Rent a Boyfriend (Compact Disc)
Winter 2020 Kids Indie Next List
“Gloria Chao’s sophomore novel holds nothing back as it explores the deeply complicated relationship between child, parent, and community. Readers everywhere will see themselves in Chloe as she faces the ultimate decision of living her life with the safety of her parents’ approval or risking it all to discover her own path — a path that might even lead to the kind of love she never knew she deserved.”
— Stephanie Heinz, PRINT: A Bookstore, Portland, ME
Don’t let the fun title, gorgeous cover and romcom vibe fool you. Is this a fake dating trope with appealing characters? Why yes, yes it is. However, underneath the cotton candy premise is a lot of depth and complexity about family responsibilities as well as community relationships within the Chinese American diaspora. Both Chloe/Jing Jing and Drew/Andrew have alter egos that mask their true selves and both strive for honesty to each other as well as themselves. Chao's writing and plotting has grown over the years since American Panda was released (and that was such a good book) but here, she's reached the next level. Here, everything is interwoven so effortlessly that it's just easy to fall into the book. Be prepared to give up sleep to finish this read. TLDR: Reader, I loved this.
— Audrey H.