Book Review :: Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee

Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee
ISBN: 0593569954
on 16 May 2023
Genres: Romance, Young Adult, LGBTQ+
Pages: 272
Goodreads

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?

Last updated on 9 August 2023

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What is Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee about?

Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee is the story of Dylan Tang. He’s got a big dream: winning the mooncake-making competition at the Mid-Autumn Festival. Why? It’s a tribute to his mum, plus a chance to give his aunty’s struggling Chinese takeout joint in Brooklyn a major shoutout. Which is what they really need right now.

One day Dlyn is out making a delivery and meets Theo Somers. He’s a total charmer dripping with cash, whose smile sets off butterflies in Dlyan’s stomach. Despite basically coming from different planets entirely (read: different parts of the city and the money scale), Theo keeps popping up, and he even convinces Dylan to be his fake date at a fancy family wedding in the Hamptons.

“He lives in a huge mansion and drives a Ferrari. I ride a bike with a squeaky front wheel. Our worlds are as far apart as the sun and the moon.”

“They align every now and then,” Aunt Jade points out. “Eclipses are pretty memorable.”

While Theo’s all about glamour, privilege, and a dose of high-class drama, Dlyan is not. Their supposed-to-be pretend romance gets a bit complicated when Dylan starts falling for Theo. With the mooncake competition clock ticking, Dylan can’t afford to get sidetracked by a cute boy and his seemingly perfect (cough not really) family.

The story follows Dylan as he starts seeing Theo more and more, and prepares for the Mooncake-making competition. But does he make it to the competition? Does his infatuation with Theo get in the way? 👀

My Thoughts on Fake Dates and Mooncakes

Fake Dates and Mooncakes was a really sweet book. It was nice to read a short book (coming in at 272 pages for the paperback version), that also didn’t feel too rushed. And when I say that … it was a very short period of time that the book takes place, but I think it was drawn out enough that it didn’t matter too much. If you know what I mean. You know. You’re a book reader. You get it.

“Giving your heart to someone is like learning to ride a bike. You’ll skin your elbows and knees, but the pain will pass. You’ll heal. And one day, the scars will be a memory, not of falling, but of getting up again.”

Dylan and Theo were fun characters to read, a classic Romeo-and-Juliet type situation, with Theo being very well off with a large wealthy family, and Dylan barely making ends meet. As their world collide, Dylan struggles with not fitting into Theo’s life, feeling like he’s not good enough or rich enough to be included. And as things get a bit tense near the end of the book, Dylan has to decide whether he partakes in the mooncakes competition, despite the fact he doesn’t feel prepared enough for it.

The storyline was cute. Predictable, but cute. And honestly? Sometimes that’s just what you need: a nice short book that isn’t surprising, that won’t throw you in the deep end, it won’t rip your heart out and smash it to smithereens, and it won’t be something you probably read again. But it will be an enjoyable few hours. It will make you smile, laugh out loud at some points, and generally have a great time.

If you’re looking for a book that does all those things, then give Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee a go. Genres are Young Adult, Romance, LGBTQ+.

Have you read this one? What did you think?