This was a fun read with an interesting and unique story line. The characters were semi-relatable. And I loved that so much of the book took place in Toronto!

The comeback was unfortunately a let down. The cast of characters were miserable, like all the time, and it was hard to sympathize with any of them. The main and supporting characters either:
- had a terrible family
- hated their jobs
or simply did not accept happiness into their lives.

Jihoon (MMC) and his family lied “by omission” about his identity while Ari’s (FMC) family treated her like a bother. It never ended!

Then we read pages upon pages about how Ari is working working working, day and night, and hates everyone at her job cause she is outstanding in every way. For some reason, she gains a new client and doesn’t read any of the information about who is represented by the company (which is important to the plot). So is she really doing well? She doesn’t do research
because she did not consider it to be important to her

Jihoon is running away from his life back home which makes him very vague about the details (red flag). He goes back to Seoul then lets some of us down for a second time. He’s hit for hit at that point and not just on the billboard charts.

Dare I say that the only characters I liked were Phoebe (estranged sister) and Alex

I enjoyed the very ending of this story

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity. All thoughts are my own

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The synopsis of this book sounded interesting to me so I requested a copy to read.
Unfortunately, I have tried reading this book on 2 separate occasions and during this 2nd attempt, I have
decided to stop reading this book
and state that this book just wasn't for me.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

Can we take a second to admire this cover? I am so in love with it I want it imprinted on the inside of my eyelids!!!! OKAY, onwards and away from the weird declarations! The Comeback is an incredibly written celebrity romance. Lots of slow burn, lots of feelings, lots of everything! I absolutely loved it and will be shoving it in everyone's face, until it's on all the summer TBRs!

Looking for your next summer read? Enjoy slow burn, super sweet romance? Find K-pop scene interested and wouldn't mind learning more? The Comeback's got you covered! Lily Chu's latest, The Comeback follows in the footsteps of The Stand-In - celebrity romance, character growth, once again set in Toronto (yes, of course I'm partial!)

Ariadne is goal oriented, career focused and goes out of her way to be a good daughter and meet her family's (in particular her dad's) expectations. So what if working around the clock to get on the partner track at her law firm leaves her no time for anything else, including all the elaborate trips she loves to plan in her mind? Enter Choi, her roommate's cousin from Korea, there to deal with a breakup. Getting to know Choi might just end up disrupting Ari's life in way she never expected!

Though I couldn't exactly relate to Ariadne, coming from a very family oriented culture, I could understand some of her motivation. It still did not take away from my enjoyment of the story or my excitement at the fact that Lily Chu created a spotify playlist for this book (so much YES to that!). I loved learning more about K-pop and Korea and all the food! This was a quick, cute read that'll help you escape reality for a few hours! Make sure you include this one on your summer reading list!

A big thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

In The Comeback, we meet corporate lawyer Ari as she's surprised by an unexpected house guest, her roommate's cousin, Jihoon. While Ari is focused on making partner, Jihoon's incredibly good looks and charm begin to show her that life may have more to offer than work, and the two begin a friendship that turns into a romance. But it is soon revealed that Jihoon is actually the member of a world-famous K-Pop group, and had escaped to Toronto to hide out. His fame, fans, and producers, along with her law firm, all throw a wrench in their budding romance.

I really, really struggled with this book. 10% in I almost gave up because of the incredibly stereotyped and two-dimensional portrayal of the legal profession. As a lawyer, it's always difficult to read novels about lawyers, because so much is often wrong, but this book was particularly jarring. Throw in a constant break up and make up cycle and the heroine ignoring obvious solutions to problems, it made for a tough read. I actually think it could have been really improved by dual POV. But perhaps there's others who don't have the same hang-ups as me who will love this book. I did find it an interesting lens into the K-pop industry and would love to read more K-pop romances.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Casa for my eARC and finished copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3 stars -5/10

This is a very cute romance from 'The Stand In' author Lily Chu. I loved the Kpop star angle and how strong and independent Ariadne is. It started off strong for me, but did wane a bit towards the end, which is why 'Stand In' is still my favorite. But I will continue to buy and love books by Chu, and I cannot wait for her next one!

Ari comes home from a long day at work and finds a man in her living room!
Jihoon is the cousin of her best friend and roommate and is going to stay with her for a few days until Hana arrives from her work trip.
She is a lawyer and he hides a secret!
I really enjoyed this book.
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the book!

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This is my first read by Lily Chu. The book follows Ariadne Hui who loves routine and has a job at a prestigious law firm . One day she comes home to not her roommate but her roommate's cousin who is looking to heal his broken heart. This is a delicious read about first impressions, enemies to lovers and two lost people needing each other. The author did a great job in ensuring we love the characters, enjoy the banter and relate to the story. Recommend.

This one was really cute! Ari and Jihoon were adorable together and, while predictable, this was a really fun and cute book. I did think the whole "my job is EVERYTHING" mindset dragged out for too long, but at least Ari got to the right place in the end.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is a book that probably wouldn't have landed on my radar had I not received an email from a publicist whose opinion I value. She loved it, thought I might love it, and sent me a copy. Celebrity romcoms aren't books that I typically gravitate to and I freely admit that I know next to nothing about the K-pop industry so this one would have likely slipped on past me without a look. I am so glad it didn't. I gobbled up this book in one greedy gulp, wanting it to never end.

RomComs have evolved over the years as anyone who reads them can attest. Yes, there's humor in this book but there's also much more. For Ari, there's the stress of a career she hates, the weight of fulfilling her father's expectations, the heartache of a broken relationship with her sister, and the navigation of an industry where she will always be an "other," which only makes her work that much harder to succeed. She basically has no personal life...until she's thrown off stride by the unexpected arrival of Jihoon. Where Ari is focused and driven, with sharp edges, Jihoon is shy and endearing, more in touch with his emotional side. But don't mistake that for a lack of depth or drive. There are many layers waiting to be revealed within this man and his surprisingly complicated life.

Chu skillfully guides her characters through a gradual, relatable evolution, complete with complex family dynamics, soul-searching career decisions, heart-opening romantic connection, necessary character growth, and compelling, world-stage challenges, laying it all out in a way that completely immersed me, the reader, in their world. I laughed, cried, ached, and celebrated right along with them. I wanted so badly for these two people from different countries but, really, different worlds, who complement one another so beautifully, to find a way to move forward in happiness and creative fulfillment, individually but also together. Spoiler alert: they do, but you'll have to read the book to discover how it all comes about.

Lily Chu now sits firmly on my must-buy author list. I've already downloaded her debut, The Stand-In and am looking forward to whatever she writes next. This is an author with a bright future.

*ARC received from publisher. Fair and unbiased review.

***𝐄-𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲***

This was my first book by Lily Chu and definitely won't be my last! The comeback is perfect for readers who are fans of K-pop and also who enjoyed Arden Cho's character in Partner Track. The story is cute , a bit of slow burn romance also highlighting themes of workplace treatment for being the only woman of color at her workplace , Asian parents with great expectations of their child's succeeding and the very realistic relationship with her sister.
As an Asian woman in her 20's , I related to Ariadne navigating her way through balancing out family , life and being afraid to make big changes knowing how her family would react. Jihoon;s character was just the sweetest and his storyline as a K-pop Idol was really good! I loved how lily wrote so well about how the k-pop world works , especially about the Sasaengs (Korean Term for obsessive “fans” that engage in unhealthy and even dangerous stalker behaviors) , Fansites (a photographer fan , often dedicated to a particular idol, who takes HD photographs and videos of that idol using a professional camera) and K-pop Fan Culture which is way different from the West.
It's a fun and light read even for non K-pop fans as our female lead here starts learning about it halfway through the book and readers will be able to understand terms as their meanings are explained in same paragraph.

Ariadne has her whole life planned down to the minute. But when she comes home after work one day to find a strange man in her living room, her life takes a turn she never expected. That man, Jihoon, is her roommate’s cousin who is in town getting over a broken heart. It’s not long before Ari is falling for Jihoon, but he’s keeping a secret that has the power to completely change everything.

This book is so much fun! Ari and Jihoon were the sweetest characters and I loved them both from the beginning. I loved how their relationship developed over time and it felt natural when they were ready to admit their feelings for each other. While the characters had their frustrating moments (especially that third act conflict towards the end) overall they were incredible together and I was rooting for them from the beginning.

Also, if you’re a KPop fan, you’ll definitely enjoy this.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the advance copy.

I loved Lily Chu’s previous novel ‘The Stand-In’ and was so excited to read her newest, ‘The Comeback’. And it was so good! A romance between an idol and a lawyer from Toronto turns complicated when their careers and personal lives become entangled and too real. The romance was wonderful, both our main couple and side characters were layered and interesting, and as a K-pop fan the look into the K-pop industry and artistry was really perfect. I come for the romance but I stay for the family feels, self discovery and deep character exploration. I can’t say enough how much I love this! I’ll read anything Lily Chu writes. She’s cemented herself as a favorite author for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was decent! I think I expected more and that is why it didn’t totally do it for me. I think maybe it was the plot or just a little bit of the writing that I wasn’t the biggest fan of.

The Comeback by Lily Chu is such a cute read! I've never been into K-Pop but I learned so much about it and the Korean culture. Laser focused lawyer meets very famous man. What's not to love about that!?! Looking forward to more books from this author!

Such a cute read! Laser focused lawyer meets very famous man (no spoilers)! How Ari lived under such a rock and missed so many signs, I’ll never know. But still very cute and she was a fun character to root for. Although I definitely rooted for Jihoon more (I mean, who wouldn’t?!?)!

I’m not a K-pop fan at all and I was so interested & invested in this story!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🧼 (fade to black)

Ariadne has always done what’s expected of her - gotten good grades, went to law school, and became a lawyer in a prestigious firm, working her way up to partner. She plans every bit of her life, as she sees time as billable hours.

Ari comes home to find a stranger in her home, her out-of-town roommate’s cousin Jihoon, and her world begins to change. Unexpectedly, they are both exactly what the other needs. Ari gives Jihoon some normalcy and calm in his otherwise hectic life, and he helps her to see there is more to life than work, and more than doing what everyone expects you to do.

“To live with your heart means that when there are choices to be made, you make the one that thrills your heart, not placates your mind.”

I really enjoyed reading their story! While I don’t follow K-Pop, I do like reading about a celebrity’s world, how they feel behind the scenes, and seeing someone else try to fit into it. Hana (Ari’s best friend/roommate and Jihoon’s cousin) was also a great side character.

Read if you enjoy:
⭐️ Forced proximity
⭐️ Temporary roommates
⭐️ Hidden identity
⭐️ K-Pop idol/famous person
⭐️ Lawyer fmc
⭐️ Self discovery
⭐️ Single POV/first person

Thank you so much to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars

This was my first read of Lily Chu and I enjoyed it!

I enjoyed the characters, finding yourself, learning to work to live instead of live to work, and family/friends dynamics.

I was a bit confused considering the drama and twist were revealed at the halfway point and it felt like the book should be almost finishing then.. The last half was full of drama and 2 third act break ups?! It was a good book and I'll definitely read more of Lily Chu's books

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved The Stand-In, so I was excited to read this one. Unfortunately it ended up not being for me. I felt the story dragged on and it seemed written as a YA book instead of as an adult romance. I felt the FMC was so incredibly childish! The only thing that made it sort of readable to me was the fact that I ended up listening to the audio instead because I love Phillipa Soo and she's a great narrator.