Pop-Culturalist.com

I have finished my first book of 2021, and it is the fantastic debut novel A Pho Love Story by Loan Le. I enjoyed every minute of this heartfelt romantic comedy about two Vietnamese-American teens falling in love despite the long-standing feud between their families over their competing restaurants. It’s a beautiful coming-of-age story that touches on themes of first love, identity, family expectations, restaurant rivalry, and the importance of following your passions. It’s a great Valentine’s Day read and is perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sandhya Menon.

Linh Mai and Bao Nguyen have studiously avoided each other since they were seven-years-old due to the fierce battle between their families to have the best pho restaurant in the Vietnamese community. That is, until a school project brings them together and a sweet friendship blossoms between them. As Linh and Bao grow closer, they begin to investigate what truly lies at the heart of the feud between their families with the hope of finding a way to finally make peace between them.

Linh is a passionate artist with big dreams of having a career in art. However, she’s under pressure from her parents to become an engineer. The desire to stay true to herself but also make her parents happy is a constant source of anxiety for Linh. She goes through an emotional journey of learning to move past her fear of disappointing her parents and be honest with them about what she wants. Bao is still figuring out a path for his future and his self-doubt is his biggest obstacle to overcome. The dual perspective narration is really nice done.

Something that pleasantly surprised me about A Pho Love Story is that Linh and Bao don’t grow up hating each other even though there is such intense animosity between their respective parents. They choose to keep an open mind about the other and this helps to establish a friendship between them as they work on an assignment for the school newspaper. I love how Linh and Bao form a connection through their shared upbringing and culture but their individual personalities shine through as well. It’s lovely to see these two bring out the best in each other. The unwavering support they have for each other’s creative pursuits is really heartwarming. Linh and Bao’s romance is so adorable and sweet!

It’s not often that parents are present in young adult stories. Many times, they are background characters or already passed on. But in A Pho Love Story, the Mai and Nguyen parents are integral to the development of Linh and Bao’s respective identities and their growth as characters. Both are proud Vietnamese-Americans with a deep love of their culture. They understand the sacrifices and challenges their parents faced to build a better life in America. One of my favorite things about this novel is how Linh and Bao’s creative pursuits are directly related to their love and respect for their families. Linh paints her favorite memories with her parents to display in an art exhibition. Bao writes a passionate op-ed in defense of the Vietnamese community against a racist online reviewer. The very thing that is looked down upon for not being a viable profession is what ultimately brings each protagonist closer to their respective set of parents. Strong themes of forgiveness, healing, and love of family are present throughout the novel.

Final thoughts:  A Pho Love Story features well-developed protagonists, a sweet romance, and places family at the heart of the story.

Check back next week when I’ll be sharing my interview with author Loan Le!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for sending us an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!