ARC Review: The Boy You Always Wanted by Michelle Quach

Francine always has a plan. Ollie wants no part of it.

Francine loves her grandfather, but their time together is running out. He has one final wish: to see a male heir carry on the family traditions. Francine knows his ideas are outdated, but she would do anything for him. Her solution? Ask Ollie Tran, a family friend (and former crush, not that it matters), to pretend to be ceremonially adopted and act like the grandson A Gūng never had.

Ollie generally avoids the odd, too blunt (and fine, sort of cute) Francine, whose intensity makes him uncomfortable. So when she asks him to help deceive her dying grandpa, Ollie’s not down. He doesn’t get why anyone would go to such lengths, even for family. Especially with a backwards (and sexist, Ollie keeps stressing) scheme like this.

Francine, however, is determined to make it happen, and soon Ollie finds himself more invested in her plan—and in her—than he ever thought possible. But as the tangled lies and feelings pile up, Francine must discover what exactly she needs for herself—and from Ollie. Because sometimes the boy you always wanted isn’t what you expected.

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Overall Recommendation:

With deep insight into family responsibilities in an Asian household, The Boy You Always Wanted poses the question of love for our family members while struggling with cultural viewpoints that are outdated in today’s society. I find this read was particularly impacting because I 100% relate to the premise, however, for those who aren’t Asian or their families are not like this, the story can still be fun with the cultural elements an insight into the workings of the Asian diaspora.

**The Boy You Always Wanted comes out August 1, 2023**

Thank you Edelweiss and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review

When it comes to Asian representation in YA, you know I’m there. The premise of The Boy You Always Wanted hit close to home for myself and the author, and perhaps many of us who know what it feels like to be a girl in a culture where it’s seen as secondary.

Francine’s grandpa is dying but to deal with the grief of impending loss, she wants to make him feel at peace with what he’s leaving behind. I really loved this aspect of the story. I felt seen in this book, navigating Asian experiences in a modern world. While I understand people may come into this book with expectations of sexism resolved and people standing up for themselves, it’s not always quite so simple.

For the author and myself and any of you who knows what it feels like to be seen as less than in this way, the resolution isn’t something that may be present in the lifetime of those we love. I appreciated how Michelle asked that question throughout: how do we reconcile our deep love for our family members with the sexist and outdated views they carry in this modern society? I see it in myself sometimes as the granddaughter next to my younger brother. I see it in my mother’s family, to have 5 kids just so grandpa can ensure there is a son born into the line. I see it in my father’s family, where I’m treated slightly better as my father’s daughter than my cousin as my aunt’s daughter. How do I balance the love I have for my grandparents and the love I know they have for me even though certain comments don’t sit well? There’s no easy answer, and for that I appreciate it wasn’t just brushed aside so easily with a fix-all solution. Sometimes, there really is none. We can only hope to do better by teaching the next generation better.

That being said, while I loved the cultural aspects and deeper thought behind the story, everything else was not as great. I couldn’t get behind Ollie’s extremely dislikable character. He was awful to Francine, up front and in his thoughts since we get his POV. His redemption wasn’t enough, especially with how rushed the romance felt on his part. He wasn’t a terrible person as he did do his best to play the male heir part for Francine’s grandpa, but he just wasn’t very mature. I liked Francine well enough, even all the “quirks” that bugged Ollie and the others. I just don’t feel their romance worked as he didn’t respect her enough for so long. It was like the excuse boys pick on girls because they like them, not because they’re simply bullies.

The pacing was also a little slow with not much build. The climax wasn’t as crazy as I anticipated but at the same time was oddly predictable once the “twist” from left field was made known to us. I will reiterate that this story isn’t just for Chinese Americans or Chinese Vietnamese (which holds a dear spot in my heart). There’s lots that can be learned from such an intimate look at filial duties and family dynamic here, however, what propels you to finish it may be stronger if there is more of a personal connection like there is with me.