Description
When Lila Macapagal moves back home to recover from a horrible breakup, her life seems to be following all the typical rom-com tropes. She's tasked with saving her Tita Rosie's failing restaurant, and she has to deal with a group of matchmaking aunties who shower her with love and judgment. But when a notoriously nasty food critic (who happens to be her ex-boyfriend) drops dead moments after a confrontation with Lila, her life quickly swerves from a Nora Ephron romp to an Agatha Christie case. With the cops treating her like she's the one and only suspect, and the shady landlord looking to finally kick the Macapagal family out and resell the storefront, Lila's left with no choice but to conduct her own investigation. Armed with the nosy auntie network, her barista best bud, and her trusted Dachshund, Longanisa, Lila takes on this tasty, twisted case and soon finds her own neck on the chopping block…
Skylar Schulist @easton.mann_475
July 27, 2021
4
If you could combine some Nancy Drew sleuthing with an early 2000s kilig rom com with your favorite Filipino food in the best way possible, it would be this book. Manansala's writing is hilarious while also touching on more serious themes, including the unique experience of diasporic Filipinos and other second generation immigrants as well as the opioid crisis. In addition, her food imagery is mouth watering. I'm definitely craving adobo, pinakbet, and mamon after reading. My one criticism is that the dialogue occasionally feels like it's filled with the witty comebacks and banter of a sitcom cast, rather than what someone would say in real life. Alas, it is fiction - and very fun fiction at that. A great light read that you can finish in a cross country plane ride. I highly recommend 👌 and I look forward to the sequel.