* Solid 3 stars. *

Now that may sound like a low rating, but hey now, 3 stars means that I liked it!
I think if I had read this in high school I would have easily given it at least 4 if not 5 stars, but I have left my K-Pop obsessed past behind and have a desire to read more detailed novels.
That being said, I truly enjoyed this story and read it all in one sitting. I enjoyed the main characters and their quirks. I identified a LOT with Merri "Christmas", as I was an artist on Deviantart in my teenage years, and was obsessed with being an artist, though I was definitely a K-Pop obsessed drama watching fiend at the same time, and had an extensive knowledge of all the K-Pop groups in the early 2000's.

I thought Lee had a very charming character, and enjoyed the scenes with him very much. I also really enjoyed the little news articles and comments from messaging boards that the author included in the story.

What I could have done without was the whole Bree/Luke debacle. I knew IMMEDIATELY what was going on there at the beginning of the book as soon as Merri first mentions Bree's mystery ice cream boy. That whole part of the story line was a huge cliche, and I think the book would have been much better without it, but it definitely made the book read very much like a K-drama, which may have been what the author was going for.

Overall I enjoyed this book and recommend it for teens and young adults who want a very light read and enjoy Korean entertainment.

"Hart and Seoul" is a roller-coaster love story between Lee, a K-pop star in hiding, and Merri, a suburban Virginia highschooler.
This book was a pleasant surprise! It turned out to be a total binge-read that I couldn't put down. The story is sweet and the characters are strong and lovable. I admit that I had trouble getting in to the first couple chapters and when I realized the MC was a suburban white girl I was prepared for the worst - cultural stereotypes and tokenism, etc. But it was pretty good! I've spent time in Korea and I can attest the the pop culture accuracy. I also loved the use of the phonetic Korean instead of the strict translations - that's actually what it sounds like most of the time, yall!
My major qualm is with the somewhat prudish language, but it is YA so it's not too out of line for the genre. I hate when books don't use real curse words ("gosh," "shoot," "crud," "kaka," etc.) because it feels inauthentic to the real high school experience and a bit patronizing to readers of that age, but it's certainly a good choice for readers of a more conservative nature who dislike smut and are looking for that sweet, toe-tingling slow burn.

Recommend for fans of: YA contemporary lit, K-pop, K-drama, Korean pop culture, chaste romance

We are a kpop loving household so when I read this description I KNEW I had to read this book! Who wouldn't want to live next to and befriend a (secret) runaway popstar?! The book was really cute and fun but didn't pull any punches when it came to the dark side of the kpop industry. You could tell that the author is a fan and not just jumping on the bandwagon. Perfect beach read for any kpop fan, but those who aren't will still enjoy it!

Wow. I was not expecting to roll my eyes at this as much as I did. But I was just massively underwhelmed. This read like a really bad K-Pop fanfic written by someone who did little to no research into Korean culture and tried to gloss over that fact by using the same three Korean words and the ritual reminder of "Kim-chi" to pretend they knew what they were doing.
The plot was so predictable, and to be completely honest, way too early 2000s. The sparkly guy-trope? Twilight did it better, sorry. The best friend and boyfriend getting together behind the protagonist's back while she's out of town? Been there, done that. And to top all of that, the protagonist (yes I have already forgotten her name) didn't even seem to care as much about that betrayal than the fact that her new, hot neighbor was mean to her?!
What even? She was so naive and ignorant and childish, I thought she was a thirteen-year old for half the book.
I was promised a lot more from the synopsis of this book and the story just did not hold up to my expectations.
Not to mention the potentially harmful mental health/suicidal ideation plotline that was basically resolved within half a page. Nope.
Definitely not up my alley.

a cheating boyfriend and best friend to isolate the protagonist is hardly original, but it does the job, and it is hard not to be on the side of a teenage girl who returns from two months abroad to learn that her best friend and her boyfriend are hooking up, especially after learning her mother walked out on her family a year before. It's a trope because it works, and it works here. This is the kind of story that would not work as well if Merri had a bunch of other people to spend time with, or a bunch of extracurricular activities. If she had those things, she would never spend all her free time either with her father or with the nephew of her nearly-a-stranger neighbor.

Merri's relationship with her father is one of the things I liked about this book. Mr. Hart, too, is clearly dealing with his wife's desertion as best he knows how, while taking an active interest in his daughter's life. Merri's plot-imposed isolation allows the writer to showcase that their relationship is at times awkward (because Merri seems to remind her father so strongly of her mother), discordant (because Merri wants to pursue art in college), and ultimately supportive (literally, when he carries her up the stairs so she can change clothes more quickly). Their relationship is pretty sweet, all in all, and seems about as healthy as one might expect.

The relationship that forms between Merri and Lee is also fairly saccharine. He swoops in to save her several times early in the book when her ex-best friend and ex-boyfriend put in sudden appearances, but he does not exist to fight her battles for her, and as the beans incident and several interactions with her ex-best friend make clear, Merri doesn't really need someone to fight her battles for her. Just someone to support her (again, literally, because she spends about half of the book on crutches it seems). Their first kiss was so very cute, but some aspects of their relationship are almost too sweet. For instance, Lee nicknames her Christmas, which is a very weird thing to call another human being, even if their regular nickname is Merri ("like Christmas?"). The fact that Merri calls Lee by his last name because she doesn't understand Korean nomenclature at first seems markedly less weird, and serves as a good way to introduce readers to Korean cultural norms.

On that note, Hart and Seoul does well at easing neophytes into the world of K-Pop. It describes the training academies for aspiring K-Pop stars, the apparently common practice of cosmetic plastic surgery to achieve a certain "look," and the high pressure such stars face from their labels, and the toll that can take. Scenes where Merri watches semi-related K-dramas like Boys Over Flowers or Fated to Love You show readers who may have discovered a hitherto unknown interest in Korean culture an easy in. It also has the most wonderful succession of Korean dishes peppered throughout the text as the two leads get to know one another better. Seriously, jjajangmyeon sounds absolutely amazing.

To return to the depiction of K-Pop artistry and its pressures, when discussing the reason Lee is even in the States, instead of back home with his group, Burnham is not subtle about hinting there is darkness there, and throughout the text characters in emotional or mental distress are encouraged to seek counseling. The author's note includes information on her personal struggle with anxiety as well as resources for the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. She also mentions that Lee is fictional, but his struggles are based in fact, citing the 2017 suicide of Kim Jong-hyun.

For such a short, sweet book, Hart and Seoul really touches on many topics of importance to teenagers and many adult readers in the YA genre. I think it will be easy to find an audience for this book, and I really hope there will eventually be fanart.

As a small-scale BTS fan, I went into this novel with middle-of-the-road expectations. I knew there would be romance, and I knew pretty instantly with the boyfriend/bestfriend arc. I didn't feel too much towards the main characters until quite a bit further on. I did enjoy the book though, but it would have been much better if the author had actually done research instead of writing the book leaning on her very superficial knowledge of Korean culture; knowledge that comes from listening to K-pop and watching a kdrama episode here and there only.

The rest was fine. This book didn’t blow my mind or anything, but it entertained me for a while. I would consider going into it knowing that it’s not the best young adult K-pop book out there in any way, though. And that the Korean representation is not super problematic but it goes in that direction, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a Korean reader felt a bit insulted by this book.

Hart & Seoul is a YA novel with a difference. There's the usual YA factors - broken relationships, friendship struggles and college admissions - but then you throw in a runaway Korean popstar! I think readers need to go into this book knowing that this is YA to a tee. The writing is very simple and slightly cliche at points, and it does skim over some bigger issues, like parental abandonment and mental health. But all in all, I liked Hart & Seoul and couldn't wait to dive back in every day to find out what happens.

I was originally going to say that I wasn't going to be able to review the book as the last book in this situation (KPop romance) left a bad taste in my mouth. But as I was going through/reading the book a little bit as I usually do to see if I can maybe grasp a connection, I kept noticing how the MC's voice just felt very childish and her train of thought just didn't fit with the style I like to read. I gave this one a chance to break through the bad taste but I just don't think the writing style is for me!

Thank you Netgalley and Mascot Books for sending me this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I am not gonna lie - this book feels like a cheesy wattpad fanfiction written by a K-pop fan who has barely any knowledge about the actual Korean culture. There were a lot of grammatical errors too and ridiculous dialogues (like when Lee tells Merri that he came to USA for a vacation she legit asks him with utmost shock "You came to a new continent for vacation?!!!!" as if that's such an unnatural thing to do). This is a lot of complains for a book that I just rated 4 stars. But the thing about this book is it is a perfect guilty pleasure read - it is addictive and captivating and keeps you turning pages after pages until you actually finish it in one sitting. The writing keeps you hooked from the beginning to the end. I liked Lee - he was a really entertaining character. Merri was fine though I did not really care much about her. This book was a typical fanfiction with the tropes but at the same time it was very entertaining. I don't have much knowledge about K-pop but if you are a fan, then this book is the perfect summer read for you.

2.5 stars

I started this book with the best intentions. And pretty high expectations, which is something you should never do with a book, regardless of its synopsis. However, I should have been more careful with this book in particular since it’s about something I love with all my heart and that coincidentally comes from another culture I wasn’t born in. This is very important because I feel like the author should have considered this too. Way more deeply than how she did here. More about it later.

This is why I went into the book expecting too much and ended up putting it down after the first 15%. Not only the main character was bland, but I had already predicted what was going to happen with her friends (dull plot arc that lasts for the entire book istg), and the K-pop artist had made his appearance but he presented himself as the usual cocky rude new next door guy. On top of this, I already had the feeling that the Korean representation would be off. It didn’t look like I would enjoy it at all.

In the end, I ended up picking it back up with the intention of reading a bit more and dnfing it if I still didn’t like it. I lowered my expectations to zero. This is when the book blew my mind with how taken I was by the story once I reached the 25% mark. I’m still trying to understand what made me keep reading and reading without wanting to stop. Was it because I was listening to K-pop full blast with my headphones? Was it because of the writing style? Or because I wanted to see where the story would go?

I was for sure really interested in Lee Hyung Kim all of a sudden. He kinda grew on me a little bit. I think I was obsessed with knowing more about his career? And he was sweet. What I don’t get is why it felt like I liked the writing style when in actuality I didn’t. Maybe it was because it’s simple and quick, however I swear I couldn’t stand all of those parenthesis or exclamation marks. It looked like this book was written by a fangirl obsessing over her idols on twitter, and I don’t mean this in a good way. Especially because with everything else, the book read like a self-insert fanfiction.

Still, I guess I enjoyed the reading experience! Despite some stuff that really irked me which I’m going to go into now.

First of all, the Korean words used in this book are written incorrectly, and I don’t understand how they ended up in the finished book like that. I get that maybe the author (and the editor?) wanted the reader to read those words with the correct pronunciation, but there are better ways to make sure of that. This was the worst one they could come up with. For example, ‘yes’ in Korean should be romanized as ‘ne’, but in this book it was written as ‘deh’. Another example is ‘mwo?’, which was ‘bo?’ here. There’s a bunch more, these are only the most repeated words that I remember because they bothered me a lot.
You know, you can have a key at the beginning or end of the book to help the reader with the pronunciation of some words. It’s not a new thing.

Secondly, I don’t understand the reason why those Korean words were there in the first place. I guarantee you that when non-English speakers come to an English-speaking country, they don’t intersperse their sentences with words from their language. They just speak English. Period. They won’t say words in their language, if not by mistake, and then not explain them, expecting the other person to understand what they said.
It looked to me like Lee Hyung Kim’s nationality was fetishized. The author would find every possible excuse to have him mention that he was Korean, implicitly or explicitly. In every single page.
There are healthier ways to show your admiration for a culture. This ain’t it.

Thirdly, Lee Hyung Kim behaved like an idiot in the first quarter of the book. To me it seemed like the author still wanted to grandly show that he was a foreigner. A foreigner who doesn’t know anything about American culture? How is that even possible, please. He behaved like he had come to the US expecting it to be exactly like South Korea. Like that thing with the glasses size when they eat out (which I find super weird in itself, by the way). New country, new culture, bigger glasses, Mr. Lee. It’s only normal you find different things in a different country.

The rest was fine. This book didn’t blow my mind or anything, but it entertained me for a while. I would consider going into it knowing that it’s not the best young adult K-pop book out there in any way, though. And that the Korean representation is not super problematic but it goes in that direction, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a Korean reader felt a bit insulted by this book.

Very cute.
Merri meets her neighbor’s nephew almost immediately before catching her boyfriend cheating.
At first the new guy is snarky. But he’s kind to her when he realizes what she’s going through. He is Korean and he starts bringing her Korean foods to cheer her up.

They start spending more time together.
Merri is an artist and she basically draws her daily life as a bit of a diary. It doesn’t take long till “sparkly boy” starts making an appearance in her work.

She knows he’s keeping a secret. But it isn’t till after they’ve started to bond that she finds out he’s a K-pop Star and he’s basically in hiding.

I liked the characters and enjoyed the storyline. I thought it got cuter as it went on. Loved all the foodie dates.

I got to read an early copy from NetGalley.
I’ll plan to read the second book in the series too.

Hart & Seoul is a fun romance featuring a K-Pop star.

It's fun that Merri doesn't know who Lee is when they meet.

I found this tale to be cute and entertaining.

Merilee Hart has been doing her best to keep things together since her mother left, her art a welcome escape from her depressing new reality. But things seem to go even more awry the moment her next door neighbor’s enigmatic and mysterious nephew arrives from South Korea. Lee is moody, cocky, and utterly infuriating.
But when Merri’s closest friends betray her and her father crushes her dream of going to art school, Merri finds herself drawn to Lee, who seems to live within even greater shadows than her own. And just when she thought things couldn’t get crazier, Merri’s world is upended when she discovers Lee’s big and bizarre secret…he is none other than a runaway member of the K-pop mega-group Thunder.

It’s not long before Thunder’s fans, the Storm Chasers, begin to close in on Lee, ready to do whatever it takes to return their favorite idol to his rightful place in the band. Faced with the prospect of even more heartbreak and caught up in an international whirlwind that has a life of its own, Merri realizes that she must find a way to mend herself, gain control of her life, and pursue her dreams—her heart and soul depend on it.

I received a copy from NetGalley all my opinions are my own.
I loved this storyline!! It was humorous, sad, happy, and dealt with serious issues, and I enjoyed the two main characters bond. Merri and Lee had a rocky beginning, but they connected and became great friends, I enjoyed the character growth between that they went through. Lee, with his anxiety and learning to trust people, and Merri is dealing with the betrayal of her mother and best friend and having a better relationship with her father. I enjoyed this book, and I am looking forward to the second book in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Hart & Seoul by Kristen Burnham. I've voluntarily read and reviewed this copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Girl meets boy.
Boy falls for girl.
Girl discovers boy is a runaway K-pop idol in hiding.

Hart & Seoul is a romance story with great comedic timing. It's a quick read and keeps you entertained. The premise is fun and something new, which made for a surprising story.

Even though I enjoyed the story, there were a few red flags for me. At times the writing didn't feel appropriate towards Korean culture. Since I'm not familiar with Korean culture myself, I can't speak to the authenticity of the portrayal of Korean culture in this book. But I do feel that the writing was insensitive at times and could be handled with more care.

This relates also to the mention of self-harm, which I felt could be handled with way more care. In the story it's mentioned briefly and rushed over as if it's just a simple thing. I feel like when you make self-harm a part of the story of a character, you should handle it with care.

For reasons above I rate Hart & Seoul by Kristen Burnham with 2,5 stars.

I read this all in one sitting! I absolutely loved the cute friendship turned romance, the reveal of Lee’s double life and even the betrayal/love triangle between Merri and her friends at the start of the book. I’d really recommend this to anyone looking for a new take on a Young/New Adult Romance as I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I wasn't into the book at all. I had to force myself to keep reading and I ended up skimming over everything. It felt way too cliché and childish for me. The voice of the main character was just . . . ignorant, at best.

I'll start by saying that this is the perfect book for when you are looking for something light, sweet and with a guaranteed happy ending or in summary when you need to escape your own life.
The writing was not exceptional and there were some tiny cliches mainly when it came to some of Merri's behaviors and most importantly the beginning of the book that was too predictable but other than that I can't really complain.
If you are alive then you are at least marginally aware of the Kpop and Kdramas phenomenon and how many fans they have all around the world. There are people learning Korean all over Europe because of these bands and shows and even the American shows have begun to notice them. I'm not a Kpop fan, I requested this book just because I had never read a YA romance in which the male love interest was Asian. A lot of people will be reading it because of the Kpop angle though, the only other places I ever found stories about it being Archive of Our Own and Wattpad, so there is space for this kind of books obviously and Kristen noticed it.
With Lee being Korean the author was able to explore an entirely new set of cultural rules and she did it well. I particularly enjoyed the way in which Lee spoke, not when it came to being agrammatical or having an accent but how blunt he was not minding if he was offending someone. I also finished this book with my belly roaring after learning about several different Koran recipes.
I noticed that there is something about books inside books or books that are about another artistic medium that I enjoy and Hart &Seoul is no different. I loved reading about Merri's drawings and cartoons and wish I could see the illustrations she did of Lee and herself meeting, their first drive, Lee carrying her when she sprained her ankle and so on and I did also love to read about Lee ad Merri's best friend dancing and Lee singing and all the tiny details that set him apart from all the other male love interest I read until now.
One of those things were his clothes, that were so different from everything else they were difficult to imagine but I'm sure he pulled them off because Lee is amazing. The other was the fact that he often wore makeup and I loved that! In no way was ever hinted that he was less masculine because of it and there was even a tiny mention of Lee helping Merry applying her own eyeliner because he often wore it as well. The only part I disliked was the fact that when he wore it the author called it "guyliner". You don't need to gender makeup to make sure we know he is a man!
Despite the general lightheartedness of the book, the story does have some very heavy themes like parental abandonment on Merri's side and Lee's darker side not only of fame but also of Kpop and that is the scene that I will always remember this book for.
The book ending felt a bit rushed but I didn't even care because there is going to be a second book and I will Lee and Merri again!
When it comes to the cover, I found it pretty but it's only when you see it up close that you notice all the details. The first time I saw it I didn't even care to open the link because it just seemed so bland.
The entire book has a sense of freshness, lightheartedness, and originality that reminded me a lot of fanfics with the love you can feel emanating from every word.
Thank you to NetGalley and Mascot Books for this ARC.

3.5/5*

I don't know a lot about K-pop personally, but I hear a ton about it from my students on a regular basis, so of course this book grabbed my attention. The classic love story of a celebrity going undercover and meeting someone is always fun, and I loved that this would be adding in some culture shock and clashes.

Very Topical Love Story
K-Pop is everywhere! With groups like BTS blowing up in North America, this romance is so on trend and I loved taking part in it. Merri and Lee are really cute together and their conversations are hilarious. Language barriers are a real thing and it's great that it becomes a source of flirting for them, instead of something awkward or uncomfortable. I also think it's great that this is such a lovely reimagining of classic stories like Notting Hill, love stories that made us root for these couples to make it despite their differences.

Lots of Great References
I really liked that Merri and Lee are both challenged to adapt to each other's cultures. It would have been really easy for Lee to only experience American things, but instead, he introduces Merri to new foods and words and becomes a bonding moment between them. I honestly loved this because it's so beautiful to see relationships like this bridge countries and languages and still be true. Merri and Lee (aka Christmas and Kimchi) learn a lot from each other, and are adorable the entire time.

Coasts Over the Heavy Things
This is not a book that's going to spend a lot of time on the heavy themes that are mentioned, and that felt like a shame. Merri and Lee are both dealing with a lot of trauma, and it would have been nice to see them really working on these aspects of their lives. It's really just glossed over and that was a missed opportunity to turn this light romance into a really beautiful story about love, trust, and support. It was a cute story, but it won't go any deeper than that.

This was a really cute story and a perfect summer read. I'd recommend this to anyone who is a fan of K-Pop (I feel like you'll get more of the references than I did), enjoys light romances, or just wants a cute read. This is not an intense romance, but there's nothing wrong with a light love story!

Hart and Seoul is a cheeky story about your ordinary girl and the average K-pop Idol. Filled with some seriously adorable scenes, but also has some bittersweet and downright hard life lessons.

Highly recommend, even if you're not into K-dramas, crazy fangirls, and kimchi. 😉

Summary
After a few months’ stint in Australia with her dad, Merrilee returns home just in time to see her neighbor’s nephew move in next door. After a rough first meeting, and betrayal at the hands of her closest friends, they begin to strike up somewhat of an odd friendship. Lee is mercurial, cocky, and a huge pain in Merri’s butt--yet she still finds herself wanting to get to know him and attempt to peel back the many layers he’s erected around his heart.

The closer the pair become, the more secretive Lee seems, until Merri is met with the biggest shock of all--Lee is a hugely popular member of the K-POP band, Thunder. When his crazed fans discover where he’s been hiding, major complications arise and put a great strain on Lee and Merri’s blossoming relationship.

There are some false accusations and hurt feelings that fuel a blow up which precedes Lee’s trip back home, leaving Merri to wonder if the last time she’d ever see him will be tainted with bitter memories.


Review
Oh. My. Gosh. Let me just start by saying this: I’m a big fan of K-POP and K-drama, so when I read the blurb for this book I jumped at the opportunity to read and review it. And I have to say, I wasn’t disappointed in the least. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book where I honestly didn’t have anything I disliked while reading it, but I have nothing bad to say about this book.


The Hero
Lee … sigh. Lee is one of the best heroes ever. In a way, he reminds me of Daoming Si from Meteor Garden--and yes, Dylan Wang (the actor who played Si) is totally who I pictured while reading this book, despite the fact that neither Si nor Dylan are Korean, lol. Anyway, he’s got that a-hole vibe at the beginning--which, if you’ve read my reviews, you know that I LOVE a good a-hole hero!--and he’s so cocky and takes great pleasure in giving Merri a hard time. At first, I was afraid he wasn’t going to have any qualities that were redeemable enough for me to grow to like him, but boy, did I not need to worry. Lee is most definitely a tortured soul and there’s so much more to him than meets the eye, which I should have realized at the start. I mean, why else would a super popular K-POP star hide out at his aunt’s house in America if there wasn’t something troubling going on in his life?

Lee is also extremely closed off and it seems to take FOREVER for Merri to finally get to know him below purely surface level. Once this part of his story is revealed, it’s easy to understand why he’s been so unapproachable and difficult. Like I said, there’s so much more to him than meets the eye. He goes on to show Merri how protective and loving he can be; how many demons he’s still fighting and how desperately he just wants to live life his own way. Lee’s emotional turmoil and the consequences of such are so heartbreaking to read--but they’re incredibly important to be aware of.


The Heroine
Merri is easily one of my favorite heroines ever. She’s an artist, she’s sensitive, and she has such a passionate soul. She’s a little snarky and so quick to anger when it comes to Lee, which, in all honesty, lol, is somewhat justified for the most part at the beginning. Merri has a lot to overcome, between her mom abandoning her and her dad to her friends’ betraying her, and now her dad wanting her to give up her dream of going to school for art. Not to mention, her growing fascination and attraction to her new neighbor.

Merri is independent, caring, intelligent, compassionate, and sarcastic. She’s strong willed and determined to follow her dreams, despite the lack of support from her father. Seeing the growth in her character, as well as the pure emotion she feels--which is so beautifully written--was one of the best coming of age arcs I’ve read in some time. I love how there’s actually some depth to this heroine and that she’s big enough to admit when she’s done wrong--and she’s not a sniveling mess around the hero!


The Story
Ugh. This book, this story … it’s just amazing. I loved the subject matter, I loved the characters and the drama, and I loved the smart way Merri handled Lee after they had their blow up. *spoiler* I love that just because Lee confessed he was in love with her didn’t mean she was ready to tell him the same thing. Lee really hurt her and she wasn’t quite ready to be that vulnerable with him. I couldn’t help but inwardly cheer for her during that part because it was so perfect. Sure, I’m a hopeless romantic and I always want the characters to fall in love, but I love that she was smart enough to realize that some trust had been broken and it needs to be rebuilt before that next step is taken. *end of spoiler*

Like I said in the beginning, I love K-POP and K-drama, so this was right up my alley. Everything about this book kept me wanting more; the drama between the friends, the angst, the developing relationship between Merri and Lee, Lee’s backstory--all of it.

While obviously K-POP (and to an extent, K-drama) plays a large role in this book, you don’t have to be a fan of the genre to enjoy the story. At the heart of it are two young people simply trying to find their own ways in the world and attempting to grapple with their growing feelings for one another. It’s also a wonderful story of overcoming your past, fighting insecurity and heartbreak, and learning to stand on your own two feet. Romantic love is a huge part of this story, but so is self love and discovering who your true friends really are.


Conclusion
This is a definite 5 star read for me. I just loved it so much! I’m hoping the author continues Lee and Merri’s story because there’s still so much that can be done with it. I’d like to see how they handle Lee being on tour and how much their relationship will develop and grow. Also, what’s going to happen when Lee has to enlist in the military--which is a requirement in Korea? Mostly, I just want more of these two because there’s such potential for an incredible, all-consuming love that I would love to see develop.

I highly, highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys young adult novels with some romance <3

Happy reading!!