Oh, boy. Where to start with this one. First off I am…not sure this book is a romance. I was at the 97% mark of this book and I was like…wait …wait…

Without getting too spoilery I will say this book ops for an HFN (Happy For Now) over an HEA. I could see this book deeply disappointing fans of romance. I understand HEAs are required in romance and expected from readers…but I’m not one of those readers. I like something subversive and unexpected so the fact that the book does this without warning is actually a plus for me.

With all that said Heart and Seoul follows Hara Wilson, a Korean transracial adoptee in Iowa, who makes the impulsive decision to find her birth family in Seoul. While searching for her family Hara reconciles with her Korean culture and, for the first time, forms a strong emotional relationship with charming businessman Choi Yujun.

There are several twist and turns as Hara unravels the truth of her past. I liked following along on Hara’s journey and that Frederick never settles for easy answers when it comes to Hara trying to figure out if she belongs in Korea or America. Frederick herself is a Korean adoptee and she really lays out the dilemmas and struggles through Hara’s story.

I did find some of the writing repetitive, we are often reminded of cultural facts and nuances multiple times. It felt like the book didn’t trust the reader to hold on to the information.

When I originally wrote this review I didn't know what kind of book this was, but I now see on the PRH website that this is an ongoing series that follows the same characters. I wish they would have made this more obvious in the marketing or copy.

I really loved this book. I have never been to Seoul but in reading this book I want to get on the next flight. The author really made the city come alive. I loved the twists in the story and she did a great job talking about all the different things going through Hara’s head through the story.

I waited on this book for what seems like forever… Thanks 2020. I've read some other works by the author and thought this sounds like my thing. Then CLo recc'd it… And being the massive CLo fan I am I always listen to their recs.

So this book, where to start? Overall, did I enjoy the book? Yes, absolutely. Was the book what I was expecting? No. I was expecting a fun adventure to find who the MC is and for her to fall in love.

That's sorta what happens. Hara finds herself and a love interest but I would not categorize this as a romance; there's no HEA or even HFN. The slight love story is secondary to the story of Hara finding herself in Korea.

This book was a lot of emotions. I really felt for Hara and her journey.

A polka dot surrounded by stripes then finding out you're not a polka dot or a stripe was hard to read. Everyone wants to belong and Hara just didn't.

Berkeley did a terrible job marketing this book. I had no idea it was book one of a duology until the author posted about it. I'm hoping that's where the romance comes in.

Overall I enjoyed it as a work of women's fiction.

I received an ARC via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Hara is a Korean adoptee, living in the American Midwest. She has known she looks different from her white parents her entire life, though her mother always says she choose Hara. Her father Pat abandoned Hara and her mother, and built a new family when Hara was just a tween.

When Pat dies, combined with an invitation from her birth father to come see him in South Korea, proves to be the catalyst for her to search for her roots in Seoul.

Upon arriving in Seoul, Hara mistakes a dangerously handsome Yujan for her ride, and Yujan takes a shine to this new American. Hara knows so little about her homeland, and her search for family seems so doomed when she discovers her bio father has died since contacting her. With only a few pictures, Hara tries to find her mother while also exploring Seoul with Yujan, and connecting with her heritage. This trip will truly change Hara's life, but also the people she meets along the way.

I love #OWNVOICES books. Jen is a Korean adoptee, so some of these experiences are ones she has knows about firsthand. I found the beginning of the story to be slow, but I loved the middle and end - at least right until the last chapter.

Please note that though this book is categorized as a romance, there is not HEA/HFN. I scoured acknowledgments and reader's guides, and couldn't believe that this was the ending for these characters. Then I did some poking online (at 2 am no less, so you understand the urgency I felt for these characters), and found that there is a second book scheduled to come out late fall. For this reason alone I am giving 5 stars for the book. Without the hope for a HEA in book 2, I'd give the book 3 stars.

Thank you for the opportunity to read Heart and Soul. Sadly, it was a DNF for me.

I was super psyched about this book for a few reasons, not the least of which are this amazing cover and the fact Jen was (finally!) releasing a new book. Unfortunately, it just didn't hold my attention. So, I looked at Goodreads to see what others had said and when I realized there wasn't a HEA or HFN and that it was more women's fiction than romance, I decided to put it aside.

Had a very drama feel but the lack of storytelling was a let down. There was lots of doing or say and not alot of describing the atmosphere.

K-dramas are all the rage right now and this fits right in. A soapy story of family and love, Hara travels to Korea to finally get the answers that she’s wanted. But like most things, not is all as it seems. As she dives deeper into her roots, she discovers more of herself than ever before. A novel of deep changes and great character development, it hits all the right spots for a summer feel good story.

Hara Wilson is on the path to self discovery after doing some reflecting after her father’s funeral. She is a Korean-American who was adopted and wants to learn about her culture. What better way than to jump on a plane to Seoul? She meets some interesting folks and explore a region that is all too foreign for her.

I am really disappointed in this book. I got to 75% and wanted to just quit. It is not that the story is not interested, it is just not what I had anticipated from this author. I have read other books by her before so I’m aware of her writing style. I actually went into this story thinking the main character would be full of self discovery and love. Yes, that did happen technically but it felt off. The romance is purely lacking in this. There is nothing that gave me the feels. The main character is too busy learning about her true heritage and culture to be in love.

Mainly the main character started to become annoying. She involved herself in so much drama that I became bored with her storyline. I didn’t care what happened one way or another to her. The potential love interest is a nice addition but like I previously mentioned, he is not oozing romantic vibes either so I just gave up on the romance.

I will admit that seeing the country through Hara’s eyes is the bonus in this story. I take it that the author did the research because the story is very descriptive. However, it is just not enough for me.

I think this is going to be a series but I will have to pass on this one. I need books that spark excitement in me. If it is not romance then I need to go in knowing that so I’m not waiting for something more to occur.

~ Samantha

DNF.

This book had promise in the first 30% when we find out about Hara and her biological father and her trip to Korea. I felt very invested in her grieving process and path to finding out her mother's identity. It had flatlined in the middle and I found myself skimming. I decided to finally finish the book at 50%. I wouldn't recommend this one.

Heart and Seoul totally stole my heart and soul! I have always loved Jen Frederick's books, but this was unexpected! Hara is on a journey of discovery and she really does find herself. While I couldn't understand Hara's struggles and desires to know where you come from, I adored reading her journey.

As with all families, Hara's family has it's own dysfunctions, secrets, and struggles which she unpacks on her trip. Hara is learning about Korean culture and about her thoughts and feelings regarding her adoptive family. She is 25 and determined. I think the trip really pushed her out of her comfort zone, and that was something I truly admired. I don't know that I could really do what she did! The is Hara's story; it is more women's fiction than anything. Hara blossoms during this book. It is at times sad, funny, heartbreaking and just about every feeling in between.

As I said, this is really more women's fiction, but there is a small romance. I enjoyed it, but it almost felt awkward in a story so focused on Hara's growth. I think if there was more romance, it would have felt more natural; conversely, if there was no romance at all it would have felt natural as well. But, the tiny romance just felt off in what was otherwise such a beautifully written story.

Anyone who has had a quarter life crisis over their identity will relate to Hara-even if your crisis wasn't about being a Korean adoptee. There is a universality to much of the story, Heart and Seoul, that will ensnare readers!

Hara was born in Korea and was adapted by American parents when she was very young. She struggled with her identity whole life living in a town with not a lot of Asians and had no desire to learn about the Korean culture. When her dad passed away so sudden, Hara decided to look for her birth parents in Korea. In there, she made friends and found romance, but also found out about the secret and devastating truth about her family and people around her.

While reading this book, I felt like I was watching a Korean drama in my head!! There was so much drama while Hara was looking for her birth parents, and it was really sad and heavy. And the part about Shrimp flavored ramyeon being thrown at her? Yikes!

As a Korean American who spent my early age in Korea, I was excited to see all the references about Korean food and places and cultures the author mentions during the story. Ddeokbokki, Samgyeopsal and gimbab? Beer by Han river? Who wouldn’t be excited? Also, there was a reference to a song that Hara heard in the car about Seoul as well as the name on the lock at Namsan Tower that made me think of a certain k-pop idol. Can you guess who?

I also liked the part about the cultural identity, especially the part where Hara was experiencing the complex emotions about her being a Korean descendant but not being considered as Korean among her Korean roommates because she didn’t know it’s culture or language. It felt very real and made me think of my heritage and my kids’ who living in the US.

Even though this book was categorized as a romance novel on Net Galley, I felt like it was more of Hara’s journey to find her birth parents, not just a story about her falling in love with Yujun. Though the romance is there, I felt the cultural information and finding her heritage played a bigger part of the story.

Overall, I enjoyed the Heart and Seoul very much. Like the author mentioned, I am so glad that there's a market for this kind of book. Hara’s story about looking for her birth parents felt real with lots of dramas and cultural information. Her love interest, Yujun, was swoon worthy and I wish there was more of their story! Hara and her story will definitely linger in my heart for a long time. Now, when can I visit Korea?

I want to thank NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for approving my request for ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I read about 25% of this book, and then I made the mistake of glancing at some Goodreads reviews... and....

It's not a HEA. It's not even a HFN.

So like any sane person, I skipped to the last two chapters to confirm. (Con confirm. No HEA or HFN in sight. Probably more the opposite.) And I just don't have the emotional bandwidth to journey through a novel only for it to leave me utterly depressed at the end. This doesn't even seem like those makes-you-cry-in-a-good-way books. Even in the first quarter, a lot of crappy stuff happens--we saw two people die. From what I've heard, even more bad stuff happens in the latter 75%.

An author shouldn't be faulted for the way their book is marketed--I'm looking at you Berkley--but the issues with this one go beyond a misleadingly cute cover, title, and blurb. I just can't imagine anyone who would want to read a story with this kind of ending.

I don't really have a problem with the writing style, though I think there was a lot of unnecessary detail making the beginning verge on women's fiction, and I really liked learning more about the Korean culture. In fact, that's one reason I considered sticking it out. I love to be taken new places by books, and I think this one would have accomplished that. But I just cannot handle a book leaving me in such a bad place.

Thank you to Berkley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

2 stars - 4/10

This was an interesting book. I’ve previously read Jen Frederick and they have mostly been straight romance books.Although there is a touch of romance in this book I would actually call it a book about self discovery. Hara is a Korean adoptee and although loved by her mom has never felt accepted by her dad. When he dies and leaves nothing to her she decides to go to Korea. We are taken on an emotional journey along with Hara who realizes that sometimes you are not happier when you find what you think you want. During her search for her birth parents Hara also begins to learn more about herself. I would love a second book because I feel as if we have left Hara at a crossroads in her life.

It's hard to know what to say about this one when the reason for my disappointment with it is really that it's being marketed as a romance and it doesn't have the main feature necessary to be a romance, which meant that I got to the end and kind of went "WHAT?" It seems there's going to be a follow up, but I didn't know that going in.

What I did like about this one was the deep exploration of adoption and identity, particularly as it crosses race and nationality, and getting to take a virtual vacation to Seoul in this story. There are a lot of unexpected turns in this one, and outside of the marketing misstep in classifying this as romance, it's an interesting story.

Heart and Seoul by Jen Frederick is described as a heart-wrenching but hopeful romance. However, I would classify this as more women’s fiction with a light romantic element.

As a Korean adoptee in Iowa, Hara has never felt like she belonged. The last straw is an off-hand comment during her adopted father’s funeral and we follow Hara’s roller coaster journey to Seoul, as she searches for her birth parents. Ring in kdrama-esque secrets, family drama, and of course a tall, handsome stranger.

As a lover of food porn, I enjoyed reading about all the new food that Hara experienced during her time in Seoul. It was also fun to watch her explore the city and play tourist through her. All the Korean pop culture references were also super fun to spot! These all added such dimension to the story and I really loved it.

The relationships in this book were well drawn and I particularly loved the push and pull of her friendship with Boyoung.

Due to the main storyline revolving around Hara’s search for her birth mum and in the process, her identity, there was not much time for her romantic interest, Yujun, to develop. He’s your typical Kdrama first male lead, rich, handsome and swoon-worthy!! However, the romantic relationship was probably the weakest part of this story and 🚨 romance reader alert🚨, this is actually not romance and there’s no HEA or HFN.

I was a bit disappointed by this and I can’t wait for the sequel to satisfy my romance-loving heart (and soul)! 😆

Overall, this was more a story about self-discovery and I mostly enjoyed it. However, while there were some very good elements but the pacing was a bit all over the place and I was occasionally pulled out of the flow.

(CW: racism, body image)
Thank you to the publishers for the arc.

4.5/ 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book! Is this your typical predictable romance? No. I cried. I was shocked. I was amazed. This book was not what I was expecting at all. I would go into it thinking of it more as women's fiction. I loved this book and I loved learning so much about Korean culture.

I know Jen Frederick as part of the amazing Erin Watt duo. I loved the Paper Princess series. So I was super excited to read something that she had written on her own.

The narrator is Hara Wilson (25 years old, 1st person POV). She grew up in Iowa. But she was born in South Korea. Her adoptive mom is Ellen.

This book is part women's fiction and part romance. There is romance in this book. However, it's not the main focus of the story. This book focuses on Hara's journey. We get to see what it's like to live in the US and be adopted from another country. And we learn so much about Korean culture.

Hara grew up as the only Asian student at her school. So she never felt like she fit in. She didn't look like her parents or anyone else in town. Yet she didn't know Korean so she really did not fit in there either.

Learning about Korean culture was so interesting. And I loved the main setting for this story. I absolutely loved getting to see South Korea. And I loved all of the characters there.

Three characters of note are Yujun Choi, Boyoung and Jules. Yujun is someone Hara meets at the airport. Boyoung is a friend that she met in Iowa. And Jules is one of her roommates in Korea.

I absolutely loved everything to do with Yujun. And I especially adored every part of the story that he was in.

There were parts of the first half that were a bit slower. The second half was much stronger for me. I was mesmerized and I could not put the book down. I really did not know where the story was going. And that is what I love about this book. I don't want predictable and boring. I want the author to shock me and surprise me and take me to new places.

I will think about this book for a while. It was not what I was expecting. It was compelling and surprising. Don't go into this book thinking that it is just a romance. There is really so much more to the book.

I am so conflicted on how I'm going to score this book. I really liked this story of going to search for her birth family and the people she meets along the way. What I really didn't like was the ending. Most of the time when you read books like this they are stand alone and wrap up neatly. However this one did not and had quite the heart wrenching ending. Now I know that a book 2 is in the works but this was still stressful and didn't enjoy finding that out after realizing this book didn't resolve. I will definitely be reading the next one as I want to know what happens.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me an arc for an honest review~

This was a book I didn't know how much I needed it in my life. As some readers may find the first half of the book difficult to relate to, I related all to well to Hara and her feelings of not really belonging/fitting in. All the feelings Hara was experiencing being an adoptee I've felt my entire life as an adopted child. I still have those feelings. So I found it easier to read the story and flip through the pages. I've also lost my adoptive father and still to this day have a hard time dealing with his loss and my grief. Trust me though my father was not a jerk like Pat, he was the complete opposite of that idiot!

I loved reading Hara's story and seeing he experience Korea. It's made me consider traveling to my home country and possibly looking for my birth family. This was such a lovely story and I've told all my friends to read it asap. If you are a fan of K-dramas then this one is for you! Many thanks to Berkley for an advanced copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I'm not going to lie this review is really hard for me to write. Which isn't surprising because I found the first 50 percent of this book hard to read. I read to escape from reality for a few hours and this was all just too real. And I know that a few reviews compared this to a Korean drama and it might be, I've not seen any. But as an adoptee I was too busy feeling all those emotions.

It was so well written that I completely felt all of those feels. I had a feeling that I knew what was coming and in parts I did. In others I was too busy trying to figure out how this newest bombshell would affect the information we had just gotten. And hoping that Hara could catch a break long enough to deal with her emotions.

I absolutely want to kill Jen for that ending. It wasn't enough, I need happiness and sunshine and wedding bells and babies. For the last five percent I kept praying for the page numbers to change so I could get another conclusion. I feel like everything is still so unresolved and yet everything is resolved. Just not how I wanted it to be.

“And the place where you once thought you belonged, you don’t. You’re still on the outside. […] Everyone wants to belong —to someone. Somewhere.”

Heart and Seoul is Jen Frederick’s latest novel and the author borrows from her own experiences as a Korean-American adoptee to tell an emotional story full of ups and downs. We follow the main character, Hara, a Korean-American adoptee that decides to go on a journey to her birth country to search for her birth father. However, she discovers more about her roots, her identity, and herself than she imagined before embarking on this trip.

Hara doesn’t have an easy start. When we meet her, she has just lost her adoptive father and after receiving a certain message, she decides to fly to Seoul to find and confront her birth father. However, that does not go as planned and very early on—as in her first day in the city—she discovers a harsh truth that will set her in motion to investigate even more on her birth family. But in the city she also has some heartwarming and fun moments where she gets to learn more about the Korean culture, even if they clash with her American customs. These moments come from her roommates but also from the charming boy she met upon her arrival at the airport… A boy that completely enchanted her.

If we’re being honest, romance is not the main focus of the story, and you certainly will not get a Happily Ever After ending. This is more of a self-discovery journey, the story of a young woman who wants to find herself and her roots, a girl in her 20s that is so desperate to belong. Heart and Seoul focuses a lot more on family relationships and dynamics. It’s about the secrets that people keep from one another thinking they’re protecting each other and themselves. On the romance side, the story is missing something and it can cause mixed feelings on readers as much as it does on the main character. However, the initial friendship between Hara and Yujun is quite sweet and endearing. Yujun teaches Hara a lot about Korean culture and reassures her that she is indeed Korean, which is a part of herself that she had always tried to erase in the past.

Hara’s journey towards finding herself is the main highlight of the book. It’s interesting to see her thoughts on her own identity, on how people perceive her, and also the struggles that adoptees face: how she “looks Korean but feels American”, how she felt too Korean on the outside whilst she lived in America but when she was in Korea she felt too American the moment she opened her mouth, and how she feels this “otherness” no matter where she goes. It’s a very introspective read and the truth is that Hara comes so far throughout the book and her character development is beautiful. She goes from being a timid woman who bottles up her emotions to being a bold, strong, and assertive woman who stands up for herself. What’s also great about this emotional growth is that it goes in hand with Frederick’s writing, since we’re seeing the story from Hara’s POV, we can feel this growth as we read and that’s all thanks to the author’s words and the way she describes and phrases everything.

The other main strong point and highlight of the book is the setting. South Korea is a beautiful country with a rich culture and lots of different customs. Whether you are familiar or not with these, Heart and Seoul will be an enriching read. Seeing Hara navigating through the city of Seoul, the place she was born in but that she knows nothing about, is very interesting: from the city landscapes, to the language itself, the customs (drinking customs, how to address people, etc) and even the way adoption is seen in Korea.

The story itself is also interesting as this is not your usual adoptee story. There are a lot of ups and downs and plot twists that one would not expect, but they keep you hooked and it’s all very intense because Hara is presented with some harsh truths that nobody would find easy to deal with. The story in general has a great pace and flows well; however, the ending does feel a bit abrupt and with a slight lack of resolution on some points. That being said, even if the ending isn’t the one one would hope at the beginning of the book, there is a glimmer of hope as Hara does find some peace with herself.

All in all, full of twists and turns, Heart and Seoul is an addictive, emotional, and tense read that will keep you hooked from the very beginning, much like a K-Drama!