Suzanne Park always seems to perfectly balance a personal growth after setback triumph with a second chance romance, where neither overshadow the other and they both compliment each other. In The Do-Over, there’s successful career-guidance guru who learns that she never actually graduated college, and needs to go back to her alma mater to finish a few credits…. Where she learns her ex-boyfriend is now her TA!

THE DO-OVER by Suzanne Park tells the story of Lily Lee, a successful author and businesswoman, who upon getting an offer for her dream job learns that she failed her background check and is one class away from completing the college degree she has been including on her resume. Lily returns to her alma mater, only to discover her old flame, Jake, is her TA.

This is my first of Suzanne Park's work and I was thrilled by the charming premise and the ownvoices representation. This one wasn't my cup of tea - some of the writing felt a bit forced or hard to believe, and I just had a hard time getting into the novel. I do think fans of Park and of second change romance would likely enjoy THE DO-OVER - it just wasn't the novel for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC which I received in exchange for my honest review.

If I could do a half star rating, this book would get a 3.5. A slow start kept it from being a solid 4 for me.

Loved the plot of Lily being forced to go back and finish her senior year of college. And I’m not usually a second chance romance fan, but Lily and Jake were so sweet together, you can’t help but root for their second chance to be their HEA. The representation of anxiety and how it can severely affect someone’s life was really important, and I thought it was depicted well.

The pacing of the first third to half of the book was a bit slow for me. I felt like the action and the romance both ramped up significantly in the second half though, so I’m glad I stayed with this one after the first few chapters when I was thinking maybe I wouldn’t.

Overall, it’s a fun read, tackles some important issues, and has a really sweet romance.

** Thanks to NetGalley and Suzanne Park for my eARC of this title! **

I really liked this take on a 2nd chance romance. It's full of hope and redemption, and focuses more on female empowerment than the love story, which is nice. The anxiety rep is great, and feels super relatable. I also LOVE Mia & Beth, and would be so excited if we saw their stories in the future.

I just couldn't get into this one. It felt very contrived. I understand that romances are not real life, but I like them to feel realistic. This book relied on so many coincidences and perfect storms of preposterous proportions. Also, the characters were extremely archetypal and not fully developed. DNF for me.

Lily Lee, in applying for her dream job, finds out that she didn't actually graduate college ten years ago (this is everyone's nightmare!) When she goes back to complete her last credits at her old university, she is surprised to find her old friend turned boyfriend, Jake. Can Lily graduate this time without completely ruining her career as a self-help author and will she find happiness with herself and Jake along the way?

I liked the supporting characters in this book a lot- maybe even more than the main characters. I was okay with the predictable storyline but didn't love it. This book had trouble holding my attention but wasn't terrible. Basically, I'd give this one a big shrug. Cute, had some interesting details and characters, but kind of forgettable.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

This book is a strong women’s fiction, with a huge focus on Lily’s personally journey as she returns to college to be able to move forward with her own life. The larger themes are well thought out and Park does a great job of making Lily someone the readers care for and want to cheer for.

In terms of romance, it did feel like a B plot to Lily’s own journey (which is totally fair but not what I was expecting when I began reading). I do wish I had gotten to know the LI better and seen more personality and growth on his part, even as a secondary character in Lily’s story.

If you’re looking for an inspirational story about a woman controlling her own future, this book will absolutely give you that.

3.5 stars (rounded up)!

"The Do-Over" by Suzanne Park is a bit of a double-edged sword. There's a lot to like here, but there are also some things about it that I didn't like. First, the good. I love the Asian representation in this story. Park's commentary on the expectations and pressures children often face from their parents to succeed is top-tier. She also mentions the imposter syndrome they face, the struggles they go through in potentially letting their parents down, and how failure and/or reinvention are frequently frowned upon. I love the mental health representation. Park notes that this topic is not often discussed in books by Asian authors, and she handles this topic with great care. She weaves these heavy subjects together with lighthearted characters, interesting (though farfetched) scenarios, and a romantic rekindling that will, unfortunately, leave you wanting more. Park's commentary about corporate America is also handled really well in the context of this story. I like the progress that both FMC Lily and MMC Jake Cho make as people/characters. Their second-chance romance leaves Lily wondering if Jake even changed at all over the decade they were separated. Their character arcs are really well done, especially where Jake is concerned. Finally, the supporting characters, Mia (Lily's best friend) and Beth (Lily's roommate), are fantastic! I need books for both of them! As mentioned above, I wanted more from their romance. Their connection was there, but it was a little weak. I was slightly let down by the fact that there wasn't more romance in this book. The story is a bit slow in the middle-end, but it wraps up strong (though predictably). Some of the situations (the swim test? what? is that even a real thing?) are a little out of left field and didn't add anything to the overall story. I went along with it for the sake of the book, but it still was like...huh? Overall, the good outweighs the bad, and I did enjoy this book quite a bit!

Thank you to NetGalley, Suzanne Park, Avon, and Harper Voyager, for providing me with an ARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for my review.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

I don’t know what it is about the cover, but every time I looked at it I thought this book was a YA romance. It’s not! It’s probably only PG-13 (at max) but it’s cute. It leans more toward friendships and overcoming obstacles than romance in my opinion. I do love that Lily goes back to school to finish her degree and excels in her computer science class! Women in STEM are amazing!!

I would recommend!

Thank you so much to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Lily Lee is a successful author of self-help books and plans to write her next about landing a perfect job. However, a background check reveals that Lily is missing credits and never completed her degree. She returns to completer her degree only to find that her ex, Jake Cho, is now her TA. Lily is offered the chance at a do-over not only in college but also in love.

I love Suzanne Park’s writings and stories so much. Unfortunately, this one was a miss for me. I couldn’t get into it and I ended up in a reading slump. I found that I wanted more from all the characters as they all seemed to be missing something. Jake stayed the same man from before and I couldn’t see myself rooting for him and Lily.

I recommend So We Meet Again if you’re looking for a romance from Suzanne Park!

This was a cute story. I did think it dragged a little and I didn’t love it the way I did Suzanne Park’s last book but I am glad I read it.

The Do-Over is a book that explores mental health in the Asian community, the pressure to succeed, and second chances. I instantly connected with Lily. Maybe it's our similar names? But I loved how she's always looking to the next thing. She's gone through so many periods of re-invention, but she's always trying to prepare and jump the next hurdle. To try to always do the next right thing. So when she finds out she hasn't actually graduated, it throws a huge wrench in her plans.

I can't even imagine how much I'd be thrown for a loop! She's given advice to see this as another chance - and not punishment - but for her it's a difficult piece of advice to actualize. From the beginning, I saw myself reflected in Lily. In her fears and vulnerabilities especially in looking at a possible different career direction? The Do-Over is a testament to how we can never have new experiences too late.

After a routine background check for a new job, Lily Lee finds out that she didn't technically graduate college. Lily thinks it must be a glitch but after consulting with the registrar she learns she was a few credits short. In order to complete her degree, she needs a course for her major but also due to the changes in graduation requirements, she unexpectedly ends up in a computer science course. While she didn't want to take the course, she finds herself becoming very interested in the subject, and also in the course's TA, Jake Cho, who happens to be her ex. As she juggles being back in school, trying to keep her professional life from crashing, and still trying to write her second book, she also realizes that being back at school might just provide her with new opportunities and show her options she had never considered. The romance seemed like a side plot at times, with more of a focus on Lily sorting out her professional life and job opportunities, There were also moments of tension with Lily's parents and how their actions ten years prior partly led to Lily's rough last semester that resulted in not graduating. Overall, a good read that shows how unexpected events can open new doors and provide a new outlook.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Publishing for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

I absolutely love Suzanne Park's writing. I have loved every book I have read by her so far, and I don't see it stopping any time soon. This book hit a little close to home, as I am also an older student at school with a bunch of younger folx (though I am in a graduate program, not undergrad), but I could relate to Lily's feelings of "What am I doing here?! Am I supposed to be here?! Do I even WANT this anymore?" and some of the burn it all to the ground and start again feelings she seemed to present. Her reconnection with Jake was adorable, and I really enjoyed seeing how they worked through their feelings & miscommunications. Lily learned a lot throughout this book and it was really enjoyable to read and get a fresh take on an "adult" going back to school. Lily had such a great support system and I really appreciated her character development throughout the book. This was just a nice book to read, easy enough that I didn't feel bogged down reading it, but not so light and fluffy that I didn't feel like I was reading something without any purpose. I really enjoyed it.

You know those nightmares where you’re running late for class or you’re back in class and it’s the day of an exam? Then you wake up and realize, you’re no longer in school and it was all a dream? For Lily Lee, there is no waking up because it’s not a dream. She finds out she never graduated and has to go back to college to get those pesky units she was missing. It only gets worse when the TA ends up being her ex-boyfriend.

The premise of the book lends itself to multiple opportunities for Lily to be put into sticky situations; however, this is not the direction Park takes and I appreciated it. There are some awkward and smile-inducing moments as Lily tries to keep going back to school a secret, but the book is focused on second chances. Lily is already successful, so I was curious as to how going back to school might affect her outlook on life. I liked the message the book relays, that it's never too late.

The book is more women’s fiction and less romcom. There are some funny parts and the romance takes more of a backseat. Being pulled in different directions leads to a lack of depth in Lily’s story. There were multiple instances when whatever Lily was doing was summed up in a few sentences, and then it was on the next thing.

While I enjoyed the book for its overall message, I admit I was a little disappointed. Despite loving romance, I would have been okay if some of Lily’s interactions with her ex were eliminated to include more about her college experience and how it alters her outlook on life. (3.5 stars rounded to 4 stars)

4.5 stars
I absolutely loved the Do-Over! Such a sweet second chance romance with great friendships and reflection on how much we change over our 20's.

The Do-Over is a captivating story of second chances in both life and love. With a perfect blend of depth, warmth, and wit, this book offers a beautiful and hopeful perspective on the power of starting over. The author's careful depiction of anxiety adds a layer of authenticity to the story, while the engrossing love story keeps readers hooked from beginning to end.

This was a fun read! I definitely would class it more as women’s fiction than romance, as the romance was definitely more of a subplot than anything else. I loved seeing Lily grow her confidence in things she didn’t think she could do before and stick it to the man in the end. But I did find myself a little disappointed at the lack of chemistry between the two characters and the really frustrating reason it turned out they broke up in the first place. It was a fun, girl-powery read, but if you’re looking for a swoon worthy romance, I would look elsewhere!

Lily Lee seems to have it all. Designated as a top 30 under 30, book under contract, she has her life together... until she doesn't. Finding out she didn't really graduate, Lily makes a tough choice.

The Do Over takes Lily back to college and follows her through navigating the experience in her early 30s. I liked how Lily's friendships factored in through her story, the reality of how perceptions can impact your thinking, and reading through the dual timelines of Lily's college experiences.

Really well written second chance romance. Lily has to return to college to complete her degree due to a clerical error. Shocking news is her Ex Jacob is the Teaching Assistant in her first class.

Loved this story.