I received a digital advance reader’s copy (ARC) of A Bánh Mì for Two by Trinity Nguyen. Since this version is just a proof and not the final version, I won’t quote directly and will keep my comments general.

In A Bánh Mì for Two, Lan loves working at her family’s food truck in Sài Gòn, though she secretly wonders if she could eventually do more with her life. She also runs a food blog, which she started writing with her dad, though updates have been nearly impossible since he passed away. Meanwhile, Vivi decides to come to Sài Gòn for study abroad, determined to learn about her family’s past, which her mother has never talked to her about. She also wonders if she’ll happen to meet her favorite food blogger while she’s there. As luck would have it, the two girls run into each other and decide to help each other out: Vivi will help Lan start writing again, and Lan will show Vivi the city. But as they explore, their feelings for each grow, even if staying together might not even be possible.

I don’t know if I’ve ever read a book set in modern day Sài Gòn, so this was a fun experience! Nguyen brings the city to life, celebrating its culture and history—and most of all, its food. The fact that food trucks are such a big part of life there is, to me, magical. It was so fun to explore this place I’ve never seen with Lan, whose love for her home is palpable. Yet at the same time, her desire to see more of the world is earnest and relatable. It’s nice to see her tentatively start to spread her wings and learn how to seek out new experiences after spending the last couple of years mourning her father.

At the same time, it’s nice to see how Vivi coaxes out changes in Lan, while Lan does the same. Vivi is full of life and curiosity, so it’s easy to understand why she would want to know about her heritage. I liked watching her view on the issue evolve, though, as she learns more about the history of Việt Nam and begins to understand her mother’s trauma. This is a very moving part of the story between her and her mother, and also demonstrates the upsetting lack of education that Americans like Vivi have about Việt Nam.

But beyond that, the romantic relationship is also cute. I like when a pair helps each other become better people, and they’re also very sweet together. The story is kind of predictable in this regard, though, so I wasn’t entirely blown away. Still, it’s a lovely summer romance, involving two people from very different worlds finding common ground and making each other happy.

In the end, A Bánh Mì for Two is an endearing little book, with rich cultural elements, delicious food, and a nice romance. It’s a clean love story too, so younger teens looking for queer representation could easily read it. For a debut, this is decent, and while this wasn’t entirely mind-blowing, I’ll definitely look for future books from this author!

A Bánh Mì for Two is available now!