Actual rating ⭐⭐⭐.5

What I loved - the setting, the bake shop, how flipping adorable Ryan Kwok is for being a Hollywood star with abs for days. The family dynamics and exploration of grief, confronting parents' internal racism/trauma/grief in their relationships with the main characters and in their own lives, Ryan Kwok's DAD who had the best journey in the book imo, and all the food descriptions. Lindsay McCleod learning to open herself up to make a new friend and find love, all amazing! I was also very happy Jackie Lau's heat followed her to trade, and Ryan doesn't just like Lindsay's donuts I'm just saying!

What I wanted just a little bit more of was some depth to the emotions. This is a soft book in the sense I felt secure while reading it, my blood pressure didn't rise, the emotions were there but more explained than felt (for me). I find this often with the author, that I'm being told how everyone is feeling, but sometimes I personally want a little bit more punch to the heart.

That said, this was a lovely series debut, I'm excited for the roommate's romance (which I believe will be a second chance with a secondary character