Read this based on twitter followers' recommendation. Sometimes it's good to read books I don't usually choose for myself heh heh.

Lucas was your typical jock-turns-a Michelin Chef. Sophie was an ordinary girl who owned a cake shop. Caring more about his pride than other people's feeling, Lucas' mean words ruined Sophie's social life in high school. Understandably, Sophie hated Lucas. Lucas felt guilty, but his apologies left unspoken. Then what happened when a few years later, their grandfathers (who are apparently close friends) insisted that they are engaged with each other?

First thing firsts, "quirky grandparents who force you into engagement" was a fun trope. I can recall a few comics with this trope as main plot drive (Goong and Let's Get Married come to mind), which I read with various level of enjoyment. However this trope here does not have the same effect, mainly because of the setting. It is set in modern times, in New York City, nonetheless. Grandparents' influence would be one of the last thing you would consider when looking for a potential romantic interest. True that the main characters were supposedly of Asian heritage, which would lend the trope some credibility, but since their Asian-ness (?) were only mentioned in passing, it doesn't really work for me.

While we're at it, the treatment of the characters' Asian heritage is somewhat...lacking. Particularly in Lucas' case : a Korean mother was mentioned in a single paragraph, but his charming point is "his dark blue eyes", and no Asian customs whatsoever influence his character. It's a pity, the story could be more interesting if this is put forward, especially because this "Asian-ness" was exactly what he mentioned when he mocked Sophie in high school!

Sophie Wilson was a character that is pleasant to read, with so much more potential. However this potential is left unpolished because the author choose to focus on how Sophie fell in love with the present-Lucas, not to let her shine as her own characters. I want her to be in conflict, to reminisce how Lucas made her high school life a hell and how that hell still follow her to the present day, to question Lucas' motives and not make it so easy for him. Alas, she still fell for his grand gestures and charming dark blue eyes (and probably that's it).

This novel is very plot-driven. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I guess for a love story I prefer to fall in love just a little bit more with the characters. I want to know what ticks them, their past secrets, what makes them the person they are. I want more flashbacks, more inner turmoils....maybe just a little bit more emotion.

It's a cute, harmless little story. Entertaining, but I suppose I want some more depth.