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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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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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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! 🎄
🌻 October 2022 photo diary 🌻 SMU park, city 🌻 October 2022 photo diary 🌻 SMU park, city views & HK milk tea, Istana Open House, cookies at home, night views.
[Latergram from the i Light Singapore 2022 festiva [Latergram from the i Light Singapore 2022 festival]

Singapore celebrates our National Day tomorrow! 🇸🇬

Found some snapshots from this year's return of light festival i Light 2022 to share Singapore beautifully lit up at night! 🎆

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citygirlcitystories

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! 🎄
🌻 October 2022 photo diary 🌻 SMU park, city 🌻 October 2022 photo diary 🌻 SMU park, city views & HK milk tea, Istana Open House, cookies at home, night views.
[Latergram from the i Light Singapore 2022 festiva [Latergram from the i Light Singapore 2022 festival]

Singapore celebrates our National Day tomorrow! 🇸🇬

Found some snapshots from this year's return of light festival i Light 2022 to share Singapore beautifully lit up at night! 🎆
🌞 Sunny weekend plans: wandering around the str 🌞 Sunny weekend plans: wandering around the streets of the Kampong Glam area, visiting the Malay Heritage Centre (free admission for all until end Oct 2022!) and trying a Swedish eatery on my list! 🕌🖼🧆
Today marks my 5th year anniversary of moving back Today marks my 5th year anniversary of moving back to Singapore! 💫 26 June 2017, I said goodbye to Hong Kong and still to this day, miss aspects of my life there. But Singapore has been great for me and is home now. 😊

5 years back in SG has let me start another new chapter and offered me plenty of new experiences and challenges. I've been through successes, failures and standstills. It hasn't been easy, that's for sure, but I'm happy to share that at this 5 year mark, I'm finally in a contented, balanced and happy place. 😊 It definitely took work, trial and error and heaps of God's blessings, but I'm here. 🌻

HK, you're always a special place to me, so hopefully, I'll get to see you again soon. 💖
🍀 February 2022 🌻 *Feb was such a full month 🍀 February 2022 🌻
*Feb was such a full month! It was also a month that marked the closing of one chapter and the beginning of another. 😊 Some of my favourite moments:
- Lovely drawings at @natmuseum_sg and wanting to buy so many of the related merch from the museum shop (I didn't!)
- Lovely lunches/dinners + great people & conversations. Incredibly grateful for the people in my life. 🌟
- The cutest exhibition featuring @angkukuehgirl
- Visiting a very nostalgic restaurant @oldschooldelights - brings back all my childhood memories!
- Pink skies 💗
- Attended a tour of the 'Mapping the World' exhibition at @nlb.singapore - fascinating and insightful! 

Other moments that couldn't fit in here: my first VR experience at the ArtScience Museum, shopping and gifts and more new books! 😄 Ending the month with a thankful heart.
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