Dial A for Aunties – Book Review

Your family would kill to see you happy

‘Whip-smart, original and so funny. I found it impossible to put down and lost count of the number of times I laughed out loud’ Beth O’Leary, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Switch

‘ARE YOU…DEAD?’
OH MY GOD. I THINK HE IS.
When Meddy Chan accidentally kills her blind date, she turns to her aunties for help. Their meddling set her up on the date so they kind of owe her.

WELL, THAT DIDN’T QUITE GO TO PLAN.
Although hiding this goddamn dead body is going to be harder than they thought especially when her family’s wedding business has THE biggest wedding of the year happening right now.

IT’S PRETTY BAD TIMING REALLY.
It turns out the wedding venue just happens to be managed by Meddy’s ex, aka the one who got away. It’s the worst time to see him again, or…is it? Can Meddy finally find love and make her overbearing family happy?

No. of pages:- 303 pages

Publisher:- HQ

Date published:- April 27th 2021

Genre:- Rom com/Dark Humor

Rating:- 4/5 stars

This book reminds me of a typical Asian lifestyle in a comical way.

Plot :- Madeline “Meddy” Chan was set up on a blind date by her mother. But the blind date turned sour and Meddy accidentally kills the blind date. And to whom does she seek for help? Her aunties of course with different personalities! And while they plot on how to get rid of the body, one of Meddy’s aunts keep the body in a cooler. But here’s the thing–the next day, there’s a big wedding that the aunties, Meddy and her mother are a part of and so when the cooler is also accidentally set off to the wedding venue, that’s where things started to get crazy for Meddy, her mother and her aunts.

Good ones:-

• I used the audiobook and so the narrator did a good job keeping me the listener hooked into the story and the author also did a good job drawing the reader to the story
• I am not very much familiar with Indo-Chinese culture so it was good to read about it in this book, particularly the tea ceremony that was held before the wedding (and where the drama starts)
• I feel like I was watching a rom com movie with so much comedy scenes that there were some parts in the book where I burst out laughing! And speaking of rom com movies–this book will be made into a Netflix series soon!
• I kind of feel connected to the story in someway, since I am a South Asian–how the families would all come together in an event of an emergency or trouble–and in this case murder!
• The ramblings and bickering between the aunties were so comical to listen to that I couldn’t help but laugh!
• I actually like Meddy’s close relationship with her aunts and her mother and her developing budding romance between Meddy and Nathan, her old flame.

Now here are the bad ones

• The story in a way is unrealistic in some ways so as I mentioned earlier, this would be perfect for a make a believe rom com movie
• The main character, Meddy to me was naïve and unsympathetic and there were times when I didn’t have a connection with her.

Overall, I actually enjoyed reading this book! Despite some flaws, overall, it was quiet and enjoyable, funny read that you wouldn’t want to put down! Prepare to laugh out loud and witness the drama between the four aunties!