When You Wish Upon a Lantern

Chao, Gloria. When You Wish Upon a Lantern

February 14th 2023 by Viking

E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

Kai and Liya live in Chicago's Chinatown where their families both have businesses; the Once Upon a Mooncake bakery and the When You Wish Upon a Lantern sundry store respectively. Liya is still grieving the loss of her Năinai, who started the store over fifty years ago after coming to the US from Taiwan. Kai and Liya have been friends since they were very young, but recently things have been awkward. Liya finds Kai attractive, but is mortified that she choked on a Boba bubble and threw up on him when they were out. Kai has a long time crush on Liya and took her vomiting right after he asked her out as a sign that she wasn't interested. The two's fathers frequently fight over the garbage in their shared alley, which doesn't help! When Liya finds out that the business owes the landlord two months' rent, she's determined to find a way to help save it, making sure that the local festivals lead to a lot of sales. She also tries to make more of people's wishes come true, the way she and her Năinai used to. The bakery isn't doing too well, either, thanks to the bad business practices of Kai's father (who spends a lot of money on schemes that don't pan out, as well as on betting on horses). Kai and Liya go back and forth between enjoying each other's company, fretting over perceived miscommunications, and worrying about their futures. Will they ever get together, and will the family businesses be saved?

Strengths: This was as much a travel book as a romance; I enjoyed hearing about all of the local businesses in Chinatown, visiting the park, etc. Young Adult romances often seem whiny to me, and while Kai and Liya had their moments of apprehension, they have a strong connection that outlasts their misunderstandings. There's also a delightful scene where Liya bonds with Stephanie and is forgiven for an episode in the 5th grade that has shaped her actions for years. That really resonated with me! The families both want more for the teenagers; even though the family businesses were a success for the generations that started them, the hope is that Kai and Liya will go to college and have more professional careers that don't depend on the success of the business. 
Weaknesses: Wouldn't the lanterns being sent up into the air or out onto the river be pollution? It's not a tradition in my fairly landlocked Tree City, although I did have neighbors who set a nearby tree on fire one New Year's Eve with a similar lantern!
What I really think: This is an excellent Young Adult romance that will work very well for middle school students who enjoyed books like Rigaud's Simone Breaks all the Rules or Kasie West's or Jenna Evans Welch's romances. I enjoyed this one very much.