A Pho Love Story tells of the lives of two Vietnamese-American high school students, a boy named Bao and a girl, Lin. They attend school together and each, coincidentally, works in their respective parents' Vietnamese restaurant, which are located directly across the street from each other. There is not only fierce competition between the two restaurants; there is also very bad blood between the families stemming from their days in Vietnam, such that Bao and Lin have essentially been trained to ignore and even think badly of one another.

Each of the two characters dream of a career path that is different than the plans that their parents have for them: Bao wants to be a writer and Lin, a visual artist. Once the two become acquainted and end up as boyfriend and girlfriend, issues begin to crop up, mainly related to family pressures, and the two attempt to stay together as they investigate why each family is so consumed with hate for the other.

I enjoyed the liberal use of Vietnamese in the story (without translation) and the manner in which Vietnamese culture is centered; also, the food descriptions are fantastic. The struggles faced by the families seem to be authentic, as are the rigid expectations parents placed on the youth by their parents, which resemble those that I typically saw in my Vietnamese-American students. The resultant love story is cute, although not unique.

I found the book to be too long; it dragged in parts and I kept wishing for something interesting to hurry up and happen. I really wanted to like A Pho Love Story..I wanted to love this book, especially because there are not many books about Vietnamese youth who live in the US. However, as a YA book, I believe that it would be enjoyed by students of the same age group as Bao and Lin.

Told in alternating first person chapters, A Pho Love Story is a modern day retelling involving two Japanese American teens, whose feuding parents own competing Pho restaurants. Bao considers himself to be the king of mediocrity, whereas Linh shines as a student and artist. Both work in their parents' businesses and strive for parental approval. When they pair up to write restaurant reviews for their school newspaper, they must meet in secret to avoid family conflict. Bao finds a passion for writing and Linh's illustrations capture the eye of a restaurant owner who commissions her to paint a mural. Unfortunately, her parents disapprove of her pursuing an art career, so she surreptitiously sneaks away to meet Bao and work on the mural. As their romance heats up, they realize their families are hiding something from the past that is the true reason for the feud. The food references and the Vietnamese language interspersed throughout the book add authenticity to this charming romance involving love and loss, parental expectations and self-discovery.

This was a sweet YA romance, but it had depth! The Vietnamese rep was a breath of fresh air, and I appreciated that the author didn't shy away from the trauma so many face when trying to immigrate to America. I loved watching Linh and Bao blossom into stronger, grounded teens, and the descriptions of the food left me absolutely salivating. I did find bits of the story a tad predictable (even the big secret). Also, I'm a curious reader, so it was hard for me that there were so many Vietnamese phrases that weren't translated, but I still enjoyed this title nonetheless.

I have finished my first book of 2021, and it is the fantastic debut novel A Pho Love Story by Loan Le. I enjoyed every minute of this heartfelt romantic comedy about two Vietnamese-American teens falling in love despite the long-standing feud between their families over their competing restaurants. It’s a beautiful coming-of-age story that touches on themes of first love, identity, family expectations, restaurant rivalry, and the importance of following your passions. It’s a great Valentine’s Day read and is perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sandhya Menon.

Linh Mai and Bao Nguyen have studiously avoided each other since they were seven-years-old due to the fierce battle between their families to have the best pho restaurant in the Vietnamese community. That is, until a school project brings them together and a sweet friendship blossoms between them. As Linh and Bao grow closer, they begin to investigate what truly lies at the heart of the feud between their families with the hope of finding a way to finally make peace between them.

Linh is a passionate artist with big dreams of having a career in art. However, she’s under pressure from her parents to become an engineer. The desire to stay true to herself but also make her parents happy is a constant source of anxiety for Linh. She goes through an emotional journey of learning to move past her fear of disappointing her parents and be honest with them about what she wants. Bao is still figuring out a path for his future and his self-doubt is his biggest obstacle to overcome. The dual perspective narration is really nice done.

Something that pleasantly surprised me about A Pho Love Story is that Linh and Bao don’t grow up hating each other even though there is such intense animosity between their respective parents. They choose to keep an open mind about the other and this helps to establish a friendship between them as they work on an assignment for the school newspaper. I love how Linh and Bao form a connection through their shared upbringing and culture but their individual personalities shine through as well. It’s lovely to see these two bring out the best in each other. The unwavering support they have for each other’s creative pursuits is really heartwarming. Linh and Bao’s romance is so adorable and sweet!

It’s not often that parents are present in young adult stories. Many times, they are background characters or already passed on. But in A Pho Love Story, the Mai and Nguyen parents are integral to the development of Linh and Bao’s respective identities and their growth as characters. Both are proud Vietnamese-Americans with a deep love of their culture. They understand the sacrifices and challenges their parents faced to build a better life in America. One of my favorite things about this novel is how Linh and Bao’s creative pursuits are directly related to their love and respect for their families. Linh paints her favorite memories with her parents to display in an art exhibition. Bao writes a passionate op-ed in defense of the Vietnamese community against a racist online reviewer. The very thing that is looked down upon for not being a viable profession is what ultimately brings each protagonist closer to their respective set of parents. Strong themes of forgiveness, healing, and love of family are present throughout the novel.

Final thoughts: A Pho Love Story features well-developed protagonists, a sweet romance, and places family at the heart of the story.

Bao and Linh are teenagers whose families have been feuding for as long as they can remember, even owning competing Vietnamese restaurants across the street from each other. Bao feels like he is nothing special, Linh feels like her dream of being an artist is impossible. But a chance encounter sets events in motion that could bring the past to the light and bring hope to the future.

This was a really good read. At first glance, it seems like it would be a lovely light romance book, about two teenagers who find each other and fall in love despite the obstacles. And that is definitely part of the story, and a very enjoyable part-Bao and Linh are well-written, complex characters whose motivations and feelings ring real, and I was definitely rooting for them.

But there is also such a depth that Le has created, weaving in culture, tradition, familial ties, and the deep lasting impact a painful history can continue to have on those who lived it and those who now feel the reverberations of it. Le has written a really layered book here that I would definitely recommend.

A Pho Love Story was a refreshing take on the classic enemies to lovers trope. With the entwinement of a Romeo and Juliet story and an immigrant family's story of trying to find their way in the US, it was beautiful. At first, the book started a little slow. As the book went on, though, I began to fall in love with Bao and Linh. They were fully-fleshed out and well rounded. I would be happy to encourage a friend to pick up this quick read. Please read this if you are looking for a new feel-good YA contemporary!

5/5 ⭐️ (thank you to Simon Schuster and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC <3)


A Pho Love Story by Loan Le is the most unique Romeo-and-Juliet-esque modern YA contemporary I've ever read, and by far my favorite. Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet in this story are Vietnamese American high schoolers Bao Nguyen and Linh Mai, and their warring families are pho restaurant rivals instead of Renaissance nobles. Our Verona is Little Saigon in Fountain Valley, and the novel follows Bao and Linh as they go from rivals, to friends, to eventual secret lovers trying to hide their relationship from their competing families. As Bao and Linh get closer, they risk the wrath and disappointment of their respective parents for fraternizing with the 'enemy', whom they refuse to disclose the origin of their hatred for. While slowly falling for each other, Bao and Linh start to see sides of their parents they'd never seen before, and not all of them are pretty.

Overall thoughts: I LOVED this book!!! Loan Le has a talent for descriptive writing, especially when it comes to food. I wanted to eat every dish the characters ate in the book, especially the delicious pho. The book is told from Bao and Linh's POVs, and I thought Le did an amazing job writing both of their characters. Bao is steady and a solid presence, while Linh is full of wonderful emotions and a wonderfully relatable character. The book also does a great job of representing the journey and lifestyle of immigrants and the divide that can be felt between them and their American born and raised children. It also touches on the racism minority owned businesses face in America, along with the tensions and culture of immigrant communities in America. As for the romance, I found it to be very pure and yet still very passionate. Bao and Linh are amazing individuals and an adorable, lovely, and well-rounded couple. I loved how the book focuses on not just their romantic relationship, but their relationship with their parents as well.

I would recommend this book for ages 13/14+ !!

A Pho Love Story is a young adult contemporary romance by Loan Le. A Pho Love Story is kind of a modern day Romeo and Juliet with feuding families, but luckily this story has much less death than Romeo and Juliet. I enjoyed this cute and delicious romance. Seriously, though this book should come with a warning…do not read while hungry! All of the mention of yummy foods literally had my stomach grumbling while I was reading. If you are a fan of star crossed lovers, A Pho Love Story is a cute read that will have you rooting for our main couple to end the family feuding!

In A Pho Love Story, we meet our main characters, Linh and Bao. Their families have competing pho restaurants across the street from one another, and they have been at odds for as long as Linh and Bao can remember. So much so that these two classmates basically ignored each other at school their whole lives. But when Bao unwittingly comes to Linh’s rescue one night, their paths start to entangle. I loved Linh and Bao together. They honestly had a lot in common that I was surprised their paths didn’t really cross more often. They are both such good young adults, that it is super easy to root for them- individually and of course, together. They are such sweeties.

I loved their food reviews that really just turned into a series of dates. It was beyond adorable. Honestly, my only critique of the book is pretty slight. I loved how authentic this book felt to me, with lots of Vietnamese language interwoven and influences in the food, families and conversations. I loved all of that, but it was hard for me to follow at times. I do wish the author included a glossary at the beginning of the book, and incorporated some more explanations or context clues for the words when they were used in the story. Especially with the food terms, I wanted to know more about these delicious dishes, but I didn’t always know what they were. But other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I loved the balance of romance as well as familial issues and struggles. The book felt like a well balanced meal, with sweet, savory and bitter all woven in. Fans of young adult contemporary romances looking for a lighter, happier version of Romeo and Juliet, should check out A Pho Love Story. This book was adorable.

I can't lie: this book was truly one of my most anticipated debut novels ever. I remember when it was announced, I excitedly told Chris, and updated him constantly when there was a real description, cover, release date...all of that. I was thrilled to get a review copy! It took me a while to read because my reading is back to being not-great, but the addition of the audiobook really made this an enjoyable experience for me.

Bao and Linh had a lot of things trying to keep them apart - mostly their families and their warring pho restaurants across the street from each other. When they inevitably come together as friends (and more) they have to find a way to bridge the gap between their parents. Aside from the family issues, both of them are grappling with their futures. Linh wants to be an artist but is too afraid to tell her parents because they won't approve. Bao doesn't know what he wants to do and feels like he's not really "great" at anything.

Their romance was super innocent and sweet, but I didn't love it quite as much as I expected? I don't know why - there just weren't a ton of actual swoons for me. I wanted them to be together and their families to mend their rift, but their relationship was secondary to the well-defined Vietnamese culture woven throughout the story. There are a ton of things to unpack from a cultural and familial perspective here. Loan Le really made this a fleshed-out world.

I adored all of the references to Vietnamese food. My fiance is Vietnamese so I recognized a ton of dishes that I've had before and his mom makes all the time. It was such a pleasure to read! That being said - I can't even imagine how important this book will be (and how enjoyable!) to Vietnamese YA readers. I don't want to speak too much on the rep because I only know it from my perspective, but I hope it resonates with a lot of readers who see inklings of their family in these pages.

While is isn't an all-time favorite book for me like I was hoping or expected, I would highly recommend it if the premise calls to you. It was adorable and manages to be occasionally syrupy sweet and also dive into the tougher elements of being the child of immigrants (racism, familial expectations, fleeing to the US, trying to achieve the American dream - the list goes on).

Disclaimer: I was given an eARC by Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

From the Publisher:
When Dimple Met Rishi meets Ugly Delicious in this funny, smart romantic comedy, in which two Vietnamese-American teens fall in love and must navigate their newfound relationship amid their families’ age-old feud about their competing, neighboring restaurants.

If Bao Nguyen had to describe himself, he’d say he was a rock. Steady and strong, but not particularly interesting. His grades are average, his social status unremarkable. He works at his parents’ pho restaurant, and even there, he is his parents’ fifth favorite employee. Not ideal.

If Linh Mai had to describe herself, she’d say she was a firecracker. Stable when unlit, but full of potential for joy and fire. She loves art and dreams pursuing a career in it. The only problem? Her parents rely on her in ways they’re not willing to admit, including working practically full-time at her family’s pho restaurant.

For years, the Mais and the Nguyens have been at odds, having owned competing, neighboring pho restaurants. Bao and Linh, who’ve avoided each other for most of their lives, both suspect that the feud stems from feelings much deeper than friendly competition.

But then a chance encounter brings Linh and Bao in the same vicinity despite their best efforts and sparks fly, leading them both to wonder what took so long for them to connect. But then, of course, they immediately remember.

Can Linh and Bao find love in the midst of feuding families and complicated histories?

Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book. It was a really cute Romeo and Juliet retelling. I would suggest that unless you can speak Vietnamese to listen to this as an audiobook because there are lots of parts that are in Vietnamese and can be difficult to get through otherwise.

If you enjoy YA romance, this is a good quick read.

I will pretty much jump at any chance to read a book written with and for the Vietnamese American experience and A Pho Love Story is no exception. This romantic comedy is a cute twist on the Romeo & Juliet trope – if Romeo and Juliet were Vietnamese American young adults whose parents own rival restaurants. The story is really sweet, with a solid combination of heart, humor, and serious issues.

This is the exact story that I would have loved to have growing up, especially during my middle and high school years. The representation of the Vietnamese family experience and community is on point. I know so many ‘Bao’s and ‘Linh’s and Loan Le’s portrayal of filial piety was fairly accurate – especially from the perspective of a teenager. As I’m older now, I’m also able to empathize with the Nguyen and Mai parents at the same time. Bao and LInh’s romance was sweet and the conflict was just angsty enough for what I’d expect from young adult fiction.

Living more than a 10 hour drive from my parents now, Le’s descriptions of the food made me miss my mother’s cooking so much. This was another book to inspire me to head out to my Asian grocery.

This was a super cute, restaurant-themed Romeo and Juliet story! I loved both Bao and Linh so much, and the supporting characters were just as fully realized. Plus, this book made me crave pho so much!

I am apparently on a #youngadult kick, and I’m not mad about it. This is the story of Linh and Bao. Their families own rival Vietnamese restaurants, and they’ve spent most of their lives ignoring each other. After a chance encounter, they start spending more time together. They fall for each other, but they have to hide their relationship from their parents. They begin to think their families’ feud is based on more than just having rival restaurants.

I thought this was super adorable! It was fun without being too fluffy or silly. If you’re in the mood for YA, put this on your TBR Pile.

“We’re background characters in each other’s stories.”
— Loan le, a pho love story

Like I mentioned before, A Pho Love Story by Loan Le is about these two Vietnamese-American teens, Linh Mai and Bảo Nguyễn. Their parents run pho restaurants across each other in California’s Little Saigon and the family rivalry has existed since before they even met. However, after a rushed encounter and a project for the school newspaper, they start to spend more and more time together (in secret, of course) and develop feelings.

I love a good contemporary romance with both points of view. I just think that, when done properly, it adds tons of personality to the story. With A Pho Love Story, I was not disappointed. I loved how passionate about art Lihn is and how it affects Bảo too, I loved how, even though it’s ultimately a love story, it has a lot of character development as well. I could easily relate to both characters, how pressured they feel about college and choosing a career path that will best support them (I was there just a moment ago) and how, in Bảo’s case, he feels like he’s not really good at anything (I might still be in it, to be honest).

“If Bao Nguyen had to describe himself, he’d say he was a rock. Steady and strong, but not particularly interesting. His grades are average, his social status unremarkable. He works at his parents’ pho restaurant, and even there, he is his parents’ fifth favorite employee. Not ideal.”
— Loan le, a pho love story

About the romance part, I liked how it didn’t felt rushed or random at all. The author really took her time to develop their friendship (er, partnership) and then progressed later. I also very much appreciate their best friends meddling and plotting (I love a good sidekick action!). Speaking of sidekicks, I would like to honorable mention Chef Lê and Saffron. They’re just the best!

The plot itself is the perfect mixture of feel-good with some more serious undertones. They are, after all, children of immigrants and have complicated relationships with their parents. That part of the book felt very personal to me, as some things just hit too close to home. The fear of disapproval/disappointment is real™. Although I can not account for the Vietnamese-American representation, in my point of view (Asian-Latina), it hit the mark very well.

“It’s generally accepted that in families like ours, the older kids have it way harder. We’re the guinea pigs in a real-world lab”
— Loan le, a pho love story

The ending was quite satisfactory as well. I was worried how the whole family-feud situation would work out (also, the career-path debacle) but I was glad to see in the end it all work out… not exactly great, but good in a realistic way.

Loan Le‘s debut couldn’t be better. This book felt like an intimate project of hers and it’s incredibly well written. I can’t wait to read more of her work in the future!

This was a such a fun enemies to (not quite) lovers romantic YA filled with food and art, and a twist of love. The author was also able to seamlessly weave the Vietnamese immigrant experience into the story which I really loved reading and learning more about.

Highly recommend for fans of stories like Frankly In Love.

Thank you @netgalley and Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers for the egalley.

A Pho Love Story

by Loan Le

Perfect for Valentine’s Day—or any day for that matter! Loan Le’s A Pho Love Story, written with a teenage or young adult audience in mind, is a modern day Vietnamese-American “Romeo and Juliet” tale. Báo and Linh, seniors in high school, do not understand the family conflict that has gone on for as long as they can remember. Their families’ restaurants, serving authentic Vietnamese dishes, are situated on opposites sides of the same street. The parents, however, clearly dislike each other. In fact, the children are not allowed to talk or play together. Is this conflict a result of competition for economic survival or is there a deeper reason going back to their days in Vietnam and the dangerous boat trips to safety and freedom? Cultural norms for showing respect to their parents prevent both Báo and Linh from questioning them about the deeply felt social boundaries in the neighborhood.

Báo and Linh are sympathetic characters; Báo is trying to decide on a career and Linh wants to make her passion and talent for painting acceptable to her parents. The Vietnamese flavor throughout is authentic and reflective of the author’s family heritage. Because both families own restaurants, food plays an important role. Vietnamese culture is also prominent in descriptions of the parents and the family dynamics. As someone familiar with Spanish, French, and Latin, I can usually read expressions from those languages when added to the text for authenticity, but the phrases included in this book sent me scurrying to a translation app. Most meanings could be divined from context, but I really like to know the exact meaning of words, whether in English or another language, for a deeper reading experience. A Pho Love Story was enriching in that respect.

I am sure most readers can predict the outcome, but not how the characters will arrive there. The journey is bumpy, but fun, as the author weaves literary magic within the plot. The story is told by the teenagers from alternating points of view by chapter, a technique which works really well in this book. There are several interesting adults who act as mentors to the pair without telling them what to do. This would be an engaging read for teenagers and young adults.

I would like to extend my thanks to NetGalley and to Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Teen and Young Adult

Notes: There is some bad language sprinkled throughout the book.

Publication: February 9, 2021—Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing

Memorable Lines:

My parents—my mom, really—has now perfected the art of non-encounters; knowing their schedule right down to when they close and when they leave. In a way, their schedule has become ours. We’re background characters in each other’s stories.

She trusts Viet to do his job, as well as make sure I do mine. The concept’s not perfect: We’re the same age, and letting him watch over me makes as much sense as letting a horse and a pony run the show. But somehow it works.

I like the writer’s style. One person can say something that’s been said before but in a way that’s completely different; their unique experiences and personality infuse their words, their sentences.

A Pho Love Story features Linh Mai and Bao Nguyen, whose parents own competing Vietnamese Restaurants in their California town. The two of them end up spending time together through assignments for their high school newspaper. Bao and Linh fall for each other and want to fiugre out what started the feud between their families in the first place.

I love when books alternate perspectives between characters, and it added a lot to the story that the reader is let in to both Bao and Linh’s thoughts and feelings. Especially because the book is about two feuding families, it is important to get a sense of where each family is coming from.

Linh and Bao are both such likable characters that it is impossible not to root for them to be together. Linh is a talented artist, and Bao supports her and encourages her to follow her passion. In turn, Bao begins the book feeling lost and unsure of what he wants to do with his life, and Linh helps him realize his dream of writing. It is also beautiful that Bao is willing to help Linh and her family in their restaurant when they are shortstaffed, despite their parents’ rivalry.

I am also a big foodie, and I love stories about people who love food as much as I do. It was so fun to read about Linh and Bao enjoying the food at the restaurants they visited to review for their school newspaper.

“I start salivating the moment the aroma wafts from my ramen – intense and smoky. It doesn’t disappoint. The first spoonful of broth coats my tongue in a silky layer, and the noodles are still firm yet give way easily under my teeth. The egg is sweet and salty, soaked in umami.”

Of course, A Pho Love Story left me craving Vietnamese food.

Most notably, this book tells an important story about the American Immigrant experience. A Pho Love Story reveals the difficulties Bao and Linh’s parents faced both before and after leaving Vietnam. Through the book, Bao and Linh learn more about their parents’ lives in Vietnam and the circumstances surrounding their escapes.

Bao and Linh’s parents also face xenophobia including a racist person who refuses to pay for his food at Bao’s parents’ restaurant when he accuses them of cheating him out of egg rolls. This leads to horrible reviews on the Yelp page of every Vietnamese business in the area. Bao writes a powerful article defending all of the business owners and calling out the review writer on his racism. I was so moved by Bao’s article, and I continue to be horrified that there really are bigoted people who would write reviews like the ones Bao responds to.

A Pho Love Story manages to be both a sweet romantic story and a story that addresses deep familial trauma and racism.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC in exchange for review.

Bao and Linh have a lot in common. They are children of Vietnamese immigrants who escaped after the war, they live in the same neighborhood, their parents own Vietnamese restaurants across the street from each other, and their families know each other. The problem? Their families hate each other.

This young love, Romeo and Juliet-esque romance is a great read for high schoolers. Bao discovers his passion for writing and Linh, who already knows her passion for art, is afraid to tell her parents who want a stable job for her. The book takes us through family dynamics, friendships in high school, and of course, forbidden love.

So grateful for "own voices", where the nationality or color of one's skin isn't the main plot, just a part of what makes each character themselves. Recommend for grades 9 and up.

There is no need to wonder why 'Romeo and Juliet' is still popular. Times might have changed but we have similar scenarios even now, apparently. And thus we have 'A Pho Love Story' . . oh, don't worry . . . with a happy ending. After all, anything can be resolved if you can talk it out.
I am neither Vietnamese nor American but anyone from Asian families can really relate to Loan Le's debut. The family rivalry is one thing and along with that is the pressing matter of following your dreams. Its all charming and inspiring, but by the end, it all comes down to one thing: economic security. Can we really blame their parents for looking out for their children?
Reading the way Bao and Linh weave through this complex family situation was altogether rewarding and amusing. Linh is an aspiring artist and consequently bears the burden of her parent's expectations due to her talent in academics. Bao, on the other hand, is another story. He revels in being mediocre and that strategy eventually allowed him to walk on his chosen path without much family drama. Fewer expectations, fewer demands and more freedom. Isn't that clever?
But my most favourite part is the Vietnamese food and culture referred throughout the story, like the right kind of spice to a curry. Struggles in a foreign country, racist remarks and language barrier all plays its part and one cannot but salute both these families.
And I cannot forget Chef Le, our 'little' meddler. He surely is a force to deal with and the parts he were in is the quite memorable ones. His life, in a way, represents the future that awaits our cute couple. Whether it is love or career, a little bit of courage can surely make a change.

I loved this one! I thought it was so fun and cute and a great enemies to lovers story. Highly recommend for the fun story and great representation.