This was such an amazing easy read. I had no idea what was going to happen and the representation that would be in the book (not going to say more because it’s a bit of a spoiler). I appreciated that part and learning more about life in S. Korea. Cute love story - it went pretty fast but it is YA and would be perfect for younger YA readers.

This was a quick read that takes you into the world of K-Dramas. Lee's plot navigates homophobia in Korea through the relationships between Hana, Minjee, and Bryan. Hana also has to deal with people not seeing her as a real Korean because she is an American born lead actress. I would definitely recommend this book. Lyla Lee is one of my new favorite authors and auto-read.

Thank you Netgalley for an e-arc of this book.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me free access to the advanced copy of this book to read.

This book brought together my love for reading and my love for k-dramas in a way that left me smiling until the very end.

This books was amazing!! Once again lyla lee did an amazing job. I totally fell in love with all the characters. Would totally recommend <3

This was everything my K-pop loving self was hoping for and more. I loved the character dynamics and quirky personalities displayed.

Flip the Script by Lyla Lee, author of YA bestseller “I’ll Be the One” and the “Mindy Kim” series, is a beautiful slow burn that makes every reader swoon when we finally get to see our leads push past their society’s heteronormative conventions and express how they truly feel about each other. Lyla writes in a way that keeps you so entranced that you might end up like me and read the whole thing in one night.

Her story has lovely depth, finding unique and vivid backgrounds across Seoul to bring her story to life. She even travelled through the pandemic to better understand the places she set her story in, giving it a solid, grounded feel.

At first, Jin Hana, our main protagonist, has no interest in romantic life. She’s dedicated to her work, acting, which she’s been doing in Korea for years, her studies, friends, and most importantly, her family, who moved from Florida to Seoul after Hana was recruited in middle school.
At the start of the novel Hana has been filming her breakout role, Sora, in Fated Destiny alongside famous it boy K-pop star Bryan Yoon of NOVA, of which the first episode is just about to air. When ratings aren’t what they were expected, conniving executives devise a plan; having their two leads fake date in order to boost views. But what happens when leading actress Hana starts to develop feelings for her long-time friend and rival, Park Minjee? Read and find out for yourselves! I promise you will not be disappointed.

Flip the Script is an unconventional love story that feels incredibly realistic and three-dimensional through its drama and high-stakes setting. Hana, Minjee, and Bryan all feel like real teenagers with great chemistry and real lives with real things at stake. Their sacrifices and hard work are great examples to the young adult audience and older readers alike that staying true to who is are is worth it. Using your voice and standing true to who you are, despite all the hardships and setbacks, is worthy it to be that visibility that our younger selves needed.

In summary, Flip the Script is attentive to detail with its characters, plot, and story progression, making you more entralled as you read page by page.

This book was so cute! I love the little plot twists throughout. Just when you think you know the characters, they switch it up! I really liked this book from start to finish.

Such a sweet friends-to-lovers romance! I really enjoyed this wholesome sapphic romance. The synopsis makes it seem like this would be an enemies-to-lovers since the two ladies are rivals in the acting industry. In reality, they are good friends. I got a good sense of their history and I found the romantic development sweet. I love how their interests and personalities are different but complement each other.

Sure, there were aspects of the story and how the big crisis is resolved. I didn’t find it realistic knowing Korea’s conservative culture. That said, this book allowed me to hope for a more inclusive and accepting future for queer Korean love. I felt very soft and warm inside with the happily ever after ending because it felt like the the author wanted to give readers a safe place in her story.

This one was such a sweet one to read. This book is incredibly tender and has meaningful conversations about K-dramas, stardom, queerness, and more. I especially loved the nuanced conversations about being out in a non-Western setting. I really loved the romance, but I did want more development of their romance. I felt like it was slightly rushed in some parts. I also especially liked the contrast between the parent figures. I also liked the cultural conversations of being born in Korea and continuing to live vs. being a Korean-American living in Korea and how that plays into the story.
I think this one is being unfairly compared to I'll Be the One, but they're fundamentally different stories.

Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an arc!

Flip the Script was a super fluffy and heartwarming read that drew out the best of queer friendship and the butterflies of first love. Definitely recommend for readers looking for a quick getaway!

When the lead actress on a new K Drama is asked to fake date her onscreen love interest to boost the show's views, she assumes pretending to live him will be the biggest challenge of her acting career. But when her former friend / rival is cast as an opposing love interest on the show, she finds herself falling for real--and if anyone finds out it could end her career just as it's taking off. A fun YA contemporary / romance, though I wish Minjee was introduced a bit earlier in the story so we got more time with her and Hana.

First Impressions: I am a big fan of Lyla Lee’s other YA book I’ll Be The One & her as a person. I follow her on TikTok and she is so committed to getting queer kids queer media safely. Also she’s Bi and always has Bi characters and I love her for those things.

I needed this book! Hana, Minjee & Bryan are a great cast. The way they supported and respected one another was so beautiful. Additionally I appreciated the way Lee wrote such supportive parents when I know her personal life didn’t reflect that (In terms of her being bisexual). I could tell from reading this book that she was working on healing that inner child and writing a happier story than reality. When so much that gets published by authors of marginalized identities is centered around trauma, writing a book with so much joy and happiness is a revolutionary act. I love how Lee had little references about Skye and other characters from her first YA book. It's a fun way to further further expand on her little universe of awesome teens who know themselves and their worth. I plan to read everything Lyla Lee ever writes.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light summer read. Especially Kpop/Kdrama fans & anyone else interested in better understanding Korean culture from the perspective of a Korean American.

I received an advanced copy of Flip the Script throught NetGalley so I could share my review with you! I loved the book so much that I was inspired to create a drawing inspired by the protagonist and her love interest, so be sure to check out my older posts if you want to see!

While I’m not the biggest watcher of K-Dramas, I was a huge fan of Flip the Script! Lyla Lee introduces readers into the world of filming a K-Drama in an easy to follow manner, making this book accessible to an audience with any level of exposure to K-Dramas. I actually found that reading Flip the Script made me want to give watching K-Dramas a try, since I enjoyed the fictionalized world of producing them so much!

Hana, the protagonist, is a strong bisexual character who carries the story forward, working hard to earn her place in the K-Drama spotlight. Minjee and Hana had a sweet connection that I adored reading about. I was especially fond of the tropes that Lee subverted in this book, using everything from fake dating to a take on the love triangle. Lee made each of these tropes feel new and fresh, rather than reused, which is an incredible feat that made me love Flip the Script even more. After finishing reading this book, I will be on the watch for whatever Lyla Lee decides to write next!

My Recommendation-
If you’re looking for an uplifting and heartfelt sapphic novel to brighten your day, you need to grab a copy of Flip the Script! I would especially recommend this book to fans of darling contemporary novels that deal with coming out and coming of age themes!

Cute premise, horrible execution. Lee is not a great storyteller. As with her previous book, there is very little narrative or character development. I did like the behind teh scenes info on kdrama production. I felt like the only way the characters' personalities were shown was when other people talked about them.

If I’LL BE THE ONE was for fans of K-Pop, FLIP THE SCRIPT is very much for fans of K-Dramas. And is it EVER dramatic! Hana is caught in a love triangle with two affections coming for her, one contractual, one perhaps contracting for her heart! (Okay, that was a very bad pun, I’m so sorry). Also! Fake dating! The marketing for this book indicated that Hana and Minjee were rivals to lovers, but they really just seemed to be close friends the entire time, so that was disappointing and misleading. I didn’t actually like I’LL BE THE ONE very much, but I did enjoy FLIP THE SCRIPT - I just felt like I connected with Hana a lot more. Also “sapphic k-drama star” is just much more up my alley than “K-pop star auditioner”, it feels like. I do think that Lyla Lee writes a little ‘young’, but I was prepared for that this time and found it sweet rather than annoying. Four stars.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Flip the Script is my second Lyla Lee novel, and I wasn't disappointed! As someone who loves Korea, K-Drama's, K-Pop, and LGBTQ+ rep...this was definitely the book for me!

I loved the plot. I loved the characters. I loved the food, the BTS references, and I completely devoured this book in two-sittings.

If you somehow didn't know, I'm a huge sucker for kdramas (when am I getting a GL??) and I was hooked the minute I knew this was a sapphic rom com and also fake dating.

It was fun getting to see more about the idol life, behind the scenes of a kdrama and also about the queer community in South Korea. Hana and Minjee are adorable together and I loved them.

The entire book is in Hana's POV and I really wish we got some chapters from Minjee, especially because I wanted to know more about her.

While this is said to be rivals to lovers, it's actually best friends to lovers. Also not technically a love triangle either. One thing I didn't like is how the label lesbian is not used when the love interest is one. It stood out because other characters were fine saying bi and pan.

Overall it was a fun read and I hope Bryan gets a book too!! There are some references to I'll Be the One, which I haven't read yet but it's on my tbr.

*ARC provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review

Hana just got her big break starring in Korea's newest K-drama, Fated Destiny. However, when the show premieres it's met with criticism. To offset the fallout and in hopes of increasing viewership, the managers come up with a fake dating scheme for Hana and her co-star and K-Pop idol, Bryan. However, Hana isn't interested in Bryan, finding him downright annoying. When the producers suddenly bring on Hana's friend, Minjee, as her on-screen rival, Hana finds that fake dating Bryan might not be her biggest complication, and Hana's feelings for Minjee grow.

This was a really cute book. It made me really nostalgic for Korea as the characters visit the most popular spots in Korea. Although somewhat predictable, I found myself really rooting for Hana and Minjee's relationship, especially knowing how Korea feels about LGBTQ couples. This wasn't a perfect book. Some things with Bryan seemed just thrown in there to advance the plot forward. However, it was adorable and fun, and full of nods to K-drama.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this book. I enjoyed it.

Flip the Script, a K-drama with loveable characters who face multiple challenges – family, careers, growing up, and standing up for themselves. Secret dating, rivals to lovers, friends to lovers, and a love triangle keep you reading for more. @NetGalley @LylaLee