I was so excited when I got chosen for this tour since it falls under my Malaysian reads month and I’m interested to see how this author chooses to tackle the romcom genre seeing this is her first foray into this genre.

The writing style makes this a breezy and fun read. For a rom-com, it was a light-hearted read even though it touches serious topics like family bonds and dysfunctions, class, values, romance and corruption.

I appreciate the representation of Malaysian and Singaporean culture even though the story mostly takes place in the UK where both leads are Malaysians but studied and eventually decided to migrate abroad. Both leads Ket Siong and Renee are from completely different worlds yet they met during their uni days, fell in love and circumstances lead them apart only to meet again many years later, giving you the second chances vibe. We also get flashbacks which eventually lead us to understand what circumstances drove them apart.

I do love some of their interactions and how strong both characters are even though so much huddles are thrown their way. Renee’s family is crazy dysfunctional and I cannot even imagine having siblings like hers.

Let's talk about the not-so-good stuff.
I find the emotional aspect and the serious topics more like a brief touchpoint as opposed to diving into the heart of them. This makes the book very chicklit focus which makes it a fun read, it wasn't the kind of book that would grip me and want me to keep reading. It was a solid read but it wasn't an amazing read. Hence the 3.5 stars.

Thank you to @brambleromance @coloredpagesbt and @zenaldehyde for this gifted ARC as part of #TheFriendZoneExperimentTour

*Renee Goh’s journey in this book is both relatable and captivating. On the surface, she appears to have it all—a successful career, beauty, and a glamorous boyfriend—but beneath that facade lies a profound loneliness and estrangement from her family. I enjoyed how the story explores her struggle to reconnect with her roots while facing the challenges posed by her wastrel brothers and her father's expectations.

The unexpected reunion with her first love, Yap Ket Siong, adds emotional depth to the narrative, especially as he grapples with his own dangerous quest for vengeance. At times, I found myself relating to Renee’s journey of self-discovery and the quest for approval from family while navigating the complexities of love. This book beautifully captures the tension between ambition and personal fulfillment, making it a compelling read that resonates on many levels.*

The Friendzone Experiment by Zen Cho

This is a delightful blend of romance, drama, and personal growth. The story follows Renee Goh, a successful businesswoman in London who seems to have it all but is secretly struggling with loneliness and family estrangement. Her life takes a turn when she reconnects with her first love, Yap Ket Siong, leading to a journey of self-discovery and second chances.

What I Loved:
- Complex Characters: Renee and Ket Siong are beautifully flawed, making their journey relatable and engaging. Their past and present interactions are woven seamlessly, adding depth to their relationship.
- Cultural Nuances: The book offers a rich tapestry of cultural elements, from Renee's Singaporean heritage to her life in London, providing a refreshing backdrop to the romance.
- Emotional Depth: The narrative tackles themes of family expectations, personal ambition, and the quest for approval, resonating with anyone who has faced similar struggles.

What Could Be Better:
- Pacing: At times, the story's pace slows down, particularly in the middle sections. However, the engaging characters and emotional stakes keep you invested.
- Renee was irritating at times. I mean I just wanted her to stand up for herself.

Final Thoughts:
This is a heartwarming and thought-provoking read that explores the complexities of love and family. Zen Cho's storytelling shines through, making this book a must-read for fans of contemporary romance.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Genre-wise this is obviously a huge divergence from Zen Cho’s previous books, but her gift for dialogue and a vivid sense of place is still the same. Reading the book was an interesting experience for me and I would love to hear the author talk about her influences, because to my non-expert eye it wasn’t quite hitting the expected plot beats of a romance *novel* so much as a romance *drama* — there were so many scenes that I could almost see playing out in a kdrama, complete with the stylish coat plus chunky sweater combo on the male love interest. (No complaints! The implicit romance of him putting his scarf on the heroine — woof!) I was incredibly invested in finding out what had happened in the subplot revolving around Stephen, and frankly I would have loved even more from Ket Hau’s point of view, even though it pulled the narrative away from Renee and Ket Siong a bit at times. I loved the realism of the happy ending. Looking forward to whatever Zen Cho writes next!

The latest by zen cho, who is usually known for her fantasy, tackles contemporary romance, class divide and a cultural clash within a southeast Asian immigrant setting in London. A fun romance read that had Emily Henry meets succession vibes.

Cho explores the cultural clash between generations, generational trauma, romance and friendship all in the same world. Especially women wanting to prove within a culture that relegates them too domestics. Our protagonist Renne is not afraid to voice her opinions and her character arc Was an interesting one. She goes from strong headed individual to someone that wants more but without sacrificing her only needs as well as keeping the relationships intact.

The second chance romance is also played well with back-and-forth of past and present of all the characters and stories, and not just our leads. The push and power between their believes and the choices that they make, reads well.

There are essentially two books in this one. While there is a mix of personal and professional for our lead heroine, I missed the seamlessness of Emily Henry. The book pays attention to one at a time and abruptly shifts between the two. It hampers the reading experience and also makes for an unnecessarily longer read.

Despite its shortcomings, it is a cute little red and a cute little second romance Novel. With crazy rich Asians meets Emily Henry meet succession vibes, it is definitely a cute little read.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing for this eARC in exchange for a review

Renee's life is great - she owns a successful business, lives in a fantastic flat near Hyde Park, and is dating a hot pop star. Sure, her relationship with her family is fraught with drama, and her boyfriend dumps her in the opening chapter before betraying her trust in a devastating way, but she knows she's fortunate. Early in the book, she reconnects with her first love, Yap Ket Siong (they met in college but he had to abruptly return to Malaysia, where he's from). They spend an incredible night together before Renee puts him firmly back into the friend zone. Ket Siong is simultaneously grieving the loss of a dear friend and determined to unravel the mystery surrounding his disappearance.
In my opinion, this is not a romance novel, but has a romantic subplot. The beginning of the book is rather tension-filled and a bit sad as we learn about Renee's family and Ket Siong's friend Stephen. Throughout the story, we find Stephen had disappeared while working for an NGO protesting the deforestation of protected land in their home country of Malaysia. This resulted in Siong's family fleeing the country and resettling in London and staying off the radar. After quite some time of not speaking, Renee's father reaches out to let her know he's retiring and is considering her (as well as her two brothers) to take over as CEO of their very powerful and lucrative company back in Singapore (where she's from)
That makes it seem like there's a lot going on with the plot, and there is - but in a good way. I think the stories of Renee's professional life and complications and Ket Siong's search for the truth about Stephen take center stage with their romantic subplot weaving beautifully throughout the book.

I really enjoyed the references to places in Malaysia - while I am by no means an expert, I have visited Kuala Lumpur and I love when a book reminds me of real places I've seen. A lot of the book talks about events that unfolded in Malaysia - specifically in Sarawak which is on a completely different island but there are a few references to KL The rest is set in London with loads of references to places there too.

The Friend Zone Experiment is well-written and the mystery plot was particularly well done. There were twists I did NOT see coming, and in the end, everything is wrapped up nicely. I'll definitely read more by this author. My only criticism is - strangely - the title. Based solely on the title, I had expected something more like a fake dating type situation or something...they're friend zoned and decide to "experiment" by giving it a shot. But it didn't feel like that. I mentioned previously I feel the book wasn't a ~romance~ novel. The mystery/intrigue plot was a lot more prominent and I probably enjoyed it more than I would have if it had been more of a traditional romance.

🌟 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 stars)
Review: “The Friend Zone Experiment” is a delightful blend of family dynamics, class struggles, and modern romance set in London. Zen Cho’s writing captures heartfelt moments with a touch of humor. Renee’s journey—from unexpected CEO prospects to reuniting with her first love—keeps readers engaged. If you’re seeking a charming and relatable read, this book won’t disappoint! 😊📖

So exciting to see Zen Cho branch out into other genres! I loved the CRAZY RICH ASIANS vibe of the story, and parts reminded me of the high drama and excitement of a K-drama romance.

This took me a little bit to get into, honestly thought it was going to end up being a book not for me, BUT. Once it started rolling it really gave.
This second chance romance had a high stakes plot that kept me guessing and on edge. (My favorite traits in books as a true fantasy girlie).
I really didn’t know what to expect going in, and I was pleasantly surprised. I spent the whole time rooting for Renee and Ket Siong. Would definitely suggest this for anyone looking for a contemporary romance with Asian characters and culture and a plot that keeps you on your toes and is just as intriguing as the slow burn romance.

Thanks to Bramble for the early access! 🥰

I'm not sure if this is just not my month for arc romances. I, again, thought this was going to be SO good. It was flat. I didn't care for any of the characters.

Honestly, I didn't like this book. I tried really hard to like it, but just didn't. I am sorry but I didn't get invested or related to any of the characters. This one is a pass for me, but I will be looking forward to reading more of the author's works.

I instantly liked Renee. I loved her business savvy, how she has built up her brand, and her cleverness. And while this is definitely a second chance romance, I was drawn to Renee's struggles with her family. How we can be so desperate for someone to change, to see us, accept us. And how when a chance is dangled before our eyes, we can jump on it. Convince ourselves it will change. But how we have to ask ourselves about whether or not people have it in them to change. Sometimes the answer is we don't know. Or not yet.

A moving and enjoyable dual timeline second chance friends to lovers romance set in London that sees a successful Asian businesswoman living in London working hard to impress her father and win a role as CEO of his Singapore based company. While reconnecting with the first man she fell in love with.

Great on audio and perfect for fans of books like Valley Verified by Kyla Zhao or Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan. This was my first book by Zen Cho and I very much look forward to reading more. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

BOOK: THE FRIEND ZONE EXPERIMENT
AUTHOR: ZEN CHO
PUB DATE: AUGUST 2024
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REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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I requested this book because I thought it was going to have a lot of drama, and I was not wrong. From Renee and Ket Siong's relationship to Renee's rocky related with her family to KS's missing friend and the conspiracy that surrounds it. It was engaging from the beginning to the end.
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First of all, I admire Renee, she never had the love and acceptance of her family members, including her parents and she had to work hard and created a fashion brand from ground up. She was the better person because she tried to create a bond between her family members even after the horrible way they treated her. She's a better person than me. I liked the way she handled the Freshwater project and her final decision. It was so her.
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Ket Siong was a perfect book boyfriend. I loved how content and nice he was. I loved his relationship with his family and how he was always there for Renee. He was perfect! I'm glad that he found a better job he loved at the end of the book.
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This book was mostly about Renee and Ket Siong's personal struggles, but it still explored their romantic relationship. This book was very very good and I enjoyed every page.
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Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

DNF'd at 40%.
While I understand what the author was attempting to do here, with nods to k-dramas and that type of high-stakes love story, but I just could not buy into it. It felt like an amalgamation of tropes that the author knows readers enjoy, and thus made the execution feel lackluster. I could not empathize with the FMC, who runs a successful business, lives in a flat in London, and comes from an extremely wealthy family. The use of these things, combined with the overall plot and how the FMC is presented to the readers, just makes relating to her a little difficult.

Also, this line-
"She had wondered over the years if he was gay and that was why things had gone wrong when she’d fallen for him. But she wasn’t wearing a blouse under her jacket, and there was something about the way Ket Siong’s eyes were carefully avoiding her neckline that made her think that wasn’t it."
Just, no. No no no.

Overall, this is a 2 star read for me, but I am curious to see what the author writes in the future!

Contemporary romance is not my usual read. In fact, it's so rare, I could probably count the number of them I read in a year with the fingers of one hand. BUT, it's Zen Cho!! I've read all her novels. They would usually be fantasy or at the very least, magical realism but there is none of this factor in this novel. The Friend Zone Experiment, however, does feature 2 of my favourite romance tropes: bff to lovers and second chance. And I did NOT regret requesting this on Netgalley as I basically read it all in the one sitting.
While characters are both POC (she Singaporean and he Malaysian and both of Chinese descent), the novel is actually set in London. She, Renee Goh, practically ran away from her toxic family to realise her dream of owning a designer business. He, Yap Ket Siong, came to London with his family to hide from possible violent attacks. They did first meet 10 years ago but circumstance tore them apart but a chance meeting at a Dior exhibition opened up the new possibility of... friendship.
I love both characters and especially love Ket Siong for being so strong and steady for Renee to lean on. Renee herself was doing well standing on her own feet until her family intruded yet once again. However, she's a strong, intelligent and resilient woman despite her family and her past. The Friend Zone Experiment is like a gentle romantic stroll in Hyde Park. It's a bit of a slow burn though there is a tiny bit of spice in there. It won't be a book to rave about because it's not a crash and burn thing but a cuddle in a warm blanket with a very satisfied sigh at the end.

My thanks to Bramble (Tor Publishing group) for ecopy of book via NetGalley in exchange of my honest thoughts

3.5 rounded up. I've enjoyed every other book I've read by Zen Cho and I'm very glad I picked this up too. I overall had a great time with this book, and Cho's writing style is smooth and makes for a quick read. I immediately saw the kdrama inspo (which I loved), and thought the overall arching themes of corporate corruption was a compelling plot thread. The one drawback I felt was that the dynamic between the two leads in the present day POVs felt like there could have been more there, and I felt like the serious conversation they had at 65% should've happened sooner in my opinion to allow for a more satisfying character arc and growth by the end. However, it was an overall enjoyable and fast read that had its light moments even with the serious tones woven throughout. A huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the eARC in exchange for my thoughts!

First off, I love the book cover. It immediately pulls you in and makes you want to read the book. However, I don't think I was the target audience for this particular book because these people were far too rich. My broke self could not relate to any single character, and it felt like their richness was their only personality trait. There were parts I liked about the book, like how it felt a bit like a K-Drama, but I just couldn't vibe with the characters at all.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bramble, and Tor Publishing Group for this advanced copy. You can pick up The Friend Zone Experiment on August 6, 2024.

I went into this book thinking it would be a cute, sexy romcom featuring some familial tension. But it's really more of a romantic drama, with characters who I struggle to relate to because their lives are almost too vastly different from mine. I think if I were in a different reading mood, I'd be more open to this book, but at the moment I can't quite get into it.

If you enjoy a mix of childhood friends to lovers and family drama, I think this is the book for you!

This was a fun and easy read to get through (binged it yesterday). Takes place in London and follows the reunion of Renee and Ket Siong, both from Malaysia and both dealing with some major family drama and shadows from their past. I didn’t fall madly in love with either of the characters but it was an enjoyable read and Ket Siong has such swoonworthy moments. Solid 3.5 stars - recommend if you love second chance romances and a bit of family mystery and intrigue.