This was soo pine-y and swoony and sweet, I had the best day reading it <3 it's a estranged best friends to lovers situation, I really loved their banter and chemistry.
Also, the MCs are setting up a Vietnamese Cinderella musical, (he's writing/managing, and she's designing the costumes)! These scenes were so cool to read!

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a very easy read and was good but it won't be one that sticks around for me. I think it has something to do with the relationship between Zoe and Derek., I liked it but I also had some issues with it.

There was a lot of other things that I enjoyed though, I loved the idea of building a new musical and reading about the making of all the costumes and all the other parts of it. The side characters were also a lot of fun.

This is a wonderful story. The characters and the background is amazing. I loved the POV that the author was able to provide. The love story was breathtaking. The underlying message was absolutely brilliant and I loved it. The chills I felt towards the end were… deep. The characters were amazing. I love getting to know them. I connected with them. Such a beautiful story. I highly recommend this book.

4.5/5 stars

I love a good friends to lovers romance and this one had it all. Great mutual pining, angst, and sweet moments. I loved the cultural representation and all the theater talk. I loved how the author brought up topics of stereotyping and fetishizing in a way that blended well into the plot. The pace was good and the writing kept me engaged. Highly recommend for fans of romcoms and diverse characters.

I really did love this. I had caught some other people's reviews and saw they mentioned a lot of dialogue and that it was clunky. I think that when you've got characters like these there will be a lot of dialogue. Plus, dialogue and thoughts are a staple of Lam's work. I was so excited to read this book and get my hands on characters who deserved the limelight, both in their book and in the real world.

These characters were complex and had real issues and I was here for it and cannot wait to read more from Lam.

I loved the Vietnamese (and overall Asian) representation in this book. I liked seeing the growth of Zoe in this story and found great enjoyment in cheering Derek on in his quest to bring his production to life in the most authentic way he could. The supporting characters were a plus.

This was overall a good light and fun read. Thank you for the advance copy to enjoy!

This book is perfect for readers who love emotionally rich romances that explore themes of cultural identity, artistic collaboration, and the challenges of maintaining personal integrity while navigating career ambitions. The story delves into the complexities of balancing one's cultural heritage with the demands of the modern world, while also highlighting the power of creative partnerships and the importance of staying true to oneself in the face of professional pressures. With a captivating blend of romance, self-discovery, and the pursuit of artistic dreams, this book will resonate with readers who appreciate stories that are both heartwarming and thought-provoking.

3.75/5 stars

Something Cheeky is a romance between plus-size lingerie boutique owner, Zoe Tran, and her college best friend, now up and coming theatre director, Derek Bui. Six years of estrangement after graduating from college, where Zoe and Derek spent the majority of undergrad attached at the hip, Derek implores Zoe to come back to theatre to costume design for their shared dream of bringing the Vietnamese Cinderella to the stage in a rock musical adaptation.

I loved how this book faces head on the racism and sexism that comes from the old boys’ club that can be found is so many industries. I love how this book is unapologetic about being Asian Americans in the white dominant theatre space. I love that this book condemns and calls out Miss Saigon (although I’d be remiss to express my surprise that it wasn’t even mentioned until 45% into this story.) I love that this book casted a fat Asian woman actor to play the titular role in a space where plus size bodies are vastly relegated to side characters (if even casted in any parts). I love reading a canonically demisexual fat Asian American woman who goes after what she wants.

However, I think perhaps the writing style wasn’t for me because despite the content being so specifically up my alley (demisexuality, friends to lovers, and Asian Americans in theatre!!!), there was something that wasn’t really clicking for me. I was a fan of the banter, but everything about Zoe and Derek’s romantic relationship besides that felt sort of choppy and rushed— but not in a pacing kind of way, more in a this happened; then that happened; then this next thing. Half of the time, I felt like the writing didn’t flow together. Because these characters have a history that happened well before the book takes place, this story also felt like a lot of telling. Every realization of feelings felt so immediate. I wanted the characters to sit with and settle into their feelings— even if it was in a single extra paragraph of the puzzle pieces coming together. I’d have liked to have actually seen more of their past friendship in juxtaposition to who they are now, what they’ve become during those six years apart, and how these grown versions of themselves fell in love with each other instead of relying solely on past feelings.

Also, this might me a me thing, but the immediate jump of titling Derek as “best friend” after six years of estrangement felt off to me. I fully believe that these characters have held candles for each other across time; however, a lot can happen in six years, and while there are certainly major aspects of folks that can remain true to character despite time, Zoe, herself, is so different from how she left Derek and their friendship in undergrad. Because I, personally, feel that titles are earned and deserved, the instant fall back into consistently calling Derek her “best friend” felt empty and unwarranted to me.

Furthermore, I don’t hate the trope of miscommunication as other readers do because I believe that it’s a major pillar of foundation within the romance genre; however, perhaps because I wasn’t already fully convinced by Derek and Zoe’s romance, the level of miscommunication had me wanting to shake some sense into these characters. Like!! just!! talk!! to each other!!! For characters who have such a strong foundation of friendship, I really had a hard time believing that they couldn’t talk to each other, especially once they opened the door to developing their romantic relationship beyond platonic.

On the other hand, it was nice to read a hot Asian American man who’s actually so dorky— I kind of love reading his inner anxiety and his corniness (despite being almost sickeningly sweet). It was frankly really great reading a love interest who has no shame in that cheesiness.

On the topic of demisexuality, I am well aware that there is no one way to live each and every sexuality, *especially* within the asexual spectrum. However, I do wonder if there was a way that to define and discuss demisexuality in a smoother way than was done in the book. I absolutely loved that Zoe’s friend, TJ, did the research into understanding how Zoe defines herself (more of that in real life and fiction please!!!), yet in both the way demisexuality was denied and in asking him if he’d memorized the wikipedia entry felt meta in somehow a derogatory and belittling way that felt like questioning the reader’s intelligence.

Despite not buying into the love story, itself, I enjoyed this book mostly because it contains so much content that feels so personal to me— I always love reading Asian Americans unapologetically making and taking space in theatre and unashamedly fat demisexual women of color finding themselves and embracing love and joy in a world that prefers for to exploit us for our trauma. Thank you, Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager, for the ARC!

Thien-Kim Lam's romances are must-reads for me. They are smart and sexy, and in Something Cheeky, the author does an excellent job highlighting the Vietnamese heritage and culture of the characters. Plus, I love the way she depicts the FMC's female friendships. Go read this!

This wasn't my cup to tea, but it absolutely will be someone else's. While the writing style didn't work for me personally, it was still light and fun enough that I enjoyed myself til the end.

I adored this book. I adored these two and how their chemistry between these two and the love these two had. I loved them. I loved this. I have only love and appreciation for this story and everyone needs to read it.

3.5 stars, rounded up

This is a romance book told from Zoe and Derek’s perspective. They used to be best friends in college, but became strangers when Zoe altered her post graduation plans and ghosted him, from my understanding.

The book follows their journey reconnecting and working on the musical theatre they used to dream about in college, a Vietnamese Rock Opera called Tâm Cám, which is akin to Cinderella.

Zoe, our plus size, fmc, is demisexual. I appreciate that the author wrote her in a body neutral way.
She is skeptical about joining Derek’s team for the musical. She misses designing costumes, but she also doesn’t want to water down her work or lean into stereotypes, like she’s been asked to in the past.

Derek, our mmc, has found success and is well-known throughout the theatre community. Derek becomes overwhelmed with his first time role as director in his first all Asian musical. He wants to showcase a different part of Asian culture, and be as authentic as possible, but faces pressure from his mentor to change “a little” here and there to make it “palatable.”

Derek’s storyline, which Zoe is weaved into, was the most interesting part to me.

The romance between the two of them develops pretty quickly. They reminisce a lot, and though I get that reconnecting uncovered old feelings, I would’ve liked seeing them connect more in the present.

The third act break up annoyed me because it was a miscommunication. Although I understand where the crew was coming from in the end, I think it was a little disrespectful to not have a conversation with Derek prior to doing what they did.

OVERALL

Overall, I give this a 3.5 out of 5 stars. I liked the conversation about whitewashing and the musical theatre setting. Some of the banter was cute. If you want to read a book about the leads working on a musical and the mmc deciding if he wants to play the game or not, then I’d recommend it.

A standing ovation for the wonderful Thien-Kim Lam!!! As a former theater kid, I ate this one up. Absolutely loved the DC setting, costume shop vibes, body positivity, and friends-to-lovers journey. I desperately wish the Vietnamese Cinderella rock musical they're creating in this book were real and I could go see it.

Thank you Netgalley & author/publisher for the ARC.

Currently this book is on pause because I'm not sure how I feel about it. The dialogue is alittoe weird for me. I'm not sure how I will like the demi-sexual and plus-size accepts of the book either. They aren't a bad thing; I'm just not sure it's done right in this book.

I think I found a new favorite author in Thien-Kim Lam in her newest romance, Something Cheeky.

As a theater lover (and participant), I really enjoyed the musical developed in Something Cheeky. I'd love to see it on the stage. Thien-Kim did a great job in the friends-to-lovers romance at the center of the story. I loved Zoe and her friends. I think some of her friends are the center of the previous books by Lam and I'm looking forward to reading them in the future. I loved that Zoe was ready to take control of her life and the business she created from it. I can't wait to see snippets of the future for Zoe and Derek we may get in future novels.

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for review consideration.

Last week, Thien-Kim Lam released her latest novel, Something Cheeky. I’ve been wanting to read her books, and when I saw the description for this one, I knew it was time to dive in.

Zoe and Derek were best friends in college, but lost touch after she was pushed out of the program. Now Derek is in Washington, D.C. bringing his first musical to the stage, and he wants Zoe to design the costumes. This Vietnamese Cinderella rock musical will shine a light on their culture, and could open the doors for more BIPOC voices in theater. Working together brings back not just friendship, but also romantic feelings. Can a love story fit in amidst their commitment to the musical?

Why I Chose This Book:
I love musicals and theater, so any book with those themes will capture my interest. I was also excited to read more about Vietnamese culture, a former friends-to-lovers romance, and discussions around authentic representation in media.

What I Liked:
- Zoe and Derek! They have great chemistry as friends, and it translates well to their overdue romance finally unfolding all these years later.
- Vietnamese culture and identity. They’re working with an all-Asian cast to bring an authentically Vietnamese musical to the stage, including cultural heritage and language. I loved getting to see a glimpse of that here, as well as discussions around what it means to really be Vietnamese (for example, Derek isn’t fluent in the language).
- Battling Gregzilla. Freaking Greg. He represents everyone who diminishes and dumbs down underrepresented voices. Racism, misogyny, fat-phobia… this guy has no limits. Take him down!
- Mr. Bobbins! What a purrfect cat!
- Zoe’s friend group. Zoe has some wonderful and supportive friends (who appear in the author’s previous books!), and I loved seeing them lift each other up here.

Final Thoughts
Something Cheeky is a delightful romance about friends finding each other and love again. I loved the musical development and behind-the-scenes, the Vietnamese culture and language, and fighting back against white-washing and belittling. This is a fantastic novel, and I look forward to reading Thien-Kim Lam’s previous and future books.

Something Cheeky is cute and emotional. It was fun to read about the main characters' passion for putting on an all-Asian version of a Vietnamese Cinderella. I don't know much about costume design, and I found Zoe's commitment to figuring the right costumes fascinating to read about. Derek is a solid "he falls first" guy. There was some writing that I found a bit cheesy, but I still enjoyed reading this.

4.5

I liked but didn't love Full Exposure when I read it in 2023, so I was excited to see more from Thien-Kim Lam and this blew my expectations out of the water.

Something Cheeky follows Zoe Tran, a plus size lingerie designer, and her college best friend Derek Bui, who reenters her life when he's preparing to create and direct a version of their dream musical and wants her to design the costumes. As such, this book heavily centers musical theater which I absolutely loved. It criticizes the lack of support and representation for minorities in theater (looking at you Miss Saigon), and more generally criticizes microaggressions faced in the workforce. Lam does an excellent job portraying some of the challenges Zoe faces being a plus size Vietnamese woman. There are chairs she has a hard time sitting comfortably in, when her and Derek get together she wants to keep it a secret because she knows people will assume she slept with him to get the job, and more. Zoe is also demisexual, and I always love to see aspec representation in media.

The relationship is very much he falls first, and I loved watching some of the hijinks that prevent him from confessing. I also appreciated that when the third act conflict occurs, it's primarily external, though I appreciate that the resolution shows clear personal growth.

One of the things I remember loving about Full Exposure, is how Lam incorporated the Vietnamese immigrant experience of New Orleans, and she does the same thing here but with the DMV. Zoe and her parents both have businesses in Eden Center, which is a historically Vietnamese strip mall in Falls Church and that was fun to see. I also didn't realize that Lam's debut Happy Endings was connected to the characters in this and in Full Exposure, so I'm looking forward to going back to read that.

🍰Review: Something Cheeky

💗 Rate: 5 Stars!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🍭Praise: I am so in love with this book! I have the biggest crush on Derek!! And Zoe is firework Queen vibes! Nothing sexier than two ex-friends coming together to realize their feelings for each other! I love that Zoe designs plus size lingerie!! I truly love this book because it was honest, sexy, sweet, and oh so now apart of my heart!

🥞 The slow burn is as beautiful revealing as a butterfly coming out it's cocoon! As a former theater kid I really appreciate it all the references to the theater and Derek's hard work and dedication to making his show happen! Zoe and Derek are the perfect duo! Professional and personal! I felt this book was a stage play that I wanted reenacted over and over!

🌌Characters: Derek and Zoe along with all the other side characters had my heart chambers sprouting glitter, curiosity, and rooting for true love the whole time! A lot of funny times were shared between the characters that had me rereading the sentences so I can keep laughing more and more!

💖Extra/Tropes: I am looking forward to many many more romantic books by Thien-Kim Lam!! Any books with Asian male lead characters have my heart immediately! Any books with characters involving females that are plus size and supporting their plus size sisters make me feel important!

🍪Romance
🍪Theatre
🍪Sweetly Emotional
🍪Plus Size Representation
🍪Must Read

Bravo!! ☕

i was unfortunately not able to complete this by release date, but thus far this is SUCH a cute friends to lovers!!!!! the cover is what drew me in initially but i love love love me a good friends to lovers, and the chemistry is here 🙂‍↕️ i can’t wait to see what else the story has in store 💞