07/22/2024
Vietnamese teen Phan Ngọc Lan secretly authors popular food blog A Bánh Mì for Two. But when a bad case of writer’s block puts her blog on hiatus, she spends time working at her family’s bánh mì stall in Sài Gòn. In the U.S., meanwhile, Vietnamese American college student Vivi Huỳnh feels disconnected from her heritage; she is curious about her mother’s childhood in Việt Nam, but her mother refuses to talk about her experiences. Inspired by Lan’s blog, Vivi travels to Việt Nam as part of a study abroad program, unbeknownst to her parents. After a chance encounter brings Vivi and Lan together, Vivi encourages Lan to submit a piece about Sài Gòn to a prestigious writing competition. As thanks, Lan helps Vivi track down people who can tell her more about her mom. Driven by a shared passion for Sài Gòn, the two embark on numerous adventures, falling for each other in the process. Explorations of identity, generational history, and trauma are tempered by the girls’ sweetly developing romance. Vibrant descriptions of Việt Nam and its culture adorn Nguyen’s lively debut, a love story ideal for foodies yearning to travel. Ages 14–up. (Aug.)
"Explorations of identity, generational history, and trauma are tempered by the girls’ sweetly developing romance. Vibrant descriptions of Việt Nam and its culture adorn Nguyen’s lively debut, a love story ideal for foodies yearning to travel." —Publisher's Weekly
"A light and sweet sapphic romance . . . for readers wanting a lighter book with a touch of deeper topics."–Booklist
“In A Bánh Mì for Two, Trinity Nguyen brings Sài Gòn to life on the page. The sights, the people, and, most importantly, the food, capture your heart just as much as the blossoming sapphic romance. A beautiful story of family, love, and home.” —Rachael Lippincott, New York Times–bestselling author of Five Feet Apart and She Gets the Girl
“Sweet and swoony, thoughtful and real, A Bánh Mì for Two is perfect for anyone who’s ever yearned for something, but never quite found it, until the right person came along.” —Adib Khorram, award–winning author of Darius the Great Is Not Okay
“Nguyen intricately weaves an exploration of Vietnamese American identity in this charming coming-of-age story. Readers will experience the exuberance of young love while taking a delicious trip through Sài Gòn.” —Julie Tieu, author of The Donut Trap
“A Bánh Mì for Two is a deliciously sweet read! I adored this emotional story about two girls finding love in each other and in the noisy city at the center of their families’ hearts.” —Trang Thanh Tran, New York Times-bestselling author of She Is a Haunting
“Deeply romantic and evocative, with a voice as fresh as a warm baguette, Trinity Nguyen’s debut is a love letter to Viet girls and Saì Gòn that you won’t soon forget.” —Michelle Quach, author of Not Here to Be Liked
“A delicious treat of a debut, A Bánh Mì for Two is filled with sweet romance, hearty familial love, and a rich exploration of the meaning of home. Vivi and Lan’s respective arcs beautifully complement one another, creating the perfect recipe for them as a couple.” —Racquel Marie, author of Ophelia After All
“Never have I ever yearned to fall in love on the back of a scooter before. Full of romantic conviction, Trinity Nguyen's debut is a tender balm against diaspora loss. This book has been a joy to witness come to fruition.” —Carolyn Huynh, author of The Fortunes of Jaded Women
“Sweet, tender, and oh-so-delicious, readers will fall in love with Vivi and Lan's heartfelt and intimate romance while they explore food, their culture, and eventually—each other. Trinity Nguyen's A Báhn Mì for Two will leave you swooning and hungry for more of her work!" —Hannah V. Sawyerr, author of All the Fighting Parts
2024-05-17
As they fall in love, two girls in Sài Gòn discover that family and food are connected.
Lan, who’s from a family of bánh mì sellers, moonlights as the writer for popular Sài Gòn street food blog A Bánh Mì for Two. When an upcoming journalism competition offers a way to bring much-needed income to her family’s business, Lan jumps at the opportunity to write her take on the theme of “The Most Beautiful City in the World.” But writing no longer feels the same since her dad’s recent passing. A chance encounter with Vivi, a Vietnamese American student who’s also one of her longtime followers, may be the spark she needs to write again. Vivi was inspired to visit Sài Gòn after reading Lan’s blog, but she also yearns to learn more about why her mom, who’s reticent on the subject, left Việt Nam (Vivi’s father became a refugee at age 3). When she finds hidden photos from her mom’s past, Vivi plans a secret trip to Việt Nam with her friend Cindy. Vivi comes to an agreement with Lan: She’ll help Lan overcome her writer’s block in exchange for help with finding her maternal relatives. Told in alternating perspectives, this book has an enticing premise, but the rushed pacing and lack of details distract from the tenderhearted moments that carry the story. More nuance would have helped with exploring the complexities of queerness, history, and culture within the book’s setting.
Charming but skims the surface. (Romance. 13-18)
