3.5 stars actually.

This was an easy, fun read. There were moments that had me laughing out loud which I always appreciate in a rom-com.

Not sure what to write as I think it was a fine romance debut. I had slight problems with the flatness of the characters sometimes and would have liked maybe for the ending to be slightly different but the Vietnam parts and everything about the food really brought the story up and made it interesting.

I was expecting a light, easy read from this debut novel and that's exactly what I got.

I loved the descriptions of locations and food in Vietnam - it's one of my favourite places to visit and this book made me want to go back again.

This starts out as an opposites attract, I think. Adam is described as grumpy, but he came across practical and maybe a little disillusioned. Evie describes herself as an introvert, but her behaviour doesn't really track with that. I couldn't quite get a handle on who these two really were, so the romance aspect fell a bit short for me. I could see that the characters were attracted to each other, but not really why.

The pace was also a little slow for me, but that could be because Evie's Aunt's gift had to be set up.

It was a nice read overall.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I loved this book!

Evie and Adam's story had me laughing, smiling and feeling a whole host of other emotions. It was cute and hot.

It was a nice dive into Vietnamese culture and the different sights around Vietnam whilst keeping it quite light-hearted.

I loved it and I would definitely read more from this author.

Chapter 1-4
I found the beginning a little slow, more telling then showing us readers but I understand that it’s to build up the world and story we’re starting

Chapter 5-9
The story is easier to follow from this point on, the main characters have a nice tension between them. It doesn’t feel forced, they genuinely feel attracted to each other and as a reader I can feel it.

Chapter 10-14
The suspense is building nicely, we’re getting to see our characters now now including our side characters which really adds to the story. Ruby feels dislikable especially with how she’s describing Evie and Adam isn’t standing up for her but I get that it’s a slow burn and he has inner turmoil to work through before he can really open up emotionally.

Chapter 15-19
A lot of back and forth, Adam isn’t really sure of what he feels while Evie is more in-tuned with her emotions. I found the push and pull a little repetitive but it only makes the reward so much sweeter, we get to see Adam start to give in and it’s very satisfying.

Chapter 20-24
The first spicy scene! It didn’t feel rushed to get to this point, the actual scene was pretty short and not too descriptive which I personally like but I am expecting more in depth scenes later on.

I felt like the conversation about Lana was far too short to pack a punch, we’re supposed to feel like Adam really had this connection with Lana and that the cheating really ruined his view on relationships like we’re told to believe earlier on. It feels a bit like we’re being told instead of shown. Adam’s and Evies connection still feels a little too much like lust rather than an genuine like.

We didn’t really get a proper read of the parents, they feel a bit flat and I’d want Adam to cower in front of them to show the dynamic between more. They feel like the stereotypical strict parents, slightly 2D

Spicy scenes sure are tricky, I found the second one a bit too quick paced. I had to pause multiple times and try to figure out what positions they were in, I would like just a bit more description of what exactly they were doing.

Chapter 25-29
The meeting between Adam and his father was well written, felt fully flushed. The tension here was what I wanted at the first impression of the parents, controlling, slightly possessive and demanding.

The conflict felt realistic, not some third act breakup that leaves us more irritated than wanting more. And although it’s quite stereotypical for Evie and Adam just to miss each other in the nick of time after his conversation with his grandmother, it still feels fully flushed and realistic. Props to Nora, you have to be talented to take a common trope and still make if interesting and feel like a repeat of another book.

Chapter 30-33
I like the insight of her present life, fulfilled even without Adam. It’s a part most romance books miss, that everything isn’t about romance and love despite the genre. And though she might not be satisfied and got everything she wants, she’s still content to a level.

The ending didn’t feel rushed, I liked how they both had time to think and evaluate their emotions even if it wasn’t on purpose and completely due to ruby’s choice to hid evies letter from Adam. I did however feel like the marriage wasn’t necessary, I can see them staying engaged for a while as they’re content with just each other without the title as husband and wife. But that’s more so an personal opinion than an critic.


Overall the book was pretty good, 3,75 ⭐️. The writing is not the best but definitely impressive since it’s a debut novel, I see potential in Nora’s writing and will be keeping an eye on any future releases

I wanted to give this one a read mostly because of the tour part. A matchmaking tour in Vietnam sounded dreamy and it really was. I would LOVE to attend one myself.
I thought the characters felt a little flat, maybe immature. I allow this was so especially at the beginning of the story, and I understand that for them to be able to grow throughout the narrative, the starting point had to have some room to grow for them. However, they felt a little flat as a result. However, this was a very enjoyable read.

3.5⭐️

I thought this was a really good debut romance. I really enjoyed this. This is an easy to read grumpy sunshine romance. I felt that I was able to relate to the characters and felt that the setting was accurate and it wasn’t just there to add to the story and the descriptions were respectful and helped me enjoy the story even more. This is such a good romcom. If you are looking for a quick, easy, romcom that is hard to put down then this is the one for you. Thank you for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

REVIEW
cw: grief, bereavement, racism, misogyny, cancer
When thirty-two-year-old Evie Lang's beloved Auntie Hảo dies, she inherits her San Francisco home with one condition: she must first go on 'Love Yêu's' matchmaking tour in Việt Nam. Having been humiliated by her ex, and lacking inspiration for her poetry, it might just be the escape she needs, even if love is firmly off the menu. Adam Quyền is the chief marketing officer of his sister Ruby's newly established tour. After a failed proposal, he's love averse, so when Ruby insists he experience the tour himself to be able to market it, he reluctantly agrees. But can Adam and Evie learn to trust their hearts again?

This was such a lovely debut, that has only increased my (already huge) desperation to visit Việt Nam. ! I loved Evie immediately. She was such a fun character, as well as lovably fallible. I loved her recollection of her last drunken night out and was crying laughing at the mirror incident. I also loved her friendship with her cousin, Lillian. The only thing that annoyed me was her lack of self-awareness while travelling. Luckily Adam was usually there to avert disaster. Still, I felt for her, especially when she described how her mother grieved, and the repercussions of medical debt, as well as how that affected Evie's outlook on love. But I found c.30 so cathartic. Adam was the seemingly grumpy, aloof guy with a hidden heart of gold. I loved their meet-cute. It was hilarious, and their banter sizzled with snark and chemistry from their first interaction and continued throughout. I also enjoyed Adam's rediscovery of his country, as well as Evie's delight as an Asian American. The descriptions of the sights and cuisine were so rich and lyrical.
On the surface, Adam and Evie couldn't have been any more different. But despite their distinct childhoods and backgrounds, they shared core values, and I loved the development of their relationship. I felt for both Adam and his sister, Ruby at different points in the story. Both were weighed down by family expectations. But I ADORED the way Evie dealt with Adam and Ruby's parents, and Adam's reaction. And, though Ruby was often meddlesome, my heart broke for her as well. I would love to see her get her own HEA.
Some of my favourite moments involved the other guests on the tour. I loved Fen. She was a good friend to Evie, and I felt for her when she spoke about why she was on the tour. She was also very, very funny, and gave GREAT advice. I also liked Talia and Pin. They were so stinking cute together. I particularly appreciated how the author broke down the group's perceptions of each other, slowly revealing their insecurities. The karaoke night in Nha Trang was hilariously vivid, and I loved the simmering tension between Adam and Evie. I also loved the gifts from the aunties (IYKYK). Meanwhile, c.18 made me cackle laughing. I also LOVED Adam's grandmother. She was so wise, but also kind of sassy and hilarious. I snorted laughing when she sent his mother outside.
In amongst the humour, there are plenty of sweet moments. I also loved how openly brave Adam was with his feelings for Evie. They were cute together when they allowed themselves to be vulnerable, and the ending was perfect.
The only thing I would've changed was the use of 3rd person POV, as it distances the characters from their emotions in my opinion. That said, I still really enjoyed this debut and look forward to reading more from the author in the future.
A lot of fun.

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Heat Rating: 🔥🔥

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. Adam and Evie's Matchmaking Tour is published on 24th Sept*

A wonderful summer read, full of romance and sun. I absolutely adored the description of the scenery and felt there was great chemistry between Adam and Evie. I believe this book is due for release in September so will be a fantastic way to extend summer vibes!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review

This book reminded me a whole lot of The Bride Test by Helen Hoang. So if you liked that one, you might like this.
Also special thanks to Google Translate for helping me understand the pronunciation of these Vietnamese names. Very much appreciated.

This book was surprisingly funny. The insane amount of sexual tension nearly made me want to rip out my hair. And the swoon! Oh my god the swoon!! And this ending! OH MY LORD!! I wanted to throw my Kindle to the other side of the room and just cry my eyes out for a bit.

"Adam & Evie's Matchmaking Tour" by Nora Nguyen initially charms with its stunning Vietnamese backdrop and the potential for a delightful romance, but ultimately falters due to inconsistent character development and predictable plot elements. While the chemistry between Adam and Evie should shine, their relationship feels forced and lacks the depth needed for genuine connection.

Nguyen beautifully captures Vietnam's culture and scenery through vivid descriptions. However, the overreliance on typical romcom tropes—like chance encounters and instant attraction—detracts from the authenticity of the story. The dialogue often feels scripted, making it hard to fully engage with the characters.

Though "Adam & Evie's Matchmaking Tour" offers a fun summer read with its cute premise, the uneven character arcs and clichés limit its overall impact. It may appeal to fans of light-hearted romance, but readers seeking a more emotionally resonant story might find it lacking.

A special thanks to NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

When the house you inherit comes with the condition that you have to go on a matchmaking tour in Vietnam first…you go, right?
This is the situation Evie finds herself in at the beginning of the book. From there, the story takes us on a beautiful trip through Vietnam. The imagery of this book was fantastic, I have never wanted to visit a place more!
Nguyen’s writing is fantastic, she weaves the characters together beautifully with a combination of witty banter, romance and vulnerability. The chemistry is palpable between Adam and Evie, and the grumpy/sunshine trope is always a winner!

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books for e-mailing me with ARC opportunity.

This is such a wonderful debut that I think a lot of people are going to love.

- love the scenery, I was looking up something in nearly every chapter
- the banter between Adam and Evie is great and I was laughing out loud
- the exploration of your country and heritage when you were born in a different place, as someone who lives outside of her homeland I related immensely to this
- of finding what you want rather than what others want for you
- parental expectations in a cultural family and finally being shown that it is okay to break some of those generational curses and look after yourself while still being respectful of tradition
- siblings really getting to know each other and not just assume they know what the other has been through
- there wasn't a lot of spice but what was there was great! Amazing dirty talk and it was a great way to further their relationship after all of the tension-building

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book when it comes out on 24th September, mark your calendars!

This was such a fun romance book that really suited a summer holiday read! Focusing on Evie, who’s dead Aunt Hao has organised for her to go on a matchmaking tour in Vietnam and Adam, who’s sister runs the tour - we get a gorgeous romance between two people who aren’t even sure if they want love in the gorgeous setting of Vietnam! It’s an easy read, with a fun build up of tension and romance - it had more than a couple of moments that I was nearly giddy reading it! It’s a he falls first and falls hard trope, with both Evie and Adam trying not to fall in love but still falling anyway! The book does an excellent job of balancing the fun light and holiday romance, with deeper themes of finding yourself, grief and blazing your own path. I really liked Adam as the MMC - he was well fleshed out with a believeable and understandable fear of love and distrust of women, and these problems were dealt with in a realistic way that made sense for his character and his background and never became something that frustrated me or made him difficult to read. I also really enjoyed that he was a Vietnamese lead - although there is often a lot of Asian or half-Asian FMCs it’s much more unusual to have an Asian MMC! Evie was a great FMC as well, her character felt incredibly relatable with the struggles and apathy that seem to envelope her and especially her issues with identity and belonging that come from her fathers death and her mothers inability to deal, as well as balancing both sides of her heritage.
All this and the setting is magical - it almost felt like another character. Having visited Vietnam I could see the places they had been and could easily imagine how romance would blossom among the beautiful scenery and countryside. Anyone who likes a holiday romance, he falls first romance with fun main characters and excellent side characters - talking about Fen here! - should definitely check it out.

What I particularly enjoyed about this book was the setting! I loved hearing all the descriptions of Vietnam, the activities the group embarked on and the food they ate. I liked Evie and Adam, but I found Evie's character a bit confusing. I couldn't piece together the idea of someone who makes 'safe' decisions and doesn't enjoy risk taking with the outgoing person she is on the trip.
That being said, I really enjoyed seeing them come together, and then move apart, make their own way for a while, and fine each other again.

This one was close to home.
I was actually just in Nha Trang/Cam Ranh yesterday! Nora did an amazing job of taking us through Vietnam, helping us experience part of the culture and some popular landmarks.
I found everything flow quite nicely and naturally, minus the instant attraction despite their dislikes for each other. We all need Auntie Hảo and Adam in our lives. How I wished my life was like in the book haha
This book was enjoyable. I loves that heartache twist. I think it was nicely done, even if it was cliche.

“When you’ve sunk to your lowest, every step forward feels like an ascension.”

I do think that it might be a bit confusing/hard to understand for readers who do not know Vietnamese as there are Vietnamese terms without the glossary. Personally, if it was me, I would be frustrated.
The middle was dragging a bit for me but I blew through the beginning and ending in one sitting lol (or 2..?)
I did find Evie somewhat mildly annoying, especially her time management, wandering around and sometimes her thinkings.
I also found it frustrating when Evie met Adam’s parents. I guess it was because I did relate and understand what Adam’s parents said, even if I was rooting for Adam and Evie. Of course, everything works out in the end, but in Vietnam, we have a saying “môn đăng hộ đối”, meaning “equal in wealth and status”. It is not necessary a good thing, but it still plays a big part in the Vietnamese culture as we believe that the mindsets, personalities and the views on life/work/social/relationships vastly differ between people of different statuses and with different wealth. Just a bit of the cultural knowledge that no one has asked for lol

Whilst I finished this book, it wasn't one I would say I loved. I enjoyed it and it was light enough for me to read on a sunny vacation.

The main characters were hard to connect with, their backgrounds and chemistry was not consistently jumping out at me and their motivations were hard to follow at times. I never really felt the enemies-to-lovers trope fully develop, their relationship seemed to appear out of nowhere or just convenience.

The author clearly loves Vietnam and beautifully captured the essence of every location they visited.
Although not one of my favourites, I can see it being a popular summer read and I would happily read more by Nora Nguyen :)

A debut romance from this author and it was a really enjoyable read! This is a grumpy x sunshine romance, with the forced proximity trope, dual POV and the perfect summer setting. I loved the matchmaking tour aspect of this book, all of the characters had a story to tell and I loved getting to know them all.

This was a quick and adorable read that you will draw you in from the first page!

I got a little bored reading it. It was very difficult to read all Vietnamese place names and names, because they were left as they were originally called (it seems to me). Although the plot of the story is quite interesting, it has a summery, vacation atmosphere👌 but as I said, for some reason it didn't draw me in at all, so that I don't want to let go of my hands this book...🙈

This was a fascinating education into Vietnamese culture told beautifully.

A beautiful romance and perfect for anyone who enjoys romances with descriptive prose, good food and a slow burn.

This book made me desperate to visit Vietnam!

This book captured me from start to finish. As an occasional romance reader- when I want something fun and light-hearted- I don't usually hold high expectations for romance books as it often comes across as cheesy but this deserved every single star!

After Evie's beloved aunt passed, she has one condition to inherit her home in San Francisco- to go on a matchmaking tour in Việt Nam. Evie is in a relationship with Atlas, however things break down and she decides to take a chance and go on this tour, with no expectations. That is until she meets Adam, the CMO of the tour company.

This was an easy read with such lovable characters, making me fully immersed in the beautiful landscapes of Việt Nam with gorgeous descriptions of each stop on the tour. I enjoy reading books from various cultures because I love feeling completely woven into the cultural norms and traditions and this brought so much of that while still incorporating themes like grief, family relationships and self love.