This book had me laughing out loud - so funny and clever.

Meddy Chan has an Indo/Chinese heritage and with that comes a tight family network of Aunts. Sometimes they interfere and sometimes they are there to help, like when she's just murdered her blind date!

If you think of a farce featuring a dead body and the disposal of it by an everyday family of women who have no idea what they are doing, then this is the outline of the book. What I was not expecting was the layers to the story and the twists that came with them. Brilliantly written and playing on the age divide between Meddy and her family with regard to social media etiquette was so much fun to read.

Then there is the rom com aspect. We get flashbacks to when Meddy dated Nathan years ago, and now just when she's trying to dispose of a dead body he turns up. She's not over him and he's just as good as she remembers him, expect now he's got the wrong idea of her.

As you might imagine the Aunts and Meddy's Mother are the stars of this book, their dialogue amongst themselves and the infighting is hilarious. If you are looking for a good read, with some laughs and surprises, then this is the book for you. Any age will enjoy the book as you have the whole age range covered by this intriguing family.

I felt all through reading the book that this would make such a wonderful film. So no surprise to find it is being made into one by Netflix - I'll definitely be watching it.

Dial A For Aunties is the hilarious caper comedy that will have you laughing with disbelief throughout.

You know a date has gone really wrong when you return home with a dead body instead of a phone number! Which is exactly what happens to lead character Meddy after she tasers the guy who’s a little too handsy on the ride home.

Rather than going to the police this book follows the outrageous events that lead to dispose of the body. If that isn’t enough to deal with, Meddy has to cope with her Ma and 3 Aunts, a family curse and an ex boyfriend.

This book is a hoot! Glorious in its dark humour and the exploration of Chinese/Indonesian culture and tradition really brought the narrative to life. It was refreshing to read a novel where italics weren’t used to differentiate languages too. 5 stars from me!

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - 5 stars
Chaos, hilarious and more chaos is how i would describe this book, it was crazy in the best way from start to finish. Definitely a laugh out loud, smiling while reading kind of book. In this murder mystery/romcom/feel good novel, Meddelin Chan, her mother and her aunties are in for a wild ride working an island resort wedding for their family business ”Don’t leave your big day to chance, leave it to the Chans!”. Their business includes them being the wedding  cake maker, florist, entertainer, hair/makeup artist and the photographer. To make this day harder they are also trying to deal with the dead body of an (accidental) murder. The story explores Chinese and Indonesian culture and tradition in such a lovely and educational way showcasing the strong family bond all the aunties have with each other and how they interact with Meddelin as she finds out who she is as a person. The plot switches between present time and the past as we learn more of Meddelin's life at college and the boy she left behind. Also you can't forget the curse the family has upon them. The murder mystery aspect is just hilarious and had me wondering what would happen next meanwhile the romcom aspect of Meddelin having to go on a blind date to running into her old college boyfriend was heart-warming and uplifting. This is definitely a book you should go check out!

Thank you to the author and publisher for this gifted copy I received through NetGalley. All thoughts thoughts opinions of this book are my own

This was a brilliantly entertaining book full of family mishaps and mis-communication.

I loved the central family aspect, how close they all were, that they had each other's backs. The family dynamic was interesting to see.

There were some wonderfully written laugh out loud moments (eggplant emoji, anyone? 🍆) and I really the translation mishaps between Chinese-Indo to English.

Such a light and easy read which I flew through. Quick wit, family love, and a slightly dark and comical rom-com. What more could you ask for?

This really was such a fun reading experience, you know when you find a book that just makes you laugh at all the absurdities well Dial A for Aunties is that book. It just had all the right elements to make it a loveable, hilarious and gripping read.

It’s the kind of story that makes me feel like I want to tell you all the funny bits where I was actually laughing out loud so that we can share in how amusing it was together but, of course, I also don’t want to spoil the book for you either. What I will say is that even though there is a murder at the heart of this story rest assured it doesn’t take itself too seriously and you will soon be pulled into the antics and misadventure of Meddy, her mum and her aunties.

I loved learning about Meddy’s Chinese and Indonesian heritage and how she is constantly juggling who she wants to be against making her family proud. I can’t say too much about it but her romantic entanglements feel like they are all doomed which makes it quite funny but also makes you really on her side and hoping that she will get through everything kind of unscathed. The growth that Meddy has as a character is fascinating, she starts out as a kind of unwitting wrong place wrong time character and ends up managing to manipulate situations to her advantage, but in a kind of unlikely way, which makes her even more loveable.

Her mum and the aunts were hilarious and I loved their bickering and one-upmanship with each other because at the end of the day the reader knows that they would really do anything for each other. Even though they were mostly known by their place in the family rather than by name, their personalities really shone through and it always made me smile how unpredictable they would be, they never reacted the way I expected.

If you are looking for a funny and unexpected story with loveable characters that find themselves in an outrageous situation then you’ll love Dial A for Aunties.

I had to pick this up as I am actively trying to read more stories about East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) diaspora and this book plot is right up my street! A really fun and energetic read that had me screaming "Noooo!". I particularly love the relationship between the Aunties, which I can totally imagine is the future for me and my 3 sisters.

Happy to recommend this Book to my podcast listeners, social media followers and anyone else I come into contact with 😁

This was a fun, albeit predictable at times read that gave me a fair few laughs even as I had to wonder what the characters were even thinking at times!

By far the stand out characters of this story are the aunties. I love how we never find out their actual names and even call each other their nicknames such as 'big aunt', 'fourth aunt', etc. Even though we didn't know their names, each was so unique and I never had to try and guess who was who. I've never known anyone to see a dead body and immediately start doing tai chi and yet it happened here and made me laugh so hard. The bluntness and creativity of each of the aunts was my favourite part of the book and I could happily read a sequel following their daily lives as they were glorious.

Unfortunately for me, the rest of the story was just...meh. I still don't understand why the first reaction after killing a person would be to shove them in the boot of a car. I honestly question half the decisions made in this book and not in a good way. Yes, eventually things end up making sense, but I spent most of the book torn between laughing or giving up because it was just so cringy.

The romance was pretty well written. I could feel Meddy's pain as she faced her ex again as well as the different emotions between the wedding party the family were organising.

It's no surprise this has been picked up to be made into a movie. It gave me 'The Hangover' and 'Bad Moms' vibes, and within two chapters I had a feeling it would be snapped up. I enjoyed it enough to watch the adaptation, but not enough that I would go back and read it again any time soon.

This story is a multigenerational delight, full of humorous incidents and vibrant characters. It has a little of everything culture, drama, fun, murder mystery and romance. The family curse means Meddy feels she can't leave her mother and aunties, as their husbands and sons have, but this has consequences for Meddy, which become clear as the story progresses.

This story is a journey of self-realisation for Meddy, who has changed the course of life for her female relatives. It also explores the concept of family and the willingness to do anything for a loved one. The visual writing style makes the comic and dramatic events easy to visualise and therefore more engaging. The dialogue is key to the enjoyment in a novel that is the perfect escape.

I received a copy of this book from HQ via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Thank you to HQ for my early review e-arc and for inviting me to be on the blog tour!

I really enjoyed Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto, it was sassy, smart and I could not put it down. Meddy, as a protagonist was fantastic and likeable, I really enjoyed the struggles she felt towards her family although I have to say now I am not an own voice reviewer so I cannot entirely relate, only empathise to an extent. Sutanto uses language incredibly well in this story, it says in the beginning that she has written everything how her family speaks which makes the characters very engaging and realistic.

Meddy is ‘stuck’ in her family, as a female child, looking after her elders traditionally falls to her so she puts her dreams and life aside to try and please her family whereas her male cousins have up and left to pursue careers elsewhere. It’s a narrative trait I think is used a lot but Sutanto really brings it to life in Meddy, again through her use of language. She is torn between her aunts speaking Indonesian and Mandarin - neither of which she speaks overly well- and English, which she is fluent in having grown up in America. I liked that Sutanto uses this naturally and doesn’t make it a plot point for humour to revolve around.

Instead, the humour in Dial A for Aunties comes from what I can only describe as slapstick comedy. The situations Meddy and her Aunts find themselves in really is laughable and the book does not take itself seriously (at all) which is perfect! I loved that Sutanto managed to get so much hilarity included while still giving a meaningful story alongside it because ultimately, this book is about being yourself and being accepted by your friends and family by putting aside pre-conceived restraints born from society and culture. I would seriously recommend this absolutely bonkers book if you want something lighthearted and sweet to read because it hits the nail on the head really.

You can bet I'm going to be waiting to watch this on Netflix when it gets released!

Absolutely first class debut.

Hilariously quirky novel that is equal parts murder mystery, rom-com ad a celebration of mothers and daughters as well as a deep dive into Chinese -Indonesian culture. I couldn't put this down. It was a total laugh out loud riot! Jam packed with an positively absurd amount of plot twists and turns that you never once see coming. This isn't my usual type of read but BOY am I glad I took a chance and picked this up... As I read i couldn't help but envisage this as a film - which I just found out that Netflix has optioned it.. Cannot wait to see their adaptation and eager to see what Jesse Sutanto has in store in her next book.

I absolutely adored this book. It was laugh-out-loud funny, full of love, farcical and simply a delight to read.

Meddy was a brilliant character, watching her try to define herself while also honouring her culture was interesting. Meddy was warm and funny and so worried abut what the right thing to do was that she couldn’t decide what to do, yet when she needed help she knew categorically that her Ma and Aunties would be there – and they were. As someone who is white British I have no experience of the Chinese-Indonesian culture that Meddy lives in so I was learning at the same time. I particularly loved reading about the various Wedding traditions.

Our main plot point of an inconvenient dead body leads us through a completely farcical journey that is part ‘weekend at Bernies’, part family drama, part romance, part murder mystery and all heart.

I loved the very clever way the author introduced a romance element into this story, it was so much better than the standard Insta-Love trope and I was instantly on board with it.

Meddy’s family, were loud, chaotic, and so loving that were a delight to spend time with. Honestly I think I spent most of my time reading this with a smile on my face, it was just so warm. I’d love to have Meddy’s Ma and Aunties on my side if I ever had a problem that needed solving. I loved how instantly they were on her side, no questions asked (well actually lots of questions asked but not about that).

One of my top reads of the year, I recommend it anyone who could sue a bit of cheering up right now (or who just wants a great book to read).

With thanks to HQ and Netgalley for a digital copy in exchange for honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have read it so quickly! This book provided me with laughs and lots of lighthearted funny moments, throughout what should have been a stressful series of events and it came at just the right time to counter some other books I’m reading that are a little heavier! I really enjoyed it!

It was so entertaining and endearing seeing the family dynamics and watching Meddy, her Ma and Aunties working together. They were a very quirky and resourceful bunch! At times the storyline did tread into unbelievable but that didn’t deflect from the story. I was itching to see how it would all unfold.

The tone of this book reminds me very much of Jane the Virgin and My Big Fat Greek Wedding, both of which I loved, so if you have enjoyed those, definitely add this one to your TBR!

Throughout my reading I was chuckling away and I could just see how this would play out on screen, so I was so excited to see it’s been picked up by Netflix and will be a film! Safe to say I’ll be tuning in when it’s released!

Thanks so much for the advanced copy.

I shall be posting to insta on 29/04 when the book is released and will add my link then.

This book is both genuinely funny and entertaining and also wasn't for me. It is an absolute farce and I mean that in a good way: its clearly not taking itself too seriously and the events snowball one after another, the worst thing happening that possibly can. I sort of loved that -- the way that the author just went along, creating this ridiculous situations which were also just <i>fun</i> to read and imagine. I smiled a fair bunch! Meddy and the aunties were HILARIOUS and I really enjoyed reading the bickering and the planning and the affection for each other. The book also touches on a number of things: Meddy's desire to do right by her mother and her aunties, the sense of filial loyalty and how all-important that is, especially for Meddy's family. I also really enjoyed reading about a Chinese-Indonesian family and their routines! I also loved all the wedding stuff -- I thought it was fun to see that, because I didn't know anything about all of it!

The book is entertaining and a great romp: it's a quick read that I absolutely flew through and I just know a lot of people will love this book. You do have to suspend all disbelief, though.

Despite all that, this book wasn't really for me. I didn't love the writing style and I didn't love the main character and her internal monologue. I know it can be hard to flesh her out, given these particular set of circumstances, but she didn't really seem to have much of a stable personality to me. I would have loved something a little more concrete. Outside of that, I just really feel like there was no need for the romantic subplot and it added so little to the book. It felt unnecessary. The bare bones of the plot are still there without Nathan, really. Also I just didn't like the ending at all!!!!

I think this will work for a lot of people and I think it's a good time of year for this to come out -- I can see this being a fun summer read. Just not for me. I'm gonna give it a 2.5 but for now I'm going to round it up because I think that it is admirable how fully it leans into the farcical elements. I didn't really like it, but I admire that.

I was provided an ARC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

The premise of this book is interesting but the execution didn't pay off for me, unfortunately. There was something about the writing style that didn't work for me. The book is written in first person and it felt like reading the main character's internal monologue, which might not be so bad except I didn't really like the main character. She's supposed to be 26 but came across as younger and more immature, particularly due to the numerous questionable decisions she makes. I also found her kind of cringy and annoying. I have to say, though, that the plot itself was really entertaining. The aunties were by far the best part of this book and were genuinely hilarious. Around halfway through I got really caught up in the story and found myself enjoying the absolutey absurd yet hilarious situation. However, the book once again dipped towards the end as there were certain questionable "revelations" that didn't sit right with me and I thought the way the whole plot was resolved was a bit clumsy and not very satisfying. Still, I think I would still recommend this book as there's no doubt that it was a fun read and I think the writing style and slightly absurd logic of the plot will be to some people's taste.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A silly, funny farce. I really enjoyed this book even if it was farcical. Meddy is ruled by her mother and 3 aunts, but she loves them too much to go her own way even when she falls madly in love with Nathan. When she has an accident they rally round her but actually make matters worse. The aunts arguing does sometimes get repetitive, but a good book in these miserable times.

Laugh out loud and entirely whacky are the first thoughts I get when I think of the reading experience of this book. It was a wild but easy to read ride. whilst much of the story was unrealistic and down right ridiculous, the characters, the drama, the plot all made it so worth the read. The romance between Meddy and Nathan wasn’t the main part of the book, it was more family dynamical which I really enjoyed and the aunties and Meddys family personalities were shown well. I’m glad they chose to include the flashbacks to the past and her relationship to make it mor understandable and keep us up to speed. Some parts were just a bit OTT and I didn’t enjoy, but knowing this is being made into a film makes me so interested to see how they play it out.

Such a fun, easy read that had such a charming vibe to it! I loved Meddy and the meddling aunties and mum. Some really cute jokes and a dialogue heavy script that left a general feeling of happiness.

Thanks for the chance to read!

Meddy Chan tasers her blind date in self defence believing he has undesirable intent, she subsequently crashes her car and accidentally kills him. Her Ma and her aunties 1, 2, 3 and 4 get involved in helping to dispose of the body. They have a family wedding business and with an imminent wedding they decide to use this opportunity to dispose of the body. Unbeknown to Meddy the hotel proprietor at the wedding venue is none other than her one true love, the ex-boyfriend she dated and subsequently thwarted at university. What follows is a chaotic, crazy and completely over-the-top series of events. It’s like reading the script from a bizarre and abstract comedy sketch. That being said it’s entertaining and humorous and you can’t help but become drawn into the ensuing murder mystery plot and the romance subplot.

It’s very dialogue heavy which interrupts the flow somewhat and as a consequence the story doesn’t move along as smoothly as perhaps it could, but nevertheless it’s a compelling and fun read. Although I could see the funny side of it, I didn’t find it a laugh out loud comedy and the chaotic vibe of the book was a little exasperating. The meddling aunties and Ma are by far the stars of the show and are very comical. I adored the banter and family dynamics and the aunties’ stilted and broken English dialogue.

Dial A For Aunties is an easy and quick read and you’re halfway through before you know it. It’s deemed an adult book but it definitely has more of a YA feel. I’m not sure how I feel about the death, part of me was hoping it had turned out differently. The premise of the story didn’t quite work for me but you will certainly enjoy it if you desire a little bit of light-hearted escapism, an uncomplicated murder mystery and some giggles along the way.

Thank you so much to the publisher for giving me the opportunity to review this book via Netgalley. The review will be published across my social media handles nearer to publication.

Meddelin 'Meddy' Chan belongs to a family of strong women there's no doubt about that. Dial A for Aunties is a story of the women coming together and looking out for one another because it's family and there's a dead body that needs 'sorting'.

I can say it's like nothing I've read before and it was funny and an easy read. But I kept thinking, really? That's not plausible AT ALL. I needed more from Meddy and Nathan it was subdued and then BAM. However, the relationship of the women was endearing. You could tell that they cared a lot for one another, even with the bickering.

Jesse Sutanto's comedy thriller is an absolute hoot, but you are going to have to suspend your sense of disbelief to fully appreciate and enjoy this offbeat fun fest. It celebrates the Chinese and Indonesian heritage, traditions, rituals and culture of 26 year old Meddelin 'Meddy' Chan, caught between being the good girl and daughter to her Ma, and her 4 Aunties, with their competitive rivalries and grudges, who have brought her up and poured their unconditional love and support into her, and being true to herself and embracing her needs and desires. English is her language, although she does try the mother tongues, she only ends up irritating her aunties with her poor grasp of them. Meddy is afraid of the family curse, one where all the men died, but which has mutated into all the men and boys leaving. This informed her choice of university, settling for the local UCLA so that she can remain with her ma, not wanting to let her family down, resulting in her role in the family wedding business as a photographer.

In a narrative that shifts from the past and present, we learn of her best friend Selena, but more importantly her 3 year relationship with Nathan at UCLA, the love of her life, and how she comes to break up with him, keeping the family completely in the dark about him, choosing her family above moving to New York with him. If romance is your thing, then I should mention that this is a minor thread in the novel. Worried about the lack of romance in Meddy's life, her naive ma poses as Meddy on a dating app, setting her up with a date with hotelier Jake. However, when Jake refuses to hear the word no, she ends up accidentally killing him. There is nothing ma and her aunties will not do for Meddy, including trying to get rid of the body, the only trouble is that they have the biggest wedding to organise on an island off the Californian coast.

Follow the mayhem, crazy and chaos that ensues at the wedding, and with Nathan unexpectedly revealed as the hotel owner, Meddy's desperate efforts to get back together with her soulmate. She finds herself being pushed into taking control of her own life as events conspire against her. There is the issue of the true identity of the dead body, there is a deranged maid of honour threatening to derail Meddy's life, all the trials, tribulations and rituals of the wedding, with the wealthy entitled groom, Tom Cruise Sutapo, turning out to be a callous, mean and manipulative man. This is a fabulously entertaining and engaging read that tips into the territory of farce and the ridiculous which will make you laugh. I loved the aunties, their banter, and perhaps that family curse is a blessing in disguise! Many thanks to HQ for an ARC.