This was a great YA contemporary novel, with good characters and plot!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher

This was a really cute YA book and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. I thought that the switch with characters having the same name was a really good idea.

This was a cute YA romance - and I always enjoy an NYC story - but unfortunately it didn't quite live up to the hope I had for it. What started strong moved too fast which left me feeling unsatisfied as a reader.

REVIEW✨
The Name Drop
By Susan Lee
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So I loved Susan Lee’s other book Seoulmates so I was excited for this one. However, I was disappointed and this one fell flat for me. The back bones of the plot sounded so fun to me. The son of the CEO and a poor girl, have the same name and switch places for a summer internship. Sign me up!!! And that cover is gorgeous, I was so excited for it. But sadly, it didn’t deliver. The story started out cute, but it lacked plot and it seemed to drag on…

I enjoyed the writing style, the dual POV’s, the setting, the topics and issues that were addressed. I didn’t really connect with either of the main characters, there wasn’t much chemistry between the two of them, the ending had a lot going on that didn’t really make sense to the characters. And it simply just wasn’t for me.

Romance: ❤️
Plot points: 💥💥💥
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

While I wasn’t expecting much from this story, it was a little disappointing in just how predictable it was. There was nothing new or substantial to differentiate it from a multitude of other stories with similar plot lines. For its moment, it kept me entertained, which I suppose was its job and it did do that. But for anything truly outstanding, this was not.

A fun read with a mistaken identity twist. Both Elijah Ri and Jessica Lee have been accepted to an internship program at Hanuel Corporation. I enjoyed the realistic interactions for both Elijah and Jessica as tickets are booked in either their Korean or English name, the only difference is Elijah is heir apparent for the company and the internship is just a step in Elijah’s predetermined path to becoming the next President of the company. Jessica’s father works in a separate part of the company, so Elijah and Jessica use the opportunity to grant the other their greatest wish: Elijah who looks for anonymity and Jessica who wants a full scholarship.

Plot - 3
Good, but nothing unexpected or shiny. Pretty much what you want and expect from a YA romance.
Writing and Editing - 3
I enjoyed the story and was able to immerse myself. The visual descriptions didn’t blow my mind and the banter was cute if a little standard.
Character Development - 4
The primary characters were adorable and absolutely my favorite part of the book. I think the side characters could have used a bit more fleshing out.
Personal Bias - 3
Really enjoyed and would happily recommend for someone looking in this genre.
Final Score - 3.25

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Book Name: The Name Drop
Author: Susan Lee

ARC
Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for an ARC of The Name drop by Susan Lee

Stars: 4
Spice: 0 (YA)

Standalone
Fast Paced
Dual POV
Contemporary Romance
Korean Representation

- Mistaken Identity
- Fun and Cute
- K-Drama Vibes
- Finding your Place
- Family Pressure and Expectations
- Office Romance
- Light Read
- Fluffy

Sometimes I find it hard to put into words why I enjoy a book like The Name Drop. It was just a fun and cute story. I really liked the characters. It’s that perfect relaxing read.

Jessica and Elijah have hijinks that are reminiscent of a K-drama but not over the top. It’s a fun plot and yes some of it would necessarily happen but that’s why it’s a story. That’s what’s so enjoyable about K-dramas too.I thought it was fun that they had switched identities and then kind of went with it.

The real heart of the story is two young people trying to find where they belong amongst the pressure of family expectations and the standards they put on themselves. When I say standard you put on yourself that doesn’t always mean you have high expectations for yourself. Sometimes you expect yourself to fail. So I always like stories like that, that give that little bit of figuring out who you are.

The romance was cute and light.

Overall I just enjoyed the book as something to be enjoyed. Just a read that I can clear my head with and have happy feels.

If you're a fan of K-dramas, particularly those set in an office environment, then this book is an absolute must-read. While I typically don't gravitate towards stories in an office setting, this book completely won me over with its charm and engaging storyline.

The romance between the characters is simply adorable, and the plot is both entertaining and filled with surprises. I particularly enjoyed the mix-up element, which was executed flawlessly and kept me eagerly turning pages to see how it would all unfold. However, just when I thought I had it all figured out, a twist near the end caught me off guard. While I'm still processing my feelings about it, I'm ultimately pleased that the story concluded on a happy note.

Overall, this book is a delightful blend of romance, humor, and unexpected twists that will keep you thoroughly entertained from beginning to end. Whether you're a die-hard fan of K-dramas or simply looking for a fun and engaging read, I highly recommend giving this book a try.

This was a cute, easy read. I really enjoyed Jessica and Elijah as characters, and I liked the switched lives plot.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital ARC

I really enjoyed this.
From the confusion in the beginning of them having the same name and constantly bumping into each other, to them becoming their own people despite what their parents had originally wanted and no matter how they feel.
I also fan-girled a little at the mention of BTS.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

This was fine. I’m a fan of books written in that “after high school” time period. I wanted more out of the romance, as the plot with them as friends was more believable than anything else. I received an advance review copy for free via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This one took me a while to get into but once I was further into the story I really enjoyed it! The characters were likable and it the pacing after the first portion kept me entertained.

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. Even as an adult I found this book fun. Elijah and Jessica are wonderful and the relationship that they have with the other interns is good too. It is a summer that gets a little mixed up. Jessica is the executive-in-training intern and gets treated as such. Elijah is sharing a tiny apartment with the rest of the interns. They discover that all that was for Elijah and not Jessica but they don't switch back. The love story part gave me K-drama vibes and I love it.

Things I liked about this book:

- The workplace setting was very fun, and I felt like the main conflict that was happening between the two main characters was a good main plot.
- the ability to relate to the fmc, she was sweet and kind and so hardworking that I felt like I could see myself in her a little bit.
- The friendship in this book between the mmc and his roommates while he was interning, it felt very sweet and wholesome to see him be so accepted by complete strangers and then eventual friends and workmates.
- The plot, LOVED the way the story played out.

Although I really enjoyed this one, I felt like a couple things felt off to me, it was still one of my better reads of the year, but it fell short in terms of being a 4+ for me. I will continue to read more from this author, because besides the few things that fell short for me, I still enjoyed my time getting to know these characters and their story.

Susan Lee delivers another fun romantic comedy featuring two teens with the same Korean name- causing a mixup that ends up suiting them both in ways they never would have expected. Well written, fun dialogue, a good teen book that many will enjoy.

Your everyday tale of switched identity. Elijah and Jessica just happen to have the same Korean name and when they show up to work for the summer they are mistaken for each other. Rich kid Elijah jumps at the chance to be a nobody at the company he is set to inherit one day. While Jessica needs the recommendation in order to get into the dream schools with scholarships that she desperately needs. Elijah and Jessica become closer as the summer progresses and they surprise everyone around them with what they can accomplish. But in the end the summer may just blow up in their face. Readers will find themselves rooting for Jessica and Elijah throughout the book. This book looks at the themes of hard work, gender roles and stereotypes, and friendship.

WHAT WORKED FOR ME

My overarching favorite part of this book is the tone and style of writing from Lee. She embodies the comedy part of rom-com that had me giggling out loud while reading this book. When I said this book made me fall in love with what YA romance can be, I'm not even a little bit exaggerating. This book feels like a love letter to New York that we get to view through the eyes of our two main characters - who, yes have the same name.

The set-up of this book is a play on mistaken identity that I've not seen done in a romance of any kind. The fact that each individual accepted that it was totally fine until they get to their respective housing and are like "uh, this is weird". Each character is given the space to grow as an individual and then together. The general message, in my opinion, is that speaking up for those you care about may not be the easiest to do, but it is worth the sacrifice you may have to make to do so (very prevalent in our current world).

Candidly, it's been several months since I've read this and know I'm forgetting details. But this book had everything I love in romance: stolen moments, mutual pining and the journey that you want to see two characters go on. I found myself rooting for these young ones to succeed in what they were doing, and kicked my feet in the air over the cute moments at the same time.

WHAT DIDN'T WORK FOR ME

Honestly, there is not a single thing I can think of that didn't work for me with this story. There's nothing that left me wanting more. If anything, it made me even more excited to read Seoulmates and anything Lee publishes in the future.