Café Con Lychee

"A bit too cheesy for my taste, but I book clubed this with a person who is obsessed with rom-coms, so I knew what I was getting into. Also, me and that person aren’t on the best of terms anymore so yeah, emotional baggage! Yay!"

"Writing a contemporary enemies to lovers is, in my opinion, a really difficult thing to accomplish. I think the reason for this is due to the fact that nowadays there’s rarely ever a reason to truly hate someone to the point where you’re in fact “enemies”. If the main characters don’t either want to kill each other (literally) or wish some sort of death or great misfortune upon the other, is it truly an enemies to lovers situation? In this book I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s an enemies to lovers since neither of what I said apply, but I do think it’s like a general dislike to lovers which I’m also quite fond of. The vibe I sort of felt from the main characters, Theo and Gabi, was like a bold black cat and an awkward golden retriever energy which compliments each other very well and made it fun to read through their dialogue and banter. Another thing I absolutely loved was the intersectionality of the characters which you don’t often find in YA novels. Lee does a great job at incorporating the struggles that come with being an LGBTQ youth from families of color. And let me tell you, the ending was so heartwarming and it made me wish that all families were that way. And despite how much I liked the ending, I also wish it was done a little differently. I would’ve liked to see both main characters in the same scene instead of ending the book where they aren’t together. Aside from that, I don’t really have any other qualms with the book and it was a very fun read! "

"Cute summer romance. Rivals to lovers. Fast paced"

"Omg I loved this so much! Reminded me of Heartstopper with the gay boys, high school setting and sucking at a sport. But still loved it, so cute 🥰💯"

"The characters were relatable, the emotions the characters felt were so well written that I experienced them through Gabi and Theo. The story sucked me in and I became oblivious to the world around me in the best of ways. I did really enjoy this book. But there was also a lot of needless cursing. There were points where it fit and matched the moment, but there was also a lot just tossed in completely unnecessarily. I actually took a pen to cross those moments out (I own the book, don't worry!) because it was bugging me so much. It almost felt like the author went back through the book trying to find spots where they could slap in some cursing or name calling. I get that these are teenagers, but I feel like I just see the needless, uncalled for cursing way too much, and I'd rather that not be in my books unless it actually fits the scene. I would however like to point out that there was no drinking during parties and it was all burgers and milkshakes, and given how many YA stories especially queer ones include drinking and partying, this was a breath of fresh air, and I applaud it. I definitely recommend this book."

"A good book if your into light hearted reads. I enjoyed it pretty well however my only critique would be that the last few chapters felt rushed. Other than that lovely to read."

"Barely got far into the book because I found Theo’s perspective off-putting and what little else there was in the story at that point wasn’t compelling enough to push me past the earliest chapters. DNF’d."

"(4.5 stars) This was such a sweet enemies to lovers story, with amazing queer representation. But it also dealt with such big issues such as coming out and not being accepted for your identity. It is so realistic, what the characters have to go through. The cultural representation was also well done, but I wish it was explored a bit more on how the characters dealt with their ethnicities and how it affected their experiences (and I want more info on the food!) The romance was also sweet, although some will find it slow for actual romantic feelings. This is a lovely, realistic read that all LGBTQ+ romance fans should check out."

"These sweets in this book will give you cavities, all I have to say. Take this as a warning ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"

"I absolutely loved this book, like I read it in 4 days (w/t a friend who’s a bit of a slow reader-). BUT MY GOD THEY ARE SO CUTE - It’s a great enemies to lovers and develops the romance and character well :) Its a great summer read that I totally recommend!!! 💜💜💜"