This was my first book by Suzanne Park and I really love the wit and charm that shines through in her writing.

The Do-Over is a second-chance story. Not only a second-chance for love, but a second-chance to experience college.

Lily Lee is a popular non-fiction author that has created her brand around workplace culture - tips, tricks, how to succeed. So, it comes as a total shock to her when she finds out she never actually graduated from college.
She finds herself back on her old campus, needing to wrap up a few credits and some new degree requirements so she can carry on with the life she had planned out. While she’s there studying, she gets bitch-slapped by the past when she finds out her ex-boyfriend is now a PhD student there, and the hot TA for her Computer Science class.

Lily has her best friend Mia around to help her navigate through murky old waters, before she finds herself swimming to the finish line. Literally.

In a story of self-discovery and healing, Lily Lee finally gets the graduation she deserves. And baked goods. Lots of baked goods.

I absolutely intend to read more from Suzanne Park’s backlist, but unfortunately - I didn’t connect with this story. I wasn’t able to suspend my disbelief about several situations, and that probably says more about me than it does about the book. Please don’t let that dissuade you from picking up a copy yourself!

I would rate this 3.5 stars, but rounded up to 4 because I wanted to like it a lot.

I received an eARC of this title from Avon and Harper Voyager through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I tried to enjoy this book. But it just didn't with me. I found her annoying acting like she was so old going back to school. This book wasn't for me. Not much romance mostly women's fiction.

The Do-over
By Suzanne Park
Pub Date: April 4, 2023
Avon- Harper Voyager
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I loved the authors previous works more than this one. This is women’s fiction that focuses on self growth.
3 stars

When she needs a copy of her college transcript for a job, Lily discovers that she never actually graduated--she walked at commencement, but it turns out she was a few credits short. Now, a decade later, she's back on campus to finish the degree she thought she'd had all along. And when she gets there, she discovers that her ex is the TA for one of her classes.

I loved the voice of this book--it was a little chaotic, just like Lily, who's accomplished a lot but doesn't always feel like it. And each of the characters is fun and lovable and just different enough from the others to make them really stand out.
I was expecting this to be a bit more of a Romance than it was, but I really really loved that the romance plot was a bit more secondary to Lily going back to school, and her career.

I've always wanted more books about adults finding their way, coming-of-age stories that happen later in life, and adults struggling to figure out where they fit in and who exactly they want to be. Though Lily's story is very different from mine, I recognized a lot of myself in her--in those feelings of being adrift, of not quite knowing exactly where she fits in. The Do-Over was fun and weirdly relatable, and I really liked it.

This second chance romance sees self-help/business writer Lily Lee forced to return to college for a semester to earn the credits she needs to finally finish her degree ten years after she thought she graduated.

What she finds is her college boyfriend as her new TA and through flashbacks we get to see what went wrong the first time around. The idea of having to go back to school now would be my literal nightmare but Lily thrives the second time around finding a new idea for her next book and forgiveness for what Jake did in the past.

Great on audio narrated by Joy Osmanski with excellent mental health (anxiety and panic attacks) rep. This just might be my new favorite from Suzanne Park. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

I've been a fan of Park's from her very first novel. Loathe at First Sight remained my favorite until maybe this one! I really loved the basic premise of this novel: Lily is primed for a high level position until the firm does a thorough background check to find Lily has not actually earned the college degree she thought she had. Haven't we all had that nightmare about the class we forgot about and didn't get the credits? This is what's happened to Lily as she decides to quietly enroll for a semester at her (almost) alma mater to earn those final credits.
What I loved about this story was a character who by all counts a success story, but the surprise of not having a degree she thought she earned throws her deep into impostor syndrome. We get a peek into her back story involving a guy who walked away when she needed him and a family decision that seemed to disregard everything Lily had worked for. When you have to go back to what feels like the beginning, does that mean you have to let go of all you've accomplished since then? Park does such a great job of creating a character in Lily that we all see in ourselves with an additional bonus of great friendships -- both old and new -- with a splash of second-chance romance.

I've always enjoyed Suzanne Park's books, both YA and adult, and this is no exception! It was a fast-paced and fun read that had me laughing out loud several times. And even though it had such hilarious moments, it also touched on some pretty serious things like systemic racism, imposter syndrome, cultural differences, and ageism. I appreciated that the author was able to intertwine the serious topics and the lighthearted moments into a cohesive plot that kept me wanting more. It made it a captivating story from start to finish. The main reason it wasn't a five-star read was that when it comes to books with romance, I prefer them to be on the spicier side. This is categorized as women's fiction and romance, but I'd say it'd be more appropriate to categorize it solely as women's fiction.

Overall, this was another great read by one of my all-time favorite authors, and I hungrily anticipate more of her works in the future! Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

One word: Unexpected!

Much more women's fiction than romance, the main focus of the book was much more female friendship to the romance, To me, the romance felt a little flat/forced.

Loved the academic/going back to school storyline and I think a lot of readers will relate to the feeling of wanting to try and do something new and struggling with imposter syndrome.

If you go into it thinking more about it being a second chance at life rather than second chance romance, I think you will find it an empowering read!

The Do-Over by Suzanne Parks is a very fun and fast read!! It will be a book that I recommend to lots of readers!!

Lily is 32 years old and has published a book. She is going to start a new job and discoveries that she did not actually graduate from college!!!

Parks takes us on a journey of Lily returning to college to finish these classes. One of the biggest surprises is that the TA in her computer class is her old college boyfriend!! Will Lily be able to finish these classes and the other requirements sent her way???

Really enjoyed this one that is out on 4/4!! Preorder now!!!

The Do-Over by Suzanne Park
Rating: 3.5 stars
Steam: Closed Door
Pub Date: 4/4

After a routine background check for a new job shows that Lily never actually graduated from college, she has to go back and complete the credits she needs before she can take the job. As if the situation isn't complicated enough, her first college love is one of her TAs.

I enjoyed this women's fiction novel about growth, self-love, and empowerment. Familial expectations, mental health, second chances, and friendship are all themes explored throughout the story. I think that the synopsis and cover are slightly misleading since this is not as heavy on the romance as it would appear to be. While I still enjoyed the book, I would have had different expectations going into it if I had known that it leaned more toward women's fiction.

The friendship between Lily and Mia took center stage for me, and I liked the rest of Lily's friend group, too. The subplot about Lily's parents' unrealistic expectations was also well done. I didn't feel any chemistry between Lily and Jake, which was disappointing because even with such a minor, romantic subplot, I would have liked their relationship to be believable.

I like Park's writing style and will surely check out more from her in the future. Thank you so much to NetGalley, Harper Collins, and Avon for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I'm not really into second-chance romances and this book didn't change my mind about it.

Lily is successful in life - in her ten years since college she has written a best selling book and made amazing strides in the corporate world. However, in the interview process for her dream job she learns she didn't pass the background check because she apparently doesn't have a college degree. It turns out she was a few credits shy and now must return to college to complete her degree. She soon finds out a lot has changed since she was in college, the classes, the parties, and her ex boyfriend.

I was expecting more romance and at least a likable romantic interest. I'm sorry, I just didn't vibe with Jake at all. I did love her friend group though and Lily's growth throughout the book.

Read this if you're into:
-minimal steam
-witty writing
-ride or die friend groups
-strong, independent women

I went into this book expecting one thing and got something... very different? I think I was anticipating more of a romance, but this landed a lot closer to women's fiction instead, in terms of Lily's road to realizing that revisiting her past doesn't have to be considered a setback or a failure. The parts between her and Jake were so promising, and then the book barely focused on them in light of shining more focus on its protagonist's individual arc. In other words, that might not necessarily be a deal-breaker for other readers, but I was hoping for something divergent from what this turned out to be.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Would you want to go back and do-over any part of your life?
In The Do-Over, Lily has to return to college to finish her degree because she didn’t technically graduate, as she finds out 10 years later when she fails the background check for her new job. But guess who the hot TA in one of her classes is? Her college boyfriend! And he’s looking mighty fine… So with a second chance at college (and her career), will she now have a second chance at love, too?
I thought this was a fun read, and I liked seeing Lily’s growth. I didn’t feel as connected to the romance storyline, and I’d recommend this one for women’s fiction readers over romance readers. The author addresses anxiety and imposter syndrome in a realistic manner and represents Asian Americans, too.
Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. This will be available on Tuesday!

Thank you @avonbooks for a copy of this book. This was a fun rom com about Lily, a semi-famous writer that discovers she missed a few credits and never graduated from college. Lily goes back is paired with a bubbly roommate and her BFF visits and enjoys Lily's second chance in college. Lily's TA is her college sweetheart and must decide how to act with him. I enjoyed the flash back and the shenanigans Lily gets into this time around in college. I enjoyed the women's empowerment focus on the story as well. I didn't really buy the second chance romance between Jake and Lily but did not impact my enjoyment.

Lily Lee is in a quandary. As a successful author and interviewee for her dream job, she finds out she never finished her undergrad degree. Oops. So she takes time off from her big time life so she can secretly finish her degree at her alma mater. The TA of her course just happens to be her ex, Jake Cho as in college boyfriend. There is a wacky best friend, Mia and a silly yet multitalented roommate, Beth who was just waiting around to become her newest friend and life line. The O’Haras are her competition in her field, Cam, a nemesis and Mary, who is a welcome surprise. You’ll see. There are the disappointed and roadblock parents and blasts from the past that explain it all.

What I liked: women empowering other women, witty banter and silly situations, the love interest, Jake, and Mary. The hot button issues were explained and dealt with for the main characters.

What I didn’t like as much: skipping over all love scenes to the point where I felt like I skipped pages, waited long enough and just nada and Lily and Mia just up and leaving their lives whenever they wanted with no worries about money and responsibilities. Maybe I am just wishing I could too and I am bitter but it bugged me.

I would lean to 3 1/2 stars but it wasn’t quite 4 stars for me.

When Lily learns from a work background check that she did not technically finish her undergraduate degree, she must return to the university and take one last semester of classes 10 years later. On her first day of classes she finds that her ex-boyfriend is a PhD candidate and the TA for her computer science class. Lily embraces some aspects of college culture while still trying to keep her real reason for being back under wraps so the publishers of the book she is writing do not find out.

I found this book to be extremely frustrating. My biggest issue was that this book is plainly marketed as a romance (the cover and blurb scream second chance romance), but it’s not. It’s women’s fiction with a romantic sub plot. I was expecting a true romance so the fact that the romance wasn’t even a B sub-plot, but more of a C or D level sub-plot was just annoying. The romance wasn’t the main plot of the book. The main plot was Lily learning and growing more confident in herself. If the book had been advertised as women’s fiction it would have easily been a 4 star book, but the marketing set expectations in the wrong place.

My other issues were to do with the college aspects. I fully admit that I went to a bizarre university (BYU), but there were just so many things about the university in the book that just felt off. Like I said it may have just been my college experience, but this college just felt absurd. The idea that she had 6 weeks after the start of the semester to change classes, doesn’t make sense, to drop a class, sure, but not add a new one. The idea that she was the only person in her 30s on campus and in classes when the university clearly has masters and PhD students is so odd. The fact that she wasn’t given a clear list of what she needed to graduate (like finding out half way through the semester there was a swimming requirement) felt like a choice by the author to cause chaos when there is no chance that such a thing would happen in the real world. I do fully believe that people think they’ve finished a degree when they haven’t but the rest of it was just so absurd.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love Suzanne Park's writing and this book did not disappoint! Packed with Suzanne's signature wit, this book also tackles the very real and relatable issue of imposter syndrome. I really enjoyed watching Lily navigate something I deal with often myself. And the second chance romance is so sweet, I loved watching Lily and Jake find their way back to each other. Another winner from Suzanne!

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @avonbooks for an early copy of The Do-Over by Suzanne Park. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

The Do-Over tells the story of Lily, a non-fiction career writer applying for a coveted position at a top firm who finds out that she’s short a few college credits and never actually completed her degree a decade ago. In order to earn those credits, she needs to go back to her alma mater. She’s enrolled in new classes and gets the full college experience again in her thirties, additionally, she gets to reconnect with her ex-boyfriend from college, Jake, who’s currently a graduate student and her computer science TA. Would she be able to hold on to her dream job opportunity and amazing author reputation?

🛑Read on with caution; review may contain spoilers🛑

Having to go back to college to complete a degree you initially thought you have already earned all those years ago is bizarre and nerve-wracking. It’s a nightmare turned into reality.

The Do-Over is a novel about second chances, a second chance to discover new things, and a second chance at love. Reluctantly, Lily had to take a computer science class her second time at college, though she opted to take Statistics class instead (she had some experience with one of her previous jobs and deems it would be an easy class for her instead of CS class), it was already full. Despite having no prior experience with the subject matter, she thrived and excelled in her CS class and was one of the top students. She also made new friends in the class, and with Jake, her ex-boyfriend, as her TA, they were able to reconnect and smooth things over regarding their breakup all those years ago.

I loved Lily’s character and her strength to go college all over again. Despite her anxieties, I’m also glad that she has Mia, her best friend, as a support system. The characters were admirable, and I enjoyed reading second chance at young adulthood, but my takeaways from this story aren’t as many as I expected them to be.

Rating this ⭐⭐⭐/5. Releases April 4th, 2023!

Starting over....

Lily Lee thought she had things in the bag. She is offered the top position at a firm to be turned down because her background check shows she did not graduate from college. She knows that she did. Except, walking the stage and taking part in the graduation ceremony does not mean that you graduated. So back to school she goes.

She is shocked when she sees that her old college boyfriend, Jake Cho is one of her TA's. He seems to have everything going for him while she is on the verge of losing it all.

This book touches on many things such as family expectations, tough choices, friendship, second chances, mental health, taking care of yourself, and school life. I thought I would love it, unfortunately it was good not great.

If you are reading this book thinking it will be heavy on the romance, it is not. It is more like a journey that Lily is on. It is about her taking care of herself, about empowerment, and going back so you can go forward. Yes, there is romance, but it is not the focus. I enjoyed the parts about female friendship and starting over, being empowered. These parts shined for me.

Overall, an okay book but should be labeled a tad differently. I believe readers will enjoy this book more if they go in thinking less about romance and more about it being a women's fiction book.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, Avon and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was the romance equivalent of a Girlboss book and had all the cringe to match. The dialogue didn’t flow, the romance didn’t feel real, the coincidences felt wayyyyyyy to staged. I didn’t really like any of the characters and felt that this was just not worth the time to read

Thanks to Net Galley, the author and the publisher for the ARC.