This book was amazing. K-Pop star Lucky sneaks out for a hamburger only to find herself spending a day with tabloid photographer Jack. With the back and forth POV, you get a real feel for both characters and what they are really like behind the masks. Another hit from Maurene Goo!

Somewhere Only We Know is a cute little romantic comedy in the same vein of Roman Holiday. The dual POVs were effectively used and the characters likeable. Despite the fact that there are times a reader may find it difficult to feel bad for Jack's situation, his growth in the story is enough to make you root for him. Lucky's arc over the course of the novel is also a welcome sight to see as she begins to rediscover her passion for music.

Lucky has just wrapped up a huge tour in Asia and is preparing for the next step, launching her career in America. This next move is one she has been preparing for since she was young, sacrificing typical childhood experiences for dance lessons, singing lessons, and other training required if one is to make it as a performer. She is understandably exhausted and anxious, and after taking her sleeping pills and (shhhh, secret!) anxiety meds, all she wants is a hamburger.

Jack is taking a gap year, interning at the bank where his dad works, and trying to ignore the fact that the life his parents want for him makes him feel suffocated. All he wants is to be a photographer, but since his parents don't approve he has been secretly scratching that itch by moonlighting as a paparazzo. He's on the bus on his way to meet a friend for a drink after scoring some photos for his boss when a young, obviously inebriated Asian-American girl catches his eye. Ever the good guy, Jack takes her under his wing for the night and ends up letting her crash at his apartment that night, since he doesn't know who she is or how to get her home.

Early the following morning, fledgling tabloid reporter Jack discovers that "Fern," the pretty, drunk girl he rescued, is actually Lucky, super famous K-pop star, and he hatches a plan. He is going to spend the day with her, give her the Hong Kong experience, and document it all for his editor to publish when he's done. A story like that will score him a full-time job with the paper...as long as his growing feelings for Lucky don't get in the way.

I have some complicated feelings about this book. I adore Lucky, her drive and her enthusiasm for life, and most of all our shared love of food. Ohhh boy, food...this book made me so hungry. I loved that Jack was taking a gap year and really trying to think about what he wanted to do with his life, and I especially loved that when he finally decided he was ready to fight for it. Transitioning from high school to whatever happens next is hard, and I will take all the YA books that show people making that jump and figuring out where to go next.

My one big qualm, and the one I find myself circling back to every time I think about this book, is how long Jack was committed to sharing his Lucky story with his editor. I can give him a pass for coming up with the idea. He didn't know Lucky, he was looking out for himself, and I'm not going to fault him for fighting for a career, even if it is one that makes me wrinkle my nose. But the longer the day went on, the harder it was for me to excuse him continuing to take pictures and plot his narrative, especially after the pair realized that they had feelings for each other. Huge spoiler here, so stop reading here if you don't want huge things given away...have you stopped reading? I hope so. He had already passed what would have been the point of no return for me, but the moment where he truly became unforgivable was when he went to his editor and gave him the pictures. Did he take them back after his editor was a gross asshole? Sure. But what the what? How did it ever go that far?! Hard no, there is no redeeming yourself after that.

*deep breath*

So...yeah. I was not rooting for Lucky and Jack to end up together. That being said, I did not want to put this book down. The characters were well-developed, the writing was fast-paced and fun, and I enjoyed the story. You should probably read it...just maybe don't root for Jack. ;)

This book was perfect for me - I've just recently gotten into K-Pop, so I'm devouring everything related to it. The book was super fun, and makes you want to jump on the next plane to Hong Kong and eat yourself sick.

dnf at 30%, this book just wasn't for me. I do like her other novels, so I know it wasnt the writing style, just the execution of this one I did not like.

Overall, I like this book. It took me a little bit to get into but I'm glad I stuck with it. I had trouble liking Jack at all in the beginning but the development of his character changed my mind! I am such a fan of Maurene Goo's books and this was no exception.

A little bit Roman Holiday, a little bit Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist, and a whole lot of fun as two strangers get to know each other on a tourist's bucket list adventure in Hong Kong. There are deception and romance, but there's also those cut to the chase, deep conversations that only make sense when a person is about to alter the course of your life forever. Fern/Lucky/Catherine is a K Pop star who is about to break into the American market and Jack is an expat taking a gap year in Hong Kong. Meeting at a boutique hotel where Jack is moonlighting as a tabloid photographer and Lucky is escaping her strictly guarded routine, but together they begin to step away from the person they were and move into a space where they are free to become who they want to be.

I was unexpectedly delighted by this book. I thought Lucky would be more of an entitled celebrity wanting to spend a day mingling with the common folk to see how they lived (or something along that line), but she was not like that at all. The book's plot was intriguing and original, and I found myself genuinely sympathizing with both characters in the story - something I don't do often. Additionally, I learned a lot about K-pop and Korean culture in general, which I always do from Maurene Goo's books. All in all, Somewhere Only We Know was a very sweet story and a fun read.

Maurene Goo is a YA romcom maestro! Each of her books has our heroine not only finding the right guy, but finding herself. Her books are the perfect blend of innocent love, self-growth, courageous introspection, family values, and Korean pop culture. Somewhere Only We Know was no exception. It had me feeling all the feels, especially the deep homesickness for California. I loved exploring Hong Kong at Lucky's side, the descriptions made me want to visit so much! The romance is so sweet and innocent, like most Asian romances go. Goo herself writes that there's something so meaningful behind simply acknowledging that you *like* another person, and it's so true. American romance tends to lean towards jumping into bed, which makes Goo's works so refreshing and doubly romantic. And, as always, there was plenty of to-die-for food mentioned to keep you having the munchies while you read. I will forever recommend her books to anyone and everyone.

Jack is a hustler-taking amateur photographs for tabloid magazines while sharing an apartment with his roommate in Hong Kong and interning at his dad's bank during his 'gap year.' Jack has always wanted to pursue photography but his upbringing leads him to believe it is not practical.
One day he runs into a lost, seeming drunken girl named Fern. Quickly, he learns that Fern isn't who she says she is but is K-Pop star, Lucky, who snuck out of her hotel room in pursuit of a hamburger after a grueling 15 stop tour. The two spend the night and more together. Jack thinks he's going to make his big break but what happens when he starts falling for Lucky instead?
Sweet story. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

The fourth book of Goo's is no disappointment! Although she moves away a bit from realistic fiction, Lucky is grounded in her backstory, which contributes to the strength of the book.

I love Maureen's books. They are super cute. I got the chance to meet her a few years back doing promo for her other book, and she was the nicest and sweetest person. I am so excited for her, and I can't wait to read more in the future.

While I could have done without Lucky's "state of being" (being impaired by sleeping pills) as a plot device in the first quarter of the book ... because situations like that generally turn out scary IRL ... I can look beyond that because of the information given from her POV. Goo's novels are always a fun romp. And this one is no exception. Her titles speak beyond Asian readers (and covertly teach non-Asian readers heaps about Korean culture) and are incredibly popular at my library with all manners of teen readers. So much of YA is heavy right now, that it's nice to find authors who are willing to write something, that while it does include drama, is hope filled and fun to read.

Maurene Goo is an auto-read for me and I'm so thrilled she has a new book coming this May! The story did NOT disappoint. It's light and bubbly and funny, with a sizzling romance that doesn't go any farther than kissing. The Hong Kong setting leaps right off the page as Lucky and Jack experience one perfect day together. The secrets they keep from each other will keep readers guessing. K-Pop is hot right now with teens and this is a high-appeal teen romance that's just plain fun to read.

Maurene Goo's "Somewhere Only We Know" is a fun romp featuring a wayward K-pop star and an up and coming paparazzi. This delightful book is an insightful coming of age novel with a cute romance. Set in a detail-rich Hong Kong and chock-full of fun dialogue, this book will charm anyone who likes a good romance.

This book is adorable! It is a story about a k pop star and a tabloid photographer who are thrown together by accident and start to develop feelings for each other. Highly recommended for fans of romance and YA.