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Dating Makes Perfect
The Tech sisters don’t date in high school. Not because they’re not asked. Not because they’re not interested. Not even because no one can pronounce their long, Thai last name—hence the shortened, awkward moniker. But simply because they’re not allowed.
Until now.
In a move that other Asian American girls know all too well, six months after the older Tech twins got to college, their parents asked, “Why aren’t you engaged yet?” The sisters retaliated by vowing that they won’t marry for ten (maybe even twenty!) years, not until they’ve had lots of the dating practice that they didn’t get in high school.
In a shocking war on the status quo, her parents now insist that their youngest daughter, Orrawin (aka “Winnie”), must practice fake dating in high school. Under their watchful eyes, of course—and organized based on their favorite rom-coms. ’Cause that won’t end in disaster.
The first candidate? The son of their longtime friends, Mat Songsomboon—arrogant, infuriating, and way too good-looking. Winnie’s known him since they were toddlers throwing sticky rice balls at each other. And her parents love him.
If only he weren’t her sworn enemy.
Until now.
In a move that other Asian American girls know all too well, six months after the older Tech twins got to college, their parents asked, “Why aren’t you engaged yet?” The sisters retaliated by vowing that they won’t marry for ten (maybe even twenty!) years, not until they’ve had lots of the dating practice that they didn’t get in high school.
In a shocking war on the status quo, her parents now insist that their youngest daughter, Orrawin (aka “Winnie”), must practice fake dating in high school. Under their watchful eyes, of course—and organized based on their favorite rom-coms. ’Cause that won’t end in disaster.
The first candidate? The son of their longtime friends, Mat Songsomboon—arrogant, infuriating, and way too good-looking. Winnie’s known him since they were toddlers throwing sticky rice balls at each other. And her parents love him.
If only he weren’t her sworn enemy.
400 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2020
About the author
Pintip Dunn
12 books985 followersPintip Dunn is a New York Times bestselling author of young adult fiction. She graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B., and received her J.D. at Yale Law School.
Her novel FORGET TOMORROW won the 2016 RWA RITA® for Best First Book, and SEIZE TODAY won the 2018 RITA for Best Young Adult Romance. Her books have been translated into four languages, and they have been nominated for the following awards: the Grand Prix del'Imaginaire; the Japanese Sakura Medal; the MASL Truman Award; the TomeSociety It list; and the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award.
Her other titles include REMEMBER YESTERDAY, THE DARKEST LIE, GIRL ON THE VERGE, STAR-CROSSED, and MALICE.
She lives with her husband and children in Maryland.
Her novel FORGET TOMORROW won the 2016 RWA RITA® for Best First Book, and SEIZE TODAY won the 2018 RITA for Best Young Adult Romance. Her books have been translated into four languages, and they have been nominated for the following awards: the Grand Prix del'Imaginaire; the Japanese Sakura Medal; the MASL Truman Award; the TomeSociety It list; and the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award.
Her other titles include REMEMBER YESTERDAY, THE DARKEST LIE, GIRL ON THE VERGE, STAR-CROSSED, and MALICE.
She lives with her husband and children in Maryland.
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Want to read
August 2, 2020update: got an ARC (a month ago)... Thai rights
this cover represents me because THAI GIRL!!!! but also does not represent me because she is pretty
this cover represents me because THAI GIRL!!!! but also does not represent me because she is pretty
October 1, 2020
I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher (Entangled Teen) in exchange for an honest review. Since I received an ARC, my quotes from the book are tentative.
This was the cutest YA rom-com!
Okay so first I just have to talk about the #OwnVoices aspect. As a Filipino American, I know how important it is to have your stories told, so I was so happy to finally see a book about the Thai American experience. I had never read a book about the Thai American experience before so I was super eager to read this. From food to the Songkran festival, there was a lot of Thai culture woven throughout the novel.
The premise of this book is adorable. I loved how the dates were inspired by romantic comedies including some of my favorites, “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” and “Always Be My Maybe.”
I found this book to be highly relatable. As an Asian American, I could relate to some of Winnie’s experiences. For example, at one point, Winnie’s mom jumps to the conclusion that Winnie could be pregnant. Winnie replies, “Must you always skip fifty million steps? I haven’t even kissed him yet” (pg 126). Yup. My mom is like that too. You start dating a boy and their mind immediately goes to pregnancy. There’s also the quintessential bringing weird food to school moment that Winnie mentions in passing. Lastly, I related to how Winnie talks about respect towards her parents. She states, “Sometimes, I get so bored of this respect. Yes, it’s important, and yes, it’s my parents’ due. But respect also prevents us from admitting our infractions— and talking about them. That’s what I want. For us to talk. Not as friends, exactly, but certainly without this yawning chasm between us” (pg 237). I think that is so true. There can often be this divide between Asian parents and their children because of this notion of respect.
As for the romance, I thought it was so cute. It’s the classic childhood friends to lovers and enemies to lovers tropes but I thought it was done very well. Winnie and Mat had a lot of chemistry so I loved them as a couple.
Overall, I recommend this #OwnVoices romance! This book gave me a ton of “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” vibes, so if you like that movie or the books, you’ll probably like this!
This was the cutest YA rom-com!
Okay so first I just have to talk about the #OwnVoices aspect. As a Filipino American, I know how important it is to have your stories told, so I was so happy to finally see a book about the Thai American experience. I had never read a book about the Thai American experience before so I was super eager to read this. From food to the Songkran festival, there was a lot of Thai culture woven throughout the novel.
The premise of this book is adorable. I loved how the dates were inspired by romantic comedies including some of my favorites, “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” and “Always Be My Maybe.”
I found this book to be highly relatable. As an Asian American, I could relate to some of Winnie’s experiences. For example, at one point, Winnie’s mom jumps to the conclusion that Winnie could be pregnant. Winnie replies, “Must you always skip fifty million steps? I haven’t even kissed him yet” (pg 126). Yup. My mom is like that too. You start dating a boy and their mind immediately goes to pregnancy. There’s also the quintessential bringing weird food to school moment that Winnie mentions in passing. Lastly, I related to how Winnie talks about respect towards her parents. She states, “Sometimes, I get so bored of this respect. Yes, it’s important, and yes, it’s my parents’ due. But respect also prevents us from admitting our infractions— and talking about them. That’s what I want. For us to talk. Not as friends, exactly, but certainly without this yawning chasm between us” (pg 237). I think that is so true. There can often be this divide between Asian parents and their children because of this notion of respect.
As for the romance, I thought it was so cute. It’s the classic childhood friends to lovers and enemies to lovers tropes but I thought it was done very well. Winnie and Mat had a lot of chemistry so I loved them as a couple.
Overall, I recommend this #OwnVoices romance! This book gave me a ton of “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” vibes, so if you like that movie or the books, you’ll probably like this!
Want to read
June 1, 2020OH MY GOD I THINK THIS IS A THAI AMERICAN RETELLING OF THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
OH MY GOD
I NEED IT
OH MY GOD
I NEED IT
December 20, 2020
CW:
Well that was a charming YA romance with an endearing Thai American main character.
This story will appeal to many as it was filled with some standard YA romance tropes making it a fairly 'safe' read. However, this will stand above other similar books for me because the characters were so enjoyable to read about and I adored the family dynamics. The romance was cute and flirty with some witty banter thrown in. It also touched upon some coming-of-age/identity type issues as Winnie struggles in the shadows of her amazing and accomplished older twin sisters. I really enjoyed this light-hearted YA rom-com.
Well that was a charming YA romance with an endearing Thai American main character.
This story will appeal to many as it was filled with some standard YA romance tropes making it a fairly 'safe' read. However, this will stand above other similar books for me because the characters were so enjoyable to read about and I adored the family dynamics. The romance was cute and flirty with some witty banter thrown in. It also touched upon some coming-of-age/identity type issues as Winnie struggles in the shadows of her amazing and accomplished older twin sisters. I really enjoyed this light-hearted YA rom-com.
August 20, 2020
I received this book in exchange for an honest review for HEAR OUR VOICES BOOK TOUR.
I'm a huge advocate for Asian representation and voices in the book community so when I saw that there was a Thai Asian American YA Book I jumped at the chance to review it.
I absolutely adored this novel because it was so fun and flirty. It was cute and fluffy in all the aspects when our main heroine was figuring her self out plus her identity. I also really loved the representation in this book and I'm sure that it'll help a lot of Asian Americans who are growing up right now.
I definitely recommend you to read this one and check it out asap!!!
I'm a huge advocate for Asian representation and voices in the book community so when I saw that there was a Thai Asian American YA Book I jumped at the chance to review it.
I absolutely adored this novel because it was so fun and flirty. It was cute and fluffy in all the aspects when our main heroine was figuring her self out plus her identity. I also really loved the representation in this book and I'm sure that it'll help a lot of Asian Americans who are growing up right now.
I definitely recommend you to read this one and check it out asap!!!
August 20, 2020
Thank you to Entangled for the ARC and to Hear Our Voices Tours for hosting the blog tour!
Dating Makes Perfect is an ownvoices Thai YA rom com and as an ownvoices reader I truly had the best time reading it!
This story follows the Tech sisters whose strict Thai parents didn’t allow them to date in high school. But once the eldest Tech twins go off to college, their parents allow the youngest sister, Winnie, to date. But there’s a catch: mom gets to set up the date and chooses the guy (and she sets up each date based on a rom com movie.)
I don’t want to bring up too much of my personal life but as someone who grew up in Thailand AND in the US, I related so hard to all the Thai cultural references (and what it feels like trying to assimilate in a white town in Ohio.) There’s lots of references to Thai foods and customs, and my favorite scene was the Songkran (Thai New Year) celebration. Songkran is one of my favorite Thai holidays and I miss being with my family for that.
What I really enjoyed was seeing how many other Thai characters were in the forefront of this book. Winnie befriends a Thai boy, and she even gets involved in an enemies to lovers romance with a Thai boy. It was just so nice to see Thai people be the focal point of this story. And the sisterhood is so cute as well!
If you’re looking for a light read that has themes of family, friendship, and romance then give Dating Makes Perfect a try! It really made my heart so happy to see a Thai protagonist get her own cute story.
Dating Makes Perfect is an ownvoices Thai YA rom com and as an ownvoices reader I truly had the best time reading it!
This story follows the Tech sisters whose strict Thai parents didn’t allow them to date in high school. But once the eldest Tech twins go off to college, their parents allow the youngest sister, Winnie, to date. But there’s a catch: mom gets to set up the date and chooses the guy (and she sets up each date based on a rom com movie.)
I don’t want to bring up too much of my personal life but as someone who grew up in Thailand AND in the US, I related so hard to all the Thai cultural references (and what it feels like trying to assimilate in a white town in Ohio.) There’s lots of references to Thai foods and customs, and my favorite scene was the Songkran (Thai New Year) celebration. Songkran is one of my favorite Thai holidays and I miss being with my family for that.
What I really enjoyed was seeing how many other Thai characters were in the forefront of this book. Winnie befriends a Thai boy, and she even gets involved in an enemies to lovers romance with a Thai boy. It was just so nice to see Thai people be the focal point of this story. And the sisterhood is so cute as well!
If you’re looking for a light read that has themes of family, friendship, and romance then give Dating Makes Perfect a try! It really made my heart so happy to see a Thai protagonist get her own cute story.
November 23, 2020
Dating Makes Perfect was my first book by Pintip Dunn, and I thought it was pretty enjoyable, even if I wanted a little more from it.
I don't read a ton of YA contemporary romance, but I was drawn to Dating Makes Perfect from the blurb. In some ways, it delivered with a sweet story with a likable female MC, an enemies-to-lovers story, and lots of DELICIOUS-sounding Thai food (made me so hungry). But in other ways, I was a bit let down.
I think parts of the plot just didn't make sense. The fake-dating as suggested by the parents was a fun idea, but it had a lot of holes in it that ended up confusing me. I think a few things were just thrown in to make the story have more drama, but didn't feel organic. Also, the constant references to other romance movies was cute but got a little tired after awhile, especially with parents who only wanted their daughter to fake-date a real romantic prospect.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog
I don't read a ton of YA contemporary romance, but I was drawn to Dating Makes Perfect from the blurb. In some ways, it delivered with a sweet story with a likable female MC, an enemies-to-lovers story, and lots of DELICIOUS-sounding Thai food (made me so hungry). But in other ways, I was a bit let down.
I think parts of the plot just didn't make sense. The fake-dating as suggested by the parents was a fun idea, but it had a lot of holes in it that ended up confusing me. I think a few things were just thrown in to make the story have more drama, but didn't feel organic. Also, the constant references to other romance movies was cute but got a little tired after awhile, especially with parents who only wanted their daughter to fake-date a real romantic prospect.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog
July 22, 2020
How gorgeous is the artwork for Dating makes perfect! Pintip Dunn is an artistic genius and I’m not talking about the cover. Her words are addictive and the characters she creates come to life on the page.
I love the Tech sisters. Orrawin is the youngest sister and bout to become the first to get the chance to date in high school. With strict parents the Tech sisters don’t date but when the older two point out a flaw in their mums plan Winnie is set-up with her ex-best-friend/enemy.
Mat and Winnie have great chemistry. It’s a shame they hate each other. As these two are thrown together they need to take a long hard look at what went wrong.
* I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I love the Tech sisters. Orrawin is the youngest sister and bout to become the first to get the chance to date in high school. With strict parents the Tech sisters don’t date but when the older two point out a flaw in their mums plan Winnie is set-up with her ex-best-friend/enemy.
Mat and Winnie have great chemistry. It’s a shame they hate each other. As these two are thrown together they need to take a long hard look at what went wrong.
* I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 22, 2021
Every time I cracked this book open, the joy infused me and I was grinning like an idiot.
It's a perfect little YA romance. It's not shallow, it's joy-focused, but it doesn't ignore challenges of immigrant families, clashing cultures, and family (or community) expectations. It just doesn't sag underneath them in any way whatsoever. And for me, the pacing and writing were straightforward but lovely.
"Hi," he says.
I laugh a little wildly. His greeting strikes me as hilarious, when I've spent hours planning this scene.
And frankly, any author who has trouble with sexual tension need only look here. Or relationship tension-it was just fantastic. This is trope-tastic all rolled in one: enemies to lovers, friends to lover, fake dating. Take your pick.
"We're good at that, aren't we? Willfully misunderstanding each other?"
He looks directly at me. His expression is so steady, his eyes so clear, that I know he hasn't been drinking from the punch bowl. "I don't want to be," he says quietly. "I don't want us to misunderstand each other anymore."
Winnie is the dutiful youngest daughter who wears cat skirts despite her allergies, who loves her friends, and who adores her sisters and doesn't seem to mind that she's constantly in their shadow-after all, they are her favorites too. Mat is the ultimate in respectful suitors, who sees her shine even though she often doesn't get the spotlight and they truly bring out the best in each other. Their parents set them up to fake date, but they've experienced a multi-year rift in their friendship and Winnie doesn't quite understand why. Mat and Winnie's antagonism is perfectly underscored with humor, vulnerability, and history and feels warm even though they have things to piece back together. It takes a while to trust, but the book doesn't move slowly, and just really...it is a delightful YA romance. 4.5
It's a perfect little YA romance. It's not shallow, it's joy-focused, but it doesn't ignore challenges of immigrant families, clashing cultures, and family (or community) expectations. It just doesn't sag underneath them in any way whatsoever. And for me, the pacing and writing were straightforward but lovely.
"Hi," he says.
I laugh a little wildly. His greeting strikes me as hilarious, when I've spent hours planning this scene.
And frankly, any author who has trouble with sexual tension need only look here. Or relationship tension-it was just fantastic. This is trope-tastic all rolled in one: enemies to lovers, friends to lover, fake dating. Take your pick.
"We're good at that, aren't we? Willfully misunderstanding each other?"
He looks directly at me. His expression is so steady, his eyes so clear, that I know he hasn't been drinking from the punch bowl. "I don't want to be," he says quietly. "I don't want us to misunderstand each other anymore."
Winnie is the dutiful youngest daughter who wears cat skirts despite her allergies, who loves her friends, and who adores her sisters and doesn't seem to mind that she's constantly in their shadow-after all, they are her favorites too. Mat is the ultimate in respectful suitors, who sees her shine even though she often doesn't get the spotlight and they truly bring out the best in each other. Their parents set them up to fake date, but they've experienced a multi-year rift in their friendship and Winnie doesn't quite understand why. Mat and Winnie's antagonism is perfectly underscored with humor, vulnerability, and history and feels warm even though they have things to piece back together. It takes a while to trust, but the book doesn't move slowly, and just really...it is a delightful YA romance. 4.5
April 4, 2022
There is nothing about this book I didn’t enjoy. The writing was great for it fit well with the story and the main character, the pacing was done well. The plot was very interesting and adorable, and I think this might be my favorite fake dating trope. Another trope it has is the frenemies to lovers, and I think both tropes fit really well together. I also found it very funny that all the dates in this book are based on rom-coms, with most I have not watched but I still really enjoyed it. Especially since the person planning the dates doesn’t even fully remember the movies and also doesn’t really love the genre either. And the romance was so cute and so sweet, I absolutely adored it and it was done really well in that it wasn’t an instant change in feelings. All of the characters were so interesting and with every chapter you learn more about every character. In most books I feel that side characters like parents don’t normally change or grow, or learn to understand why they act the way they do, but in this we get that understanding that makes them so lovable. I loved this book so much, I think it’s in my top 10 of this year. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a romance read that has Asian-American representation, which makes this an own voices book. I also really liked the small LGBTQ+ representation that is seen at the end of this book.
January 30, 2021
Dating Makes Perfect was beyond adorable and so much fun! With a story line that played out like I was watching a movie, characters that leaped off of the pages and moments that made my heart beat faster, this book easily became an instant favorite! If you love enemies to lovers and young adult, then you'll definitely want to add this one to your tbr!
Winnie's parents expected their twin daughters, Ari and Bunny, to already be engaged within their first year of college. Their no dating rule in high school completely backfired on them. In hopes of fixing their mistakes, they let Winnie know she'll be the first Tran daughter to date in high school. Yet with some rules. One....her parents get to determine when and where the dates happen. Two.....they get to decide who she dates. And her first date will be with family friend, and arch nemesis and sworn enemy for life, Mat.
I loved Winnie! From how bold she could be to even her thoughts, I so wish she could be my bff! But my heart hurt for her anger and pain towards Mat. One day in middle school he just decided not to be her best friend anymore. And four years later she still carried that pain in her heart. Thankfully Winnie had creative outlets for it, like shooting a drawing of him with her nerf gun lol. Or getting back at him with her art project, she was so smart and creative! I was beyond grateful she had her bestie Kavya, who she could pour her heart out to, since her sisters were away at college. But ironically the one who always seemed to be around, even if she didn't want him to be, was Mat.
I have a confession, I was obsessed with Mat Songsomboon. Yes he could be a complete jerk and his words stabbed Winnie's heart at times. But even while he hurt her, I loved him with my whole heart. So when he messed with Winnie? Ohhhh it made me love him even more *covers face with hands*. You see, he also teased her and it was in this playful, seductive and hilarious way. It made him impossible to hate. Especially when his words and actions mesmerized me. Mat was infuriating while also being sexy. And while I went back and forth of does he or does he not want her, it left me desperately wanting to know his every single thoughts. Especially during the moments he was thoughtful and protective of Winnie. If you love complicated males, you're going to love Mat!
The dates that Winnie went on?! I was OBSESSED! Winnie's mom tried to recreate moments from favorite movies and it was epically hilarious! From How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (my favorite movie!), to Pretty Women, to My Best Friend's Wedding and so many more, I loved how it made this story play out! And while Mat and Winnie could be so cute and playful together, when they weren't trying to knock the other one down. There were also sentimental moments that melted my heart and emotional ones that cut me to the core. Both of their pain was so palpable and while they knew each other inside out as kids, it wasn't the same now that they were in their teens. There was a lot of healing for them to do, but in the meantime neither could deny the chemistry that was there.
Dating Makes Perfect swept me away and will stay with me for a long time to come! Not only did I smile from beginning to end, but I couldn't help crying too. These characters reached so easily into my heart and that ending was oh so perfect! I loved Winnie's family, I loved Winnie and Mat and I loved even more watching how everyone's story played out! Pintip Dunn wrote an addictive story filled with romance, charm, humor and heart and I can't wait to devour the rest of her books!
PS I highlighted soooo many favorite moments in this book....here are a few more quotes I love with my whole heart.....
For more of my reviews, please visit:
My breath catches. What is he doing? He wouldn’t kiss me, like he threatened. Would he? No way. But he’s so close…
He leans even farther—and then plucks the notebook right off my lap.
Right. That’s what he was going for. The notebook.
Winnie's parents expected their twin daughters, Ari and Bunny, to already be engaged within their first year of college. Their no dating rule in high school completely backfired on them. In hopes of fixing their mistakes, they let Winnie know she'll be the first Tran daughter to date in high school. Yet with some rules. One....her parents get to determine when and where the dates happen. Two.....they get to decide who she dates. And her first date will be with family friend, and arch nemesis and sworn enemy for life, Mat.
Fueled by a sudden clarity, I reach out and touch his sleeve. I want to take back my words. I want to get past our sniping. I want to be friends again.
Before I can say anything, he rips away his arm and takes off.
I loved Winnie! From how bold she could be to even her thoughts, I so wish she could be my bff! But my heart hurt for her anger and pain towards Mat. One day in middle school he just decided not to be her best friend anymore. And four years later she still carried that pain in her heart. Thankfully Winnie had creative outlets for it, like shooting a drawing of him with her nerf gun lol. Or getting back at him with her art project, she was so smart and creative! I was beyond grateful she had her bestie Kavya, who she could pour her heart out to, since her sisters were away at college. But ironically the one who always seemed to be around, even if she didn't want him to be, was Mat.
Mat’s smug, annoying face comes into focus. He leans over, so close that his hot breath caresses my skin.
“Gotcha,” he says very, very softly.
I have a confession, I was obsessed with Mat Songsomboon. Yes he could be a complete jerk and his words stabbed Winnie's heart at times. But even while he hurt her, I loved him with my whole heart. So when he messed with Winnie? Ohhhh it made me love him even more *covers face with hands*. You see, he also teased her and it was in this playful, seductive and hilarious way. It made him impossible to hate. Especially when his words and actions mesmerized me. Mat was infuriating while also being sexy. And while I went back and forth of does he or does he not want her, it left me desperately wanting to know his every single thoughts. Especially during the moments he was thoughtful and protective of Winnie. If you love complicated males, you're going to love Mat!
He takes a shaky breath. “I’m proving that one thing has nothing to do with the other. For example, you could kiss me right now. And I’d let you. In fact , I’d kiss you back. But that wouldn’t change my feelings toward you. I’d still loathe you just as much as I did before.”
I narrow my eyes. Because I don’t believe him.
The dates that Winnie went on?! I was OBSESSED! Winnie's mom tried to recreate moments from favorite movies and it was epically hilarious! From How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (my favorite movie!), to Pretty Women, to My Best Friend's Wedding and so many more, I loved how it made this story play out! And while Mat and Winnie could be so cute and playful together, when they weren't trying to knock the other one down. There were also sentimental moments that melted my heart and emotional ones that cut me to the core. Both of their pain was so palpable and while they knew each other inside out as kids, it wasn't the same now that they were in their teens. There was a lot of healing for them to do, but in the meantime neither could deny the chemistry that was there.
“You want me to say that you’re stunning? That I wish I could take a photo, so that I can look at you all day? That the material is soft and touchable— and as skimpy as it is, it still covers way too much?” His eyes are black and furious and mesmerizing. I couldn’t look away if I tried. “Yeah, I could’ve said all that. No doubt, that’s what Taran’s going to be thinking. But I didn’t, because I have too much respect for you. Even after everything we’ve been through.”
“You’re lying,” I croak.
He raises an eyebrow.
Dating Makes Perfect swept me away and will stay with me for a long time to come! Not only did I smile from beginning to end, but I couldn't help crying too. These characters reached so easily into my heart and that ending was oh so perfect! I loved Winnie's family, I loved Winnie and Mat and I loved even more watching how everyone's story played out! Pintip Dunn wrote an addictive story filled with romance, charm, humor and heart and I can't wait to devour the rest of her books!
PS I highlighted soooo many favorite moments in this book....here are a few more quotes I love with my whole heart.....
I peek at him. The sun’s on its descent, dappling his face with shadows. I have the strangest sensation that he’s not the boy I’ve hated all these years. It’s almost as though he were someone new and yet familiar…
“Why?” he whispers.
A live wire stretches between us. From his hands to my hands. From his lips to my lips. I desperately want to close the distance between us. To see what sparks we could produce if skin pressed against skin.
But I can’t.
I don’t know why I’m defending him, but every minute we spend under these stars brings him closer to the boy he used to be. The boy my heart wants to protect.
“You’re such a dork.” I raise my hand to smack him, and he ducks out of range.
“No touching, remember?” he says, his eyes bright.
I shake my head, pretending to be exasperated, but I can’t quite stop my lips from curving.
You’re not the person I thought you were.
Eight words. A simple sentence. One that’s not even intrinsically unkind, if you take it word by word.
How can they hurt so damn much?
For more of my reviews, please visit:
August 3, 2020
3.5 stars, but rounded up for the sister feels and rom-com moments.
If you want a very cute YA rom-com read that includes the fake dating trope, well, DATING MAKES PERFECT would be a great choice! I enjoyed the time I spent with Winnie, from the shenanigans in her love life to the dynamic with her family, and I think a lot of other readers would like that too.
If you want a very cute YA rom-com read that includes the fake dating trope, well, DATING MAKES PERFECT would be a great choice! I enjoyed the time I spent with Winnie, from the shenanigans in her love life to the dynamic with her family, and I think a lot of other readers would like that too.
December 29, 2020
ADORABLY DELIGHTFUL
Friends to enemies to lovers (with bonus fake dating) is my new favorite trope, the end. And I loved all the cultural references, like Never Have I Ever, Thai New Year, and Always Be My Maybe! This book honestly made me laugh and smile a whole bunch. MORE POC ROMCOMS, PLEASE I AM BEGGING YOU @ the book industry
Content warning: underage drinking (not by main characters), parental abandonment
Friends to enemies to lovers (with bonus fake dating) is my new favorite trope, the end. And I loved all the cultural references, like Never Have I Ever, Thai New Year, and Always Be My Maybe! This book honestly made me laugh and smile a whole bunch. MORE POC ROMCOMS, PLEASE I AM BEGGING YOU @ the book industry
Content warning: underage drinking (not by main characters), parental abandonment
April 18, 2021
Dating Makes Perfect is such a cute OV young adult rom-com.
Though it's obvious where the story is going from the get-go, I found comfort in the sweet, innocent romance, the bond between the Tech sisters, and the Thai-American culture. I also loved how all of the "fake dates" in this book are inspired by real romantic comedies...it was so adorable.
Sometimes you just need stories like this in your life for a cozy weekend of reading. ❤️
3.5/5 🌟
Though it's obvious where the story is going from the get-go, I found comfort in the sweet, innocent romance, the bond between the Tech sisters, and the Thai-American culture. I also loved how all of the "fake dates" in this book are inspired by real romantic comedies...it was so adorable.
Sometimes you just need stories like this in your life for a cozy weekend of reading. ❤️
3.5/5 🌟
August 17, 2020
AHHH!!! I CAN'T STOP SMILING!!!
"How am I supposed to survive three months fake-dating the most obnoxious boy in the entire world?"
I spent the whole time reading this book sighing, swooning and just smiling. And even after finishing the book, it's like someone put a hanger in my mouth because of how big my smile is. I can't believe this is the first time I picked up a book by Pintip Dunn! This will definitely not be the last.
In Dating Makes Perfect, we follow the story of the youngest Tech sister, Orrawin (also called Winnie to her close friends and family) who was thrust into fake dating her ex best-friend. The tech sisters doesnt date but her mother thought that it would be nice for Winnie to learn about dating before actually being in a relationship. What could go wrong? I love each and every one of the characters in this story. EVERY CHARACTER! Winnie is such a relatable protagonist, despite being a Thai-American, I still felt a lot of her struggle being Asian myself. Its so comfortable being the good girl, always being obedient even though in some way its costing your happiness. Winnie really won us over by being an authentic teenager without the toxic and unhealthy traits. She's the definition of a likeable character. And Mat! Wow, how do I even find words? In fact, I won't even try. All the characters in this book are engaging and very lovely. There will be nothing bad to say every characters are well written. I also just want to highlight how the author penned the parents. They're asian parents AND they're not evil and yet, still authentic. This is how its done!
I really enjoyed the banter between Mat and Winnie, this book contains one of the BEST and the most charming exchanges I've ever read. The chemistry between the two just oozes out of the pages and cant be suppressed! I swear, Pintip Dunn can write a whole book about first kisses and nothing else, I'LL BE ON BOARD! I know, I can't stop taking about the romance, but l also just want to say the Dating Makes Perfect is more than that. It's also about family, about growing up and about sisterhood. The relationship between Winnie and her sisters is one of the reason why I really adored this story. Winnie envied and admired her big sisters, which is perfectly normal as being the youngest one. This book is also rich with Thai-American culture and its not just used in a surface level or some sort of a prop, which I really liked. All those thai food mentioned! The festival that the author included! Pintip Dunn created a well thought out multi-cultural storyline.
There was some sort of a reveal at the very last few pages of Dating Makes Perfect that I really liked, however, it also left me with this feeling that I wanted it to be explored more which caused the one less star of my rating.
Overall, I highly recommend Dating Makes Perfect for every romance junkie out there. Read it for the lovable characters, addictive writing and Thai culture insights. You will inhale this irresistible book like crack.
"How am I supposed to survive three months fake-dating the most obnoxious boy in the entire world?"
I spent the whole time reading this book sighing, swooning and just smiling. And even after finishing the book, it's like someone put a hanger in my mouth because of how big my smile is. I can't believe this is the first time I picked up a book by Pintip Dunn! This will definitely not be the last.
In Dating Makes Perfect, we follow the story of the youngest Tech sister, Orrawin (also called Winnie to her close friends and family) who was thrust into fake dating her ex best-friend. The tech sisters doesnt date but her mother thought that it would be nice for Winnie to learn about dating before actually being in a relationship. What could go wrong? I love each and every one of the characters in this story. EVERY CHARACTER! Winnie is such a relatable protagonist, despite being a Thai-American, I still felt a lot of her struggle being Asian myself. Its so comfortable being the good girl, always being obedient even though in some way its costing your happiness. Winnie really won us over by being an authentic teenager without the toxic and unhealthy traits. She's the definition of a likeable character. And Mat! Wow, how do I even find words? In fact, I won't even try. All the characters in this book are engaging and very lovely. There will be nothing bad to say every characters are well written. I also just want to highlight how the author penned the parents. They're asian parents AND they're not evil and yet, still authentic. This is how its done!
I really enjoyed the banter between Mat and Winnie, this book contains one of the BEST and the most charming exchanges I've ever read. The chemistry between the two just oozes out of the pages and cant be suppressed! I swear, Pintip Dunn can write a whole book about first kisses and nothing else, I'LL BE ON BOARD! I know, I can't stop taking about the romance, but l also just want to say the Dating Makes Perfect is more than that. It's also about family, about growing up and about sisterhood. The relationship between Winnie and her sisters is one of the reason why I really adored this story. Winnie envied and admired her big sisters, which is perfectly normal as being the youngest one. This book is also rich with Thai-American culture and its not just used in a surface level or some sort of a prop, which I really liked. All those thai food mentioned! The festival that the author included! Pintip Dunn created a well thought out multi-cultural storyline.
There was some sort of a reveal at the very last few pages of Dating Makes Perfect that I really liked, however, it also left me with this feeling that I wanted it to be explored more which caused the one less star of my rating.
Overall, I highly recommend Dating Makes Perfect for every romance junkie out there. Read it for the lovable characters, addictive writing and Thai culture insights. You will inhale this irresistible book like crack.
July 27, 2020
This was a perfect summer read! You know the kind, something light and quick and fun. Honestly I haven't been feeling much YA lately but this was the ideal choice for dipping a toe back in, I was able to read it all in two sittings.
The relationships in this book were wholesome and cute. I liked that while obviously it was a romance, it was mostly about a young girl finding herself. I also really enjoyed being immersed in Winnie's life and culture. While it can be great to see yourself in a character sometimes, it's also awesome to learn about cultures different than your own and see a new perspective. One of my absolute favorite things about this story was how rich it was in Thai culture. Dunn writes beautifully about Thai traditions, values, so many glorious dishes, and she even touches on the struggle of being a Thai-American living in the US. I really appreciated getting that closer look into something I didn't know a ton about.
I received an arc of this book from Entangled Teen via Netgalley and this is my honest review.
The relationships in this book were wholesome and cute. I liked that while obviously it was a romance, it was mostly about a young girl finding herself. I also really enjoyed being immersed in Winnie's life and culture. While it can be great to see yourself in a character sometimes, it's also awesome to learn about cultures different than your own and see a new perspective. One of my absolute favorite things about this story was how rich it was in Thai culture. Dunn writes beautifully about Thai traditions, values, so many glorious dishes, and she even touches on the struggle of being a Thai-American living in the US. I really appreciated getting that closer look into something I didn't know a ton about.
I received an arc of this book from Entangled Teen via Netgalley and this is my honest review.
November 21, 2020
2'5 stars, it was an okay read.
It was a fun easy read, an #ownvoices rom-com.
We have a Thai family, with their own traditions and ideas about dating.
There's tons of food mentions, this book can make you hungry haha
We have an Indian best friend, and we will also find Black and LGTBI rep. So, kuddos for all this.
We find the trope enemies to lovers but maxified: from childhood friends, to enemies, to fake dating to friends to lovers. We did cover a lot of ground here!
P.S. The book is entertaining and an easy read (devoured it in one day), but I got this one on electronic rather than on physical.
It was a fun easy read, an #ownvoices rom-com.
We have a Thai family, with their own traditions and ideas about dating.
There's tons of food mentions, this book can make you hungry haha
We have an Indian best friend, and we will also find Black and LGTBI rep. So, kuddos for all this.
We find the trope enemies to lovers but maxified: from childhood friends, to enemies, to fake dating to friends to lovers. We did cover a lot of ground here!
P.S. The book is entertaining and an easy read (devoured it in one day), but I got this one on electronic rather than on physical.
August 20, 2020
reposted from my blog:
I really love the cover for this book, and I’m happy to say that the story lived up to the expectations set by the cover.
Winnie was a lot of fun to follow because her character voice really animated the story. The reader is fully immersed in her head, experiencing the joys and pains of first love, the highs and lows of adolescence, the hopes and fears that drive Winnie’s decisions. She struggles to assert herself, inhibited by insecurities, and that aspect of her personality and character arc really resonated with me because I had a similar struggle when I was her age.
If you love childhood friends to enemies to lovers as a trope, then you’ll probably enjoy the romance in this book. It’s full of electric-charged romantic tension and barely suppressed yearning. Beyond simply physical attraction, Winnie and Mat have a long shared history together that complicates their feelings for each other. This is as much a story about rekindling friendship as it is a romance. Moreover, Mat plays an important role in pushing Winnie to be honest and communicative about her desires.
Central to the conflict and character development is Winnie’s family, her relationships with her parents and with her sisters. The love they share is evident in their interactions, which are a mix of good-humored teasing and more serious discussions. Even as Winnie defies some of her parents rules, she does try to understand where they are coming from and fears losing their love. While she adores her sisters, she also feels trapped in their shadow and unable to shine on her own. These complex feelings enrich the narrative.
One of my favorite aspects of this book is its celebration of Winnie’s heritage. It’s a love letter to the food, the language, and the traditions of Thai culture. Winnie’s narration is loaded with cultural references that lend it a unique texture, which is the kind of thing that I love about own voices books. Thai culture is an inextricable part of Winnie’s identity and facilitates her bonding with Mat as well as Taran, the rival love interest who is also Thai American. Her culture isn’t an obstacle to overcome or a burden to relinquish.
Last but not least, I really enjoyed how the author sprinkled in references to contemporary Asian American media, including To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Never Have I Ever, and Always Be My Maybe. Each reference felt like a special Easter egg for me as someone who’s watched all of the films/shows mentioned and knew exactly what it was alluding to. It’s always fun when pieces of media are in conversation with each other, even peripherally.
I really love the cover for this book, and I’m happy to say that the story lived up to the expectations set by the cover.
Winnie was a lot of fun to follow because her character voice really animated the story. The reader is fully immersed in her head, experiencing the joys and pains of first love, the highs and lows of adolescence, the hopes and fears that drive Winnie’s decisions. She struggles to assert herself, inhibited by insecurities, and that aspect of her personality and character arc really resonated with me because I had a similar struggle when I was her age.
If you love childhood friends to enemies to lovers as a trope, then you’ll probably enjoy the romance in this book. It’s full of electric-charged romantic tension and barely suppressed yearning. Beyond simply physical attraction, Winnie and Mat have a long shared history together that complicates their feelings for each other. This is as much a story about rekindling friendship as it is a romance. Moreover, Mat plays an important role in pushing Winnie to be honest and communicative about her desires.
Central to the conflict and character development is Winnie’s family, her relationships with her parents and with her sisters. The love they share is evident in their interactions, which are a mix of good-humored teasing and more serious discussions. Even as Winnie defies some of her parents rules, she does try to understand where they are coming from and fears losing their love. While she adores her sisters, she also feels trapped in their shadow and unable to shine on her own. These complex feelings enrich the narrative.
One of my favorite aspects of this book is its celebration of Winnie’s heritage. It’s a love letter to the food, the language, and the traditions of Thai culture. Winnie’s narration is loaded with cultural references that lend it a unique texture, which is the kind of thing that I love about own voices books. Thai culture is an inextricable part of Winnie’s identity and facilitates her bonding with Mat as well as Taran, the rival love interest who is also Thai American. Her culture isn’t an obstacle to overcome or a burden to relinquish.
Last but not least, I really enjoyed how the author sprinkled in references to contemporary Asian American media, including To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Never Have I Ever, and Always Be My Maybe. Each reference felt like a special Easter egg for me as someone who’s watched all of the films/shows mentioned and knew exactly what it was alluding to. It’s always fun when pieces of media are in conversation with each other, even peripherally.
August 20, 2020
Dating Makes Perfect is one of those books that you can’t help but love. I loved all the Tech sisters by the end of the first chapter (no exaggeration) and I literally could not stop smiling. This book is just too!! damn!! cute!! I somewhat expected there to be conflict between Winnie and her twin sisters but their relationship was so wholesome.
“I will never be insulted by a compliment to my sisters. The competition among us has never amounted to a grain of rice. Their wins are mine and vice versa.”
Pintip Dunn’s writing is witty and easy to get lost in! I ended up laughing out loud multiple times. And the yearning and angst between Winnie and Mat? ugh take all my money already 💰
“I bet he’s got a voodoo doll or ten of me in his closet. Remember the massive migraine I had last night? Pretty sure that was Mat. When I tripped over the threshold of our front door and sent the groceries flying? Also Mat.”
Winnie’s best friend, Kavya, is an incredibly hilarious Indian-American side character. She was genuinely so supportive and wonderful and I loved her a lot!
“Have fun, you two. Please do something I wouldn’t do. And take lots of notes so I can hear all about it.”
I also loved the fact that the whole cast of this book was diverse. The MC and her family is #ownvoices Thai-American, most side characters are also Thai-American including the love interest and a bisexual side character. I am now so intrigued by Thai food and I really want to try it!!
Overall, I honestly don’t think there is anything I disliked about this book (maybe the slight love triangle?? but that only existed for a short time) and I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone and everyone!
“I will never be insulted by a compliment to my sisters. The competition among us has never amounted to a grain of rice. Their wins are mine and vice versa.”
Pintip Dunn’s writing is witty and easy to get lost in! I ended up laughing out loud multiple times. And the yearning and angst between Winnie and Mat? ugh take all my money already 💰
“I bet he’s got a voodoo doll or ten of me in his closet. Remember the massive migraine I had last night? Pretty sure that was Mat. When I tripped over the threshold of our front door and sent the groceries flying? Also Mat.”
Winnie’s best friend, Kavya, is an incredibly hilarious Indian-American side character. She was genuinely so supportive and wonderful and I loved her a lot!
“Have fun, you two. Please do something I wouldn’t do. And take lots of notes so I can hear all about it.”
I also loved the fact that the whole cast of this book was diverse. The MC and her family is #ownvoices Thai-American, most side characters are also Thai-American including the love interest and a bisexual side character. I am now so intrigued by Thai food and I really want to try it!!
Overall, I honestly don’t think there is anything I disliked about this book (maybe the slight love triangle?? but that only existed for a short time) and I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone and everyone!
August 10, 2020
I’m not sure how to even start this review without sounding like a raving spaz.
The Fun Size Reader Instagram | BookTube Channel
In short, I LOVED this book. Totally my kind of five star read! I read it in pretty much one sitting because I did not want to put it down. I feel like there’s something in this book that everyone can love: a little Lara Jean, a little Gilmore Girls, a little 80s and 90s romcoms, and I loved that beautiful mashup. I could not help just sitting there and smiling as I read, and to me, that’s the making of a great book.
I also loved all of the mixture of the Thai culture with American pop culture. I loved the sisterly bonds, and BOTH of my favorite tropes: fake dating AND enemies to lovers. I mean, seriously, Winnie and Mat are the absolute cutest. And I just want to share this book with all of my friends.
Dating Makes Perfect is released 8/18/2020 so mark your calendars!
Thank you so much to @entangledteen and @pintipdunn for this ARC!
The Fun Size Reader Instagram | BookTube Channel
In short, I LOVED this book. Totally my kind of five star read! I read it in pretty much one sitting because I did not want to put it down. I feel like there’s something in this book that everyone can love: a little Lara Jean, a little Gilmore Girls, a little 80s and 90s romcoms, and I loved that beautiful mashup. I could not help just sitting there and smiling as I read, and to me, that’s the making of a great book.
I also loved all of the mixture of the Thai culture with American pop culture. I loved the sisterly bonds, and BOTH of my favorite tropes: fake dating AND enemies to lovers. I mean, seriously, Winnie and Mat are the absolute cutest. And I just want to share this book with all of my friends.
Dating Makes Perfect is released 8/18/2020 so mark your calendars!
Thank you so much to @entangledteen and @pintipdunn for this ARC!
July 5, 2021
Book Review: Dating Makes Perfect
By: Pintap Dunn
Genre: YA Romance
Format: ARC thank you so much to my friends at @entangledteen for my gifted copy- Pub day is 8/18/2020!
The Tech sisters are not allowed to date in high school- because of their strict parents. But when the oldest twins report they are struggling with dating.... Winnies parents decide its time for her to fake date. They pick the locations, the time, and the person.... who just happens to be Winnies sworn enemy, Mat.
The very best way to explain this book- is that it’s the perfect crossover between to all the boys I’ve loved before and a Sarah Dessen novel. I loved the characters, the romance, the cheesy feeling I had when reading. I loved every second of this novel. I haven’t been so in love with a book since... well Crave.
5/5! I don’t normally tell people to pre-order books. But I’m telling y’all. Go pre-order this ASAP. Thank me later.
By: Pintap Dunn
Genre: YA Romance
Format: ARC thank you so much to my friends at @entangledteen for my gifted copy- Pub day is 8/18/2020!
The Tech sisters are not allowed to date in high school- because of their strict parents. But when the oldest twins report they are struggling with dating.... Winnies parents decide its time for her to fake date. They pick the locations, the time, and the person.... who just happens to be Winnies sworn enemy, Mat.
The very best way to explain this book- is that it’s the perfect crossover between to all the boys I’ve loved before and a Sarah Dessen novel. I loved the characters, the romance, the cheesy feeling I had when reading. I loved every second of this novel. I haven’t been so in love with a book since... well Crave.
5/5! I don’t normally tell people to pre-order books. But I’m telling y’all. Go pre-order this ASAP. Thank me later.
August 9, 2020
thank you to entangled teen for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review!
gahhh i wanted to like this sooo bad!!! i have never EVER read a book with a thai main character, let alone from an own voices perspective! and in a rom com!! there def needs to be more asian rep in romance!! but unfortunately i did not enjoy this at all. though this is in part my fault -- this book is marketed towards people who enjoyed to all the boys ive loved before, and i gave that book 2 stars as well, so i probs should've known this wasn't going to be for me...
so let's start off with what i liked, shall we?
-'twas cute and funny at times
-thai rep
-the descriptions of food made my mouth water
now for what i didn't like as much
-stereotypical asian parents -- tired of the narrative of asian parents forcing their kids to pursue medicine or law or engineering. like yes it happens, but it is soooo overdone in ya especially. and with absolutely zero nuance.
-lots of plot points make little to no sense, were not fleshed out, and were extremely unbelievable. it seemed like the author just threw in some stuff for the sake of setting up drama or furthering the plot
-one of the most least nuanced, cliche romance plots i've ever read
-executed almost all of my least favorite romance tropes badly imo
-basically copy pasted from to all the boys -- like yes you can market it as something fans of jenny han would enjoy, but the plot and characters were just... eerily similar (the main character is asian, her parents are doctors, there is a love triangle between the main character, her childhood best friend, and the popular hot guy, the main romance starts off with fake dating then turns into real love, the mc has 2 sisters and theyre all super close, etc.)
at the end of the day, i think people who enjoyed to all the boys/jenny han would enjoy this as well (though there is a little fishy plagiarism happening in this book but idk). again, i also gave to all the boys 2 stars, so if you liked that book, we probably don't have similar taste romance-wise & you might like this!
hope everyone is doing well! take care of yourself <3
gahhh i wanted to like this sooo bad!!! i have never EVER read a book with a thai main character, let alone from an own voices perspective! and in a rom com!! there def needs to be more asian rep in romance!! but unfortunately i did not enjoy this at all. though this is in part my fault -- this book is marketed towards people who enjoyed to all the boys ive loved before, and i gave that book 2 stars as well, so i probs should've known this wasn't going to be for me...
so let's start off with what i liked, shall we?
-'twas cute and funny at times
-thai rep
-the descriptions of food made my mouth water
now for what i didn't like as much
-stereotypical asian parents -- tired of the narrative of asian parents forcing their kids to pursue medicine or law or engineering. like yes it happens, but it is soooo overdone in ya especially. and with absolutely zero nuance.
-lots of plot points make little to no sense, were not fleshed out, and were extremely unbelievable. it seemed like the author just threw in some stuff for the sake of setting up drama or furthering the plot
-one of the most least nuanced, cliche romance plots i've ever read
-executed almost all of my least favorite romance tropes badly imo
-basically copy pasted from to all the boys -- like yes you can market it as something fans of jenny han would enjoy, but the plot and characters were just... eerily similar (the main character is asian, her parents are doctors, there is a love triangle between the main character, her childhood best friend, and the popular hot guy, the main romance starts off with fake dating then turns into real love, the mc has 2 sisters and theyre all super close, etc.)
at the end of the day, i think people who enjoyed to all the boys/jenny han would enjoy this as well (though there is a little fishy plagiarism happening in this book but idk). again, i also gave to all the boys 2 stars, so if you liked that book, we probably don't have similar taste romance-wise & you might like this!
hope everyone is doing well! take care of yourself <3
August 16, 2020
Well now - wasn't this just the cutest read! It was exactly what I needed between my darker reads. I love seeing Asian American representation through this Thai family. Winnie also represents every teen girl out there who wasn't allowed to date in high school, who wondered how their first kiss would go, who wanted to be the perfect daughter, who still needed to find the courage to stand up for what they wanted and not what they thought was expected of them.
Imagine your parents all of the sudden allowing you to practice dating by sending you on fake dates with the suitor of their choice! I love that Winnie's mom plans her dates out based on the popular romantic comedy movies we all love. And I love that Winnie felt like an absolute real teenage girl in all her angst and perpetual self pressure. Now, I admit that some of the dialogue between Winnie and Mat was a bit eye rolling and some parts felt more "forced" than realistic. Or maybe I'm just jealous. 😉
Beyond the funny moments of Winnie and everything she takes in stride, I absolutely love the underlying lesson in how immigrant parents have to adjust to American life and how us children of immigrants need to realize how hard that can be at times. I appreciate that Dunn does this in a very subtle but powerful way. The conversation where Mat was talking about how they would always get chocolate flavor instead of vanilla because they couldn't say vanilla was hilarious. I know my mom certainly would adjust certain things if she couldn't say certain phrases or words. It was a definite part of my childhood that I do remember but never really took into consideration as it was just normal to me.
"It hasn't been easy to reconcile the way I was raised with the pace of life here in America."
If you like 10 Things I Hate About You, then this book needs to be on your shelves. This #ownvoices young adult romance is a bright light. Full of cultural references I absolutely could relate to and adore - Winnie is a refreshing breath of fresh air. You get exactly what you expect out of this read.
Imagine your parents all of the sudden allowing you to practice dating by sending you on fake dates with the suitor of their choice! I love that Winnie's mom plans her dates out based on the popular romantic comedy movies we all love. And I love that Winnie felt like an absolute real teenage girl in all her angst and perpetual self pressure. Now, I admit that some of the dialogue between Winnie and Mat was a bit eye rolling and some parts felt more "forced" than realistic. Or maybe I'm just jealous. 😉
Beyond the funny moments of Winnie and everything she takes in stride, I absolutely love the underlying lesson in how immigrant parents have to adjust to American life and how us children of immigrants need to realize how hard that can be at times. I appreciate that Dunn does this in a very subtle but powerful way. The conversation where Mat was talking about how they would always get chocolate flavor instead of vanilla because they couldn't say vanilla was hilarious. I know my mom certainly would adjust certain things if she couldn't say certain phrases or words. It was a definite part of my childhood that I do remember but never really took into consideration as it was just normal to me.
"It hasn't been easy to reconcile the way I was raised with the pace of life here in America."
If you like 10 Things I Hate About You, then this book needs to be on your shelves. This #ownvoices young adult romance is a bright light. Full of cultural references I absolutely could relate to and adore - Winnie is a refreshing breath of fresh air. You get exactly what you expect out of this read.
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November 27, 2020
Okay, so even though I got an ARC copy I ended up reading this way after the publication date. Which is a shame, because I was depriving myself of pretty good entertainment.
First things first: it sounds like it, but this is not a Thai-American retelling of Taming of the Shrew . After the first few chapters, which in any case are the weakest part of the story, it goes its own way. And that totally works.
Seventeen-year-old Orrawin (aka Winnie) is younger sister to the beautiful, accomplished Tech twins, who've just gone off to uni. This has led her parents to realise that they'd prefer their children to embark on a dating life under their watchful eye, rather than the approach they took with the twins, where they were banned from dating in high school at all. To that end, Winnie's mum announces that she has to go on organised 'dates' with her childhood enemy Mat Songsomboon.
Winnie and Mat have a long history. They used to be best friends, but then a series of misunderstandings drove them apart years ago. Mat has gone on to become flirty and popular, while Winnie still feels like she's in her sister's shadow. But they slowly grow closer over the course of their dates, even if Winnie's also interested in a new Thai boy who's just moved to town.
✔️ Let me allay your fears right now: there's no love triangle. Well, not really. The other guy is used to spice things up with a bit of angst and misunderstanding at the end, but never to the point I thought it was unbearable.
✔️ I like the way Mat and Winnie's relationship develops. It starts out antagonistic in a pretty funny way, and then travels down more romantic (but still funny) lines.
✔️ The Thai representation is GREAT. I particularly liked the look we get at the Songkran Festival.
✔️ Probably the strongest thing in the whole book, even stronger than the romance, is Winnie's relationship with her family. Everyone is well-fleshed-out and nobody is villainised, not even her mother, whose strictness is what causes the drama in the first place. Winnie's connection to her sisters is absolutely fabulous, and if I were rating the book just on that, it would get five stars.
⤅ Overall
Better than Dunn's previous offering. I reckon rom-com is her niche.
[Blog]
November 9, 2020
Annoying parents? Check! Sweet main characters? Yes! Character development? Kind of. Cute scenes? Yes, so many!
Overall I´m definitely looking forward to more books like this or of this author!
Overall I´m definitely looking forward to more books like this or of this author!
December 21, 2020
I was given an ARC of this by a friend who had an extra copy.
Oh, where to even begin? I loved everything about this book, from beginning to end, especially the individual nuances of each character. Although I’m not Thai (I’m Chinese), I wish this book existed over a decade ago when I was in high school with my own insecurities. My parents were also traditional in the sense that they wouldn’t let me date until college, so I had to secretly date (which was rare anyways). I found it refreshing that Winnie and her sisters had such a loving relationship with one another, instead of a constant, bickering sibling rivalry that other books constantly portray. And though Winnie’s parents’ rules seemed a bit extreme, I did understand their reasoning and admired them for being more progressive than my parents were. This book definitely gave me To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before vibes, especially since it even references the movie as a device for one of the fake dates. Overall, this book was so charming and full of heart that I couldn’t put it down and read it in one day. Definitely recommend for everyone to read, whether you have the same cultural background or not!
Oh, where to even begin? I loved everything about this book, from beginning to end, especially the individual nuances of each character. Although I’m not Thai (I’m Chinese), I wish this book existed over a decade ago when I was in high school with my own insecurities. My parents were also traditional in the sense that they wouldn’t let me date until college, so I had to secretly date (which was rare anyways). I found it refreshing that Winnie and her sisters had such a loving relationship with one another, instead of a constant, bickering sibling rivalry that other books constantly portray. And though Winnie’s parents’ rules seemed a bit extreme, I did understand their reasoning and admired them for being more progressive than my parents were. This book definitely gave me To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before vibes, especially since it even references the movie as a device for one of the fake dates. Overall, this book was so charming and full of heart that I couldn’t put it down and read it in one day. Definitely recommend for everyone to read, whether you have the same cultural background or not!
August 8, 2020
Trigger warnings:
Diversity: Thai-American main character (ownvoices), Thai-American side characters and love interest, bisexual Thai-American side character, Indian-American side character.
Ahh I had so much fun reading this book. I loved the family vibes, loved the close sisters relationship, the exploration of romance and the childhood best friends to enemies to fake dating ahhh this should be a trope because I am loving it. 200% recommending this wonderful read!!
Thank you to the publisher for sending me an e-ARC of this book through Edelweiss. This did not, in any way, influence my thoughts and rating.
My Blog - Drizzle & Hurricane Books - Twitter - Bookstagram - Bloglovin'
Diversity: Thai-American main character (ownvoices), Thai-American side characters and love interest, bisexual Thai-American side character, Indian-American side character.
Ahh I had so much fun reading this book. I loved the family vibes, loved the close sisters relationship, the exploration of romance and the childhood best friends to enemies to fake dating ahhh this should be a trope because I am loving it. 200% recommending this wonderful read!!
Thank you to the publisher for sending me an e-ARC of this book through Edelweiss. This did not, in any way, influence my thoughts and rating.
My Blog - Drizzle & Hurricane Books - Twitter - Bookstagram - Bloglovin'
Read
August 19, 2020Love love loved this book. It's funny, sweet, swoony. It has all of my favourite topes and it's so steeped in Thai culture. It also has an all-POC cast, which I love! I cannot recommend this highly enough. It's in my romcom hall of fame.
November 3, 2020
Dating Makes Perfect is a mixed bag of good and bad, but ultimately, I really enjoyed it.
Initial thoughts:
📌 All the popular tropes smooshed into one YA contemporary romance novel? The best and worst idea.
- The best because we get to follow childhood best friends turned enemies... fall for each other as they embark on a series of fake dates inspired by iconic rom-com movies. Let me repeat that: childhood best friends! Enemies to lovers! Fake dating! Rom-com movies! Love triangle! We also get a quirky sunshine girl and popular heartthrob guy pairing.
- However, the huge downside is that things get a little too chaotic and the execution of some tropes leave a lot to be desired. Except for the fake dating. Dating Makes Perfect offers a refreshing, whimsical take on the fake dating trope.
📌 Heavy amounts of over-the-top drama and miscommunication. I needed to suspend much of my disbelief in order to fully enjoy the story. Also, while I could understand (and even empathize with) some of the miscommunication that happens, it did get harder to endure towards the end of the book.
📌 Winnie's self-image and insecurity issues are both relatable and frustrating.
- On one hand, an inexperienced teen girl freaking out and feeling insecure about dating a much more experienced guy? WHY IS THIS ME SKBDJSDBD.
- But on the other hand, her other insecurities, particularly regarding her "place" within her family, came out of nowhere for me. Maybe it's because I was listening to the audiobook and I may have missed some pertinent details, but I just feel like the reveal stood on really shaky legs. Although there were scenes that hinted at her inferiority complex in relation to her older sisters, I can't recall a specific instance where she worries about her losing or being unworthy of her parents' love.
📌 I loved the family dynamics, especially the intimately close bond shared by Winnie and her sisters. I, too, am part of a daughter trio, except I'm the eldest. But I can definitely attest to the reality that Asian parents have different expectations and enforce different rules on their children, depending on their birth order. I think that it was handled very authentically in this book.
📌 Winnie and Mat are so cute together!!! They both had messy, immature moments, but ultimately, I thoroughly enjoyed their banter and teasing. I adored how they found comfort and solace in each other, and that really shined through during their interactions.
📌 I loved how messy and awkward the romantic development was! I also loved the cheese and embarrassment. I don't trust romances set in high school where the characters are 100% smooth flirters. That's just unnatural. Basically, I appreciated that Winnie seemed genuinely clueless, while Mat was just The Absolute Best Thing about this book. ALSO, THAT FIRST KISS???
📌 I think that Dating Makes Perfect would make an excellent rom-com Netflix series about young love, outrageous drama, and general teenage messiness.
📌 The uncomfortable juxtaposition during the arguably climactic parent confrontation scene. This might just be my sentiment, but I saw this particular scene coming from a mile away and I was not on board with it.
- Context of the scene:
- Without giving anything away, I found the positioning and execution of this scene uncomfortable and bizarre. You mean to tell me that Winnie's ridiculous fears can possibly compare to her sister's fears ? It likely wasn't the author's intention, but the juxtaposition of these two confessions make it seem that they hold equal weight.
📌 Was this book ridiculously trope-y and cheesy? Yes! But white YA contemporary romance authors have been getting away with it since time immemorial, so I won't be holding that against Dating Makes Perfect.
📌 All in all, Dating Makes Perfect is, well, perfect for fans of To All the Boys I've Loved Before. This is an excellent choice if you're in the mood for a teenage romance that's fluffy, lighthearted, and hilarious to a ridiculous degree.
Final verdict:
Recommended!
🌻🍃 More bookish content on Shut up, Shealea 🍃🌻
instagram • pinterest • twitter • ko-fi
Initial thoughts:
📌 All the popular tropes smooshed into one YA contemporary romance novel? The best and worst idea.
- The best because we get to follow childhood best friends turned enemies... fall for each other as they embark on a series of fake dates inspired by iconic rom-com movies. Let me repeat that: childhood best friends! Enemies to lovers! Fake dating! Rom-com movies! Love triangle! We also get a quirky sunshine girl and popular heartthrob guy pairing.
- However, the huge downside is that things get a little too chaotic and the execution of some tropes leave a lot to be desired. Except for the fake dating. Dating Makes Perfect offers a refreshing, whimsical take on the fake dating trope.
📌 Heavy amounts of over-the-top drama and miscommunication. I needed to suspend much of my disbelief in order to fully enjoy the story. Also, while I could understand (and even empathize with) some of the miscommunication that happens, it did get harder to endure towards the end of the book.
📌 Winnie's self-image and insecurity issues are both relatable and frustrating.
- On one hand, an inexperienced teen girl freaking out and feeling insecure about dating a much more experienced guy? WHY IS THIS ME SKBDJSDBD.
- But on the other hand, her other insecurities, particularly regarding her "place" within her family, came out of nowhere for me. Maybe it's because I was listening to the audiobook and I may have missed some pertinent details, but I just feel like the reveal stood on really shaky legs. Although there were scenes that hinted at her inferiority complex in relation to her older sisters, I can't recall a specific instance where she worries about her losing or being unworthy of her parents' love.
📌 I loved the family dynamics, especially the intimately close bond shared by Winnie and her sisters. I, too, am part of a daughter trio, except I'm the eldest. But I can definitely attest to the reality that Asian parents have different expectations and enforce different rules on their children, depending on their birth order. I think that it was handled very authentically in this book.
📌 Winnie and Mat are so cute together!!! They both had messy, immature moments, but ultimately, I thoroughly enjoyed their banter and teasing. I adored how they found comfort and solace in each other, and that really shined through during their interactions.
📌 I loved how messy and awkward the romantic development was! I also loved the cheese and embarrassment. I don't trust romances set in high school where the characters are 100% smooth flirters. That's just unnatural. Basically, I appreciated that Winnie seemed genuinely clueless, while Mat was just The Absolute Best Thing about this book. ALSO, THAT FIRST KISS???
📌 I think that Dating Makes Perfect would make an excellent rom-com Netflix series about young love, outrageous drama, and general teenage messiness.
📌 The uncomfortable juxtaposition during the arguably climactic parent confrontation scene. This might just be my sentiment, but I saw this particular scene coming from a mile away and I was not on board with it.
- Context of the scene:
- Without giving anything away, I found the positioning and execution of this scene uncomfortable and bizarre. You mean to tell me that Winnie's ridiculous fears can possibly compare to her sister's fears ? It likely wasn't the author's intention, but the juxtaposition of these two confessions make it seem that they hold equal weight.
📌 Was this book ridiculously trope-y and cheesy? Yes! But white YA contemporary romance authors have been getting away with it since time immemorial, so I won't be holding that against Dating Makes Perfect.
📌 All in all, Dating Makes Perfect is, well, perfect for fans of To All the Boys I've Loved Before. This is an excellent choice if you're in the mood for a teenage romance that's fluffy, lighthearted, and hilarious to a ridiculous degree.
Final verdict:
Recommended!
🌻🍃 More bookish content on Shut up, Shealea 🍃🌻
instagram • pinterest • twitter • ko-fi
Read
July 12, 2020Super cute <3
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