rating: 3.5/5

this cover has to be one of the most beautiful ones I have ever seen. literally couldn't have picked a better cover to capture this book.

if a book includes a dog.. I'm already sold. this was a shorter read than I thought but I loved how fun and quick it felt to read! I really do give props to the author because they could have easily made readers not feel attached to the characters with how short the book is but that wasn't the case.

insta love isn't always my favorite but I didn't cringe when reading this so that's a plus. I enjoyed this book and would read something else this author writes <3

Welcome Back!

It’s officially 2025 and this will be my first review of the year! It’s wild to me that it is 2025, time moves so quickly. I have been going through my bookshelves in preparation for the new year and trying to see what I wanted to read and I realized I have had Fake Dates and Mooncakes on my bookcase since it came out. I picked it up as a pre-order and was really excited to read this book, it looks small and would be a fun quick read (and I was absolutely correct)!

SPOILERS AHEAD

Dylan lives with his aunt and cousin in Brooklyn, he helps out at his aunt’s restaurant and he really enjoys cooking. One night Dylan is sent out to do a delivery for an order and encounters a really rude man and a very nice guy who happens to be handsome. The next day, the same guy comes by the shop, and Dylan and he enter into a weird fake dating situation that kind of turns very real. On top of that whole thing, Dylan really wants to enter a cooking competition and make mooncakes to honor his mother. She recently passed and the money would really help his aunt with the restaurant. But can Dylan manage a new relationship or situationship and make his mom’s mooncakes to win the contest and really help his family?

I absolutely adored this story. I read it in one sitting through the physical copy and audiobook. I was so wrapped up in Dylan’s story and wanted to see him succeed in the competition and in life. It broke my heart when things happened at the restaurant that seemed like a setback for everyone. This is definitely a book I will read again to help me keep a reading slump away. I highly recommend giving it a try! Also, the cover is absolutely adorable!

Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars

Very cute YA fake dating romance. Dylan wants to win the mid-autumn festival mooncake competition to help his family's restaurant, but he needs a partner. Theo keeps hanging around like maybe he actually enjoys Dylan's company. Dylan is skeptical but desperate.

Super sweet and made me crave mooncakes.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

Seventeen-year-old Dylan is still healing after the death of his mom last year. Although he is estranged by his father, he was lucky enough to have an amazing aunt and cousin's who took him in. Now, he is happy living with them and working at Aunt Jade's takeout restaurant, Wok Warriors, in his free time. However, he does want to enter the Mid-Autumn Festival's mooncake competition to honor his mother. Not to mention, winning would be a needed publicity boost for the takeout.

On delivery duty one night, Dylan meets handsome (and rich) Theo. When Theo secretly uses his family's money to help the restaurant, Dylan insists on letting Theo repay him. The solution: be Theo's fake date to a family wedding. With a wedding, family shenanigans, a class divide, and a competition to be won, Fake Dates and Mooncakes is a diverse take on the classic romantic comedy.

I really can appreciate Fake Dates and Mooncakes for being like a Hallmark movie if Hallmark made movies that featured gay Chinese-Americans. It is quick and easy read, playing on classic tropes and featuring big romantic gestures. While there are serious parts of the book, like Aunt Jade's struggle to keep the restaurant open and Dylan and Theo's individual grief over the loss of their moms, there is no drama about the fact that they are gay, they simply are. And while their racial identities clearly influence their lives a lot, this book focuses on the positive ways that happens rather than experiences of racism. So if that is the kind of thing you are looking for, this might be a book to look into.

However, the other way it reminds me of a movie is how quick it is. The timeline is extremely accelerated. Dylan and Theo meet, and only a few days later Theo is throwing thousands of dollars at Dylan and asking him to be his fake date. It only takes a few weeks of them meeting for them to be seemingly totally in love. It is the kind of suspension of disbelief that I usually let myself have for a movie, but find a bit more difficult to do for a book.

And while class divides are a classic RomCom trope (just look at the OG, Pride and Prejudice), with a YA book like this it played out very strangely. We get Theo spending lots of money on Dylan, but of course it isn't really Theo's money, it is his father's money. Which inevitably leads to situations where Theo's father is accusing Dylan of being a gold digger and threatening him to ~stay away from his son! ~ Which again, is all pretty classic, but feels different when it is a grown man threatening a teenager. Basically, if you think about any of it too hard it becomes very weird very quickly.

I think there are plenty of things to appreciate about Fake Dates and Mooncakes, and if you are looking for a cute romance which also has a diverse cast of characters, or need something to fill the media void after watching Netflix romances like "Anyone But You," then this may be a good place to start. However, I would not go in expecting a lot of substance. It is cute and fluffy, with just the right amount of heavyweight topics to add depth to the narrative.

Review: Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee.

I just finished Fake Dates and Mooncakes, and I have to say, I enjoyed it! This book is a fun, charming read that blends romance and food in the best way possible. The story follows two characters, Dylan and Theo, who team up for a fake dating scheme, and things get deeper—especially with all the delicious food descriptions!

Sher Lee does a fantastic job of creating relatable characters. I loved how their chemistry developed; it felt real and authentic. Their banter is witty and made me smile throughout. Plus, the backdrop of mooncake festivals and family traditions adds such a rich cultural layer to the story that you can’t help but get swept up.

I appreciated how the book tackles themes of identity and family expectations without getting too heavy. It strikes a nice balance, making it both light-hearted and meaningful.

My only minor complaint is that some plot points felt a bit predictable, but honestly, that didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment. This book is perfect for a cozy afternoon read, and if you love food and romance, you’ll want to check it out!

Overall, I’d give Fake Dates and Mooncakes four stars. It’s a delightful and heartwarming story that’s sure to make you smile!

Thank you, Netgalley and Random House Children's, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

Cute but overly familiar young adult romance, The fake dating bit was my favorite and the end was very heartwarming. If you just want a good sweet story with an interesting but also fun plot I would definitely recommend this book

First let’s just admire the cover because it’s absolutely beautiful! I will absolutely devour any queer book that includes fake dating! Both of the main character and the love interest are written so beautifully + the plot line, culture and cuisine!

It was absolutely adorable and hello? Please author explain to me how my south-asian ass going to get mooncakes in this economy??? so unfair

Although some parts felt a little too childish, and other parts had me wishing the characters had the option to be more childish, this book was great. My heart felt very connected to Theo and Dylan and ached for all of the losses they had experienced.
I grew up learning Mandarin and all about Chinese culture in school so I was able to connect just a little to some of the details. It made me tear up to see familiar characters and repeat familiar phrases.
Overall, this book was much better than I anticipated.

This book made me need to hop onto an Asian market website and order mooncakes, just so I could see what all the fuss is about! I binge read this in one sitting - like, stood stirring a pot of spaghetti with the book in my hand level of couldn't-put-it-down. AMAZING - love the characters, love the world building, loved EVERYTHING, and my only complaint is that it had to end at all.

Do you love books with food descriptions that are so good they make you hungry?

Do you like Food competition shows like the Great British Bakeoff?

Fans of Red White and Royal Blue and A Pho Love Story
will fall in love with this opposite attracts, fake dating ,
book where they may have more in common than they thought

"We have the destiny to meet across a thousand miles." ( swoon)

Dylan wants to help his Aunt save her Takeout delivery restaurant , An aspiring chef his chance is to enter and win the Mid Autumn Mooncake competition. Theo Somers with a crazy rich Asian family needs a plus one to his cousins wedding .They could help each other right?
I am a huge fan of Chinese and Korean Drama, and I could see inspiration from Meteor Garden directly in this book, right down to the name of the character Dylan Tang ( Wang Hei De / Dylan Wang) who played the main character.) I believe he still would be the perfect fit if this was optioned for film! I love how we both got to see each character grow in this book because of the influence they had on each other. Troy found his family in Dylan's and the grand gesture flying across the globe to get the needed ingredient for the moon cakes, and stopping to see Dylan's grandparents was truly priceless.

I will definitely be reading the authors upcoming book when it releases! Thank you to Underlined press for my gifted copy!

This was such a sweet YA LGBTQ+ read! The way their main character’s family and culture was woven through the whole this was really beautiful and gave me a list of foods i want to find asap.

Its hard to go wrong with fake dating!!

This was really magical. Cosy but modern - a beautiful balance between traditional romance and queer issues. I often ask if the book would be exactly the same if it was written with a hetero couple, and a lot of this on e would but the nuances of possible repression or discrimination would definitely not - I think they are done exceptionally well. Having said that, the beauty of the characters and place shines through, with reflections on lore from different heritages and a varied cast.

Not sold yet?

ONLY ONE BED TROPE.

I was so tempted to read this book because the cover was so cute. This book was a super cute and fun read. I think the fake dating part was my favorite and the end was really heartwarming. If you just want an enjoyable cute and sweet story with a fun and interesting plot I would definitely recommend this book.

My Thoughts:

If you have been paying attention to my reading over the years, there are book tropes that I will always fall for, whether I like the cover, know the artist or even like the title. My go to tropes when I want to forget about whatever deadlines I have looming is: fake date romance (any - hetero, gay, multi ethnic, mono ethnic - love is love) AND rom coms with FOOD involved. If the characters are Asian American, Native American, Pacific Islander, or even not American at all, better yet. I find the generational cultural clashes more interesting.

Fake Date and Mooncakes fits into all my categories for the perfect recipe for cuddling up and reading. What makes it different is that it has a rich/poor trope in the vein of Crazy Rich Asians where the economic difference for Theo Sommers' family is more egregious than Theo being gay. Dylan Tang, the other main character and fake date material is so lovable and his values are so solid that it is hard to understand Theo's families worries. Dylan is easy to root for and if he just walks away, I would still cheer for him.

As for the food part, Dylan has lost his mom and is living with his aunt. He is trying to keep their restaurant open and sees a local Mooncake contest as an opportunity to help his aunt keep her restaurant open. After delivering food and getting a horrible review from someone that seems like Theo's boyfriend, Dylan doesn't think twice about Theo despite the little spark. But Theo comes to the restaurant the next day to apologize and Dylan snags him with xiao long bao. Now that is a great reason to fake date someone. "You had me at xiao long bao." In addition, once Dylan decides to enter the mooncake contest, he chooses a mooncake his grandmother made. The recipe is one he and his mother were going to make together, but when she dies, the recipe is gone and he needs to recreate it. This is just one example of how Ms. Lee weaves in real emotion and heart to a rom com that could have stayed light and funny. Be prepared to cry.

If your readers like this, try:
Café Con Lychee by Emery Lee
Salt and Sugar by Rebecca Carvalho
Fires on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
A Phò Love Story by Loan Le
An Appetite for Miracles by Laekan Zea Kemp

From the Publisher:
Dylan Tang wants to win a Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake-making competition for teen chefs—in memory of his mom, and to bring much-needed publicity to his aunt’s struggling Chinese takeout in Brooklyn.

Enter Theo Somers: charming, wealthy, with a smile that makes Dylan’s stomach do backflips. AKA a distraction. Their worlds are sun-and-moon apart, but Theo keeps showing up. He even convinces Dylan to be his fake date at a family wedding in the Hamptons.

In Theo’s glittering world of pomp, privilege, and crazy rich drama, their romance is supposed to be just pretend . . . but Dylan finds himself falling for Theo. For real. Then Theo’s relatives reveal their true colors—but with the mooncake contest looming, Dylan can’t risk being sidetracked by rich-people problems.

Can Dylan save his family’s business and follow his heart—or will he fail to do both?

Publisher Information:
Author: Sher Lee
Publisher: Underlined (May 16, 2023)
Paperback length: 272 pages
Grades 7-9

While I got through this one quickly, I wasn't really into the couple. Theo was laughably rich and didn't seem to take into account how different his and Dylan's lives are. The story and couple didn't feel fully fleshed out, and I just found that I wasn't moony eyed over the couple, as I usually am with romances. Still, I did enjoy the mooncake plotline and found the family aspects to be sweet.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

This was a cute romance that had me smiling throughout the book, and very cliche but that’s what I enjoyed about it. I can’t wait for the authors next book.

A cute book! Fake Dates and Mooncakes is a quick and cozy read, full of real life problems and love, as well as grief over the loss of a mother, all under a sham relationship. The feelings are described in a very real and believable way and the mooncakes sound so amazing that I wanted to eat them all. This book is a quick and wholesome read. Teens will surely enjoy this queer book and it will make an excellent addition to any school library.

Though I usually hate the love at first sight trope, the way it was handled here made it more enjoyable. Dylan just thinks Theo is hot, but then Theo's not-boyfriend gets in the way, interrupting a good vibe. They come from different families and social strata, and so struggle to connect in that regard. This part is easily overcome as their feelings grow and they learn more about one another. I love Dylan's family. They own a Chinese takeout and every dish made me so hungry, especially the mooncakes! The way he supports them and they support him is enviable.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute book and it was also one of my most anticipated books of 2023.

The second I heard Crazy Rich Asians meets Heartstopper I was immediately sold. As you probably know, Heartstopper is one of my favourite books and so I was almost certain I would adore Fake Dates and Mooncakes. Not to mention, I was promised food and corgis!

The plot centres around Dylan who just lost his mum not too long ago. He enters a mooncake competition featuring a traditional recipe his mum used. Meanwhile, he becomes the fake date of Theo, a customer of his aunt's takeaway business and is thrust into a world of wealth and privilege.

I really liked all the characters although I must admit I was second guessing Theo all the time, genuinely wondering if he was just leading Dylan on. There didn't seem to be a purpose for his character apart from being Dylan's love interest. I blame that on the fact that there were a few missed opportunities to expand on his characterisation. I think if we got to know Theo deeper as a character, the chemistry between him and Dylan would've grown and then we would've seen that Heartstopper comparison we were told in the blurb.

Family was what made this whole book rather than the romance. I loved Dylan's family's dynamic and I liked the glimpses we got into Theo's family too. Overall, this was a good book. Not a perfect one, there was definitely room for improvement, but there was a lot of heart.

ACTUAL RATING: 3.6 STARS

This was adorable! I loved the tropeness of it all. Thank you so much for the early copy! A great read for Lunar New Year.