This Is My Brain in Love

by I. W. Gregorio

Jocelyn Wu has just three wishes for her junior year: To make it through without dying of boredom, to direct a short film with her BFF Priya Venkatram, and to get at least two months into the year without being compared to or confused with Peggy Chang, the only other Chinese girl in her grade.

Will Domenici has two goals: to find a paying summer internship, and to prove he has what it takes to become an editor on his school paper.

Then Jocelyn's father tells her their family restaurant may be going under, and all wishes are off. Because her dad has the marketing skills of a dumpling, it's up to Jocelyn and her unlikely new employee, Will, to bring A-Plus Chinese Garden into the 21st century (or, at least, to Facebook).

What starts off as a rocky partnership soon grows into something more. But family prejudices and the uncertain future of A-Plus threaten to keep Will and Jocelyn apart. It will take everything they have and more, to save the family restaurant and their budding romance.

• ISBN10: 0316423831
• ISBN13: 9780316423830
• Publish Date: 22 April 2021 (first published 14 April 2020)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
• Imprint: Little, Brown Young Readers
• Format: Paperback (UK Trade)
• Pages: 384
• Language: English

Reviews

[Sam@WLABB]

Just when Jocelyn was finding her groove, the family business takes a turn for the worst. In an effort to save A-Plus Chinese Garden, Jocelyn enlists the help of Will, and the two embark on a mission to rebuild the business. As the ideas to jumpstart the business flew, so did the sparks, but this romance hits a few roadblocks, and some may be insurmountable.

• Pro: I had no problem rooting for everyone and everything in this story. I wanted the restaurant to succeed, for Jos's movie to be a hit, for Will to get his story, for Jos and Will to find their HEA. It was important for me to see them all get what they wanted or needed, because I guess I thought they deserved it.

• Pro: The food! Not only did we get to "enjoy" many Chinese treats, but there was also a bit of Nigerian food in the mix. It was all described in such rich detail, that my mouth actually watered.

• Pro: I never was involved in any sort of small business, but I was fully enthralled by all the different things Jos and Will were doing to try and resuscitate the restaurant.

• Con: I would have liked more time dedicated to the actual romance, though the bits that were there were wonderful.

• Pro: I always appreciate an OwnVoices perspective, and Gregorio wrote this story as an Asian person, who has battled mental illness, but is also a doctor. I think because this, she brings a lot of insight to this story, which is not found in many other similar type books.

• Pro: Depression, anxiety, and multiple spectrum disorders are featured in this book. Though the mental illnesses were given a deeper treatment, I appreciated the way all were explored.

Overall: An honest story of family and young love, which tackles mental illnesses and the stigma that surround them.

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