or their families will disown them and cut them out.
  Andrea was funny and brash and the romance in this is a mixture of hate to love and the definition of slowwww burn. Overall funny, thoughtful and insightful.

I enjoyed this book a lot!

This was a fun read about thirty-three year old Andrea Tang, a Chinese- Malaysian living in Singapore as a successful lawyer. A recent break-up with her boyfriend leaves her as the last In her Tang clan to be married and that is highly disappointing for her family.

With a hilarious take on single life, and the dating scene as a 30 something successful professional this was romp full of fun. The hilarious scenes will have you laughing out loud. And turning those pages - I found it hard to put down.

I really enjoyed Lauren Ho’s writing - it was refreshing, open, very modern and sexy!

With a completely relatable motley crew of characters, your heart will endear with each one. I promise!

I recommend this read and look forward to reading more about Andrea and the rest of the gang!

Why is it so hard for family to mind their own business and just be happy for you and moments that you care about! 
Sometimes people in your life mean well but figuring that out is a part of life too. This is a really fun read and while I wouldn't exactly compare it to Crazy Rich Asians, I would say that they did get it right  in comparing it to a Chinese Malaysian Bridget Jones Diary . You do however  get that Vibe of extravagant lifestyles and in finding your place in the world that is full of things that either don't want you to blend in or stand out but not too much.  
 if you like to read Diaries are things in Diary form or poetry or prose would be something you would enjoy who doesn't like a happy ending! Even if it's not exactly what you expected.

first of all, thank you @prhinternational & @hellolaurenho for this beauty. the cover is so gorgeous & the spine is a wow! I seriously love it to bits. I mean, how many times can a reader laugh in a book? told in a series of diary entries, this one is very relatable in terms of being a modern day woman & dating. it is a plus point for me that it also tackled more about being asian particularly being chinese. this one is set in singapore so you can expect fabulous designer clothes & delicious foods. there are also filipino characters in the book who were portrayed positively. I mean, it's not fair for us filipinos to be stereotyped as troublemakers/criminals (as most books I've read suggested) & that we're all housekeepers (lol) because we're more than that. it's a plus point that the book radiates a positive aura all throughout. Last Tang Standing is available in the market today. so grab your copies & don't miss this rom-com with haters-to-lovers trope + many more laugh out loud travel & romantic scenes. what happens when The Crazy Rich Asians meets Bridget Jones' Diary? hello, it's the Last Tang Standing.

Last Tang Standing is a must have for everyone's beach bag this summer!

This book is exactly what I thought it was going to be and I am so glad about that! It's too often that a book is described as being similar to another, only to find out that it's not! Thankfully, that wasn't the case here and I found myself loving the culture, laugh out loud moments, and the skilled writing of the characters. Lauren Ho has not only introduced me to a culture I'm not familiar with, but she did so with such ease and percision that I felt like I was experiencing it through her characters. This my friends, makes for an excellent debut and I can't recommend it enough!

Okay, I enjoyed this. Right now it is sitting at about  a three star for me, but I am hoping that as time progresses, it will stick with me. The book was hard for me to get into which I hate to say because the author did a phenomenal job at introducing me to a culture that is new to me. Race, class, gender expectations.. she lays that all out in the first half but I think it was also heavily done that it just made it really hard for me to care and connect with the rest of the story. Which sucks, because I read the entire thing and I honestly couldn't tell you what happened. The first half just really was a bit too much for me. I have a few friends reading it right now though and they are loving it so I plan to reread it. I also think it may be I read it during a really crappy time and it just didn't stand a chance because of where I was mentally.

This book was like Crazy Rich Asians meets Bridget Jones and utterly entertaining.  The story of a 30 something year old lawyer in Singapore trying to balance work, friends, her family and finding a husband.  Part of it was in diary form and part narrative and the two worked seamlessly together.  It was full of pop culture and fashion references and general millennial angst.  All while touching in pursuing your own dreams versus what your family expects of you and being true to yourself.  Such a fun read that I enjoyed thoroughly!!

Andrea Tang, 33, is a successful lawyer on the partner track with a beautiful apartment and great friends. Unfortunately, her relatives view her unmarried status as a failure. Having broken up with a long-term boyfriend, Andrea resorts to trying dating apps and allowing her best friend to set up her profile. Meanwhile she is sharing an office with handsome, engaged Suresh, a rival for the partnership, who drives her insane. Readers will love this Bridget Jones-ish story filled with lots of laughs. Highly recommended - a great summer read!

This book was so much fun. The pitch of Crazy Rich Asians meets Bridget Jones's Diary was spot on! Andrea was a great character who I enjoyed following as she figured out what she wanted. I typically hate love triangles because one of the choices is usually completely and obviously wrong, but it was well done in this book as Suresh and Eric were both decent and caring men. I snort-laughed many times, particularly at Andrea's drunk diary entries and I thought her friends were entertaining secondary characters. Finally, I totally related to her issues with her mom. Chinese-Malaysian mothers are very similar to Jewish ones :)

My only small issue with this book was the representation of every women in her forties and fifties as botoxed obsessed - One would have been funny but I thought portraying Val AND all her friends the same way was unnecessary. Then again, I'm in my 40s and internalized it. I also had trouble believing that Andrea, at 33, didn't know she was a Millennial.  

I look forward to more books by this author!

All the stars for entertainment! 

Thank you so much Putnam Books for my advanced copy of Last Tang Standing. Unfortunately I was unable to read my e-copy prior to pub. However, I used my Libro.fm credit to listen to the audio. I'm so glad that I listened. The audio was fantastic. 

This book was just what I needed. The publisher describes this as Crazy Rich Asians meets Bridget Jones and I have to agree. I see similarities. 

What I Loved About This Book- 

* The Humor- This book was so stinkin funny! I am not ashamed to laugh out loud at an audio with air pods in and get all the stares and funny looks. Totally worth it and don't judge my life. 

* The Relatability- Andrea is 33 ( like me. ) She has a kick ass job ( Like me ) She is Single ( also like me.) On paper she has almost all of her sh*t together but not quite. Andrea made this book for me. She is my new book BFF. I loved following her around and getting inside her head. I loved how the author made her just single and not sad and single lol. She was not a woman in her 30's worried about being married or that her biological clock was ticking. It was refreshing. 

* The Setting & Culture- This book was set in Singapore and features the traditions and expectations of the culture. 

*The Characters- I enjoyed the majority of the characters. I've already mentioned Andrea but let's shine a spotlight on Suresh. I loved Suresh. He was gorgeous and sweet but also taken. I loved how his relationship with Andrea went from an office rivalry of sorts to a great friendship. The relationship between Suresh and Andrea felt so well developed and realistic. 

I also enjoyed seeing Eric show up. He was everything in a partner that Andrea's family would have wanted. I loved their first meeting. I cannot expand on this character without risking spoilers so I'll stop there. 

Andrea's friends and family were great as well. I loved her best friend. ( I totally can't remember her name because I'm a failure. ) I loved how the friendship was not perfect. 

Overall- Great book. Highly recommend. If you're an audiobook lover please listen on audio.

Last Tang Standing is a delightful, quick read! Thirty-three year-old Andrea Tang is a lawyer in Singapore determined to become partner at her firm. She shares an office with her rival, Suresh, and despite her best efforts, a friendship forms between them. (And I loved his comic!) Meanwhile, facing familial pressure to get married, Andrea turns to online dating. I liked Andrea's focus on her career and her friendship with her cousin Linda. She's humorous in a relatable way, and experiences a lot of growth throughout the book. I was pleasantly surprised with the storyline with Valerie; although Andrea had initially judged the woman, she realized that Valerie was a good friend. The biggest weakness of this book was that Eric never felt like a real person, so I never felt invested in his relationship with Andrea. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and loved that it was set in Singapore.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Putnam for sending me this free ebook in exchange for my honest review. 

This is all centered around Andrea Tang a 33 year old single lawyer who in the eyes of her family need to settle down, get married, have kids and be done with it before she's too old and no one wants her. And she "dishonors" her ancestors. Also on track to be partner this workaholic isnt letting anything get in the way of that. But of course life has different plans and throws her attractive men in the form of Suresh Aditparan, her very attractive rival for partner and Eric Deng, a wealthy, smart, laid back entrepreneur who is right up her alley. With workplace rivalry, friendship drama and having to manage family expectations, Andrea is left wondering can she stay true to herself while trying to meet everyones expectations. 
This one was honestly a slow burner for me through the entire book. Andrea at times annoyed the crap out of me with how she would handle certain situations to the point where I wanted to shake her and ask "what the heck is going on girl!!" She was also so painstakingly blind to some things I couldn't believe how she didn't know what was going on. The writing style was nice but this one didn't really do it for me.. Her mothers view towards things really didn't sit right with me, and it was hard to get past that. Some of the other characters seemed to be all over the place and I couldn't quite figure out why. And the way some plot lines just came and went. I don't know. Overall id say this one was a 3.5 stars for me.

I could really feel sorry for Andrea Tang as she has to deal with truly obnoxious and misogynist family and professional pressures.  It did get a bit tiresome after a while, though.  

However, I also enjoyed this peek into a different culture and the expectations that are placed on the children.  And some of it was quite humorous.  The comparisons to Crazy Rich Asians mixed with Bridget Jones are quite apt.  If that intrigues you, you’ll enjoy this book.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

If you loved Crazy Rich Asians, this is for you. Andrea is a great heroine, she’s 33 and drowning in family expectations. Her life plan (really mom’s life plan for her) was blown to bits when she ended up single. Written in a diary format, we discover Andrea’s journey in singledom is hilarious with various setups, self discovery and even a horribly awkward Tinder date. There’s definite laugh out loud moments and I also enjoyed learning about different cultural norms.

I'm not a huge romcom fan, but Last Tang Standing has revived my interest in the genre! 

You have a witty, sassy, flawed heroine that's a refreshing change from the quirky, bookish introvert in other romances I've read. Our protagonist, Andrea, feels like a real, messy person jotting down thoughts in her diary. She's just trying to figure out her career, dating, and what she wants out of life...even if that's at odds with her mother's wishes. I laughed out loud a lot while reading this, and I could totally relate to Andrea as a career woman in her early thirties. 

I've seen this described as Bridget Jones's Diary meets Crazy Rich Asians, and I would totally agree. If you like either of those books, or you like new takes on the romance genre, you'll like Last Tang Standing.

Thank you Putnam books for the arc. but unfortunately I DNF'd this one. There's nothing happening even 20% into it.  Its very very wordy and I think the layout of the story was very confusing. It wasn't for me.

How often do you cheer out loud and do a fist pump when reading a book? Last night, I finished Last Tang Standing by debut author Lauren Ho, and on page 395, I actually did a fist pump. I was giddy as I slid into the last pages.

Set against a world of glamour and wealth in Singapore, Andrea Tang is a 33-year-old UK-educated lawyer on the partner track. The clock is ticking on not only achieving professional success, but also on getting married and starting a family. It looks like she’s about to be the Last Tang Standing, as her gay cousin is entering a marriage of convenience with a straight man to get the family off her back, and secure her part of an inheritance.

Written in diary form, Last Tang Standing lets us in on Andrea’s family dynamics; her (mis)adventures with dating apps; and her love-hate relationship with Suresh, the attorney with whom she shares an office. Last Tang Standing is razor sharp, hilarious, and unapologetically Asian. It’s one of my top reads for 2020. 

Beneath the day-to-day, Andrea is grappling with family and cultural expectations and actual happiness. The real question at the end is, what and who will she choose. And that ending is so satisfying, like i said, fist pump. 

If this book doesn't get optioned for film or TV, it's a crime.