Ex Marks The Spot by Gloria Chao

So excited I get to review this in the overlap between the Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day seasons!

Gemma Sun is the perfect straight-A student. Hard-working and straitlaced to a fault, she’s always wanted to cause minimal trouble for her own mother Jean, who had her young and without family support. For as long as Gemma can remember, it’s always been her and her mom against the world. If she ever wishes that she had a bigger family to rely on and stronger ties to her Taiwanese roots, she rarely brings these issues up to her mother, if at all. The most important thing is getting good grades so that she can make a better life for the both of them.

So it’s with chagrin that Gemma has to share her high school valedictorian spot with Xander Pan, the boy who broke her heart in 9th grade. He changed his name from Alex to something cooler, and made it his life’s mission to be goofy and popular. Gemma misses the sweet boy she would share puzzles with, but after he wrecked an important assignment for them in his pursuit of fun, she knew it was over. Ever since, he’s been her sworn enemy: not that it ever seems like he notices.

When Gemma gets word immediately after graduation that her grandfather died and potentially left her an inheritance, she’s intrigued. Her mom doesn’t talk about her grandfather, saying only that he was cold, distant and never supported them. With college bills weighing on her, Gemma meets with the lawyer and discovers that her grandfather left her a puzzle to solve, one that will hopefully have a lucrative treasure at the end.

Trouble is, the puzzle requires her to travel to Taiwan. The only way she can afford to go is by tagging along on the next Taiwanese American Roots Pursuit trip, one organized by none other than Xander himself. Swallowing her pride, Gemma begs to be included. To her surprise, a last-minute cancellation means that she’s in!

Getting there is only half the battle tho. Due to her mother’s determination to assimilate, Gemma knows practically nothing of Taiwanese language or culture. Xander offers to help, but can she really trust him after his 9th grade betrayal? Plus, their families have historically been enemies…

This was such a satisfying Young Adult romance, that beautifully incorporates puzzles into its exploration of Taiwan. As a puzzle enthusiast myself, I really enjoyed following along as the steps took us through the beauty of Taipei and beyond, even if my knowledge of Mandarin is about as rudimentary as Gemma’s. Gloria Chao does an amazing job of describing not only the sights but also the tastes of Taiwan. In her afterword, she mentions how this is the book that made her hungriest while writing, and I can see why!

I also enjoyed the fact that these kids act like teenagers and grow into increased maturity as the book goes along. The enemies-to-lovers trope was really nicely handled too. But what really got to me in these pages was the examination of the different ways in which Asian immigrants to America deal with assimilation, and how that impacts their children and grandchildren. Jean rebels against her father’s strictness by refusing to be anything but American, which leaves Gemma feeling loved but understandably unfulfilled. Her trip to Taiwan is thus cathartic in many ways, and solves generations of mysteries for both her family and Xander’s.

Definitely pick this up if you’re into smart, intriguing puzzles; exploring Taiwan, and enjoying a sweet enemies-to-lovers romance. Also, Jacki Li’s cover art perfectly captures everything great about this book. Recommended.

Ex Marks The Spot by Gloria Chao was published December 31 2024 by Viking Books For Young Readers and is available from all good booksellers, including