Alex (Pucksandpaperbacks) | Fake Dates and Mooncakes (U...

Fake Dates and Mooncakes (Underlined)

Sher Lee

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Heartstopper meets Crazy Rich Asians in this heartfelt, joyful paperback original rom-com that follows an aspiring chef who discovers the recipe for love is more complicated than it seems when he starts fake-dating a handsome new customer.

Dylan Tang wants to win a Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake-making competition for teen chefs—in memory of his mom, and to bring much-needed publicity to his aunt’s struggling Chinese takeout in Brooklyn.

Enter Theo Somers: charming, wealthy, with a smile that makes Dylan’s stomach do backflips. AKA a distraction. Their worlds are sun-and-moon apart, but Theo keeps showing up. He even convinces Dylan to be his fake date at a family wedding in the Hamptons.

In Theo’s glittering world of pomp, privilege, and crazy rich drama, their romance is supposed to be just pretend . . . but Dylan finds himself falling for Theo. For real. Then Theo’s relatives reveal their true colors—but with the mooncake contest looming, Dylan can’t risk being sidetracked by rich-people problems.

Can Dylan save his family’s business and follow his heart—or will he fail to do both?

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Discotopia | Diverse Books\ \ Disco (he/they)\ \ • May 26 2025

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Hi there Disco Dancers!\ \ I’ve collaborated with Becklovesbooks/Bookasaurusbex to provide books recs for her June Prideopoly challenge.\ \ I’ll be sharing these to social media later this week, but wanted to give you first look!\ \ I tried to go with books that matched both the prompt and the flag for each square, and chose indie books as much as possible. I have read and highly recommend all of these. \ \ Full list below images!\ \ \ \ List:\ \ Bi fantasy - The Final Strife by Saara el-Arifi\ \ Bi disability rep - Godkiller by Hannah Kaner \ \ Book in bi colours - Deceived by the Gargoyles by Lillian Lark (bi poly monster romance)\ \ Gay BIPOC MC/author - The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta \ \ Gay romance - Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee\ \ Identity not a prompt - In the Care of Magic by Robin Jo Margaret (aro allo, spicy) Initiation by Alethea Faust (intersex SC, spicy)\ \ Indigiqueer rep - Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger (asexual Lipan Apache MC)\ \ Asexual rep - The Cybernetic Tea Shop by Meredith Katz \ \ Asexual friends to Lovers - Must Love Cake by Azalea Crowley (novelette)\ \ Non-binary (indie published) - A Heart to Hold by Sula Sullivan \ \ Non-binary sci fi - Hammajang Luck by Makama Yamamoto\ \ Non-binary under 250 pages - The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo\ \ Pansexual with creatures - Deal with the Devil by Bex Deveau (spicy poly monster romance)\ \ Pansexual rep - In the Ravenous Dark by A.M. Strickland \ \ Trans queer joy - Rainbow Islands by Devin Harnois \ \ Trans rights - Chef’s Kiss by T.J. Alexander\ \ Trans poetry - Blood Orange by Mx Yaffa\ \ Lesbian mental illness rep - A Little Luck by J.A. Collignon (anxiety)\ \ Lesbian graphic novel - On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden \ \ Lesbian slow burn - The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar \ \ All the best,\ \ Disco\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login

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Discotopia | Diverse Books\ \ Disco (he/they)\ \ • May 18 2025

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Hey there party people and disco dancers!\ \ This week I’ve been thinking about all the wonderful romance books I’ve read by AAPI authors, there are so many.\ \ So this week’s Diverse Discoveries will have: AAPI romance recs, current reads/just finished, on my radar.\ \ AAPI romance recs\ \ No romance list of mine would be complete without Adiba Jaigirdar, I’ve read 4 of her 6 books and loved every one. She’s a queer Bangladeshi-Irish author and writes sapphic YA romance about Bengali-Irish girls.\ \ The first one I read was Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating. In this one there’s a lovely scene where the girls go on a fake date, and one of them has compiled a list of Halal places so the Muslim girl can eat.\ \ \ \ My favourite is The Dos and Donuts of Love, with a plus size Bengali-Irish girl going on a teen baking show with her ex. I’ve never watched The GBBO in my life but I still loved the reality TV show aspect of this!\ \ \ \ One of my favourite books from the Trans Rights Readathon this year was Dulhaniyaa by Talia Bhatt. A young woman travels to India for an arranged marriage but gets distracted by her trans dance instructor. If you’re a Bollywood fan, or you want to try out a book with a Bollywood vibe, this novella is such a fun ride.\ \ \ \ Another one for the foodies, I highly recommend Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee. This is another YA fake dating story, about a young chef fake dating a richer boy in the lead up to a Mooncake baking competition. It delves into the connections between Singaporean food, culture and family and it’s super sweet.\ \ \ \ I yell about Azalea Crowley’s cozy horror romance books all the time, but they really are fantastic. The first book, Odd Blood, is about a 30-something Filipino-American woman with autism meeting a himbo vampire, and becoming a live-in caretaker for his elderly vampire roommate. It’s funny, ridiculous and oh so brilliant. There are 4 books in the series so far and a spin off novella. Azalea is Kanaka-Maoli.\ \ \ \ Lastly, Beating Heart Baby by Lio Min. This is about between a Korean-Japanese trans boy and a Filipino-Latino boy bonding over music and anime while dealing with some sad events in their lives. It’s tender and honest and beautiful.\ \ \ \ I’m realising I don’t read enough adult Asian romance, so do let me know if you have recs!\ \ Current reads & just finished\ \ I haven’t read a whole lot since last week because I’ve been busy, but I did start a new alien romance series that I’m now obsessed with!\ \ The Clecanian series by Victoria Aveline is very popular but I’m only now getting into it. The first one, Choosing Theo, has a plus size white woman abducted from Earth, taken to a matriarchal alien planet, and told to choose a husband! It’s a great, fun, silly romance, with a little bit of spice.\ \ \ \ I know I have way more books I should be reading, but my tired work brain is having a holiday I think, and I’m embracing it. And the alien world is very queer normative, which I appreciate.\ \ I finished 100 Queer Poems as well. This was mostly good, but I find poetry anthologies difficult. Just like short story anthologies, I think I find the chop and change between styles too hard to sink into. But it had some great stand out poems and the selection is really diverse.\ \ \ \ On my radar\ \ Aside from trying to finish the Murderbot books (I LOVED the first 2 episodes of the Apple show), I’m still hoping to get to my previous AAPI picks, Song of Silver, Flame Like Night, and Tokyo Ueno Station.\ \ I also want to get a head start on my Pride Month ARCs, especially Seven Recipes for Revolution by Ryan Rose, a queer fantasy about a chef using magic meat to rebel against tyranny. Eat the Rich!\ \ \ \ That’s all for now, party on dudes!\ \ Disco\ \ Join for free or login

Diverse Discoveries: AAPI Romance Special

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Discotopia | Diverse Books\ \ Disco (he/they)\ \ • May 4 2025

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Queer East and South East Asian book recs

Read and loved all of these! Books listed: Beating Heart Baby by Lio Min Cafe con Lychee by Emery Lee Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee Portrait for a Thief by Grace D. Li In the Watchful City by S. Qiouyi Lu The Black Tides of Heaven by Neon Yang The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo Silver Under Nighfall by Rin Chupeco Iron Widow by Xirin Jay Zhao Books for ESEA heritage month (UK), AAPI month (US) and Asian heritage month (CA). #booktok #aapiheritagemonth #asianbooks #mmromance #eseaheritagemonth

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Discotopia | Diverse Books\ \ Disco (he/they)\ \ • Mar 11 2025

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Queer Chinese (+ Diaspora) Book Recommendations

Happy Lunar New Year! Books listed: If You Still Recognise Me by Cynthia So Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xirin Jay Zhao Shanghai Immortal by A.Y. Chao Babel by R.F. Kuang #booktok #chinesenewyear #lunarnewyear #queerbook #fantasy

5 books

Queer as Books\ \ José\ \ • Nov 20 2024

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YA Book Recommendations

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Queer as Books\ \ José\ \ • Nov 20 2024

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Queer YA Books with Romance

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Queer as Books\ \ José\ \ • Nov 20 2024

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“Alpha of Mortal Flesh”, “Fake Dates and Mooncakes” and “My Monster Boyfriend”

Reading Update “Alpha of Mortal Flesh” by Ben Alderson “Fake Dates and Mooncakes” by Sher Lee “Smut Peddler Presents: My Monster Boyfriend” by C. Spike Trotman (Editor), Gail Simone (Contributor), Jess Fink (Contributor), Leia Weathington (Contributor), Trudy Cooper (Contributor)

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Queer as Books\ \ José\ \ • Nov 20 2024

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"Fake Dates and Mooncakes" by Sher Lee: Review

“Dylan Tang, a teenage chef who dreams of winning a mooncake-making competition in honor of his late mother and to bring attention to his aunt's struggling Singapore Chinese takeout restaurant in Brooklyn. However, his plans are derailed when he meets Theo Somers, a charming and wealthy customer who convinces Dylan to be his fake date at a family wedding in the Hamptons. Dylan begins to fall for Theo, but as Theo's true colors are revealed through his wealthy and dramatic family, Dylan must navigate his feelings and remain focused on the competition”.

The characters are lovable and relatable, and their chemistry is palpable. I especially appreciated the way the author handles themes around identity, the Asian American diaspora, and the challenges of navigating a new relationship. This book is a perfect blend of swoon-worthy romance and sweet humor, with a dash of delicious food descriptions thrown in. If you're a fan of 'Heartstopper' and 'Crazy Rich Asians', you won't want to miss this charming novel.

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Ezeekat Press\ \ Jaysen\ \ • May 25 2023

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Now I need Mooncakes and a Corgi asap! #booktok #fakedatesandmooncakes #books #mooncakes

1 book

Ezeekat Press\ \ Jaysen\ \ • May 21 2023

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I just can’t help falling in love with falling in love 😭 #booktok #romancebooks #books

4 books

Sapphic and Proud \ \ Amivi\ \ • May 13 2023

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#fakedatesandmooncakes #honeyandspicebook #romancebooksrec #romancebookish

8 books