a pho love story tried really hard, but it didn't pay off. the characters were flat and dull, the romance was horrible and at some point, it physically hurt me to continue reading.

putting this one down and never picking it up again at about 40%.

I've been looking forward to A PHỞ LOVE STORY for almost a year now, and I am SO excited to see all of the buzz that this book is getting; it's so great to see so much Viet-Am rep coming out this year and to see other readers being excited for it! 😭

A PHỞ LOVE STORY by Loan Le is a YA rom-com about two Vietnamese-American teens, Linh Mai and Bảo Nguyễn, whose families own competing phở restaurants in California's Little Saigon.

If you can, I highly recommend having some Vietnamese food on hand while reading this book because it will make you HUNGRY! Every food that was mentioned gave me cravings. People tend to exclusively think about phở and bánh mì when thinking about Viet food, so it was so wonderful to see APLS highlight so many of the other great dishes (and desserts!) that are out there. If you haven't branched outside of phở before, I highly recommend remediating that ASAP. 🤤

Although this is a a rom-com, the family drama plotline was the most compelling to me. I couldn't stop reading when Linh and Bảo started to unravel the history behind their family feud. The theme of growing to understand your family through their past is a not uncommon in diasporic #VietLit, but it's something that I still love to read because it is so important. My parents share very little to begin with, but like Linh and Bảo, I was so absorbed in my own problems when I was younger that I never tried to find out what my parents' lives were like in Vietnam. At one point, a character talks about how he has questions that he wishes he had asked his late mother before it was too late. This really struck a chord with me and is something that I'll be thinking about for a while.

Thank you to Colored Pages Blog Tours, Simon Teen, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

A Pho Love Story was a super cute book. The premise: Two teens whose parents own competing pho shops end up falling in love. I loved the premise. Both Bao and Linh were great characters. One issue that I had with this book was that it was little too long for the story that was being told.

Will not finish - 37%

A Pho Love Story was listed as part of my most highly anticipated 2021 releases. And so, it hurts my heart a little to admit that I don't have the energy to finish this book.

This isn't a badly written book. It's just not a story for me. I know that A Pho Love Story will resonate deeply with a lot of readers from the Asian diaspora, especially among immigrants.

However, as someone who's been born and raised in Asia, I guess I've reached a point where I crave representation that goes beyond the struggles of being Asian and American. Quite frankly, I'm sick and tired of this lens. And that's not a reflection of the author's writing. It's a reflection of where I am mentally and emotionally as a reader seeking characters who look like me and live like me.

Moreover, while I cannot comment on the book as a whole, I will say that I think there's a missed opportunity here. I was really looking forward to the intensity and tension derived from rivals turned lovers. However, the relationship between Linh and Bao is more of a forbidden romance, and I was a bit disappointed that the rivalry is solely between their parents. In fact, Linh and Bao identify their common ground right away and easily bond. This is also partially why my interest immediately declined. I would've loved to see them being ruthlessly competitive, slowly unlearning their biases, and working towards bridging the chasm between their families. But alas, this was not that story.

On a more positive note, A Pho Love Story delves into the trauma experienced by refugees of the Vietnam War, which is a discussion that is very sorely-needed. Undoubtedly, this debut novel brings something meaningful to the YA contemporary genre.

Family-centric romances with a food service component seem to be all the rage these days! This one has its issues - it's longer and the pacing is pretty slow, there isn't much to differentiate the two POVs, and I didn't necessarily connect with the romance during the buildup although it was very sweet later on - but it also features a really strong community element and a bit of a heavier family history plotline which sets it apart. Definitely something for fans of Sandhya Menon to try out.

This book reminds me of a modern day Romeo and Juliet. It was such a fun tale of requited love between two young people who are unable to be together because their families are restaurant rivals. What I loved most were the Vietnamese phrases along the way.

The love story in this was so cute, and I also appreciated that the author incorporated both main characters' parents histories in Vietnam and as refugees and then successful restaurant owners in the US. It deftly balanced the much more heavy elements with the lighter and fluffier elements. However, for a YA romance, it did feel a little long at over 400 pages.

Oh, how I love teen romance reads. The ones featuring teenagers who are figuring out themselves, their wants, their talents, their families, and the world around them as they're catapulting toward adulthood are some of my favorites.

The books acknowledge that teens are complex, responsible, and fallible.

Bao and Linh are Vietnamese-American teenagers whose families own restaurants across the street from one another.

Both grew up in those restaurants with immigrant parents, a deep commitment to family, and the knowledge that whatever caused the decades-long war between the two families was not to be questioned.
Then they met for the second time, and...*click*.

This is a love story not just about Bao (the boy figuring out what he wants to do with his life) and Linh (the girl who always knew what to do, but also that her family did not want her to pursue it), and THAT is what makes me rave. 

I don't want to give much away, but I will say some of my favorite parts of the story were the falling in love, the food, the friendships, the use of their families' native language, THE FOOD, the realistic messiness, and how every character was drawn so well that it felt like I was watching a movie. 

(Someone please, please make this into a movie.)

For readers ages 12+. 
For fans of books like THIS TRAIN IS BEING HELD, THIS IS MY BRAIN IN LOVE, I'LL BE THE ONE, TWEET CUTE, FRANKLY IN LOVE, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT SWEETIE.

The main characters are so freaking adorable together in this book my cheeks hurt from smiling so much! Must read!

In A Pho Love Story, author Loan Le tells the story of Bao and Linh, two teenagers from families with competing pho restaurants. As Bao and Linh become friends, and maybe something more, they have to navigate rival families, complicated family histories, and their own insecurities.

There are a few things I love, on a personal level, about A Pho Love Story. It is set in Westminster, California, close to where I grew up. The picture Le paints of the city, known for its bustling Vietnamese population, is loving and accurate -- the way she describes the grocery stores, the food, the sounds and smells, leaves no question that this book is deeply rooted in a real, beloved, location.

Bao and Linh are both the children of immigrants -- their parents all fled from Vietnam under harrowing, sometimes deadly, circumstances. American teenagers with Asian refugee parents is a story I have lived, and seeing it represented on the page is a special experience.

That being said, the book overall fell flat for me. The characters feel one-dimensional and oddly similar -- it was difficult to tell Bao and Linh's parents apart, and although they mentioned their respective best friend's personalities and interests, the two characters also came across as oddly alike. Bao and Linh themselves were not particularly interesting character, and a contemporary romance that is over 400 pages, compelling characters are surely a must.

One of the biggest issues with the book was the tendency of Le to set up what seemed like interest, conflict-filled moments, and then to simply let them slip away. Early in the book, Linh's teacher tells her about an art exhibit that is happening nearby for one night only. Linh, whose emotional drama in the book drives mostly from her desire to be an artist conflicting with her parents' wishes for her to find a more financially stable career, wants to go to the event, but it is the same night as a big sale at their family restaurant, and her parents expect her to work. This feels like the set up for several chapters worth of content -- instead, the event passes by quickly and with a lot less fanfare that one might expect. Similarly, a chapter later, Bao is anxious about getting home in time from work -- his parents have already texted asking where he is, and he asks his best friend to make an excuse up for him to be ten minutes late. Instead, Bao is hours late coming home, surely setting up drama with his parents -- except this drama never materializes. This happens again and again, with the possible conflict moments half developed and then dropped, while certain emotional beats are repeated again and again.

Overall, it is a wholly inoffensive book, but it is a book with few redeeming qualities. One thing is certain however -- read this book with a big steaming bowl of pho next to you, because otherwise you will spend your entire read craving it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for the ARC!

Plotwise, this was really cute. Two teens whose parents own competing pho shops end up falling in love. I really like Bao and Linh and their cast of supporting characters. The addition of Chef Le and Saffron was lovely and I would certainly read a book just about them. I'm happy to see more Asian American rep in YA.

Two things didn't work for me...

1. It just seemed too long. There were entire chapters that didn't propel the story forward and were just "woe is me" teen angst, which isn't helping the story. The middle definitely dragged and then the end sped up.

2. I cared way more about the parents than the kids. This happens sometimes as an adult reading a YA novel, but I would have rather heard more of the family's history, the parents' journey to America. I know that's not the book I signed up for, but it's the far more interesting story here.

Overall, yes this was really cute and I'll absolutely buy this one for my school library.

I loved the book, but it was sadder than I expected. It definitely gave a Romeo and Juliet vibe. It would not be appropriate for students, but I loved reading the story!

Cute story of “star crossed lovers”. I love the adaptation of this old story and the cultural shift that tells of the split identity of second generation immigrants.

A Pho Love Story is a delightful dual POV story about family, being brave, and following our dreams. The food cravings while reading this were so bad. Please eat this with some delicious Vietnamese food because if you don't, you'll just be googling recipes the whole time. An element I appreciated was how seamlessly Le weaves in the culture, family habits, and traditions in this YA contemporary. It's infused from the very beginning in the ways Linh's parents want her to find stability. Or the ways in which their community, and gossips, functions.

Touching upon fleeing from Vietnam, Le delivers a story of family secrets. Of the burdens of not telling the truth. How difficult it is to pursue our dreams in the face of challenges and scorn. How hard it is to be in the heat of the moment and your dreams seem to be curling up besides you. Not knowing how much more smoke they can take, how precarious your paper house might be. A Pho Love Story examines the decisions we take. Parallel lives in tandem, stretched silences, and mirrored rooms.

This was a cute, breezy read that definitely reads YA but for all the right reasons.

This is a clever Romeo and Juliet retelling with lighthearted enemies to lovers vibes

I absolutely ADORED this book!!

Bao and Linh are two teenagers navigating high school and helping their families run competing Vietnamese restaurants. Bao and Linh avoid each other most of their lives until Linh's friend, Ali, asks them to review neighborhood restaurants for the school's newspaper. Through the process, the two fall in love and start navigating a relationship when their families hate each other. They also separately find their true passions and dreams for their futures.

Le does a fabulous job depicting Vietnamese-American culture and the ups and downs of running a business with family. I also really appreciated that while the relationship of Bao and Linh was prominent in the novel, it was not it's main focus. Le made sure that each character found their purpose and "thing" apart from each other.

This book is for anyone who enjoys an adorable story that isn't just fluff.

This book is a sweet teen romance that follows Linh and Bao. Each of them from families that run Vietmanese restaurants....that are right across the street from each other....and have had a silent feud for decades.

Linh and Bao met when they were young, but have mostly avoided each other because of their feuding families. But the book's events bring them together and they're unable to deny that they have feelings for one another. They start dating without telling their parents and thus have to create many ruses to not let on to their parents that they are dating.

This book is a sweet take on the Romeo and Juliet concept without it being a true retelling. Instead, what you get is complicated and rich family relationships, a lovingly created representation of a culture and an industry that you don't see many books about, and two excellent teenage characters who have wit and charm and lots of reasons to keep you reading.

I loved immersing myself in Linh's art founded on memories and her relationship with color. There were times when she mentioned bits about art history, and I was like "ahhh!!" about these parts because I'm studying art history lol. I also felt attached to Bảo because of his journalism/writing. I'm a writer/editor for my college's newspaper (I help head the Arts & Entertainment section, no surprise!), so I felt very at home in his chapters, especially when he was in the newspaper's office. During these moments, I was definitely picturing mine, where I've spent countless hours making the week's issue.

Another personal thing, but I appreciated the mention of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards because it brought back memories!! I submitted my writing to this national competition between middle school (when I was about 13 or 14) and senior year of high school (I was probably 18), and I've gotten a few Gold Keys and a Silver Medal. I remember the award ceremony in Carnegie Hall!

Back to A Phở Love Story: some parts were so e m o t i o n a l!! People, even those who you love and think you know best, can still surprise you. This book peels back the layers and complexities of families, especially the experience of immigration and finding a new life in a new country that sometimes doesn't seem to want you back. One of the reasons why I didn't rate this book 5 stars is because I did kind of guess a major plot point, and the ending felt a bit rushed for the pacing established.

Otherwise, Bảo and Linh's romance is so sweet!! It's very cute and soft. And oh yes, I do want to try learning basic Vietnamese because of A Phở Love Story, so there's that too. Highly recommend!

This was an adorable ya rom com with a Romeo & Juliet aspect to it set in rival pho restaurants!
I loved the romance & I also loved learning the backstory of both sets of parents and how they came to the US from Vietnam.
Overall I really enjoyed this and am so happy to have read it!

A lovely contemporary debut about first love, family history, and food feuds.

This story was a joy to read. Not only were the main characters and those around them compelling, but they also grew in interesting and authentic ways. The romance is what initially appears to be at the heart of the story, and it is swoon-worthy.

But as the story progressed, more and more I saw the themes focusing on the ghosts of family secrets, the impacts of trauma on the second-generation, and the importance of being honest with yourself and those around you. This focus, specifically evident in the second half, is really what set this book apart from many other entertaining offerings in this genre.

All in all, a beautifully crafted contemporary about love in all its forms.