happy release day!!
i read this months ago and held off on posting until release week, and totally lost track of time.
Thank you Netgalley & Harper Collins for the chance to read this early!
this was so good!! i hadn’t read XOXO so i wasn’t sure what to expect going into this but i absolutely loved nathaniel and sori!
i thought their chemistry was so sweet, and every interaction between them had me kicking my feet. last thing i absolutely loved was the high stakes!! this has the high stakes of a typical K-drama but it was so light, fluffy and fun to read.

This second chance romance meets K-Pop and the world of XOXO is delightful and charming. ASAP revolves around Sori's journey to figuring out what is worth the sacrifice. Are her dreams, her family security, her love worth giving it all up? Like XOXO, ASAP is connected to the K-Pop idol world, to the power games of influence, to the rigorous training and perfection demanded. But surrounded by people, Sori feels - in many ways - alone.

I love when my favorite side characters get their own book!

Sori and Nathaniel?!!

This was adorable. Second chance(ish)
Sori and Nathaniel broke up due to external forces before XOXO (Nathaniel’s K-pop band) took off and now that Sori is no longer wanting to debut… maybe they can start again if other scandals don’t get in the way…

Sori and Nathaniel are absolutely delightful. I loved the pining and the sweet friendship they have. And really the sweet friendship of the whole group-very found family.

I don’t know if this is staying a duology or if we get more?? I wouldn’t say no! But in both books is a fun look at Korean idols and how the bands are formed and all that goes into debuting a new band.

Very enjoyable.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Teen for an eARC.

This follow-up to Oh's "XOXO" is everything I wanted it to be - sweet, romantic, full of drama. I loved reading from Sori's perspective. She's passionate about what she believes in, fights for her family and friends, and is just so loveable. My heart ached for her with each new snag in her life and, obviously, I rooted for her second chance at love win.

Readers of young adult/new adult romance will love this will-they-won't-they between two exs. Sori's and Nathanial's relationship woes are front and center in this book and their chemistry truly is off the charts. I loved every aspect of their relationship growth throughout this novel, from their reconnecting, their playful banter, and their confessions/professions of love for each other. This book is such a sweet one, but it will keep you hopeful despite the obstacles.

I enjoyed the overall plot of the book, as well. Sori desperately wants to help her mother (and her company) succeed, even if that means giving up things she wants - but she's not a complete martyr. She fights for what she wants to, including asking her mom to let her out of her idol obligations in order to pursue her own destiny, whatever that may be. She also lends her help to a new idol looking to make it big in the debut of a new all-girl group. Sori displays her strengths in caring for Hyemi, even as she has to fight through her weaknesses of giving too much of herself and trying to solve her mother's problems all by herself.

There is a lot of drama, but also some really fun moments. I enjoyed being able to see different aspects of South Korea through Sori's journey, and to learn a little bit more about the life of a K-pop star. Oh does a great job of balancing the events of the novel with including really interesting backdrops from around the city of Seoul and even a short location change to the beach. The reader gets a little taste of everything with this story and I like that.

I would definitely recommend this book, especially if readers are a fan of "XOXO." It's a fun, sweet romance and I gobbled it up in only a few sittings.

"I'm content being loved and appreciated by the few people who I love and appreciate. That's enough for me."

This was the kpop book of my dreams! I didn't read XOXO before reading this one, but I think this one works as a standalone. If you've already read XOXO, I imagine this one would be a really cute spinoff.

What I Loved:
- The way adult problems are differentiated from teenager problems. This is a pretty subtle point that comes out more toward the end, but it's something I really appreciated. A lot of novels don't take the time to let the characters discover that some problems are meant for adults, while other problems are okay for teenagers to solve. I'm being vague to avoid spoilers, but I hope this makes sense.
- The romance, obviously. I know some people felt like Sori and Nathaniel have zero chemistry, but I'm not one of them. I absolutely adored every interaction that they had. Their relationship was so complicated and I love that it didn't turn toxic or co=dependent.
- Sori and Jenny's friendship. I guess they're enemies in XOXO, but in ASAP, they're practically besties. I do wish there was a little more of their friendship on-page, but I really did love them.
- The focus on found family. This was not something I noticed happening until the very end, and it was a lovely little surprise.
- The high stakes. If a YA novel doesn't actually have life-or-death stakes, then you better find a way to make the stakes FEEL like life-or-death. And Oh delivered on this beautifully.
- The kpop references. There was exactly one BTS reference, and that was enough for me.

What I Didn't Love:
- The overall lack of plot? Sometimes it felt like we were just hopping from scene to scene without a clear end-point. I don't necessarily know how to explain this, but there did seem to be a lack of overarching structure to the story that I think could have really elevated it just a bit more.

Overall, this is a really fluffy, light novel about friendship, second chances, the kpop industry, broken families, found families, and what it means to grow up. I would highly recommend to anyone who's looking for their next kpop or found family book.

Content Warnings: Alcohol, blood, bullying, injury/injury detail, medical content, sexism, and sexual content (passionate kissing and implied sex).

I received an ARC from HarperTeen in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

“Let me be your second, third, and fourth love.”
My god. I’m half tempted to just leave that quote here with nothing else because that line alone would’ve made me read this book! I wouldn’t have needed a cover, a description or anything else. Just that one quote. *Swoon*
ASAP, a sequel of sorts to XOXO, is just as beautiful and heartfelt as XOXO. I missed Sori and Nathaniel. After XOXO, I was dying for a sequel with these two. This one did not disappoint! Sori was a perfect main character with her soft heart and I-don’t-give-a-damn exterior. She was willing to give up everything for her people. Nathaniel was perfect for her, the one willing to give up everything for her. It gives the vibes of a villain falling for the antihero.
I adore Axie Oh’s writing, especially in this book. She uses these phrases like “I feel my heart tumble in my chest” and “The balloon in my chest pops” and somehow, I know the exact feeling. Your heart will be breaking right along with Sori’s and Nathaniel’s—but don’t worry, you’ll get to fall in love with them too😉
I also absolutely loved the atmosphere of this book. Expect glamour: variety shows, K-dramas, K-pop (obviously!), but also quiet moments mixed in. It’s like reading a K-drama in the very best way.
I was also excited to see some new characters join the gang and the return of our favorites. While this story was very focused primarily on Sori and Nathaniel, you will see Jenny, Jaewoo, Young-min, Sun, Angela, Gi Taek, and OF COURSE, Young-min! I’m happy to say Young-min is still my favorite. He needs his own book full of his adorable shenanigans and his friendship with Jenny, Sori, and the gang. While we’re making requests—could we also get a Sun book? I thought he was a jerk after XOXO, but now… I’m a fan? And I think maybe he needs to find someone to show him the other side of a broken heart. I loved how he was like an older brother to Sori.
At the time of this review, only 2 days until we can see this beautiful book in person! Get ready!

Book Name: ASAP
Author: Axie Oh

ARC
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books, HarperTeen for an ARC of Axie Oh’s ASAP

Stars: 4
Spice: 0 (YA)

Character Anthology Series Following Events of XOXO
(I didn't know or have read XOXO before this and still loved every minute but now I got major spoilers for XOXO so proceed at your own risk)

Fast Paced
FMC POV
Contemporary Romance

- Cute
- Quick and Fun
- K-Drama Vibes
- Second Chance
- K-Pop Romance
- Idol’s Galore
- Jane Austen Emma Vibes

I was definitely hyped when this was announced! A companion novel to a book I really enjoyed. I wanted to see what the characters had been up to and see Nathaniel get the love that he deserved.

The book is told from the point-of-view of Sori. She was introduced in book one and was Jenny’s roommate as well as friends with the group XOXO. We also learned that she had once dated Nathaniel from the group, but things went sour after paparazzi took a blurry photo of them together. I honestly hoped in book one that they would get back together and didn’t expect the author giving us a whole book for it.

I will say that I wasn’t a big fan of the romance. It was cute and had its moments, but Nathaniel as a whole felt a little bland. He wasn’t actively trying to pursue her and maybe that’s because she had walked away the first time. He gave her the space she wanted. They do have close proximity as a trope and it was beneficial for their relationship, but again it was kind of stale. This could totally be because it is a second-chance romance and that is a hard trope for me to get into. You just have to go with a past and not much said on it and just believe whole heartedly. It’s a hard thing for me to do. I just thought Nathaniel had so much promise since I enjoyed him in book one.

There is also just a lot of drama involved in their relationship and a whole bunch of “will they? or won’t they?”. I got fed up with it and just wanted to throw them together haha.

Even though this book is about finding love again, it also gives light to Sori and her family situation. It is not good! She goes through a lot of growth when it comes to figuring out who she is and setting up boundaries. I was happy to see her take charge in her own life and set her father straight, even her mother at times. She wanted to make everyone happy and didn’t put any love into herself. I think that was actually my favorite plotline.

Overall, this was a decent read. I liked that Sori found herself and also got to be in a relationship that was cut short previously. I just needed more development from them as a whole, and definitely more from Nathaniel.

I firmly believe that I can now confidently say that I would trust Axie Oh with my life.
While I can't say that I commonly enjoy second-chance romances, I didn't doubt it for one second that I would follow Axie's writing down any avenues (and especially after catching a glimpse of these two in her previous contemporary YA, XOXO, I had no doubts that I'd be in for a treat), and I wasn't disappointed in the slightest.
ASAP was one of those immersive, addicting reads that you tell yourself you'll read one more page of and then find that you're 20 minutes behind schedule and risk being late for any social engagements you had planned (or perhaps I am projecting). While it is rare to find books that suck you in so much so that the world outside fades away as you keep turning page after page without a care, this is just another one in a series of such instances with Axie.
I adored everything about this - from the complicated yet defining family relations, to the equally complex friendships, to the curious glimpses into the world of the rich and famous within k-pop, k-dramas and modelling, and especially to the TV worthy swoony romance. I found Sori's conflicts to be so palpable, and I never questioned any of the choices she made, as -for better or for worse- they rang so true to her character and her circumstances.
This also does the job of any solid companion novel and stands perfectly well on its own, but makes for such a lovely follow-up for those already familiar with the world and characters!
A delight through and through.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙓𝙊𝙓𝙊, 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙖𝙣 𝙛𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙎𝙤𝙧𝙞, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝𝙮 𝙙𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙆-𝙥𝙤𝙥 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣𝙚𝙧, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙉𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙚𝙡, 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙆-𝙥𝙤𝙥 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧 𝙚𝙭-𝙗𝙤𝙮𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙, 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙨𝙬𝙤𝙤𝙣-𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙮 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮.

📍 Read if you like:
• Second Chance Romance
• Sunshine/Grumpy
• Ex-High School Sweethearts
• K-Pop Bands/Drama

This is the companion novel to XOXO, I guess I didn’t look too into this book before picking it up because I had no idea. I did already read the first book so it didn’t bother me - this can be read as a standalone though.

This was such a quick second-chance romance I enjoyed. I’m not big on K-pop, but fans of it will absolutely love and relate to this book. This was the perfect mix of drama and romance, I also loved the boy band in this.

This one follows Sori and Nathaniel - I enjoyed both characters. I also loved how the characters from the first book are also in this one. It’s set in Seoul and I absolutely loved the way the story was told. It’s full of swoon-worthy moments and enjoyable characters.

I think I enjoyed the first book a tiny bit more, just because I feel like the ending for this one was too rushed. However, this was still a solid read and perfect for fans of K-pop bands/dramas.

Thank you so much NetGalley and HarperTeen for the review copy in exchange for my honest review!

•𝗧𝗪/𝗖𝗪: Infidelity, Sexism, Toxic Relationship

ASAP - Axie Oh

Review: 4.5 Stars

Thank you, Harper Collins, for a eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I hoped that Axie would return to the XOXO world to finally give Nathaniel and Sori the happy ending they deserved! After all, one could tell that they still had feelings for each other.

I finished this in one sitting and was honestly charmed by it. Sori and Nathaniel seem to have matured since their XOXO days. The story was very engaging with some drama thrown in between as Sori was torn between saving her mother’s company and her love for Nathaniel. Sori’s character has changed since we last saw her as her character has matured and she knows what she doesn’t want to do and is very determined to do what she needs to do to achieve her goals. Nathaniel on the other hand strives to find something he wishes to achieve on his own without his fellow XOXO members and it was admirable to see. We got cameos from the XOXO members and Jenny - it was fun getting a peek into their lives.

Overall, it was a great follow-up to XOXO being a cute binge-able romance with some light drama thrown in. I sincerely hope that Axie would re-visit this world and give Sun a HEA!

The daughter of a K-pop company owner and politician finds herself being reunited with the one boy who still holds her heart despite her breaking his, her ex-boyfriend, a member of one of the biggest K-pop bands around. Sori is a model and an upcoming idol, her mother owns a K-pop company and her father is a politician.... she's always done everything for her family, bending over backwards to make sure they are happy... even at the cost of her own heart. Sori used to date Nathaniel, a member of one of the biggest K-pop bands. Sori and Nathaniel were so in love... but then a potential scandal happened and her mother told her break up with him and she did... but that doesn't mean she stopped loving him. Sori is still very much in love with Nathaniel, and hiding it has been easy since he was always on tour. But their paths have converged again when her mother asks her to train a potential new member for a girl group called ASAP and Nathaniel is on a break from tour... and is caught in a new scandal... which has Sori offering him to lay low and live in her house until his break is over. Being around the one boy who still has her heart while pretending she isn't affected is harder, it only gets harder when they have to work on shows together... and live together. Sori's mother wants her to not be with Nathaniel while her father wants to use her to get more political connections and support by having her go on dates with potential supporter's sons.... but what Sori wants is to be back with the boy who still has her heart, if only she could break free of her parent's expectations and try to do everything for everyone but herself. In a world where scandals could make or break you and pleasing your parents is second nature, can Sori find it in herself to seize a second chance at happiness while risking it all. This is the sequel to XOXO and does feature cameos of characters from the first however you can read it as a standalone. This was a really cute and fun read. I get the pressure Sori is under and her need to want to make her family happy but at the same time struggling to grasp her own wants. I loved Sori and Nathaniel, Nathaniel is such a sweetheart, constantly ready to do anything for Sori and you can feel that he hasn't ever stopped loving her. I had fun with the characters in this book and loved seeing them get their second chance at romance. The story is sweet overall and I would love to read more romance stories featuring the other members of the band. Overall, I would definitely recommend this series for anyone looking for a celebrity romance, a k-drama like romance, or just a fun romance!

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books, HarperTeen for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Loved this! I read XOXO when that came out and thought it was absolutely adorable—I think I love this one even more. The author does a great job for conveying the inflection and cadence of Korean dialogue in English language, which lends further authenticity to the story taking place in Seoul. I felt like there was more resolution on the side of familial issues in this one than in XOXO, and I'm so happy to see a parent standing up for their child, especially when a main current of tension in the novel comes from the adults' burdens being placed on the child.

I spy an opening for another companion novel with Hyemi as the focus, and at this point I wouldn't be opposed either. Axie Oh has created a small world that lends well to fun, heartfelt YA romances. I continue to look forward to her works.

OKAYYYY CUTE!!!
I recently got introduced to Axie Ohs work and my god was that the best thing that has ever happened to me. This is so cute and romantic and just overall an good read. I definitely can see some folks reading this in High School and College so do with that information as you will!

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @harpercollins and @epicreads for an early copy of ASAP by @axieoh. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Release date: February 6th, 2024

Blurb: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/112975158-asap?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=dkaZBvUXbC&rank=1

Have you ever felt a book will be so good and could be a 5-star read from the very first chapter? ASAP is one of those books for me, it was such a wonderful read! It’s definitely a book you should pick up if you loved the first book, XOXO, and love watching Korean dramas. I would highly suggest that you read XOXO first though, as this contains spoilers from the events in the first novel.

🛑Swipe for the full review; review may contain spoilers🛑

Have you ever felt a book will be so good and could be a 5-star read from the very first chapter? ASAP is one of those books for me, it was such a wonderful read! Once again, Axie Oh has brought us a novel that could honestly be and feels like watching a Korean drama. Her storytelling kept me at the edge of my seat, especially towards the end (which if you watch K-dramas you’d know that the last few episodes leading up to the finale are always the most intense, and most annoying moments).

Axie Oh has made each character shine in this novel. Hyemi, has wanted to debut for years. She is a last-minute addition to the girl group ASAP which Joah Entertainment is launching. With Sori deciding she doesn’t want to debut, her mom, the CEO of Joah, enlists her help to train Hyemi, in exchange for her taking a path of her own choice afterward. Hyemi is such a sweet and promising character. Despite her social status, she seems down-to-earth and very respectful. Being a new addition to an idol group seems daunting, but she’s very determined to prove herself. Min Hee, Sori’s mom, and CEO of Joah, who despite being absent for most of the book, also shined in this book. She’s been through a lot but she is headstrong and determined as well to protect Sori, as well as her talents’ best interests.

The main characters Sori and Nathaniel’s chemistry were off the charts! Despite their relationship status, their tension and longing for each other have always been consistent throughout the book. Although sometimes, I want to reach out into the book and slap Sori whenever she’s feeling so selfless and wants to save whoever she feels she needs to save, I mean just be selfish for once and be with Nathaniel for crying out loud! 😅 She’s overly caring for the people she loves, and while that’s not a bad thing entirely, as a reader, I’m just really rooting for her and Nathaniel. Meanwhile, throughout the book, I feel like Nathaniel never wavered with his feelings for Sori. In so many little ways, he was always looking out for her and I couldn’t help myself but swoon whenever he’s sweet.

ASAP is definitely a book you should pick up if you loved the first book, XOXO, and love watching Korean dramas. I would highly suggest that you read XOXO first though, as this contains spoilers from the events in the first novel.

ASAP was the book I needed when I was reading it. I love second chance romance! Also llately I feel like I’ve been getting hooked on characters from second books, more than characters from first books.

I loved Sori in this. She is figuring out what she actually wants in life and I also love that we see how her and her mom have such a strong bond. We get to see her grow as a person and how much she was putting some of the expectations on herself.

Everything was so stinking cute, like watching a drama. I loved the way Sori and Nathanial kept ending up in the same place. It seemed like they learned more about one another as friends than they even did when they originally dated.

Super cute, super sweet read. I loved that it’s one of those pick me up feel good books.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins and the author, Axie Oh, for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. I did not read XOXO before diving into this book so I wasn't sure what to expect. The writing is super young and fresh. This book is definitely for the kpop girlies. Because I felt like I was reading a fanfic every now and then instead of an actual book. It took me a while to get into the story but it started to pick up in the middle.

There were some moments where I felt like the Min Sori and Nathaniel didn't have any chemistry and some other moments that completely contradicted my previous opinion. I felt like I was in this constant loophole of they're so perfect for each other and they're never going to last

I am not a huge sucker for second-chance romance so maybe that's why I feel like this book wasn't for me. Nonetheless, I think I would recommend it to new readers who are looking for something to read. And as I previously mentioned, the kpop girls! But also to those who are looking for something sweet and fluffy. This book felt like a breath of fresh air from my previous reads.

I read the first book in this series and thought it was just okay. The writing was super young. I read this one thinking it would be better than the first one but it was not. This was a super unnecessary sequel. I did not really care for this one.

I was so excited to read this one! I know sooo many asked for MORE after XOXO.
WELL, here it is.. Releasing, February, 6th 2024!

I'm obsessed!
It's a second chance romance and Nathaniel and Sori are freakin' adorable.

Literally, I spent the whole book rooting for them.
There's a point in the book where some drama happens that could potentially ruin it for them
and my 31 married with kids self gasped out loud at it. LOL
I'm pretty sure this book is geared towards teens but I was engrossed in it!

Plus, with all the drama in her love life going on, Sori has family drama as well.
I don't want to give too much away.
This is definitely an awesome read full of love, friendship, and finding yourself. <3

Thank you, NetGalley and the Publisher, for the opportunity to read this lovely title in exchange for an honest review.

I've never read an Axie Oh novel, but I've seen them pop up on my recommended list many, many times, and I'm so glad I took the plunge. This was so sweet and so worth the read. I'm now a second-chance romance convert.

Thank you, Axie Oh! I look forward to reading more from your catalogue.