The Name Drop by Susan Lee is a classic example of mistaken identity between two teenagers at a summer internship. It's a fun, romantic, YA novel that dabbles in the cultural expectations of respect and strong work ethics within the Korean community.

Both Jessica and Elijah come from very strict Korean families and are traveling to New York City to participate in a summer internship with a large tech company. The catch is Jessica is a regular, low level intern needing this job to better her college options while Elijah is the heir apparent to his father's role, the CEO. Through a number of mistaken identity moments the two teens meet and decide to remain in their switched roles. Maybe each can learn something from the other's set of responsibilities, and possibly make it through the summer without getting caught by anyone in the company.

Susan Lee does a wonderful job of balancing the new world attitudes of 18 year olds with the old world expectations of their families. It's an enjoyable read for the Young Adult genre. Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the opportunity to read The Name Drop.

This book was an easy, straightforward read about two people who happen to share the same Korean name, which causes lots of mix-ups and confusion. One is rich and one is low-income. One is meant for CEO-dom while the other barely managed to get in as an intern. The relationship was cute and no-drama, although there really wasn't all that much romance between them. I plan to read Seoulmates by the same author, and I know now that I can expect a sweet, easy read with lots of Korean influence.

The Name Drop was such a delightful twist of the Prince and the Pauper. I thought it was also fun that they could have the same Korean name. Elijah gets to spend the summer in an apartment with nine other interns and one bathroom!! And Jessica gets the gorgeous Brownstone all to herself with a housekeeper, and a new wardrobe from designers she hasn't heard of, while Elijah purchases underwear in a drug store. I laughed, I was outraged, and even shed a tear or two.

I definitely had higher expectations going into this read. I felt like the story was underdeveloped. I didn’t feel any connection with the characters. The storyline had potential I just think it wasn’t executed properly.

***Thank you NetGalley and Inkyard Press for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkyard Press for this ARC!

"The Name Drop" is a teen rom-com centered around Jessica and Elijah and the confusion caused by their shared Korean name. Elijah, the son of Haneul Corporation CEO, is heading to NY for an Executive Training internship at Haneul and Jessica is excited about her opportunity to be an intern at Haneul during the summer. Their shared name causes Haneul to mistakenly place Jessica in the Executive Training internship while Elijah becomes an intern in the summer program. With differing views on their respective internships, both Jessica and Elijah decide to continue with the swap and live like the other for the summer. Will they be able to keep the ruse or will they be caught?

I enjoyed reading this book. Particularly, Elijah's character progression throughout the book made me like him more as the story unraveled. Jessica and Elijah's realizations that each other's life was not what they expected imparted a deeper understanding of each other resulting in a captive reader. While the overall story was captivating, the end of the book leaves you with more questions than answers. The conflict resolution was contradicted a chapter later and made it seem like part of the book was missing. The last two chapters left me flabbergasted wondering why did the characters go through with The Parent Trap-style swap at the beginning of the book. Although the ending was expected, the character and story inconsistencies detracted from the overall story.

My Thoughts:
Susan Lee offers up a cute rom com of mistaken identity and trading places. When two young people from very different backgrounds just happen to have the same Korean name, Jessica gets the chance of a lifetime to fly first class, live alone in a brownstone in New York with her own driver, assistant and chef and get a chance to actually make a difference in a company that treats all women like mindless coffee concierges.

Elijah, the future CEO of Heneul Corporation finds himself in coach and sharing a small apartment with the other interns. He loves it, so is eager to keep his and Jessicaʻs secret to themselves. Until his older sister comes to New York.

This is predictable, but still fun. The added Asian expectations and misogyny are great add ins to this classic switched places, poor versus rich lifestyle trope.

From the Publisher:
When Elijah Ri arrives in New York City for an internship at his father’s massive tech company, Haneul Corporation, he expects the royal treatment that comes with being the future CEO—even if that’s the last thing he wants. But instead, he finds himself shuffled into a group of overworked, unpaid interns, all sharing a shoebox apartment for the summer.

When Jessica Lee arrives in New York City, she’s eager to make the most of her internship at Haneul Corporation, even if she’s at the bottom of the corporate ladder. But she’s shocked to be introduced as the new executive-in-training intern with a gorgeous brownstone all to herself.

It doesn’t take long for Elijah and Jessica to discover the source of the mistake: they share the same Korean name. But they decide to stay switched—so Elijah can have a relaxing summer away from his controlling dad while Jessica can make the connections she desperately needs for college recommendations.

As Elijah and Jessica work together to keep up the charade, a spark develops between them. Can they avoid discovery—and total disaster—with their feelings and futures on the line?

Publication Information:
Author: Susan Lee
Publisher: Inkyard Press (September 12, 2023)

This was cute. Had huge Kdrama vibes and I was so here for it! The story itself did feel a bit predictable and I did feel that the characters lacked some depth, but mostly I just enjoying it for what it was.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a fun and lighthearted read.

I would like to thank the publisher for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley. As always, my opinions are entirely my own.

This was a good YA book, with tropes from romance and K-dramas alike! I look forward to all her other books as I did like her first book too

Susan Lee was a new-to-me author with her debut, Seoulmates, and I enjoyed it so much I came back for more with this new release. I was not disappointed. The characters are slightly older than the ones in the debut novel, but only by a little. Now, I can’t say I’m a huge YA romance fan, but I don’t turn my nose up at it, either. But I enjoyed this story a bit more with Elijah and Jessica just out of high school and trying to find their own ways. There was tremendous growth for both main characters, and the mistaken identity storyline with the characters not of the same gender was actually a fresh take, making the plot a bit more interesting. However, if Korean drama is not your cup of tea, I don’t think you’ll enjoy this story as much as I did. That said, I have enjoyed learning more about the Korean vs. American Korean cultural differences and similarities recently, so I found it fascinating and educational on top of entertaining. With some funny moments, some heartwrenching moments, and some absolutely soul-crushing moments, as well as heartwarming ones, this coming-of-age story was wonderfully written and hard to put down when life intruded upon my reading time.

NICUnurse’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭑

I'd love to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a chance at reading this book! I was really involved in it and and I marathoned it in one entire sitting.

Originally, I gave this book a four star review, but after reading another review by a different reader (one who is an Asian Regional Director in a multinational gaming company with a branch in Seoul itself, as quoted by her), I had to drop my grade down another star on how the reviwer pointed things out that broadened by views and empathized more on the concerns that I had which made it originally a four star review instead of a five.

The reviewer Nochu_Dee pointed out that the misogyny in the workplace is heightened to an abnormal level and none of the female characters did nothing to change it. Jessica is made to take notes and sit there and be cute during meetings, not given real attention to her work, etc. She and the ML's sister point this out how its unfair and yet... they do nothing to stop it, or bring it up to those who protect things like that from happening. They just kind of shrug their shoulders and 'oh well' it when you can see it's eating them up on how they're treated.

She points out that at one point the FL's father was someone high up at Microsoft. ... Yet, they're still living frugally and woah-oh-no-ing about spending money. So is he still not making a lot of money at this new job? It was just strange to me that he has a high up position still and yet still acts like he doesn't make a lot of money.

There was also the fact that Elijah was too American for someone who never traveled much and g0t much exposure outside of Korea. He adjusted way too fast from his sheltered life-style and there wasn't a lot of talk or comparison to America and Korean to make me believe he was just a fish out of water rich boy from Korea.

Still, I've been watching a lot of K-Dramas' and this was a cute idea and it did keep me interested, just after reading the review I wished the author actually did some better research and or spoke to the above reviewer about their book before completing it.

**ARC provided by NetGalley for honest review**

The Name Drop by Susan Lee was a Korean rom-com following two high schoolers from very different backgrounds with the same Korean name. They accidentally end up getting switched around at their internships, and they like it so much, they decide to stay switched for the summer. Now, this is a far cry from the fantasy books I normally read, so take everything I say with a grain of salt. This story had a kdrama feel to it and I love kdramas, but something about the writing in here was lacking a bit for me. There were lots of important topics brought up throughout the story which I enjoyed, but I couldn't seem to really connect with the characters like I usually do and the ending especially just seemed so contrived and far too easy after all the tension buildup throughout the rest of the novel. All in all, however, it was a fast, fun read, and I by no means regret reading it.

The Name Drop by Susan Lee, 304 pages. Inkyard Press, 2023. $18.
Language: R (84 swears, 45 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Jessica (18yo) has learned the hard way that success takes money. Since she doesn’t have enough, Jessica’s plan is to make the right connections at her New York internship with the Korean company her father works for. Elijah (19yo) is expected to take over as CEO of the family business one day, but he doesn’t want anything to do with it. The only positive thing about this forced internship is that his dad agreed to let Elijah go to the New York office. Through a series of mixups, these struggling new adults have the opportunity to get everything they want out of the summer.
Feeling just like a Kdrama, Jessica and Elijah’s story hits all the right misunderstandings, humor, and budding romance moments. Their story is full of hope and encouragement—even with an unexpected ending. Books and movies too often tell us that happily ever after means getting the perfect ending. While the ending for Jessica and Elijah is anything but perfect, everything does work out. And happily ever after can still exist in that.
The majority of characters are Korean. The mature content is for innuendo.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Jessica Lee is on her way to New York for an internship at Haneul Corporation. She plans to stand out as an intern and make the connections needed to apply for college scholarships. Her plan is immediately sidetracked when she winds up switching places with Elijah Ri, son of Haneul Corporation's CEO, because they have the same Korean name. Despite the initial confusion and mix up, they decide to keep their new positions and Jessica gets the chance to be part of the Executive Training Program, while Elijah decides he wants to stay as an intern to experience what it's like to be around people who have no idea who he or his family is. This gives them both the opportunity to try something different and they grow closer as they learn more about each other. However, Haneul is a rigid place and eventually their switch is discovered and they have to deal with the consequences. Overall, a cute story of two teens taking advantage of an unexpected mix up and discovering their strengths. The book touches on issues of class and gender bias, particularly in the corporate world. Fans of kdramas will like this one.

Susan Lee knows how to write a light-hearted romance. This story is sweet in many ways because the characters all seem so innocent and earnest. I enjoyed how readable the book is because Susan does an excellent job of making the story progress quickly and keeping the tone upbeat throughout, with only a handful of moments that carry a lot of drama.

I think that this is the perfect book to read to get out of a slump because it’s just really light and uncomplicated. It’s like experiencing a rom com in written form. The stakes aren’t super high and the characters seem familiar and uncomplicated.

I think that at times it’s a bit frustrating because Lee doesn’t delve very deeply into character development or themes or setting. Everything is kind of surface level, which is okay if that’s really all you’re looking for in a quick, fun read. If you’re the kind of reader who wants more, this will definitely leave you wanting.

The story is short and moves quickly, making it the perfect summer read. It doesn’t do any deep-diving and there aren’t any lulls, either. It’s just a short, sweet story and I think it’s Hallmark-esque plot is enjoyable because it leaves room to just enjoy the ride the story takes you on.

If I could change one thing about this story, it would be to have the characters fleshed-out more. On the whole, they are very surface-level, a bit one-dimensional. Jessica is the typical do-gooder trying to make her way despite the setbacks she has in life (i.e. coming from a poor family and trying to save up any way she can). Elijah is they typical rich boy who doesn’t really know anything about the “real world” but learns to love doing actual work and helping others.

Their romance is sweet, but it’s barely there. I wish Lee put more time into having the two main characters learn more about each other, have deeper conversations, and spend more time together. As it is, the story is too short to really encompass this.

All of the other characters are bit parts that don’t really bring much else to the story. They are props to get the plot going in certain directions. It’s fine, since I think the story is really just supposed to be cotton-candy-fluffy-happy rather than a serious romance story.

I did enjoy the book. Despite it’s lack of depth, I think it’s the perfect summer read. It’s light, it’s really cute, and the humorous plot is enough to carry it. I like that it’s a quick read and that the characters are cute together. I don’t really need much else when I’m just looking for something to take me to another place and get my mind off of things. It’s easy to read and it made me happy.

3.5 Stars
This was a cute YA romance. Perfect for fans of K-dramas.

During Elijah Ri and Jessica Lee's travel to New York for an internship, they experienced an unfortunate misunderstanding. They both share the same Korean name, and as a result, Jessica unintentionally occupied Elijah's business class seat at the airport and inadvertently took Elijah's ride. Thankfully, Elijah and Jessica figured out the mix-up not soon after. However, they decided to stay switched. How long can they keep up the charade without being discovered?

The story was predictable and a tad cheesy, but still quite enjoyable overall. Would recommend it to fans of YA romance and K-dramas.

*** Thank you to NetGalley, Susan Lee, and Inkyard Press for graciously sending me a copy of the novel to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

A case of mistaken identity lands Jessica on the executive floor of her summer internship instead of in the first-floor bullpen with the other interns. Elijah, the CEO's son, is taken for Jessica because they share the same Korean name, and finds himself mixing with the regular, everyday people instead of the designer-wearing elite as his father wishes. Jessica needs a leg up to earn scholarships to college. Elijah can swipe his black card for anything he wants. Two different worlds, but when they find the middle ground, they bring out the best in each other.

Susan Lee writes a love letter to New York and shows the magic of being young and in love in NYC. There's a fresh innocence to the story while showcasing class distinctions, gender bias, and the harsh reality of corporate life.

YA that is appropriate for middle school.

I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced copy of this book and I enjoyed it so much !! This YA was so cute!! This gave me parent trap vibes and the journey of switching identities was so fun!! ❤️❤️❤️ #thenamedrop #netgalley

This was a perfectly balanced book. There were enough funny mix-ups to offset the more serious family drama. I enjoyed how the main characters were so stunned with how the other half lived. And I appreciated how the author revisited this theme at the end of the book.
The author also did an excellent job showing male chauvinism that can be so prevalent in a workplace. It was very on point and can come from both men and women.
I really enjoyed this book and will read more from this author.
Enjoy!

✔️ Dual POV
✔️ Rich MMC/ Middle class FMC
✔️ Mistaken identity
✔️ Agreement/Pact

This book was so easy to read, I was able to finish it in a day! The chapters weren’t unnecessarily long, and they were definitely enjoyable. This book does contain Dual POV, which I absolutely love!

The plot centers around our two MC’s having their identities mistaken, since their names are the same. Once they realize what has happened, they both agree to continue with the ruse since they can both benefit from it. I personally live mistaken identity tropes, so I knew I would enjoy this book, and I was right.

I liked both of the MC’s, and the fact that they communicated well with each other. I loved reading their scenes too because you could feel the tension. I was constantly screaming at them to just kiss already lol.

I’m keeping this a spoiler free review, so I won’t go into detail about what happened, but it’s a book, so you know something is bound to happen. I really enjoyed the book so I would recommend this book.

Jessica is going to intern at Haneul Corporation for the summer and is ready to be on her own doing this. Elijah is the son of the CEO of Haneul Corporation and is going to the Haneul Corporation located in NYC to work and experience what it will be like for him when he takes over the company. Well, from the airport, their info gets mixed up because they happen to have the same Korean name. So, Jessica arrives and has a driver and her own home. Elijah is crowded into a van with 9 other interns and share a tiny apartment with them all. When they each realize the mix up, they decide to work together to stay in their current roles because Jessica wants to experience truly working and Elijah wants to be free for the summer to do whatever he wants. The come up with Operation Name Drop that will help then get through the summer at Haneul Corporation.

If you enjoy Korean dramas, then you’ll definitely enjoy this one! What with the secret identities, the mix up with names, the drama, the romance, just everything you love in a Korean drama mixed altogether!

I thought this was a very cute story, with some dark elements to it. With Elijah growing up in a rich family and a father that’s just always disappointed in him. Jessica growing up in a lesser privileged family that have to work a lot for what they want and an overprotective father. I liked the concept right away with them having the same Korean name. It threw me for a loop for sure at the beginning 😂 I was a bit confused until I realized ummm duh Name Drop! The play out of their plan was quite entertaining and the way it all came together went a bit more smoothly than I expected and yes there was drama, but it was not as bad as I was expecting, which is a good thing in my opinion!

Jessica I really liked, even though I’m not a fan of the type A, but she was a lot of fun to read and seeing her experience living the wealthy life was fun and I kind of wish I was there with her 😂 I loved seeing Elijah experiencing life as a normal person and growing A LOT. I mean he went from being rather stuck up and arrogant to having open eyes to the world and realizing how he would view and judge people based on what they wore like his father and he changed so fast!

The romance is cute. I actually really liked it and it may have been a bit rushed, but it worked for me since they kind of had to work together a lot and learned about each other quite a bit.

The misogyny in this book really just made me mad at times. I mean I couldn’t understand why Jessica would want to work for a company like that, and I get how maybe prestigious the company is, but is it worth it if you’re treated like dirt? I personally don’t think so. It really opens your eyes knowing there’s a lot of places and people like that out there!

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read and I would recommend it, especially if you love Korean dramas like me! I received a free digital copy to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own.