What happens when two people who loves baking and pastries become a part of a local legendary baking competition? Lots of drama, arranged chance meetings and mom meddling with the contestants list.
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My Rating [3.5/5] 🌟🌟🌟✨
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The story setting, the characters were all really compelling to read. Especially the Mom was the best 😂 I know not every Asian family is like that, but it was really fun to read about (especially all the over the top drama, the family dinners, comparing children etc) Liza is stubborn and wants to prove herself to her mom and dad and wants to make them proud by being a part of her mom's baking competition. The whole bachelorette situation was really funny to read about and kind of cringy (but in a good way) James is your typical moody, brooding character who is on a Rebellion himself. I really loved the relationship between Liza and Grace , and Seth was such a sweetheart!
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The pacing was quite slow when the book started, and there were a lot of over the top cliche dialogues and scenes. I felt like the romance between Liza and James was kinda forced and abrupt. I don't know if it's because I expected more from their relationship, but I felt the baking and the relationship between Liza and her mom took precedence in this book instead of the romance. Anyways, all those baking and talking about pastries made me hungry and I ate a lot of baked goods once I finished the book 😂
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Thank you @prhinternational @netgalley for the gifted Review copy!!

A super cute read! I really enjoyed reading this book and had lots of fun with it. The characters were super relatable and I loved following them. Would definitely recommend!

couldn't read it. sorry but life got to me and yeah couldnt read it sorry

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Liza Yang is used to her mom setting her up with Asain boys and she is sick of it. No boy Liza actually likes is good enough for her mom, in fact Liza herself doesn’t feel good enough for her mom. Compared to her sister Jeannie, Liza is far from the perfect, smart daughter. Her ‘rebellious and stubborn’ nature stresses her mom out which is the last thing she needs with her yearly Yin & Yang bakery competition coming up. Thinking of her future college plans, Liza offers to help her mom with the annual competition. Mrs. Yang agrees easily, which is certainly suspicious, especially when Liza gets sight of the competition. All ten of the Asian American men handpicked by her mom to compete. Are they here to compete for best young baker or for Liza’s heart?

Yen’s writing style makes it easy to lose yourself in this story. There is a little bit of an enemy to lovers trope, crime and mystery, and family relationships. This book is compared to The Great British Baking Show because of the cooking competition, but I love the descriptions of baking and desserts. It makes me wish that there was some recipes included for some of the desserts that they made in competition, and Mrs. Yang’s famous steamed buns. The author included scenes where Liza’s white friend was unknowingly being racist and how Liza corrected her friend’s actions/words. These scenes in the book were just as important as the rest of the story and I appreciated that they were small scenes that didn’t overshadow the rest of the plot, but made a big impact on the character’s future actions and hopefully the minds of readers. Overall, this is a cute, short read and I would suggest it to readers just looking to fall into a book and relax with some dreamy food descriptions and sweet romances.

A Taste for Love definitely caught my eye because it was marketed as a <i>Pride and Prejudice re-telling. If you know anything about me then you know how much I love anything related to <i>Pride and Prejudice</i>. 3.5 Stars

A Taste for Love follows high schooler Liza Yang as she attempts to navigate familial expectations while trying to live a somewhat normal life where she isn't constantly compared to her sister. When she isn't off attempting to follow her own dreams and goals, Liza spends time helping her mom at their bakery, a passion that they share. If you're a foodie like me then you'll be completely absorbed into the various food descriptions. This isn't a book that I would read while hungry. Yen does a great job connecting Liza and her mother through baking especially since they don't really get along. There is a great appreciation for familial dynamics that Yen captures on page. This is also evident in the relationship that Liza shares with her sister. While she feels compared to her sister by her mother, Liza doesn't allow that to stop them from having a strong bond. When Liza makes the trip to go visit her sister, readers get the opportunity to see how much love exists between the two of them. It definitely is hard to see how hard Liza's mom is on her, but I also think that her mom wanted the best for her. I wouldn't necessarily go about it in the same way, but I think that's a difference in generational and cultural perspectives.

One thing that detracted from my enjoyment of the novel was the build up of the relationship between James and Liza. James is clearly "Darcy" so his character is supposed to be stand offish and hard to figure out; however, I had a difficult time connecting with their relationship as a whole. In some ways they felt more compatible as friends than two individuals who were developing a romantic relationships. In fact, by the end of the novel it felt slightly awkward seeing the outcome of the relationship. A lot of this seems to stem from the fact that this book has a lot of characters. At times it can be difficult to fully flesh out characters if there are too many involved in the story. If Yen would have tapered down on the amount of characters, I believe that Liza and James would have gotten the character development they needed in order to make their chemistry feel more believable.

Overall, I thought it was a really solid YA contemporary romance. Yen definitely developed a story that was reminiscent of Pride and Prejudice but was able to stand own it's own two feet with it's own voice. I'll be excited to see what Yen writes in the future.

Starting off with a funny modified quote from "Pride and Prejudice", A TASTE FOR LOVE is a endearing modern day Pride and Prejudice retelling that centers around Liza Yang, a high school senior who loves baking. Her mother, Mrs. Yang, is the owner of Houston's popular Yin & Yang Bakery and doesn't approve Liza's dream of pursuing culinary. When Liza agrees to help out at the bakery's annual competition, she realizes that all the Asian male contestants are handpicked by her mother to be Liza's possible date.

With "The-Great-British-Baking-Show-meets-The-Bachelorette" vibes, it was delightful to read every bit of this book and I was compelled to finish it in two sittings.
From disagreeing with Mrs. Yang's strictness/harshness to understanding her love and sacrifice for her family (even though the expression of love isn't the most reasonable), Mrs. Yang is a typical traditional Taiwanese (Asian) mother who I learned to empathize with. She searches for the perfect boyfriend for her daughter and I nodded in familiarity with the rules of dating set by her, which are very accurate, despite being cliché.

I found myself drooling with the taste of home of the food and pastries. Mostly, I so appreciated the Taiwanese cultural references which brought me back to my roots. If you enjoy enemy-to-lovers trope, you will love the cute romance. Overall I loved all the relationships (romantic, familial and friends).
I could picture the baking competition as a TV show in my mind and I was thoroughly entertained by the fun matchmaking scheme.

Yen's writing flows and shines with grace. The author realistically addresses familial expectations, slightly touching on immigrant experience and explores the first love with charm. I had good laughing moments and ultimately reading this novel felt like savoring my favorite Taiwanese food.

There were some predictable scenes and stereotypes that would be my small complaints. All in all,
I highly recommend this heartwarming debut filled with diverse cast, captivating characters and an enjoyable plot.

This was a sweet love story that fans of Jenny Han’s books will enjoy. There is a lot of teen drama and some fairly unrealistic mystery but it makes for an exciting story. Throw in a baking contest with all male contestants and you have a great rom-com on your hands.

This was a solid read but I wasn't blown away. I felt that the romance of the book felt off, even for a modern day Pride and Prejudice retelling. A lot of these retellings, the romance definitely sometimes feels like it comes out of nowhere. I do love the brooding man trope and the sassy young lady characters, but the romance between the two felt so... off? One minute they can't stand each other, and then randomly they’re holding hands. I honestly felt like I missed a chapter while reading.

I don't read a lot of cooking or baking books, but I had a lot of fun with this one. I haven't been into 'competition' plots, so the fact that this one is only a competition book for about half had me relieved. I loved how Yen incorporated not just baking, but baking and foods from asian cuisine. When the characters aren't baking they're visiting asian food places, like a boba place, a tea place, other restaurants in China town, getting and eating ramen, etc. I loved this aspect!

This book also deals with a daughter who isn't dedicated to being the mold of the young woman that her mother envisions. It deals with her stepping out of this mold and her mother is concerned that her daughter is becoming too Americanized, that she won't find a husband to take care of her and is all around more worried about her future without much care for the happiness of her daughter. But it also brings in to play what is culturally accepted, normal and expected of our main character. I loved how the relationship between mother and daughter grew and appreciated the ups and downs of the two.

The friendships were also really nice. There were many topics and themes that high schoolers and young adults have to deal with in real life in this book. I thought each topic as dealt with quite nicely.

I would have liked to see just a bit more development near the middle of the book, but still enjoyed how it ended! Recommend this as a fun YA baking book with a very Pride and Prejudice romance feel!

Absolutely adored this spin on Pride and Prejudice! Liza is basically me - obsessed with bbt and graphic tees (but omg they drink two larges in one sitting, I cannot), ends up falling for more grumpy and stoic love interest, has strict and critical mom, will fight for friends but will not fight as hard for self (that last one is a problem, I know - Liza starts to grow out of it though).

I love me a book about food and this was all about Chinese desserts and baked goods that I grew up with and love. There were some aspects of the baking competition that was a bit much - which is even acknowledged by the MCs (I know people lie on their applications, but REALLY?). That being said, seeing Liza grow in her confidence and skills through the story and proving herself to her mother was fantastic and heartwarming!

Liza's friends were so loving and supportive. They were always building each other up and giving each other love. There were some aspects of cultural differences that were noted and I loved that microaggressions were called out - people don't often realize how their words can come across but these characters were willing to learn and grow.

Basically, if you love P&P and food, mixed with a some drama and parental shenanigans, this is the story for you!

eARC #gifted by @penguinteenca in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute “Pride and Prejudice” retelling. It was a bit too long and could have been edited down in my opinion. Being married to a Chinese man, I can relate to the mother’s cautionary remarks regarding not wanting to appear smarter than a potential mate or eating too much, but I wish the authors had taken the opportunity to shame the mom for this treatment of the daughter and let younger readers know it’s not okay. I also thought more emphasis on the interracial relationship of the other contestant and her friend could have been played up more. All-in-all I found the disaster of the competition too over the top and that was where I lost interest. Cute but had so much more to offer.

this is such a cute book that reminds me a lot about my own heritage! i love the cooking competition aspect of the book and the dynamic between the characters are amazing! it is a fast paced novel that is super cute and fluffy and i especially love liza's family so much! her family bakery is such a cute concept and it is a refreshing book that is filled with a lot of food and cuteness! i absolutely adore the romance in this too! i think i will reread this again! it is just such a quick read that you cannot put down! it may be a little expected and predictable but definitely the cutesy vibe outweighs that factor! i enjoyed my time reading this a lot!

This was such a cute book! I loved Jennifer Yen's voice and this sweet story. I can't wait to read another Jennifer Yen story!

CWs: some fatphobic comments (incurred), some casual racism (incurred), multiple incidents of infidelity, HP references, and brief mention of sexual assault

This book is pitched as Pride and Prejudice meets The Great British Bake-Off with an #ownvoices Taiwanese-American spin, and that's exactly what it is! It's such a fun, sweet romance which does exactly what a good retelling should do: it takes all the major beats and characters of a beloved classic, but re-contextualizes them in new and refreshing ways. While the basic plot structure of Pride and Prejudice is clear enough for readers familiar with the title, A Taste For Love adds its own layers of characterization and diverges into its own unique narrative that makes it exciting and engaging to read!

Being compared to TGBBO sets a very high bar, and I think this book definitely meets that standard, especially in how the story explores food and its importance. Not only is traditional cuisine a huge part of Liza's cultural experience as a Taiwanese-American teenager, but it also plays an important role in her family since traditional food is literally the family business. Making food is what connects her to her family and the most important people in her life, whether they're spending time together over a family dinner or meeting to catch up over Boba tea. Food is the connective tissue between everyone and everything in Liza's life, and there's an emotional component to every dish and every confection mentioned in the book.

On that same note, I really loved how much detail and focus was put into Liza's baking process. Sometimes "foodie romances" miss the mark by overriding the baking/cooking with the romance plot (which makes sense), but I think this story does such a good job of not only balancing Liza's culinary interest with the rest of the story, but showcasing it to the fullest. When you read this story, there's absolutely no doubt that Liza knows exactly what she's doing in the kitchen. Her skills and her technique are shown so thoughtfully on the page, and that really lends credibility to her character, especially later in the story when she's put in a position to judge this baking competition.

I also found the romance to be super sweet! I was a little bit worried in the beginning, because I think a Darcy-type character is hard to pull off in a more modern story, simply because, objectively speaking, Mr. Darcy is not the "best" kind of love interest, right? He's rude, he's judgmental, he's classist, he's cold and standoffish and horrible at communicating. Obviously he opens up a bit by the end of Pride and Prejudice, but I was hoping that we wouldn't have to wait that long for the pay off in this story, and thankfully we don't! James is definitely judgmental at first and puts up a lot of emotional walls, but there's depth to him and a kind of tenderness that surprises Liza (and the reader) throughout the story. He's passionate, he's driven, he's protective, and his main "flaw" is that he cares so much. I was definitely swooning as their romance developed, and I think they compliment each other really well, especially since they both love to bake!

Another thing I appreciate about the story is that the tension between Liza and her mom feels realistic. Liza feels like she's constantly disappointing her mother and failing to meet her expectations, while Liza's mom feels like being tough on her daughters is a worthy price to pay if it means they find some kind of lasting security. From her mother's perspective, doing manual labor in a restaurant is something that she and her husband have taken on in order to provide their children with a good life. But it's hard work with very little pay-off, and she wants something "better" for her kids. She thinks marriage means stability, and that higher education means less labor-intensive jobs.

Liza, on the other hand, is trying to reconcile those "traditional" values with her modern-day sensibilities. Her upbringing as a Taiwanese-American person is much different than how her parents grew up, and while she knows that there are so many more possibilities than her parents have considered, she still wants to respect her family and do right by them. She and her mom definitely butt heads throughout the story, but I really appreciate that they eventually come to a place where they're trying do right by the other person. Everything isn't suddenly "fixed" and Liza's mom doesn't magically take to Liza's modern-day sensibilities, but they are both genuinely trying to do better—and that's what matters.

So overall, I really enjoyed this! It's fast-paced contemporary rom-com that's full of family, love, culture, and food, and I think it succeeds in making a classic story shine like new. My one critique is that I wish the "Wickham" storyline was explored more on the page, and that we got to see some of that play out instead of merely told to us in hindsight, which makes it that harder to connect. But, that aside, I had such a great time reading this book and I can't wait to see what Jennifer Yen writes next!

This YA realistic fiction is fun and full of love! Once you start this gem, you will want to read it in one setting. Th characters draw you in and make you feels as if they are your best friends telling you the story of their lives. Its a cute one and a must have ASAP!!

I’m a sucker for all Austen retelling so a pride and prejudice retelling is catnip for me. A baking competition (obsessed with Great British Bake Off) but it’s actually a ploy to set up our main character Liza with a boy...let the adorable hi jinks ensue. Super cute story with Asian representation and family dynamics. Love that it focused on other relationships and not just the love interest - those were my favorite parts.

What does a mother do when her teenage daughter refuses to date the right boy? Well you combine your annual baking show with a dating match up! This is where Liza finds herself and is determined to beat her mom at her own game. A Taste for love is an hate to love baking rom com. Liza is every senior battling the expectations of parents and the "correct" path to take after high school. While Liza is bucking at her parents expectations, her older sister seems to be gaining all the familial praise. The dynamic between the sisters and their conversations help to give the plot depth and an insight into siter competition. There is often a disconnect with how parents want to show their love and expectations and how it is received by their children. Liza and her mother display this generational gap perfectly. Throughout the book this relationship is the most misunderstood and concrete, especially with the relationship standards. While this was a light hearted romantic comedy, Yen does weave in deeper themes for readers to think about.

A Taste for Love is a cute and fun romantic read sprinkled with over-the-top shenanigans reminiscent of an Asian drama while being firmly a diaspora story. This is a story of a tense mother-daughter relationship and the struggle between wanting to make your parents happy and make yourself happy. I loved the references to contemporary East Asian and Asian American pop culture and the integration of Liza's Taiwanese heritage into the story in ways that weren't about conflict. The food was really well-described and had me craving things all throughout the story. I look forward to reading more by Jennifer Yen.

The perfect combination of sweet and salty…
A Taste for Love by Jennifer Yen is a wonderfully lite, confectionary tale that is the perfect pick-me-up for any day. Liza Yang is graduating high school and coming of age under the rigid direction of her Taiwanese mother who is determined to see Liza with a practical college degree and suitable boyfriend. In other words, an Asian American from the right family who checks all the right boxes; even if those are not the boxes Liza would check. Liza tries to walk the fine line between pleasing her parents and spreading her wings in hopes her parents will see that her true passion is found in the kitchen with her hands buried in dough. When Liza’s mother surreptitiously uses the Annual Ying and Yang Baking Contest as a Bachelorette style competition, the tension between mother and daughter reaches a new level. However, the heat really increases after James Wong, the hot but hard to read new guy in town, is announced as a contestant.

Jennifer Yen puts her own personal twist on the boy meets girl storyline by using an Asian American perspective. Her flawlessly created and plated storyline reveals that attraction, love, and the desire for self-determination are universal even though there might be cultural variations as to how they play out. I genuinely liked Liza and enjoyed her point of view as the connection to James starts to bubble and the tension with her well-meaning yet hyper-controlling mother comes to a boil. The icing on the cake, however, is the highly reputable, scholarship baking contest for high school students the family puts on annually. Liza’s mother is so obsessed with the “right” Asian boy, she covertly turns the contest into a Bachelorette competition, with some of the contestants painfully inept in a kitchen. Simply put, A Taste for Love is a really fun read.

Jennifer Yen has concocted a beautifully balanced story that is one part RomCom and another part coming of age under strict Asian parents. This combination, garnished with mouth-watering Asian dishes, Boba tea, and a twist of intrigue, is the perfect recipe for a delicious and satisfying read. It is sweet without being sappy, funny without being forced, and a book that should be on your TBR list for your next day at the park or beach.

This was such a sweet and fun read. I loved the interactions, the friendships, the mother-daughter relationship, even if it was strained, the affection was there and the generation gap is mostly to blame. Though some twists and turns were pretty obvious, the overall effect of this story was a very heartwarming surprise. All the baking details were so hard to read through, I kept looking in my pantry and wish the ingredients could magically appear so I can make something, or wish for the buns to also magically appear in my oven.
I enjoyed the way James and Liza got together, though it felt rushed at times, I could feel it was not an easy path, it's hard for closed hearts to open up, but they managed to go through their heartbreaks together.

Liza Yang helps out at her family’s restaurant and bakery, Yin and Yang. Her mother holds a competition every year for young bakers, with the prize of a scholarship. Mrs. Yang is eager to find husbands for her daughters. Her oldest daughter, Jeannie, is attending school in New York and is working as a fashion model. Liza has always been the rebellious daughter who dated American boys, rather than Asian boys. Liza is given the opportunity to help her mom judge the baking competition for the first time, but as soon as she sees the contestants, she realizes this year’s competition has been set up as a dating competition for her. Each of the contestants is an eligible Asian teen boy. One of the contestants is James, who has already gotten off on the wrong foot with Liza. Despite that, and even though Mrs. Yang approves of him, Liza can’t help but be attracted to James.

I’ve been binge watching the Great British Bake Off in the last few months, so this book was on trend for me. The competition that Mrs. Yang holds in the story is very similar to that baking competition. There was even an episode of the Bake Off that was referenced in the book that I watched a few days ago. The characters made a wide variety of baked goods in this story. I had to look up some that I had never heard of but they all sound delicious so I’ll have to try them!

This book also had me hooked when I realized it was a retelling of Pride and Prejudice. There have been so many retellings that it’s hard to get an original story. This one definitely worked for me. I really enjoyed this story because it wasn’t an exact copy of Pride and Prejudice. Some of the plot points were rearranged, but it followed the general story of the Jane Austen classic.

This was such a fun story. I recommend having sweet treats on hand while reading it!

Thank you Razorbill for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.