A review by maggies
The Donut Trap by Julie Tieu

funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Romance was a definitely a subplot in this novel, so if you're looking for standard romance fare, this isn't the place to find it. Jasmine is on a journey of self-discovery, torn between her parents' expectations and her own heart, and that's the focus for a good 80% of the book. Where romance was on the menu, it fell flat for me. Not a huge fan of love triangle/infidelity/jealousy storylines, and I was also frustrated that
Jasmine never seemed to make the connection between her lying to her parents about Michael and Alex and how she felt when Alex lied to his mother about her.
Very pot-calling-the-kettle-black. However, I loved reading about the family running their donut shop (even if I found the whole social media as deus ex machina plot points tired and oversimplified) and learning how to communicate with each other. It's an ongoing process!
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