What if the perfect man came with a charging cable? At 47, Lilia has given up on love. Her children have forgotten her phone number. Her Italian ex-husband ran off with a Filipina (who then ran off with a pizza delivery boy). And the only male attention she gets is from her vacuum cleaner. So when she sees an ad for a robotics expo in Shenzhen, she makes a decision: if technology never lets you down, why not buy yourself the perfect man? Meet Bao. Model: Gentleman Premium. Functions: cleaning, 5,000 recipes, emotional intelligence 9.5/10. Eyes: impossibly blue. Soul: accidentally real. What happens when a woman who's been burned by love meets a robot programmed for it? The Asian Syndrome is a hilarious, heartbreaking, and surprisingly tender story about second chances, family in all its forms, and the discovery that love doesn't care about biology-or warranties. Perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine meets Ex Machina with a dash of Bridget Jones. Warning: Contains one unforgettable robot, one ex-husband who still won't stop calling about pesto, and more laughter than any story about loneliness has the right to have.
