The name drop follows Elijah and Jessica, they both head to New York for the summer to work at Haneul Corp. Things take a turn when, because they have the same Korean name the two switch places. Now Elijah is living and working as an intern and Jessica is living her dream life in a beautiful house. They meet up to discuss how they should switch back and decide that living the summer for each other is the best option. Jessica has always wanted to be wealthy and successful at work and Elijah has always wanted to lay low. What could go wrong?
Although, I do wish there had been a bit more romance and buildup to the ending I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved Elijah's sister and lowkey wish there had been more of her in the story.
Overall this book was super cute and I was rooting for the two main characters the entire time as separate people trying to find themselves, and as a couple.

Jessica Lee who has had to fight for everything in her life is excited to land an internship at her fathers place of work. Elijah Ri, wants nothing do to with taking over his families company but his dad is upset and send him off to do an internship for the summer. Jessica is impressed with her dad paying for a first class plane ticket and wonders if it cost too much, Elijah is thinking his dad is making him learn a lesson by buy a plane ticket in coach. Eventually they find out they have the same Korean name and the mix up starts, or rather, they choose to switch places for the summer.

Review:The first 25% of this book had all the feels of a great YA romance. Drama, secrets, and mystery. Then it got so perfunctory I got bored. Still a refreshing read with a great story line and great characters.
Recommended For: Anyone who wants a cute YA romance.

Susan Lee is such a fun YA author for me - she writes amazing YA romances with Korean characters, and after loving her book Seoulmates last year, I was excited for The Name Drop to release (and I was blessed with a copy from Susan herself!)
This book was a super fun workplace romance, but in a YA setting! It has such an interesting premise: Jessica and Elijah, both from different income brackets and lifestyles share a Korean name and get mixed up at their internship for Haneul Corp, aka the company Elijah's slated to take over as CEO when his dad retires. While Elijah is supposed to get the Executive Training, Jessica gets it instead and Elijah gets stuck being treated as one of the interns. This switch up allows Jessica to take her creative juices to the next level and she helps plan a hackathon with the other intern's help, but hopefully without anyone else knowing it's her that's doing it. Elijah and Jessica fall for each other while discovering they can give each other something, and learn more about each other through this mixup they have to endure.
I liked the found family aspect of this book and the "proving your worth" arc from Jessica and Elijah. Sometimes it's just nice to read a YA to realize that at some point you went through these thoughts too and see how it ends up!

This was such a fun read ,
and man I would love to watch it as a drama one day.
I read Seoulmates just before this, and personally feel like Susan Lee’s writing has improved here.
I really enjoyed the characters and the tropes used. Though I did wish there could be some more romantic - relationship building moments. As well, I felt the end was alittle rushed feeling.
Over all enjoyed the book!

This review contains spoilers.

I picked this book up because I was intrigued by the plot. A poor girl switches places with a rich boy during a summer internship in New York due to a name mixup. I'm embarrassed to admit that it took me way too long to realize this was a Prince and the Pauper reimagining. For the most part, I enjoyed it.

Jessica Lee is from a working class family. She is stoked to work at a summer internship for a Korean gaming company. Her father happens to work for the same company and isn't very excited for her, but allows her to go as long as she checks in frequently. He wants to make sure she's working hard, but staying unnoticed.

Elijah Ri is the son of the same company's CEO. He's heading to New York to complete an executive leadership internship to help him learn the ropes so he can one day take over the company. He has no desire to do so, but must obey his father.

Both Jessica and Elijah have the same Korean name, which leads to a mix-up with the flight from LA, transportation in New York, and finally at the company itself. They quickly realize the mixup, but agree to stay in their swapped places. Elijah wants to experience something new and Jessica loves the perks Elijah's life provides. They meet up periodically to discuss the details of their internships to report back to their fathers and end up falling for each other. They put together a hack-a-thon event and everything hits the fan when their fathers show up.

The characters are well-written and the dialogue is witty. I really enjoyed the insight into Korean familial expectations, working expectations (Jessica is treated like a secretary simply because she's female), and the upper class. The middle lagged a little for me and I found myself trying to push through to get to the end. Once the hack-a-thon starts, the pacing picks up and almost rushes to the end. I would have loved a little more development of the conversation between Jessica and Elijah's father at dinner. It is glossed over, but showing it would have really driven home how smarmy he is. Jessica's dad is a causality of the switcharoo, but he is a throwaway character for 90 percent of the book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and think teenagers will eat up the brewing romance between Jessica and Elijah.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

You can actually notice Susan Lee's writing improving as this book goes along, which is super empowering and exciting! I know that she worked really hard on this book, and her growth shows.
Unfortunately, The Name Drop and I are sort of incompatible. It's meant for an audience with perhaps a less stale heart than my own. It's very sweet and well-meaning and k-drama-esque, which are all things that I admire, but cannot really take seriously.
I wasn't particularly charmed by either Jessica or Elijah, and did not feel very invested in their romance. I also felt that the end of the novel seemed rushed, and like the loose ends were just hastily tucked away without much depth of thought.
However, The Name Drop is charming in its intentions and wholeheartedness. It is a book made with love, that's for sure.
Thank you very much for the e-ARC of this novel. I am honoured to have been given the opportunity to read this.

I loved Susan Lee's sophomore novel! The set-up is CHEF'S KISS, the NYC atmosphere is pitch perfect, and the themes of navigating your own reputation/mark on the world against the backdrop of how you've been raised and what you've been taught to believe are so powerful.

The Name Drop is an adorable, young adult, workplace romance between two interns from very different worlds. Jessica and Elijah share the same Korean name and after a case of mistaken identity, they have their places swapped for an internship. Jessica is raised by very money conscious parents and is holding off going to a 4-year university to save money and not throw her family into debt and taking an internship with a mega corporation in the hopes of securing connections for a scholarship or financial aid. Elijah is the son of the CEO of Haneul Corporation and has lived a highly controlled life of luxury. When Jessica and Elijah discover the mix up, they decide to keep up the ruse, for they both benefit from their placements. While working together to organize an event so grand no other interns have pulled off, Elijah and Jessica become more than friends, but can they be together despite their glaring differences? Will they be able to pull off the switched identities stunt without being found out?
Susan Lee does a great job writing a YA book that’s fresh and fun to read. Both main characters were adorable, and their dynamic was great. Lee doesn’t shy away from the misogynist and ageist culture found in corporations and the fact the young adults involved in this story are realistically capable is another reason why this YA romance is perfect. My only complaint is that there’s basically a third act breakup and the resolution is a little too quick and easy for my tastes. Overall, this was a great read and I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys young adult fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley, Inkyard Press, and Susan Lee for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Name Drop is such a sweet, cozy romance that also tackles the impact of issues like misogyny and social class.

Jessica somehow gets a coveted internship at the company her dad works at. Eager to make the most of the position and find a way to acquire a letter of recommendation to apply for scholarships, Jessica boards a plane for New York, expecting to work hard and prove herself. Meanwhile Elijah prepares to spend his summer in the same company's internship program, but he's not there by choice or because he needs credentials. He's there because his dad is the CEO and demanded it. But when there's a mixup Elijah and Jessica find their roles swapped, opening some interesting possibilities for the summer.

This story's beginning reminded me of an updated/modernized The Prince and The Pauper. Lee captured a budding romance in the midst of a self-discovery lacking personal compromises due to ultimatums. Instead, Jessica and Elijah supported and rooted for each other, recognizing the strengths in each other and complimenting each other well enough to bring them out, which is such a great image of a healthy relationship for YA readers. Lee also explored the tension in parent-child relationships where children want to please their parents, but may struggle to vocalize their own dreams or voice their struggles for fear of being a burden or knowing parents will disregard the dream. The tension between wanting to honor parents while carving out one's own destiny and a life they're proud of is the foundation for much of the novel, and is so relatable.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkyard Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love this book, I felt like it flew by! This is such a fun concept for a book! I loved the moments when it felt like I was in Jessica/Elijah's head, literally reading their thoughts. Elijah and Jessica's connection was so cute! I really liked learning a bit more about Korean culture as well.

3.5 stars (rounded to 4 stars)

The Name Drop is a YA rom-com that features coming of age and workplace romance.

Jessica is eager to attend a prestigious university, but she needs a letter of recommendation for scholarships. She applies for and is accepted at Haneul Corporation, a major tech company, for a summer internship in New York. She is excited to make the most of it, much to her father's chagrin who works for Haneul. Elijah is the CEO of Haneul's son, and is expected to take over the reins and become the next CEO. He arrives to New York to work an executive internship at Haneul, and expects the royal treatment due to his privileged and sheltered life. When Jessica arrives, she is introduced as the executive intern and receives a large luxury apartment all to herself. Elijah is shocked to find he is sharing a tiny apartment with 9 other interns without all his usual comforts. Elijah and Jessica discover the mixup: they both have the same Korean name. But they decide to stay switched, Jessica really needs the networking, and Elijah wants a relaxed summer away from all the expectations.

For the things I liked, I thought this was a very unique premise and the plot itself is what kept me reading the book! It's a very fun mistaken identity trope and the romance was super sweet. Jessica and Elijah spend a lot of time together exploring New York City and I really enjoyed seeing their romance grow. It also reminded me a bit of the Parent Trap? Just with the switch and how they pretended to be each other. It is dual POV (which is the best for romance) so you can see what drives their decisions and how they view each other.

This is a YA book, but I was pretty surprised by the internal dialogue of the characters, it read 14-15 years old rather than an 18 year old about to enter college. For example, Elijah's privilege and thoughts about money seemed extremely over-exaggerated and not realistic. That honestly might just have been personal preference and not an issue with the author's writing. Once I got used to it/development in the characters occurred throughout the book, I enjoyed it more and it stopped bothering me. Especially because Jessica and Elijah learn each other's perspectives and both expand their views significantly around wealth and privilege.

There were some plot holes I could not look past. These may not generally be plot holes, but based on my individual experience it did not make sense. There are SO many scholarships, and they often don't require income information, the only ones that do are financial aid directly from schools. Letters of recommendation don't take you that far regarding scholarships, perhaps more for the acceptance into a school? I was a bit confused on why she said her father would be responsible for any loans she would take out, which seems strange considering most students take out student loans and pay in the future using their future income at a job, and usually the parents are not responsible. I think the book could have used a bit more explanation and background in this area!

It did wrap up quite a bit fast, with the epilogue being extremely short. I do think it could benefit from more development in the last couple chapters, but this was overall an enjoyable book!

Thank you to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I think this book had a lot of potential, but it, unfortunately, didn't live up to what it could have been.

There were several inconsistencies with just the character backgrounds and the plot lines - Jessica needs letters of recommendation to apply for/receive scholarships to assist in attending whatever college she wants. Still, there was never any mention of how/why her family needed so much financial assistance. All we knew was that she needed it and she and her dad were very frugal with their money - why? I'd assume for her father to leave Microsoft and work for another company there must be a decent bonus/package influencing his transfer, Jessica is an only child and never mentioned any possible debts or any reasons why she needs aid so much. And yes, universities can be expensive especially top-tier or out-of-state ones, but [she winds up in a college and then transfer to another one later? But doesn't she need financial aid there, too? I thought she didn't use any of the money Elijah's dad gave her??? (hide spoiler)]

The initial plotline - mistaken identities in an airport? No way. - was way too far-fetched. Plus, the characters all felt a bit basic and one-dimensional, and Jessica was very exaggerated to the point where it was a bit cringe-y. But I guess that is part of being a YA character - I find their thoughts/actions to be a bit more embarrassing than if I were that age. And everything Jessica and Elijah worked on for the company was brushed over.

The romance felt a bit bland and underdeveloped until the very end when it was rushed to the nth degree.

Overall, I see the point, and it could have been great. For a YA, it was decent, and I imagine several readers in the young adult/teenage age group might enjoy it, but there were several things I personally couldn't ignore.

thank you Netgalley for the free copy

Gahhhh! The Name Drop by Susan Lee was SUCH a fun book. I read it on the beach, and it made me smile the. whole. damn. time.

I don't read many books with characters in this age range (yes, I like my books more ahem, adult-oriented), but I love Susan and I really wanted to try this one. I was hoping she kept the momentum going from Seoulmates, and she DID. In fact, this one was possibly even cuter for me as the tropes were just so enjoyable.

I loved the mistaken identity/name confusion thing that was going on here, even if it was a *tad* implausible. I'm not Korean, so I have no idea how common a name their names were in Korean, but it was a super fun plot device. I also am a sucker for a "change of fortune"-type romance where they get to spend some time seeing how "the other half lives."

My only criticism is that I think the romance aspects were a little underdeveloped and the ending felt a little rushed, but the book was so well-paced and lovely that I enjoyed it so much regardless. Thank you, Susan, for another great story, and I can't wait to see what you come up with next.

goodreads|instagram|twitter

I loved the book, The Name Drop by Susan Lee. It was really a fun book and something that would go great as you sit under an umbrella on the beach sipping ice tea and listening to the ocean lap up against the shore. It's a clever switch of cultures from two young Koreans who are greatly in need of a change. The book is predictable, but still lots of fun getting there. I recommend it.

The Name Drop is a lighthearted and fun pick me up read. The characters have more realistic teen traits and I find that a lot of people will connect to the anxiety ridden main character Jessica. Her need to improve almost impossibly calls to youth today and it is inspiring to watch her take every challenge head on. This chaebol romance lives up to the classic trope, K-drama lovers will eat this up.

Jessica and Elijah have the same Korean name (Yoo-Jin Lee), which will allow both of them opportunities they never expected. Jessica is flying from LA to New York to participate in the internship program at Haneul Corp, a prominent Korean tech company. Elijah has come from Seoul to LA and is now flying to New York to participate in an executive training program at Haneul. His father is the CEO, but that fact is being kept secret; the NY office staff know that the person they are expecting is an executive’s child but not the identity of the executive. Because they have the same Korean name, there is a mix-up at the airports and Jessica flies first class and is taken to an expensive house with a servant and ends up as the executive trainee, while Elijah flies economy, is sharing an apartment with nine other people, and is part of the internship program. Jessica is scared to say anything, not wanting to get in trouble or embarrass her family, but also not wanting to lie to others. Elijah has led a very pampered life but does not want the life his father has scripted for him. He sees the mix-up as an opportunity to experience what life is like for “regular” people. He convinces Jessica to go along with the mix-up, promising to take the blame if they are discovered. They will end up seeing a lot of each other, as Jessica is assigned to oversee the internship project, which is not particularly valued by the company. Adventures ensue as Jessica and Elijah experience what a different life is like, although Elijah still tries to use his money to make things easier.

Jessica will experience firsthand some of the negative aspects of Haneul corporate culture that her father hoped to shield her from. However, she will also have some wonderful experiences in NYC. And with the hackathon that she and the interns organize, she will do something impressive, and for Haneul, revolutionary. Elijah embraces the opportunity to be an intern and to work hard, something he is unfamiliar with, but which he finds he enjoys.

One of the best things about the story is how Jessica’s belief in Elijah allows him to open up and shine, while Elijah’s belief in Jessica helps her be more confident. They are both able to at least temporarily escape the personas their respective parents have thrust on them, especially the cultural expectations, and explore themselves and who they might want to be. Of course, problems will occur, and the “switch” will be discovered, with serious ramifications. However, for Jessica and Elijah, and other members of their respective families, the negative consequences will lead to decisions that later result in positive outcomes.

the name drop had a great mix of both plot and romance for the ya genre. i will say this was very much a plot forward book which i was super happy about because we got all the nitty gritty details of the o so fun days of interning.

some things i liked:
- the mistaken identity premise of this book. it was interwoven seamlessly throughout the book and had a great impact on the character growth.
- the style of writing. i think lee did a great job writing for a ya audience and it was such a quick and easy read as an adult.
-multi-pov. this book featured the pov of both jessica and elijah which really helped capture the full view of the story.

some things i was confused about (for the not quite 5 star):
-the fact that everyone who worked for the company and all of the interns were korean. i would have believed this if the setting was in korea but it just didn’t make sense to me for a company in nyc.
-the conclusion seemed kind of abrupt to me and like the author was just trying to wrap things up before she hit a certain page limit. the ending seemed really rushed to me and it kind of undermined all the growth the characters had during the book.

in conclusion, if you are looking for a ya romance with k-drama vibes i would highly recommend checking out the name drop.

thank you to netgalley and inkyard press for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much for Inkyard Press, HarperCollins, and NetGalley for this advanced copy of The Name Drop! I am a sucker for anything Susan Lee writes, and this one was no exception! Like, she’s a great writer and ARMY, it’s a no brainer lol. It was a cute, quick read, the type that’ll scratch that YA romance itch in your brain. The character development was wonderful and I loved seeing how clearly the MCs developed and matured over their journey. The only thing that didn’t strike a chord for me was some of the over-explaining dialogue, like some of that could’ve been cut and it wouldn’t have taken away from the story. The discussion on corporate politics and privilege was spot on for this age group, but that’s no surprise given that Susan writes incredibly well for the young adult audience! I’d definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a mistaken identities, opposites attract story with a diverse cast of characters you can’t help rooting for!

I really wanted to love this book, but this book wasn't for me. I definitely can see some of patrons enjoying this book though, so I will be recommending it for purchase at my library. Although this book wasn't my favorite, I could see it becoming popular among my patrons.