Fashion is viewed as “frivolous” by her mother, not an appropriate career choice for someone with so much potential (very Asian-tiger-mom type stuff). Kimi, unfortunately, does not share the same artistic passion as her mother does - unless she’s sketching and sewing. She is also dead set on making Kimi an artist too. The plot of this book is a relatively normal Asian-rom-com type of storyline strict parent who tries to force the kid into their chosen career said kid (aka the protagonist) pulls some act of rebellion or self-discovery, such as secret dating or in Kimi’s case, flying off to Japan to meet her estranged maternal grandparents. This book covered some of the traditional foods (mochi, duh) and touristy scenery of Kyoto (which by the way is gorgeous - I stayed there for three days and it was beautiful). The way Japan is portrayed in this book is from a more touristy perspective than a real cultural understanding, which makes sense because Kimi was technically a tourist. I Love You So Mochi is a sweet, light, Japan-centered romance. Never mind that I don’t actually like romance books or rom-com movies that much.

Some days, you just need a super fluffy romance book. In I Love You So Mochi, author Sarah Kuhn has penned a delightfully sweet and irrepressibly funny novel that will make you squee at the cute, cringe at the awkward, and show that sometimes you have to lose yourself in something you love to find your Ultimate self. And what begins as a trip to escape her problems quickly becomes a way for Kimi to learn more about the mother she left behind, and to figure out where her own heart lies. She loses herself in the city's outdoor markets, art installations, and cherry blossom festival - and meets Akira, a cute aspiring med student who moonlights as a costumed mochi mascot. When she arrives in Japan, she's met with a culture both familiar and completely foreign to her. So when a surprise letter comes in the mail from Kimi's estranged grandparents, inviting her to Kyoto for spring break, she seizes the opportunity to get away from the disaster of her life. But her mother disapproves, and when they get into an explosive fight, Kimi's entire future seems on the verge of falling apart. She's obsessed with transforming everyday ephemera into Kimi Originals: bold outfits that make her and her friends feel like the Ultimate versions of themselves. Kimi Nakamura loves a good fashion statement.

I love you so mochi sarah kuhn