I really enjoyed this one and it's a prime candidate for recommending to my students - especially since I know so many who love kpop too.

Based on the summary, it's not REALLY a surprise how the story progresses, but the characters make it a lot of fun to read. The struggle with change, trying to control your life's path, and feeling like you are left behind by people are all common themes that make it really relatable, even as the main character is dealing with the absolutely foreign issues of friends-to-romance with someone who is kpop-famous

As a kpop fan, I also really enjoyed the nods to the industry and the way the story explores some of the long-standing issues with kpop groups, companies, and their fandoms. You can see some of the inspiration for the fictional group that Robbie is part of and I loved the addition of their little kpop profiles scattered throughout (even though I feel like I want to hear some of reasoning for the "is friends with" portions for some).

Overall a fun and quick read that I will be gently poking some of my younger high school teacher pals to add to their libraries.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for access to the ARC in exchange for this review.

Kat Cho’s latest is a dream come true for all Kpop and Kdrama fans, as well as all readers who like light, fun romances. Highly recommended!

This was a super cute friends to lovers, set in suburban Illinois. I really love that the book doesn’t romanticize k-pop , because the industry while glamorous and full of super talented people can be stressful for artists in many ways as the book explores. Overall, the book was really enjoyable and will definitely be adding to my classroom library for my students!

I received this as a free e-ARC and all opinions are my own.

Thank you for letting me read this advanced readers copy! This is such a sweet story and pretty quick read since you don't want to put it down. I love how the author really went in to character motivations throughout time, and not just the main two characters. It really draws you in as a reader to feel like you KNOW everyone.

I felt like I was familiar with the tone of the author, so I looked her up and realized I am also reading one of her other books currently- Wicked Fox. Loving that one too, but for very different reasons. I have book talked this book recently with my secondary media specialist peers and plan on purchasing it for our library once it comes out.

It is so refreshing to find SWEET (not over spicy or smutty) young adult reads that my middle schoolers can still relate to and enjoy. Also, that closet-finding-paint scene is *insert chef's kiss* all the butterflies and blushing.

This is my third book of Kat Cho's, and I loved it. I loved how quickly the plot moved and how witty the dialogue was. There's a lot of misunderstanding and miscommunication, but I still recommend this to any Kpop/Kdrama and/or contemporary romance reader. Teens will love this.

This was a light and fluffy YA romance that is sure to appeal to fans of YA rom coms and fans of K-Pop alike. Fans of both are sure to be extra delighted.

This book was so sweet and hilarious that I could not wait to finish it. I flew through this book because of how light and good hearted it was. The main characters journey mixed with the Korean culture was so fun. Highly recommend.

This was the CUTEST. BOOK. EVER! 💜 This book has it all: friends to lovers, K-pop, and swoon-worthy moments that will keep the pages turning. I honestly didn’t want this book to end, but I couldn’t wait to read more about the boy that moved away, became a famous K-pop idol, and made his way back into Elena’s life to ask her to prom (a childhood promise 🥲💖). Thanks again to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for feedback.

This book seriously had me wanting more with each chapter that ended. I was so happy when I received the approval to review this book that I started reading it later that night. Robbie Choi and Elena Soo are childhood best friends, but when Robbie moves away, Elena is left behind and wonders what happens to friends that have so much distance between them. Over time, Elena learns that Robbie joined a K-pop group and is now famous because of the group’s success. She can’t worry about this now, as she is trying to save her favorite community center from closing without funding, but to do so, she’s trying to tell her peers how to save money when it comes to prom. With prom looming closer, Elena doesn’t want to have anything to do with it, that is until Robbie shows up on her doorstep to ask her to prom 😱 From there, Elena is trying to figure out how to mesh into Robbie’s new life, when all she remembers is the young version of Robbie, her best friend. This story has many great moments, some that make you laugh and some that make you want to hug the characters. I also loved the members of Robbie’s group and would love to see more of them in another book 😬 Elena and Robbie have my heart and if you are a K-pop fan like me, definitely pick up this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As a lifelong fan of romance and romcoms and a relatively new fan of Korean pop culture, this book was a must-read for me, and I’m so happy I did. There were definitely some swoon-worthy scenes, and the characters were fun and felt real. I also loved all the aspects of Korean/Korean American culture woven into the story. The story was well-paced and, I admit, I was having so much fun, I devoured it in a single day. I wish some of the other band members had gotten a little more page time, but… maybe in a future book?

I mean… if the author wanted to write a companion novel based around Jongdae and Sooyeon’s relationship, I wouldn’t be mad at all.