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I recently came across Fake Dates and Mooncakes, the debut novel by Singaporean author Sher Lee whilst searching for new books by ESEA (East and Southeast Asian) authors with LGBTQ characters, because as we know representation is sadly limited. And since it’s a new release (May 2023), I found it compelling and relevant enough to write this review.

Set in New York, Dylan Tang helps out at his Aunt Jade’s takeaway Wok Warriors in Brooklyn alongside his cousins Megan and Tim. His lifestyle couldn’t be anymore than worlds apart from half-White half-Asian multi-millionaire heir Theo Somers, who lives on the super wealthy side of the city. A chance – if disastrous – meeting whilst Dylan is delivering a takeaway order brings the two together unexpectedly and things start moving – or spiralling – very quickly as they dip their toes into each other’s worlds; Dylan accompanying Theo as “fake date” to a family wedding, whilst Theo helps Dylan prepare for mooncake making contest taking place during the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival.

Fake Dates and Mooncakes is a lovely story that does three things:

1. Educates readers (as well as Theo, who is disconnected from his Chinese heritage) about Chinese culture, particularly around the Hungry Ghost and Mid-Autumn Festival
2. Leaves you constantly watering at the mouth at the descriptions of food and the ways in which xiao long bao and mooncakes are made
3. Takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions ranging from joy and amusement to grief and heartbreak, from despair and suspense to pride and envy

Sher Lee’s background and experience growing up as a Singapore foodie making mooncakes proved to be a great inspiration for her and way to retell parts of her culture, heritage and tradition through Fake Dates and Mooncakes. In terms of the romance and drama between Dylan and Theo and their respective families and lives, it clearly also took inspiration from Crazy Rich Asians (which the characters even cleverly reference and cheekily throw shade at).

One thing Fake Dates and Mooncakes doesn’t touch on is homophobia, which while nice to not read about, was also slightly unrealistic (unless I’m just cynical). Not one character seems to bat an eyelid at the open gayness presented before them by Dylan and Theo, many often treating them as normal – not that they shouldn’t of course, but for not one person to be against it, seemed a little too wishful to me.

Meanwhile, even racism is quite covert and subtle, with several jabs made but most borne out of ignorance and naivety rather than hate. To downplay the realistic increase in anti-Asian hate crime – or racism in general (as it doesn’t actually make reference to the pandemic) – in New York is utopian if nothing else. This both allows you to wistfully escape what reality is like for many people of colour and LGBTQ people, but also makes you wonder if including it would be better if only to make it more hard-hitting and less soppy or smelling of roses (as Maisie Chan does in Danny Chung Does NOT Do Maths and Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu).

That aside, you would have thought the absence of homophobia and the little racism was a great bit of escapism from real life whilst still being wholly relatable on a cultural and identity level. But both Dylan and Theo share a commonality beyond their Asian heritage and sexuality; they had both lost their mums, making for sorrowful reading at times as the memory of Dylan’s mother is kept alive by him, his family and Theo.

All in all, Fake Dates and Mooncakes is cute, full of mainly positive vibes, and a good way to introduce more people to the ways of the Mid-Autumn Festival, an admittedly eclipsed and relatively unknown about holiday in the Chinese calendar (and sometimes in other ESEA cultures). Its general audience may be limited to people like myself and those who enjoy YA novels, but it’s certainly a must-read even if just for the cultural enlightenment and escapism into a unorthodox journey to a star-crossed romantic destiny. I’m now keen to see if and when this story will make it onto TV or into a film (as is alluded to in the book’s acknowledgment section)…

Rating: 🥮🥮🥮🥮 (4/5)