Told in alternating first-person chapters, Le's debut is an introspective examination of struggles that children of Vietnamese refugees and immigrants can face, as well as experiences of racism and unspoken sacrifices made to survive in a cutthroat industry and country.

What should be a brief partnership turns into the start of school newspaper trysts and the discovery of long-buried heartaches. Until B o notices Linh rushing out of her family's restaurant one night, overwhelmed by a flood of customers, and offers his help. Besides a brief encounter at the Buddhist temple when they were children, Linh and B o have never interacted, having been given explicit instruction not to by their parents. Vietnamese American high school seniors B o Nguy n, who has a 'fascination with strange words,' and Linh Mai, an aspiring artist, have only ever known the bad blood between their families especially since the Mais opened a restaurant right across the street from the Nguy ns five years ago. But then, of course, they immediately remember.Ĭan Linh and Bao find love in the midst of feuding families and complicated histories? Bao and Linh, who’ve avoided each other for most of their lives, both suspect that the feud stems from feelings much deeper than friendly competition.īut then a chance encounter brings Linh and Bao in the same vicinity despite their best efforts and sparks fly, leading them both to wonder what took so long for them to connect. The only problem? Her parents rely on her in ways they’re not willing to admit, including working practically full-time at her family’s pho restaurant.įor years, the Mais and the Nguyens have been at odds, having owned competing, neighboring pho restaurants. She loves art and dreams pursuing a career in it. Stable when unlit, but full of potential for joy and fire. If Linh Mai had to describe herself, she’d say she was a firecracker. He works at his parents’ pho restaurant, and even there, he is his parents’ fifth favorite employee. His grades are average, his social status unremarkable. Steady and strong, but not particularly interesting. If Bao Nguyen had to describe himself, he’d say he was a rock. When Dimple Met Rishi meets Ugly Delicious in this funny, smart romantic comedy, in which two Vietnamese American teens fall in love and must navigate their newfound relationship amid their families’ age-old feud about their competing, neighboring restaurants. “Will leave readers swooning.” - PopSugar

A pho love story book