There are a lot of single POV. "romcoms" out there that are very light on the romance, and indeed this is one of them. It does have a lot of charm and a humorous voice, if not a lot of laugh out loud comedic moments. And even though the romance is not the focus of the story, I thought it had some really nice moments, Because the female main character is young and just figuring things out after college, I feel like this will have appeal to people who can relate to that. And I think anyone can appreciate a glimpse into a lovingly portrayed family of Chinese refugees who escaped the Khmer Rouge. I think this book is a standout in a crowded field.

This was a cute romance that I really enjoyed. Jasmine graduated from UCLA but can’t find a job. She works in her parents’ donut shop. It’s not exciting, but she’s got a routine down. Jasmine’s parents escaped the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia and immigrated to the US. They have firm opinions about how Jasmine should live her life. They want to set her up when a husband when Jasmine meets a guy named Alex she knew slightly in college. He’s Chinese, so her parents should approve, until they meet Alex and his mother at a dinner. It was a disaster, and now Jasmine’s parents are against her seeing him.
At the same time,the donut shop is in trouble because of a rent increase. Can Jasmine help save the family shop and get the guy?
The book is well written and fun, and the family dynamics were interesting to read about. 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

3.5 Stars

Jasmine has been working at her family’s donut shop her whole life. Now, after college and with the donut shop struggling to stay afloat financially, she feels the pressure to keep helping her parents and put her wants aside.

While she’s trying to figure out her next path and a way to help her parents at the same time, love comes knocking. Or rather, the stranger she had a crush on during college happens to be the roommate of her friends’ boyfriend.

Talk about an adorable story. If you want something sweet, look no further. And not only because of the donut references and the fact that the heroine works at her family’s donut shop. The romance is sweet as is the plot of the heroine finding her place in the world. I really liked seeing her understand her family better and also try and go after the things she wants. And did I mention the sweet romance?⁠

I do want to mention that even though there is a solid romance, I would say this leans more towards women’s fiction than romance. The HEA is there but I think Jasmine’s journey is definitely the central focus of this story. I still classify this overall as romance though. If that helps! 😉

3 out of 5 donuts!

With no boyfriend or job prospects, Jasmine returns home to work at her parent's donut shop. They are very set in their ways. A hike in rent threatens the survival of their shop leading her parents rely on her more than ever.

In comes an old college crush, Alex Lai. Not only is he successful and easy on the eyes, to her parent's delight, he’s also Chinese. He’s everything she should wish for, until a disastrous dinner reveals Alex isn’t as perfect as she thinks. Worse, he doesn’t think she’s perfect either.

I gave this book 3 stars. It's supposed to be a romantic comedy. There wasn't a ton of romance in it. It seemed more focused on her and her family. There was nothing wrong with that but I expected more romance and funny scenes. The end left a bit to be desired. I felt like the book had too much detail about some stuff and not enough detail about other stuff. I really felt the connection between Alex and Jas. It was a very good book and I do recommend it.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. This book released November 9th.

The Donut Trap is a book wrapped in all the sweetness and funny that one usually expect in romantic comedies. But once you take a bite of it you find that it’s filled with other things that makes you delightfully surprised. Meet Jasmine aka Jas aka college grad living with her parents and working in the family business, Sunshine Doughnuts. She feels that her life isn’t going anywhere but she can’t seem to let go of the store which she’s been working in since she could remember. Her parents are immigrants and have worked relentlessly to make Sunshine Doughnuts a stable business. But like life things change and it seems that what used to work for them before isn’t going to make their store survive for much long. Then Jas hits on the idea of trying things differently, trying new recipes and posting it to social media to see if it will make a difference. And it does in more ways that she could ever expect.
The Donut Trap isn’t just a romance in fact I even hesitate to call it one for the simple reason that rather than the love story, the center of everything is Jas’ own personal struggle. If you’ve ever been a child of immigrants, more so if you are Asian, this book will definitely resonate in one way or the other. The author has written about every possible struggle and emotion that children of immigrants might experience in such a poignant and realistic way. The way Jas deflects everything she needs to the point that she isn’t even sure what she is supposed to do in life is heartbreaking. And the way the resolution comes not instantly but in waves is just perfect. The Donut Trap surprised me and It will definitely one that I would remember.

A book about a donut shop is a good reason to get donuts! 🍩 The Donut Trap was a sweet read about a coming of age young woman trying to figure out life after college.

Jasmine Tran is the daughter of immigrant parents who sacrificed a lot for her and her brother to go to college. She’s helping out in their family donut shop to help give her aging parents a break, but after working there for a little while, she sees they aren’t making much money. She helps brainstorm ideas for exciting enhancements to their menu and utilizing social media when she runs into a long time crush of hers. They hit it off and Jasmine balances her work life and her personal while trying to figure out her future.

This was a fun and cute book that definitely made me want donuts. I thought Jasmine seemed very young at times and was frustrated with her parents about her future job. But she didn’t really know what she wanted to do either?

This romance has a new adult feel, picking up on themes of directionlessness after college and the urge to make one's life impressive and cool even when it's anything but. Feeling stuck in her routines working at the family donut shop, Jas steps up to help draw in new customers with trendy flavors while she hunts for a career she can be excited about and tentatively starts seeing "the one who got away" from college. Through it all, she struggles with the pressures of meeting her parents' expectations and assuaging their worries about the state of her life. The story reflects on how Jas' experience as the daughter of refugees has translated into a push to be the perfect model of the American Dream™.

Jas' romance with Alex captures the stress of dating in the digital age, from overthinking texts to stalking social media accounts. Unfortunately, this part of the story didn't hold my interest very well. The single POV left Alex kind of flat. We hear often about how hot he is (Jas' words), and he's generally considerate and an ok guy. I don't have anything more enthusiastic than that. Jas' best friend instructs him on where to take her on a date and how to impress her, which left me even less certain about what he brought to the table. Several missteps on his part result in a chain of apologies throughout. The couple is always on tenuous ground, making it hard for me to get excited about.

In terms of Jas' non-romantic plot, she starts to take charge of her life right at the end of the book. While I appreciated the growth, I think it would have been nice to see more of that part of the journey compared to the majority spent on the buildup to action. If I wanted to feel that itch to stare miserably into the void, I just wouldn't pick up a book.

I think if you're interested in the non-romantic aspects of the story or don't mind that the romantic plot is largely confined to the early, rocky, get-to-know-you phase, you will find the plots about family and launching your life in a new direction to be thoughtful and multifaceted. I was lucky enough to win my copy in a Goodreads giveaway, and I appreciate the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Donut Trap follows Jasmine as she is back living at home, sort of taking a "gap year" of sorts but instead of being before college it's the year after she has graduated. She works helping out her parents in their mom and pop donut shop and is very much stuck in a life rut. She doesn't know what she wants to do with her life or her degree and feels kind of left behind as she sees high school and college friends thriving via their social medias.

The main focus of this book is Jasmine's personal journey both to figure out what she is doing as well as her developing relationship with her parents. If you had only read the back of the book before reading it, this might surprise you as this book is definitely marketed as a Romance and I just want to temper your expectations going in so you know what you're picking up because this book is definitely just contemporary fiction. The romance storyline could be completely removed from the book, and there would still be a full and complete story here.

And that story of Jasmine figuring her life out is a good one. I think it will especially resonate with those of a similar age and in the same stage of life as Jasmine is. Jasmine's feelings of not knowing what to do and getting stuck in this monotonous rut is definitely a highly relatable story and I was really rooting for her as she figured it out. I also very much enjoyed following the story of the donut shop as a setting. The book has been compared to Kim's Convenience and that comp title is so spot on.

Now where this book fell flat for me was in two main areas. First being the main characters, despite all being post college adults in their early 20's read like they were high school students, which was kind of jarring when something would happen that would remind you they were in fact adults. And secondly, the romance super fell flat to me. Had I not read reviews beforehand warning me this was more contemporary than romance I think my rating would have been even lower because this part of the story really dropped the ball. There was just pretty much no chemistry between Jasmine and Alex. And their conflict was so early in their relationship that I found myself lacking any attachment to want to root for them, it was like they'd only been on one date, so I just found myself wondering what were they even trying to save.

I'm glad a couple of my reviewer friends read Julie Tieu's The Donut Trap before I did, because I went into this novel with the expectation that it's more a coming-of-age story than a romance. The romance between Jasmine and Alex is definitely a big part of the plot, but the novel is told from Jasmine's point of view and Alex is missing from chunks of the book. Instead, the relationship between Jasmine and her parents and Jasmine's overall post-college funk is the focus of the story and if you read it with the right expectations, it's a really solid debut.

Jasmine is the daughter of Chinese-Cambodian immigrants who've been through a lot both before and after immigrating to the United States, so she struggles to articulate her own needs while not coming off as ungrateful. She's worked in the donut shop her family owns for most of her life and she's disappointed to be back there after college. But how can she tell her parents how unhappy she is without dismissing their life's work? I really appreciated Aarya's review (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3956369421) and how she gets into the immigrant family dynamics in the novel. If you're curious or if you've read it and want a nuanced perspective, check it out.

There are a lot of universal feelings in The Donut Trap. The years between 20 and 25 are usually a bit of a mess as people try to figure out who they are, what they want, and how to navigate relationships with their parents and friends as an adult. Tieu gets into some of the awkwardness of moving back to the town in which you grew up and re-connecting with friends after four years apart. She describes the modern struggle to get hired for any job without already having experience in that job. I found myself relating to so much of Jasmine's frustration and my heart went out to her when we learn of the moment in college when she finally broke after trying so hard to be someone she wasn't. We're really hard on ourselves sometimes and oof, it was well done by Tieu.

There are some funny moments and if you like donuts, there are lots of delicious descriptions of pastries. Mostly though, I think this is a great novel to pick up if you want a story about coming of age at 23 and finding love and hope on the other side.

Content Warnings: references to Khmer Rouge and refugee camp, class prejudice (Alex's mom is not a nice person), Alex changes Jasmine's computer settings without her permission, alcohol poisoning: past, depression


I received a copy of this book for review.

I grabbed this book because of the cutesy cover, and I love a good romantic comedy. Even though the main character, Jasmine, is in her twenties, I felt there was a lot that people of any age could relate to. She's trying to find her way and is torn between family duty and wanting to be her own person. I think this is something that a lot of people can see in themselves - or can remember dealing with at her age. She spends so much time working for the family business, the time is whittling by without her figuring out things for herself. There's also the relationship aspect - a family that wants you to find a partner, but no one is ever good enough. At times, I kind of got annoyed with some of her excuses or attitude, but that could be the mother in me. And don't even get me started on her brother... But her drive to make the family business better without offending her parents was admirable. Her relationship with her parents was not a bad one and at times was kind of fun to read. The donuts all sounded delicious - I may have found myself indulging in extra sweets to appease my appetite. Jas's relationship with Alex was sweet. He seemed to be trying so hard to make it work and really went the extra mile to get the girl. He really made me swoon while reading. I wish we had a chance to see more of them together. The best friend, Linh, was a good addition to the story. They really seemed to have a good friendship. All of the characters had a very real quality to them, and nothing in the story made me say, "Well that would never happen." I would recommend this read to anyone looking for something light and fun. This book was sweet, with one off-page sex scene and some romantic kisses.
I received a copy from the publisher via netgalley for review.

After graduating from UCLA, Jasmine Tran works at her family’s donut shop, having no idea what else to do with her life and very few prospects. Enter Alex Lai: her best friend’s boyfriend’s roommate—and her old crush. Things are going great between the two… until one fateful dinner when Alex finally meets Jasmine’s parents (his own mother in tow!) Turns out Alex lied to his mother about Jas's accomplishments to make her look better. Needless to say, the dinner does not go well and Alex has a lot of groveling to do. Meanwhile, Jasmine takes on a new job, one that gets her out of the donut shop.

This book is centered around lies and lying. What motivates someone to lie? Jas, under pressure from her strict parents, lies to them about going out, meeting new people, and doing new things. Alex, in a bid to make Jasmine seem like a ‘more suitable partner,’ lies about who she is and what she’s done with her life. But in the end, Jasmine and her parents navigate the lying minefield and have a real discussion that is wholly satisfying.

I listened to this one on audio and really enjoyed it! The dynamics (and difficulties) between the first-generation Chinese immigrant parents and the second-generation characters were so nuanced and complex. I really enjoyed vicariously exploring these cultural differences.

Thank you to #Netgalley for the ARC.

I wanted to like this book so much. I love POC representation in romance books a lot. But I just struggled to connect with THE DONUT TRAP.

The main characters are meant to be college graduates, early in their careers, but they all read like silly 14-year-olds to me. Maybe I'm a crabby old 40-something, but they felt very immature.

Jas is the lead female and she spends the entire book self-sabotaging, giggling and shrieking about boys, and eye-rolling her parents.

I also found the pacing to be quite slow.

I think others might like THE DONUT TRAP if they love YA/coming of age romances, which admittedly are not my favorite. Sadly, for me this was a DNF.

|| 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖

The Donut Trap
Julie Tieu
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

|| 𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒:
Jasmine has a lot to figure out. She’s graduated from college and isn’t sure what she wants to do in life. She’s been back working with her parents in their donut shop for the past year and is starting to feel a lot of pressure. She is seeing her friends in relationships, getting promotions, and just generally moving on. Jas meets Alex thanks to her best friend, and they both have a lot of growing up to do and realizing what is important to them in life.

|| 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄:
•Donuts because duh 🍩🍩🍩
•Very minimal steam, but lots of tension
•Flirty texts
•Learning to deal with difficult situations

|| 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒:
This one has me cackling. Jasmine just has my kind of humor. Awkward, sometimes blunt, overshares. I relate a lot to her in those parts. This was a coming of age meets new adult romance. I remember this stage of being done with school and being a real “adult” but also still feeling like a kid who depended on their parents. Romance was part of this, but really the story centers in Jasmine dealing with love, life, and her family. I really enjoyed this one, the laughs and life lessons were great!

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for a copy of this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review

I really, really, really wanted to love this book. Donuts are my love language. The cover is adorable and what's not to like about donuts and love?

However, I struggled to connect with the story. The pace was very slow and I found it hard to keep my focus. I was looking for more of a powerful arch as well. The story was still sweet and I did love all the donuts! I think this is more a case of it was me and not the book - we just weren't a match. But that's okay! I will definitely encourage others to check it out!

The Donut Trap is a realistic novel for anyone who has felt unsure of their direction, made worse by loved ones asking “what are you going to do now?” Jasmine feels trapped working in her parent’s donut shop, her feelings of no escape described in raw terms. While promoted as a romance, it fits better as a book about realizing your identity with a sweet romance as a side plot. For fans of "Loathe at First Sight."

Throughout this entire book I couldn’t quite tell where it was going, what the love story may be, or where it was going overall.

I appreciated the exposure into the minds of children of immigrants, the pressure and fears and annoyances they experience to live up to expectations.

More family drama than any romcom plot. The romantic relationship felt very distanced and confusing.

Not everyone comes out of college knowing what to do. Jaz is one of those young adults. Her pre-med classes were too hard for her, she changed her major, she graduated and now she works in her parent's donut shop. Her college crush comes into the picture around the same time one of her high school friends who is changing jobs puts a word for Jas in her old job. Her parents on the other hand, constantly remind her that Jas's life and work will always pale in comparison to those of her parents. Jas and her brother help their parents make the donut shop more profitable with the help of social media and Jas sails to the new horizon's with her new boyfriend.

My favorite scene was the high-tension dinner scene. because of all the food Jas's mom cooked. If you know me, I love reading these food scenes.

My favorite quote - and this tension is something I observed by being around first gen immigrant parents and Americanized 2nd gen children- is "Wasn't that the narrative for every immigrant and refugee who had come to the United States? To come and build a better, safer life for yourself and your family? If the measure of success was that I was living a more comfortable, easier life than they had, then why was I simultaneously penalized for it? These questions ran in my head, but they were better left unspoken unless I wanted to add inconsiderate and ungrateful to my list of shortcomings."

The Donut Trap is a YA/NA post- college coming of age story which is low angst, filled with donut puns, with a cute romance arc. Romance takes a back seat. I think you should know that if you don't want to be disappointed by the book. It is marketed as romance afterall. I must say I've enjoyed reading the relationship between Jasmine and her parents more than her little romance with Alex.

You had me at donut. I am the biggest lover of romcom that involve food. Like, I don't think there is a better gene of novels out there. Give me some love with a side of yummy food, and I will give you all my money. I also really want some donuts now...

I'm really enjoying how many more books are being published with relatable stories for my age. I feel over the last three years, the books of mid-twenty years olds have exploded, and I am so happy for it. (The book I read before this was about a 40-year-old) so it's always so exciting to get something more my age. The story follows a daughter of immigrant parents who owns a donut shop, and her struggle to grow as a person after schooling is over. The love interest hit home for me. She reconnects with someone from college that she wanted to get to know but couldn't find the courage to. Such a cute story and a fun read. Just make sure to have some donuts nearby as the number of times I started craving them was insane.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for an advance copy of The donut Trap in exchange for my honest review. I can't wait to add the physical copy to my shelf this holiday season.

Review: The Donut Trap by Julie Tieu

This is such a sweet story! I loved this sweet (sugary pun intended) romance with two first generation Americans. Alex is such a great leading guy. So kind and thoughtful and fell for her so many years ago. Now that they have met again after college the sparks have a chance to grown into more.

I was only surprised that this one wasn’t YA. For some reason this whole story seemed like it would have fit better into the ya genre. I don’t think it was just the lack of steam but really the way the story was built. This doesn’t make it a bad story by any means, but something to keep in mind when you are starting out.

I enjoyed the friendship Jasmine has with her friends and her devotion and loyalty to her family. I love her creativity to help her families business while she tries to find her place in the “grown-up” world. Definitely a cute romance -especially if you are looking for Asian American representation and a sweet baking romance!

The Donut Trap was a fun and flirty romance. I LOVE the donut shop setting (my family also had a donut shop when I was young). The family dynamics were fantastic and the romance was cute. Really enjoyable read.