Check out our interview with Lily Chen, the author of "The Matcha Maker Cafe."
What was your inspiration behind your most recent book?
In The Matcha Maker Café, Sasha Lee sets up her dream café in the idyllic Oxfordshire countryside. I’m a keen baker and have always wanted to set up a café, so this story was a delight to write. I was very inspired by the cafés I’ve hung out in all my life, as well as the wonderful matcha cafés in London.
What does Reading Rainbow mean to you?
Our world is culturally rich and diverse in ways of living and loving, and readers should be able to see that on the page. LGBTQ characters can fall in love and have adventures, as protagonists, antagonists and supporting characters.
Why do you feel representation of a variety of people is so important when it comes to writing books?
As our world seems to grow ever more fragmented, representation of different people gives the reader empathy for another point of view, another culture, another way of living. Reading a story is the best way to get inside someone else’s head and feel more united with your fellow humans.
Tell us a little more about the book and why you decided to write it.
If you’ve ever been tempted to escape your life, you’ll relate to Sasha, who’s escaped her East Asian family’s career expectations to follow her dream. Sasha has a sideline in psychic match making, inherited from her Chinese Malaysian grandmother. But while it’s easy for her to match make her customers, she’s given up on love for herself. One day, hottie Ben, walks into the café and is drenched by Sasha’s careless plant-watering. His grumpy reaction is a contrast to Sasha’s sunny personality. I really hope readers can take a break from their lives and enjoy this deliciously sweet romance - maybe with a matcha and a sweet treat nearby in case they get the munchies!
What can fans expect from your book?
A sweet and cozy Happy Ever After love story with a grumpy-sunshine couple, and a sprinkling of magic. There’s a supportive small-town community of people who readers will get to know as friends. As well as yummy matcha lattes and East Asian teas, there’s a menu of delicious matcha desserts and cakes inspired by Japanese patisserie and my own baking.
What's up next for you in the bookish world?
I’ve just finished writing the next book in the series, The Matcha Maker Bookshop, which follows the romance of Sasha’s best friend, Klara. It’s set in the bookshop across the road, with the Bramleigh Green characters I hope readers will grow to love.
