Warning: reading this book WILL make you hungry.
I didn't know it was a magical realism book before I read and I really enjoyed it. I loved the parts about community, food and culture in the book. The romance was too fast paced for my taste, but it wasn't the focus on the book, at least to me it was more of an after thought, the real love story of it was between Natalie and her neighbors.

I did think Mr. Kuk Wah was her father in the very first scene he showed up and after he mentioned talking to his wife again I was "oh obviously he's her father AND a ghost", so that was not surprising. But I did love how naturally Natalie accepted it, "he's my father. my mom said my father is dead. so i MUST have been talking to a ghost this whole time". I just really enjoy how she doesn't even think any of that is weird ghjkakajhag
Miranda's story was sad but I enjoyed the whole resolution.