Eliza, from Scratch by Sophia Lee is the kind of novel that sneaks up on you. Marketed as a charming YA rom-com, it delivers much more than adorable antics in a high school culinary class. With layered characters, authentic cultural grounding, and a slow-burning romance that simmers rather than boils, Lee crafts a powerful coming-of-age story about identity, family, and the bravery it takes to redefine success.
Perfect for fans of Jenny Han, Rachel Lynn Solomon, and Maurene Goo, this novel delivers not just a satisfying emotional arc, but also a delectable exploration of heritage and healing. It’s not just about who Eliza becomes—but how, and what she has to let go of to get there.
Stirring the Plot: A Smart Girl’s Unlikely Detour
Seventeen-year-old Eliza Park has the rest of her high school year mapped to the millisecond. As Highland Hills’ projected salutatorian, Eliza dreams of giving a tearjerking graduation speech, getting into MIT, and maintaining her carefully manicured image of academic excellence. But a scheduling snafu lands her in Culinary Arts instead of AP Physics—an unweighted class that could cost her rank, prestige, and everything she’s worked for.
Enter Wesley Ruengsomboon, a Thai American boy who is equal parts charming and infuriating, and also happens to be the top chef of the class. Eliza is thrust into an unexpected rivalry-turned-partnership with Wesley, as the two compete in the school’s high-stakes cook-off. Along the way, Eliza begins learning her grandmother’s Korean recipes with her grieving mother—lessons that start shaping more than her GPA.
The plot unfolds through Eliza’s witty first-person narration, and while it may hit familiar beats of the YA rivals-to-lovers structure, the way it’s executed feels fresh, contemporary, and emotionally honest.
Characters that Sizzle: The Soul of the Story
Eliza Park: A Lovable Try-Hard with Hidden Depths
Eliza is ambitious, intelligent, deeply self-critical—and her inner voice is equal parts razor-sharp and achingly vulnerable. Sophia Lee strikes a delicate balance between Eliza’s perfectionist drive and her inner softness. She isn’t just a “model minority” stereotype but a multidimensional character navigating grief, cultural identity, and shifting definitions of success.
Eliza’s arc is perhaps the novel’s strongest suit. Watching her transform from GPA-obsessed to someone who finds meaning in imperfection and connection is incredibly satisfying.
Wesley Ruengsomboon: More Than Just the Love Interest
Wesley, the seemingly cocky classmate with a love for food and disdain for academic grind culture, begins as a foil to Eliza. But he, too, is crafted with nuance. His backstory—particularly the challenges he faces with family, expectations, and academic struggle—reveals a tender-hearted teen grappling with his own demons.
He’s not just a romantic interest. Wesley is a mirror to Eliza, showing her that there are different paths to fulfillment, and that skill and passion are worthy of recognition, even if they don’t fit neatly into college applications.
Secondary Characters
From Eliza’s quiet, grieving mother to her best friends Kareena and Meredith (with their own complications), the secondary cast are fleshed out with purpose. Notably, the strained mother-daughter relationship is written with a cultural authenticity rarely seen in YA fiction. The scenes between Eliza and her mom are understated but carry immense emotional weight.
Cultural Tapestry and Thematic Richness
“Eliza, from Scratch” is deeply Korean American—not just in its food references, but in its exploration of language, heritage, and intergenerational tension. Lee infuses the narrative with a loving reverence for Korean cuisine and customs, using food not just as a motif but as a metaphor for memory, grief, and identity.
Themes that stand out include:
- Perfectionism and Burnout: Eliza’s relentless drive is shown not as aspirational, but as quietly destructive. Her growth is less about ambition and more about unlearning the need to overachieve for validation.
- Grief and Connection: The loss of Eliza’s halmeoni (grandmother) shadows the novel in subtle, moving ways. Through cooking, Eliza reconnects with her mother—and by extension, her cultural lineage.
- Cultural Duality: Eliza’s discomfort with her limited Korean language skills and her Americanized upbringing are handled with remarkable honesty. These identity questions ring true for many bicultural teens navigating diasporic realities.
- Redefining Success: Perhaps the most resonant message is that worth isn’t measured in ranks, awards, or Ivy League admissions—but in how you nourish the people and passions around you.
Language, Voice, and Writing Style
Sophia Lee writes with a crisp, accessible style that blends humor with insight. Eliza’s voice is confident but never grating—often funny, occasionally poignant, and always real. The use of Korean phrases (and Eliza’s code-switching with her mom) adds richness without alienating non-Korean readers.
What sets Lee’s writing apart is its emotional honesty. Her prose doesn’t strive for poeticism, but for clarity and resonance. When Eliza reflects on her mother’s grief, on her own inadequacies, or on the infuriating allure of Wesley, it feels earned, not contrived.
Critique: A Few Missing Ingredients
While Eliza, from Scratch is an absolute delight, it isn’t flawless.
- Pacing Midway: There’s a slight lull in the middle chapters, where the cooking scenes and romantic tension begin to feel a tad repetitive. While this is largely remedied by the emotional beats in the third act, a tighter edit could have made the progression even snappier.
- The Rivalry Subplot: The threat posed by Jess Archibald, Eliza’s academic rival, feels underdeveloped. Jess is portrayed as a flat antagonist, which contrasts starkly with the otherwise nuanced cast.
- A Too-Tidy Ending: The resolution wraps up a little too cleanly. While satisfying, some readers might crave more ambiguity or post-graduation insight.
Still, these are minor quibbles in an otherwise stellar debut.
A Love Story That’s Slow-Burn and Substantial
Eliza and Wesley’s chemistry is as much about dialogue and ideological tension as it is about attraction. Their relationship unfolds gradually, peppered with awkward cooking lessons, academic jabs, and shared vulnerability. There’s a restraint to their arc that makes it feel more grounded—and more rewarding.
Importantly, their romance doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It enhances Eliza’s growth rather than eclipses it. When they finally come together, it’s not about “getting the guy”—it’s about Eliza choosing a fuller, braver version of herself.
If You Liked This, You’ll Love…
- To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han – for its sweet, culturally grounded romance
- Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon – for its rivals-to-lovers structure
- I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee – for another ambitious Korean American teen challenging expectations
- This Time Will Be Different by Misa Sugiura – for intergenerational healing through work and family
Final Verdict:
Eliza, from Scratch is a triumph in contemporary YA romance—witty, moving, and unexpectedly deep. It’s a book about food, sure. But it’s also about letting go of plans, embracing messiness, and daring to forge your own definition of success.
Sophia Lee’s debut is not only a love letter to Korean culture, food, and familial legacy—it’s also an invitation to reimagine ambition through a lens of joy and care.
Whether you’re a teen navigating school pressures or an adult longing for a story that’s both tender and smart, Eliza, from Scratch is a story worth savoring. One spoonful at a time.