I forgot just how much I truly enjoy Michelle's writing and the characters she creates. I loved reading this one. The relationships in this book were strained, close and complicated. I loved Ollie, Jaiya, Rollo and Francine. It was a great read and I truly enjoyed it.

I was very excited and hopeful about The Boy You Always Wanted and thought it was gonna be the book I’d always wanted…until I hit the 65% mark and Quach decided to spring some sex-ed on her readers.

First things first, Michelle Quach writes well. I love YA contemporary more than the average reader, but truly loving something means acknowledging its flaws (and loving it regardless,) so I have to admit that YA contemporary romance is not known for its quality writing. Some authors just slop some sentences together, sprinkle in some tropes, and call it a day. Not Michelle Quach. There’s a thoughtful craft to the way she writes in her particular style. Quach doesn’t fall into the trap that so many of her peers fall into when writing alternating POVs (aka the bane of my existence when narrators sound exactly the same.) Both Francine and Ollie’s personalities come across the page clearly and have easily recognizable voices.

I’ll talk more about the protagonists in a bit, but I have to give some love to my favorite side characters. If there were the Oscars for fictional characters, Rollo and Jiya would sweep the category for Best Supporting Characters. They have such distinct and lovable personalities, I wouldn’t mind a spin-off featuring Ollie and Francine’s best friends. (Honestly, I would probably pay money just to read about the money-making misadventures of Rollo Chen. Someone go start a GoFundMe.)

Francine’s weirdness is the kind that could rub off if you’re not careful. It’s not so much the way she looks–if you never had a conversation with her, you might be fooled into thinking she was normal. You might even, occasionally, think she was cute. But no, Francine is always getting involved, jumping up to volunteer for this or that, waving her arm in your face like there’s an actual competition for World’s Most Annoying Samaritan.

Quach also doesn’t fall into the trap of reusing the same tired old tropes in the same tired old way. (Again, I love YA contemporary romance, but, c’mon guys.) The Boy You Always Wanted is far from formulaic, and it’s refreshingly original. I can’t think of any other characters quite like Francine and Ollie. Francine is an unabashed goody-two-shoes who genuinely wants to help others. She’s actually not like other girls–she’s not like other people, really–in the sense doesn’t really care about social norms or the opinion of others (outside of her family.) She’s a bit too rose-colored glasses Pollyanna for my tastes, but I have to give Quach props creating such a defined protagonist.

Ollie’s deeply hooded eyes, set off by delicate lashes are large and serious–Mom often insists they were wasted on a boy. A Pòh’s assessment, though is not as generous: ‘That one looks like he suffers,’ she says. ‘His older brother took all the good fortune.’
…
But that gloomy air my A Pòh found so inauspicious was what I liked about Ollie back then. I was sure it meant he pondered things that other people didn’t, things that I hoped to understand. Even when he smiled, a twinge of melancholy would remain, like a bit of salt in chocolate milk–and boy, that wasn’t something you got over fast.

Then there’s Ollie, our dimpled, quiet male lead who isn’t shy so much as he is introspective. He’s a sensitive soul who’s constantly in his feels and maybe a couple shades shy of nihilistic. He blushes too much, is people-pleasingly passive, and a big ball of anxiety, so yeah, I’d say he’s not your traditional love interest. He’s probably not the boy you always wanted, but he’s the boy Francine’s been crushing on for yearssss. This is not your average romance. Quach captures all the awkwardness of a first love. No one is suave or smooth or charming. No one is calm, cool or collected here. There’s no flirty banter or quick remarks, and I now on a massive campaign to request more quiet romances like this one from publishers.

Time to Get Serious
I’m all for fake relationship books, but even I have to admit the whole fake-ceremonial grandson premise is a little out there. But Francine is also a little out there, so suspending disbelief isn’t too hard once you accept one of your narrators is a starry-eyed do-gooder. More importantly, it sets the stage some really interesting explorations. In The Boy You Always Wanted, Michelle Quach asks the age-old question: What do you do when your grandpa’s dying from cancer but also a little bit sexist? She does so in a way that doesn’t really enter the realm of preachy, well, until the very end, but I love the messy complexity of it all.

“I still feel a little weird about lying to him, though.”
“Yeah, but sometimes that’s just how it is with Asian families.”

The highlight of The Boy You Always Wanted and my personal favorite aspect is the Asian rep. In all of the little moments and a few of the big ones, the immigrant kid representation is told in a way that feels as natural as breathing. From the Viet restaurant’s TV’s wonky aspect ratio to Francine’s role as the translator when making arrangements for her family’s burial plots, Quach seamlessly weaves pieces of Chinese-Vietnamese American life into the story. These touchstones are vibrant and often both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. I love complicated family dynamics, and Michelle Quach did not disappoint. There’s a minor side plot about the distant relationship Ollie has with his A Màh because of the language barrier that honestly might be my favorite part of the book. Like I do not have words for the kind of feels I feel about it, but 😩

The Book You Never Wanted
Now onto the not-so-great part of the review. We’ll make this a reverse hourglass and start from most pertinent to most petty.

The Boy You Always Wanted and I were vibing until I reached the 65% mark and was rudely interrupted by the stuff I never wanted. A little past the halfway point, the story jumps the rails and Michelle Quach makes a jarring turn in the final act with an unexpected bedroom scene and a seemingly out-of-the-blue and out-of-place reveal.

I’m the kind of reader who thinks black pepper is spicy, so call me a prude or whatever, but I’d just prefer my stories without sex. But even if that weren’t the case, I feel like the random [MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD] masturbating scene was not only out of left field, but completely unnecessary.

I mean, it’s one thing if you want to write a sex-positive story or whatever, but 1) keep things consistent and make sure it actually fits in with the rest of the story and 2) don’t turn it into a TedTalk. Up until this point, Francine is this innocent, kind of naïve girl, and the scene just didn’t seem to fit her character at all. Can cute, awkward, kinda social outcasts nice girls have raging hormones just like other pubescent teenagers? Sure. But if you’re gonna write yours like that, maybe build it into the actual narrative so it actually makes sense when it happens. I’ve said it before and will probably keep saying it until my blog dies, but if you’re going to make your book a morality lesson tell it through your actual story or write nonfiction. Least you think I was exaggerating earlier, Quach actually has a whole conversation between Francine and Jiya that sounds like an abbreviated sex-ed lesson. Um, no thanks. I’m here to read a story, not relive high school health class.

While we’re playing One of These Things is Not Like the Rest, let’s talk about the random plot twist Quach throws into the mix. I went back and skimmed through the book to refresh my memory for this review, and other than one throwaway line, there really isn’t any groundwork laid for the Big RevealTM. It’s drama for the sake of Third Act Break-up drama, and it’s not even good drama. I don’t necessarily have a problem with the actual plot twist–I actually think it might’ve added an interesting angle to the story–but I do have a problem with the way it’s just plopped into the plot and isn’t developed. The worst part is the way it’s resolved is basically by glossing over it and sweeping any related issues under the rug.

Speaking of development, I wish Francine and Ollie’s character arcs were handled with a bit more finesse. Despite the fact that they’re not like the typical protagonists you’d find in a formulaic YA contemporary, they’re bland and a little too one-dimensional which makes the romance kind of blah and not particularly believable. Both characters and their relationship need more nuance and depth.

Veronica’s Verdict
So yeah, definitely The Boy You Always Wanted is a mixed bag for me.

Am I going to read whatever Michelle Quach writes next? Um, yeah. Am I going to reread The Boy You Always Wanted? Mm, I’ll probably stick with her debut instead.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

This story was such a breath of fresh air! I adored Francine and Ollie, who are both just trying to figure out what the heck to do with their lives and this is before we have a grandfather with a dying last wish.

I felt that Michelle Quach did such an amazing job writing teenagers in the precipice of their life. We see Francine and Ollie navigating high school and calculus with the stress that many could relate to. The level of misogyny present in Asian culture is highlighted by Francine's grandfather who desires to adopt a male heir so that the family name can live on, something that people from many cultures can relate with. Their romance was cute, but the ending did feel rushed. There was a big reveal that just comes out you from nowhere and I felt that everything was just accepted. I wanted this book to dive deeper into the dynamics of the plot twist and also to understand the grandfather more, but ultimately the main character is Francine. We get both her and Ollie's perspective throughout the story, but Francine is the only character who presents the most character growth. Ollie learns more about himself as well, but his character feels more muted. Other than that this was such a quick and cute read!

I thoroughly loved Quach's debut and was super excited to read her next installment! I was not disappointed with this book. It brought what I loved from her first book--unique and emotional main characters, rich family dynamics, and hilarious jokes--but also added new aspects that I fell in love with. I love both of the perspectives of this book and it made me fall deeply in love with both of the characters we were falling for. I also love how the story developed--it was very much rooted in something genuine and real--and how the plot and hilarious antics kept me wanting more. I cannot wait to continue reading Michelle's books!

This story touched on a lot of different topics, and even though I personally haven't went through what Francine did I still felt a connection to her. She was a relatable character and one worthy of rooting for throughout the story. This is the first Michelle Quach book I have read, and I absolutely loved it. It had me invested and I found the story really interesting and enjoyable despite the heavier topics included.

The chemistry and romance that unfolds with Francine and Ollie was wonderful to read, and I was happy with how the story ended. I can't wait to read more by this author. Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book.

SO CUTE!! Francine and Ollie were literally the cutest ever together and I’m so glad they worked everything out in the end. I think both characters were well developed and felt like complicated individuals.

We saw a lot about Francine’s family life/dynamics and it added a lot of layers to the story. I kind of wish we had the same for Ollie. There were brief mentions of the distance between his family and them kind of trying to forget the past. I wanted to explore that more! It felt like there was so much to the story that I missed out on.

The conflict in this story was well written and felt true to the characters, not ridiculous at all.

I would definitely recommend to anyone wanting a little family drama, secret plans, and high school relationship angst!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley.

Francine just found out that her grandfather has cancer, but his final wish is to have a grandson to carry on the traditions of his family. When Francine discovers that there is a way to have a boy ceremonially adopted into the family, she comes up with a plan to get Ollie, an old friend and classmate, to help her grandfather have the son he always wanted. Ollie has no interest in helping Francine at first due to it's sexist nature, but finds himself invested in Francine more than her plan. Because Francine isn't good at taking no for an answer, she ultimately gets Ollie to agree. But as feelings, family secrets, and lies start to build up, Ollie and Francine find themselves drawn together even more.

I loved the debut novel that Michelle Quach put out and I was excited to read this one as well. Unfortunately, parts of it fell flat to me. As someone who is not Asian American, I cannot contribute a lot to those relationships and understand them completely, so I will not add comment on much of that. However, I did enjoy learning more about that particular family dynamic. The romance in the book felt rushed and not completely fleshed out. I wish there was more of a build up than they used to like each other as kids and suddenly had the feelings come back. I did like the commentary on how culture and how you are raised doesn't always connect to the more modern lifestyle and the sexism that we come across. There is a lot there that will really speak to teenagers now. I just felt that the ending was abrupt and didn't really close up all of the plot points, but that might be Quach's point that some things are ongoing for growth and family change. I just wish there was more put into Ollie's story instead of focusing completely on Francine.

*4.5 Stars*

Francine's grandfather is dying of pancreatic cancer and what worries him most is he has no male heir to pay homage to his ancestors. Francine is not happy about that at first but then, she figures out the Plan. She'll just ask family friend Ollie to pretend to become this for her grand father and all will be swell. Except Ollie doesn't want to... but Francine is nothing if not determined.

I really liked this book. I pretty much read it in a day, I could not stop reading. I loved Francine so much. She was so layered and flawed, but I was rooting for her from beginning to end. She was pretty different from your usual main character. I also really liked Ollie even if he was a bit annoying and rude sometimes. I truly looooved the side characters, especially the best friend, Jiya and Rollo. I got pretty enthralled by the story and pretty much read it in a day. I was truly captivated by the family dynamics and drama and I even shed a few tears. This one was truly amazing to me and I can't wait for the next Michelle Quach book.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored Quach's debut novel, Not Here To Be Liked, and I was so excited to read The Boy You Always Wanted. I devoured this book in a matter of hours and it does a lot of things I liked in NHTBL, but doesn't manage to deliver at the same level for a myriad of reasons.

Francine's maternal grandfather is diagnosed with terminal cancer, and he mentions that his biggest regret and failure is never having a male heir. Very a la The Farewell, Francine decides to concoct an elaborate lie and rope her old childhood crush Ollie into pretending to be adopted into their family to take on the male ancestral duties.

I thought this book did a really great job of depicting different second-gen Asian American experiences, from filial responsibilities to cultural and generational differences and barriers. Francine does everything for her family, to the point ignoring her own needs and desires, and to the point of obliging the sexist whims of her grandfather. Ollie has a distant and strained relationship with his family and has language barriers when communicating with his grandparents. I thought their two personalities and circumstances were juxtaposed nicely, and I think the tension was done well, especially as the scheme went on and Francine had to witness Ollie being prioritized over her by her grandfather.

I thought TBYAW fell short because it couldn't quite decide what it wanted to be and what it wanted to focus on. There's multiple side plots and also a late in the game plot twist that doesn't really feel necessary, in the sense that I see what it was meant to do but there wasn't enough time to explore it at all. Because of extraneous details like that, I also don't feel like I got enough resolution on the central conflict, re: satisfactory conclusion to the lie told to her grandfather and an actual discussion into the sexism rooted throughout the whole situation, which I do feel like was Quach's initial intention and it just got sidetracked. There was a lot more ground to cover for a compelling finish to everything and a lot of random threads feel unfinished.

Overall, this book was a quick read and I really enjoyed it, but I felt like the center of the story was a bit muddled and confused about what it wanted to say.

Happy pub day!

I definitely see the benefit of this book and feel that a YA contemporary audience will both benefit from and thoroughly enjoy this. That being said, YA Contemporary can be touch as go for me and this one felt too YA for me. That's definitely a me problem, though, rather than a book problem. Other than feeling too young for me, it was well written and impactful.

Michelle Quach has quickly become one of my favorite authors. As someone who has read a decent amount of YA contemporary romance novels, hers outshine all others for me. I was so afraid that I might not like her second book after falling in love with her first but I am so glad to say that I fell in love with this one too. I am beyond excited to see what else she puts out in the future.

In the past couple years, I’ve read multiple YA contemporary romance novels that incorporated feminist elements; that’s why I loved them so much! This year, I read three of these authors’ second books, two of which were flops for me. So, THANK YOU, Michelle Quach for breaking this trend! How often does a debut author follow up with a second book that is just as phenomenal? Not often, but The Boy You Always Wanted was somehow just as wonderful as Not Here to Be Liked!

The story follows Francine, who wants to grant her dying grandfather his last wish: to have a male heir who will continue honoring the family. The problem is, he doesn’t have a male heir, but this small detail won’t stop the determined Francine. She ropes her childhood friend, Ollie, into playing the part, but The Plan comes with more emotional baggage than either of them anticipated.

First off, I was moved by the personal tie Quach had to the story. She wrote the story partially based on her own life experiences, and that connection is evident in the emotion throughout the novel. Although Quach and I have different cultural backgrounds, I have had similar experiences that she describes in the book.

It was absolutely gut-wrenching to watch Francine put her grandfather’s dying wishes over her personal comfort. I mean, yes, we all knew that she was doing it for herself to a certain extent, but some of the scenes where it appeared as though her grandfather valued Ollie more than her were heartbreaking. Not that it takes much, but I did cry at multiple points throughout the book.

Additionally, FEMINISM!!! I know I’m the odd one out here, but feminism and romance are a classic pairing, like peanut butter and jelly, ice cream and french fries, bacon and eggs. Almost all of the romance novels I’ve enjoyed incorporate feminism to some extent, so I literally couldn’t have asked for more from Quach. She is such a talented writer that the theme of feminism is both subtle yet strong. It’s there for readers who want it, but it won’t distract for readers who prefer their romance plain, their PB&J without peanut butter so to speak (and peanut butter, like feminism, is really the best part!).

Aside from the feminism, the romance was cute. I thought Ollie and Francine had an interesting dynamic. The decision to tell the story from both of their POVs was perfect, as I loved seeing how their feelings evolved throughout the novel. Ollie went from strongly disliking Francine to appreciating her eccentricity and Francine went from hesitantly distrusting Ollie to falling head over heels.

Finally, I can’t say for certain, but Francine definitely reads as neurodivergent. I’m not sure if this was intentional on Quach’s part, but I could certainly see Francine having autism. I really appreciated this aspect of the novel because I saw a lot of myself in Francine. Ollie’s misperception of her reflects the way many neurodivergent people are misperceived, and it was endearing to watch his opinion of her change without her personality changing.

So, how many books does an author have to write for you to consider them one of your favorite authors? I’m unofficially proclaiming the answer is two, and officially announcing Michelle Quach as one of my favorites (possibly even my favorite romance author)!

This was actually super cute ! I really liked the plot and the way the main characters started spending time together and got to know each other. Ollie was so real for struggling to speak his family's native languages and having anxiety over speaking to his grandparents.

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Michelle Quach's sophomore novel tackles a lot of heavy subjects through the points of view of two main characters: Francine and Ollie. Francine is very devoted to her family and has a habit of putting them first, so when her grandfather is dying and wishes for a male heir, she hatches a plan with her longtime crush Ollie to make her grandfather happy. This book is very well-written and surprisingly funny; I found myself laughing more than once, which is rare. It also navigates the nuances of loving your family even if you don't agree with their views—an increasingly relevant topic—fairly well. I also thought the pacing for the romance was unique and deviated from what was expected, which I liked. Unfortunately, however, the romance itself did not capture my attention. I found Ollie to be a bland character, not because Quach didn't write him well enough, but because it felt like he was written to be bland. In fact, Quach's cast of characters were quite dynamic and well-developed, which is always appreciated. But Ollie in particular felt like just Some Guy, whereas Francine was a very distinctive character. Both were realistically written, but because I felt that way about Ollie, I couldn't find myself rooting for him the same way I was rooting for Francine. Additionally, I felt like the final reveal about [redacted]'s family undercut the reasons behind the clear displays of sexism throughout the book. But despite all of that, I'm still glad I picked this up, and I will continue reading Michelle Quach's future works!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I had enjoyed Michelle Quach’s prior book, so I was excited for whatever she would write next. The Boy You Always Wanted met my expectations, tackling cultural issues with nuance, while also being a relatively fun, lighthearted YA romance.
I was intrigued upon reading Quach’s introduction, describing informal adoption within certain Chinese communities, where a man with only daughters would ask one of their daughters to adopt an heir in name only to carry on said name and family legacy. While I wasn’t surprised to find out about the sexism within Asian communities) (China being infamous for their one-child policy that favored boys being a more famous example, I was surprised it was still so ingrained to some degree.
With that said, I appreciate how the story used this concept as the jumping-off point for the narrative here, and I liked how it focused on the impact of the situation on the two leads. Francine is determined to please her dying grandfather, even though she’ll never measure up due to being born a girl. I admired her deep love and loyalty for her family, and her willingness to do anything to make her grandfather happy, even if he wasn’t ever fully satisfied with her. But she comes to see her own value over the course of the book, and I loved how she learned to navigate taking care of herself while looking out for those she loves.
Ollie was a harder sell at first, especially given some of his antipathy toward Francine initially. He does evolve over the course of the book as his relationship with Francine grows, and their romance ends up being pretty cute. I did wish he was a bit more of a dynamic character, as he’s also going through a lot, but I didn’t get the same gravity for his situation as I did with Francine’s.
I enjoyed this book a lot, and I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy multicultural YA contemporaries.

Not terrible just had a lot of things happening and mostly it didn’t work. I wanted to like Ollie and Francine, but Francine got on my nerves. The “secret” was beyond goofy. It just felt like it came out of nowhere. Also it shows that Francine’s grandpa is more of a jerk than you realize when you get why he doesn’t see her as a real heir.

Full Review:

I think because I don't really understand Chinese-Vietnamese culture, I was just missing a lot of things that maybe other readers will pick up on. The whole thing with Francine's grandfather having to have a male heir so that person would keep up the family traditions after he passed was confusing to me. There's also a whole subplot going on that is not addressed about how if <spoiler></spoiler>

"The Boy You Always Wanted" follows teens Francine and Ollie. The two have known each other since they were kids since both their families immigrated. Francine even used to have a crush on Ollie, but she's past that (not really). When Francine's grandfather is diagnosed with terminal cancer, she decides she will do whatever she can to make him happy. And one of those things is for him to have a male heir. Francine comes up with The Plan that involves talking Ollie into agreeing to it. Cue messy hijinks.

Seriously. I don't know what this book wanted to be. The romance part feels shoehorned on (it takes a while to get going). And I really wanted someone to lecture Francine about her lack of boundaries and how judgmental she is. It just felt very glossed over. Ollie has his own issues, but it seems like the author just wanted him there to be the cute boy that Francine wants. I really wish that he had stood up for himself more in this book. It drove me bonkers.

The flow was good. The book jumps back and forth between Francine and Ollie.

The ending though just didn't feel or read right. I think there was too much left unsaid.

I received an e-galley of The Boy You Always Wanted by Michelle Quach from HarperCollins Children's Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In The Boy You Always Wanted, Francine is dealing with the news that her grandfather, A Gung, has cancer. If that news wasn't distressing enough, A Gung also laments that he is a failure as he failed to have a son, only daughters and granddaughters. While Francine is taken aback and hurt by this sentiment, she also tries to understand that A Gung comes from an older generation in which male descendants take priority - as the females were thought to eventually be married away to another family. In an attempt to make her A Gung happy, Francine enlists the help of a classmate and family friend, Ollie, into becoming the ceremonial adopted grandson that A Gung wants. This is not an easy part of The Plan to initiate as Ollie and Francine have not spoken for years. As the two get reacquainted, Francine begins to learn more about herself and also what it means to prioritize one's needs even if it means having to confront beliefs that our loved ones have that we don't agree with.

The Boy You Always Wanted is a book that will resonate with anyone who knows what it's like to grow up in a culture in which males are preferred over females. In my own family, my grandmothers never explicitly said anything of this sort - and my grandfathers both passed away before I was born. Even so, I know that on my maternal side of the family, at the family home back in China, there is a book that keeps track of the family tree. None of the daughters are included in this log. My mom and her sisters are not part of this and so that means, my name has also not been included in this book. These practices continue to this day and while we do live in a different day and age, there has been no discussion whether this should be changed.

Thank you Michelle for writing a story that draws upon these ideas and the conflicts that can occur between different generations within a family as these beliefs continue to persist. At the heart of it, The Boy You Always Wanted is about family and love; it was heartwarming and enjoyable to read.

This book was okay. The plot was kind kind of interesting but I just wasn't invested. I like Francine and Ollie as characters but I didn't really feel the chemistry. He loves her but they haven't even said that they are dating.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Thank you so much netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced review copy if this book💗
"I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”


Really loved this book!

This is a very interesting book. First, I love the cultural ideas and implications it exposes the reader to. What the culture is in multi generational Chinese/ Vietnamese / American home, and how even within those contexts the different values change based on background and culture. I loved that. I also loved how different Francine was. She wasn’t afraid to be herself, and she knew it would make her an outcast, but she dug into that. And Ollie is the polar opposite, wanting to fly under the radar and with an intense desire to blend in as much as possible. This book handles some heavy topics, like death, impending death, family relations, romance, family expectations… and an uncomfy bit about masturbation. While that part made me uncomfortable, I find that the rest of the book was really interesting and enlightening in a way that gives the reader a glimpse into two very different cultures and worldviews.