02/01/2021
Lam’s choppy debut follows ex-lovers as they rediscover their blazing chemistry years after a messy breakup. Trixie Nguyen moves from New Orleans to Washington, D.C., for a fresh start as a sex toy sales rep after a fight with her parents over her nontraditional career goals. While coordinating a pop-up shop in Mama Hazel’s, a soul food restaurant, she runs into Andre Walker, the ex who walked out on her two years ago with little explanation. Andre is shell-shocked to find a furious Trixie in the restaurant he owns with his sister. Though their reunion is tense, Trixie’s event proves a successful way to bring in customers, so Andre offers her the chance to continue selling her products at Mama Hazel’s, which has been struggling to stay afloat amid neighborhood gentrification. As their fiery passion reignites, Lam does a good job conjuring a sense of effortless intimacy between them. Less successful are the subplots about Trixie’s work and family life, which feel forced and tangential. While the emphasis on Trixie’s struggles to merge her Vietnamese and American identities is well handled, the impact her parents disapproval has on her life goes frustratingly underexplored. These hiccups make for a bumpy ride, but readers looking for sultry romance with a diverse cast will still find plenty to enjoy. Agent: Tara Gelsomino, One Track Literary. (May)
"Smart, sexy, and full of heart, Happy Endings packs a witty punch!" — Lyssa Kay Adams, author of The Bromance Book Club
“Thien-Kim Lam's Happy Endings is a sparkling debut full of heart, heat, food, friendship and family. I loved following Trixie and Andre's journey as they discovered their strengths and found their way back to each other.” — Ruby Lang, author of House Rules
"Happy Endings is a big-hearted and delightfully sex-positive second chances romance that had me craving delicious soul food and fanning myself as I read. Trixie and Andre's passion for their work and each other will make you root for their HEAs, not just in love, but in business too." — Adriana Herrera
"Unabashedly sex-positive, Happy Endings is a paean to second-chance romance—as well as friendship, family, food, and inclusive communities. The story's undeniable warmth makes it a pleasure to read." — Olivia Dade, author of Spoiler Alert
"Smart, sexy, and full of heart, Happy Endings packs a witty punch!"
"Happy Endings is a big-hearted and delightfully sex-positive second chances romance that had me craving delicious soul food and fanning myself as I read. Trixie and Andre's passion for their work and each other will make you root for their HEAs, not just in love, but in business too."
Thien-Kim Lam's Happy Endings is a sparkling debut full of heart, heat, food, friendship and family. I loved following Trixie and Andre's journey as they discovered their strengths and found their way back to each other.”
"Unabashedly sex-positive, Happy Endings is a paean to second-chance romance—as well as friendship, family, food, and inclusive communities. The story's undeniable warmth makes it a pleasure to read."
author of Spoiler Alert Olivia Dade
04/01/2021
DEBUT Trixie Nguyen is making her own way in life by going against her traditional Vietnamese family and creating a sex-toy company. Everything is going well, but she can't forget the ex-boyfriend who dumped her via a sticky note. Andre, her ex, is carrying on his mother's legacy by working in his family's soul food restaurant. With pressures of his own, he has his reasons for leaving Trixie and not looking back. But when she shows up at his restaurant for a bachelorette party, their worlds collide again. VERDICT Lam's debut novel is an Own Voices delight filled with love, friendships, and sex positivity. Perfect for fans of Jasmine Guillory and Abby Jimenez, this sizzling tale is dynamic, funny, and relatable.—Jenny Kobiela-Mondor, Eckhart P.L., IN
2021-02-10
Two years ago, in her hometown of New Orleans, Trixie Nguyen quit pharmacy school, which she'd chosen to please her traditional Vietnamese parents. Her boyfriend, Andre Walker, encouraged her to come clean with her family and pledged to support her no matter how they responded. The conversation was a disaster, her parents disowned her, and Andre dumped her shortly after. She’s since relocated to Washington, D.C., and has a tightknit group of friends; she’s also found a nontraditional career she loves: selling sex toys and helping people of all ages and genders have healthier, happier sex lives. Then she’s shocked to discover Andre is one of the owners of the soul food restaurant where she's hosting a bachelorette party. Since his mother’s death, Andre and his younger sister have been trying to keep their beloved family restaurant afloat despite the gentrification threatening the neighborhood. Trixie agrees to host a regular pop-up at the restaurant: The extra sales will help her win a company bonus, and the new customers might help keep his restaurant alive. Working together revives their romance, and Andre pledges not to make the same mistakes he did last time. Trixie can’t resist Andre’s charm or their strong physical attraction, but she’s wary of trusting him again. Lam’s debut is full of heat and heart. All of Trixie’s sex toys are put to good use in smoking hot love scenes, but the novel also highlights the strong emotional connections Trixie and Andre have to family and community. Trixie and Andre are both likable, and the sometimes-wobbly characterization reads as a minor misstep from a debut author finding her footing.
A sweet and sexy romance.
Emily Woo Zeller narrates a scorching second-chance romance featuring an entrepreneur and a restaurant owner. Trixie Nguyen was dumped by Post-It note two years ago and is just about over her ex, Andre Walker—until she sees him unexpectedly at a pop-up she is hosting. Not surprisingly, Trixie has a lot of complicated feelings toward Andre, and Zeller perfectly captures them all in a performance that is utterly believable and relatable. Andre’s feelings are less obvious, as his motivations are frequently opaque, but Zeller gives him depth and nuance, making him not quite likable but completely realistic. Zeller rounds out the cast with delightful performances of secondary characters, including Andre’s sister; Trixie’s friends, the Boss Babes; and the neighborhood regulars at Andre’s restaurant. K.M.P. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
Emily Woo Zeller narrates a scorching second-chance romance featuring an entrepreneur and a restaurant owner. Trixie Nguyen was dumped by Post-It note two years ago and is just about over her ex, Andre Walker—until she sees him unexpectedly at a pop-up she is hosting. Not surprisingly, Trixie has a lot of complicated feelings toward Andre, and Zeller perfectly captures them all in a performance that is utterly believable and relatable. Andre’s feelings are less obvious, as his motivations are frequently opaque, but Zeller gives him depth and nuance, making him not quite likable but completely realistic. Zeller rounds out the cast with delightful performances of secondary characters, including Andre’s sister; Trixie’s friends, the Boss Babes; and the neighborhood regulars at Andre’s restaurant. K.M.P. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
