Having now read two books by Maurene Goo, I think I can say three things about her: she is funny; she has a great insight into teenage concerns and dialogue; and she is totally into food.

This book is a young adult retelling of “Roman Holiday” only with a better ending (something I always wished for!)

[“Roman Holiday” is a 1953 American romantic comedy starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. In that movie, Audrey Hepburn is a royal princess who escapes from her handlers in order to see Rome on her own, and Gregory Peck is the reporter chasing her for a scoop, but who falls in love with her.]

In this book, “Lucky” is the moniker of a big idol in K-pop, the popular South Korean music genre. Lucky is 17, and although she was born and bred in L.A., now lives in Seoul with a team of managers. As the story opens, she is performing in Hong Kong, and staying at a fancy hotel surrounded by managers and bodyguards who make sure she doesn’t leave and doesn’t eat anything except salads. In a few days, she is scheduled to make her debut on American television, a huge opportunity. But she feels like the thrill of performing is gone; everything is so tightly regulated, and she doesn’t feel joy anymore.

Most of all, Lucky would kill for an “In-N-Out Burger” or even just *any* hamburger. In spite of having taken her mandated sleeping medication, she manages to sneak out of the hotel and out into the city Hong Kong.

In alternate chapters, we hear from Jack Lim, 17, also originally from L.A., but now in Hong Kong. He is taking a “gap year” before college, and working as an intern at his father’s bank. He hates the job and wants to be a photojournalist. Currently he is moonlighting on the side as a paparazzi, taking surreptitious photos of high-profile people for exposés in a sleazy tabloid. He will do anything to be able to take pictures; photography is his passion.

Out in the street, Jack bumps into Lucky, who is half-asleep on her feet and lost. At first he doesn’t know who she is, but he helps her. When she collapses in a dead sleep, he takes her back to his apartment so she can sleep off what he assumes has been too much to drink. While she is asleep, he checks his twitter feed and inadvertently discovers who she is. This could be his chance for a career-making scoop.

If you’ve seen “Roman Holiday,” you know what happens next. The two spend the next day together, seeing the sites and having a wonderful time, with Jack taking photos on the sly.

But of course they fall for each other, and worse yet, Lucky finds out what Jack has been doing, and that she has been used by him. Pictures of her having a "normal" life - especially with a boy! - could destroy her career. She is hurt and angry, and Jack is devastated. But they live separate lives, and go their own ways after a hurtful confrontation. Nevertheless, while it was only one day, they managed to provoke each other to change, and to alter the course of each other’s dreams.

Evaluation: This is a wonderful travel guide to Hong Kong and its food, as well as an entertaining rom-com. It’s a fun read but also carries a message about finding out what is important in your life.

N.B. Don’t read it on a diet!

While not a bad book, this is probably my least favorite that Maureen Goo has written. Jack and Lucky didn't really have great chemistry. I love the Hong Kong backdrop, and the descriptions of food made me so hungry, but I was frustrated with the characters. It's really hard to put my finger on exactly why this one wasn't as fun to read.

3.75 rounded up because good gravy was this book readable. I feel it's safe to assume if you like Maurene Goo's other books, you'll love this one. It's a fun, funny, romantic comedy.

I love Maureen Goo! All of her books so far have been incredibly fun reads and this is no exception. The stories are well-written and engaging, with memorable characters. Lucky and Jack are fascinating people to read about and their interactions are gold. I hope Maureen keeps writing for years to come!

Sweet, fluffy, and fantastical in true Maurene Goo style, I felt very 'meh' about it until the last quarter or so of the book. The self-discovery there is done fairly well, if still predictably. I did enjoy this, but there's not much about it that really jumps out as being particularly noteworthy. Still, it's easily sellable, and I know lots of teens who will love it.

Somewhere Only We Know was so charming and fun - I loved it. It's been described as Roman Holiday by way of Hong Kong and K-pop and that's exactly what it is. Lucky is a K-pop star feeling stifled by fame and the rigidity of her career. After sneaking out of her hotel one night she runs into Jack, who is aimlessly taking a gap year and trying to figure out how to avoid the life his parents want for him. Jack, however, is also a paparazzo on the side, and he secretly figures out who Lucky is as he takes her around Hong Kong. Both characters are so well developed - Lucky is adorable and weird, and Jack is sympathetic as he struggles with his future. This is just so delightful. I'm not a huge YA person, but I really liked Maurene Goo's The Way You Make Me Feel, and this one is just as good - maybe better.

Loved this book! Goo has thoroughly destroyed me with this sweet romance that spans one day in Hong Kong. Lucky is trying to figure out to find her love of singing again after being forced onto the path of squeaky clean k-pop stardom, Jack is struggling to find his footing during his gap year between following his dad's footsteps to work in finance when his passion is photography. Their fates collide in Hong Kong for one epic day of adventure and FOOD! How do I make the movie people option this? I would love to see Lucky and Jack's adventures on the big screen! Readers will fall in love with Lucky's true, silly self and how she os able to risk it all for one perfect day with a stranger.

I read this book in one sitting and feel my students will love it! It was fun, romantic, and different! :)

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

I’ve never really been a huge fan of YA Contemporary – generally if I read romance, I want some more mature characters. Hey, I’m almost 30. I think its pretty reasonable to not want to get jealous of teenagers who find the loves of their life in high school. That being said, I discovered Maurene Goo two years ago and never looked back. Every single time she puts out a new release, I drop whatever I’m currently reading to devour her newest novel.

What is it about her characters that sucks me in, you ask? They aren’t typical. Nothing about her characters screams YA Contemporary. Sure, they’re trying to find themselves, and sure, they make some immature decisions. However, the character growth she manages to achieve with her MCs is what really blows my mind. In all of her books, her characters grow, and change in organic ways.

Not only is she incredible at character development, she also writes the most fun and quirky characters. Lucky, for example, had the potential to be a total YA cliche. She’s a pop star who is growing tired of the life she leads. However, Goo made her fun, and quirky, and so honest and vulnerable that I was able to immediately connect with her.

Even Jack, who was honestly a little bit of a dumbass throughout the entire book (a sweet dumbass, but I did want to slap him) managed to grow as a person. Even though this book took place over a 24 hour span for the most part, the growth of their romantic relationship felt natural and sweet. Getting to know the characters, and watching them fall in love? Yeah, it made my entire Valentines Day.

The best part about this book though was the way that they finally came together in the end. It felt real and so right for them as people. It wasn’t an ending written solely to appease readers, it was an ending that felt so perfect and organic for the characters. I loved everything about it.

3.5 The framework of this one is so much fun. A k-pop star who sneaks out of her hotel room for a hamburger has a night that will change her life.

I can see this one winning with my students who want to read older romance type books, and what I like is that it is still appropriate for that younger crowd.

The outline and plot of the story was solidl for me, the actual romance and character depth was what was lacking a bit for me. The descriptions of the reasons for why the were attracted to one another in their heads were redundant and unoriginal for me.

That being said, it was such a fun adventure and sincerely wanted to know what would happen. The actual arc of the story was written well and while I had a sense of the ending resolution, I was honestly intrigued for how the fall out would happen and be resolved. I think kids will ove the K-pop focus (this seems long overdue in middle grade and YA lit, more of this please!?) and the follow your dreams and face your fears type theme. I enjoyed breezing through this one.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review

This book was amazing. K-Pop star Lucky sneaks out for a hamburger only to find herself spending a day with tabloid photographer Jack. With the back and forth POV, you get a real feel for both characters and what they are really like behind the masks. Another hit from Maurene Goo!

Somewhere Only We Know is a cute little romantic comedy in the same vein of Roman Holiday. The dual POVs were effectively used and the characters likeable. Despite the fact that there are times a reader may find it difficult to feel bad for Jack's situation, his growth in the story is enough to make you root for him. Lucky's arc over the course of the novel is also a welcome sight to see as she begins to rediscover her passion for music.

Lucky has just wrapped up a huge tour in Asia and is preparing for the next step, launching her career in America. This next move is one she has been preparing for since she was young, sacrificing typical childhood experiences for dance lessons, singing lessons, and other training required if one is to make it as a performer. She is understandably exhausted and anxious, and after taking her sleeping pills and (shhhh, secret!) anxiety meds, all she wants is a hamburger.

Jack is taking a gap year, interning at the bank where his dad works, and trying to ignore the fact that the life his parents want for him makes him feel suffocated. All he wants is to be a photographer, but since his parents don't approve he has been secretly scratching that itch by moonlighting as a paparazzo. He's on the bus on his way to meet a friend for a drink after scoring some photos for his boss when a young, obviously inebriated Asian-American girl catches his eye. Ever the good guy, Jack takes her under his wing for the night and ends up letting her crash at his apartment that night, since he doesn't know who she is or how to get her home.

Early the following morning, fledgling tabloid reporter Jack discovers that "Fern," the pretty, drunk girl he rescued, is actually Lucky, super famous K-pop star, and he hatches a plan. He is going to spend the day with her, give her the Hong Kong experience, and document it all for his editor to publish when he's done. A story like that will score him a full-time job with the paper...as long as his growing feelings for Lucky don't get in the way.

I have some complicated feelings about this book. I adore Lucky, her drive and her enthusiasm for life, and most of all our shared love of food. Ohhh boy, food...this book made me so hungry. I loved that Jack was taking a gap year and really trying to think about what he wanted to do with his life, and I especially loved that when he finally decided he was ready to fight for it. Transitioning from high school to whatever happens next is hard, and I will take all the YA books that show people making that jump and figuring out where to go next.

My one big qualm, and the one I find myself circling back to every time I think about this book, is how long Jack was committed to sharing his Lucky story with his editor. I can give him a pass for coming up with the idea. He didn't know Lucky, he was looking out for himself, and I'm not going to fault him for fighting for a career, even if it is one that makes me wrinkle my nose. But the longer the day went on, the harder it was for me to excuse him continuing to take pictures and plot his narrative, especially after the pair realized that they had feelings for each other. Huge spoiler here, so stop reading here if you don't want huge things given away...have you stopped reading? I hope so. He had already passed what would have been the point of no return for me, but the moment where he truly became unforgivable was when he went to his editor and gave him the pictures. Did he take them back after his editor was a gross asshole? Sure. But what the what? How did it ever go that far?! Hard no, there is no redeeming yourself after that.

*deep breath*

So...yeah. I was not rooting for Lucky and Jack to end up together. That being said, I did not want to put this book down. The characters were well-developed, the writing was fast-paced and fun, and I enjoyed the story. You should probably read it...just maybe don't root for Jack. ;)

This book was perfect for me - I've just recently gotten into K-Pop, so I'm devouring everything related to it. The book was super fun, and makes you want to jump on the next plane to Hong Kong and eat yourself sick.

dnf at 30%, this book just wasn't for me. I do like her other novels, so I know it wasnt the writing style, just the execution of this one I did not like.

Overall, I like this book. It took me a little bit to get into but I'm glad I stuck with it. I had trouble liking Jack at all in the beginning but the development of his character changed my mind! I am such a fan of Maurene Goo's books and this was no exception.

A little bit Roman Holiday, a little bit Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist, and a whole lot of fun as two strangers get to know each other on a tourist's bucket list adventure in Hong Kong. There are deception and romance, but there's also those cut to the chase, deep conversations that only make sense when a person is about to alter the course of your life forever. Fern/Lucky/Catherine is a K Pop star who is about to break into the American market and Jack is an expat taking a gap year in Hong Kong. Meeting at a boutique hotel where Jack is moonlighting as a tabloid photographer and Lucky is escaping her strictly guarded routine, but together they begin to step away from the person they were and move into a space where they are free to become who they want to be.

I was unexpectedly delighted by this book. I thought Lucky would be more of an entitled celebrity wanting to spend a day mingling with the common folk to see how they lived (or something along that line), but she was not like that at all. The book's plot was intriguing and original, and I found myself genuinely sympathizing with both characters in the story - something I don't do often. Additionally, I learned a lot about K-pop and Korean culture in general, which I always do from Maurene Goo's books. All in all, Somewhere Only We Know was a very sweet story and a fun read.

Maurene Goo is a YA romcom maestro! Each of her books has our heroine not only finding the right guy, but finding herself. Her books are the perfect blend of innocent love, self-growth, courageous introspection, family values, and Korean pop culture. Somewhere Only We Know was no exception. It had me feeling all the feels, especially the deep homesickness for California. I loved exploring Hong Kong at Lucky's side, the descriptions made me want to visit so much! The romance is so sweet and innocent, like most Asian romances go. Goo herself writes that there's something so meaningful behind simply acknowledging that you *like* another person, and it's so true. American romance tends to lean towards jumping into bed, which makes Goo's works so refreshing and doubly romantic. And, as always, there was plenty of to-die-for food mentioned to keep you having the munchies while you read. I will forever recommend her books to anyone and everyone.

Jack is a hustler-taking amateur photographs for tabloid magazines while sharing an apartment with his roommate in Hong Kong and interning at his dad's bank during his 'gap year.' Jack has always wanted to pursue photography but his upbringing leads him to believe it is not practical.
One day he runs into a lost, seeming drunken girl named Fern. Quickly, he learns that Fern isn't who she says she is but is K-Pop star, Lucky, who snuck out of her hotel room in pursuit of a hamburger after a grueling 15 stop tour. The two spend the night and more together. Jack thinks he's going to make his big break but what happens when he starts falling for Lucky instead?
Sweet story. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.