I was really looking forward to reading this book.
But it just didn’t meet my expectation.
I found the main character, Hara, to be very immature and annoying.
I was rolling my eyes a lot of the time.
I did enjoy the glimpse into Korean culture. Thus, the 2 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a beautiful and sometimes heartbreaking book. It brought a ton of insights and empathy into the topic of adoption that I had not considered before. The romance itself was also sweet and compelling.

Heart and Seoul was not exactly the book I expected, but I ended up enjoying the book anyway. I expected a fun romance based in Korean culture, but it was so much more than that.

Hara Wilson is adopted from South Korea by White parents and moved to Iowa. She is one of the few Asian people in her town and she has never felt like she fit it. Especially after her father leaves them and he starts s family with his new wife. After her father passes away and she overhears people talking about his “real son,” Hara decides to go to Seoul to see where she came from and if she can find her birth parents.

Hara meets a man she thinks is her ride at the airport, but he ends up being a kind man who catches her eye. Hara and Yujun have a friendship and later romance throughout the book.

I absolutely loved this book for all the Korean culture. I definitely want to visit South Korea! All the descriptions of the food and drinks were so yummy. I definitely need to try more Korean cuisine! I also saw a lot of reviews that this reminded them of K-dramas and I think I need to watch some.

I would highly recommend this book for the portrayal of adoption. I can understand that you must wonder the circumstances of your adoption and getting to know your own culture. I found all of this really fascinating.

I do think Hara is a very young 25. I saw some people say that she acted like a teen in some parts. But I think she was just very sheltered and naive. This is also described as a romance and I think that’s very misleading. It has some romance, but it’s mostly about Hara and her parents.

This is book 1 in a 2 part series so I’m definitely looking forward to Seoulmates, out this January! Thank you to @berkleypub and @jen.frederick for my copy of Heart and Seoul; it’s out now!

A huge thank you to Kaylee @literarypengwyns for putting this book on my must read list (spoiler alert: I LOVED it) and for snapping a pic I could steal! Most of you know romance isn’t my go-to genre but if I could read more books like this it absolutely would be. It was not cheesy but heartfelt and raw, and explored so many topics including adoption, race, belonging, parental loss, and of course a swoon worthy love interest!

This was a bad attempt at a kdrama tbh. The plot was so typical. The only thing I liked about it was how close to reality aspects of Korea were written as.

I absolutely adored this story from start to finish. It is unique and emotional and Frederick nailed it. I enjoyed something from the heart and this is very much that! I cannot wait to see more within this world!

This book was disappointing. Story was very lackluster and did not really like the characters. Overall I cannot recommend this book or continue on with this series.

Thank you @berkleyromance @netgalley for a copy of this book. This book has so much to unpack! The book addresses unconscious biases/racism, adoption, parental relationship and of course love. I felt for Hara for never belonging anywhere because she was adopted and lives in a white dominated town. I felt for how she didn’t really fit in Korea either because she didn’t speak the language or understand the culture, I have experience the same when I went to Hong Kong.

I really enjoyed the stories but I was really frustrated with Ellen. Without giving the story away, I think she should have been more open with Hara rather then be afraid of losing her. I also felt really bad for Hara when she finds her one Korean friend wasn’t really her true friend after all.

Read this in one sitting because I was so excited to read this ever since I read the blurb.. Like I would not put the book down. I loved hara's character arc and the pacing/writing of the book was well done. This book had that romantic, dramatic, k-drama vibes that I’m obsessed with. Even though I prefer books that are predominantly romance focused I still enjoyed heart and seoul so much, and it was refreshing to read. I adored the characters and can't wait for the second book!

I received an ARC of this book, but didn't manage to finish it before publication. I was not aware it was a two book story line until I came here to log it in. I am happy to know that the story hasn't ended for our star-crossed lovers! I think that the author's love of K-dramas shows through convincingly in this book, but as an adoptive mom of a Korean born child, my fear is that people will not see the K-drama aspect and assume this is how Korean adoptions-and possibly all international adoptions-are. Nothing could be further from the truth. Of the many Korean adoptees I know and stories I've read, I only know of one person who was able to connect with their birth families, and the story of their reunion was not nearly as dramatic as this story is. What I do think is done so well is the struggle for trans-racially adopted people to feel like they fit in. This is very real. The details about Korea and Korean customs is really well researched, and a lot of impact to the story.

I'm ambivalent about this one. I think you really have to approach this one as if it's a K-drama. Fundamentally, it's about Hara deciding to go to Korea in search of her birth parents. The romance element of it is totally secondary, and it doesn't have an HEA.

After the death of her adopted father, 25-year-old Hara submits her info to a DNA Ancestry Test service that'll reveal her ethnic makeup and a glitch ends up revealing a match with her biological dad in Korea. It turns out he wants to meet her, and she sets off for Korea looking for answers.

Hara is dealing with a lot of internalized self-hatred and feelings of abandonment. She makes a lot of bad decisions in terms of blind-siding people she doesn't even know in Korea. And the dramatic twist that comes late in the book, it's dun-dun-duuuuun level soap era.

As someone who resented her Asian-ness growing up, I identified with some of Hara's feelings. And at other points, I just couldn't understand trying to purposely ignore her Korean heritage (the world never lets you forget when you wear your heritage on your face every day). But maybe that's the luxury of growing up with at least one Asian American parent, so there's at least some connection to your culture.

I'll likely read the next book in the series, but will go in with managed expectations.

Hmmm…. Well I thought I was going to be reading a romance. Lately I’ve been balancing my thrillers with rom coms. Reading the blurb a looking at the cover I thought this book would be a perfect fit.
Sadly it wasn’t at all. The romance was lacking completely and I found it just sad. Not what I expected at all. I skimmed the last quarter to finish.

I appreciate the opportunity to read this book, just wasn’t my cup of ☕️.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing.

It's apparent from a quick scan of the reviews on Goodreads that Heart and Seoul didn't meet the expectations of some readers who thought it was a light romance. I was surprised at that as I quite enjoyed it, however, I read a variety of genres and wasn't familiar with the author so had no expectations based on her previous work. Also as an adoptee who found my birth father via a DNA test, it was that aspect of the story that sparked my interest in the book and not the description alluding to a heartwarming romance.

Hara is a 25 year-old woman who has grown up and still lives in Iowa after being abandoned as an infant in Korea and adopted by an American couple. The death of her adoptive father and overhearing some offhand comments at his funeral referring to a son with his second wife as the "real child" prompts Hara to think more about her origins. A DNA test connects her with her birth father in Korea and she decides to take a two week trip to Seoul to meet him despite the objections of her adoptive American mother. Hara is in the midst of an identity crisis when she leaves for Korea searching for a feeling that she belongs somewhere. The trip to Seoul doesn't turn out quite the way that Hara was expecting but it starts her down the path of discovering who she is and where she belongs.

The feelings that Hara expresses as an adoptee rang very true for me. Like many adoptees, Hara struggles with the pain of having been abandoned/rejected by her birth parents, the feeling of not really belonging anywhere which she explains as wearing polka dots when everyone else is in stripes and a lifetime of hearing comments that made her feel less than everyone else. Seemingly well-intentioned people say a lot of hurtful things to (or in front of) adopted kids and we carry those words with us always. I wasn't at all surprised to learn after reading Heart and Seoul that the author was an adoptee from Korea herself as it would be difficult to have that insight into how it feels to be adopted without having had the experience.

I have never visited Korea so I also enjoyed learning a bit about Seoul and Korean culture as Hara made her way around the city and her new friend, Yujun played tour guide. The story itself has a lot of dramatic twists and turns that I did not see coming and there's some romance but it's not really the focus of the story

Apparently this is intended to be the first in a series so perhaps future books will include the happy ever after that readers want. If there is a follow-up book then I will definitely be reading to find out what happens next for Hara!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Recommended on my website in 29 of the Best Summer Beach Reads in 2021 - https://www.gonewiththefamily.com/2021/06/best-summer-reads.html

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC.

If I could give this book all of the stars, I would! Ever since I discovered K Dramas a few years back (thanks to @maurenegoo and her book “I Believe in a Thing Called Love”), all I wanted was more books that gave me the emotional rollercoaster of amazing-ness that is a K Drama. And OMG did @jen.frederick deliver!

This book is the first of two books in a duology telling the story of Hara, a Korean American adoptee, journeying to Seoul to not only find herself and her “Koreanness” but her birth parents. What she finds is friendships, a love for Korea, and A SWEET CINNAMON BUN OF A MAN NAMED YUJUN 🥺

This book will make you laugh and cry and squeeze a pillow in sheer FEELS OVERWHELMING YOU! Even if you aren’t Korean American or an adoptee, you will absolutely relate to Hara’s journey of finding herself, learning to break free from her past pressures, and opening herself to a wildly different future than she ever had planned.

I don’t want to give much away, but I just adored this book. Recently I have just been bingeing audiobooks and nothing was going higher than 3 stars for me (which is insanity if you know me). This book has me wanting to slow down and savor it, and then has left me so hungover (THAT. ENDING. Y’ALL!!!! I NEED BOOK TWO ASAP - go look at my story highlight to see the mess I was) that I basically have quit books and jumped right back into K Dramas.

If you are excited about this one, let me know in the comments! Several booksta friends and I will be hosting a 20 WINNER GIVEAWAY (INCLUDING TWO INTERNATIONAL WINNERS) STARTING TOMORROW!!!!!

Tell me the last book that gave you a book hangover (and maybe go give @jen.frederick some love! I’m trying to make her my newest BFF).

*thank you to @berkleyromance for the free eARC. My opinion is entirely my own and lol at anyone thinking I care about a publisher’s feelings so really I JUST LOVED THIS ONE*

Even though Heart and Seoul isn't something I would usually pick up (my go to is YA fantasy), I really did enjoy this book.
I connected with the writing style and prose. I found the characters interesting and relatable too.
Other people seem to be disheartened by the ending, however, I was not - whether this is because I am not too well versed with the romance genre or whether happy endings aren't my thing I am unsure.

Sadly no HEA or "happily for now" for this "romance." It took a rather weird turn about 2/3 thru and never really recovered to offer a satisfying ending.

3.5
Frederick's Heart and Soul is an emotional story that follows a young adoptee's journey as she travels to Korea in an attempt to find her birth parents. Set up as a duology, Frederick offers no promises as she leads Hana through a series of emotional twists and turns as she discovers things about her family and herself that requires some tough decision-making on her part. Frederick offers some fantastic insights into Korea, its culture, and transcultural adoption. While I enjoyed Hana's pov there were times it felt rather flat to me. I do want to warn readers that if you are expecting a true romance, you will be sorely disappointed. Think of this as more as women's fiction with a hint of something to come.

25 year old adoptee Hara head off to Korea to find her birth parents . For the first time in her life she doesn’t feel like an outsides ,as she explores her cultures and track down her possible parental, she discover friendship, and love in the process.
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This story was ok, but I really enjoy the food aspect ..

Loved this so much! Not your typical romance. I enjoyed the good plot twists and the observance of Korean cultural traditions and how these may foil a budding romance.

Oh, boy. Where to start with this one. First off I am…not sure this book is a romance. I was at the 97% mark of this book and I was like…wait …wait…

Without getting too spoilery I will say this book ops for an HFN (Happy For Now) over an HEA. I could see this book deeply disappointing fans of romance. I understand HEAs are required in romance and expected from readers…but I’m not one of those readers. I like something subversive and unexpected so the fact that the book does this without warning is actually a plus for me.

With all that said Heart and Seoul follows Hara Wilson, a Korean transracial adoptee in Iowa, who makes the impulsive decision to find her birth family in Seoul. While searching for her family Hara reconciles with her Korean culture and, for the first time, forms a strong emotional relationship with charming businessman Choi Yujun.

There are several twist and turns as Hara unravels the truth of her past. I liked following along on Hara’s journey and that Frederick never settles for easy answers when it comes to Hara trying to figure out if she belongs in Korea or America. Frederick herself is a Korean adoptee and she really lays out the dilemmas and struggles through Hara’s story.

I did find some of the writing repetitive, we are often reminded of cultural facts and nuances multiple times. It felt like the book didn’t trust the reader to hold on to the information.

When I originally wrote this review I didn't know what kind of book this was, but I now see on the PRH website that this is an ongoing series that follows the same characters. I wish they would have made this more obvious in the marketing or copy.