I wanted more food and food references in this book!
So we are greeted with our two Vietnamese teens, Bao and Linh. They are not supposed to talk to each other or be friends. They met as kids and then were separated by their families, as there is a long standing feud going on between them. We find out along the way that the feud doesn't actually have to do with the family pho restaurants.

Bao is such a great character as we see him grow as he and Lihn become closer! He isn't sure what he wants to do with his life, but with Lihn it makes him more focused to get her to see her potential and by doing that he is learning his. Linh's situation is different. She doesn't want to do exactly what her sister as has done, she loves art. She only sees it as a hobby though until Bao really pushes her to see what she is capable of.

I loved the diversity in this book and the look at the two different families.
A fun read, but I wanted more food and maybe even some recipes!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Unfortunately, due to this title not being available for Kindle, I will not be able to read the e-copy provided by the publisher. I do not have another device that supports the Netgalley Shelf App required for reading this. I do look forward to reading this book when it is published. Thank you.

" Two households, both alike in dignity. . ."
That is the beginning of the prologue for Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet. Luckily, this YA rom com is not a tragedy, but the elements of long-seated family feuding, family secrets and a hidden relationship are in this new novel coming out in February of 2021.

Two Vietnamese American teens, Bao Nguyen and Linh Mai know that they are not to talk to each other. It was made clear one day at temple when the two young kids happened to connect and start playing. When the parents found out, they were quickly separated, and now in high school, they have not had any classes together and they do not share the same friends.

But what they do have in common is that both teens work for their family pho restaurant across the street from each other. They at first believe that this is perhaps the source of the bitter feud, but when Bao finds Linh distraught in the alley behind her restaurant one night, he cannot turn away. Cue the music - their lives were changed.

The readers are brought into the mystery along with Bao and Linh who soon realize that the family feud has nothing to do with the restaurant and more to do with something that happened between the two families in Vietnam.

My thoughts:
Although pho is in the title, it is not the foodie book that I hoped it would be. There were some references to certain dishes that I would have liked more information about. I also would have liked some recipes at the end, but again, this is not that kind of book.

What I really like is the character of Bao who, before he gets to know Linh, is really kind of rudderless. He is an Asian student who does ok to get by, but does not really have a plan in mind for college and beyond. His parents also do not seem to put a lot of pressure on him to do well. He is ok to just skate by. But once he gets involved with Linh, he seems to find purpose in getting her to see her purpose. He suddenly becomes a community activist of sorts, and at least an advocate for Linh and her potential.

Linh's situation is very different. She is the second daughter and follows her elder sister who fits into the expected mold of smart, obedient older sister at a good college, pursuing an acceptable degree (that leads to a good job). Linh is different because she wants to do art. Others know she is a great artist but she does not see this as a possibility beyond one of being a hobby.

Similar books that cover culture, cultural norms, filial piety, cutesy rom com:
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon (any of her books)
Natalie Tan's Book of Love and Fortune by Roselle Lim

Somewhere Only We Know by Maureen Goo

Disclaimer: I received this ARC from @NetGalley.

The protagonists are Vietnamese and this is an enemies to lovers trope. Perfect for fans of Sandhya Menon. I adored this book and I don't want to give away anything but if you're a fan of rom-coms then this is for you!

I absolutely adore this charming star-crossed love story of teens from competing pho restaurants. I kept whipping through the pages, and loved the main characters, Linh and Bao, so much. The characters are so richly drawn, and their family relationships, and the balance between their dreams and their parents' dreams for them completely captivated me. Loan Le is a wonderful writer, and I'd love to read more from her.

I will try my best not to write this review for this phonomenal book without a pho pun. Okay never mind.

A PHO LOVE STORY follows Linh Mai and Bao Nguyen’s unexpected romance since their families work at competing pho restaurants. As they meet in secret, they begin to discover that their families’ rivalry runs deeper than the line of customers on 2-for-1 Pho Day. There are so many things to love about this book. Linh and Bao’s romance is so precious with their stolen moments. Not only do they have their families’ feud to contend with, they have individual concerns about their career interests (or lack thereof in Bao’s case) and how they approach that with their parents. Their interactions with their family and community at large—how they negotiate time away from the restaurant, their individual conversations with their parents, family gatherings—all evoked scenes from my life. There were so many moments I squealed in delight at the recognition of these familiar smells, places, and feelings. In particular, the author weaves in Linh and Bao’s parents’ refugee experience so seamlessly and the intergenerational effects on Linh and Bao’s worldview. I imagine some people might take issue with the Vietnamese phrases. As someone who knows only a handful of Vietnamese phrases, I didn’t think it was too difficult to gather the meaning from the context. If I must offer some sort of criticism, it’s that fans of typical romcom tropes won’t find them here. Instead, they’ll find a sweet secret romance for a couple you want to root for.