Chloe is officially off the waitlist at USC, and thus one step closer to realizing her dream of becoming an animator in the United States. But before she leaves home, her auntie insists on planning a traditional debut for Chloe’s eighteenth birthday (think sweet sixteen meets debutante ball). To make matters worse, her father, intent on finding Chloe the perfect escort for the party, keeps setting her up on one awkward kaishao—or arranged date—after another. But . . . why does her dad suddenly care so much about her love life? And what happens when she actually starts to fall for one of the guys, only to have to leave at the end of the summer?
- Title: Chloe and the Kaishao Boys
- Author: Mae Coyiuto
- Publisher: Putnam
- Publication Date: March 7, 2023
- Genre: Contemporary, Romance
- Source: Print ARC via Netgalley
- Targeted Age Range: Young Adult
- Content Warnings: Colorism (challenged), fatphobia (challenged), homophobia (challenged), racism, estranged parents
- Rating: ★★★★.5
It’s the summer before Chloe’s set off to go to USC, where she’ll be studying animation, and her days are spent preparing for her eighteenth birthday debut, rather than hanging out with her best friend, Cia. Her aunt and father have decided to set her up on some dates, trying to find her the perfect escort, and she’s forced to spend copious amounts of time with her cousin, Perfect Peter, as he choreographs her debut dance. But what happens when the summer goes on, and she starts to fall for one of the boys she’s set up on?
I adored the characters in Chloe and the Kaishao Boys — Chloe’s social media obsessed father, her supportive best friend, Cia, and of course, Chloe herself. Each character had such distinct voices, and I could so clearly envision them. One of my favorite things is when characters in books feel like people I could know in real life, and that’s how the characters in Chloe and the Kaishao Boys felt. The dynamics between Chloe and her family members, and her friends, were also so endearing.
I’m often drawn to stories that explore complex family dynamics, and I felt like Mae Coyiuto did a good job at that. Chloe’s parents are separated, and her relationship with her father is often a little tense — he does a great job of documenting Chloe’s life on social media, complete with hashtags, but not such a great job of communicating with her, or understanding Chloe’s wants and desires. Reading about Chloe and her father learning to understand where each other came from, and learning to communicate better was incredibly moving — to the point where I did get a little teary eyed. We also had Peter, who Chloe has dubbed “Perfect Peter”, for being a great scholar, having a great girlfriend, and just being the perfect cousin. We’ve all been compared to a family member, or a friend, at one point — whether it’s by another family member, or of our own doing. While Chloe comes off a little resentful or bitter of Peter at first, she eventually does form a bond with Peter, and sees who he really is — and I loved it.
The romance storyline was predictable — I could see which boy she’d end up with from a mile away, but I also didn’t mind as much! Without giving too much away, I felt like Chloe and the boy had a very sweet relationship. I liked how they were a bit awkward at first, and how their dynamic developed.
Chloe and the Kaishao Boys touches on many important topics, including colorism, homophobia and racism, and I thought it was all done with so much care. Coyiuto’s writing felt reminiscent of my younger YA days, and I just found Chloe and the Kaishao Boys to be an incredibly sweet, perfect summer read!
Links for Chloe and the Kaishao Boys: Goodreads | TheStorygraph | Bookshop | IndieBound
Mae Coyiuto is a Chinese-Filipino writer, born and raised in the Philippines. Mae earned her BA in Psychology from Pomona College and her Master’s Degree in Writing for Young Adults/Children from The New School. If she’s not writing, she’s usually fangirling over Beyoncé, tennis, Gilmore Girls, or all of the above. She currently lives in Manila.
