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City Girl Reads #4: Romcom in Singapore!

15 November 2020 in BOOKS, SINGAPORE

Feature photo above by Arif Riyanto on Unsplash

City Girl Reads #4 – Last Tang Standing
by Lauren Ho

Genres: Fiction, Women’s fiction, Romantic comedy
Year: 2020

It’s been a while since my last City Girl Reads post! It look a little while longer than I expected – not because I haven’t been reading because I’m always reading, but more because I want to be selective and share my favourite reads. :) I’ve also turned into a bit of a slow reader as an adult, compared to when I used to zoom through books as a child and teenager, anyone else feels this way?

Anyway, for this post, I’m excited to recommend Malaysian author Lauren Ho’s hilarious debut novel Last Tang Standing. This book was just published this year and is a romantic comedy fiction story set in my sunny home of Singapore! If you’re looking for a funny and lighthearted book that will make you laugh in the midst of this challenging year, you’ve got to pick this one up!

The story is about 33 year old Chinese-Malaysian Andrea, who’s a successful lawyer trying to make partner at a top law firm where she dedicates most of her waking hours to. She has a successful career, great friends, lives in a posh condo and has the spending power to afford expensive meals and designer bags. With all her achievements in life, Andrea is also single, much to her mother’s disappointment. 😆 Hahaha! Sound familiar?

The portrayal of life in this Singapore based story is slightly exaggerated for humour and it’s really funny, I was giggling throughout most of the story! However, as someone who grew up in Singapore, and I think for those of us who grew up in Asian families or societies, it’s easy to relate to the expectations of life achievements, comparisons (university rank, career, job titles) and constant judging that is being shown in this book. I also liked that the author explored topics of interracial dating and social class, presenting it realistically through the different characters in the story.

I really enjoyed Andrea’s journey as she learns to navigate her career, love life and family. She’s confident, intelligent and sarcastic, but quite silly and lost as well, just like the rest of us who are trying to figure it all out. To sum it up, Last Tang Standing is a story filled with humour and heart. :)

Lauren Ho made a strong debut with this book and I’m definitely looking forward to her next one.

Auntie Wei Wei’s tone conveyed the pity her eyes couldn’t. “You know, I always thought my daughter would be the last to marry among all the Tang women of your generation, but it looks like that’s no longer the case.”

A wave of nausea overwhelmed me as the realisation broke: for the first time in my life, I would indeed be last at something.

Last Tang Standing by Lauren Ho

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– Author’s website

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HELLO, I’M KYLENE

HELLO, I’M KYLENE

I’m a Hong Kong born, Singapore raised city girl. I have lived, studied and worked in both cities and am currently based in sunny Singapore. Welcome to my personal blog, where I share my city adventures. :)
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🏛April 2023🏛 Books, art, museums, film, flow 🏛April 2023🏛 Books, art, museums, film, flowers, all the best things in life. 🤗💖 

📚👩👩 Started April at a Meet the Author event, it was so great to meet Lauren Ho and Jesse Q. Sutanto in person and have our new books signed! 
🌹🌻 Had the privilege to visit the Van Gogh Immersive Experience again with my colleagues! So much fun and we did our own colouring pieces! 😆
🥔😋 Tried gnocchi for the very first time - yummy! 
📽🎞 Attended a film screening that is part of the European Film Festival 2023 in Singapore! I watched 'Hilda', a film about the life of Swedish artist Hilda af Klint!
🏛💛 Many museum visits and got some museum merch from National Gallery Singapore (gifts for renewing my membership)! 
🌷🌷 Ended the month seeing the beautiful tulips at the Tulipmania show at Gardens by the Bay!
🌷March 2023🌷 The older I get, the more I can 🌷March 2023🌷 The older I get, the more I can't keep up with posting stuff. 😆 I know it's May, but here's my March diary in IG snapshots haha! Hopefully, I'll put up April's soon! 🤞 

🖼👨‍🎨 The Van Gogh Immersive Experience was a new and fun way to experience Vincent van Gogh's masterpieces, I really enjoyed it!
🍽😋 So many delicious meals and a lovely dinner invitation from Alkove, thank you for having me!
👜💖 Got a bag I've been eyeing for quite a while now from Sara Miller London, I love it so much! 
🌙❤️ Always having more books to read, this lighthearted romance is "Lunar Love" by Lauren Kung Jessen.
🤩 February was fun!! 🤩 ❄️ Frozen musical 🤩 February was fun!! 🤩 ❄️ Frozen musical, 😋tons of delicious eats, 📚 visiting @thelibraryofunreadbooks, 👟welcoming sneakers back into my life and trying to increase my step count, 🏛 more museums and books! 🌟
Better late than never! 😆 Here's my January pho Better late than never! 😆 Here's my January photo diary. In summary, 2023 started with lots of art, books and CNY feasting! 😄🎨📚🧧

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citygirlcitystories

🏛April 2023🏛 Books, art, museums, film, flow 🏛April 2023🏛 Books, art, museums, film, flowers, all the best things in life. 🤗💖 

📚👩👩 Started April at a Meet the Author event, it was so great to meet Lauren Ho and Jesse Q. Sutanto in person and have our new books signed! 
🌹🌻 Had the privilege to visit the Van Gogh Immersive Experience again with my colleagues! So much fun and we did our own colouring pieces! 😆
🥔😋 Tried gnocchi for the very first time - yummy! 
📽🎞 Attended a film screening that is part of the European Film Festival 2023 in Singapore! I watched 'Hilda', a film about the life of Swedish artist Hilda af Klint!
🏛💛 Many museum visits and got some museum merch from National Gallery Singapore (gifts for renewing my membership)! 
🌷🌷 Ended the month seeing the beautiful tulips at the Tulipmania show at Gardens by the Bay!
🌷March 2023🌷 The older I get, the more I can 🌷March 2023🌷 The older I get, the more I can't keep up with posting stuff. 😆 I know it's May, but here's my March diary in IG snapshots haha! Hopefully, I'll put up April's soon! 🤞 

🖼👨‍🎨 The Van Gogh Immersive Experience was a new and fun way to experience Vincent van Gogh's masterpieces, I really enjoyed it!
🍽😋 So many delicious meals and a lovely dinner invitation from Alkove, thank you for having me!
👜💖 Got a bag I've been eyeing for quite a while now from Sara Miller London, I love it so much! 
🌙❤️ Always having more books to read, this lighthearted romance is "Lunar Love" by Lauren Kung Jessen.
🤩 February was fun!! 🤩 ❄️ Frozen musical 🤩 February was fun!! 🤩 ❄️ Frozen musical, 😋tons of delicious eats, 📚 visiting @thelibraryofunreadbooks, 👟welcoming sneakers back into my life and trying to increase my step count, 🏛 more museums and books! 🌟
Better late than never! 😆 Here's my January pho Better late than never! 😆 Here's my January photo diary. In summary, 2023 started with lots of art, books and CNY feasting! 😄🎨📚🧧
🍊🍊 Chinese New Year photo diary from Singapo 🍊🍊 Chinese New Year photo diary from Singapore 🧧🧧
I hope you're having a wonderful Christmas! 🌟 H I hope you're having a wonderful Christmas! 🌟 Here is my Christmas diary in 10 snapshots. 🎄 As always, the full version is on citygirlcitystories.com 😊 

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year and once again, I can't believe 2022 is wrapping up so soon! Merry Christmas & happy holidays! 🌠
🌟 November 2022 diary 🌟 Doraemon exhibition 🌟 November 2022 diary 🌟 Doraemon exhibition at the National Museum of SG, Starbucks Christmas cups are such joy, snapping Christmas things around Singapore and attending a fashion show for the first time! November was great and full in every way, here's to December slowing down! 🎄
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