Incredibly hygge, light, fluffy, and cozy young adult book. Felt like a giant warm hug from my Gran. The descriptions of food were delicious and had my stomach growling. Inclusive, creative, and gentle read about Emiko coming of age. Was nostalgic for me as whilst I’m from a different part of southern BC, Canadian stories aren’t as common as American ones, and it’s set only a few hours from where I grew up. I also loved that as a multicultural story you were reading a lot about Japanese culture and dishes. A beautiful story about friendship, heartbreak, first loves, loyalty, making amends, and creativity.

Emiko is a cute and lighthearted retelling of Emma that is infused with Japanese Canadian culture. I absolutely loved that it was set in Canada!!! We need more books set in our cozy beach towns. This book is great for young readers and a great modern retelling as an entry point for them into Jane Austen's books.

Thank you to the author and publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Chieri Uegaki and Tundra Books for an ARC of this book!

Emiko by Chieri Uegaki, is a charming YA read that’s perfect for middle grade and teen readers. Set in a cozy little coastal town on British Columbia’s West Coast, the story follows sweet, spirited Emiko during the summer before her senior year of high school. She’s a bit of a busybody and lives with her Ojiichan and her aunt, surrounded by an eclectic and endearing group of friends.

Reading Emiko felt like stepping into a warm hug. It’s the kind of book i would have devoured over and over again as a teen. It is full of heart, the anguish of young love, and all the uncertainty that comes with trying to figure out your future. As an adult, I did find it skewed a bit younger for my taste, but that totally makes sense, this book is meant for readers who are right in the middle of those big, exciting life questions.

What really stood out for me was Emiko’s lovely sense of community. Her town gave me major Stars Hollow vibes, the kind of place where everyone knows each other, looks out for one another, and shows up when it really counts.

All in all, Emiko is sweet, heartfelt, and sprinkled with just the right amount of ya magic. I’d absolutely recommend it to younger readers looking for a cozy, relatable story about love, life, and finding your way.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

this was such a fun and fresh take on "Emma"! I loved the setting choice (seriously, Canada's beauty is underrated); the overarching values of family, community, and friendship; the emphasis on Japanese culture and maintaining traditions; the use of the [romanized] language; and the messiness that is high school. I also loved the little twist at the end with Harumi.

overall it was a lighthearted and predictable read if you're familiar with the source material. some things I didn't enjoy included the plot structure (there were bits where it felt like one event/party to the next; which, admittedly, is pretty true to the original) and lack of discussion related to classism. this is a veryyy upper class focused, and loses out on the major point of Will's character in the original—being of a lower status (i.e., farmer), resulting in Emma's meddling in the first place. I don't think age was a good substitute for socioeconomic class, but that's my personal opinion.

would I recommend? definitely, to younger teens who cannot be bothered to read the original classic and those of Japanese heritage and/or second gen immigrants who can relate to upholding cultural traditions and expectations.

3.5 out of 5 ⭐️s

This story is a retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma but t set in the “Golden Coast” of British Columbia and centers around Japanese-Canadian teen, Emiko.

At first, the characters felt too similar to their Austen counterparts, but the story eventually hits its stride once it dives into the daily lives and cultural details—like food, festivals, and holidays—of the characters.

If you’ve already read Emma or watched one of its many adaptations (hello, Clueless), you might find Emiko’s plot and character arcs a bit too familiar. Emiko herself is just as unlikable as Emma can be—she meddles and doesn’t grow all that much.

Still, the setting and cultural layers make this worth a read for anyone who hasn’t yet experienced Austen’s classic or wants a fresh, culturally rich spin on it.

I’d recommend this one for teens 14 and up.

Emiko will be published June 10, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tundra Book Group | Tundra Books, and Chieri Uegaki for this free, advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

*Thank you Tundra Book Group and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Emiko by Chieri Uegaki was, overall, a sweet retelling of Jane Austen's Emma. I enjoyed the cooking and mouthwatering food descriptions in this book as well as the setting of the BC West Coast. The scenes of Emiko trying to matchmake people in her town were immensely funny. I have to say that the author got the relationship between Emiko and Kenzo spot on. They mirrored Emma and Mr. Knightly very well.

Dislikes: First, I disliked that Emiko's guidance counselor was referred to as Mx G. I had to look up what that meant because I never heard it before. Secondly, I hated the scene where two characters do underage drinking. What followed could have totally happened without underage drinking. Lastly, I was very angry that the author randomly decided to make a character lesbian at the end of the book, when there was no indication whatsoever throughout the book because she liked guys. I found this extremely unnecessary, frustrating, and forced.

Overall, I think Emiko is a good retelling of Emma, but for me, my dislikes outweigh my likes.

── .✦ 𝑺𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 🩰
𝖳𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗄 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗇𝖾𝗍𝗀𝖺𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗒 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝗎𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗋 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗅𝖾𝗍𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖠𝖱𝖢 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝗂𝗇 𝖾𝗑𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗁𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝖽𝖻𝖺𝖼𝗄.

⋆. 𐙚 ̊ 𝓔𝓶𝓲𝓴𝓸 🤍˚˖⋆
་༘🌷. 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚: 13+, 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜: (𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙮. 𝙊𝙧 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙣𝙤𝙣𝙚)
────୨ৎ────
🍃 now playing: 𝙋𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙒𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 ౨ৎ
𝖢𝗈𝗇𝖺𝗇 𝖦𝗋𝖺𝗒 °🍵⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
1:07 ——◦———— 2:39
↠ⁿᵉˣᵗ ˢᵒⁿᵍ ↺ ʳᵉᵖᵉᵃᵗ ⊜ ᵖᵃᵘˢᵉ
────୨ৎ────

⋆˚࿔ " 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣" 𝜗𝜚˚⋆

🍰ˎˊ˗ I will admit when I saw the cover of this I was like "OH MY GOD YES. JUST YES." And knew I had to read it right away!!! And by the time you are reading this review I did exactly just that and finished this cutesy fun little book! I do have a few things I want to touch bases on which aren't all exactly positive though!!!

⋆˚࿔ "𝘽𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙄'𝙢 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜" 𝜗𝜚˚⋆

🍰ˎˊ˗ Starting off with the positives I just want to say how HAPPY I am with the culture representation in this book. I felt like the author had no shame in representing the Japanese culture because in this book we got a lot of it!! From the food the characters eat, to events that happen, to even some Japanese words that are occasionally said!! I felt like the author stayed very true to her origins and I could tell and feel how authentic this writing was!! I also loved the chill laid back home town vibe of this book!! It felt really cozy and fun to engage in and readdddd!!

⋆˚࿔ "𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙖𝙮, 𝙄'𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣" 𝜗𝜚˚⋆

🍰ˎˊ˗ Though I do have quite a bit of things that bothered me while I was reading this book one being that the plot was almost EVERYWHERE!! I'm not joking when I say this but the amount of things going on and back in forth in each chapter made me extremely confused when reading. I felt like the author tried to jampack as much into the book as possible which made it kind of hard and maybe even a bit boring to read. Another thing was that the romance for the main character that was supposed to be the main aspect of this book felt more like a sideplot. Because when it did happen I wasn't that all excited for it, and honestly the reveal was kind of rushed and maybe even lame?? I think it felt this way because there was hardly any build up between the two because the plot was so everywhere. ANOTHER THING I want to touch bases on was that the main character kind of bothered and annoyed me just a bit. I felt like she was very worried about everyone else but herself and kind of just being in her mind the entire time. And while she did progress through the story, I just felt like we could have had a more self aware main character. I also don’t think there was even a “matcha-maker” event that occurred in this book either which was disappointing since it was something I was expecting ASWELL.

⋆˚࿔ "𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙣𝙤𝙬, 𝙄'𝙢 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜" 𝜗𝜚˚⋆

🍰ˎˊ˗ Other than that, I do think this was a somewhat enjoyable read. While I wouldn't read it again, I wouldn't say it was the worst either and I def recommend giving it a try to see if you enjoy it :)

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🎀 𝓅𝓇𝑒𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: WHAT IS THIS CUTIE OF A BOOK I GOT THE ARC TOO??? 💞 This looks so coquette and cutesy and she’s a MATCHA MAKER?? WHAT IS THISS?!

A fun modern take on Emma, with a varied cast of characters. A lot of landscape and food descriptions, but maybe lacking a bit in the growth of Emiko herself. I found her hard to root for at times. But overall, a decent read!

Emiko is a sweet, culturally rich YA retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma, set in a Japanese-Canadian community. The novel follows Emiko, a self-proclaimed matchmaking genius, as she navigates her final year of high school, balancing family expectations, friendships, and her own identity.

Uegaki does a lovely job weaving Japanese cultural elements into the story—seasonal festivals, traditional foods, and family dynamics add depth and authenticity. Emiko's relationship with her grandfather is particularly touching, offering some of the most heartfelt moments in the book.

This is a modern YA retelling of Jane Austin’s Emma. Brilliantly emulates the vibes and pace of the inspiration while modernizing it. The Japanese-Canadian Emiko is our match maker, and after the marriage of her aunt she sets her sights on making a match for her new friend Harumi. Emiko is not always the most likeable but she is willing to own up to her mistakes. Overall this is such a cute story.

I should preface, I have never read Emma, or any other Emma retellings. Therefore, I have nothing to compare it too. Overall, the book as a whole, I thought was 100 pages too long. Emiko, felt hard to connect to, too many sides characters, so it was really hard to root for any of them. While I was rooting for who Emiko ended up with, we didn't really get to know him that well either.

3.5 stars

I’m excited to write this review because I have quite a few thoughts. Ok so first, I need to talk about the romance aspect. I found the entire book really cute (friends to lovers is so underrated) but to be honest it was kind of underdeveloped. Like I feel like Emiko’s relationships with everyone except the person she ended up with were well developed. And I feel like this character was really underdeveloped too. A lot of this book was underdeveloped in general to be honest. The plot was all over the place and no one thing was really focused on.

📚 Book Review: 💚🍵✨

If you're craving a sweet and cozy YA romance with just the right amount of meddling, mischief, and matcha, then The Matcha-Maker is the perfect read for you! 😍📖 Think Emma with a Japanese-Canadian twist, set against the charming backdrop of a coastal BC town—and with brunch! 🥞🍓

Our heroine, Emiko Kimori, is a self-proclaimed matchmaking prodigy 💘👩🏻‍🍳 who’s already scored a love win for her aunt and is ready to take on her newest project: helping the new girl find the perfect match. What Emiko lacks in self-awareness she makes up for in heart, energy, and enthusiasm. She juggles school 📚, volunteering 🤝, friends 💬, and crafting picture-perfect brunches 🍳🥑 while dodging any serious thoughts about her own future or love life. That is, until love sneaks up on her. 😳💓

The romance is swoony and slow-burn in the best way, especially with childhood friend Kenzo Sanada quietly waiting in the wings 🫢🧡. Their chemistry gives major Gilmore Girls vibes (Team Jess, anyone? 😉) and the whole story is seasoned with delightful family moments, community warmth, and cultural flavor that feels both fresh and comforting. 🎎🌊

What makes this book extra special is how it blends classic Jane Austen wit with Jenny Han-style feels 🥺💌. Emiko’s journey of realizing that love isn’t a puzzle to solve but something to experience hits just right. You’ll laugh at her matchmaking blunders, cheer for her as she figures things out, and maybe even tear up a little as she finally lets herself be vulnerable. 💭❤️

Final Thoughts:
A charming, heartfelt rom-com with a lovable cast, delicious brunch scenes 🍩🍓, and a heroine who’s learning that sometimes the best match is the one you never planned for. Perfect for fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Emma, and anyone who believes that love and food make the best pair. 💌🍱👫

I was drawn to this title after hearing that it was both a Jane Austen Emma retelling, and set on the west coast of British Columbia. I don't often get to read books set within my own country, and I love Jane Austen and usually enjoy when authors approach her stories from a unique perspective. I went into this one fully expecting to love it.

If you're looking for a title that is basically a love letter to the west coast of British Columbia, including many vivid and colorful descriptions of the beautiful landscapes, then this might just be the book you've been looking for. I also loved getting to learn more about Japanese Canadian traditions, especially the festivals and the food, and the reasons why they celebrate the way they do and when they do. Those bits and pieces ended up being my favorite, and I enjoyed the vivid imagery the author used to bring the descriptions to life.

That being said, if you're looking for a more of a fun loving, well written, young adult contemporary, well then this might not be the book you're looking for. The pacing and style of the novel was hard to follow, and it felt more like reading a girl's diary where nothing really happens, and many important circumstances are skipped right over. This wasn't an epistolary style novel (which I love by the way), but instead was just written in a bit of a different way, and it didn't work for me.

As well, as someone who loves Emma, I thought I would enjoy Emiko's character, but that wasn't the case. She was hard to root for, and honestly, was an extremely unlikeable character. Her family seemed to think she could do no wrong, and she pushes and pushes all of her friends to the point of almost bullying to get exactly what she wants, even when it's not what they want for themselves. I don't feel we saw much growth in her character throughout the story, and that also made the romance completely unbelievable for me as I don't understand what he possibly could have seen in her to be interested enough to want to be with her.

I thought the ending was a bit rushed and didn't wrap up the story in a way I was happy with, and ended up feeling a bit letdown when I finished this one.

Final Rating: 2.5/5

I'm glad I took a try on a book that's a bit different than something I'd normally read, but it's not one I would rush back to reread, and I don't think I'd recommend it if you're a person, like me, who enjoys more plot driven stories.

I do have to mention though how much I love the cover! It's stunning, and truly drew me to wanting to give this title a try.

Thanks so much to Tundra Books for allowing me to advance read and review this title!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher (Tundra Books) via NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.

Emiko by Chieri Uegaki is a charming, culturally rich YA retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma, reimagined through a Japanese Canadian lens. Set in a contemporary high school, the novel brings familiar characters and plot lines into a modern setting—while adding emotional warmth and cultural texture that give the story a fresh, endearing tone.

Fans of Emma will enjoy identifying the clever parallels: from Emiko’s well-meaning meddling to the modern-day figures. The characters’ Japanese names and family dynamics are easy to connect to their Austenian counterparts, yet they also stand firmly on their own, thanks to Uegaki’s heartfelt storytelling.

What sets Emiko apart is how much more likeable Emiko is than Austen’s Emma. While she still possesses the classic traits of youthful pride and a bit of matchmaking mischief, Emiko is written with a gentle sincerity and genuine desire to help others that makes her journey toward self-awareness feel more grounded and relatable.

Uegaki also skillfully blends Japanese and Canadian traditions throughout the narrative—from food and festivals to the nuances of intergenerational relationships—adding a delightful cross-cultural layer that enriches the story without overwhelming it.

This book is a lovely, accessible introduction to Austen for younger readers, especially those curious about Japanese Canadian culture. It's a sweet, thoughtful tale about friendship, growing up, and learning that sometimes, the best intentions still require a bit of self-reflection.

Thanks to Netgalley and Tundra Book Group | Tundra Books for this ARC. This is my honest review.

3.5/5 ⭐️

Beach-side coziness, bad decisions, tea time with friends, a bit of teenage angst, and lots of scrumptious food you wish you could grab off the page. Fans of the original Emma by Jane Austen, or the movie adaptation Clueless, will find delight in picking up all the references in Emiko. I liked how it leaned into the ‘small town story’ potential. It added a comforting warmth. The Japanese seasonal events that Emiko and her Ojiichan hosted for the townspeople seemed so fun, I would love to have some fresh mochi too! The light romance was sweet, Kenzo and Emiko were super cute together in the few scenes they had but it would’ve been nice to have more; it feels like we got more of Gareth and Jun with Emiko. I liked that the author kept the flaws of the original character; Emiko can make some pretty huge mistakes, sometimes at the expense of others’ feelings, she’s especially more prone to messing things up as a teenager, but she has the grace to acknowledge her mistakes, the courage to apologize, and she’s sincere. That’s the charm of Emma, even though many might not appreciate the character. Make sure to have some tea and snacks with you before reading! Thank you to NetGalley and Tundra Books for the arc.

A fun and pretty faithful YA adaptation of Emma by Jane Austen. In some ways I like Emiko even a little more, while she did have her faults she wasn't quite as bad as Emma. I liked the fun modern day setting, most of the characters, and learning more about some Japanese traditions and food. The festival was probably one of my favorite parts. There was no sex or swearing and while there was a little bit of underage drinking it wasn't shown in a favorable light. But I'd have no problem recommending this to younger readers. There were a couple slight differences at the end that I wasn't a fan of, and didn't make a lot of sense in my opinion, that take it down one star for me but other than that I really enjoyed this book.

This was such a cute story and read! I fell in love with the cover and had to read it amd it didn't disappoint 😍 i would definitely reread it and recommend it to my friends!

4.5 stars

A sweet and endearing YA/teen contemporary romance novel that explores a girl's relationships with friends, herself, and her grandfather.

Emiko, a senior in high school, isn't quite sure what she wants to do once she graduates. What she does know is that she is one heck of a matchmaker! Just ask her recently married Aunt!

Emiko is hella smart, perhaps a little (or a lot, depending on who you ask) pushy, quite the socialite, and a foodie to boot. But she might just be a bit too smart for her own good, as she thinks she knows how to piece together the perfect pair... her new friend, Harumi, and the new hire, Gareth, at the café she works at. Funny how things don't seem to go quite as she planned. She is so focused on setting them up that she is blind to key details that matter most to them and those around her.

Her oldest friend from childhood, Kenzo, is a beloved thorn in her side. They have a playful banter with teasing jibes, often tormenting each other... yet it's an easy kind of friendship. But he doesn't see her matchmaking in the same light and has a different opinion on her project couple, which infuriates Emiko. But is he right? And if so, can she admit defeat?

Kenzo and Emiko's relationship starts to change, making her a little uncomfortable and unsure of herself. She's not quite sure she likes this change, and the awkwardness she now feels is between them.

Love the author's style of writing, Japanese culture (OMgosh, just reading mention of the food made me crave some! 🤤), and all of the witty references to movies, books, and music. It's present and relevant, amusing, quirky, and cute ~ kawaii. Plus, Emiko's relationship with her grandfather is so sweet and touching! Oh, the heart feels! 💓 Makes me miss my own grandpa.

“Emiko” is a cute and charming retelling of Jane Austen’s “Emma” by Chieri Uegaki.

I loved how light-hearted, cozy and easy-to-read this book is. It explores the coming-of-age story of Emiko who is a matchmaker herself. She successfully finds a match for her aunt but later on encounters some matchmaking problems.

I gave this book 3 stars out of 5 because for me it lacked a bit of depth. I was not really satisfied with the character of Emiko and how her romantic relationship with Kenzo developed. They were friends who had playful banter and teasing that later on developed romantic feelings towards each other. It was adorable but it wasn’t my cup of tea.

Thank you Net galley for this advanced copy. The opinions in this review are entirely mine.