Hi! I’m here to talk about another giveaway win for an adorable YA contemporary that’s finally out in the world this week.**And as always, the work to support the Black community is not done, whether there is media coverage for it or not, so here is the link to click in order to support the Black Lives Matter movement in any way you can, and thank you to StarlahReads for compiling these resources. You can also visit the description of this video by booktuber Jess Owens, which has links to several additional resources about global events.**
I’ve talked a bit about how 2020 really was the year for virtual author events, panels, and giveaways, and while I do miss being able to gather with my fellow book nerds I think this certainly increases traffic to those events due to more accessibility. Plus, I can enter to win digital advanced readers copies and maybe end up with a winning email. That was the case with A Taste for Love, a debut YA rom-com by Jennifer Yen that I acquired through YALLWRITE 2020. I had a choice of three books to enter for, and this one sounded the most like something I would read and enjoy, and the cover gave me sweet and summer vibes, which I think greatly articulate themes throughout the novel. I am so glad this ended up in my inbox.
High school senior Liza Yang dreams of a future at culinary school while spending days and evenings after at her parents successful restaurant and bakery, Yin & Yang. They, however, try to dissuade her from following in their footsteps, which may cause Liza to be a little rebellious in their eyes, especially by dating Americans when her mother wants her to bring home an Asian guy. The summer after graduation gets even more intense when Liza is finally allowed to show off her technical expertise as a judge in her parents baking competition, but her mother’s selections may just be a bit too particular. And things start to heat up when she finds herself falling for one of the contestants, James – stoic, broody, annoyingly attractive, and able to work his way through a recipe [straight to Liza’s heart].
This was an absolutely delightful read. I will say it took me a while to get into, but as soon as the competition started and the shenanigans truly began I was totally hooked. The description of food, whether making preparations at Yin & Yang, Liza experimenting with her own recipes and creations, or hearing the contestants talk about their entries, were so vivid and enticing that I never wanted to read on an empty stomach. I loved watching Liza come into her own while struggling between not wanting to be a disappointment to her family and striving to be her own person and make choices she knows her parents wouldn’t agree with. The book highlighted sibling relationships as well – Liza feels constantly compared to her older sister, while not acknowledging that they both may be encountering the similar critiques and criticisms from their parents (it just seems less obvious because Jeannie doesn’t live at home). I liked the friendship between Liza and Grace, as they regularly exchange thoughts about shared lived experiences, and eventually when Ben and James come into the picture (as potential love interests for each), I really loved how the dynamic extended to include all four. I appreciated how protective Liza and James were of their friends, and truly did not want to see them get hurt after watching them experience heartbreak in the past. Yes, there are some moments of miscommunication used throughout the story, but with some sleuthing each party does ultimately uncover the truth and make the appropriate apologies, so it doesn’t last for much of the book. And another highlight I do want to mention is Liza and her mother’s conflicting views about dating. Liza is constantly trying to avoid her mother’s meddling when it comes to guys she may want to form a romantic relationship with. I mean, *slight spoiler, even though it’s in the Goodreads synopsis* she walks in to the baking competition to find that her mother has selecting ten Asian-American guys as potential date partners. This does spark an argument later on in the novel, where Liza confronts her mother about the ordeal and why it bothers her – she feels as if her mother never asks what she’s looking for in a relationship, and only chooses guys who fit her own ideals in a match for her daughter. Her mother’s response was that she worries Liza isn’t proud of her culture and heritage, and sparks an important conversation between the two, which I found to be impactful.
As someone who is not as well-versed in Asian cultures as she should be, I always strive to make a conscious effort to educate myself in whatever way I can. However, I do make mistakes and say things that can come across as ignorant – even if that was not my intent, I have to take responsibilty as my words have consequences and should be challenged if necessary. I think the character of Sarah kind of embodies just that in the story – she can say things that come across as insensitive, and that’s part of the reason why Liza and Grace don’t particularly want to invite her into their space. She isn’t inheritently bad, and doesn’t say things to be malicious, but she does get things wrong. By the end, I do believe she has undergone growth – she is more particular with the words she uses in certain situations and understands she is not an expert so she needs to educate herself. Grace and Liza should not be her only sources of information, as it is not their job to be the comprehensive encyclepedia for their cultures – Sarah has to make an effort to learn on her own.
So there you have it, my thoughts on this adorable, enticing, and inviting YA romantic comedy that I hope will find the readsership it truly deserves. I thought this was a delighful debut, and can’t wait to see what Jennifer Yen brings about in the future. Also, apparently the story is a retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and I might be out of touch with the story because I truly did not make the connections until after I had finished (although looking back I can definitely see the inspiration and similarities). A Taste for Love is set to be released on February 2nd, 2021, which means it is officially out in the world so please join me in wishing the book a happy pub week, and consider picking up a copy of this story which will have you craving boba, pastries, and a teenagers falling in love. *Thank you to YALLWRITE, NetGalley, and the publisher, Razorbill, for the e-copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Where to find A Taste for Love:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Jennifer Yen’s site
Penguin Random House
Thoughts About Things 