Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.Īutumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart their mothers are still best friends. Strong family dynamics and community ties, and the supportive relationships they bring, are layered and affirming. Universal growing pains and questioning of identity are explored alongside the experiences of being children of Vietnamese refugees and immigrants. Despite some pacing issues, debut author Le creates a warm, full-bodied take on the star-crossed-lovers rom-com genre. Chapters alternate in first-person narration, and the swap in voices brings just the right amount of tension and energy, especially in shared scenes between the two protagonists. What should have been a one-time fluke encounter turns into the start of a secretive working partnership-and, of course, blooming feelings. One night, though, Bảo sees an overwhelmed Linh struggling to hold it together when her family’s restaurant is short-staffed, and he offers to assist-incognito-by waiting tables. It’s a simmering rivalry, however, consisting mostly of active avoidance and devoid of direct confrontation.
Why? Both the Mais and the Nguyễns have quite the competitive streak as proprietors of dueling phở restaurants located across the street from one another. In fact, they have gotten explicit instructions to avoid one another.
Vietnamese American teenagers Linh Mai and Bảo Nguyễn have not talked to each other aside from a charmingly memorable but fleeting interaction as kids. Two high school seniors navigate a long-standing familial rivalry.
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