The Boy You Always Wanted

By Author / Illustrator

Michelle Quach

Genre

Romance & Relationships

Age range(s)

14+

Publisher

Usborne Publishing Ltd

ISBN

9781474989749

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

03-08-2023

Synopsis

A girl, a boy, a grandfather and a plan.
The girl: Francine. Model teenager, dutiful granddaughter, absolutely no chill.
The grandfather: Francine's beloved a gung. He has one final wish, a male heir to carry on the family traditions. It's an outdated idea, but Francine loves him, and she has a plan to bring him the boy he always wanted.
The boy: Ollie. Family friend, former crush, no idea how Francine has convinced him to get mixed up in her off-the-wall, and totally sexist, honorary grandson plan.
The plan: might work. But as Ollie and Francine's worlds collide, their secrets get tangled, and so do their feelings. Sometimes what you really want, isn't at all what you expected.

"Totally in love with this novel." Loan Le, author of A Pho Love Story

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Reviews

From the shortlisted author of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize comes an original light and tender YA romcom. Set in America and drawing upon the traditions of the Chinese-Vietnamese community, The Boy You Always Wanted is a story with a more serious theme of feminism and family loyalty below the happenings of a teenage relationship.

When Francine discovers her beloved grandfather is dying, she sets out to provide what she feels he most wants - a male heir to continue the family traditions. Enter Ollie, nursery playmate, former crush and now classmate who sits behind her in school. With her customary enthusiasm and self-belief, Francine manages to persuade him to become a part of her plan.

What follows is a lively and at times poignant story of burgeoning relationships, friendship and family. There are also some great descriptions of Vietnamese food! The story is told in an appealing dual-narrative style. We hear from both Ollie and Francine. Inevitably there is a twist on which the story pivots. It does stretch credibility slightly but does not detract from an overall enjoyable story.

368 pages / Reviewed by Rachel Bolton