Lunar New Year Love Story is an upcoming graphic novel by award-winning writers and illustrators Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham.

As a child, Valentina Tran loves the holiday she was named after, but she grows disillusioned with the idea of love after learning the truth about her mother’s absence in her life. The story follows Val’s journey to find true love and break the curse of doomed relationships in her family while discovering her passion for lion dancing. Themes of love, fate, and family are explored throughout the book; Val struggles to reconcile with her father after he breaks her trust, faces friendship and relationship troubles, and grapples with her family’s history of heartbreak.

Although I don’t usually read graphic novels, I really enjoyed this one. The illustrations are stunning, and the gorgeous use of color amplifies the emotional impact of each scene, perfectly capturing the beauty of lion dancing and the magic of first love. I enjoyed the aspects of Vietnamese-American culture infused in the story and the realistic portrayal of complex family dynamics. Val is a relatable and endearing character, making it easy to root for her. My favorite character was Val’s feisty grandmother, who cares deeply for her son and granddaughter and adds humor to some of the more somber scenes.

Although the story contained a few clichéd tropes typical in young adult novels, such as a love triangle, it managed to maintain an original and refreshing quality. While the ending did feel a little too tidy and resolved, the romantic relationship between the characters didn’t come across as overly contrived or forced. The theme of lion dancing remained present throughout, providing Val with a connection to her heritage and bringing the characters together.

I appreciated how the book addresses heavy topics such as grief and loss while including moments of humor and reflecting the experience of a teenage girl. The story finds the perfect balance between a more lighthearted YA rom-com feeling and the darker elements woven throughout the narrative, reflecting the book’s overarching message—love is complicated and beautiful, and there is joy in the unpredictability of life.

I highly recommend Lunar New Year Love Story to any fan of graphic novels, teen romance, or lion dancing—you won’t be disappointed.