Book Review and Excerpt Blitz: Love and Other Moods by Crystal Z Lee

This is my stop during the book blitz for Love and Other Moods by Crystal Z. Lee.

Love and Other Moods is a standalone coming-of-age “own voices” story set in contemporary Shanghai, about falling in love, learning to adult and discovering one’s place in the world.

This book blitz is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 10 till 23 March. See the tour schedule here.

And don’t miss the tour wide giveaway for a chance to win a Love and Other Moods gift basket at the bottom of this post!

Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Published on: 10 December 2020
Published by: Balestier Press
Type: HEA, standalone
Genre: Asian American Literature, Contemporary Romance, Drama, Chinese Literature, Coming of Age
Author: Crystal Z Lee
Read: 28 February 2021
Shelved: 02 March 2021
Rating: 5/ 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis

Love and Other Moods is a coming-of-age story set in contemporary China, about falling in love, learning to adult, finding strength, and discovering one’s place in the world.

Naomi Kita-Fan uproots her life from New York to China when her fiancé’s company transfers him to Shanghai. After a disastrous turn of events, Naomi finds herself with no job, no boyfriend, and nowhere to live in a foreign country.

Amidst the backdrop of Shanghai welcoming millions of workers and visitors to the 2010 World Expo, we meet a tapestry of characters through Naomi: Joss Kong, a Shanghai socialite who leads an enviable life, but must harbor the secrets of her husband, Tay Kai Tang. Logan Hayden, a womanizing restaurateur looking for love in all the wrong places. Pan Jinsung and Ouyang Zhangjie, a silver-aged couple struggling with adapting to the ever-changing faces of their city. Dante Ouyang, who had just returned to China after spending years overseas, must choose between being filial and being in love. All their dreams and aspirations interweave within the sprawling web of Shanghai.

This multilayered novel explores a kaleidoscope of shifting relationships——familial friction, amorous entanglements, volatile friendships——in one of the most dynamic metropolises of the twenty-first century.

Excerpt

Naomi had packed four suitcases from New York, and right now they were stacked unevenly on top of one another in the hallway, forcing the front door to open only halfway, just tight enough for her to slide in sideways. She couldn’t remember the last time she had lived by herself. The lonely apartment was mildly depressing.

She felt like walking aimlessly. She passed by wrinkled men playing a game of Chinese chess, teenage girls in designer sunglasses taking photographs of each other, a woman gesticulating wildly as she yelled into her cell phone, tourists examining a guide book, a cloud of second-hand smoke drifting from outside a cafe, Uighur men selling kebabs, well-heeled shoppers clinging to their purchases, two men in yarmulkes talking heatedly, shrieking children competing with the racket from honking vehicles, and the sea of commuters gushing out of the Huangpi Nan Lu metro stop. Naomi let herself be swept up into the human river, bodies crushing against each other, arms brushing and shoving, no apologies no offense taken. Being in this city meant your senses were constantly accosted.

A man approached her with a flier featuring images of iPhones, Rolexes, LV handbags, and said that their shop was just ahead in an alley. She declined and quickened her pace. She spotted an empty bench by a bus stop and flopped down. Barely noticing as the traffic whizzed by, the racy selfie on Seth’s phone resurfaced in her head. A steady stream of downpour coaxed pedestrians to open a colorful array of umbrellas, or duck into convenience stores, boutique shops, malls entrances. Naomi felt wholly unequipped and unprepared, again, by this city.

Her hair was stuck to her face and her forehead was damp. She was relieved that the inclement weather matched her mood, for tears had started forming and slithering beneath her eyes, blending with the droplets of rain running down her face. She wiped it away with her sleeve. She just wanted to throw up all the fury and regrets that were lodged in her stomach, she wished it could all be flushed out of her head.

It was starting to hit her, the reality of having no boyfriend, no job, and nowhere to live.

She wondered if the sprawling metropolis of Shanghai was too small to co-exist with her ex-fiancé.

Review

One day you will understand, true love is not judged by what you can get, but measured by how much of yourself you can give.
— Love and Other Moods, Crystal Z Lee

Love and Other Moods is a growing-up story of two young best friends, Naomi Kita-Fan and Joss Kong. Both female protagonists are strong, brave, and accomplished women with mix cultural backgrounds in their belts. You would think that given this and coming back to Asia to contribute or “give back,” they would be hailed as “heroes,” but the opposite is true. The book’s female characters had to work doubly hard and be a lot more resourceful to compete with their male counterparts in Shanghai. Asian women are expected to do more, to be treated better. This occurrence is the normal double-standard in Asia for women.

At the start of the book, Naomi, with Japanese and Taiwanese heritage, had her life turned 180 degrees in a foreign land after cutting her engagement. At the same time, Joss was a newly married wife and brought into a prominent Shanghainese family. Having to fend for herself and survive instead of packing up and moving back home, Naomi discovers the “potential life path” that she realized she lost. Although the book focuses primarily on Naomi in the marketing industry, readers will get to see the other side of Joss’s world as an epicurean journalist.

This book is the author’s debut offering, and I am thoroughly impressed with everything in it! It is beautifully written and well-thought-through. The quality is something that I would expect from a seasoned author but unique to the author in its elements and flair.
Some of the points that made me appreciate the book are:-

1) Brilliant plot presentation.

I love how the book’s broken down into seasons, not just chapters, and seem to be diary-style where important things are highlighted and discussed in detail. It is efficient and helps readers focus on what moments will leave an impression. The dates were significant and let readers see Naomi’s progression as we also get a glimpse of the people she meets. This book is reminiscent of movies like Love Actually mixed in with Joy Luck Club-esque, wherein various characters run individually then intersect to form a consolidated epilogue in the end.

2) East meets West successfully done.

The author creates a beautiful union of two cultures and traditions – Western and Eastern. Through Naomi and the characters, the author successfully marries two very different beliefs – reflecting the honesty, edginess, and rawness of some scenes. A few of my personal experiences were very similar in the book that brought back so many good and bad memories – but all with fondness.
This book brought many beautiful Asian memories that I have lived and am living through. Many of the sights and sounds described are accurate and current to the beliefs and traditions still followed to this day. I remember a lot and kept nodding my head in agreement, from the Earl Grey mooncakes to ice cream mooncakes from Häagen-Dazs to the tradition of fully decorated impressive mooncake boxes. I remember going through all of that in my Hong Kong corporate days. Nothing is too flashy or extravagant for clients.

3) Oratory and visually stimulating sights and sounds of Shanghai exemplified.

Be ready to take in an extraordinary journey to Shanghai, coined as “the Oriental Paris,” and is the city rivaling New York or Paris in terms of modernity and blended culture – East meets West. Written in great detail and vivid color, Love and Other Moods is an oratory feast in the extremes – the extravagance and splendor of Shanghai’s setting (architecture, nature, etc.) juxtaposed to the workaholic people all hours of the day. This visual trip is a real treat, most especially due to the travel restrictions of the times. This book is the reader’s next best option as a getaway in the safety of their homes.
I’ve been to Shanghai, but the locations these two good friends bring are the unique insider-only” places and moments that show us why Shanghai is leading the way in the global cosmopolitan and financial stage. The scenes are a feast to any reader’s imagination – from the symphony of cicadas to the old shirtless, toothless Chinese grandpas playing chess and waving to Naomi as she walked to work to the Igloo and the Cotton Club. Where else can you see the old and the new coincide together in harmony in a city!

4) Colorful characters that cross Naomi and Joss’ way.

From Naomi’s ex-fiance, Seth, to her curious co-workers, there is an abundance of personalities that either will jive or jilt readers with their particular quirks. Naomi gets to meet a few good personalities that will help her get over her past and look into a better future for herself. It is through these stronger, deeper connections with these memorable characters like Frida and Dante. These connections help Naomi have fun, heal and look forward to furthering her blooming career and personal life.
I love how the author interconnects the characters after meeting up with either Joss or Naomi, setting readers into their “personal space” and getting to know them briefly. It shows flavor and variety without forcing these characters into our faces.

5) Growth and maturity of Naomi and Joss.

Both characters have harsh and sad pasts. They have been affected by trauma early in their lives that led them to face life precariously.
Naomi’s personal life took a back seat to her career after getting hurt badly. This practice is typical in Asia because women need to prove their worth, especially Naomi’s accomplished background. She was young and invisible. She took men for granted as they do for women. Now comes when “marrying age” arrives, and after being “hurt,” Naomi looks into herself for where she wants to go now. She no longer is the care-free, easy-going girl who can snag and spit men like accessories. She wants to focus on finding a better way to have more meaningful emotional connections and stop “destroying” herself.
Joss has her share of problems and dilemmas in the book. Many of these “issues” are out of her control at a young age and later into her marriage. It is sad, but I was so happy that she and Tay, her husband, found a way to overcome this. The solution she and Tay found was a rare option that not many traditional Chinese couples would take. There was a massive backlash from Tay’s parents on this decision, but I appreciate the author bringing this option to the forefront.
I am happy to see that Joss and Naomi had to overcome many trials through various life stages. The book’s pace allows a lot of space for them to grow and positively influence other people around.

6) Cultural identity and acceptance

Naomi’s bumping into Dante again after a chance encounter was a pleasant surprise for Naomi. Realizing that they are working on the same event space can be counted as Fate. It did not take too long for their connection to shift from reacquaintance to dating after Dante took charge of pursuing her. I wish things were simple, but this relationship is a rocky one.

Mira had dealt with enough couples to know that their apprehension stemmed from deep-rooted cultural tension.
— Love and Other Moods, Crystal Z Lee

The problem comes when comparing backgrounds – and with Naomi’s mixed heritage, things get a bit hairy on Dante’s side. A few traditional Chinese have specific nationality issues due to the past traumas experienced and have particular hopes. Instead of happiness and finding love, most have specific criteria for their children’s partner. A good few would want someone Chinese, familiar or family friend, someone from their village, similar or higher socioeconomic status, has a good reputation, education, etc. – and the list goes on. It is a daunting list for children who did not grow up in their town or country and have lived/worked elsewhere for years.

In summary, I cannot stop raving about Love and Other Moods! It is a highly recommend second chance book with a great storyline, fantastic plot twists, colorful character personalities that Naomi encounters, and a writing style that balances the traditional and progressive cultures of Asians. It is a book that will appeal to young adults and anyone who has experienced life-changing disappointments. The story goes through Naomi and Joss’s life-time that is very similar to an autobiography. It did not feel long or dragging and instead will pull readers into their world and empathize with them. I enjoyed the multi-POV. The back and forth between scenes and POV work well. It is a technique that is executed successfully by the author. I can see this book into a movie or a tv series, given the seamless ease in character transition. The story stays steadfast in its focus: examining the emotional complexities of people: love, resilience, second chances, tolerance, and relationships.
This book is a great read, and I am excited to see the author’s following books.

Home is a mental as much as it is a physical space. It’s where we choose to root our existence, where we decide to build our bliss, our lives, ourselves.
— Love and Other Moods, Crystal Z Lee

GIVEAWAY ALERT

There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Love and Other Moods. One winner will win a “Love and Other Moods” gift basket filled with items related to Love and Other Moods that is valued at $70! Open to US residents only.
Head-on to Rafflecopter here.

Good luck!

About the Author

Crystal Z. Lee is a Taiwanese American bilingual writer and a member of the Asian Authors Alliance. She has called many places home, including Taipei, New York, Shanghai, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
She was formerly a public relations executive who had worked with brands in the fashion, beauty, technology, and automotive industries. Love and Other Moods is her first New Adult novel. Her debut children’s book is forthcoming in 2021.

Connect with Crystal
Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon