Gihigugma, Ace of Hearts

 

Rating: 3 - meet cute, innocent, Filipinos in diaspora

My Thoughts: 

The publishers call this a Crazy Rich Asians meets Bend it Like Beckham. I don't agree. This is not about the uber rich Asians, and although Jomar is a tennis player in London, this is really about that awkward love. He is a good boy, a little clueless, a little lost. He comes from the Philippines straight to London without even securing a place to stay so always has that small fish in a big pond aspect about him. He is trying to keep his scholarship to go to college and play tennis, but he also seems to be the kind of lost puppy that people want to take under their wing, whether it is his new doubles partner, the James Bond nerd from the airport, or the security guard that coaches him until he gets fired for letting him into the stadium at night to practice. Others naturally gravitate towards him because he wears his heart on his sleeve and his says gushy things like "you are my home." 

Mitch, half-white, half Filipina, is an American who is a little more awkward than she should be considering her father lives in London and her mother in America. She should be more sophisticated as someone who constantly travels between families, but she is not. I could not quite figure her out. When it reveals what she is hiding, it is not enough for her to treat Jomar the way she does. As an American college student in London, I felt like she lost some of her American-ness in the middle of the book. 

Despite the minor issue I had with Mitch, I think this is a cute read. I read it from my phone in one sitting so that is a good sign that this is a read worthy, swoon worthy book for YA. Their relationship is very chaste and innocent, so this is good for younger YA too. The only other issue that I have is the cover. I am not sure why it looks like he is shirtless as this is not that kind of book. I would have had her kissing her hand as that happens  a lot. AND, put a shirt on. 

From the Publisher:

When Jomar's tennis ambitions crash into Mitchelle's wounded heart during one charmingly disastrous karaoke night, they'll discover that the biggest matches aren't played on courts—but in learning to love despite the ghosts of the past.

Jomar Montalbano thinks he's ready for anything. A rising tennis star from the Philippines, he lands in London with one suitcase, one college scholarship, and zero idea how to survive without rice. He's counting on a few wins—but definitely not falling for Mitchelle Tanner.

She's the quiet girl with a vintage camera, a craving for halo-halo, and a smile that hides as much as it shows. Half-American, half-Filipina, and fully impossible to read.

He's used to power and control—but around her, he's completely unstrung.

From vulnerable confessions in a darkroom's glow to rallies that feel like Wimbledon wins, Jomar discovers that love—like tennis—is all about timing, risk, and knowing when to fight for the point.

Set in London's rainy alleys and sunlit parks, woven with island warmth and humor, Gihigugma, Ace of Hearts is an adventure about home, heart, and the courage to choose love against all odds.

Love at eighteen isn't always a mistake. Sometimes, it's a miracle.

Publication Information:

Author: Melanie King-Smith

Publisher: MiLFY Books (September 30, 2025)

Print length: 234 pages

Reading age: 13-18

My Sister's Big Fat Indian Wedding

 

Rating: 4 for cute drama and an obvious feel good ending

My Thoughts: 

Sometimes, readers want drama without the negative aspect of being dramatic. So in this one, no spoiler alert, but the parents are not as harsh or unforgiving as they should be. And of course, in the end, all will be forgiven. Still, the ride itself is just raucuous. If drama were a llama, this would definitely be a llama. 

The whole thing about a huge opportunity coming into play against a major family event is not a new premise. As humans, we often try and figure out can I be a Hermione and be at two places at once? How close can I cut it? What time do I really have to leave? Then when you realize this is not going to work out, I think we have all been there. Zuri may need to sacrifice her desire for being present for her sister. That is the mature thing to do and she does it. For that, despite all her shenanigans, Zuri is proven to be a good little sister. Cousin/love interest Naveen is also both talented and seems smitten with Zuri while also looking out for himself, so points there too because this seems like both a family match and a love match. Still, I am proud of Zuri for being independent. It shows a depth of character that is not always present when the tropes are so familiar. 

From the Publisher:

Zurika Damani is a naturally gifted violinist with a particular love for hip-hop beats. But when you’re part of a big Indian family, everyone has expectations, and those certainly don’t include hip-hop violin. After being rejected by Juilliard, Zuri’s last hope is a contest judged by a panel of top-tier college scouts. The only problem? This coveted competition happens to take place during her sister’s extravagant wedding week. And Zuri has already been warned, repeatedly, that she is not to miss a single moment.

 

In the midst of the chaos, Zuri’s mom is in matchmaking mode with the groom’s South African cousin Naveen—who just happens to be a cocky vocalist set on stealing Zuri’s spotlight at the scouting competition. Luckily Zuri has a crew of loud and loyal female cousins cheering her on. Now, all she has to do is wow the judges for a top spot, evade getting caught by her 

parents, resist Naveen’s charms, and, oh yeah . . . not mess up her sister’s big fat 

Indian wedding. What could possibly go wrong?

Publication Information:

Author: Sajni Patel

Publisher: Amulet Books (April 19, 2022)

Print length: 366 pages

Tune in to the Midnight Heart 1: Manga

 

Rating: 3 for wholesome manga, female dominated

My Thoughts:

The premise about finding the girl with the Apollo voice seems impossible, however, Arisu has been able to buy his way into a club with four other females, one of which may be the mysterious Apollo voice. Of course he is not going to find her for sure in manga volume 1, however, he does help them grow in their own passions as he tries to figure it out. However, this is just an into to the five characters, so this is definitely not a stand alone. 

The illustrations by Masakuni Igarashi are crisp and clean. Arisu is more than just a rich kid. He truly tries to help each of them. In their own way, they all sort of sound like Apollo, but his dedication to the craft - whether his fingers are bandaged because he is practicing guitar, or he has read and reread the manga to help Nene audition for a part, he shows up for the girls which is admirable. I think I want to root for Nene. 

From the Publisher:

In this new harem rom-com manga, a lonely, rich kid's heart is stolen away by an angelic voice 
on a livestream. He only knows her as "Apollo," and he's dedicated himself to finding her... 

But his own haughty rough edges are his worst enemy! From the creator of Senryu Girl comes a 

high school farce set against the backdrop of Japanese voice acting, pop music, VTubers, 

and radio! At the end of a difficult day, the haughty but purehearted rich kid Arisu found his 

only solace in the voice of another girl his age, who hosted a livestream under the pseudonym 

"Apollo." Then, one day, the broadcasts stopped. Arisu has dedicated the years since then to

 finding Apollo's true identity, and he's narrowed it down to one particular high school. 

He transfers in as a student and figures it'll be a cinch--but then discovers it could be any of the

girls in the broadcasting club! And the real Apollo isn't talking for reasons of her own! These four 

girls have no use for Arisu's personality, but they each harbor dreams of using their voices to 

build a career, and they sure could use his money... Can the blunt and blustering Arisu 

buy his way into the club's good graces, and find the real girl attached to his dream voice?

Author/Illustrator: Masakuni Igarashi

Publisher: Kodansha Comics (May 6, 2025)

Print length: 192 pages

Author/Illustrator: Masakuni Igarashi

Publisher: Kodansha Comics (May 6, 2025)

Print length: 192 pages

Lunar New Year Love Story:a graphic joint

My Thoughts:

Asian fate, family curses, a love triangle and lion dancing make this a feel good story to start your year of the dragon reading. Valentina loved making homemade valentine cards for all her classmates, but her favorite Valentine was the one she made for her father. But as she gets older, her classmates do not share her same enthusiasm and Valentines day becomes a lonely and sad event for her. She also believes that her family is cursed in love. 

This sweet coming of age story is about Val's rejection, struggles, betrayal and hope. The illustrations and interjection of comic relief create a feel good story for readers. This is definitely a great choice as the first graphic novel to read for the year. It is a multicultural story that reveals both our differences as Asians, as well as our similarities. Well done.

From the Publisher:

She was destined for heartbreak. Then fate handed her love.

Val is ready to give up on love. It's led to nothing but secrets and heartbreak, and she's pretty sure she's cursed―no one in her family, for generations, has ever had any luck with love.

But then a chance encounter with a pair of cute lion dancers sparks something in Val. Is it real love? Could this be her chance to break the family curse? Or is she destined to live with a broken heart forever?

Publication Information:

Author: Gene Luen Yang

Illustrator: LeUyen Pham

Publisher: First Second (January 9, 2024)

Paperback: 352 pages

The Name Drop

 

My Thoughts:

Susan Lee offers up a cute rom com of mistaken identity and trading places. When two young people from very different backgrounds just happen to have the same Korean name, Jessica gets the chance of a lifetime to fly first class, live alone in a brownstone in New York with her own driver, assistant and chef and get a chance to actually make a difference in a company that treats all women like mindless coffee concierges. 

Elijah, the future CEO of Heneul Corporation finds himself in coach and sharing a small apartment with the other interns. He loves it, so is eager to keep his and Jessicaʻs secret to themselves. Until his older sister comes to New York. 

This is predictable, but still fun. The added Asian expectations and misogyny are great add ins to this classic switched places, poor versus rich lifestyle trope. 

From the Publisher:

When Elijah Ri arrives in New York City for an internship at his father’s massive tech company, Haneul Corporation, he expects the royal treatment that comes with being the future CEO—even if that’s the last thing he wants. But instead, he finds himself shuffled into a group of overworked, unpaid interns, all sharing a shoebox apartment for the summer.

When Jessica Lee arrives in New York City, she’s eager to make the most of her internship at Haneul Corporation, even if she’s at the bottom of the corporate ladder. But she’s shocked to be introduced as the new executive-in-training intern with a gorgeous brownstone all to herself.

It doesn’t take long for Elijah and Jessica to discover the source of the mistake: they share the same Korean name. But they decide to stay switched—so Elijah can have a relaxing summer away from his controlling dad while Jessica can make the connections she desperately needs for college recommendations.

As Elijah and Jessica work together to keep up the charade, a spark develops between them. Can they avoid discovery—and total disaster—with their feelings and futures on the line?

Publication Information:

Author: Susan Lee

Publisher: Inkyard Press (September 12, 2023)

Book Lovers

My thoughts:

Although I gave this a 3 out of 5, it is still a great rom com book. It is not my usual read for this blog, however, my iPad, which is my ebook reader of choice is doing a slow death so this is a paperback I got for Christmas. Therefore, not an advanced copy, and not a YA book. Still, I am happy to give my physical copy away. 

What I liked about this book for YA readers is that although it's about "old people," I mean the characters could very well be 30, so ancient, it is a great beach read. These are the exact books I like to read in the summer when the whole day stretches in front of me with nothing more pressing than finding shade and enjoying the trade winds and a book. 

The author knows all the Hallmark channel movie tropes and turns them on its head. It has a jilted lover, big city character that find themselves in a small town, complicated families, small town struggles, big shark in a small pond, smoking hot nemesis, other smoking hot other, etc. However, what Ms. Henry does to these tropes is entertaining. The characters will not be memorable to me by the end of summer, however, it was a great story while it lasted.

From the Publisher:

One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn't see coming...

Nora Stephens' life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.

Publishing Information:

Author: Emily Henry

Publisher: Berkley Press (May 3, 2022)

 

Highly Suspicious & Unfairly Cute

My Thoughts:

This is a YA Bridgette Jones except if Bridgette were a black 17-year old who wants to go to the uni and make a mark in corporate law just to crush her deadbeat father at his own game. The voice of Celine Bangura is very sharp, witty and self-absorbed like Bridgette and I could see a younger, more modern Bridgette also having a Tik Tok channel focused on aliens and conspiracy theories. 

Celine is the slightly chunky, "I don't need anyone or anything to succeed [especially my former best friend and arch nemesis Bradley Graaeme who is annoyingly beautiful]" social media star who is bullied by the cool kids for her theories on aliens. She doesn't care, except for the fact that Bradley was her person until he abandoned her for the popular jerks/jocks that he hangs out with. That is her side of the story.

What readers will automatically know even before they start is that of course Celine and Bradley will be friends again and even find out that they are still each other's person. That is super obvious by the genre and the title. 

What readers will be surprised by is that Bradley will get equal voice in this novel. Not only that, but Bradley has not only (mostly) found ways to deal with the spiraling thoughts from his OCD that Celine would help him through when they were younger, but also that he really is the moral center and the emotional rock of this story. He is definitely a keeper.

This book will give you all the feels you expect from a YA rom com with just enough coaching, controversy and mental health strategies to be helpful without being preachy. The characters do a lot of soul searching and maturing, even if as readers we know how it will end.  The joy, after all, is in the journey, even if we know where the journey ends. 

From the Publisher:

Bradley Graeme is pretty much perfect. He’s a star football player, manages his OCD well (enough), and comes out on top in all his classes . . . except the ones he shares with his ex-best friend, Celine.
 
Celine Bangura is conspiracy-theory-obsessed. Social media followers eat up her takes on everything from UFOs to holiday overconsumption—yet, she’s still not cool enough for the popular kids’ table. Which is why Brad abandoned her for the in-crowd years ago. (At least, that’s how Celine sees it.)

These days, there’s nothing between them other than petty insults and academic rivalry. So when Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods, she’s surprised to find Brad right beside her.

Forced to work as a team for the chance to win a grand prize, these two teens must trudge through not just mud and dirt but their messy past. And as this adventure brings them closer together, they begin to remember the good bits of their history. But has too much time passed . . . or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship?

Publication information:

Author: Talia Hibbert

Publisher: Joy Revolution (Jan 3, 2023)

Age range: Gr 9 and up

 

Salt and Sugar

 

My Thoughts:

I do love an enemies to friends, Capulets and Montague trope centered on dueling food establishments.  Lari Ramires and Pedro Molina come from dueling bakeries in Olinda, Brazil. Lari's family runs Salt and Pedro's family runs Sugar, and although they are competing, and although their families have had disagreements for multiple generations, they must work together if they are going to survive the large chain grocery that is buying out all of the small businesses in town. 

There are interesting subplots, including a connection between Lari's grandmother, Pedro's grandfather and Lari's father. There is so much anger and grief between the two mothers that the children, Lari and Pedro, are hiding their individual dreams from their families. Lari just wants to be a baker like her abuela, but her mom has always wanted her to go to business school so when she is forced to go to a cooking club where Pedro Molina is the president, she tries to hide her lack of cooking ability while also trying to learn from the other students. Pedro Molina goes to cooking school because he wants to take over the bakery. But his grandfather fears that Pedro will change the traditional recipes and ruin the bakery.

This is a predictable rom com with nice little complex twists. Read first or read later:

• A Phò Love Story by Loan Le
• Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune by Roselle Lim
• Café con Lychee by Emery Lee

From the Publisher:

The grandchildren of two rival Brazilian bakeries fall in love despite their families’ feud in this delicious debut rom-com perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and Gloria Chao.
 
Trust neither thin-bottomed frying pans nor Molinas.
 
Lari Ramires has always known this to be true. In Olinda, Brazil, her family’s bakery, Salt, has been at war with the Molinas’ bakery across the street, Sugar, for generations. But Lari’s world turns upside down when her beloved grandmother passes away. On top of that, a big supermarket chain has moved to town, forcing many of the small businesses to close.
 
Determined to protect her home, Lari does the unthinkable—she works together with Pedro Molina to save both of their bakeries. Lari realizes she might not know Pedro as well as she thought—and she maybe even likes what she learns—but the question remains: Can a Ramires and a Molina truly trust one another?

Publication Information:

Author: Rebecca Carvalho

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Publication date: November 1, 2022

Fireworks

 

My Thoughts:

If you liked Once Upon a K-Prom by Kat Cho or XOXO  by Axie Oh, you are going to devour Fireworks by Alice Lin. 

The protagonist, Lulu Li has her whole summer planned out before she and her friends go away to college, but her plans are disrupted when her neighbor, Kai, now a K-Pop star with the group Karnaval secretly comes home to "rest and recover."  Kai and Lulu were best friends but when he was whisked away in 8th grade to South Korea to become a singer and songwriter in the K-Pop factory, he has not tried to contact Lulu in four years, so their relationship is awkward and non existent.

Except that there is a neighborhood cat that plays his own version of Shakespeare's Puck, both narrator and trickster at the same time. 

What I appreciated in this romcom is that the characters are Chinese American, even if Kai or Kite is a K-Pop star. In other words, not all Asians are the same and many Asian Americans keep their food traditions alive but not their langugage.

What I am lukewarm about is that Ms. Lin inserted an LGBTQ+ main character because Lulu is bi. Now if there were a love triangle, that would be one thing, but without it, the fact that Lulu is bi just feels like a way to check off another diversity box. It does not add to the story or make it more interesting because it seems like a throwaway fact.

The mental health and extreme fan behavior are much more interesting so I like that Lin included that. Either way, read it. 

From the Publisher:

Seventeen-year-old Lulu Li has her last summer before college all planned out. But her plans go awry when she learns that Kite Xu, her old next-door neighbor and childhood friend, will be returning home from South Korea.
 
Lulu hasn’t seen Kite since eighth grade, after he left the country to pursue a career in K-pop, eventually debuting in the boy group Karnival. When Karnival announces that Kite will be taking a break from K-pop activities for mysterious reasons, the opportunity to rekindle their friendship arises.
 
Star-struck and nostalgic, Lulu tries to reconnect with Kite. As they continue to bond and reminisce over the past, Kite’s sister, Connie, warns Lulu not to get too close to her brother. The harder Lulu tries to deny her feelings, the stronger they get. But how could a K-pop star ever fall for a nobody from home? And even if he did, is there any way for their relationship to end but badly?

Publication Information:

Author: Alice Lin

Publisher: Underlined

Publication date: June 7, 2022

Café Con Lychee

 

My Thoughts:

Theo Mori feels like he is the disappointing second son and carries the pressure to help save his family's failing Asian American café, as well as give his high school soccer team at least one win in a winless season. Never mind that he seems to be the only openly gay student in his high school. Never mind that unlike his older "golden boy" brother, his grades are so low that college seems impossible. Never mind that Gabi Moreno continues to literally knock him down in soccer practice and is the only son of the rival Puerto Rican bakery, the only other ethnic business in town. When a fusion café opened by white owners opens up and steals customers from both businesses, Theo has to let go of his anger toward his parents, towards his brother and especially towards Gabi in order to find love, happiness, and a solution to the family problems.

You know that Theo and Gabi are going to get together (once Gabi is able to come out of the closet). Just look at the cute cover. It's inevitable and is not a spoiler at all. What is a surprise is how long it takes the characters to realize what we as readers already know. Just kiss the boy already!

This is a cute romcom first love LGBTQ YA novel. and a good mix to shake up our shelves.

From the Publisher:

From the author of Meet Cute Diary comes a delectable rom-com that’s brimming with zest and a sprinkle of sweetness. A must-read for fans of Casey McQuiston and Julian Winters.

Theo Mori and Gabriel Moreno have always been at odds. Their parents own rival businesses—an Asian American café and a Puerto Rican bakery—and Gabi’s lack of coordination has cost their soccer team too many games to count.

Stuck in the closet and scared to pursue his own dreams, Gabi sees his parents’ shop as his future. Stuck under the weight of his parents’ expectations, Theo’s best shot at leaving Vermont means first ensuring his parents’ livelihood is secure. 

So when a new fusion café threatens both shops, Theo and Gabi realize an unfortunate truth—they can only achieve their goals by working together to cook up an underground bakery operation and win back their customers. But can they put aside their differences long enough to save their parents’ shops or will the new feelings between them boil over?

Author: Emery Lee

Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books

Publication date: May 10, 2022

Radha and Jai's Recipe for Romance

 

My Thoughts:

Based on the cover, it is about two east Indian American teens who love to dance and cook. It's a romance. Nice! Not every book has to be academic or discussed using literary lenses. Sometimes, YA readers want something uncomplicated and transparent. This is a romance. How do I know? It says it in the title.  Sometimes, I need things as uncomplicated as that. This is not an emotional roller coaster, but you want to root for Radha and Jai. These kids are loved by their families and their friends. They have instant chemistry even if they are very poor communicators. Most importantly, they are lovely characters who will capture young readers of romance. 

I like this book because it is a two day read and then I can move on with my grading. 4 stars for sure. Also, because like Bollywood, there is no sex, this can also be read by middle grades despite the characters being seniors in high school. 

As far as ladders to and from this book, or what I am calling centrifugal books that spin out and around each other,  this book can be given to students who like other devour worthy YA romance books that are on the cute side versus the broken romance side:

• To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
• Don't Date Rosa Santos by Nina Moreno
• Perfectly Parvin by Olivia Abtahi
• When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
• A Pho Love Story by Loan Le
• Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean

From the Publisher:

Radha is on the verge of becoming one of the greatest kathak dancers in the world . . . until a family betrayal costs her the biggest competition of her life. Now she has left her Chicago home behind to follow her stage mom to New Jersey. At the Princeton Academy of the Arts, Radha is determined to leave performing in her past and reinvent herself from scratch.

Jai is captain of the Bollywood Beats dance team, ranked first in his class, and is an overachiever with no college plans. Tight family funds means medical school is a pipe dream, which is why he wants to make the most out of high school. When Radha enters his life, he realizes she's the exact ingredient he needs for a show-stopping senior year.

With careful choreography, both Radha and Jai will need to face their fears (and their families) if they want a taste of a happily ever after.

Publication date: July 13, 2021

Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers

Author: Nisha Sharma

Once Upon a K-Prom

 

Publication date: May 17, 2022 by Kat Cho

My Thoughts:

If students enjoyed any of the following rom com teen novels, this is the next great read on the ladder:

Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean

A Pho Love Story by Loan Le

Somewhere Only We Know by Maureen Goo

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

This is a story of childhood friend Elena Soo and Robbie Choi. When they were 10, they separated as Robbieʻs family moved back to Korea but they did make a promise that he would take her to prom. Well it is prom time and Elena seems to be overshadowed by her more popular twin brother and the high school expectations set forth by her high achieving sisters. Elena finds herself ostracized and labeled as the prom hating weirdo because she wants everyone to spend less on prom and donate money to keep her community center alive.

Robbie in the meantime has hit it huge, BTS style in the K-Pop world and although he is highly managed as part of the most popular boy band, he wants to fulfill his promise to take Elena "Lani" to prom even if the two have not spoken in seven years. 

Miscommunication, cluelessness, secrets, misunderstandings and enough heart warming side stories to keep readers invested in multiple characters helps to round out this story and make it a devour worthy pick for a long weekend.

I read this over Valentines weekend, but it does not come out until May so put this on your TBR list for memorial day or the 4th of July.

From the Publisher:

What would you do if the world's biggest K-pop star asked you to prom? Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sandhya Menon, this hilarious and heartfelt novel brings the glamour and drama of the K-pop world straight to high school.

Elena Soo has always felt overshadowed. Whether by her more successful older sisters, her more popular twin brother, or her more outgoing best friend, everyone except Elena seems to know exactly who they are and what they want. But she is certain about one thing - she has no interest in going to prom. While the rest of the school is giddy over corsages and dresses, Elena would rather spend her time working to save the local community center, the one place that's always made her feel like she belonged.

So when international K-pop superstar Robbie Choi shows up at her house to ask her to prom, Elena is more confused than ever. Because the one person who always accepted Elena as she is? Her childhood best friend, Robbie Choi. And the one thing she maybe, possibly, secretly wants more than anything? For the two of them to keep the promise they made each other as kids: to go to prom together. But that was seven years ago, and with this new K-pop persona, pink hair, and stylish clothes, Robbie is nothing like the sweet, goofy boy she remembers. The boy she shared all her secrets with. The boy she used to love.

Besides, prom with a guy who comes with hordes of screaming fans, online haters, and relentless paparazzi is the last thing Elena wants - even if she can't stop thinking about Robbie's smile...right?

Perfectly Parvin

 

My Thoughts:

Parvin (PAR-veen) thinks that in order to get a date for homecoming, she needs to look less Iranian (body hair everywhere, including her toes, unibrow, curly hair) and more like the girls on the romance movies (quiet, hairless, straight hair, submissive). Despite her friends and her aunt in Iran telling her that she is enough as her passionate, outspoken self, but it takes her a while to figure this out for herself. When she gets dumped during orientation because her new summer boyfriend says she is too much, Parvin thinks it is because she is too loud, so she makes a plan to fix that. But when she later finds out that it is because she is Muslim and middle eastern and does not fit in to his church friends, MAGA group, she finally realizes that it is not anything she can change. By the time she realizes that, has she lost her two best friends? 

There is an ICE airport detainment scene that is a little scary,  but otherwise, this is an appropriate rom com for upper middle grades and YA. The queer relationships in this rom com are also healthy and accepting, even by the parents. That makes this cute and nerdy in a bassoon playing kind of way. 

From the Publisher:

Fourteen-year-old Iranian-American Parvin Mohammadi sets out to win the ultimate date to homecoming in this heartfelt and outright hilarious debut.

Parvin Mohammadi has just been dumped--only days after receiving official girlfriend status. Not only is she heartbroken, she's humiliated. Enter high school heartthrob Matty Fumero, who just might be the smoking-hot cure to all her boy problems. If Parvin can get Matty to ask her to Homecoming, she's positive it will prove to herself and her ex that she's girlfriend material after all. There's just one problem: Matty is definitely too cool for bassoon-playing, frizzy-haired, Cheeto-eating Parvin. Since being herself hasn't worked for her in the past (see aforementioned dumping), she decides to start acting like the women in her favorite rom-coms. Those women aren't loud, they certainly don't cackle when they laugh, and they smile much more than they talk.

But Parvin discovers that being a rom-com dream girl is much harder than it looks. Also hard? The parent-mandated Farsi lessons. A confusing friendship with a boy who's definitely not supposed to like her. And hardest of all, the ramifications of the Muslim ban on her family in Iran. Suddenly, being herself has never been more important.

Olivia Abtahi's debut is as hilarious as it is heartfelt--a delightful tale where, amid the turmoil of high school friendships and crushes, being yourself is always the perfect way to be.