A romance and relationship between two very different women blossoms in NYC Chinatown.
“Jane felt Chinatown encircle her, simultaneously embracing and threatening. Tiny stores were crammed next to and on top of each other, and she carefully threaded her way around the fruit sellers setting up their wares and the fishmongers carting ins full of ice outside of their storefronts.” ~ Confucius Jane
Jane Morrow is working at her Uncle’s fortune cookie factory. She meets Dr. Sutton Saint James, a medical student who is insistent that she is not wanting a relationship. Of course, the two find themselves drawn to one another, and seeking one another despite opportunities for Jane and a scandal that descends on Sutton’s family.
I really loved this novel about a relationship developing between two women from different cultures and lifestyles. Maybe because it’s set in atmospheric Chinatown and the references to Chinese food made me hungry and homesick for Hong Kong. But it could also have been because the characters were rich and so darn likable (especially Jane’s precocious cousin, Min).
The character dynamics and the writing are engaging; natural and understated. The sense of family and community of Asian culture set against the backdrop of the bustling city added to the warmth and tenderness of the love story.
If this review intrigues you, check out these titles:
Convenience Store Woman by Sakaya Murata
One Charmed Christmas by Sheila Roberts