A Banh Mi for Two

By: Trinity Nguyen

Narrated by: Carolina Do, VyVy Nguyen

"Narrators Carolina Do and VyVy Nguyen delight listeners as two foodie teens who fall in love in Vietnam in this sweet sapphic YA romance."—AudioFile

In this sweet sapphic romance about two foodies in love, Vivi meets Lan while studying abroad in Vietnam and they spend the semester unraveling their families' histories—and eating all the street food in Sài Gòn.

In Sài Gòn, Lan is always trying to be the perfect daughter, dependable and willing to care for her widowed mother and their bánh mì stall. Her secret passion, however, is A Bánh Mì for Two, the food blog she started with her father, but has stopped updating since his passing.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese American Vivi Huynh, has never been to Việt Nam. Her parents rarely even talk about the homeland that clearly haunts them. So Vivi secretly goes to Vietnam for a study abroad program her freshman year of college. She’s determined to figure out why her parents left, and to try everything she’s seen on her favorite food blog, A Bánh Mì for Two.

When Vivi and Lan meet in Sài Gòn, they strike a deal. Lan will show Vivi around the city, helping her piece together her mother’s story through crumbling photographs and old memories. Vivi will help Lan start writing again so she can enter a food blogging contest. And slowly, as they explore the city and their pasts, Vivi and Lan fall in love.

A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt & Company.

Critic reviews

<p>“In A Bánh Mì for Two, Trinity Nguyen brings Sài Gòn to life on the page. The sights, the people, and, most importantly, the food, capture your heart just as much as the blossoming sapphic romance. A beautiful story of family, love, and home.” <b>—Rachael Lippincott, <i>New York Times</i>–bestselling author of <i>Five Feet Apart </i>and <i>She Gets the Girl<br></i></b><br>“Sweet and swoony, thoughtful and real, A Bánh Mì for Two is perfect for anyone who’s ever yearned for something, but never quite found it, until the right person came along.” <b>—Adib Khorram, award–winning author of<i> Darius the Great Is Not Okay</i></b><br><br>“Nguyen intricately weaves an exploration of Vietnamese American identity in this charming coming-of-age story. Readers will experience the exuberance of young love while taking a delicious trip through Sài Gòn.” <b>—Julie Tieu, author of <i>The Donut Trap</i></b><br><br>“A Bánh Mì for Two is a deliciously sweet read! I adored this emotional story about two girls finding love in each other and in the noisy city at the center of their families’ hearts.” —<b>Trang Thanh Tran, <i>New York Times</i>-bestselling author of <i>She Is a Haunting</i></b><br><br>“Deeply romantic and evocative, with a voice as fresh as a warm baguette, Trinity Nguyen’s debut is a love letter to Viet girls and Saì Gòn that you won’t soon forget.” —<b>Michelle Quach, author of <i>Not Here to Be Liked</i></b><br><br>“A delicious treat of a debut, A Bánh Mì for Two is filled with sweet romance, hearty familial love, and a rich exploration of the meaning of home. Vivi and Lan’s respective arcs beautifully complement one another, creating the perfect recipe for them as a couple.” <b>—Racquel Marie, author of <i>Ophelia After All<br><br></i></b>“Never have I ever yearned to fall in love on the back of a scooter before. Full of romantic conviction, Trinity Nguyen's debut is a tender balm against diaspora loss. This book has been a joy to witness come to fruition.” —<b>Carolyn Huynh, author of <i>The Fortunes of Jaded Women </i></b><br><br>“Sweet, tender, and oh-so-delicious, readers will fall in love with Vivi and Lan's heartfelt and intimate romance while they explore food, their culture, and eventually--each other. Trinity Nguyen's A Báhn Mì for Two will leave you swooning and hungry for more of her work!" <b>—Hannah V. Sawyerr, author of <i>All the Fighting Parts</i><br></b></p>

A deeply developed story of two characters falling in love with one another and their complex, challenging lives.

This book was wonderfully written, addressing complex themes in a way that reveals the beauty that can coexist with painful, difficult circumstances. This book far exceeded my expectations. Definitely recommend.

Cute Story

I wasn’t sure to expect before listening to this story, but I love it! As an Asian American myself, I could relate to Vivi about wanting to know more about my parent’s history. I’m such a sucker for a good romance and I love it even more when it gets me to tear up just a little when reading. Overall, I think this is a great book and I would love to share this book to my niece when she’s old enough to read on her own.

The love of food

It was different and reminded me of home. That you never know who knows who

Awesome Reas!

Loved the portrayal of food and family in this story. Appreciated the author highlighting Vietnam's history and culture.

This book will have you drooling for Báhn Mì

I only found this because it was on the Goodreads Choice 2024 list. It’s a sapphic YA romance, but not angsty in the usual YA way. The drama here is driven by family secrets, and expectations and none in the ways I would have expected.

It’s really a love letter to Saigon. The street food, the people and their resiliency and strength. It’s beautifully written.

I had to have Báhn Mì yesterday, because the street food descriptions had me salivating.

I’m bumping Saigon up my list of places to visit.

I totally recommend this book for fans of food blogging, learning about cities through food and a good romance.