This book had some lovely elements. The writing was very descriptive and the plot was at times very emotional. However, I felt the huge focus on description and trying to create an atmosphere around food and nourishment slowed down the plot too much for my liking, and it struggled to keep my interest. I was glad to see the wholesome, satisfying ending but felt that the build up to the bakery and the romance would have been better done earlier in the story in order to keep my interest more. However, this book is great for fans to wish to experience fictional life through a foodie lens.

2.5 stars
This was only okay. I had hoped for a cute story in a beautiful setting, but the writing style didn´t really evoce what I had hoped, and the plot couldn´t hold my attention.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

I absolutely adored this, it was adorable. I loved the setting and the descriptions of the country, which make you visualise things very clearly. It was such a cute story and I will definitely look out for more from this author.

I received this book complimentary from NetGalley and all opinions are my own.
I did like this. I loved Hana as a character as well as the other main characters, like Ms Kawanami and Hikaru. It was pretty slow plot-wise and seems to bumble along with only random seemingly unplanned events happening. I figure it was probably to go along with Hana’s journey to find herself but it made me less invested in the story.

Perfect spring read! I really enjoyed the characters in this one. I wanted something that wasn’t too summery but still had that warm feel to it and this book delivered!

Synopsis:

Unknown to her talent and skills, Hana Lee runs after his best boy friend only to realize he has disappeared may be for good!! Search for him ends when search for herself begins in reality. From just a baking blogger to bake shop owner, this journey has so much to offer Hana.



Conclusion: This is a true novel to realize “ Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.” – John Lennon

Hana had so many plans to meet his boyfriend and plan a future with him but things goes sideways when she realizes Jin has disappeared. Her visit to Japan shattered her then reality only to build back again to become a successful owner of an Ex-vegetable shop. This novel took so long for me to complete First: It was not that interesting that I feel motivated to complete it and Second: I was busy in my real life. Though I had to agree it is a light-hearted beach read kinda novel.

Thank you #netgalley for the #arc

Hm, it was not what i had hoped it to be.
I found it annoying and kind of dumb that Jin suddenly had all these magical powers...it felt like it didn`t fit? Surreal it sure was, and Hana was okay but...sort of meh at the same time.

This book was quite different than I was expecting. Hana leaves her family behind and heads to Tokyo to be with her boyfriend Jin, only to discover he is nowhere to be found. Hana doesn’t want to return home, so decides to stay and make a go of it in Tokyo.

It was a cutesy style new adult type love story. Features many food descriptions and set in Japan – which is part of what originally drew me. A quick read, interesting and slightly unique writing style. I enjoyed the interwovenness of stories.

Definitely not what I expected but still cute. Hannah went to Japan to meet up with her boyfriend but he left. Instead, she found a community that she loved. There’s a lot of food and Japanese references that I enjoyed. I’ve always wanted to go to Japan and this makes me daydream about it!

This was a gorgeous book, with a beautiful cover and premise. The descriptions were outstanding and I really felt that I was there along the pages, walking the streets of Tokyo. Su Young Lee's writing was soothing and comforting throughout, despite the heart-wrenching moments that occur throughout. She always keeps you wrapped up in a cuddle of warmth during those harder pages.

Not what I was expecting based on the cover and blurb (if anyone's read Julie Caplin's Romantic Escapades series, you'll know what I mean). This was supposed to be the chick-lit/borderline women's fiction vibe, but it really wasn't. More like this aspect was a foil for presenting Japan, its culture, and most importantly its food to the readers. Best be approached as a sort of fictional memoir about food then? Not sure... And that's just the thing about this book - I'm not sure exactly what it really is. The writing felt very literary and heavy, but I did enjoy the beautiful descriptions and the 'knowledge' of Japan it seemed to convey. Plot-wise, whole other kettle of fish (I mean, is it really safe for a 20-something foreign young woman to simply fall asleep on the stoop of an internet café and spend the night like this, and not get robbed, assaulted, or even just bothered?) But if you read this as a sort of food travelogue of Japan, then it can redeem itself

A story as sweet as Hana's baked goods! When Hana heads to Japan to visit her boyfriend Jin, she finds that he's up and left. She decides to wait for him to return, and instead finds a community of people she loves, and who in turn help her find herself.

I found myself wishing this book came with all of the recipes Hana made!

The Tokyo Bicycle Bakery is a cute little book with a delectable cover and premise, but I had a hard time getting into it. The descriptions were fun (I love a good baking scene), but the prose overall was quite awkward and clumsy, and the pacing all over the place. That being said, it's a gentle, soothing kind of read - the novel version of ASMR? - and I can imagine being more charmed by it than I was in fact. I just couldn't get past the flat writing style, but hopefully it will be more to other readers' tastes than mine.

I received a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hana has decided to head to Tokyo to surprise her boyfriend, Jin. But when she gets to the city, Jin is nowhere to be found and she cannot get in touch with him. Broken hearted, Hana starts living life on her own, baking cakes for those she meets and travelling around by bicycle. ⁣
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I was happy to read this cute love story with a lot of food descriptions, set in Japan. It was a quick read and I loved how each of the character's stories intertwined at the end - it was so cleverly done!⁣

This book was so much fun, not what I expected but that was a good thing. I do love reading about other cultures.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

This book was definitely not quite what I expected snd while some parts were quite predictable, others were very surprising. Hana is an impulsive but kind college student who heads to Tokyo planning to show up at her friend/maybe boyfriend Jin’s apartment despite believing that he is so busy with his thesis that he hasn’t had time to respond to her emails in months. When she can’t find him she decides to stay in Tokyo for awhile with the vague idea that he will come back. Slowly she builds a life and makes friends, but still seems to feel like she has to make all her decisions herself and instantly, which I found annoying. She never seems to remember that she has friends and family who might help her, or be worried when she disappears for weeks or months. The writing was rather stilted most of the time, except when describing food or baking. There were a few chapters from Jin and Hakura’s points of view, but not enough to really be additive to the plot, especially in Hakura’s case. I wish we had either gotten more or less from Jin, his plotline was rather strange. Interesting when you get to the end and see how he has tied si many things together, but still strange to me.

Overall, an ok story about following your dreams and self discovery.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

A quirky and different read.

Hana has gone to Japan to see her boyfriend, but when she gets there he has dissapeared. Unsure what to do next, she stays around where he used to live, hoping he will be back soon. As she waits for him she makes her own friends - will he appear again?

The cakes described in the book sound great, I wish there were some recipes included too!

I just finished and I'm still suffering from the overload of the warm-and-fuzzies and cuteness! This was exactly everything I wanted out of a cutesy romance. This was such a fun new spin on a romance! I wish someone had given a copy to me while I was still in quarantine, just to show me that there can always be light and love even in these strange times.

Though there really wasn't much of a plot, one thing this book excelled at was simply making me happy. Cutesy romance just tends to do that to me! I really should put more into my rotation. Everyone needs some fluff now and then to break up whatever you're reading, whether it is dark gory fantasy, nerve-wracking thrillers, or one of those sad contemporaries that aim (and normally succeed) in making you cry.

I requested this book because of its cover! I mean look at that beautiful cover, its stunning. Now coming to my review, the content of the book wasn't as great as the cover. I mean, I didn't dislike the book but it just lacked the IT factor. The factor that would've lured me in. I liked the main character alright and I liked the prose of the book. This book is a light and fun read, it has a cozy feel to it. The plot, though was mediocre at best. Would I recommend this? Ehhh I don't know, not really.