Last Tang Standing
By Lauren Ho
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TEST

My first reaction upon finishing this book was that I was angry it was Ms. Ho’s debut because I needed to read more by her.

The tagline of Bridget Jones meets Crazy Rich Asians is… fine? But it doesn’t go near capturing what made me absolutely adore this story. I’d throw in vibes of The Hating Game to get it closer, but regardless of what it kind of seems like – it’s a work all on its own.

We spend the whole of the book in the POV of Andrea Tang, who is attempting to be a good Chinese-Malaysian daughter (ie, marrying and/or being insanely successful at the correct career), while navigating her early 30s in Singapore. She’s dealing with her mother’s expectations, her potential promotion at work, the opinions of her sprawling family regarding her matrimonial and reproductive options, and… maybe a cute boy?

I settled into this thing quickly – Ms. Ho’s dialogue sparkles and Andrea’s journey was so engaging and personable that I felt like I was her friend as well. Additionally, I know little of this world and I was so glad to engage with it. Thanks for the chance to visit Singapore, Ms. Ho!

Reviewed by Kristen Donnelly

Grade: A-

Book Type: Contemporary Romance

Sensuality: Kisses

Review Date: 21/09/20

Publication Date: 06/2020

Review Tags: AoC POC heroine PoC Singapore

Recent Comments …

  3. excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.

Voracious reader, with a preference for sassy romances and happily ever afters. In a relationship with coffee, seeing whiskey on the side.

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Lisa Fernandes
Lisa Fernandes
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09/21/2020 8:16 pm

This one has been getting a lot of mixed reviews – and yes it definitely feels more like WF to me.

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Carrie G
Carrie G
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09/21/2020 9:36 am

One thing that will get me to put a book down is obnoxious, meddling family and/or friends. I’m not sure why that turns me off so much, but I can’t stand reading about families who think it’s ok to manipulate and force expectations on other family members. The manipulative family trope is so popular in romances that it sometimes takes me a while to find a book without that as a major point of conflict. It sounds like this book might involve that trope.

P.S. I’m not saying that type of conflict can’t be realistic. I’m saying it is no fun to read about for me, even if it’s played for laughs.

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Carrie G
Carrie G
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Reply to  Carrie G
09/21/2020 9:40 am

One such situation I’ve come across a lot in contemporary romances is this one: the best friend goes behind the heroine’s back to warn off the man that the heroine is obviously into, thus complicating matters and basically taking away to heroine’s agency.

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EMILY WITTMANN
EMILY WITTMANN
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Reply to  Carrie G
09/21/2020 9:45 am

Carrie – I had a different take on this one. The family dynamics are frustrating, but in this case, I think they are very close to the actual life experience for many asian women.

My review is here: https://allaboutromance.com/book-review/last-tang-standing-by-lauren-ho/.

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Carrie G
Carrie G
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Reply to  EMILY WITTMANN
09/21/2020 11:46 am

Thank you. I read your review and I understand in this case it has a cultural basis. Unfortunately, I still find this type of conflict very stressful to read about. That it’s a realistic portrayal makes it worse for me, not better. I did not come from a controlling or manipulative family, but experienced it in a toxic religious situation as an adult. The trauma can be lasting.

I appreciate when reviewers give a heads up for this, even though I know most readers don’t find it as upsetting as I do. Thank you!

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Dabney Grinnan
Dabney Grinnan
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Reply to  Carrie G
09/21/2020 12:01 pm

It’s all about context, isn’t it. I come from a family that is all up in everyone’s business all the time–it’s one of the ways we experience love. So I enjoy books where the meddling family is a force for good. But I have seen many families where it is not and those, for me, are sad and I wouldn’t enjoy reading about them in a romance or a lighter book.

I enjoyed this book too.

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Carrie G
Carrie G
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Reply to  Dabney Grinnan
09/22/2020 11:01 am

I don’t have a problem with families where strong opinions and loud discussions are a part of the emotional bonds and displays of caring and love. In Delaware I had plenty of friends from Italian families and their interactions were loud and wonderful. My problem is with interaction that reduce a person’s agency, or value “family obligations” over a person’s own desires for their future. And, of course, interactions that are controlling simply due to power imbalance, or for religious, racial, or gender (etc) reasons.

For the other issue I hate, no friend of mine should go behind my back to control who I interact with. Period. “Behind my back” is the key phrase here. Up front, out in the open words and actions of support and protection are different.

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EMILY WITTMANN
EMILY WITTMANN
Guest
09/21/2020 9:17 am

Do you think this qualified as a romance though? It’s so last minute/tucked in, non-existent for 99% of the story. Obv, we disagreed on this one!

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