Definitely not my favorite Goo, but I enjoyed it for the fun that it provided. It'll be a solid title to have on the shelf in the Library for those kids who want something lighter and just lots of fun. Also, I adore the all-Asian casts that populate Goo's protagonista (my word for the leads)...it's just so cool and I learn so much. This one also gave me solid images of places with which I was previously completely unfamiliar, so I liked that.

Just like when I started reading I Believe In A Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo, I found myself obsessed with researching K-Dramas so I knew what they were talking about, I now found myself obsessed with K-Pop in Somewhere Only We Know. I absolutely adored this book from beginning to end. I loved being immersed in the culture and learning more about the city (and foods!) of Hong Kong, as well as Korean traditions. This city is definitely on my bucket list now. Jack was stuck between chasing his dream and standing still while Lucky was too focused on her dream to see she didn't love it anymore. The two of them finding one another was serendipitous and I adored the ending. The focus on mental health was important for the young adults that read this book. To know that people live with anxiety everyday and there is a way to manage it and get help. Goo always knocks it out of the park for me. I wait for her books and devour quickly every time! Thank you Netgalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own. #weneeddiversebooks

Another great contemporary from Maureen Goo! I loved the dual POV, the situations the characters were put in, and most of all the growth of the characters. I love light contemporary romances, but there was a lot of insight and realness in this book that ended up surprising me. I think a lot of people, not just young adults, will find the characters' feeling relatable and will enjoy the book all the more because of it.

Thank you, Macmillan, for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

YOU’RE NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO ASSUME THAT K-POP ARTISTS DON’T ACTUALLY KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MUSIC. WE DON’T GO THROUGH THAT TRAINING BECAUSE WE LIKE THE FASHION. —LUCKY

I’m pretty torn about Maurene Goo’s third novel. As a fan of K-pop (I have around 15 favorite artists), I expected that I would have a nearly perfect reading experience. Sadly, it seems that my love for the genre isn’t strong enough to negate my dislike for unrealistic romance. Although instalove is practically a given in YA contemporary, I can’t lower my standards and just highlight the book’s strong points.

Somewhere Only We Know follows Lucky, the best K-pop artist in the world. (Indeed, she even trumped BTS! LOL) After performing for the ecstatic Hong Kong audience, she realizes that her passion (turned job) no longer makes her happy. Starving because of her low-calorie diet, Lucky escapes the confines of her hotel and goes on a food trip with Jack, a fellow Korean-American who secretly works as a tabloid photographer. Unbeknownst to Lucky, Jack is actually using her to advance his career. However, as the day progresses, he falls in love with her, and his resolve begins to falter. Awesome, right? Hahaha. I don’t have to tell you how their story ends.

I loved how Maureen Goo explored certain issues surrounding the K-pop industry, like plastic surgery, racial discrimination, contractual celibacy, and personal alienation. The latter was emphasized through Lucky’s character arc, and I somehow sympathized with her dilemma. She barely spent time with her family because of her hectic schedule, so she was always homesick. Plus, she couldn’t go wherever she wanted nor eat her favorite unhealthy dishes. Lucky’s management label obliged her to be a perfect “girl next door” who inspired everyone, making it hard for her to stay true to herself. In real life, many K-pop artists probably feel the same way. However, Lucky had it worse because she was a solo artist; girl and boy groups definitely feel less lonely since they live in the same apartment or dormitory and do lots of things together. With all that said, this book can be very enlightening to readers who are new to K-pop.

As for Jack, he was hecka annoying. He lied to his parents about the nature of his internship, and he basically planned to ruin Lucky’s musical career. If the public discovered that she was traversing Hong Kong with a boy, her innocent reputation could be tarnished permanently. I also didn’t understand why Jack saw college as a waste of time. Indeed, you can get a job without a degree, but the knowledge that you gain during those four+ years is invaluable. Fortunately, things became better for Jack in the end. He saw the error of his ways and did his best to reconcile with his loved ones. Although the author made Jack’s personality unlikable for the sake of character development, I couldn’t muster any fondness for him. He was just a contributor to the novel’s cultural diversity.

I haven’t read The Sun Is Also a Star, but it’s probably similar to this book. After all, both of them feature colored protagonists who fall in love in a single day. Is that phenomenon really possible? That we-just met-but-I-feel-like-I’ve-known-you-forever cliche? Ugh. It’s ironic how contemporary fiction can seem so fantastical. Hmm…the romance might have been less stressful if it hadn’t resulted in cringy dialogue. Hopefully, the final manuscript will be less corny.

In the end, Somewhere Only We Know has an excellent depiction of K-pop. I’m glad that Maurene did lots of research to ensure the accuracy and relevance of her work. However, if you’re also not a fan of unrealistic relationships, I wish you all the best. xD

This was a fun story, if a bit unbelieveable. NO teen goes anywhere without her phone ;) The balance was perfect for a rom-com. The K Pop side gave it a little bit of a different twist which I liked. The stress both Jack and this reader felt over what he was going to do with his pictures felt very true.

Light and sweet and lovely and perfect! Maurene Goo is quickly becoming one of my favorite YA authors. This is perfect for fans of TATBILB. As an aside, I would love to see this as a Netflix original movie. A must-read for romance fans and KPop stans!

Having now read two books by Maurene Goo, I think I can say three things about her: she is funny; she has a great insight into teenage concerns and dialogue; and she is totally into food.

This book is a young adult retelling of “Roman Holiday” only with a better ending (something I always wished for!)

[“Roman Holiday” is a 1953 American romantic comedy starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. In that movie, Audrey Hepburn is a royal princess who escapes from her handlers in order to see Rome on her own, and Gregory Peck is the reporter chasing her for a scoop, but who falls in love with her.]

In this book, “Lucky” is the moniker of a big idol in K-pop, the popular South Korean music genre. Lucky is 17, and although she was born and bred in L.A., now lives in Seoul with a team of managers. As the story opens, she is performing in Hong Kong, and staying at a fancy hotel surrounded by managers and bodyguards who make sure she doesn’t leave and doesn’t eat anything except salads. In a few days, she is scheduled to make her debut on American television, a huge opportunity. But she feels like the thrill of performing is gone; everything is so tightly regulated, and she doesn’t feel joy anymore.

Most of all, Lucky would kill for an “In-N-Out Burger” or even just *any* hamburger. In spite of having taken her mandated sleeping medication, she manages to sneak out of the hotel and out into the city Hong Kong.

In alternate chapters, we hear from Jack Lim, 17, also originally from L.A., but now in Hong Kong. He is taking a “gap year” before college, and working as an intern at his father’s bank. He hates the job and wants to be a photojournalist. Currently he is moonlighting on the side as a paparazzi, taking surreptitious photos of high-profile people for exposés in a sleazy tabloid. He will do anything to be able to take pictures; photography is his passion.

Out in the street, Jack bumps into Lucky, who is half-asleep on her feet and lost. At first he doesn’t know who she is, but he helps her. When she collapses in a dead sleep, he takes her back to his apartment so she can sleep off what he assumes has been too much to drink. While she is asleep, he checks his twitter feed and inadvertently discovers who she is. This could be his chance for a career-making scoop.

If you’ve seen “Roman Holiday,” you know what happens next. The two spend the next day together, seeing the sites and having a wonderful time, with Jack taking photos on the sly.

But of course they fall for each other, and worse yet, Lucky finds out what Jack has been doing, and that she has been used by him. Pictures of her having a "normal" life - especially with a boy! - could destroy her career. She is hurt and angry, and Jack is devastated. But they live separate lives, and go their own ways after a hurtful confrontation. Nevertheless, while it was only one day, they managed to provoke each other to change, and to alter the course of each other’s dreams.

Evaluation: This is a wonderful travel guide to Hong Kong and its food, as well as an entertaining rom-com. It’s a fun read but also carries a message about finding out what is important in your life.

N.B. Don’t read it on a diet!

While not a bad book, this is probably my least favorite that Maureen Goo has written. Jack and Lucky didn't really have great chemistry. I love the Hong Kong backdrop, and the descriptions of food made me so hungry, but I was frustrated with the characters. It's really hard to put my finger on exactly why this one wasn't as fun to read.

3.75 rounded up because good gravy was this book readable. I feel it's safe to assume if you like Maurene Goo's other books, you'll love this one. It's a fun, funny, romantic comedy.

The plot premise seemed fun and cute, but this novel unfortunately didn't work out for me. The dialogue sounds forced, the chemistry too abrupt, and the middle was pretty messy. I think the ending was a little better than the last book I read by Maurene Goo (I Believe in a Thing Called Love), but it was quite predictable. I think the weakest point in this novel is the voice--it was difficult to read because it just seemed really artificial, and there was way too much telling rather than showing; every feeling, action, and description just had to be followed by an explanation! Switching between the two characters' POV didn't help either: both were practically indistinguishable from each other, and there were times I had to flip back to the chapter heading in order to remember who was speaking. It's a fast book to go through and the descriptions of some tourist spots in Hong Kong were fun, but overall, don't pick this one up if you're in the mood for anything other than a light read.

I love Maureen Goo! All of her books so far have been incredibly fun reads and this is no exception. The stories are well-written and engaging, with memorable characters. Lucky and Jack are fascinating people to read about and their interactions are gold. I hope Maureen keeps writing for years to come!

Sweet, fluffy, and fantastical in true Maurene Goo style, I felt very 'meh' about it until the last quarter or so of the book. The self-discovery there is done fairly well, if still predictably. I did enjoy this, but there's not much about it that really jumps out as being particularly noteworthy. Still, it's easily sellable, and I know lots of teens who will love it.

Somewhere Only We Know was so charming and fun - I loved it. It's been described as Roman Holiday by way of Hong Kong and K-pop and that's exactly what it is. Lucky is a K-pop star feeling stifled by fame and the rigidity of her career. After sneaking out of her hotel one night she runs into Jack, who is aimlessly taking a gap year and trying to figure out how to avoid the life his parents want for him. Jack, however, is also a paparazzo on the side, and he secretly figures out who Lucky is as he takes her around Hong Kong. Both characters are so well developed - Lucky is adorable and weird, and Jack is sympathetic as he struggles with his future. This is just so delightful. I'm not a huge YA person, but I really liked Maurene Goo's The Way You Make Me Feel, and this one is just as good - maybe better.

So much SWOON!! This book was adorable and sweet in all of the best ways. Lucy and Jack are fantastic characters and I found myself pulled into their story. I can't wait to order this for our library!

Loved this book! Goo has thoroughly destroyed me with this sweet romance that spans one day in Hong Kong. Lucky is trying to figure out to find her love of singing again after being forced onto the path of squeaky clean k-pop stardom, Jack is struggling to find his footing during his gap year between following his dad's footsteps to work in finance when his passion is photography. Their fates collide in Hong Kong for one epic day of adventure and FOOD! How do I make the movie people option this? I would love to see Lucky and Jack's adventures on the big screen! Readers will fall in love with Lucky's true, silly self and how she os able to risk it all for one perfect day with a stranger.

I read this book in one sitting and feel my students will love it! It was fun, romantic, and different! :)

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

I’ve never really been a huge fan of YA Contemporary – generally if I read romance, I want some more mature characters. Hey, I’m almost 30. I think its pretty reasonable to not want to get jealous of teenagers who find the loves of their life in high school. That being said, I discovered Maurene Goo two years ago and never looked back. Every single time she puts out a new release, I drop whatever I’m currently reading to devour her newest novel.

What is it about her characters that sucks me in, you ask? They aren’t typical. Nothing about her characters screams YA Contemporary. Sure, they’re trying to find themselves, and sure, they make some immature decisions. However, the character growth she manages to achieve with her MCs is what really blows my mind. In all of her books, her characters grow, and change in organic ways.

Not only is she incredible at character development, she also writes the most fun and quirky characters. Lucky, for example, had the potential to be a total YA cliche. She’s a pop star who is growing tired of the life she leads. However, Goo made her fun, and quirky, and so honest and vulnerable that I was able to immediately connect with her.

Even Jack, who was honestly a little bit of a dumbass throughout the entire book (a sweet dumbass, but I did want to slap him) managed to grow as a person. Even though this book took place over a 24 hour span for the most part, the growth of their romantic relationship felt natural and sweet. Getting to know the characters, and watching them fall in love? Yeah, it made my entire Valentines Day.

The best part about this book though was the way that they finally came together in the end. It felt real and so right for them as people. It wasn’t an ending written solely to appease readers, it was an ending that felt so perfect and organic for the characters. I loved everything about it.

3.5 The framework of this one is so much fun. A k-pop star who sneaks out of her hotel room for a hamburger has a night that will change her life.

I can see this one winning with my students who want to read older romance type books, and what I like is that it is still appropriate for that younger crowd.

The outline and plot of the story was solidl for me, the actual romance and character depth was what was lacking a bit for me. The descriptions of the reasons for why the were attracted to one another in their heads were redundant and unoriginal for me.

That being said, it was such a fun adventure and sincerely wanted to know what would happen. The actual arc of the story was written well and while I had a sense of the ending resolution, I was honestly intrigued for how the fall out would happen and be resolved. I think kids will ove the K-pop focus (this seems long overdue in middle grade and YA lit, more of this please!?) and the follow your dreams and face your fears type theme. I enjoyed breezing through this one.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review

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.