Book Review- Jesse Q. Sutanto's Dial A for Aunties

Meddy Chan feels the burden of not disappointing her family. The love of her life is Nathan, but they break up after college, when she realizes that she cannot pursue a life with him and make her family happy. She moves back to be with her mom and her three aunties as they open a wedding service business. The problem is Meddy never tells her family about Nathan or her choice. She assumes they would not support her, but she doesn’t actually give them the opportunity to prove her otherwise.

The night before working a flashy wedding on a private island in California, Meddy goes on a date with Jake aka Ah Guan, a deceitful jerk who Meddy accidentally kills, when he tries to forces her sexually at the end of their evening. Left with the body and panicking, Meddy calls on her mom and aunties for help. Complications arise as they try to get rid of the body and keep their commitments for the wedding. An additional surprise awaits on the island, when Meddy learns that the owner of the hotel is Nathan and their feelings for each other are still strong.

Dial A for Aunties is a fun read, primarily for Sutanto’s humorous dialogue and family dynamics. I loved aunties. They all have very strong personalities and Sutanto does a great job at explaining the mini alliances and rivalries between the sisters. They squabble, but at the end of the day, they are family.

Meddy’s problem of not wanting to disappoint her family is very relatable. I think many people struggle with this, we make choices based on not wanting to disappoint, rather than actually expressing what we want and giving our loved ones the opportunity to support us.

The plot is a bit absurd and definitely requires a suspension of disbelief. However, the characters are so enjoyable, that I went along for the ride. Sure there’s murder, but at the end of the day, this is a light-hearted comedy-mystery with some good twists. I will definitely read the sequel, Four Aunties and Wedding, and likely seek out Sutanto’s other works. I like her sense of humor and Dial A for Aunties is the perfect vacation read.