Heartstopper meets Crazy Rich Asians in this heartfelt, joyful paperback original rom-com that follows an aspiring chef who discovers the recipe for love is more complicated than it seems when he starts fake-dating a handsome new customer.

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

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

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

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

While the book delves into food, culture and grief, it was the descriptions of delicious culinary delights that truly stole the show. Lee’s ability to evoke sensory experiences through food was remarkable, making me wish I could taste every food and snack described.

As soon as I started reading Sher Lee’s Fake Dates and Mooncakes, I was instantly captivated by the author’s language and style. Lee’s clever use of ‘bad’ puns, as Dylan calls it, such as “Wok Warriors” to describe the hardworking teens at Aunt Jade’s Singaporean-Chinese restaurant, brought a delightful sense of humor to the narrative. I found myself enjoying every page, enjoying the wordplay and clever references.

While reading, I could not help but appreciate the exploration of characterization in the book. The theme of queer and LGBT+ representation particularly stood out to me. Lee masterfully presented these themes with authenticity and relatability, creating realistic queer characters that readers can connect with.

I must admit that I found several of the other characters, including Theo’s random family members, to be rather annoying. On the other hand, Dylan’s family had a slightly more engaging dynamic. However, the casual outing of Dylan by his cousin Megan, although he seemed to be out already, left me with mixed feelings.

“Fake Dates and Mooncakes” is a book that I highly recommend. Its exploration of food, culture, and the LGBTQ+ experience, combined with its heartwarming romance, makes it a valuable addition to the young adult genre.

-Weldon Ngetich